Oxford April 21, 2016

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Volume 3 | Issue 1

Thursday, April 21, 2016

Inside 2 News

Tannehill's drive, dream made Double Decker what it is today

7 News

THOMAS WELLS | BUY AT PHOTOS.DJOURNAL.COM

The iconic Double Decker bus will be busy this weekend as the 21st annual festival named in its honor begins.

Time to festival

City set to unveil two new Double Decker buses

21 Sports

Double Decker dominates weekend activities

BY JOHN DAVIS OXFORD CITIZEN

By the time the 21st annual Double Decker Arts Festival, sponsored by Caterpillar, really gets going, the weather should be ideal. Thunderstorms that were predicted for

today were expected to be out as the first day of the festival got going on Friday. By Saturday, the forecast was mostly sunny with a high of 76 degrees. Chance of rain was 10 percent and the humidity was just 55 percent.

In a nutshell, the perfect

forecast for an outside event that attracts up to 65,000 people. Weather has always been a focal point of the festival.

Three weeks out, Jimmy Allgood is watching for intense storms just in case a plan needs to be put together for those in attendance. Good

food and fantastic art always go well together when the sun is out, and the temperature is just right. Not too hot, and not cold is ideal. Anything in the mid 70s as a high is ideal.

This year's Double Decker TURN TO FESTIVAL PAGE 6

Fair brings winning brand of football to Lafayette

OXFORD CITIZEN

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THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2016

Tannehill's drive, dream made Double Decker what it is today

BY JOHN DAVIS OXFORD CITIZEN

Robyn Tannehill came to Oxford to attend the University of Mississippi in 1988.

The art major from Florence, Alabama was just looking to get a degree, and then get a job. She ended up doing both, and changing the city from a financial standpoint at the same time.

Tannehill, who currently serves on the city's board of aldermen, had a vision 21 years ago and that was creating a festival that has turned into one of the largest in the state, and become the second biggest weekend in Oxford behind any of the biggest Ole Miss football games.

The story as to how the annual Double Decker Arts Festival has become what it is today starts not long after Tannehill was out of school.

She served as the assistant director of the OxfordLafayette Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Foundation.

She then became the Director of Tourism which gave

her just enough experience and knowledge in that chamber community world to realize that most every other community had some sort of festival that highlighted whatever there thing was. Oxford didn't have one, and it “miffed” Tannehill that was the case.

“I just couldn't figure out why we didn't with so much good food, music and art here, why do we not have a festival?” Tannehill said. “I found out there had had been several music festivals, smaller venue, one-day festivals but nothing that was an occurring event. There had been at the time what was called First Saturday which was done by the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council which was art on the courthouse lawn once a month.”

Building on those smaller venues, Tannehill, who was 23 when Double Decker started rolling, went about raising the money to host a yearly event. The “little girl from tourism” as she was called by alderman Ulysses Howell, came and talked to John Leslie, the Mayor of Ox-

COURTESY

Robyn Tannehill, left, was honored by Mary Allyn Hedges with a plaque at the 2015 Double Decker Arts Festival for her idea and what it has turned out to be for Oxford. ford at the time. He assured Tannehill that there would be no city money given for the event.

“The first thing I did was I told my tourism board and

Pat Patterson was on my board at the time. He was 100 percent behind it, and he was my right hand for the festival,” Tannehill said of Patterson. “He was in a golf

cart all day, loading ice and trash. We had a large number of University Sporting Goods volunteers that were helping me.”

Vaughn Grisham, a pro-

fessor at Ole Miss, dealt with a lot of economic development issues and one of the talks Tannehill heard him give was on crowd counting and estimating attendance.

She wanted to know how many people would have come to the first festival, because she wanted it to be the first of many, even if others never thought it would go past the spring of 1996.

“I wanted it to be free and if you're not selling tickets and no area is blocked off, how do you know how many people came? He said you stand on the roof of the buildings and you take pictures all during the day,” Tannehill said. “He got a group of students to do this for their project and that's how many people we knew we had and it was about 9,000. I think there was 65,000 last year. I'm not sure it would be that big, but I knew it would work. I'm not sure I pondered the number that would come, but if the weather was decent, I knew it would work.”

TURN TO TANNEHILL PAGE 4

THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2016

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Tannehill FROM 2

The other right hand of Tannehill was Nan Davis, who was also on the tourism board. She said everyone was super supportive on that side of the things. Leslie, however, wasn't for shutting down any streets. Patterson handled that aspect, along with the help of Bob Vasileyv, Tannehill said. She wanted the festival to revolve around good food, music and art and she wanted the art to be good quality, the kind of art that was worth what people would pay for it.

Local food vendors were recruited to sale the refreshments to festival goers. Finding all local bands was tougher to do, but she was able to get two volunteers to help book everyone. Laura Antonow helped jury all the art and set up the vendors.

“I get credit for the idea all the time, but I did not pull it off by myself. There were tons of people involved,” she said. “Everybody I met with got excited and that made me more excited. I went to Coca-Cola and they gave me $10,000. I went to Budweiser and asked them for $10,000 and they said we want to sell beer. I told them as long as I was in charge of the festival, there would never be beer sold at it simply because there are 18 places you can buy it around the Square and I wasn't taking business away from them. Not that I didn't want beer there, but I wanted it to be a huge day for every business and not take away from anyone's sales that day. They said I was right and gave me $10,000.”

The $20,000 that Tannehill had funded the first festival.

Thankfully, there were enough local bands that

took her up on the offer to play for free in 1996 for double the money in 1997. The headliner of the first festival were the Steel Magnolias from New Orleans.

One of the funniest stories about the first festival involve the band. With Leslie not for any of the groups using city hall, Tannehill turned to Bill Plunk, the former chancery clerk of the county, for help.

“I needed places for these bands to change clothes and go to the bathroom and whatever so I needed a key to the courthouse,” she said.

“Bill gave me a key so on Monday morning, he called me and said it looked like Big Bird exploded in the courthouse. The Steel Magnolias wore huge Indian head dresses that are colorful and they just shed everywhere. I'll be honest, I never looked that night. When it was over, I locked the door and was out of there. It was hilarious. We still crack up about that.”

Getting bands to play for free was just half of the issue.

Tannehill couldn't afford stages for them to perform on either. She was able to find two people at the Beacon who drove 18-wheeler rigs and found out what they did with them over the weekend when they weren't hauling stuff. She was able to convince two to be dropped off on the Friday before the event.

“I got a staple gun and burlap and went all the way around them and then laid plywood on top of them and those were our stages,” she said with a laugh. “Now we have a 2 percent tourism tax and investing in that grows it even more. At the time, all I had was the 2 percent hotel/motel tax which was about $16,000 a month, at the most. It's just grown.”

From the very first Square

THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2016

COURTESY

Robyn Tannehill talks to the crowd during the 2015 Double Decker Arts Festival. The first festival drew 9,000 people. Last year, 65,000 people attended the event.

Fair on the lawn of the First Presbyterian Church, to the best dressed pet contest, the event that made Tannehill say “we're doing this again,” the annual festival has gotten a ton of support from city leaders.

“You couldn't stand another person in front of Bottletree and the lawn and there were about 65 pets in the best dressed pet contest,” Tannehill recalled.

“There were hundreds of people watching that silly thing and people just loved it. It was the perfect day. Oxford just embraced it and loved it from the start.”

And the idea for the name? Tannehill said it all

came together when the city got the famous English buses when she was first starting out as the tourism director.

“We got them in June or July and then had the festival that next April. I hadn't even been there a year. It was the cool, new thing and it provided an easy icon to work around,” Tannehill said. “Everybody loved them and embraced them right away and nobody else had them. We designed the festival around logos and Neil White helped me do that.

We came up with several and we decided on the Double Decker bus. We also planned the dates around

Jazz Fest in New Orleans because that way, I could piggy back off of their bands.”

There was one naysayer in town – that is for another story – regarding the first festival, and while things could have been better or run smoother, the festival improved. One thing that Tannehill made sure to improve from the first to the second festival was the collection of trash.

“One thing I underestimated was the trash. I thought I had thought through everything. I had Billy Lamb build these big A frames and hand painted all the signs for the event. Coke gave me plastic banners and

I bought sharpies,” Tannehill said. “I thought I had covered every detail and then day of, realized I never asked the city if they would get the trash. So... my husband and Goodloe Lewis and several others drug trash behind city hall all day long. And somebody sold shrimp. And there were shrimp peels everywhere. So about 1:30 in the morning, I look around and there is just stuff everywhere. I knew that the mayor would never let me have this again if this wasn't cleaned up. So my husband and I stayed up all night and picked up every single cigarette butt and shrimp tail.

We did the whole things ourselves.”

When Tannehill was awarded a plaque during last year's 20th anniversary festival, she was overwhelmed.

“To walk out there on the stage and look at all those people, and say 'Oh, wow' and it's still doing what the intention year one was and that was celebrate music, food and art,” Tannehill said.

“That's what Oxford does well. It has still maintained that same family flavor, but it's on a totally different level. Everyone that has planned it, has had the same passion for staying true to those three things being front and center and it being quality. I think that's the difference between this festival and a whole lot of others. I think there are a lot of others who would double the amount of vendors just to have someone mail in a check. That's why I think ours is better and why the art vendors sell so much. We have people that come ready to spend money because they know it's going to be quality stuff.” john.davis@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

OBITUARIES www.oxfordcitizen.com CONTACT US • Sports Editor, John Davis, john.davis@journalinc.com • News reporter, Chaning Green, chaning.green@journalinc.com • Advertising, Sarah Brooke Bishop, sarahbrooke.bishop @journalinc.com, (662) 801-9607 CORRECTIONS The Oxford Citizen will correct any error found in the newspaper.

To request a correction or clarification, call (662) 816-1282. A correction or clarification will appear in the next issue.

KESHAONNIA NICOLE PRITCHARD

MAVIS MCMURRAY SMITH

Keshaonnia Nicole Pritchard, 3, of Water Valley, passed away Tuesday, April 12 at Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi.

The family is planning a visitation Monday, April 18 at Springhill North Church in Water Valley from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. Services will begin at 1 with Rev. Sammy Townes officiating. Burial will be in Oak Ridge Cemetery in Water Valley.

Mavis McMurray Smith, 87, passed away Wednesday, April 13, 2016 at Senatobia Convalescent Center in Senatobia.

Visitation will be held Friday, April 15, 2016 from 1 until 2 pm at Seven Oaks Funeral Home in Water Valley. Funeral services will follow the visitation in the Henry Chapel of Seven Oaks with Bro. James West officiating. Burial will be in the Pine Crest Memorial

Garden Cemetery in Yalobusha County.

Eastover Cemetery. Dr. Bob Brewer and Chuck Cooper officiated. Coleman Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

CHARLES Memorials may be made to MORRIS COOPER The Nature Conservancy, Charles "Charlie" Morris Cooper, 67, passed away Sun- ATTN: Treasury, 4245 N. Fairday, April 17, 2016 at his home fax Dr., Suite 100, Arlington, VA 22203; Oxford Church of in Oxford.

Visitation was held Monday, Christ, in Memory of Charlie Cooper, (Haiti Missions) P.O. April 18 at Coleman Funeral Home of Oxford. Funeral serv- Box 1500, Oxford, MS 38655; or Christian Relief Fund, P.O. ices were held Tuesday, April Box 19670, Amarillo, TX 19 at the Oxford Church of 79114-1670.

Christ. Interment followed at

OXFORD CITIZEN

THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2016

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Carlton named as one of Oxford University School's Teachers of the Year

BY CHANING GREEN NEWS WRITER

Gin Gin Carlton has been selected as one of two of Oxford University School’s Teachers of the Year.

Carlton has been at OUS for the past 9 years. She grew up in Vicksburg and continued her family’s legacy of attending the University of Mississippi. Unlike the rest of her family, she decided to stay in Oxford upon graduating and made a life for herself in the sleepy little university town.

After graduating with her bachelor’s in early childhood education, Carlton began to teach music classes for children up to seven years old. She went to different daycares, but mostly ran the lessons out of her home. Carlton said that she comes from a musical family and was always involved in music in someway or another.

During her time at Ole Miss, she student taught at a public school’s pre-K program. Though she loved the

age group she was working with, she did not much care for the size of the class. At OUS the class size cap for her class is 15. At the public school, she had nearly twice that. Giving the children individual attention seemed like an impossible thing to do and she really did not enjoy that aspect of it. Growing up in private schools had reinforced for her the importance of the small class size and one on one attention. This is why she chose to teach in the private sector rather than public. The class size, the laid back atmosphere and the flexible curriculum were all things that further anchored her decision to teach at a private school.

After graduating with her master’s in curriculum and instruction, she began teaching pre-K at OUS. Carlton’s mother was a teacher, but said she was never really one of those girls who grew up always wanting to be a teacher.

Her realization came during her senior year of high school when she was on

PHOTO BY CHANING GREEN,

Gin Gin Carlton sits with her students in their classroom at Oxford University School. the cheerleading squad.

She was tasked with teaching a dance routine to a group of kindergarteners, and she realized she was good it. Dealing with kids that age was just something she could do and do well.

She never looked back.

“My favorite thing is probably seeing their smiles in the mornings,” Carlton said about why she loves teaching this age group. “Their positive outlook, always. A child is just

so innocent and seems have such positive outlook on everything. So when you come in a bad mood, and look at their faces, and it just makes your day turn around.”

Carlton said she also

loves how excited the kids get about everything. They are ready and willing to learn anything she throws at them. It is an attitude that, she said, can be harder to find in older children, something we as people tend to lose or push down as we age.

Currently, Carlton is preparing for the school’s summer camp that she’ll be running. Her portion of the camp is open to kids ages 3 to 7 and meets seven weeks throughout the summer. Each week of the program is themed and covers a variety of educational topics and activities including arts and craft, music and even a week dedicated to water based activities.

The camp is open to the public and children do not have to attend the school to be part of the camp. Carlton said that they are currently looking to recruit more kids ages 5 to 7, that anyone interested can contact OUS. chaning.green@journalinc.com Twitter: chaningthegreen

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THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2016

Square Fair provides kids activities during Double Decker in a company by the name of Extreme Entertainment that will be providing the majority of the activites including a mechanical bull, gyrosphere, rockwall and others. The service is in very high demand and the company Morgan McEwan of Visit Oxford said they were very lucky to book the activities for the festival The city’s recycling department will also be have representatives there that will provide educational activities for kids where they can learn about the importance about recycling and environmental protection, while also hav-

ing a good time.

An organization called Oragnic Moms will be working to provide both changing and nursing stations for parents attending the event. The Ole Miss School of Pharmacy will also be proving games for those in attendance.

McEwan said that this year, they really worked to provide activities for older kids this year.

“I think it’s gonna be awesome,” she said. “It’s going to be a lot of new things. I think it’s gonna interest a lot of older kids. It’s not just for babies and the simple games that have

been done in the past. It’s more targeted toward older children and they’re going to have fun. It’s like an actual fair.”

Slushies will be available for purchase at the fair, and there will also be a truck there selling smoothies and daiquiris, nonalcoholic, of course.

Just like any other event at Double Decker, the money people spend at the Square goes almost entirely to cover the cost of the vendor, supporting the local economy.

Barnes. There is an historic Double Decker bus tour at FROM 1 2 Friday, and it is hosted by Jack Mayfield, the ultimate begins Friday morning Oxford historian. Thacker with an art demonstration Mountain Radio will host a from Mark and Janet show at 7, while The

Nightowls will play at 7:30.

The Double Decker Run will kick things off Saturday morning and that is always a great sight to see. By 10:15, the music will start rolling, starting with River-

side Voodoos. This year's music stage is being sponsored by Ole Miss Athletics.

Michael Franti and Spearhead are the music headliners for this year's festival.

They will go on stage at 8:30

BY CHANING GREEN NEWS WRITER

Square Fair is the name of the kids activity potion of the Double Arts Festival that will he be held in the Chancery Building parking lot throughout the festival.

The fair is being organized for the fist time by Visit Oxford. In years past, the School of Hospitality Management of the University of Mississippi has put on the event, but passed the torch this year.

The city’s tourism bureau has taken it over and revamping it.

Visit Oxford has brought

Festival

chaning.green@journalinc.com Twitter: chaningthegreen

Saturday night. This year's festival will wrap up Sunday afternoon with the Gospel Choir Showcase and Iron Chef Competition which is hosted by Good Food for Oxford Schools.

That will begin in front of city hall at 3. A map of each vendor is located inside this week's edition.

John.davis@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

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THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2016

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City set to unveil two new Double Decker buses

BY KATHRYN WINTER STAFF WRITER

The City of Oxford and Visit Oxford will kick off the 21st annual Double Decker Arts Festival this Friday by unveiling two new Double Decker buses. The buses were brought to Oxford last fall from Arizona. All four Double Decker buses will be on display in front of City Hall for the unveiling and a press conference at 4 p.m.

Immediately following the press conference, free rides will be offered on a first come, first serve basis from 4:15 until 5 around the historic courthouse square.

Matt Davis, Parking Director for the City of Oxford said, “It’s great to be able to add two newer Double Decker buses to the fleet to accommodate the increasing demand for both private and public tours.”

Prior to the unveiling, Visit Oxford will be offering an hour-long historic driving tour departing from City Hall. Local historian Jack Mayfield will be giving the tour, and the cost is $10 dollars for adults and $5 for children 12 and under. Tickets can be reserved by calling Visit Oxford.

“The Double Decker buses are iconic to the City of Oxford and are always in high demand throughout the year for groups, weddings and other visitor related services,” said Mary Allyn Hedges, Director of Visit Oxford. “We are thrilled that the City of Oxford was able to obtain an additional two buses for the public to enjoy.”

A Double Decker bus is a bus that has two stories, or

decks. Double Decker buses are used for mass transport in the United Kingdom, Europe, Asia, and many other cities around the world. They are primarily used for tourists and sight seeing; the most iconic is the red Double Decker buses used in London. The Double Decker buses are also used in Oxford on Ole Miss game days, offering rides from the Square to the Grove, and

acting as shuttles to and from Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

Originally inspired by the Double Decker bus that Oxford imported from England in 1994, the festival showcases Oxford as a town that supports the arts and has grown to be one of the champion events in the region.

“We’ve had two original double decker buses for years now that have been

used for everything from weddings to birthday parties. We’ve purchased these two newer buses to help with the private tour load that keeps increasing every day,” Davis said.

Davis added the whole process of purchasing the buses and getting back to Mississippi took one year.

“We had a crew of four people from the city that drove the buses back to Oxford from Phoenix, Arizona. Two

drivers, Shawn Williams and myself, and two mechanics, Bo Ragon and Lynwood Jones, drove from Oxford to Phoenix in about a day and a half. The return trip, however, took four days where we crossed over five different states going 40 miles per hour.”

Getting the buses from Arizona to Oxford took about a week total. Along the way back people would take pictures of the buses

both while they were driving, and while parked at truck stops.

Mayor Pat Patterson said, “We are excited that they City of Oxford can offer two more old buses that are in better condition than the buses that the City has owned since the early 1990’s. The Double Decker buses have come to represent Oxford almost as much as the courthouse and city hall.”

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THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2016

Chistone "Kingfish" And The Echo to hold album Ingram to play release party at Proud Larry's Double Decker Up and coming blues guitarist Christone “Kingfish” Ingram is slotted to play the Double Decker Arts Festival Saturday at 2:30. Born in 1999, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram has had a pretty successful career so far. He sings the blues.

He wails on a guitar and croons into a microphone in a soulful voice that has been stopping people in their tracks for a few years now. He has played all over the country and a few places outside the US. The Clarksdale native has made appearances on “Rachel Ray” and “Steve Harvey.” Accolades have poured in from blues legends and contemporary artists alike. Ingram has played festivals around the country.

He began playing the drums at age 6, picked up bass at 9 before finally settling on guitar at age 11. He would

later add vocals to his repertoire. Ingram even played at the White House as a part of the Delta Blues Museum band. When he is not on the road or on a plane, he frequents the famous Clarksdale blues dive Morgan Freeman’s Ground Zero Blues Club and plays at festivals around the state.

Ingram’s love of music began where most things do in the South, at church. He then went on to learn from the greats of Delta blues scene at the Delta Blues Museum like Daddy Rich and Bill Howl N Madd Perry. He worked with country star Charlie Pride. Influences like Eric Gales, Little Jimmy King, Albert King, Ernie Isley, Jarius Mozee, Johnny Lang, Victor Wooten, Marcus Miller and, of course, Robert Johnson can be heard in the way he performs.

Local synthpop band And The Echo set to release their debut, selftitled album this weekend. The band, consisting of Morning Pennington and Winn McElroy, will be holding a release party to celebrate the occasion Thursday night at 9 p.m.

The group regularly performs across the region, and is known for their spectacular live performances where they incorporate a lightshow with every song, making it almost as much a part of the experience as the music itself.

Though the album will not technically be released until Friday, those that show up to the release party should be able to purchase an advanced copy.

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THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2016

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Red Byrd has never missed a Double Decker Arts Festival

BY KATHRYN WINTER STAFF WRITER

One local artist has never missed a Double Decker Arts Festival. Red Byrd, 87, and an Oxford native, is looking forward to another year selling his wooden toys in front of Ajax on the square. Byrd has made and sold toys before Double Decker was even founded.

“It used to just be Saturday on the Square,” Byrd said.

“I’ve definitely watched it grow over the years.”

Byrd’s specialty is making trains, but he also makes wooden airplanes, antique cars, trucks, bows and arrows, pistols, ping pong pistols and much more.

“I can make pretty much

anything out of wood. Little kids love to come see me and spend their money,” Byrd said.

Leigh Byrd Johnson, Byrd’s daughter, said that Double Decker has been a family affair for years. Byrd has two daughters, and one flies into Oxford from Colorado with her family every year for the festival. It’s a family reunion for them, as spouses and grandchildren all come together to help Byrd sell his notorious toys.

“We sell the toys, set up the booth and let daddy sit and enjoy showing the young children and older (but young at heart) how all his toys work. He loves all the excitement as they keep coming back to his booth each year,” Johnson said.

Byrd worked at a telephone company for 40 years and has lived in Oxford for 60. He retired and became interested in toys when his first grandson was born. “My first grandson was born 35 years ago.

That’s when I started making toys.” Byrd said he didn’t have a lot of toys growing up, so he decided he would start tinkering around with wood. The bow and arrow sets are his best seller. Byrd is also a member of the Oxford Artist‘s Guild, and has been for many years.

“I’ve been retired for 29 years now. I don’t have anything else to do with my time, so this is what I enjoy doing. I’ve got a couple of chairs in my shop that I sit in when I get tired.

Funk band Lettuce to play Double Decker Funk band Lettuce is scheduled to play Double Decker at 7 p.m. Saturday night on the Ole Miss Athletics stage.

Lettuce formed in 1992 when several of the members met a summer music program for teenagers at Berklee College of Music in Boston. They had the same interests and loved the same bands like Earth, Wind and Fire and Tower of Power.

Two years later, band members reunited when

they entered the undergraduate program at Berklee. They began playing local clubs and a fanbase began to form.

Lettuce the started playing shows out of town, then major cities, then across the country and eventually around the world.

By 2002, they had put out their first studio album, entitled “Otta Here.” Their latest album is entitled “Crush” and was released in November of last year. It was their

fourth studio album, fifth overall. Critics consider “Crush” to be a little more experimental for the group compared to their earlier work, but insist that it works well for the group. The album debuted at number one on Billboard’s U.S. Jazz charts.

Their music has been acclaimed for bringing back classic funk and jazz with modern twist that hints to 90s hip-hop and psychedelic rock.

You know I can’t get around like I used to, so my daughters do all the work like the selling and pricing. They’ve been a big help driving me around to art shows and festivals.”

Byrd said that when Double Decker first started, there were 105 vendors that year. Now there are around 185 vendors, 25 food court vendors, and music all day

Saturday from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. “The food court is good, the bands are good, the young folks like the music and the old folks buy the toys,” Byrd said.

“Double Decker has grown over the years and the committee does an excellent job in the organization of the event. We all love seeing and visiting with everyone!” Johnson

said. “Now he has two great grandsons that live in Dallas, and they enjoy playing with the toys, too.”

Byrd is very thankful for his life and all the time that he’s had with his wife, children and grandchildren.

He also said that the lord has been good to him.

“I’ll be in a tent in front of Ajax,” Byrd said. “That’s been my spot for the past 16 years.”

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THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2016

NEEDTOBREATHE to headline SAA Spring Concert The University of Mississippi has announced the line up for the 2016 Spring Concert series, which is taking place in the Grove Sunday at 5 p.m.

The Student Activities Association has hosted the Spring Concert for well over 15 years, according Executive Director of SAA Christian Schloegel.

The concert is timed so that it can provide a festive closeout to Double Decker weekend and immediately follow the Ole Miss Baseball game against Auburn.

Headlining the event will be Grammy nominated, Christian rock group NEEDTOBREATHE. The band is getting ready for the July release of their sixth studio album “Hard Love.”

Performing with the group is singer Mat Kearney. Kearny’s latest album, “Just Kids” dropped Feb. of last year.

The concert is completely free and open to the community.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ERIC-RYAN-ANDERSON

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OXFORD CITIZEN

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COURTESY

Avery Kennedy, right, a sophomore at The University of Mississippi, is set to study in China this summer.

UM's Kennedy ready to study in China

BY KATHRYN WINTER STAFF WRITER

One Ole Miss student will be traveling to China over the summer.

Avery Kennedy, a sophomore, will participate in a two-month intensive language program in Harbin, China. The program is called CET Harbin, and aims to help increase language fluency and pronunciation. This will be the second time for Kennedy to travel to China.

Originally from Huntsville, Alabama, Kennedy is majoring in Chinese Language with the Chinese Language Flagship Program here at The University of Mississippi. She is also majoring in Psychology, and double minoring in Intelligence and Security Studies and Gender Studies. The Chinese Language Flagship Program at Ole Miss is one of 12 programs that share two Chinese Flagship in China. One is located Nanjing, and the other in Tianjin.

Mandarin Chinese is spoken by approximately 1.3 billion people world-

wide.

The goal of the Chinese Language Flagship Program at UM is to provide its students with the necessary training to transition seamlessly between the languages and cultures of the most politically and economically powerful nations of the Pacific Rim, (the United States and China.)

“Chinese culture and history are so rich there is always a new aspect of Chinese culture to master.

To be able to speak fluently is not enough, you have to be able to understand cultural nuances and historical references to be successful in learning Chinese,” Kennedy said.

With her family encouraging her to be her best self, Kennedy came to college wanting to study Chinese, but had never actually taken a Chinese class.

“My friends and family were nothing but supportive of my decision to venture into unknown waters.

The Chinese Language teachers at this University are outstanding, because

they always encourage you and are eager to help you improve your language skills,” Kennedy said.

Kennedy is also a member of the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College, and a member of Pi Beta Phi Sorority. She was recently inducted into the Phi Sigma Iota National Foreign Language Honor Society, and was the recipient of a departmental award for Chinese at the Modern Languages Awards.

When not studying, she enjoys walking around the square and exploring local shops. “I also love the Double Decker Festival, searching for and buying art is one of my favorite things.

Also, who doesn’t love eating in Oxford?”

One of Kennedy’s goals this summer while studying abroad is to make new friends from China and other countries.

“This will be my second time studying abroad in China. So I hope to have as wonderful of an experience as I did the first time. I hope to explore new places and try new things.”

PAGE 11

OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 12

THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2016

County residents gather at the library to discuss the digital divide

BY CHANING GREEN NEWS WRITER

How often are we online everyday? Think about more than just Facebook, but how often do we use it to read the news, accomplish a task necessary for our workday, check the weather and find out when our child’s school is closed for the day? How vital is this connectivity to our everyday lives?

These are some of the questions that Associate Professor with the Mississippi State University Extension Service Roberto Gallardo wanted people to consider when he met with around 40 residents of rural Lafayette County in the auditorium of the public library Monday afternoon to discuss the digital divide.

The event was a very laid back discussion. There were two cameramen accompanying Gallardo. They were filming his discussions as a part of a documentary for mic.com about what Mississippians are doing to eradicate the digital divide.

Gallardo began the discussion by introducing himself and explaining that he was here to listen to everyone’s concerns about connectivity in rural Mississippi and the monopoly that internet service providers can have during a time when the internet is a vital tool for business and life. Many of those attending the talk were older residents that lived on the outer edges of the county. Some ran businesses and were unable to do much of their work in a timely and convenient fashion because they simply do not have ac-

Gallardo answers questions the community has about digital access. cess to reliable internet service.

Jimmy Yancy, a Lafayette county resident who lives just outside of the city limits on Old Taylor Road, stood to address the crowd. He had come to the meeting with several of his neighbors. He discussed how he had no access to the internet and neither did the people he brought with him, but their neighbors did. Yancy said that people literally across the street from him and his neighbors had access to a service provider, but those very same service providers refused to help some people in the community. He does not understand why.

Gallardo said that these types of experiences were not uncommon. He said that while the area around the county seat is often well connected, the residents outside of the city limits, like Yancy and his peers, often struggle to find a way to connect to the internet. If they do manage to do so, it is extremely costly. One woman in attendance mention that she was paying over $200 a month for just 25 gigabytes of data through

unreliable service via her cell phone carrier. Others were being asked to pay as much as $900 a month.

How, Gallardo rhetorically asked the audience, could this be happening in 2016? How can people be denied internet access without a clear explanation from service providers?

How are people paying so much money for service that barely works? There are a variety of factors to consider, he said.

Mainly, these companies’ number one priority is their own financial interest. If there is an area that is sparsely populated, service providers will not invest in putting out the necessary equipment to connect citizens to the internet. They would make profits off of it, of course. There are almost always enough people in these areas that would be willing to pay for service, but, if they have an area, for example, with 100 households over five square miles of land versus and area with 600 households on five square miles of land, they are going to invest in the latter. It is not that the former

PHOTO BY CHANING GREEN

Associate Professor with the Mississippi State University Extension Service Roberto Gallardo listens to two concerned citizens discuss the difficulty of internet access in rural Lafayette County and how the digital divide affects them. will not turn a profit, but that the latter will turn out more so why even bother in investing in the other area?

With this practice, Gallardo explained. Thousands and thousands of people around the country are left without internet, making it difficult for them to run businesses, excel in education and live a modern lifestyle. With so many schools moving to more technology based curriculum, children are being left behind in school, a former teacher in the audience pointed out.

Or perhaps, as it appeared to be in Yancy’s case, these companies do invest in the equipment, but they only set it up so that a small number of people in that area would be able to access service. Gallardo had no reasoning to offer behind this.

Whatever the reason behind it, the digital divide is a problem that Gallardo feels should be recognized and

dealt with as soon as possible.

“I’m passionate about rural communities, number one.” Gallardo said when asked why he cared about this subject. “Number two, I do a lot of research on the impact of technology in rural communities and I see that these folks are being left behind. That’s not okay.”

A possible solution discussed at the gathering was based off of what a community in Georgia did when faced with the same situation. The county paid for the equipment and the service providers bid to lease it from the county, thus providing service to those in rural parts of the county at competitive prices. Gallardo said that this was an extremely effective technique, and, that once the initial and costly expenses were paid back over the next few years, this endeavor became a steady and lucrative source of revenue for that county.

Though, there are obstacles here as well. The first being, where will all of this investment money come from? The initial investment would require hundreds of thousands of dollars, and that is a conservative estimate. Tax hikes, grants, a massive fundraising effort or some other effort will need to be made in order to acquire the money that goes into this.

As he dismissed the meeting, Gallardo said that he knew the task seemed daunting, but if enough people cry out for change, the local government will have to do something.

“Do your homework,” he insisted as people rose to leave. “If you manage to solve this, folks, you will be in the national spotlight.

They’ll be asking ‘what did they do down there?’ and it will attract good attention. It is the nut to crack.” chaning.green@journalinc.com Twitter: chaningthegreen

OXFORD CITIZEN

THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2016

PAGE 13

Blues for the ages age. Both give power and unique presence to an ageless art form.

Jim Dees Bud grew up in Sabougla located some 20 miles Tales of the southwest of Bruce in logTown ging and sawmill country.

He spent his early years and most of his adult life with a ouble Decker audiences will get rare in- chainsaw rather than a guisight into the current tar. His love of guitar came as a youngster when a state of Mississippi blues this Saturday at 1 p.m. cousin, R.C. Welch, ordered one by mail. Once the inwhen 84-year-old Leo “Bud” Welch takes the stage. strument arrived, his cousin forbade him to touch it. But He will be followed at 2:30 when R.C. discovered how by 16-year-old Christone “Kingfish” Ingram. Both will well Bud played, he gave appear on the Ole Miss Ath- him free reign. By 1975, Bud letic Stage, on North Lamar was proficient enough to play solo at local dances Avenue in front of the Lafayette County Chancery and fish frys.

Folklorist Wiley Prewitt building. Music for the day writes: “Welch noted that in starts at 10:30 a.m. the 1950s and 1960s before Although 68 years separate the two, Bud and King- the liquor laws in dry Calhoun County were strictly fish are bound together by enforced, clubs like the Blue their artistry in the blues, Mississippi’s most enduring Angel in Bruce attracted big name performers like Ike export. Both men perform in an exceptional way given and Tina Turner and B.B. their age. Kingfish plays like King. Welch had the opportunity once to audition for an old pro while Bud dances like a man a third his B.B. King but did not have

D

gram is a graduate of a program in Clarksdale at the Delta Blues Museum that schools young pupils in all aspects and instruments – of the blues. Students are started on drums, then bass, then guitar.

“I kinda like do the allaround-kind a thing,” Kingfish explained to WKNO-TV in Memphis. “I started on drums and I moved to bass and I'm on guitar. I'm sticking with guitar. I play a little COURTESY bit of pop, rock, I do a lot of "Bringing power and unique presence to an ageless art gospel and I do a lot of blues. That's it. And a little form." bit of jazz."

Kingfish was born in feeling just like gospel; they the money for travel to Clarksdale, in 1999. He credjust don’t have a book (a Memphis at the time.” its much of his guitar inBible).”

Soon after this, Bud struction to Delta Blues Oxford-based record switched to gospel music. “I enjoyed the gospel field,” he label, Fat Possum, re-ignited Museum teachers, Rich “Daddy Rich” Crisman of Welch’s music career in told Prewitt. “I come home Clarksdale and Bill “Howlat night and go to sleep and 2014, in effect “discovered” N-Madd” Perry of Oxford. him, with the release of his don’t wake up with no Kingfish took the basics and debut album (at age 81), hangover.” Since then, Bud exploded as a young player, has kept gospel and blues in Sabougla Voices, a raw gospel album. This was fol- amazing audiences all his repertoire. through his teens. In 2014 “I believe in the Lord, but lowed up last year with a he and his museum bandthe blues speaks to life, too,” primitive blues album, I Don’t Prefer No Blues. mates performed at the he told Alabama gospel DJ, White House for First Lady Kevin Nutt. “Blues has a Christone “Kingfish” In-

Michelle Obama. Since then he has met the late B.B. King, opened for Buddy Guy and toured France. And he’s still a teenager.

Unlike his blues ancestors, Kingfish has never picked cotton, been in prison or experienced the tragic deprivations of the old blues heroes. He still lives with both parents and attends school. He’s not exactly a “Hoochie Coochie Man” just yet… until he picks up the guitar. Then the scorch he leaves behind is as deep and raw as any of his electric forebears. At 400 pounds and with a man’s voice, Kingfish is a blazing man-child on the door-step of a global career in a 100year-old art form. Leo “Bud” Welch is a wise, ancient tree that avoided the chainsaw and still has his mojo working.

For a moment this Saturday on the Double Decker stage, the past, present and future of the blues will ring out clear and strong.

Let us rock.

OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 14

THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2016

Alpha Tau Omega set for annual philanthropy

BY CONNOR HENNESSEY SPECIAL TO THE CITIZEN

In partnership with the Freeze Foundation, the men of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity are preparing for their annual philanthropy event, the 2016 ATO Campus Classic 5K. Alpha Tau Omega partners with a different organization each year to benefit those in need on both the local and state levels.

In previous years, the gentlemen have used a host of events to raise money for the Oxford-Lafayette Literacy Council, the Collegiate Recovery Community, The

Boys and Girls Club and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation among others.

In 2016, it will be a 5K race on the Ole Miss campus to benefit the Palmer Home for Children in Columbus and Hernando, Mississippi.

One of the key sponsors is Craddock Oil Company of Jackson, Mississippi who has ties to the chapter. Ben Craddock was initiated into the chapter in January of 2014 for his continued close friendship and generous support.

“Craddock Oil Company is happy to join in as one of the Freeze Foundation,” former Ole Miss football the main sponsors for ATO Craddock said. “Being a player, it’s a perfect fit for us.” and what they are doing with member of ATO and also a “We believe in our com-

pany that God comes first in all we do so this is all for him and his glory,” Craddock added. “God has been good to our family. My partner (and brother) and I just want to help with what we can do.

I’m proud to be a part of this chapter and what we are doing.”

Philanthropy Chairman Andrew Glaze is organizing the event, and looks forward to being able to give back to a worthy cause.

“We are trying to make this more than a number written on a check,” Glaze said. “We are trying to invest in and impact the lives of the children the Palmer Home

support.”

In previous years the chapter has given around $40,000 in their philanthropy events, but Glaze is hoping to exceed that number in 2016.

“Our goal is $40,000, but I believe we can raise more than we have in the past,” said Glaze.

The event will be held on the Ole Miss campus on May 1 and will begin at 2:00 p.m.

Tickets are $25 for the general public and $10 for students and can be purchased from any active member of ATO or on the event website at https://atocampusclassic.racesonline.com/.

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101 L’Acadian Dr., Oxford $284,800

Move-In Ready! Immaculate one story French Country condo with open floor plan. 3BR/2BA. Approx. 1 mile to the Square and approx. 1.3 miles to Ole Miss Campus. Includes hardwood and travertine flooring, designer fixtures, granite countertops, private brick patio, a bonus room for whatever your needs (Office, Exercise Room, Media Room), an appliance package, 10-11' ceilings and many more amenities. The perfect retirement home or home for the Ole Miss enthusiast. Hurry, this condo will not last long! MLS# 135827

DIRECTIONS: From the Oxford Downtown Square, travel south on S. Lamar. At the round-a-bout take a right onto Jeff Davis then an immediate left. Travel down the hill 100 yards and turn right into L’Acadian Subdivision, Unit 101 is straight ahead.

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OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 16

THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2016

Stan Abel

Cell: 662.816.9363 Office: 662.234.5344 Email: stan@tmhomes.com

506 Northpointe Loop

Caroline Felker

$332,100

NORTHPOINTE – Another beautiful home

by Abel Builders! 4 BD/3BA, 10’ ceilings, 8’ doors, split floor plan. Lot’s of extras!

Agent owned. 135725.

Call Stan Abel- 662-816-9363.

508 Northpointe Loop $330,900

ONE OF OXFORD’S FINEST NEIGHBORHOODS- The upstairs has 2 bedrooms with a full jack and jill bath & bonus room.

10 foot ceilings & 8 ft doors on the first floor. Granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, hardwood floors, gas fireplace, jetted tub in master and a spacious large covered patio. 135733. Call Stan Abel- 662-816-9363.

Blake Thompson

Cell: 662.801.0878 Office: 662.234.5344 Email: caroline@tmhomes.com www.youroxfordhome.com

103 Garden Terrace $215,000

GARDEN TERRANCE Great family home just minutes away from shopping. This 4 or 5BD/2BA home with bonus room is just waiting for a new family. This is the perfect ''cozy'' home for the growing family. MLS#135012.

Call Susan Griffin- 662-542-6315.

Cell: 662.801.7014 Office: 662.234.5344 Email: blake@tmhomes.com

131 Country View Lane $144,900

COUNTRY VIEW VILLAGE This is a primo investment opportunity. Three bedrooms upstairs with a full bath and one & a half bathrooms downstairs. Open floor plan in the downstairs. Just a few minutes from the shops and restaurants of Jackson Avenue as well as the University campus. FNC Park is very near as well. Call today to view your next investment!MLS#135383 Call Blake Thompson- 662-801-7014.

Danny Flowers

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88 CR 186

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336 Tanner Dr.

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1603 Grand Oaks

$349,900

GRAND OAKS/GOLF COURSE Offers 4BD, 4BA, great room, large kitchen w/ island, breakfast area, walk-in pantry, plus most of the furniture to remain with home. Covered patio overlooks golf course. Seller is a MS licensed real estate agent. MLS#135594.

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OXFORD CITIZEN

THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2016

PAGE 17

Polina Wheeler

Weesie Biedenharn

Cell: 662.401.4632 Office: 662.234.5344 Email: polina@tmhomes.com

Cell: 662.638.5332 Office: 662.234.5344 Email: weesie@tmhomes.com

149 Northpointe Dr. $269,500

Nicole Cain Wright

NORTHPOINTE 4BD/2.5BA brick home in one of Oxford’s finest areas. Meticulously cared for, with several sophisticated upgrades. Very private professionally landscaped backyard overlooking a pond. Great floor plan. Spacious walk-in closets.

Beautiful view out of every window. MLS#135528.

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308 West Veterans Ave. $110,000

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40 CR 409

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The kitchen boasts all stainless appliances including a side by side freezer & fridge. MLS# 135552 Call Nicole Cain Wright – 662-617-5744.

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903 Maplewood Cove $240,000

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NORTHPOINTE-Stunning 4BD/4.5BA, move in ready home at the end of a quiet street in one of Oxford's most desirable subdivisions. Brand new copper gutters, new fenced in back yard, solid oak hardwood floors, gas or wood burning fireplace, double garage, screened in porch & patio overlooking the pond. MLS#135151 Call Whitney George- 662-567-2573.

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L’ACADIAN - Move-In Ready! Immaculate one story French Country Condo w/open floor plan 3BD/2BA, ~1 mile to the Square & ~1.3 miles to campus. Includes hardwood & travertine flooring, designer fixtures, granite countertops, private brick patio, a bonus room for whatever your needs, an appliance package, 10-11' ceilings & many more amenities. The perfect retirement home or home for the Ole Miss enthusiast. Hurry, this condo will not last long! MLS# 135827.

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OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 18

2206 Anderson Rd. #3101 MLS#133563

Esplanade Ridge - New Orleans style condo, 3BD/2.5BA, fully furnished, 3 numbered parking places

507 PR 3057 MLS# 135158

The Mark - 2BD/2BA unit on 2nd. Totally refurbished. This is a must see unit.

THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2016

1802 W. Jackson St. #125MLS# 135027

47 Hwy 9 W MLS #15-2801

306 River RunMLS# 134124

732 Nottingham MLS# 135150

318 Windsor Dr. MLS# 132987

2605 PR 3057 MLS# 134728

217 Birch Tree Loop MLS# 134355

328 Windsor Dr. MLS#134179

Near Campus - Nice 2BD/2BA condo Oxford - 12 year old 3BR/2.5BA brick Yocona Ridge - Beautiful family home w/ Notting Hill - Classy 3BD/2BA home feahome on approximately 1 acre.

Well taken care of and priced right. split floor plan, open living spaces & tures open kitchen, living and dining area. screened porch. Agent owned.

Windsor Falls - Immaculate 3BD/2BA, The Mark - Great 2BD/2BA condo with Yocona Ridge - Beautiful 3BD home w/ Windsor Falls - Fantastic 3BR/2BA home, open floor plan, large fenced lot. beautiful custom built home. Too much lots of neighborhood amenities. open floor plan & screened porch. to list.

OXFORD CITIZEN

THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2016

PAGE 19

Never forget Rikard family always remembers fallen soldier

BY JOHN DAVIS OXFORD CITIZEN

There have been times over the years when Ann Rikard has wondered how her life would have been different if her father would have made it back from the Korean War. Corporal Clebron M. York was the man that married Rikard's mother and then went to fight the communists half a world away on the Korean Peninsula.

York is one of the three names listed on the memorial on the north side of the Lafayette County Courthouse that fought and died in Korea. York was awarded a Purple Heart and a Silver Star. He bravely saved his fellow American soldiers during battle by throwing hand grenades and taking out three machine gun nests. Corporal York never returned to his unit after the ambush. It was believed that Corporal York was captured by the Chinese after the fierce fight because he wasn't going to leave a wounded friend.

In a letter to Rikard's mother Mary, the U.S. Army said he went missing on Oct. 29, 1951.

“He had sent momma a letter that he had surrendered to preach,” Rikard said looking back over the letter sent by the government in 1952. “I wonder what it would have been up a like growing preacher's daughter instead of what it was. It would have been totally different. He was a totally different kind of person than what my step daddy was from all indications.”

There have been times when people from the area have come up to Rikard with information to share about Corporal York.

“When I was working at Kroger a few years back, there was a man that worked in there that said he knew my daddy and he said that he was quite a character,” she said. “I had always been told that he liked to pull jokes on people.”

JOHN DAVIS

Ann Rikard and her son David both honor their relative, Clebron M. York, who went missing after a battle in the Korean War in 1951.

It was hard for Rikard to remember the first time her mother actually told her about what happened in the war. She does remember that her father's mother watched her and that she stayed over at her house in Lafayette Springs.

Rikard also got to know her father's brothers and sisters. The talk didn't center around Corporal York. It was later in life that she learned about her dad's joking side, and other information.

Corporal York married his bride in March of 1951 and he left for the war not long after the union.

“He had already done his basic training, and if I'm not mistaken, he came home and got married and then he went back and a few months later, he was getting ready to leave the United States and momma went to see him,” Rikard said. “It was when she went to see him, before he left, that she got pregnant with me. I was born the next March.”

Rikard didn't know how long her father and mother

were engaged prior to marriage, but she knew they met at Shiloh Church, through the preacher. Both had relatives out in Lafayette Springs, located not too far from each other.

Rikard's mother remarried in January, 1954, over two years after Corporal York was declared missing.

York's rank was increased to Sergeant on his Purple Heart certificate, which was issued on Jan. 15, 1954.

There are times when the thought of laying a single rose at the courthouse monument has crossed the mind of Rikard. She is so glad that there is a local memorial so that she, and others, can pay tribute.

“My daddy wasn't even on that until a few years ago and then they made a new marker and added his name,” she said. “His brother, Uncle James, told him before he left to not be a hero and to come back home. When he was faced with the situation of saving his platoon or getting them all killed, he took the choice to save them. And he ended up getting

wounded in the process.

Momma said that the enemy picked him but there was never any report of him listed in the prisoner of war. If he was picked up, they realized he was injured too bad to live.”

Rikard has learned how to cope with the loss of her father as time has gone on, and as she has been involved with the government sponsored family help meetings that are designed for military relatives. The meetings happen up to eight times during a year. She attended one a year ago in Memphis and she even attended one in Washington D.C. “It is very interesting in how they present the information and what they are doing in searching for these men,” she said. “Of course you have every war and they are still searching for people. They have so many men they have identified since the last time they sent letters out.”

The area in North Korea that Corporal York went missing is very dangerous territory still to this day due

to the amount of land mines that surround it.

“Where he went missing, it is just over the demilitarized zone. It is mine central and there has to be area that is cleared of mines before they can send somebody in to dig,” Rikard said.

“The way they have found a lot of the people is through the people that live there. They know that somebody is buried and they will go check it out.

They are searching daily for the ones that went missing.”

When Rikard hears something on the news about North Korea, she will stop and listen and she tries to pay attention to when the fanatical government that rules the country is actually being cooperative enough to let this group search for clues.

“There was a few years when they couldn't even get in to dig,” Rikard said adding that she would suggest others who may be facing this situation to always stay in touch. “You grow up with that empty spot, wondering what hap-

pened. You feel alone, for years and years, I felt totally alone. Until I was contacted by this government office to join in one of these meetings. There are thousands all over the United States that are just like me I'm sure and there are hundreds at these meetings that are like me, wondering what happened to our loved one. It's good to go to meetings like that.”

David Rikard, who serves the county as the District 3 Supervisor, talked about his grandfather's bravery, and his sacrifice, as an inspiration to do things in a better fashion.

“The sacrifice of all the men on that monument, it's just so frustrating to get on social media or any type of media, and see all the divisiveness that we have going on at this time,” David Rikard said. “You would wonder what their opinion would be after everything they went through and what their families have gone through, how we just have no problem picking each other apart because we have a difference of an opinion on a law.”

When he is on the Square, with his children, David Rikard makes sure to take them by and show them the monument.

“I tell them that their grandfather, that the men on there, were true war heroes,” he said. “To pass it on, to give them a sense of pride as well. That sacrifice was given to them so they can have what they have.”

Another way that Ann Rikard remembers her father is when the Star Spangled Banner is played at a sporting event. She said that she cries through it because to her, it means something to her.

“God Bless America, songs like that, people now just don't give a flip about those type of songs. Those songs mean something, what our country stands for,” she said.

John.davis@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 20

THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2016

Mechanics Bank honors trio for graduation an integrated and complete set of usable courses covering all aspects of banking, as well as overall bank management. Candidates must complete a two – year curriculum, consisting of home case studies, lectures and BankExec Simulation.

Faust was born and raised in New Orleans where she graduated from St. Mary’s Dominican High School. She is a graduate of the University of Mississippi, where she received a Bachelor in Business Ad-

Mechanics Bank would like to congratulate Lindsey Faust, Shannon Davis and Jeff Bynum on their graduation from the Mississippi School of Banking. We also would like to recognize Anna Langham, Kena Dunn, Kim Mathis and Tiffany Reed on their completion of their First Year of the Mississippi School of Banking.

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PAGE 21

John Davis Sports Editor

It's time to celebrate Double Decker and the Citizen

D

ouble Decker and the Oxford Citizen go together like hand and glove. This is the third year that the Double Decker Arts Festival has been covered by the Citizen. It's been two full years since our first edition came off the press. It seems like yesterday. Maybe that's because the 21st Double Decker is just about to start. Either way, it's been a fun time. There has been a lot of work put in to make each of the editions possible, but it's been fun.

There is no other publication around that is completely focused on local events, and comes out multiple times in a week.

That was the goal of the Citizen before it started and it's still the focus today. Like the festival, the Citizen has grown in pages and grown in advertisers. There are many of the same advertisers in the editions.

They have been with us for two years and it's much appreciated. We can't exist without our loyal advertisers, or loyal readers.

The festival needs people to attend each year, and we need readers to keep opening up their mailboxes. And the racks around town. Like Double Decker, we are free and we want to keep it that way. Again, the numbers don't lie. Our circulation for Thursday has grown with the town. Over 800 new issues just started a few weeks back. The post office adds over 100 new mailing addresses in the city and county combined each month. It's just another sign of how successful things are locally.

Our current circulation for Thursday's edition is right at 24,000. Only our mothership, the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, has a bigger circulation in North Mississippi.

Business owners have grown with the help of the Citizen. Local high school athletes have garnered that much more attention for their achievements over the past two years. Now it's time to do it for a third year. It's time to celebrate in Oxford with the biggest single event of the year. Outside of an Ole Miss football game, a really big SEC matchup, there isn't anything that attracts more visitors to Oxford than Double Decker.

At the same time, it's time for the Citizen to celebrate two years in business. Here is looking to a third year, and a successful third Double Decker to cover. See you in 2017.

JOHN DAVIS

Michael Fair brings a tradition of winning and hard work with him to the Lafayette football program.

Fair brings winning brand of football to Lafayette Michael Fair is the new head football coach at Lafayette High. He comes to the area after spending the past two seasons at Senatobia. Here is a Q & A with Fair, who met the players and coaches for the first time April 6. Fair has been an assistant at South Panola and he won a title at Pillow Academy.

JOHN DAVIS: You've had some reclamation projects between South Panola and Lafayette, so how do you feel like those opportunities, coaching at both Pillow and Senatobia, made you a better coach?

MICHAEL FAIR: Nothing that walks in the door is going to be able to surprise me. Whether it's dealing with players not living up to what they should be expectations wise. I think developing players that you need in late October has helped me along the way. I've learned from each spot that I've been to. It's helped develop me for this today. A lot of it is dealing with players and a lot of it is dealing with parents and all the expectations that go along with it. I feel very prepared for this opportunity.

DAVIS: Talk about your first job with South Panola and coaching with Ricky Woods.

FAIR: I had signed as a free agent with the Panthers at center and I got released before the first game. It was September when they released me and I knew I wanted to coach high school football. I just didn't know where because everybody had already started. I got a call from South Panola and it was from Doug Phillips and Ed Stanley and they said they had a spot. I didn't know him, didn't know anybody. Coach Woods inherited me. I didn't know him until he walked up to me. When there is a coaching change, there is always difficulty with the remaining staff and trying to keep the kids motivated. We tried real hard to get it set up for the next head coach and when Coach Woods came in, Coach Stanley talked to me about moving and going to Meridian with him. That was kind of up in the air but once I met Coach Woods and I got to know him a little bit, it was a no brainer. And the next five years, I learned so much from him. Willis Wright was also on that staff. I learned more from them about football than I ever learned from playing in college and all that. What they stressed is it's

not what you know, it's what you can teach. It's what your players can learn from you and that's really all that matters. They taught me how to simplify things to where a young man can understand. For a lot of kids, this is just part of what they do. For other children, it's the only thing they want to do.

So you have to find that balance between and that stuff you're teaching reaches both of them.

DAVIS: Where are you from and where did you go to college?

FAIR: I'm from Avalon, Mississippi.

That's 15 miles outside of Greenwood.

Population 20 at the holidays. It's got a couple of stop signs. My dad's parents moved down from Missouri to start farming. That's how we ended up down here. I grew up right in the middle of that farm. That's what I did and who were and I think I learned a lot on that farm. There are a lot of similarities in farming and coaching. Both take a lot of hard work. I ended up going to Mississippi State and playing football for Jackie Sherill and got through in the fall of 2000.

TURN TO FAIR PAGE 28

OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 22

THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2016

Rebels' Elston eyeing draft selection

BY BEN GARRETT SPORTS WRITER

Trae Elston has always felt as if he has something to prove.

He signed with Ole Miss in 2012 despite offers from LSU and others because he wanted to carve his own path, opting against becoming a Tiger with a former high school teammate.

“Everybody was saying ‘You’re going to go 2-10. You’ll probably play, but y’all aren’t going to be as good. You’ll never compete for an SEC championship, you’ll never compete with top SEC schools.’

I’ve proved all those people wrong,” Elston said.

He showed the depths of his competitiveness when he started 44 games in four years as a starter at safety. When bumps in the road came throughout his career — including a controversial suspension by the league office for a hit in a Rebel win over UTEP in his freshman season — he overcame and, in the end, thrived, going on to earn All-American distinction in 2015.

So he didn’t flinch once word came down he hadn’t received an invite to the NFL Scouting Combine in February. But scouts took notice of the snub for him, including Dane Brugler, senior NFL Draft analysts for NFLDraftScout and CBS Sports.

“I think Trae Elston was one of the more notable combine snubs,” Brugler said. “Undersized, and I think that shows at times.

But he’s a player who played the free, played rover (and) I really like his recognition skills against the run and the way he can break down and throw his body around.

He’s a sound tackler. He wears his emotions on his sleeve, very scrappy player, plays with a chip.

You can use a guy like that on your defense. I think Trae Elston is definitely a guy to watch.”

“It’s everything I thought it would be,” Elston said of the draft process. “It’s pretty crazy, the process of going from college to trying to be a pro. Not getting invited to the (NFL) combine made me work harder and put an edge on my shoulder.”

Elston had to wait over a month for his showcase for NFL teams.

Over 60 scouts, coaches and front-office types were in attendance for Ole Miss pro day in lateMarch, and Elston put his best foot forward, including running his 40-yard dash in the 4.4-4.5 range.

“I think I got done what I needed to,” he said of his pro day performance. “People said I was a 4.7-type guy, and I hit the clock, I hit 4.4. A lot of scouts were telling

PETRE THOMAS

Former Ole Miss safety Trae Elston is looking to make a name for himself in the NFL. He is projected to be drafted in the fourth or fifth round of next week's annual draft. my agent they didn’t think I could run a 4.5, 4.4. They didn’t think I was very fast. I think I’m doing everything they said I couldn’t do.”

As he’s always done.

His tape proves plenty enough.

Elston recorded 70 tackles, five tackles for loss, four interceptions (two returned for touchdowns) and 14 passes defended as a senior en route to All-SEC first team honors. By comparison, Florida State defensive back Jalen Ramsey – widely regarded as a top-5 selection – posted 52 tackles, 3.5 tackle for loss, one sack, zero interceptions and nine passes defended last season.

ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay named Elston as one of his eight combine omissions, issuing Elston a fourth or fifth-round grade.

“There’s a lot of guys, undersized, about 5-11,” Elston said, when asked of his NFL players he compares to. “Errol Thomas, Derrek Weber type of guys. The Ed Reeds, Troy Polamalus. Those guys are about 5-11, 200 range. I kind of see myself like those, but there’s only one Trae Elston.

“I always play with a lot of enthusiasm; I’m always trying to motivate my teammates. Once I see them make a play, it motivates me to make a play, and I motivate myself to play even harder. I always try to have fun; you can’t be too serious in the game. If you play too tight up, that’s when mistakes happen.

You’ve got to play loose.”

Before Ole Miss pro day, Elston said he heard from the San Fransisco 49ers, the Detroit Lions, the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Min-

nesota Vikings, the New England Patriots and and the Miami Dolphins. After pro day, a lot of those same teams showed even more interest, and Elston said he was approached by a number of scouts who raved of his versatility, among other attributes.

It’s that versatility that Elston believes plays to his advantage for a possible selection.

“I think it can because I played the free safety position, I’ve been in the box and I know how to go sideline to sideline,” Elston said.

“I showed my coverage skills, I showed my aggressiveness with tackling. That can help me out a lot.”

Elston is currently receiving a mid-round projection from scouts, though many national pundits – McShay excluded – peg him late-to-undrafted. He’s

mostly trained in Boca Raton, Fla., with other draft hopefuls such as former Ohio State wide receiver Braxton Miller, thought he spent time in California early in the process, developing friendships with highly-rated prospects Eli Apple of Ohio State and DeForest Buckner of Oregon.

But while he’s felt he’s flown under the radar, Elston is happy for former teammates Laremy Tunsil, Laquon Treadwell and Robert Nkemdiche — a trio of potential first-round selections.

The added attention they’ve brought has had its benefits.

“If this was any other school, we’d probably get more recognition,” Elston said of the other Rebels not named Tunsil, Treadwell and Nkemdiche. “They deserve it. They’re very talented guys. Robert, he’s a great guy.

Quon, he’s a great guy. Laremy, he’s very quiet, but he’s such a leader. I think it helps us out, because if they weren’t there, I don’t think a lot of teams would have been at pro day.”

Rest assured, whichever team ultimately ends up with Elston will be getting a determined player. Because even with all he’s accomplished in his football life, Elston is still out to show he belongs. Just look at the mark he left on Ole Miss.

“It’s pretty crazy. From freshman year until now, it’s like a whole 360 from how people act and going to class and worrying about education,” he said. “Now everybody is trying to get on that ‘A’ honor roll. I don’t think there was nothing wrong with Houston Nutt’s team, but I don’t think they played together as a team. They worried about themselves. When (Ole Miss head coach Hugh) Freeze came, he really broke that off. The first thing he told us is you have to play as a team and give to one another and play for that person beside you.”

Ole Miss finished 10-3 in Elston’s final season. He believes the Rebels have the makings of a contender yet again in 2016.

“I think they can be very good,” he said. “On offense, they’re explosive. Me watching the practices, they’re going to have a good running game. (Eric Swinney) really surprised me. I’ve been knowing him since high school, and he’s going to be very good.

Akeem Judd, Jordan Wilkins. On the defensive side, they’ll be OK. They’ve just got to find somebody on defense who’s going to be a leader and step up. A lot of leaders on defense have left. If they find that leader to step up and chew somebody out, they’ll be OK.”

OXFORD CITIZEN

THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2016

PAGE 23

Four peat Chargers win another Class 5A powerlifting title

BY JOHN DAVIS SPORTS EDITOR

For the fourth time in a row, the Oxford Chargers ruled the MHSAA Class 5A powerlifting ranks. Jason Russell and his Chargers garnered four individual championships en route to totaling 39 points. Oxford needed a great finish in order to maintain its title, and the team got it from Jacquez Neilson, who lifted 640 pounds on his final attempt to give the Chargers the win.

If Neilson have missed the lift, the final score would have been reversed and Ridgeland would have been named the 2016 5A champions. Instead, Neilson provided the right amount of power to propel the Chargers to their fourth straight title.

Oxford was able to win its

title with seven lifters, compared to 10 for Ridgeland. In order of the Chargers to win, all seven lifters had to perform to expectations, and hey did not disappoint, Russell said. All seven lifters finished in the top three of their weight classes, with Alex Le, Tias Hilliard, Kent Hickinbottom and Neilson winning first. DQ Thomas finished second in the 198-pound division, while Brandon Hill and Nick Sisk both finished third in the 275 and the 308 class.

Le set the record for total weight lifted by a 132-pound lifter in 5A on his opening attempt. He later went on to break his own record on his second attempt, Russell said.

Le finished with a total of 1,130 pounds. Hilliard won the 148 class with a total of 1,210. Thomas total a 1,380 to finish second. Hickinbottom was tops in the 220 class

job preparing for the meet and they were extremely strong. The championship came down to the last lift of the meet, and Jacquez gave us the victory. There is really not a better way to win than that.”

Lady Chargers (subhead) Oxford finished with nine points to finish tied for seventh in the Class III state championships. Anterriya Hardaway finished fourth in her class with a 780. Quinn Harris was also fourth in the 181-pound class with a 750.

The Lady Charger who had the best finish was Chiquita Sanders, who was third in the 123-class with a 630.

Kayla Wheeler was the COURTESY fourth lifter in the meet, and Oxford's Chargers won a fourth straight Class 5A powerlifting title this past Saturday in Jackson. she finished fourth in the 105-pound division with a with a 1,315. Hill finished land's Jesse Banks, who fin- took an almost flawless per- 485. with a 1,445, while Sisk had a ished with a 615 deadlift. formance by our lifters to 1,490. Neilson's final total “I am so proud of the way pull out the victory,” Russell john.davis@journalinc.com was a 1,565, tied with Ridge- that our guys competed. It said. “Ridgeland did a great Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

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OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 24

THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2016

Saunders has been standout performer for Rebels

BY JOHN DAVIS SPORTS EDITOR

There is an internal drive located deep within Raven Saunders that pushes her to be successful. That's the way Ole Miss track coach Connie Price-Smith sees her sophomore thrower from Charleston, South Carolina.

“Anybody that meets her know that she has it. She is a very outgoing individual,” Price-Smith said of Saunders who comes to Oxford from Southern Illinois University. “It's hard to tell where she will end up because she keeps getting better and better. We will see what the future has. She came in and the level that she has risen to today has been incredible.

To watch her go out and get better and better, I'm pleased with her.”

Saunders has garnered all sorts of highlights for the Rebels. She has been named SEC Women's Field Athlete of the Week, and she won all three throwing events – shot, discus and hammer – in the Arkansas Spring Invitational. Saunders also won the shot put title at the Pepsi Florida Relays with a throw of 56 feet, 7.5 inches.

“I'm a worker, work to grind. I'm very focused,” Saunders said. “This is my sixth year to throw. It was something for me to do.

After not a long time, I noticed I had a natural talent for it.”

All the way through high school, Saunders said she felt like doing it in college was possible. There was a point in her high school career that she wasn't throwing the shot far enough, or far enough to garner the interest of college coaches.

“That really set fire to my drive to really work to get to the next level,” she said about her junior season. “I got more focused and I changed my whole mindset. I started to understand what I really wanted and having a sense of desperation. I wanted to not only further my shot putting, but by education.”

Ole Miss is a lot different campus, and school, than Southern Illinois, but the

PETRE THOMAS

Ole Miss thrower Raven Saunders has performed at a high level during her first season after coming to Oxford from Southern Illinois. transition hasn't been an issue.

“I had a lot of really good friends at Southern that I still talk to today, but I've made a lot of new friends.

It really just took some time being back in the South being that Illinois is so different,” she said.

“Southern was a little more fast paced. The weather was definitely a lot colder and the people are definitely different. (Oxford) is somewhat similar to me to home. It's familiar territory.”

There isn't a track for the athletes to train on at Ole Miss. Oxford and Lafayette High schools have served as a training ground, while the Manning Center has

also been another site for Saunders to work. She hasn't been bothered by the lack of a true home facility, adding that not practicing on campus isn't the worst thing ever.

“Where I come from, we don't even have a track and you had to do stuff on the sidewalks in high school,” she said. “For me, we have a ring and a cage to practice in. As long as I have a place to throw and things to throw, I'm pretty much satisfied.”

The indoor season, and the early part of the outdoor season, went according to plan for Saunders.

There was a lot left for her to accomplish, she said.

“But for the most part, I

pretty much feel good,” Saunders added. “I've had a few good meets. I'm not sure I've had that one meet just yet this year that I could say was the meet of the year.”

Saunders liked how the Rebels were coming together as a team, and the chances for a good finish as the year went into the SEC and NCAA meets.

“There is a lot of pride in the school. There is more than at Southern Illinois and I like that,” Saunders said.

Price-Smith was also upbeat about the team and how much growth she has seen in her first season as head coach.

“It is a fairly new team

and a fairly new experience for me. I do feel like I have a good grasp of what the girls and guys can do now,” she said. “I'm working with the assistant coaches to monitor the progress and I want to see us grow as we move on.

Each week I see progress in the right direction. Everybody is driving and doing the things they need to do to make themselves more successful. That helps me to learn them and see the mindset, the talent level.

Communicating with the assistant coaches, we've just been able to watch them grow.”

Her first season is more complete than not and Price-Smith said it has not

been a “tough year” by any means.

“It's been an interesting year, I will say that,” she added. “It is nice to see this team take off from where they were. Almost everybody has had personal bests and they've been doing great things. It's nice to see that. It's nice to see that the athletes and the coaches here can have a great relationship. Now, we just need to get a little better. We need a few more bodies, and we need to get a little better at what we're doing. And we will keep going from there.”

John.davis@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

OXFORD CITIZEN

THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2016

PAGE 25

Time is Now for Ole Miss safety Hampton

BY BEN GARRETT SPORTS WRITER

For Ole Miss safety C.J. Hampton, the time to step up is now. Hampton is entering his junior season.

Ole Miss lost each of its starting safeties — Trae Elston and Mike Hilton — to graduation, and both are projected NFL Draft selections. That means Hampton is the old head of the defensive backfield, especially with starting husky Tony Conner still on the shelf as he recovers from meniscus surgery.

“It’s now my opportunity to get it done,” Hampton said. “I have to step up and make the plays expected of that position, eliminate all mistakes and play perfectly. The ball is in my court. I have to get it done, and now’s the time.

“This should be my year.

I have to keep my nose clean, take care of my business off the field and just play ball. It's my time. I had to grow up and I made some mistakes, but I'm ready to get it right now.”

But there’s no guarantee Hampton starts, or if he even gets significant playing time. Competition in the Ole Miss defensive backfield is fierce. Underclassmen Zedrick Woods and Montrell Custis impressed in spring practices, as did newcomer Myles Hartsfield. Actually, they exited practices as the Rebels’ starting trio.

“They’ve all impressed me,” he said. “Myles, C.J. (Moore), A.J. (Moore), Montrell Custis, Greg (Eisworth) — they can all play.

They’re all ballers. They push me, and I push them.

We’re going to keep pushing each other, keep developing and see how this thing plays out. I think we’re going to have good depth.”

“I like our safeties,” head coach Hugh Freeze said. “I think we’ve got to continue to improve not giving up the big plays, but I thought the young kids — Hartsfield and Greg Eisworth, along with (A.J.) Moore and Hampton and Armani — I thought they all did some good things as this spring went along. I think Custis is doing well at the husky spot, too, with

JOSH MCCOY/OLE MISS ATHLETICS

C.J. Hampton is entering his junior season at Ole Miss, still looking to make the impact many felt he would have by now.

Moore. Hopefully we’ll get Tony back there. I’m excited. I think we can be solid back there.”

The 6-foot, 179-pound Hampton certainly hasn’t lacked for opportunities in his career. He’s played in 22 games over his first two seasons, with a handful of starts mixed in, recording 37 tackles and one tackle for loss in all.

But he hasn’t become the star many envisioned he would be when he signed with the Rebels over Alabama two-plus years ago. Hampton was a U.S. Army All-American and a consensus four-star recruit.

Not that he still doesn’t have time.

“Time has flown by quickly, and it's time for me to step up as a player and a leader to these younger guys,” said Hampton, who was suspended for the first two games of last season due to an offthe-field issue. “I watch a lot of film, and there were more plays I could have made. I think any player would say that, but it just shows you that you have to be more focused, more tuned in to your assignments and more prepared to get the job done. The plays that should have been made I know I can make in the future if put in the same situations.”

Hampton is making changes top to bottom in

his quest to improve. He’s even switched his jersey number from No. 3 to No. 4. It’s a call back to his roots.

“That (4) was my number in high school,” he said. “That number is a big deal where I’m from, and I wanted it back. It makes me feel good.”

Jefferson Shines (subhead) Van Jefferson never expected to sit when he signed with Ole Miss in February of 2015.

He chose the Rebels over Georgia, Michigan and others as a four-star prospect out of Brentwood, Tennessee. Fourstar prospects aren’t accustomed to stepping

aside, let alone sitting on the sidelines as others take the field game in and game out. ?But that’s what Jefferson did, though it wasn’t easy.

He didn’t want to, quite frankly, and he wasn’t planning to. However, there he was, watching along on Saturdays and contributing only on the scout team in practices as Ole Miss rolled to a 10-3 record and Sugar Bowl win.

“It was hard redshirting,” he said. “My mom and my dad were on my side. I got through it. it wasn’t as bad as it seems. I was having the wrong mindset of it.

Once I changed my mindset, I was fine. God has a plan for me. Let His plan

work out with prayer, and talking to my parents and stuff and letting them keep me focused and stuff like that. I got through it fine.”

In retrospect, Jefferson believes the year off “most definitely” helped. He spent valuable time with strength and conditioning coach Paul Jackson, adding pounds to his frame and improving his burst — all of which contributed to a stellar showing in spring practices.

The 6-foot-2 1/2, 172pound Jefferson was named most improved offensive player, and he exited spring as a starter at slot receiver over junior Markell Pack.

“I thought he just had a really solid spring,” Freeze said. “He understands every day there’s a decision that has to be made that, you know what, I’m going to be intentional to compete today. As individuals that’s the hardest thing for any of us, is to consistently, over and over, have the mental toughness to make the right decisions and get the end result you want. ‘I just don’t want to do that today.’ Van’s wired a little different. He really understands what to do with the time that he has at work.

He really stood out.”

“I just want to contribute to the team, be a team player, whatever can help our team win,” Jefferson said. “I just want to do that and help us win.”

Jefferson said he’s become a gym rat. He’s learned how to work, and he’s leaned on and followed the advice of his father, Shawn, a 13-year NFL veteran. In short, he’s positioned himself for breakout season.

And the redshirt he didn’t want or think he needed is a big reason why.

“I think that’s what really helped me out this year,” he said. “Playing with scout team last year for a little bit, it was tough. But coming into spring, I just had to take it day by day and not look ahead. The work is not done yet. You still have to prepare and do everything right. It’s just a milestone that I reached.

“But there are other milestones I want to reach as well.”

OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 26

THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2016

OM softball sets new record in wins Ole Miss softball made history Tuesday night clinching its school record 31st win, thanks to a 5-3 victory over Memphis at the Ole Miss Softball Complex.

The 2016 Rebels (31-15) become the first team in school history to win more than 30 games, and still have 11 contests remaining on the regular season slate.

Ole Miss also etches its name into the record books for the most home wins of any team in program history, now with 16 on the season breaking the former record of 15 set by the 2010 club.

In Tuesday's matchup with the Tigers, Alex Schneider and Miranda Strother both went yard, as Schneider's solo shot in the fourth set the tables for the offense, while Strother kept it going and gave the Rebels the go-ahead lead in the fifth thanks to her three-run blast.

In the circle, senior Madi Osias inched closer to the single-season wins record with her 16th on the year thanks to a five inning effort with two runs and four hits allowed to go along with four strikeouts.

Sophomore Kayla Landwehrmier worked the final two frames with one run allowed off two hits, earning her team-best third save of the year.

JOSH MCCOY/OLE MISS ATHLETICS

The Ole Miss softball team defeated Memphis 5-3 Tuesday night to set a new school record for wins in a season.

Offensively for the Rebels, Grayce Majam continued her hot streak at the plate with a 2-for-2 night, while five other Rebs chipped in with one hit each. Elantra Cox, Hailey Lunderman, Strother, Schneider and Paige McKinney scored the runs for Ole Miss, while Strother's three RBI and Schneider's one paced the way.

The Rebels jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the first, chasing Memphis' starter Calli Irvin, thanks to a double steal when

Lunderman broke for second and Cox crossed home, putting the home team in front 1-0.

After two-straight scoreless frames, Schneider's blast to right center in the fourth gave the Rebels a 20 advantage, before a tworun double from the Tigers' Lindsay Crowdus tied the contest up at 2-2 in the fifth.

But, the tie didn't last long as it was Strother's shot to the scoreboard in the fifth that put the Rebels back on top.

Majam got the rally going thanks to a one out double to left center, before Lunderman walked to put two on for Strother that led to her blast.

Memphis went on to plate a run in the sixth off an RBI single, but Landwehrmier held strong earning the save for Ole Miss.

On Deck (subhead) Ole Miss stays home for an SEC weekend series Friday through Sunday versus Arkansas. First pitch on Friday in the

Ole Miss pitcher Madi Osias earned her 16th win on the year, getting her that much closer to the single-season record. opener is set for 6 p.m., and Saturday's game will start at 7 p.m. and be televised live on SEC Network.

Sunday's finale is slated for a 1 p.m. start in what will be Strikeout Cancer day at the Ole Miss Softball Complex.

For all Ole Miss Softball news and information, go to OleMissSports.com and follow the Rebels on Twit-

ter at @OleMissSoftball, on Facebook at Ole Miss Softball and on Instagram at Instagram.com/olemisssoftball. Fans can also follow head coach Mike Smith on Twitter at @msmithsb16. Additionally fans can get a behind the scenes look at Ole Miss Athletics on Snapchat under the handle, @WeAreOleMiss.

McArthur paces No. 18 Rebels in win over Memphis MEMPHIS, Tenn. Three home runs combined with a masterful performance by freshman starting pitcher James McArthur led No. 18 Ole Miss to a 7-0 victory over Memphis Tuesday evening Park. at AutoZone McArthur pitched a career-high seven scoreless innings, while the Rebel bats did the rest to earn the midweek victory.

Will Golsan and Michael Fitzsimmons hit back-toback homers as part of a four-run sixth inning. It was the third home run this season by each Rebel as the duo became the first Ole Miss sluggers to go

back-to-back since Sikes Orvis and Colby Bortles accomplished the feat versus UT Martin, April 15, 2015. Colby Bortles also left the yard in the eighth inning for his fourth home run of the season. Along with the three homers, the Rebels (27-10) racked up 10 hits throughout the night. Bortles, Errol Robinson and J.B. Woodman also recorded two hits apiece.

McArthur (5-0) tied his career high with seven strikeouts to earn his fifth victory in his last six starts.

The freshman allowed just four hits and two walks during the career-long

outing of seven scoreless frames. The combination of McArthur and Brady Feigl gave Ole Miss its second consecutive shutout in the last two victories.

For Memphis (13-24), six Tigers recorded a hit.

On the mound, starter Jonathan Bowlan (1-4) allowed five runs (four earned) on eight hits through 6.0 innings.

Ole Miss took advantage of a Memphis miscue to plate the first run of the contest. In the top of the second, Golsan reached base on an error by the second baseman to keep the inning alive. After Fitzsimmons walked, DJ

Miller smacked a hard single to left field that brought Golsan around third and into home for the freshman's first career RBI. Following a pair of hits to begin the bottom half of the frame, prevented McArthur Memphis from scoring; the freshman recorded back-to-back strikeouts to end the threat and keep the Rebels in front, 1-0.

With McArthur holding Memphis scoreless, the Rebels used the long ball to tally four runs in the sixth. Woodman singled and stole second base before scoring on a two-out single by Bortles. Golsan

doubled the 2-0 advantage with a two-run blast to left field, and Fitzsimmons followed with a solo shot of his own. The back-toback jacks completed the big inning and gave Ole Miss a 5-0 cushion.

McArthur finished out his phenomenal night by retiring eight of the final 11 batters he faced, putting together the longest outing of his Ole Miss career and placing seven zeroes in the Memphis scoring column.

In the eighth, Bortles' home run cleared the Ole Miss bullpen in left center and increased the lead to six runs. As Feigl entered

out of the bullpen, Memphis threatened to score for the first time. With two on and two outs, a single up the middle looked as if the hope of a shutout was all but lost; however, Woodman unleashed a cannon and nailed the runner at the plate to hold the score at 6-0.

Ole Miss added another run in the ninth, scoring on a passed ball. Feigl came back out to finish the game, sending Memphis down in order to preserve the shutout.

The Rebels host Auburn in a three-game series starting Friday night at 6:30.

OXFORD CITIZEN

THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2016

Rebels break school record in Texas Invitational AUSTIN, Texas – Ole Miss athletes won four events and broke another school record this past Saturday at the Texas Invitational.

Competing against some of the top track & field teams and athletes in the country, Ole Miss claimed three event titles on the men's side and one on the women's side. The Rebel women scored the thirdmost points as a team (108), finishing behind only No. 2 LSU (136.5) and No. 1 Arkansas (112).

Ole Miss men who claimed event titles were sophomore Craig Engels in the 800 meters (1 minutes:47.17 seconds), sophomore Derek Gutierrez in the 1,500 (3:48.27) and sophomore Dempsey McGuigan in the hammer throw (224 feet-8 inches).

Engels' 800-meter time in his season debut in the event will rank him among the top 10 or 15 in the nation. The Rebels had four of the top seven finishers in the event, including Dameon Morgan in fourth place (season-best 1:48.95), Robert Domanic in sixth (personal-best 1:49.89) and Sean Tobin in seventh (season-best 1:50.03).

Sophomore Raven Saunders did her normal thing on Saturday, winning the shot put with another big mark of 60-11.25 inches and defeating the next-closest competitor by seven feet. Saunders also placed

third in the discus (172-10) and hammer throw (180-0). Freshman Annika Larsson was fifth in the hammer throw with a season-best 178-7.

Sophomore Lindsey Murray matched her outdoor personal best and broke a five-year-old school record with her pole vault clearance of 13-10 to earn fifth place.

She eclipsed Neal Tisher's 2011 school record (13-9.75) by a quarter-inch.

Senior Khadijah Suleman led the way for the women's sprint corps by placing fifth in both the 100 (11.43) and 200 (23.39). Both races featured an elite group of collegiate and professional sprinters, as Suleman finished second among collegians in the 100 and fourth in the 200.

In the 800, sophomore Leanne Zimmer finished fifth in a personalbest 2:09.01 that moves her up to No. 8 in school history. Senior Taylor Corder was seventh in 2:09.85.

The twin sister duo of Britt and Bo Ummels finished 2-3 in the 1500 in 4:25.93 and 4:27.64, respectively.

In all, the Ole Miss men and women combined for 18 personal bests during the one-day meet.

Next up for the Rebels is the Virginia Challenge in Charlottesville Saturday and Sunday.

PAGE 27

OM's Gamble, Miller nominated for McWhorter scholarship BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Forrest Gamble of the Ole Miss men’s golf team and Jennifer Miller of the Rebel soccer team have been nominated for the H. Boyd McWhorter Scholar-Athlete PostGraduate Scholarship by the University of Mississippi.

The H. Boyd McWhorter Scholar-Athlete Post-Graduate Scholarship has been presented by the Southeastern Conference since 1986 to the league’s top male and female scholar-athletes. The Southeastern Conference will name the 2016 recipients of the H. Boyd McWhorter Scholar-Athlete Post-Graduate Scholarship on April 28.

Highlights of Ole Miss’ nominees include: Forrest Gamble, Men's Golf, Ole Miss • SEC Men's Golf Scholar-Athlete of the Year (2015) • Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-American (2015) • Named to the Chancellor's List every semester • Finished in the top-ten at the FAU Slomin Autism Invite to help the Rebels towards a first-place finish • Fired a season-low round of 2under par 69 in the opening round of the FAU Slomin Autism

Invite • Finished in the top-20 at the Shoal Creek Invitational in his hometown of Birmingham, Alabama • Paced the Rebels with two rounds of even-par 72 at the Old Waverly Collegiate Championship to help Ole Miss finish second • Fired a career-low 66 at the SEC Championships at Sea Island, Georgia, en route to a tie for 11th place • Competed in every tournament his freshman season, earning his first top-five finish at the Querencia Cabo Collegiate • Physics major with a 3.97 GPA Jennifer Miller, Soccer, Ole Miss • Named to SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll each year of her career • Helped Ole Miss win the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Team Academic Award • Began Pharmacy School in the fall of 2015, and received her coat from the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy at one of the Rebels’ home matches • Appeared in 81 contests in her Rebel career, starting in all but 10 matches • Tied for team lead in assists

with seven in 2015, helping the Rebels to their first ever Sweet 16 appearance • Served as a team tri-captain in 2014 • Played over 6,500 minutes in her Rebel career totaling eight goals and 11 assists • Part of the Rebel senior class that tied for the most wins of any senior class with 51 over the fouryear span • Pharmaceutical Sciences major Each year, the SEC, in conjunction with AT&T, an SEC official sponsor, provides the league’s male and female McWhorter Scholar-Athlete Post-Graduate Scholarship recipients with a $15,000 post-graduate scholarship. The 26 remaining male and female finalists for the award will also receive a $7,500 post-graduate scholarship.

The award recipients are chosen by a committee of Faculty Athletics Representatives from the 14 SEC institutions and are honored at the SEC Spring Meetings in Sandestin, Fla., in early June.

Last year’s McWhorter Award recipients were Nathanael Franks of the Arkansas track & field team and Maddie Locus of the Georgia swim team.

Re-branding of Nkemdiche going well

BY PARRISH ALFORD DAILY JOURNAL

The re-branding of Robert Nkemdiche is going well, his agent says.

The former Ole Miss defensive tackle is a potential first-round draft pick. It’s a goal that is in question more than it was before a roughly 15-foot fall from the ledge of an Atlanta hotel and his subsequent arrest last December.

The incident may have changed the questions posed by NFL teams, but it hasn’t affected their interest.

“He’s been on a whirlwind tour. He’s visited probably 14 teams, several in the top 10. Teams want to get a chance to sit across from him, spend some real time with him, talk to him, get to know him,” says Tony Fleming of Impact Sports.

Some NFL scouts have concerns regarding Nkemdiche that go beyond the weekend in Atlanta.

However, Fleming is confident his client will be picked in the first round.

A source familiar with Nkemdiche’s process also believes he’ll be a firstround pick.

Nkemdiche has accepted questions about his character, most notably the Atlanta incident, as just part of the process he deals with in interviews with NFL clubs.

The draft is April 28-30 in Chicago.

“It’s just part of taking things step-by-step and being mature about it. It happened. You can’t wish the past away,” Nkemdiche said. “You’ve got to be able to put it behind you and move forward.”

In spite of his off-field is-

sues, considerable buzz for Nkemdiche in the first round remains, although not as strong as it once was.

In his latest mock draft, ESPN analyst Mel Kiper has Nkemdiche among defensive tackles still in play in the second round.

In mid-January, Kiper had Nkemdiche going to Philadelphia with the 13th pick.

Five of eight mock drafts at NFL.com have Nkemdiche going in the first round, ranging from the No. 14 pick to the Raiders to the No. 26 pick to the Seahawks. three in first round?

There is consensus for former Ole Miss players Laquon Treadwell on the back end of the first round and for Laremy Tunsil in the top 10 even after the Titans traded away the first pick.

If Nkemdiche does not

slide to Round 2, April 28 could be a historic day for Ole Miss with three firstround selections for the first time.

“You never know with the draft. The draft is inexact,”

Fleming said. “The teams that spend time to get to know him will be able to move past (the Atlanta incident) and know they’re getting a good young man, somebody they can count

on. I expect him to go in the first round, and I expect him to go higher than people think.” parrish.alford@journalinc.com Twitter: @parrishalford

OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 28

THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2016

Commodores fare well in latest Littlejohn, Herron win powerlifting titles for LHS Class 4A powerlifting meet

BY JOHN DAVIS

BY JOHN DAVIS SPORTS EDITOR

Lafayette had three girls travel to Jackson for the MHSAA Class II state powerlifting tournament. Two returned as champions.

Madisyn Herron, in her first year of competition, took first place in her weight class with a total of 955 pounds. Herron is a freshman. She won her title by finishing with a squat of 420 pounds, a bench press of 155 and a deadlift of 350.

Makailiah Littlejohn won the 148-pound division with a total of 820. Littlejohn was also competing in her first state meet, and came

through despite entering the competition as the top seed. Littlejohn, a junior, finished with a squat of 320, a bench press of 145 and a deadlift of 355.

Also competing in the meet was senior Shelbi Buford, who finished third in the 132 division. Buford had a 250 squat, 105 bench and a 305 in the deadlift to finish with a 660 total. The Lady Commodores finished with 17 total points, good for fifth place along with Pontotoc and South Pike. Moss Point won the Class II title this year with a total of 37 points. Itawamba AHS followed with 29, while Charleston and Velma Jackson tied for third with

20 points overall.

Lafayette coach Sandra Smith praised her lifters for their successful season, and finish in the state meet against the best competition of the year.

“I am extremely proud of Shelbi, Madisyn and Makailah. All three of them lifted their goal weights and beyond,” Smith said. “They each increased significantly from the last meet. I'm one proud coach. We were very pleased with the results of all three girls. We got the results we were shooting for and I can't ask for any more than that.” john.davis@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

Find more stories online visit us at oxfordcitizen.com.

SPORTS EDITOR

With Matt Toles and Jordan Jaimson both finishing in second-place, the Lafayette Commodores finished in a tie for fourth place in the MHSAA Class 4A state powerlifting meet.

Toles, competing in the super heavyweight class, totaled 1,515 pounds. He had a 715-pound squad,

Fair FROM 21

320 bench press and a 480 deadlift.

Jamison competed in the 308 class with a total of 1,480. That number tied Gentle Williams of Florence. Tay Reed finished in a tie for second in the 220pound class with a total of 1,430. Keante Booker finished fourth in the 275pound division with a 1,320. Cameron Adams also competed in the meet

for Lafayette and he finished fifth in the 132pound division with a total of 905.

Pontotoc won the overall Class 4A meet with 31 points. South Pike was second with 27 points, while North Pike was third with 19. Cleveland tied Lafayette with 14 points.

DAVIS: Will you be the offensive line coach or do you want to try and hire for that?

FAIR: That's yet to be seen. I know we have a couple of spots. We're talking through that. I could coach quarterbacks. I was the best quarterback that never got to play quarterback. (Laughs)

you want to run?

FAIR: We will base out of the spread and we'll go from one back to two backs to three backs.

Sometimes we'll empty.

It's all in order to get the box count that we want.

We want to run the tempo we want to run. We don't want the defense to control the game.

DAVIS: So you would say that you're offensive minded but you can do both?

FAIR: I think every good coach, every good offensive coach knows defense. I think you better know both.

On the same on defense. As a head coach, you really DAVIS: Do you have cerneed to be able to do both. tain style on offense that

John.davis@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

John.davis@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

Citizen

THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2016

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