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Volume 3 | Issue 17

Thursday, June 16, 2016

Inside 3 News

Student orientation leader loves his job

7 News

JOHN DAVIS

Michelle Robinson, the City of Oxford's Recycling Coordinator, was on hand with other volunteers at the re-opening of the center located on Hwy. 7 South.

OPD fares well in latest Lawfit Challenge

New Look

15 Sports

Recycling center on Hwy. 7 back open to public

BY JOHN DAVIS OXFORD CITIZEN

If Michelle Robinson had a quarter for every time she was asked about the recycling center located on Highway 7 South, she might have an-

other year toward her retirement from the city of Oxford.

Robinson, the Recycling Coordinator for the city, has been on the job for a year.

During that time period, she has routinely fielded calls or answered questions from res-

idents about the site, and when it would reopen.

After a lengthy closure, the site is operational again, and ready to take newspapers, cans, bottles and cardboard.

The site has been revamped, repaved and spruced up as a

whole.

“We've provided a little bit of shade and planted some plants and we've put up a new recycling sign out there,” Robinson said. “We have TURN TO RECYCLING PAGE 6

Fair likes work ethic of his LHS Commodores

OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 2

THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2016

Oxford School District opens online registration SPECIAL TO THE OXFORD CITIZEN

Student registration for the 2016-2017 school year opened online for Oxford School District students Monday.

Registration forms can be completed using the district’s webs i t e , www.oxfordsd.org/registration.

Students who attended school in the Oxford School District at the end of the 2015-2016 school year should receive a letter with the student snapcode, a required registration code that parents will need to use in order to complete their returning students’ online student registration process.

School district officials said that parents should receive those letters no later than this Friday, June 17. If those letters do not arrive by then, parents are encouraged to call the OSD Student Registration Office at (662) 513-8111.

Students who are new to the Oxford School District

will not need a snapcode in order to complete their registration process.

If parents or families need access to computers to register their child online, the school district offers assistance. Families can visit the OSD Student Registration Office where computers and technology support are offered weekdays at no cost.

School officials strongly encourage returning students entering kindergarten through second grade who have not completed their online registration process to do so as soon as possible.

Online student registration is the first step in the student registration process, and is necessary before parents are able to drop off required registration documents. The process is composed of those two steps – online registration and the inperson delivery of up-todate registration documents.

Required registration

documents vary depending on which grade a child is entering. For example, only incoming kindergarten students must provide an original birth certificate, and only incoming seventh graders must have their Tdap vac-

cination verified before starting school this fall. A complete list of required registration documents are listed online at www.oxfordsd.org/registration.

The documents serve to prove to the school district that a student resides in within the proper limits qualifying for OSD attendance.

OSD Student Registration Director SuzAnne Liddell says that parents need to make sure that required documents are

gathered and up-to-date because without them, a student can not attend classes.“A parent can complete the online registration, but if we do not have a child’s required registration documents, then they are not considered enrolled for the upcoming school year,” said Liddell.

This year the school district has put together a new delivery protocol in an attempt to make delivering those documents easier on parents and students. Documents will be

dropped off with school officials on specific dates based on the student’s last name. During registration drop off, parents will drop off documents at the OSD Student Registration Office located at 409 Washington Avenue. School officials will accept documents each registration drop-off day from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The dates go in alphabetical order of last name and are scheduled like this: • Letters A-E – Thursday, July 14, 2016 • Letters F-K – Friday, July 15, 2016 • Letters L-P – Wednesday, July 20, 2016 • Letters Q-U – Thursday, July 21, 2016 • Letters V-Z – Friday, July 22, 2016 “Families with children who have multiple last names can come on the date that works best for the family,” Liddell added.

“Also, no scheduled appointments will be made during the document drop-off dates and there will be no make-up days for documents to be delivered.”

For more information on the student registration process, visit www.oxfordsd.org/registration or call (662) 513-8111.

BRIEFS OPC British Soccer Camp

leading a Lunch & Learn program on June 30 at the Oxford-Lafayette ChamRegistration is currently ber of Commerce board ongoing for British Soccer room. The program will Camp through the Oxford begin at 11:30 a.m., and run until 1 p.m. Ritter Park Commission. The first week begins June 27 specializes in business and runs through July 1. and legal considerations The second week for the in choosing a company camp begins July 18 and name. A complimentary runs through July 22. Both lunch will be provided by camps will be held at FNC Boneheads Grill. Seating Park. Those that take part is limited. RSVP to in the camp will learn rosie@oxfordms.com. basic skills and fundamentals. It's open for dif- OU-Bank ferent age groups and also Golf Scramble features scrimmages and freestyle play. For more The Oxford University information, visit Bank Two-Man Golf bit.ly/BritishSoccerCamp. Scramble will be held June 25-26. Proceeds will benefit the L-O-U Ole Lunch Miss Club scholarship & Learn fund. There is a Calcutta Dinner and each player Elizabeth Ritter of the will get two tickets. RegisRitter Law Firm will be

tration is $175. Beverages are free, and cash prizes will be awarded. Register at www.olemiss alumni.com/events.

Run to benefit Special Olympics The third annual Run in the Sun 5K, benefiting Special Olympics, will be held Saturday at the Turner Center on the University of Mississippi campus. It will begin at 7:30 that morning. Preregistration is $25 and $30 the day of the race. For more information, visit www.racesonline.com or call (662) 207-9214 or (662) 832-6861. GNC, United Way, FNB of Oxford, Belk Ford & Toyotoa and Cannon Motors are helping sponsor the event.

THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2016

OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 3

Student orientation leader loves his job

BY CHANING GREEN NEWS WRITER

Ole Miss soon-to-be senior Cole Putman can be seen almost anywhere on campus this week. He can be found getting snacks together, giving directions, and giving tours of the University of Mississippi from a student’s perspective. Putman is a student orientation leader, and he loves his job. He’s majoring in social work at the university and said that he truly enjoys giving people the tools they need to succeed in life, and that includes university life. The Brandon native took a short break from the heat and walking to sit down with reporter Chaning Green earlier this week.

CHANING GREEN: How long have you had this job?

COLE PUTMAN: This is my second summer serving as an orientation leader. I love it. I eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I love it so much.

GREEN: What does a typical day entail for you here?

PUTMAN: It just depends on what role I’m serving in that day. I can serve as an orientation leader for students, or I’m serving the leaders and the students by doing things like setting up snack breaks, breaking down or setting up check in and such. Those are different roles we have. On a normal day when I have a group, we’ll have our intro at Fulton where we’ll have our dance, we’ll get someone from the Lyceum to come and speak, our ASB president will come and speak then we’ll break up into groups. I’ll lead my group and we’ll play some fun games where we get to know each other and then we’ll go through the guidebook. We then go to lunch together followed by sitting through different sessions such as respecting the M and campus involvement. We’re just getting them acquainted with the university. We have another small group session followed by dinner and then what’s called the Hotty Toddy Hangout. We just all dance and eat snow

CHANING GREEN

Cole Putman is a rising senior at Ole Miss and serves as a student orientation leader. cones and take pictures in version of myself, I feel a photo booth for an hour like. After my first summer, I realized that if I ever and a half. wanted to do anything else GREEN: How did you during my time at Ole originally become in- Miss, it was to be an orientation leader again. So I volved in this?

PUTMAN: The summer applied for it again and got before my sophomore it. That’s what I’m doing year, I had seen so many of this summer. my friends serving as orientation leaders and I just GREEN: Why do you love though it was such a spe- it? cial job, just getting to be PUTMAN: I think my fathe first person that wel- vorite thing about it is that comes people into the uni- it couldn’t be less about versity. I just wanted to be me. The college lifestyle is a part of it. I applied in Oc- so self-gratifying and so tober of my sophomore about you, and my entire year, 2014, and I got it. I job here is to serve and stared working in the sum- love someone else. mer of 2015 at orientation. Whether they are a freshIt was the most amazing man student, a teammate, thing I’ve done with my life my GA, my director or so far, honestly. I know that whoever, it is my job to sounds ridiculous, but I’ve serve and love them well. never been more myself In doing that, I think I than I was during orienta- learned to serve and love tion, and I was the best myself better.

GREEN: Why did you choose to study social work?

PUTMAN: I think it goes back to why I love being an orientation leader. I love to see people thrive. The

thing is, I can’t make them thrive. I can only give them the tools to do so. Social work is all about empowerment. I love that. I love making people believe the best of themselves and

helping them see what in them is good and using that good to bring out the best. chaning.green@journalinc.com Twitter: chaningthegreen

OXFORD CITIZEN

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THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2016

OBITUARIES WILLIAM SHAW William R. Shaw, 75, passed away Monday, June 13, 2016, at his home in Oxford. The funeral service was held Wednesday, June 15 at College Hill Presbyterian Church with Rev. Alan Cochet officiating. Burial followed in College Hill Cemetery.

Memorial contributions in Mr. Shaw’s memory may be made to the Barnabas Ministry, c/o College Hill Presbyterian Church, 339 CR 102, Oxford, MS 38655 or to the College Hill Cemetery Fund that supports maintaining the grounds of the beautiful historic College Hill Presbyterian Church.

CHERYL KAY WASON Cheryl Kay Wason, 72, passed away suddenly of a brain hemorrhage Sunday, June 12, 2016 at Baptist Memorial-Memphis.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers a contribution be made to St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 113 South 9th Street, Oxford, MS 38655 marked specifically for the “Kitchen Renovation Project’ fund in memory of Cheryl Kay Wason.

A celebration and memorial service will be held at a future date. Waller Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

DONALD JONES Donald D. Jones, 72, passed away Friday, June 10, 2016. Jones served his country in the Army as a Second and First Lieutenant, Finance Corp, from 1967 to 1970.

The Donald D. Jones Endowed Chair of Accountancy was established in April 2016, at the University of Mississippi’s Patterson School of Accountancy.

Visitation was held on Wednesday, June 15, 2016 at Waller Funeral Home. The funeral service will be held at College Hill Presbyterian Church on Thursday, June 16 at 10 a.m. with Rev. Justin McGuire officiating.

Burial will follow in the College Hill Presbyterian Church Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the University of Mississippi’s Patterson School of Accountancy, the College Hill Presbyterian Church, or a charity of your choice.

COURTESY OF THE LAFAYETTE COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ASSOCIATION

A youth fishing rodeo will be held at Pusksus Lake on Saturday morning starting at 8.

LCLEOA to host Youth Fishing Rodeo at Puskus

BY CHANING GREEN NEWS WRITER

The Lafayette County Law Enforcement Officer’s Association (LCLEOA) has teamed up with the city of Oxford and the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks to host this year’s Youth Fishing Rodeo this Saturday at Lake Puskus. The event is open to any kid in the community and is free for children ages 1 to 15. Registration for the event begins at 7:30 a.m. and fishing to last from 8 to 10 a.m.

This event and similar incarnations have been put on by LCLEOA for the past 16 years, with the past two years being the exception to that. Events for those years had to be cancelled due to severe weather creating safety concerns.

Now-retired law enforcement supervisor with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks Bruce Jenkins originally proposed the idea to the board of LCLEOA and started the fishing day. Secretary and treasurer for LCLEOA Candy Williams has held her position at the association for the past 17

years, and was there when the group first began the fishing rodeo.

“Our organization, we want to do things that get the community involved,” Williams said. “When Bruce Jenkins brought it to the board and asked if we would sponsor it, we said yes because we want this to be about the kids and about the community. We try to always do this on the Saturday before Father’s Day to help get families together.”

The event does not serve as a fundraiser for LCLEOA, and is operated entirely on donated goods and volunteer hours. The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks contributes to the event by helping to round up fish and herd them toward the shore before the event to increase the kids’ chances of catching one.

At 10, the kids will stop fishing and what they have caught will be captured and measured. The child with the longest fish will win a grand prize of a new fishing pole. There is also a tackle box that can be won, along with several other prizes. Williams said that

no child will walk away empty handed.

Williams said that the numbers of the event have varied over the years, with as few as 40 kids showing up to as many as 140. They are never really sure on what the outcome will be.

They just want to make sure they can provide a good experience for the kids that show up. Kids are asked to bring their own fishing poles, but bait will be provided, and law enforcement officers will be there to help any of the children if they need it.

The LCLEOA was founded in February of 1999 to serve and support every law enforcement official in Lafayette County on the local, state and federal levels. The organization hosts different events throughout the year to engage and support the community. The group also has a firing range in the county where law enforcement can go to perfect their marksmanship. Different officers also teach different groups and classes at the range. chaning.green@journalinc.com Twitter: chaningthegreen

OXFORD CITIZEN

THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2016

PAGE 5

Oxford City Market to become Oxford Community Market

BY CHANING GREEN NEWS WRITER

The Oxford City Market will be terminating its contract with the city effective September 30, and is in the late stages of transitioning from a city-owned market into what will be known as the Oxford Community Market. This new community model will be operated by a board composed of volunteers from the community that are both shoppers and farmers that participate in the market.

John Winkle has been named the board’s president. He said that none of the vendors or community participants wanted to let the market die, so they formed a plan to make sure it stayed operational.

The market has more than doubled in since its original formation a few years ago. Since moving to the Armory, a more central location than where it was previously operating, it has received more cus-

tomers and is now accessible to people using the public transportation system.

Winkle said that one of the primary goals of the community market is going to be targeting food insecurity in Oxford and the county. This, Winkle said, is going to be accomplished primarily through education and making sure that as many people in the community as possible have access to fresh produce and nutritious food.

“We want to make sure we are serving the underserved people of our community,” Winkle said. “We are going to continue some of those basic programs that the market is already accommodating like SNAP, EBT and WIC, but we also have plans for next year to set up programs and events at the market itself as well as other locations in the community.”

Winkle said that this

President of the Board is Eleanor Green, director of the Oxford School District’s food education initiative Good Food for Oxford Schools. Winkle said that there were also plans in development to work with that program as much as possible.

The market is currently seeking non-profit status from the IRS. Winkle said that is a very lengthy process that the group has been working on since October. The paperwork and steps involved have made this into what is expected to be a year-long endeavor.

Winkle said that he is optimistic that the entire process will be taken care of and approved by October 1 of this year. The hope is that when the Oxford PETRE THOMAS City Market terminates its The Oxford City Market has expanded its operation to two days a week and brought in addi- contract with the city, the Oxford Community Martional vendors to serve customers. ket will pick up operation combined with education help people get the infor- and working with as many the very next day. through various mediums mation and resources they schools, camps and other including cooking demon- need to live healthier lives. community organizations chaning.green@journalinc.com strations will hopefully They plan on partnering that they can. The Vice Twitter: chaningthegreen

OXFORD CITIZEN

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THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2016

OPD makes arrests on burglary, armed robbery

BY JOHN DAVIS OXFORD CITIZEN

Technology proved helpful the Oxford Police Department Saturday in the arrest of four men who have been charged with armed robbery. Ramarion Gordon, 20 of Oxford, Yancy Gordon, 20, Roderick Brooks, 22, and LePatrick Schafer, 21, all of Sunflower, are being held in the Lafayette County Detention Center on a bond of $100,000 after being arrested following an incident inside the Saddle Creek subdivision.

According to the victims, men with guns and masks entered the home and held a couple at gunpoint. In the OPD report, the male victim was assaulted. During the assault, the suspects also made the female victim undress. According to police information, she was not assaulted.

While inside the residences, the suspects stole a wallet, I-Phone and a pistol.

Officers began searching the surrounding areas and

were able to locate a vehicle that was occupied by several males. Officers stopped and interviewed them.

While speaking with them they got permission to search and located the weapons, masks, and the victims property. According to police, the suspects were apprehended shortly after the incident through the victim's cell phone, which gave an exact location of the vehicle. The four made an initial appearance in front of Justice Court Judge Johnny McLarty.

Officers also made an arrest on the charge of stolen property Monday. Tiffany Herron, 20, was taken into custody as she was involved in a private property wreck.

When officers arrived to investigate the wreck, it was discovered that her vehicle was reported stolen by the Memphis Police Department. While investigating the wreck, officers found that the car did not match the tag. If was determined that the tag was switched from another car and when officers ran the vehicle

identificaand people tion numrunning ber, it came f r o m back stolen. houses in He r ro n the Grand stated she Oaks subdigot the car vision after from some- Brooks someone R. Gordon one in walked outMe m p h i s. side with Herron was their dog. It charged was later w i t h found that switched two houses tag and poshad been session of broken into. stolen prop- Schafer There were Y. Gordon erty, her also several bond was set at $15,000. other houses with windows broken out but no entry BURGLARY ARRESTS was made into the resiSamuel Peeler, Darrent dence.

On May 24, 2016, the Toles, Brandon Slate and Khivante Brannon are all OPD received a call in the Notting Hill subdivision facing burglary charges.

Slate, 18 of Oxford, was about a house burglary and taken into custody on June auto burglary. Items from 9. He and Brannon, 18, also Notting Hill and Grand of Oxford, are facing three Oaks were later found near counts of residential bur- Brittany Woods in a glary and one count of auto wooded area. Later in the week, more cars were broburglary.

According to police ken into on Access Road. records, On May 18, 2016, During those break-ins ofthe department received a ficers responded and got in call of suspicious activity a foot chase with two suspects. Both suspects were caught and through the investigation Slate and Brannon was found to be involved with these burglaries along with other individuals, according to the report. Slate also has a grand larceny charge from Huddle House where he stole someone's I-Pad from the business. Slate and Brannon were given a bond of $20,000.

Peeler, 19, was arrested on June 9, while Toles, also 19, was arrested on Monday. Peeler is facing one count of burglary of a dwelling to an apartment located in Highland Square, according to the police report. Victims were able to identify Peeler's vehicle leaving the complex on the day of the burglary. All of the stolen property has been returned. His bond was set at $5,000.

Toles has been linked to the Notting Hill vehicle and residential burglary. Toles was taken before a judge and given a $10,000 bond.

A total of 11 juveniles have been arrested over the last week and all the cases are auto and house burglaries between 5-18 and 6-9. john.davis@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

JOHN DAVIS

Oxford city worker Glen Pegues drops off a recycling bin just before the location was opened back to the public.

Recycling FROM 1

some bins that we will put out there. Some are there from before, but we have about four new ones that have been relabeled and painted.”

Having an additional location to drop off recycling is welcomed, Robinson said, who added that everyone was eager for it open.

“I've had a lot of phone calls here lately, especially since everyone has seen different projects happen bit by bit. We get a call if not two a week and that's just me, that's not including the ones city hall gets,” Robinson said. “I've had my friends asking me or Amberlyn (Liles) friends asking her.”

Everything that comes to the location is weighed.

The bins at the Molly Barr location are also weighed, and Robinson felt like the Highway 7 location will serve a lot of residents that live in Lafayette County or even those that come from Bruce and Water Valley that want to recycle items.

“I have numbers from our Molly Barr location and numbers that are just throughout the town and then I will have them at drop off No. 2 location,” Robinson said. “Before, everything was kind of combined. You never knew where it came from.

Now I have all the bins and the ones at my Molly Barr location are like 200 and the ones at the university are 100. These bins will be labeled 300 so you

can tell what's coming from where to get our numbers and get better data.”

It's ideal for residents to recycle more as opposed to throwing things out that are dumped in the landfill.

“If we keep dumping everything in the landfill, then eventually we will need another one and that just takes up more space in our town for garbage,” she said. “That means more money we would have to pay Three Rivers.”

Robinson and others from the city were at the new-look site Wednesday to welcome everyone back. New brochures were handed out, while goodies to children were also available. Robinson was expecting a good turnout since everyone was so eager about the site coming back. Bins are picked up each day, and two or three are dumped each of those days. Certain bins are picked up each day at Molly Barr as well, even on Sundays.

The cost to get the site back open was approximately $2,500. That did not include the new pavement underneath the bins. The paving was completed last month.

Robinson said that the site wasn't scheduled to be back open at all due to the widening of the highway. Once those plans changed, the city was able to revisit the site being accessible to the public.

John.davis@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

OXFORD CITIZEN

THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2016

PAGE 7

OPD fares well in latest Lawfit Challenge

BY JOHN DAVIS OXFORD CITIZEN

It's never advisable for criminals to run from police.

Or take them on with their fists. Anyone who is thinking of doing both better rethink that plan if they meet a member of the Oxford Police Department that took part in the Lawfit Challenge.

Oxford finished fourth in the recent national competition held in Pearl this past weekend. The department was top municipality in the competition as members of the Mississippi Highway Patrol and the Mississippi Department of Wildlife & Fisheries took the top three spots. Teams from all over the South and East, take part in the three-day challenge.

The City of Pearl and the MHP helped host the event that was held in and around Trustmark Park where the Double A Mississippi Braves play.

For Corporal Wess Denton, the team captain, it was a great time with others in law enforcement. He said the MHP has won nine of the last 10, with the lone win coming in that period from the MDWF officers.

“It's a tough competition.

When you get down there, you pick your four-man teams so MHP had eight or nine that came. We take five and then what we do is pick our top four competitors and then out of those four, we pick our top two and make a two-team and then a second two-man team,” Denton said. “It's however you want to divide it up and pick your top scores.”

The first day of the competition involve a weigh in and bench press. Officers have to bench a certain amount based on age and weight. Denton benched 225 pounds, which is 140 percent of his body weight.

On the morning of the second day, the mile and a half run is held. Denton said it takes a little time to have 138 people run the course.

Situps, sit-and-reach and pull-ups are all part of the testing on the second day.

On the final day, contestants navigate an obstacle course.

“Friday is really your big day. That's where most of your events are held,” Denton said. “I feel like the team did really well. We have a

COURTESY

Five members of the Oxford Police Department, Corporal Matt Samuels, Corporal Ben Hamilton, Corporal Wess Denton, Major Major Jeff McCutchen and Diarra Giddens, competed in the annual Lawfit Challenge in Pearl. great group of men. They went out and they represented the police department well. The Lord was with us and he let us bring back, in my eyes, a good victory without any injuries and that's all you can ask for.”

Major Jeff McCutchen, Corporal Ben Hamilton, Corporal Matt Samuels and Diarra Giddens, also known as D, were the five that traveled to Pearl. All but one had been to the competition in the past. The event has been around since 2002, and it was previously held in Olive Branch. There are other ones held all over the nation.

“Every year is great and there are some really good sponsors that help put the event on. Every year, each city, does a great job and Pearl did a great job,” Denton said. “It's really nice to see the support of the local business owners and the community come together so we can have these kinds of events. The schools that help us host the o-course and the gyms, it's just really nice.”

Last year, the department finished sixth. Several years back, an OPD team competed at the regional level and won that particular event, with McCutchen placing as the top athlete in the event.

“Each year our numbers

have gone up. This year, we broke three of our personal best records for the police department,” Denton said.

“Prior to this year, the highest we had on pull-ups was 30. This year I got 31 and Major McCutchen got 32.

And Corporal Hamilton got 41 pull-ups. We tied the best sit-and-reach we've had with 48 centimeters and then we set the national record on situps this year which was great. The last record was set in 2006 and it has been met three times over the last 10 years.”

Denton was the one who set the situp record with 71 in 60 seconds for anyone who is curious. Denton was able to record 68 during practice sessions leading up to the competition.

“It's just great to go down there and be with 138 brothers and sisters in law enforcement and you get three days to push off and compete against one another,” Denton said. “At the end of the day, it's still a great family and to see the community come together, especially on a nation-wide level, is just great. There was a female team come in all the way from Rhode Island to compete.” john.davis@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 8

THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2016

LOU Fourth of July Looking for volunteers and ready to entertain

BY KATHRYN WINTER STAFF WRITER

LOU Fourth of July celebration will begin on Friday, July 1. The 2016 celebration includes four days of events and activities spearheaded by Meredith Rawl, committee chair. The Chamber of Commerce unites a team of volunteers to partner with the City of Oxford, Lafayette County, and the University of Mississippi for this annual event. The LOU Fourth of July committee’s intention is to create a full day of events for the citizens of our area to come together and celebrate community, military, veterans and America’s freedom.

“This year, the 4th falls on a Monday, which is a little unusual for our line up of events; nonetheless, we are planning some fun things, starting on Friday, July 1, which kicks off the Firecracker Bash, benefitting Leap Frog,” Rawl said.

“Leap Frog is a free after school tutoring and enrichment program for first through third graders in Oxford and Lafayette school districts.”

Rawl has been involved with planning the event before, and this is her fourth year to be the committee chair. This year the Firecracker bash will be held at the Lyric, and tickets can be purchased at the door or at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church for $25.

There will be a Mr. and Mrs. America contest, a silent auction and bottomless beer cups provided by Yalobusha Brewery.

A new event will be added this year on Saturday, July 2. Rawls considers it a “sort-of” attempt to bring back the Street Dance that took place on the eve of the 4th. This family-friendly dance will be held at the Community Pavilion (Old Amory) on University Avenue. This event will follow the Oxford City Market.

“We are very happy to partner with Yoknapataw-

PETRE THOMAS

The 4th of July is just a few weeks away and the LOU committee is planning four days of events. They are also looking for volunteers to help with the festivities. pha Arts Council to bring this new and family friendly event,” Rawl said.

“For Sunday, July 3, we are working to bring an interdenominational service to the Grove, although planning is still underway.”

Events on July 4 will at 7:30 a.m. The Stars and Stripes on the Square 5K classic will be held. This event benefits the Oxford Lafayette Humane Society.

The fun run will follow at 8:30 and at 9:30, the LOU Fourth of July Children’s parade begins on the Square. Line up begins at 9 in the parking lot adjacent to Something Southern.

Later in the day, starting at 4 p.m., there will be activi-

ties and music in the Grove at the University. The children’s area, sponsored by Your Extra Closet, will feature a petting zoo, train rides, bounce houses, balloon art and more. There will also be vendors and live music until 8 p.m.

“At 6:30 p.m., there will be an Independence Day Ceremony in the Grove, which is a moment to reflect on the occasion and honor local service men and women,” Rawl said.

“Following that, at 7:30, gates to the Oxford-University Stadium will open for a $2.00 donation. Proceeds are going towards the 2017 Fourth of July Celebration. No coolers will be

allowed, but refreshments will be available to purchase.” Local films will be played on the stadium screen until 9 that night when the fireworks presentation will begin. The show, made possible by Winchester, will last 20 minutes, and the perimeter is marked for safety.

“As much as we all love football season, and the Rebels, there is always a noticeable surge in traffic and occupancy when August rolls around each year,” Rawl said. “Summers in Oxford are one of the few times seasonally when locals take back the town, so to speak. July 4th is certainly one of those occa-

sions. It’s nice to feel like we are all part of the small town LOU community.”

Oxford Makers Market will have vendors of all ages set up on the Courthouse lawn, featuring local arts and crafts from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Another thing to note for this year is that PMQ will not be having their annual pizza festival on July fourth this year.

“The committee consists of some amazing community partners, which make the event possible,” Rawl said. “I would like to recognize some integral committee members: Teresa Adams, Wayne Andrews, Jimmy Algood, Sarah Brooke Bishop, Gail Brown,

Alice Camp, Bill DeJournett, Denny Buchannon, Aaron Craig, Thelma Curry, Kelly Graeber, Lea Anne and Kevin Griffin, Dennis Irwin, Ashley Jones, Katie Kaiser, Allen Kurr, Jeff McCutchens, Ethan Peterson, Pam Starling, Alex, Andrew and April Stratton, Pam Swain, Mike Tomes and Jessica Windham. This list is by far not exhaustive; but these members have been dedicated to the committee for a number of years.

Of course, we would also like to thank our sponsors.”

If anyone is interested in contact volunteering, Meredith Rawl, or visit the website at www.lou4thofjuly.com.

OXFORD CITIZEN

THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2016

PAGE 9

ORLANDO SUPPORT RALLY

BRIEFS Summer Sunset Series

Republicans meet Monday

The third week of the Summer Sunset Series will be held Sunday in the Grove starting at 6. The Luke Fisher Band, which features Americana and alternative country, will be the act. The band is presented by Yoknapatawpha Arts Council. The event is free to the public.

The Lafayette County Republican Executive Committee will meet Monday at Newk's on University Avenue.

This event is open to the public and will take place at noon. Our speaker is state lawmaker Michael Watson.

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

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H

ere in good ole Mississippi, most of us have grown up around guns and look on them as part of family life. We observe hunting seasons for dove, whitetailed deer, turkey, squirrels, rabbit, even alligators. Shotguns sit in a glass case or on a rack until needed, or, in the case of my childhood home, up in the back of the closet, unloaded with ammo stored elsewhere.

My dad was a World War II Army Air Corps vet who was shot down, wounded and chased by the Germans. He told us the first thing he was taught to do once he hit the ground, was toss his gun away. The thinking was, if he encountered the enemy, they couldn’t claim he shot first.

After the war, back in Mississippi, he didn’t care much for popping firecrackers but he kept a shotgun in the house and went dove hunting every September. All of this is to say, he was a sportsman and life-long gun owner. I was surprised one day at an Ole Miss football game when he pointed out an armed police officer and said, “Look at him with that pistol.

He doesn’t need a gun at a football game. No reason for it.”

Such a comment might seem quaint today now that football stadiums, nightclubs, movie theaters and schools are referred to as, “soft targets.” I can’t say for sure, but I don’t think my father would see the need for civilians to own an AR-15 style rifle. A notorious tightwad, he also would have balked at the weapon’s $600-$1,000 price tag.

According to The New York

THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2016

Live by the gun tion refers to the AR-15 as, “America’s Rifle.”

One more tidbit from the Jim Dees Times story. The paper reports that, “The AR-15 is heavily marTales of the Town keted to younger gun enthusiasts who are attracted to the highly militarized, Special Ops culture in action movies and Times, the gun used in this week’s “largest mass shooting in shooter-style video games like “Call of Duty.”

US history” in Orlando was a Josh Sugarman, founder of “spin-off” of the AR-15, with a the Violence Policy Center, tells different operating system but the Times, “The traditional gunsome of the same features. buying demographic – white The Times reports the original AR-15 began life as the M-15 males – is aging and slowly issued to Vietnam War soldiers. dying off. So they’re marketing the AR-15 to the next generaThe troops liked it because it was lighter and “fired a .223-cal- tion as the new, shiny thing.”

My dad, Anse Dees, who iber bullet, which was smaller passed away in 2009 just shy of and faster than the typical amhis 89th birthday was old munition of the time.” When school, a bona fide member of Vietnam vets returned stateside, they embraced the civilian the “Greatest Generation.” He survived the Depression and version of the AR-15 because World War II and losing his own they knew it, had mastered it, dad when he was 10. I’m not and could take it apart, clean it sure what he would have made and put it back together.

Over the years, the popularity of today’s transgender debate about bathrooms. My guess is of the AR-15 and its spin-off he would have simply said, versions grew and sales soared into the millions. The Times re- “Use what God gave you.”

As for rapid-fire assault ports this occurred even though weapons, if he was offended by the weapon was banned from an armed cop in Vaught-Hem1994 to 2004, though the law ingway, chances are he wouldn’t was so riddled with loopholes believe that you and I should the ban is generally thought to have an assault rifle at home. have been ineffective.

Joe Six-Pack doesn’t need thirty The paper reports that the rounds to take a deer. weapon, or its variants, was I would love to ask Anse what used in the most recent and high-profile mass shootings at, he thinks the country should do about mass shootings. Like the “an elementary school in Newtown, Conn.; at a movie theater rest of us, he’d be perplexed. Of the idea that millions of miliin Aurora, Colo.; at a holiday tary-style weapons are seemparty in San Bernardino, Calif.; ingly everywhere now, I think and at the campus of Umpqua Community College in Oregon.” he’d call it silly if it weren’t so sad.

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OXFORD CITIZEN

THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2016

THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2016

PAGE 15

John Davis Sports Editor

Saunders reflects on her latest NCAA title, future

T

here was a time when Raven Saunders played basketball as her main sport.

That was prior to high school, and way before she became a national champion in the shot put. The Charleston, South Carolina native broke a 33-year-old record last weekend in Eugene, Oregon at the NCAA Track & Field Championships.

Her throw, that was just over 63 feet, not only made her tops in this latest competition, it was one of the top marks in the world this year. It clearly set the stage for bigger things down the road, including confidence heading into the USA Olympic trials.

“It was nice. I really wanted to get back in the saddle after losing indoors. I wanted to come out there and basically prove myself again, and showed that indoors happened, but it's over with,” Saunders said about her accomplishment.

Prior to her competition, Saunders felt good, like she could record a personal best.

“I got in the ring and just sped it up slightly and it took off,” Saunders said about her fifth throw that earned the title. “I saw it go over the 18 meter line. I threw my arms up and said 'Finally.' I honestly had to keep myself calm a good bit of the time going in, the day of, the morning of, because it was such a long wait until the competition. I was so pumped up and ready to go compete.”

Eugene, Oregon, the site of the NCAA meet, is a town Saunders has grown fond of. She was there in 2015, when she was at Southern Illinois.

“It's my favorite place to go and compete.

The crowd is so knowledgeable about every event out there, it's just really relaxing to go out there and compete,” she said.

Lists, or rankings, are something that Saunders doesn't usually keep up with.

That is until her latest throw because of what it meant. Teams and titles have been the main focus since records are made to be broken.

“This time, I did allow myself to look at it and try to understand the process,” Saunders said, who is now focused on making it to Rio for the Olympics. “That has been the TURN TO SAUNDERS PAGE 17

JOHN DAVIS

First-year Lafayette coach Michael Fair has been pleased with the workouts of his players and the effort they have put forth.

Fair likes work ethic of his LHS Commodores

BY JOHN DAVIS SPORTS EDITOR

Michael Fair and his coaching staff at Lafayette have been up and out of the house not long after the sun rises each morning. They have to be since a number of Commodores are on campus, in front of the weight room, before the clock hits 7.

Early morning workouts, also know as Camp Fair, last between two and two and a half hours, and it's what the Commodores have been going through the past two and a half weeks since school concluded. Fair, who is starting his first season as the head coach of LHS, has been pleased with everything he's seen so far.

“I couldn't be more happy with the effort that these guys are giving,” said Fair, who has also gotten some one-on-one time with the players. “Our attendance is very high. This is a big county and we've got kids coming all

the way from Harmontown and some south of Taylor.

Logistics is an issue when you have to get them here.

We're asking these guys to get here at 7 a.m., and to be ready to work at 7 a.m. We actually have guys that are here at 6 in the morning begetting cause they're dropped off or we're going and getting them. These guys are really getting after it.”

Lafayette should be an even stronger team in the future now that Fair has added Jason Russell to the mix. He is in charge of the off-season strength and conditioning for the Commodores.

“I really thought what I've been doing for a long time was really good with strength and conditioning, and with the Jason Russell on our staff, he brings another element to that,” Fair said. “I really feel confident in what we're doing in our offseason program and it will rival anyone on our schedule. It comes down to the kids and the

willing effort they're able to give. It's just been phenomenal so far. The effort has just been amazing.”

The Commodores are also going through 7-on-7 work.

They went to a tournament at Mississippi State this past Friday and they won their first four games before finishing up 4-2.

“We liked what we saw. We looked at each other that morning and said we had a shot,” Fair said.

Will Ard is back at quarterback and even though he was limited in the spring due to football, he has experience.

“There is no defense that anybody is going to run that he hasn't seen,” Fair said.

“Not to mention he's a tough kid. He's a coach's son and his knowledge of the game is high. He's a leader for our football team. He doesn't say a whole lot, but when he talks, everyone else listens.

He's a good quarterback and we're excited about him

leading our offense.”

Fair felt there were success stories all over the field, adding that each day, there seems to be another one to talk about.

“Whether that's a kid that is turning the corner. The other day at 7-on-7, we had a young kid, Brandon Turnage, that turned it on and made some plays. Things I hadn't seen yet,” Fair said. “Dillon Woods is a vocal leader for us. When things get tough, he seems to take over and he's got everybody's respect.

Tay Reed is the same way.

Tyler Williams has phenomenal talent at out corner. He will be a two-way player for us. We're going to have to because he is so explosive. We do want to develop so much depth behind him that his main focus is on the defensive side of the ball, but he will have to touch the ball offensively at some point.” john.davis@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 16

THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2016

Ashley excited about leading Lafayette's defense in 2016

BY JOHN DAVIS SPORTS EDITOR

Ben Ashley was almost set to sell insurance this fall rather than coach football.

Luckily for the Lafayette Commodores and head coach Michael Fair, Ashley's 17 years of experience will be put to better use this coming fall.

The former head coach of the Amory Panthers is now the defensive coordinator for the Commodores. He's been on the job 11 days, and he was excited about the opportunity to start over. Of the 17 years he has been coaching, 11 of them have been as a defensive coordinator. He's also been an offensive coordinator for three years. On top of leading the defense in 2016, Ashley will be instructing the inside and outside linebackers.

“We're going to base out of a 4-3 and we're going to be a little different in the secondary than they've been in the past,” Ashley said when asked about style. “In the past, they've mostly been a Cover 3 team with one high safety. We're going to be Cover 3 team the majority of the time still, but we're going to do it out of a two-high safety look. There will be a lot of rotation in the secondary, which is new to these kids. They have picked up on it well in the very short time I've been here.”

Ashley said he didn't have a plan after Amory school officials decided to go a different direction not long after spring drills concluded. He called Fair on the phone — the two have known each other since college when they both played for Mississippi State — and asked him about selling insurance. Fair had also sold insurance, for six months to be exact, before he started his career in coaching.

“I called him on the phone and I asked him how am I going to like selling insurance and he said you're probably not going to like it as much as you are coaching at Lafayette,” said Ashley, who was at Amory for three and a half years as the

head coach and has also coached at Aberdeen, Falkner and South Panola over the years.

Both Ashley and Fair both looked at the situation as divine intervention since Fair was looking for someone to lead the defense after parting ways with Stan Robertson.

“It's kind of strange how God works things out. We're really excited to have Coach Ashley here with the knowledge and the success that he's had over the last several years being a head coach and a defensive coordinator and the background he brings,” Fair said. “More importantly, the relationship that he has with these young men here at Lafayette and the relationships that he's building here. He is a positive influence in everything he does.

He reinforces everything we're doing. We're having a good time coaching these kids here together. I'm excited about what are defense is going to be able to do and carry on the tradition that Lafayette has always had for great defenses.”

Ashley having been a head coach should only be a benefit to Lafayette in the future. He let his coordinators take care of their own things in 2015 after being more hands on his first two years as head coach.

“I turned my offense over to my offensive coordinator and turned my defense over to my defensive coordinator and I handled all the special teams,” Ashley said. “Last fall, I missed the chess match. Last fall was the first time I wasn't real hands on with the end game strategy.

I was involved in the planning on Sunday, but as far as calling the game, I turned that over to my coordinators last year. I made that decision because it's hard to manage everything. It was hard to give up that control, so I'm excited about this opportunity to be back in this chess match a little bit on Friday nights.” john.davis@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

JOHN DAVIS

Oxford's Devin Rockette used track to get faster which led to him picking an offer in football from Ole Miss.

Oxford's Rockette 'blessed' to have offer from Ole Miss

BY JOHN DAVIS SPORTS EDITOR

A blessing is how Oxford cornerback Devin Rockette described his scholarship offer from Ole Miss.

The rising senior attended a camp at Ole Miss last week not knowing for sure if he was going to get an offer or not. Rockette knew he was going to compete at his highest level, and hoped that a fantastic effort would net a scholarship in the end.

Rockette impressed in the 40-yard dash where he ran just under 4.4 seconds.

The coaches also told him that they liked his hips, and the way he breaks on the ball.

“They like that I compete,” said Rockette, who is being recruited to Ole Miss by cornerbacks coach Jason Jones and Matt Luke.

It was just a year ago that Rockette was moved from running back to corner. It was a move that turned out just right in the end.

“I feel like this position is made for me. I feel like

the change from running back to corner was good, a big step in my life,” Rockette said. “Corner is not that easy. Sometimes you're out there by yourself and some people can't take the heat. If people catch on you, they can't take the heat from the fans. I can take it.”

A successful corner needs to have a short memory for sure. They have to move on to the next play if a receiver does catch a ball in front of them. The first year netted Rockette a spot on the AllCitizen team, and the praise of former OHS coach Johnny Hill.

Rockette felt that he played well in 2015, and that he worked hard trying to learn the game at corner. This fall, Rockette felt like he would have an even better year because he knows the position even better.

“Last year, I didn't really know it a lot. But my hips and my speed are made for the position basically,” Rockette said. “I knew a little bit what to do and this year, I'll know a lot more.”

The first time Rockette ever stepped on the field at cornerback was when the Chargers were playing in Hoover at the National Select 7-on-7 Tournament. He came in for an injured Ferrin Houston, and everything just took off from there.

Speed training at track has helped develop Rockette's ability as a whole. He called the workouts “tougher than football” which translates to a lot of intense training throughout the year.

“Track really helped my work ethic because it's not easy,” he said. “The running in football, it's easier to me because of track.

That helps a lot.”

Ole Miss is Rockette's team, he said, adding that he was going to pray about the offer in regards to him making a decision.

“When I feel it, that's when I'm going to do it,” he said. “Coach Jones really feels like family to me.

He and Coach Luke and Coach (Hugh) Freeze, every single coach I've talked to are respectful.”

And even with Ole Miss

facing scholarship reductions and further scrutiny from the NCAA, Rockette's opinion of the coaching staff hasn't changed.

“I know they are some good coaches. That doesn't change anything,” he added. “I don't worry about that. I have kept up with it, I keep up with Ole Miss everywhere. I'm not going to worry about it.”

There are a number of talented players in the state for the Class of 2017, and Rockette said he had a relationship with safety C.J. Avery of Grenada.

“Me and C.J. are real cool. I've talked to Willie Gay (Starkville) but I haven't really talked to Cam Akers (Clinton) before,” Rockette said. “Me and C.J. were at Ole Miss the other day and we were talking. We hung out for a little bit.”

Rockette and other members of the OHS track team will be in Greensboro, North Carolina competing in the Junior USA Nationals.

John.davis@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

OXFORD CITIZEN

THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2016

Saunders FROM 15

main goal for me. Everything else has been a tune up, or a way to work up to that meet. When I was dreaming, I had to dream in chronological order. Before conference, I had to say this is what I want to do and this is what I'm going to do at regionals and then the Olympic trials and then Rio. It keeps me grounded thinking about the now while still imaging what I want to do in the future.”

Based on prior years, if Saunders throws what she did this past weekend, she will be representing America in the games.

“There is no reason I shouldn't be on the team, just based on what everybody else is throwing and things like that,” Saunders said. “A lot of people are going to come up, but around that range should make the team.”

There are some minor things that Saunders can do between now and the time of the trials to get better. She does feel like she

still has more in the tank, that she can throw even further.

“There really isn't a whole lot you can do left with just a month. Technically, I'm feeling the best I have ever done,” she said.

“There is a lot more power and speed I can put on it.

Throwing for a while, I can get a sense of feel of how much effort I've put in or how much more I can get out. You can tell if you're throwing to the best of your ability or not. Sometimes when you're not, you can feel that technical flaw that caused you to miss whatever it was you could have gotten out of it.”

Hoop dreams came and went for Saunders. She realized it would be hard for her to be a power forward at 5-foot-5.

“I don't think it wasn't going to work out. Nobody expects a little butterball turkey running around and controlling the ball,” Saunders said. “My basketball coach, he was going to be head track coach and he was the one who told me to come out because he was a shot putter in school. I came out and

ZERO DOWN

PAGE 17

JOSH MCCOY/OLE MISS ATHLETICS

Raven Saunders was able to reach her goal of winning another national title last week and using it to build momentum heading into the Olympic trials. won my first meet and ended up getting another coach midseason who was my coach all the way through high school. The rest is history.”

Connie Price-Smith,

drive it home

Saunders' head coach at Ole Miss, said she was very proud of her winning the title.

“She has been competing very well and doing things very good and she

went in and did it in the meet, when it counted,” Price-Smith said. “That's not an easy task to do when you get to nationals and have to do it front of all those people. A lot of

bad things can happen, but she came out on the good side and I'm extremely proud about that.” john.davis@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

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PAGE 18

THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2016

RB Cook headlines talented offense for Seminoles

BY JOHN DAVIS SPORTS EDITOR

When Ole Miss and Florida State meet for just the second time on the gridiron to open the 2016 season, it could be an offensive explosion. Scoring points is nothing new in today's college football, not with all the spread attacks and the tempo set two notches ahead of fast. Still, the Seminoles return all 11 starters from last year's offense, including super talented Dalvin Cook at tailback, and those two facts make things very interesting.

Cook, a rising junior, was the only player in the nation to rank in the top 10 offensively in rush yards per carry, rushing yards per game, all-purpose yards, rushing touchdowns, rushing yards and scoring.

The Miami, Florida native was handed the ball 229 times. He produced 1,691 yards and 19 touchdowns. Cook, who averaged 140.9 yards per game, also has the speed to take a handoff the distance. His long run was 94 yards, and he comes into the 2016 season fourth in school history with 13 100-yard games.

Cook needs 1,261 yards to become the all-time leading rusher in school history.

That title is currently held

by Warrick Dunn, who went on to star in the NFL for years. Cook is also considered highly by NFL scouts, and he could end up being a mid first-round selection due to his size (5-foot-11, 206 pounds) and speed.

Cook did undergo surgery

FIRST LOOK

Florida State

this past April to repair a torn labrum, but FSU head coach Jimbo Fisher said in late May that he was ahead of schedule in his recovery and was scheduled to be running “full speed” this month.

Sean Maguire, the quarterback with the most experience for the Seminoles, is also on the mend after missing the entire spring due to a broken ankle he suffered playing against Houston in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl. He was also supposed to be healthy enough to be back in the workouts this month. Maguire, a redshirt senior, played in eight games last season, throwing for 1,778 yards and 11 touchdowns. Two freshmen, Deondre Francis and Malik Henry, could factor in at quarterback for FSU in the opener, especially if Maguire hasn't been able to regain his rhythm.

The quarterbacks definitely have a lot of weapons returning on the outside.

Three receivers caught at least 50 passes last season, while Cook was fourth on the team with 24 catches for 244 yards.

Defensively, the Seminoles return six starters from 2015, including rising

sophomore safety Derwin James, who led the Seminoles in tackles the final four games of the year.

James finished with a teambest 91 overall tackles and 4.5 sacks.

Derrick Nnadi, DeMarcus Walker and Marquez White are three defenders that started all 13 games for the Seminoles in 2015.

Walker, a defensive end who had 58 tackles and 10.5 sacks, has started 20 straight games to be exact.

Florida State never gave up more than 24 points on defense during the regular season. The Seminoles blanked Boston College 140 in the third game of 2015, and held Florida to just two points in the season finale.

Even Clemson, which played Alabama for last season's national title, and quarterback DeShaun Watson only managed to get 23 points on the scoreboard against the Seminoles at home.

FLORIDA STATE ATHLETICS

EXTRA POINTS

Florida State running back Dalvin Cook is back for his junior season a year after rushing for Florida State went 10-3 in 19 touchdowns.

2015, losing to Houston 3824 in its bowl game. The matchup with the Rebels BCS/New Year's Six bowl of the final four in the ColSeminoles held their an- on Sept. 5. … Florida State games. The Seminoles won lege Football Playoff. nual Garnet and Gold and Alabama are the only their third national title in spring game in the Orlando two programs to have 2014. They also played in John.davis@journalinc.com Citrus Bowl, site of the played in four straight the 2015 Rose Bowl as part Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

Former LHS DC Robertson hired to lead OHS D-line

BY JOHN DAVIS SPORTS EDITOR

A veteran coach, who has coordinated defenses at a number of schools, will lead the Oxford High defensive line this fall. Stan Robertson was approved by the school board last week, and head coach Chris Cutcliffe already had Robertson working.

Robertson doesn't have to move far as he comes to OHS from Lafayette where

he coordinated the defense for the Commodores.

“He's bringing a ton of experience to the table.

He's been a coordinator, he's played professionally and he's coached at a lot of different levels,” Cutcliffe said. “He brings a lot expertise to the table. He and I got to coach together at the Northeast Mississippi Football Coaches Association All-Star game and that was a little before this all

went down, but we got together those three days and I got to see how good of a coach he is. I got to spend a lot of time with him, and see what kind of person he is. I know we're getting a great person who is going to be a good role model for the kids.”

Cutcliffe said he contacted Robertson when he found out he wasn't returning to Lafayette, and it wasn't long after that AllStar game.

“We talked it on through.

He came over and met our principals and he kind of went through that process of finding a teaching slot and everything was good,” Cutcliffe said. “We were able to get it all done and get him on board.”

Matt McCrory is the new defensive coordinator for the Chargers, but he and Robertson worked together at Grenada when Robertson was the DC. McCrory was the offensive

coordinator at Grenada when the two were last together. Robertson spent time in European and various professional leagues as player and a coach, something else Cutcliffe liked about him coming on board.

Future Football Camp Oxford is hosting a twoday Future Charger Football Camp that will start on Friday and run through Saturday. It will begin at 8 and run through 11:30

each morning for campers in grades K through second. Campers entering the third grade and running through sixth grade will go from 1 to 4:30 p.m. Early registration is $65, while walkup registration is $75.

More information, including a registration form, can be found at http://www.oxford.k12.ms .us/Page/7604.

John.davis@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

OXFORD CITIZEN

THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2016

PAGE 19

Lewis pleased with success of his Commodores

BY JOHN DAVIS SPORTS EDITOR

Momentum is something the Lafayette Commodores have heading into the second half of the summer baseball season.

Greg Lewis was very pleased with five wins, and no losses, in the State Games of Mississippi last week. He was even more happy with the way his players competed in tough situations against some other good teams.

“It was nice to see. A lot of the other teams were a lot like us. They came in with one team one day and another one some other day. We would piece five or six together and on the final day, Ross (Ingram) had the ACT or a guy who has been batting second for us had a basketball tournament,” Lewis said.

“Every time there were guys who stepped up and did a good job. They're at least doing their part to get better each day. It's all about getting them out there and see how they compete.”

Lewis has swapped a lot of players in and out of the lineup, or placed them in different places to see if they can help in multiple positions.

“Probably the thing I've been most pleased with, especially during that tournament, was how well they hit the ball,” Lewis said.

“I've been very pleased with how they've been swinging it. Corey Taylor has been really swinging it well. Even some young guys. Austin Wilson, who is going to be a ninth grader next year, Hunter Cole-

JEFF EUBANKS

Lafayette’s Parker Brown had success on the mound this past weekend in the State Games of Mississippi, a tournament Lafayette won with five victories. man, who is also going to be a ninth grader, even Wilson Varner, who will be an eighth grader next year, it's great to see these guys get great swings. Dillon Woods, he doubled in the gap one of the last games and it looked pretty good.”

Luke Gossett was also praised by Lewis for learning to take the bad pitches and that resulted in a number of walks during the

tournament.

“They were nibbling on him and he wasn't biting and that's when you're becoming a better hitter,” he added. “He had a great weekend, he was on base all the time, and when they did throw him a strike, he got a base hit.”

The pitchers also did a good job of getting outs.

The five games were played over three days, and

Lewis said Parker Brown did a good job on the mound.

“Almost every guy that went out there was throwing strikes. We also turned a few double plays and I'm not sure we turned 6-4-3 double play all through the year,” Lewis said. “You can see the guys getting more comfortable on defense. I think Parker Brown is getting better for us every

time he goes out there, but we are going to be young on the mound this year.

I'm hoping that the defense continues to come and we're going to have to continue to hit it. I think there is more confidence on defense on balls hit to us and we do have the confidence that we can roll a double play or if it's a slow roller, we're going to make that play.”

A medal and a ribbon is what the Commodores received for winning the State Games. So far, the Commodores have played a good number of games, with some more on the horizon. A wood bat tournament in Biloxi next week is how the team will end up.

John.davis@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

Rebels land Louisiana product at linebacker

BY JOHN DAVIS SPORTS EDITOR

Ole Miss has a need at linebacker in 2017. Josh Clarke was looking for the right fit to play linebacker in college. The two things married Monday night as the 6-foot-3, 220-pound Clarke picked the Rebels.

The Jefferson, Louisiana native is the sixth verbal

pledge for the 2017 Ole Miss signing class. Players are not bound to verbal pledges, and National Signing Day is still eight months away.

Clarke is a three-star prospect. Scout.com has him rated as the secondbest outside linebacker in the state of Louisiana, while he ranks 40th best at his position in the nation.

National recruiting analysts have been impressed with Clarke's ability and progression over the spring.

This past April, at The Opening in New Orleans, of Chad Simmons Scout.com said the following about Clarke: “Clarke has a great frame and he is a linebacker who could cross-train on the next level. Due to his size,

athleticism, and skill set, he could work at inside or outside linebacker in college depending on scheme and what coaches prefer. As a player, he plays with energy and intensity. He chases the ball down and he can step up and meet the running back head on. He has good quickness and he moves well laterally. He can improve on taking on lead

blocks and dropping into coverage.”

Florida, Mississippi State, Arkansas and Baylor were the other schools interested in Clarke.

“The reason I picked Ole Miss is because of all the opportunities I'll have that I can do as a freshman like coming in and making a big impact and playing early," he said in an inter-

view with NOLA.com's Julie Boudwin. “I could go SEC All-American starting as a freshman which will give me a lot of looks by NFL coaches. I loved the atmosphere. I been there a lot and the fans showed me a lot of love and I feel comfortable being there.” john.davis@journalinc.com Twitter: @oxfordcitizenjd

OXFORD CITIZEN

PAGE 20

THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2016

Thirteen track athletes earn All-American honors SPECIAL TO THE OXFORD CITIZEN

FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICANS

Ole Miss sent 13 athletes to Eugene, Oregon, last week for the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, and all 13 came away with All-America honors from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA). The total of 13 AllAmericans breaks last year’s previous school record of nine.

The USTFCCCA awards first team All-America status to those athletes who finish 1-8 in their events at the national finals, while those who place 9-16 earn second-team accolades.

The Rebels’ six first team All-Americans are their most top-eight finishers since 1993, when they had seven.

Ole Miss now has 169 AllAmerica selections among 80 different athletes in program history.

Here is a breakdown of the 2016 Ole Miss outdoor All-Americans:

Raven Saunders – NCAA Champion women’s shot put – 63 feet, 5 inches (collegiate record, meet record, school record) Robert Domanic – 6th place men’s 1,500 meter run – 3 minutes, 41.71 seconds Craig Engels – 7th place men’s 1,500 – 3:43.23 Ryan Walling – 7th place men’s 5, 000 – 13:31.30 (school record) MJ Erb – 8th place men’s 3, 000 steeplechase – 8:43.81 Dempsey McGuigan – 8th place men’s hammer throw – 227 feet, 1 inch

SECOND TEAM ALL-AMERICANS Holland Sherrer – 10th place men’s 800 – 1:47.34 Branden Greene – 11th place men’s high jump – 70.25 Lindsey Murray – T-15th place women’s pole vault – 13-3.5 Nicole Henderson – 16th

16th place women’s 4x100m relay – 44.56 Breanna Tate – 16th place women’s 4x100m relay – 44.56 Those who earned outdoor All-America honors for the first time in their careers are Erb, McGuigan, Murray, Sherrer, Tate and Walling.

Saunders is the first Rebel woman to be an AllAmerican in the shot put.

Domanic and Engels are the first two All-Americans in school history in the 1500 meters. McGuigan is the first All-American in the hammer throw. Murray is the first Ole Miss woman to be an All-American in the pole vault.

In the first year of the Connie Price-Smith era of Ole Miss Track & Field, the Rebels accumulate a total of 19 All-America honors – JOSH MCCOY/OLE MISS ATHLETICS 13 outdoor and six indoor.

Ole Miss track & field coach Connie Price-Smith was all smiles as 13 of her athletes earned The school record-tying six indoor All-Americans were All-American status on Monday.

Domanic, Engels, Derek Shannon Ray – 16th relay – 44.56 Gutierrez, Saunders, Sean place women’s 4x100m Khadijah Suleman – Tobin and Walling. relay – 44.56 seconds place women’s 4x100m

Citizen

THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2016

OXFORD CITIZEN

OXFORD

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Publication of any classified advertisement does not constitute endorsement by Journal Publishing Company. We make every effort to screen out advertising that may not be legitimate. However, since we can not guarantee the legitimacy of our advertisers, you are advised to beware of offers that appear to be too good to be true, misleading ads and those that ask you to send money.

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$1,000 SIGNING BONUS!

Company Paid Health Insurance; 401K Retirement Plan; Paid Vacation, Sick, and Holidays; Annual Bonus Possible. Local Deliveries. Home Every Night.

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Must have valid MS CDL and clean MVR. Training for Mixer Drum Operation provided.

APPLY IN PERSON B & B CONCRETE CO., INC.

YARD SALE Let the Oxford Citizen Classifieds help you write an ad that will be seen by 69,000 readers weekly.

Deadline..............................Edition

Tuesday 4 P.M..........................Thursday Thursday 4 P.M...........................Sunday

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SERVICES Miscellaneous CREEK BRANCH KENNELS Frankie Fowler, Trainer/Handler Retriever Training Obedience UKC/AKC Hunt Test Advanced/Gun Dog Training fowler86@nexband.com (662)706-0869 or 652-3344

JOBS Employment Services

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Advertisements in this classification usually offer informational service or products designed to help FIND employment. Before you send money to any advertiser, it is your responsibility to verify the validity of the offer. Some ads may require a toll call or a directory purchase. Inquiries can be made by contacting the Better Business Bureau at 1800-987-8280

General Employment

CARRIERS WANTED Route

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VARD1......2.75.....$1,192.....Calhoun Co.

$100 signing bonus after one month of good service.

If you have a dependable car, insurance, & a good driving record

call 662-678-1636 DAILY

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Newspaper Delivery Early morning hours 7 days a week Work is done before 8:00 a.m.

OXFORD CITIZEN

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Associate Dentist

Manufactured Housing For Sale

Medical

NEEDED WITHIN A DENTAL PRACTICE.

Call 662-598-0113 for information on how to apply.

RN

· Full time salaried RN for busy medical clinic in Tupelo, MS. Benefit package.

Licensed Aesthetician · Licensed Aesthetician for Tupelo Medical Clinic. Prior experience a plus.

Send resume to: Box 248, c/o Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, P.O. Box 909, Tupelo, MS 38802

RENTAL

REAL ESTATE All Real Estate advertising herein is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or an intention to make any such preferences, limitations or discrimination. We will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis.

If you believe that you may have been discriminated against in connection with the sale, rental or financing of housing, call The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) at 1-800-669-9777.

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House For Sale

House For Rent 3 Bedrooms, 3 Baths w/pool 1 mile from Campus $1200 monthly (662)419-0231

OXFORD HOUSE & LAND FOR SALE

10 MILES EAST OF OXFORD 3 Bedrooms, 2 Baths with 23 acres, lake, barn (662)816-8598

16x70, 2/2, great condition.

Only $14,900. CASH ONLY includes delivery and set up Call 662-401-1093 *************** 28x80, 4/2, large double wide with fireplace, will not last long $33,900 CASH ONLY! Includes delivery and set up.

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STUFF Home Furnishings FOR SALE! SOLID OAK ARMOIRE ENTERTAINMENT CENTER. $350.00.

CALL 662-687-2492

THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2016

Lawn & Garden Craftman Riding Mower 19.5 Horse Power, 42 inch deck, 6 speed, shift the go $425. New Albany 266-3335

Musical

GUITAR

For Sale: Paul Reed Smith custom 22 guitar, 3 soap bar pickup configuration, whale blue in color. Text for price and pictures at 662-401-3050 serious inquiries only. .

GUITAR For Sale: U.S. Masters custom telecaster with Lollar pickups, 4A flame top with Birdseye maple neck. Text for price and pictures at 662-401-3050 serious inquiries only..

Lawn & Garden

Craftman Riding Mower 14 Horse Power, 42 inch deck, Kohler motor, hydrostat, $350.

New Albany 266-3335

Whether you’re building for the future or renovating the past, the Oxford Citizen Classifieds can show you the way home!

Our service directory will put you in touch with specialists in painting, plumbing, construction, electrical, etc.

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To place your ad in our service directory, call 1-800-270-2622.

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AUCTION

Auctions

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SATURDAY, June 25th @ 9 A.M. PONTOTOC AGRI CENTER 430 C. J. Hardin Jr. Drive Pontotoc, MS Pontotoc County Supervisors & Pontotoc County Sheriff's Dept has commissioned Chism Auction Co. to auction county equipment & confiscated guns & vehicles to the public.

AUTO SECTIONAL: Brown, with 4 side recliners, $400 2 ORIENTAL RUGS size 11x14, burgandy on black, $75 each 1 matching RUNNER for $40, 1 COMPUTER DESK, $50 (662)202-2503

Oxford Citizen Classifieds Can!

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Sport Utility Chevrolet Equinox 2005, runs good, good tires, $4,500.

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This will be open consignment for equipment, vehicles, etc. excluding guns. Only the confiscated guns will be auctioned.

GUNS WILL BE AUCTIONED TO THE PUBLIC We will be taking consignments daily; please go to auctionzip.com for more information, including terms & conditions, & pictures.

Pictures will be added on line as items are consigned.

Auctioneer Kathy Chism 1603 CR 515 Myrtle, MS 38650 MS lic #233 Phone 662-538-4577

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OXFORD CITIZEN

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PAGE 23

Business Directory Apartments

Asphalt

Art Supplies

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Residential & Commercial ART SUPPLIES AND PAINT-YOUR-OWN POTTERY SHOP. Located at 107 North 13th Street (behind Something Southern on the square)

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PAGE 24

OXFORD CITIZEN

THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2016