Wednesday, August 11, 2010
The Vicksburg Post
A3
Gun found is believed to be linked to Jackson police officer’s slaying RAYMOND, Miss. — A volunteer searcher found the gun they believe was used in the shooting death of Jackson police officer Glen Agee, authorities said. Joe Barnett of Clinton, a metal detector hobbyist, found a gun Tuesday morning in a drainage ditch near Raymond. The suspect in the killing, 24-year-old Latwan Dupree Smith, pleaded not guilty Monday to capital murder. On Friday, Agee and two other Jackson police officers were taking Smith to the Hinds County Detention Center in Raymond when police say Smith opened the door of the patrol car by reaching through an open window. Officers say Smith escaped and ran. Agee ran
Mural
the south
BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS after him and was later found shot in the face. Investigators believe Smith tossed Agee’s 9 mm service pistol while fleeing.
Man charged in mother’s slaying MERIDIAN, Miss. — A 42-year-old Lauderdale County man has been charged in the slaying of his 78-year-old mother. Daniel E. Wood was arrested Aug. 4 on a charge of failure to appear in justice court, and has been held at the Lauderdale County jail. Sheriff Billy Sollie said Monday that Wood has been charged with murder.
It was not immediately clear Tuesday whether Wood has an attorney. Delores Wood was last seen July 28 at church, and friends reported her missing Aug. 2. Sollie said Delores Woods’ body hasn’t been found, but investigators discovered bone fragments in a pond behind the family home.
4 railroad cars derail in Pascagoula PASCAGOULA, Miss. — Four railroad cars carrying 120 gallons of liquid propane derailed early Tuesday near a Walmart in Pascagoula. No injuries were reported, and the state Department of Environmental Quality said the cars were not leaking. No evacuations were ordered.
Continued from Page A1. about 1,000 participants for a 10-kilometer run, 5-kilometer racewalk and 1-mile fun run through the military park. It is held on the first weekend in March and has been the largest event each year for the Mississippi Track Club, which sanctions the event. The mural is being com-
missioned by the Run Thru History committee that organized the event from 1987 to 2009, with funds from past event registrations and sponsorships, Varner said. A new committee was handed the reins beginning with this year’s run. Varner said the cost will be similar to
On the agenda Meeting Tuesday, the Vicksburg Board of Mayor and Aldermen: • OK’d minutes from June 4 and 10. • Awarded an engineering contract on a new generator for the water treatment plant to Allen & Hoshall for $58,900. • Canceled a contract with Scallions Lawn Service of Vicksburg for grass cutting at 35 city properties. The company was not meeting specifications of its contract, which it has had for 2 1/2 years, said Purchasing Director Tim Smith. The cutting may be done in house, said Smith, or the board can choose to rebid the work. On June 25 the city canceled its contract with Scallions for cutting the city cemetery and awarded the contract to a previous bidder. • Heard about upcoming events at the Southern Cultural Heritage Center from executive director Annette Kirklin. • OK’d a formal application for the Mayor’s Youth Council, and a release form for participation in activities and transportation. • Gave the buildings and inspections department approval to cut and clean the properties found noncompliant with property maintenance codes: 522 Dabney St., 1331 Magnolia St., 922 Meadow St., 606 N. Poplar St., Cairo Drive PPIN#010250, 1625 Sky Farm Ave., 2013 Ford St., 237 N. Locust St. and 223 N. Locust St. Permission to remove dilapidated buildings was granted at 36 Hicks Hill Lane, 608 N. Poplar St. and 2515 Pearl St. A 30-day extension was granted for removal of dilapidated buildings at 2209 and 2211 Pearl St. • Accepted a letter establishing special assessment of the following properties cut, cleaned and/or demolished due to noncompliance with property maintenance codes: 79 Kings Gin Road, owned by Karen Haynes Alexander; 1905 Clay St., owned by Henry V. Bailey; 1208 Locust St., owned by Steven Bailey; 2816 Arcadia St., owned
the existing murals, which required $15,000 to $16,500 each. “We just thought we should try to leave a legacy in Vicksburg highlighting what a tremendous community event this has been and continues to be,” Varner said.
by Charles Milton Barnes; 747 Johnson St., owned by Carl Bennett; 219 N. Locust St., owned by Circle Court LLC; 500 Dallas St., owned by Cherice Gilliam and April Charles; 600 Depot St., owned by Moak Petroleum Products; Williams Street PPIN#6125 and 86 Williams St., owned by Vanessa T. Moore; 812 Walnut St., owned by Jessie Belle Williams Norfort; 1401 High St., 1104 Third North St., 1226 Second North St. and 1228 Grammar St., owned by the State of Mississippi; and 1119 Fayette St., owned by WMC Mortgage Corp. • OK’d a $100 ad request from Porters Chapel Academy for the 2010-11 sports program. • OK’d setting a hearing on the fiscal year 2011 budget for 7 p.m. Aug. 26, and approved advertising the hearing as required by law. • OK’d reappointing Patty Cappaert and Lori Burke to the Vicksburg Convention and Visitors Bureau board. • OK’d payment of $37,867.15 to VicksburgWarren 911 for the city’s 60 percent share of dispatcher salaries, matching benefits and insurance for July. • OK’d the claims docket. In closed session, the board: • OK’d two new hires in each the street and police departments. • Accepted three resignations in the fire department, as well as one in each the gas and police departments. • OK’d terminating 10 summer workers in the recreation department. • OK’d one 8-day unpaid suspension in the police department. • OK’d one status change from equipment operator to laborer. • Discussed personnel matters in the gas, police and street departments. • Discussed one litigation matter. The board is scheduled to meet next at 10 a.m. Monday in room 109 of the City Hall Annex, 1415 Walnut St.
The derailment was reported about 4:30 a.m. Specialized cranes were being brought in from Shreveport, La., to turn the cars upright. That job was expected to be finished by Tuesday night. The Mississippi Department of Transportation Rail Police division was investigating what caused the derailment. The Mississippi National Guard was monitoring the site.
Teen accused in death of Coast dog breeder PASCAGOULA, Miss. — A 19-year-old faces capital murder charges in the shooting death of a professional dog-handler, groomer and breeder. Pascagoula Police Chief Kenny Johnson said Rodney Phillip McKenzie is accused of shooting Johnny McArthur Bullock while trying to rob him early Tuesday. Authorities said Bullock, owner of Bullock’s Kennel, was found dead in his van after it crashed into a power pole guy wire. McKenzie was being held without bond. He’s scheduled to make an appearance in municipal court today.
Appeals court date set in Kaplan school case LAFAYETTE, La. — The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will hear arguments in a challenge of the singlegender programs at a Kaplan middle school. A federal district judge ruled in April that the all-
boys and all-girls classes at Rene Rost Middle School could continue under court-mandated conditions addressing errors in the program’s planning and implementation in the 2009-10 school year. The American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana filed a lawsuit in September that claimed the program was discriminatory and violated students’ rights to an equal education and other federal regulations. Oral arguments have tentatively been set for the week of Oct. 4. Vermilion Parish School Board attorneys filed a motion asking the court to dismiss the appeal because the allegations were directed at a program, which ended in May.
Hinds County mulling employee furloughs JACKSON, Miss. — Hinds County may increase employee furlough days, leave jobs unfilled, suspend equipment purchases and drain reserves in the wake of another slim financial outlook. Finance officials told the Board of Supervisors during budget hearings Tuesday that the county anticipates collecting about $55 million in taxes but may be faced with $58 million in costs for fiscal year 2011. They also recommended a budget that imposes eight furlough days, eliminates 29 vacant positions and defers nearly $2 million worth of purchases. The proposed budget would
be balanced by taking $2.9 million from cash reserves, leaving $54,212 in savings. The county’s new fiscal year begins Oct. 1. Supervisors must approve a budget for fiscal 2011 by midSeptember.
Sixth La. worker pleads guilty to stamp fraud LAFAYETTE, La. — A sixth defendant has pleaded guilty in the federal government’s ongoing investigation into disaster food stamp fraud. Dorothy Reedom, who had worked for the Department of Social Services’ Office of Family Support in St. Mary Parish, pleaded guilty Monday to theft of public money, property or records, according to plea filings released Tuesday. Reedom is one of 13 state workers charged in a 57-count indictment involving the theft of more than $50,000 in federal food stamp benefits from 2005 to 2008. Reedom and others, including Marich Anderson, the former St. Mary Parish 911 director, are accused of fraudulently obtaining and using the money for themselves, family and friends after hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav and Ike. Reedom is the sixth person to enter a guilty plea since a federal grand jury handed up indictments in November. In entering a plea, Reedom follows Anderson, Laura Wells, Andrea Broussard, Barbara Sanders and Barbara Sonia.
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