By JAMIE PATTERSON
Managing Editor

Alderman Clifton Jones’ discussion of the parks and recreation department being shorted money took a turn that left many scratching their heads Monday.
Jones claims about $354,000 is due to the parks and recreation department over a period of six years. However, it was his comment about the city’s racial relations that left many looking shocked and confused in the Board of Mayor and Aldermen meeting.
“Whites throughout the history of Yazoo City have controlled the government,” Jones said, reading from a letter he distributed during the open meeting this week. “Even after blacks began to be elected city officials, whites have continued to control, sadly enough. This holds true as of 2012.”
Jones went on to claim that there is a lack of skills and management among the black population.
-------for the rest of the story see The Yazoo Herald printed edition or subscribe to the Digital Edition.----------

Russell

By JASON PATTERSON
Editor & Publisher

It was an illegal forward pass, but the penalty may be five years instead of five yards.
Jason Russell, 35, of Madison was arrested Thursday after throwing a football filled with over a pound of marijuana over the fences at the Yazoo County Correctional facility. The football also contained tobacco, rolling papers and lighters.
Sheriff Jake Sheriff and his officers responded to the scene after a guard saw Russell throw the football on camera. Rusell’s timing couldn’t have been worse because the sheriff and his deputies were in the middle of a staff meeting nearby when the call came in.
-------for the rest of the story see The Yazoo Herald printed edition or subscribe to the Digital Edition.----------

Jason PattersonJamie PattersonTaylor MitchellThe Yazoo Herald

The Yazoo Herald won ten awards in the Mississippi Press Association’s annual Better Newspaper Contest for editorial work.
The awards were presented July 7 at the Southeastern Press Convention at the Sandestin Resort in Miramar Beach, Fla.
Jamie and Jason Patterson won a first place award for their series of stories commemorating the 10th anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001. They claimed a second place award in the same category for their series titled “Yazoo Heroes” that featured local veterans who served in World War II and Korea.
Sports Editor Taylor Mitchell won a second place award for Best Sports Columns.
Other awards earned by The Herald included:
•Best General News Story, second place, Jason Patterson.
•Best Planned Series of Stories, second place, Jamie Patterson and Jason Patterson
•Best General Interest Column, second place, Jamie Patterson
•Best Pictorial Series, second place, Jason Patterson
•Best Commentary Column, third place, Jason Patterson
•Best Pictorial Series, third place, Jason Patterson
•Best Editorials, third place, Jason Patterson
•Web Exclusive Photo, third place, Jason Patterson

The red lines on this map indicate a proposed expansion of Panther Swamp National Wildlife Refuge that supporters attempted to slip into the 2012 Farm Bill without notifying Yazoo County officials or landowners.By JASON PATTERSON
Editor & Publisher

The Yazoo County Board of Supervisors has passed a resolution opposing a proposed expansion of Panther Swamp National Wildlife Refuge that county officials say would be economically disastrous.
Local officials were surprised to learn that Congress has been asked to consider a plan to expand Panther Swamp NWR by acquiring up to 48,000 acres of private land.
Cobie Collins, president of the Board of Supervisors, said the expansion would likely prove very costly for the county.
“We are strongly opposed to this,” Collins said. “It could prove to be very costly to the citizens of Yazoo County.”
Tax Assessor Beverly Ladner said that the assessed land value the county would lose would total $4,871,195 and the amount of tax revenue would be $540,654.
-------for the rest of the story see The Yazoo Herald printed edition or subscribe to the Digital Edition.----------