Scott County Times from Forest, Mississippi • Page 1

1989 Valentine Angels See Pages 8B-10B See Page 5A C0TT C0UN Vol. 50, No. 6 Copyright, 1989, Tin Scon County Timet FEBRUARY 8, 1989 FOREST, MISSISSIPPI 35' The Times Frozen fence Chamber banquet set for March 2 Terry Miller, president of the Forest Area Chamber of Commerce, has announced the Refinancing could save city $2 million Walker's comments. City Auditor Tommy Williams of Philadelphia also gave the proposal his approval. By unanimous vote, the council gave Gaddis authority to pursue the refinancing plan.

A final vote on the proposal will be taken when negotiations with the Mississippi Development Bank are completed. "Gentlemen, this plan appears to give us the ability to save the future generations of Forest about $2 million over the long haul," said Gaddis. "I like the idea of that." Alderman Jimmy Goodwin asked if the plan would impair the city's future general obligation bonding ability, and Gaddis said that MDB officials had documented that it would not. In addition, the council voted to pursue a similar plan on an existing FmHA note pledged on the city's industrial park. The city has $117,000 in a debt retirement fund, and will utilize another $57,193 in transferred funds to pay the note off early after FmHA officials agreed to reduced the total owed from $229,000 to $175,368.

"That action leaves the city free and clear on the industrial park," said Gaddis. In other board action, the council voted 4-0 with one abstention to endorse the proposed Forest Municipal School District bond issue, calling it a "step forward for public education in this Alderman James Clark, who is employed as athletic director in the Forest Municipal Schools, abstained from voting on the endorsement measure. While not voting, Mayor Fred Gaddis extended his personal endorsement to passage of the bond issue. "I plan to vote for it and to help convince others to do the same," he said. By SID SALTER Times Kditor The Forest City Council is considering a refinancing proposal submitted by the Mississippi Development Bank to Mayor Fred Gaddis that could save city taxpayers over $2 million in FmHA water and sewer project loan debt retirement over the next 15 years.

Gaddis unveiled the package Tuesday during the regular monthly meeting of city officials. The proposal calls for the refinancing of a 1978 and 1985 FmHA loans for city water and sewer system construction and improvements. The plan would call for both loans, carrying a current total outstanding principal of $1,875 million with annual debt service of $162,926 with a final payout in 2013 and 2020 respectively, to be refinanced in a 15-year revenue bond issue. In return for the quick payoff of the loans, the FmHA would agree to reduce the outstanding principal by almost $500,000 from $1,875 million to $1,380 million. The bonds would require a payoff over 15 years at an average debt service of $165,000 annually, leaving the city "in virtually the same cash position as we are now 'in terms of debt service" said.

The refinancing plan is the brainchild of the state-sponsored Mississippi Development Bank. Other Mississippi municipalities are currently involved in similar debt-reduction programs. Bank of Forest president and CEO Gene Walker told city councilmen during the meeting that "at first blush, it looks like a very sound proposal for the Other bankers in attendance echoed Ice storm 4 JL Chamber's 40th anniversary celebration and annual banquet. The banquet will be held at the Forest National Guard Armory on Thursday, March 2. Dinner will be served promptly at 7 p.m.

Entertainment for the evening will be the musical comedy group "Three On A This group has played numerous conventions, appeared on Nashville Now, and has done concerts with the Statler Brothers, The Oak Ridge Boys, and Barbara Mandrell. Their show includes old standards, country, bluegrass and folk music as well as hilarious comic routines. Tickets are $10.00 and are available from Chamber directors or by calling Sylvia Miller at the Chamber office 469-4332. Bond issue poster contest is slated A poster contest was announced last week for students in grades kindergarten through 8 in the Forest Municipal School District. It was determined by the Advisory Committee that students could assist in advertising the School Improvement Bond Election scheduled for Tuesday, March 7, through colorful posters.

The theme of the contest will be "Cool Forest Schools." Letters sent to parents included rules of the competition and identified dates and other details. Arts group traveling to Montgomery, AL Forest Community Arts, Inc. is sponsoring a two-day trip in March 1989 to Montgomery to the Alabama Shakespeare Festival. Participants will be able to see two plays at the festival, including "Romeo and Juliet" and "Much Ado About Nothing." Also scheduled for the March 11-12 trip is a tour of the festival theater and a guided tour of the City of Montgomery. A deluxe restroom-equipped motor coach has been chartered for the trip, so participation is limited to only 46 persons.

Forest Community Arts members have first priority. Cost is $90 per person, which includes transportation, tickets to the two plays, the two tours and a room (two persons per room). Meals are not included. The $90 is due immediately in order to ensure reservations. Tickets for the trip will go on sale to the general public on Oct.

17. Please contact Mary Jo Walsh if you are interested in going on the two-day trip or would like further information. Blood drive for Martin to be held at Mississippi Blood Services will post a mobile blood-donor unit in the Farmers and Merchants Bank parking lot in downtown Forest on Thursday, February 9 from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. The blood drive is for the benefit of John Martin of Forest, who was critically injured in a recent automobile accident on Hwy.

35 North. While the blood donated will be for John's benefit, donors of all blood types are asked to donate. CANDIDATE'S LIST CIRCUIT JUDGE Edward A. Williamson Laurel G. Weir CHANCERY JUDGE H.

David Clark, II Dannye L. Hunter ALDERMAN WARD 4 R. P. (Bob) Stringer ALDERMAN-AT-LARGE H. C.

(Skipper) Warren POLICE CHIEF Jamie Veazey ffttftr Our Town 2, 12A The "Siberian Express" ice storm rolled into Scott County over the weekend, leaving schools closed Monday and a signficant coating of ice over the county. The freezing precipitation was strong enough Monday night to collect on objects as thin as this barbed-wire fence. Downed power lines left many West Scott County residents without power throughout the day Monday. Temperatures remained in the 20's at press deadline, with another cold front forecast for the area later this week. Times staff photo by Leilani Pope) Chambers celebrates 45 years as dealer power lines in county 1944, with Roy Fuston doing the distributing our of Walnut Grove." Chambers formed a partnership with his son, Jerry, in 1961, and the store's name changed to Paul Chambers Son.

The elder Chambers attributes his success in business to "good customers, fair prices, keeping the customers first, hard work and Jerry Chambers, 51, said that although his father will turn 80 in May, he still come to work every day. "Physically, he's not doing well right now, but you wouldn't know it by watching him behind the counter." Since the days of Roosevelt and gas rationing, customers of the Paul Chambers grocery have pulled up to gas pumps bearing the Gulf Oil Company label. Paul Chambers began his business relationship with Gulf Oil in 1944, seven years after the 1937 opening of his grocery and general merchantile business in the heart of Hillsboro. Today, at age 79, he has logged 61 years in the grocery business. Chambers was honored in ceremonies at the store Monday by Gulf Oil representative G.W.

Brantley and local Gulf Oil distributor Stanley Roberts for his 45 years of service ass Gulf dealer. Roberts and Brantley presented Chambers with a plaque signifying the accomplishment. Chambers began his career working for the Taylor Tadlock while in high school for 35 cents a day. Following his 1932 graduation from Forest High, Chambers worked five years for Drew Hunt in Forest, then formed a partnership with Jack Hamilton in Hillsboro. In 1934, he was married to the former Margie Hamilton and three years later opened his own business.

"I started with $35 dollars," said Chambers. "We sold only lard, soda and flour. We started selling Gulf in knocks out reported. But in Morton, electricity was cut off to many residents between 11 p.m. Monday night and 1:30 a.m.

Tuesday morning, according to officials with Mississippi Power Light Company. Power outages were reported Tuesday morning on Highway 80 West at the Riverdale Apartments, Morris Tullos Drive, Dummyline Road, Mimosa Street, Smith Street, Sycamore Street, and Washington Street. The Clarksburg and Barefoot Springs communities also reported outages. The ice storm also cut off power to one of the city's sewer pumps, causing sewage to back up into a house on Fourth Avenue. The office in Morton was swamped with calls from residents without electricity Tuesday morning.

Officials reported that work crews began at 5:30 a.m. repairing downed lines in the Morton area. In Pelahatchie, residents around Stanwood Corporation and Pelahatchie Middle School and several residents on the outskirts of town lost power Monday night. Weather officials predict the snap of bad weather will be out of this area by Thursday, with temperatures back up in the 50's later in the week. But forecasters are watching yet another weather front moving south behind northerly high pressures.

That front could bring freezing rain back to the state by this weekend. capital credits proud to provide the capital credit refund to eligible members." To request the refund, the beneficiary must file forms with the association. These forms are available at the main office in Taylorsville and district offices in Pearl and Rawls Springs. For further assistance or additional information, contact Southern Pine Electric Association's or call 785-6511 or 1-800-231-5240. The ice storm that hit the Scott County late Monday night did not cause much damage, but did leave several western areas of the county without electricity.

Schools closed countywide Tuesday. Icy road conditions and downed power lines has also forced Morton schools to close their doors today(Wednesday). Superintendent of Education Leon Tadlock said Morton schools would be closed Wednesday due to downed power lines in the northern rural areas of the county. He said unless the weather got worse Tuesday night schools in Sebastopol, Lake and Scott Central would be open today (Wednesday). He added that Morton teachers would be reporting to work Wednesday.

The Forest city schools were closed Tuesday, but were slated at press deadline to be open Wednesday unless weather conditions got dramatically worse. "We don't want our buses on these rural roads with power lines down," Tadlock said. Morton and Forest was spared from the full brunt of the frigid storm which gripped the state Monday- and Tuesday, apparently being on the edge of the storm. The Vicksburg, Jackson and Kosciusko areas were hardest hit by the storm, which brought sub-freezing temperatures and icy rain with it. In the Forest and Lake areas, only brief power interruptions were SPEA refunds Southern Pine Electric Association recently initiated a new service for its members by refunding patronage capital to the estates of deceased members.

Southern Pine is a member-owned and not-for-profit cooperative. "Capital credits, which represents a member's ownership, are one of the many benefits of belonging to a cooperative says Don Jordan, Association Manager. "We are 1 I 4 TrSv i'W; Deaths 2 A Views 4A Classified 10, UA Legals 9, HA Lifestyles 3, 6, 7A Gulf Oil honors Chambers Sons Hillsboro grocer Paul Chambers, second from left, was presented a plaque Monday denoting his 45 years of service as a Gulf Oil Company dealer. Mr. Chambers founded the store in 1937.

Shown with Chambers at the presentation were, left to right: Local Gulf distributor Stanley Roberts, Gulf Oil Company representative G.W. Brantley, Chambers, and his-son and partner Jerry Chambers..