Bentonia Crosses top story of 2012

By JASON PATTERSON
Editor & Publisher

The top story of 2012 in Yazoo County was the town of Bentonia being forced to remove lighted crosses from a water tower by the American Civil Liberties Union and the effort to erect new crosses on private property.
The normally quiet town of Bentonia received national attention after the ACLU threatened legal action to force the removal of the lighted crosses. The issue attracted many supporters, and also some detractors, most notably a group known as Freedom From Religion.
Hundreds of supporters signed a petition that was published in The Yazoo Herald in support of the crosses. Eventually a group stepped forward to lead a fundraising effort to erect taller and brighter crosses on private property. Construction of those crosses is expected to begin early this year.
Other top stories included:
Fletcher Cox drafted
After a remarkable football career at Yazoo High School and Mississippi State University, hometown hero Fletcher Cox was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles. Crowds gathered at home to watch the live broadcast of the NFL draft.
Ed Dew dies, Jayne Dew elected
Ed Dew died this year after serving as District 4 supervisor for 20 years. One of the most spirited local campaigns in recent memory ensued, with Dew’s wife Jayne Dew winning to become the first female supervisor in Yazoo County history.
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