Primary Election Voters Guide 2019

Aug. 6 primary sample ballots

PageO Greenwood Commonwealth / Wednesday, July 31, 2019 slqbop=drfab =======================================================================================================================================================================

Statewide

`çåíÉëíÉÇ=ê~ÅÉë=çåäó

dçîÉêåçê

Democratic n Michael Brown n William Bond Compton Jr. n Jim Hood n Robert J. Ray n Robert Shuler Smith n Gregory Wash n Velesha P. Williams n Albert Wilson Republican n Robert Foster n Tate Reeves n Bill Waller Jr.

qê~åëéçêí~íáçå=`çããáëëáçåÉêI kçêíÜÉêå=aáëíêáÅí Republican n Trey Bowman n John Caldwell n E.A. Hathcock n Jeremy A. Martin n Geoffrey O. Yoste

eçìëÉ=çÑ=oÉéêÉëÉåí~íáîÉëI aáëíêáÅí=PO Democratic n Tavarris K. Cross Sr. n Solomon Curtis Osborne

qê~åëéçêí~íáçå=`çããáëëáçåÉêI kçêíÜÉêå=aáëíêáÅí Republican n Trey Bowman n John Caldwell n E.A. Hathcock n Jeremy A. Martin n Geoffrey O. Yoste

`Ü~åÅÉêó=`äÉêâ

Democratic n Casey James Carpenter n Christy Noah n Monica Prewitt Jones

`áêÅìáí=`äÉêâ

Democratic n Charles “Chuck” Elliott n Durward Stanton

pÜÉêáÑÑ

Democratic n David Keith Mims n Clint Walker

iáÉìíÉå~åí=dçîÉêåçê

^ííçêåÉó=dÉåÉê~ä

Republican n Delbert Hosemann n Shane Quick

Republican n Mark Baker n Lynn Fitch n Andy Taggart

Democratic n Johnny DuPree n Maryra Hodges Hunt

Republican n Eugene S. “Buck” Clarke n David McRae

pÉÅêÉí~êó=çÑ=pí~íÉ

Republican n Sam Britton n Michael Watson

Leflore County

`çêçåÉê

Democratic n Eddie Martin Jr. n Debra Sanders

pìéÉêîáëçêI=aáëíêáÅí=O Democratic n Willie E. Brown n Alonzo Evans n Reginald L. Moore n Larry “Blue” Neal

Carroll County

q~ñ=^ëëÉëëçêL`çääÉÅíçê

Democratic n Melinda Sanders Alderman n Wilton A. Neal

pìéÉêîáëçêI=_É~í=N Democratic n Scott Montgomery n James A. “Jim” Neill Jr.

pìéÉêîáëçêI=_É~í=O

Democratic n Terry G. Brown n Josh Hurst

pìéÉêîáëçêI=_É~í=R Democratic n Rickie Corley n Andy K. McCorkle n Walter J. MItchell

gìëíáÅÉ=`çìêí=gìÇÖÉI kçêíÜÉêå=aáëíêáÅí Democratic n Jimmy Avant n Therrell Turner

pí~íÉ=qêÉ~ëìêÉê

pìéÉêîáëçêI=aáëíêáÅí=Q

Democratic n T.W. Cooper n Eric Mitchell

pìéÉêîáëçêI=aáëíêáÅí=R

Democratic n Robert Collins n Ulysses Kelly

`çåëí~ÄäÉI=pçìíÜÉêå=aáëíêáÅí

Democratic n Chris Glass n Andrew McQueen

gìëíáÅÉ=`çìêí=gìÇÖÉI pçìíÜÉêå=aáëíêáÅí Democratic n Dorothy Branch n Tinesha Erve-Earnest

`çåëí~ÄäÉI kçêíÜÉêå=aáëíêáÅí Democratic n Dustin Haddon n Joe Holman

`çåëí~ÄäÉI pçìíÜÉêå=aáëíêáÅí

Democratic n Rob Banks n Roshaun Daniels n Travis Gatewood n Andy Langham

Attorney to face MVSU employee

Greenwood Commonwealth / Wednesday, July 31, 2019 PageP slqbop=drfab =======================================================================================================================================================================

HOUSE DISTRICT 32

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By GERARD EDIC pí~ÑÑ=têáíÉê

Solomon Osborne and Tavarris K. Cross Sr. are vying for the state’s District 32 position in the House of Representatives.

Both men are running as Democrats and will face each other in the party primary Aug. 6 to determine whose name will be on the ballot for the Nov. 5 election.

A semi-retired civil rights l a w y e r, Osborne, 71, was chosen for the position March 12 during a special election to fill the vaOsborne

cancy created when Willie J. Perkins Sr., the former representative, became a chancery judge.

Osborne only served in the House for a few weeks as the legislative session concluded at the end of March. His current term will end in January.

However, he said he has plans should he be re-elected.

For one, he’d like to increase the pay of public school teachers and teacher assistants to meet average salaries of teachers in adjacent states. The Legislature approved a $1,500 pay raise for teachers and teacher assistants, though critics have said it’s not nearly enough.

Osborne would also like to reform the state’s crimi-

nal justice system by increasing funding for juvenile justice systems.

Osborne recalled that when he was a juvenile court judge, the education provided to children in the system was “insignificant and insubstantial,” saying that children who are locked up should have the same access to educational opportunities as children in regular schools.

Osborne said he is concerned about the conditions of the schools in the Greenwood Leflore Consolidated School District.

“The facilities are deplorable” and need renovations, he said.

“I don’t see why our students should attend a second-rate school,” he remarked.

Osborne said he’d like to work with his fellow representatives to increase funding for the school district from the state as well as possibly working with the Leflore County Board of Supervisors to increase the tax millage rate for funding the school district.

Cross, 42, works at Mississippi Valley State University’s bookstore, a position he has held for 10 years. He Cross unsuccessfully ran for Greenwood mayor in 2017 and for the city’s Ward 6 council seat in 2009 and 2013.

While a student at MVSU, Cross got an internship assisting with economic development. He saw the inception of the Mid Delta Empowerment Zone and later worked for MVSU’s Community Development Corp., which built houses in the county.

If elected, Cross would like to fully fund the Mississippi Adequate Education Program, the formula the state uses to fund public education.

Since its inception in 1997, the program has only been fully funded twice.

Cross would also like to strengthen the state’s infrastructure to prepare for the creative economy. If infrastructure is improved, it can help expand the county’s tax base, he said.

Finally, he’d like to address the issue of subpar housing in the Delta.

“I would like to see some legislation presented where we can change some of the laws in place that keep us from tearing these houses down and reconstructing them,” Cross said.

With quality housing, good education and reliable infrastructure, Cross said more working professionals would be willing to live in the Delta and raise families.

The winner of the Aug. 6 Democrat primary will face independent candidates Toris Williams and Troy D. Brown Sr. during the Nov. 5 election. n `çåí~Åí=dÉê~êÇ=bÇáÅ=~í RUNJTOPV=çê=ÖÉÇáÅ]ÖïÅçãJ ãçåïÉ~äíÜKÅçãK

She said she often receives calls from people who are having trouble adjusting long after their loved ones have been buried. Sometimes they ask her for explanations of what happened, and she lets them know she is available, she said.

She said her experience as a nurse helps her because she can read Xrays, read doctors’ writing and make medical decisions.

Sanders also is president of District 2 of the Mississippi Coroners Association, and she said that group meets with other agencies to talk about how they can work together when they have to respond to tragedies.

Those discussions helped after the 2017 plane crash on the western edge of Leflore County that killed 15 Marines and one Navy corpsman, and the group is still working to be prepared for similar situations in the future, she said.

Martin, 41, graduated from Greenwood High School in 1997 and has worked at Century Funeral Home for more than 20 years, with extensive experiMartin ence in dealing with both natural and unnatural deaths.

He said he is making his first run for public office because “it’s time for a change.”

Martin’s father, Eddie Martin Sr., also worked at Century and took his son with him sometimes to pick up bodies when Eddie Jr. was in high school.

Martin said that he is always on call at Century, and he needs only the time

to get dressed and go where he’s needed. He said that as coroner, he would stress prompt response, integrity and compassion for the people involved.

“I just want to be honest and respect the job and def-

initely be there for grieving families,” he said.

He said he enjoys meeting people in his work and knows there are things he can say or do to put smiles on their faces even in difficult times. Also, he said,

“you have to be careful what you do and what you say. These people will remember you. And that’s part of the job. We always believe in helping people.”

Martin said he would work as coroner to estab-

lish a morgue in Leflore County. Not having one made it difficult to respond to the 2017 plane crash, he said. n `çåí~Åí=a~îáÇ=jçåêçÉ ~í= RUNJTOPS= çê= ÇãçåêçÉ] ÖïÅçããçåïÉ~äíÜKÅçãK

Sanders facing first-time candidate

By DAVID MONROE `áíó=bÇáíçê

Leflore County Coroner Debra Sanders says she enjoys her work and wants to continue it; challenger Eddie “Shun” Martin Jr. says he also has skills he can bring to the job.

Sanders and Martin, both Democrats and lifelong Greenwood residents, are the only candidates in the race, meaning that the winner of the Aug. 6 primary will get the job.

Sanders, 60, graduated from Amanda Elzy High School in 1977. She earned Licensed Practical Nurse and Associate in Applied Science degrees Sanders from Mississippi Delta Junior College and also earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Mississippi and a degree in funeral service technology from East Mississippi Community College.

She is a nurse at Tyler Holmes Memorial Hospital in Winona and occasionally works at Greenwood Leflore Hospital. She is also co-owner of Sanders & Sanders Funeral Home, which has locations in Greenwood and Winona.

Sanders was first elected coroner in 1995. She said she became interested in the job in the 1980s while working as a nurse, interacting with then-Coroner James Hankins and learning what he did.

Now, she said, she is running again because she wants to “continue to assist families through the grief process by providing logical explanations about the deaths of their loved ones.”

LEFLORE COUNTY CORONER

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4 discuss garbage fees, other issues

PageQ Greenwood Commonwealth / Wednesday, July 31, 2019 slqbop=drfab =======================================================================================================================================================================

DISTRICT 2 SUPERVISOR

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By GAVIN MALISKA j~å~ÖáåÖ=bÇáíçê

The absence of a true incumbent has produced a crowded field in the Democratic primary for supervisor in Leflore County District 2.

The seat had been held for 27 years by Robert Moore, who died of injuries suffered in a single-car accident in November 2018.

Two weeks later, the Board of Supervisors placed his son, Reginald Moore, in his seat for the unexpired year of Moore’s term.

Reginald Moore seeks election to the seat for a four-year term, as do Willie E. Brown, Alonzo Evans, and Larry “Blue” Neal.

A candidate must gain a majority of the votes cast on Aug. 6 to win the nomination.

If no one wins a majority, the top two votegetters will face each other in a runoff election on Aug. 27. The winning Democratic candidate will face Lelavie Grayson Sr., an independent candidate, in the Nov. 5 general election.

Moore, 46, works as a field representative for Rep. Bennie G. Thompson, Democrat of the 2nd District, in Greenwood. He mentioned numerous big issues facing the Board of Supervisors, including drainage and flooding that occurs in the rural areas of Leflore County.

Moore “The Board of Supervisors has a drainage proposal in Washington D.C. awaiting funding that would help alleviate the flooding that occurs on both sides of Highway 7 by digging drainage ditches and installing pumps that would pump flood water into Big Sand Creek,” he said.

Moore said working for Thompson and serving on the board puts him in position to help remedy problems “through partnerships” between the local and national levels. He said the county is in need of funding in the form of grants or loans “whether it be with a drainage package, a water issue, Medicaid and Medicare, SNAP, farm loans. All these are national programs are funded on the federal level, but they trickle down and help people here at home.”

Brown, 55, is the pastor of McKinney Chapel Baptist Church in Baptist Town, the oldest church in Greenwood. He, too, sees drainage of the low-lying Brown district as the main problem to face whoever wins the seat.

“As we speak right now, the district is full again, in Browning,” Brown said. “I don’t have the solution to it; I wish I did. I think we need to take a better look at it. I think something should be done.”

Evans, 48, a general contractor who builds residential and light commercial construction, said the biggest problem facing the county are substandard roads and abandoned housing. If elected, he would move to get the abandoned houses into the hands of those who could rehab them to Evans solve what he sees as a housing shortage.

Neal, 69, a security guard for Greenwood Leflore Hospital, said the lack of jobs is the biggest issue for the district. He said he would work to create jobs by inviting companies into the county and working with them to see what incentives could be provided to attract them here.

“Evidently, whatever they’re offering is not good enough,” he said. “...What they’re doing right now Neal isn’t working.” Neal said local employers should be using Mississippi Valley State University and Delta State University to provide training for the positions they need to fill.

d^o_^db Leflore County is currently faced with a situation where residents owe the county some $1.4 million in back fees for the collection of garbage. Nearly two-thirds of all county residents using the service are behind at least two years in payments, which are only $8.50 a month, the lowest in the area. Supervisors are trying to come up with the best way to collect the back fees and a system that will force service users to remain current with their bills in the future. Candidates were asked how they would resolve the problem.

Moore pointed out the problem is 20 years old. He said the Mississippi Association of Supervisors pressed the Legislature this year to implement a system that will let the counties collect the money owed them by having the debtor’s state income tax refund redirected to the county. He said a trial run would start in October of this year and the system should be in place by spring of 2020.

Brown said that going forward the county was going to have to form partnerships with other utilities to gain leverage and

force people to stay current with their bills.

He pointed to tying garbage collection fees to the water and sewer bills from the East Leflore Water and Sewer District so the water can be shut off when the bills aren’t paid.

“I think you’ll get some attention,” he said.

Evans thinks the county should hire a collection agency and may have to take people to court and place garnishments on their wages.

Neal said the county needs to look at how other cities and counties are solving the problem to get alternative solutions.

He proposed coming to an agreement with electricity companies that supply power to the area to include the garbage fees on their bills.

cilobtlla=m^oh Supervisors have discussed improving Florewood Park as a venue for concerts and festivals in order to attract tourism to the county. One proposal was to have a permanent stage constructed at the park.

Candidates were asked if the county should construct a permanent stage.

Moore said it would be more feasible for the county to look at purchasing a removable or portable stage that could be moved to other parks and other locations when needed.

Brown noted “we do need some recreation in Greenwood and Leflore County for people to do,” and he said the county should examine the idea of a permanent stage if it was determined the county had the money to do so.

Evans said he wasn’t opposed to building a permanent stage, “but the thing about it is we’re going to have to rent it for a fee where the county is making some money off it.”

Neal said he was “in favor of anything that’s going to bring entertainment to Leflore County. I’m in favor of anything to bring tourism to Leflore County. ... As long as we can boost tourism to bring people to Greenwood and Leflore County, I’m for it.”

grkh=`^op= ^ka=obcrpb= lk mofs^qb=molmboqv Areas of the county where people store inoperable cars in their yards or hoard random items that can look more like trash than treasure can create a poor image to a county that wants to attract businesses to locate here and people to move here.

Should the county should crack down on people who put junk cars and refuse on their property?

“Absolutely,” said Moore. He said an old car, accumulation of trash or old tires, or an

untended abandoned lot “all pose a risk to health and safety” by providing a site for snakes, rodents, pests and insects.

“Absolutely,” said Brown. “If they’re not going to be used or refurbished, I think they should be” disposed of. “If Leflore County is going to be a viable place for industry to come, we’re got to keep it clean,” he said.

Evans said the county should give property owners or tenants a warning and ask that junk cars be moved and property be cleaned up. “Hopefully, the homeowner will comply,” he said.

“If it doesn’t have a tag on it or it’s not running, like the city does, you give them a notice that the car will have to be moved,” Neal said. “We have to clean up our property, whatever it takes to clean it up. If people are talked with in a respectful manner, I’m sure we can get property cleaned up.”

m^v=o^fpbp= clo=prmbosfplop ^ka=lqebo=`lrkqv=lccf`f^ip Last spring, the Mississippi Legislature passed a bill that allows, but doesn’t require, county supervisors to grant themselves and other county officials — except for sheriffs — raises, offset with increases in certain filing fees for county documents.

Would the candidates give themselves and other county officeholders raises?

Moore said he wasn’t in favor of giving supervisors a raise but would support pay raises for foremen and crews in the county road department and would consider raises for other county workers and officeholders.

“Everybody deserves to get paid a decent wage,” he said.

Brown said supervisors should not give themselves a raise. “We’re already operating at a budget shortfall,” he said. “We can’t squeeze the taxpayers to death.”

“I wouldn’t vote for that,” Evans said. He said supervisors and other officeholders may deserve a raise, but he wouldn’t vote for one for himself. “I would be new on the job, and I can’t see myself walking in and getting a pay raise like that.”

Neal said it would depend on the county’s financial well-being. “If our county is in bad shape, why would we take a raise this year?” he said. “It we’re in good shape and we’re in the black, why not?”

He added that he wouldn’t want it this year and thought the focus should be on getting the school system running before granting pay raises. n `çåí~Åí=d~îáå=j~äáëâ~=~í=RUNJTOPR=çê Öã~äáëâ~]ÖïÅçããçåïÉ~äíÜKÅçãK

Cooper, Mitchell vie for right to face Self DISTRICT 4 SUPERVISOR

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By GAVIN MALISKA j~å~ÖáåÖ=bÇáíçê

Two Democrats will face off in the Aug. 6 primary for the chance to face incumbent District 4 Supervisor Wayne Self in the Nov. 5 general election.

Self, who filed as an independent, is also serving this year as the president of the Leflore County Board of Supervisors.

T.W. Cooper, 67, the retired county director of emergency management, faces Eric Mitchell, 42, a computer technician with the Greenwood Leflore Consolidated School District. Self beat both of them when he was re-elected in 2015.

Cooper said the biggest issues facing the district Cooper right now appear to be roads, bridges, education and health care.

“There are resources that can be tapped

into that are provided by the federal government,” he said. “We just need somebody willing to go through all the hurdles to get those grants activated. ... We don’t need to be letting grants go by that we could tap into.”

“Countywide my main focus will be embracing the education system, job creation and job retention, and beautification of Leflore County,” Mitchell said. The county should support local school children by giving them something to do after school. He also said Mitchell he would start an initiative called “Start Here, Stay Here” to give businesses ideas on how to expand and engage younger people coming out of school before they move away.

Mitchell said employers such as Milwaukee Tool, which has been searching for qualified employes in Leflore County,

should offer signing bonuses if employees stay with them three years. He also said the county must do a better job of installing systems to drain frequently flooded areas in Itta Bena and District 4 while maintaining landscaping along roadways.

d^o_^db=`liib`qflk=cbbp Leflore County is currently faced with a situation in which residents owe the county some $1.4 million in back fees for the collection of garbage. Nearly two-thirds of all county residents using the service are behind at least two years in payments, which are only $8.50 a month, the lowest in the area. Supervisors are trying to come up with the best way to collect the back fees and a system that will force service users to remain current with their bills in the future. We asked the candidates how they would resolve the problem.

“I feel it’s something that shouldn’t have gotten so far out of line in the first place,” Cooper said. “You’ve got some folks who are

20 years behind. How did that happen?”

Cooper favors the county finding some leverage by associating the garbage bills with other utilities, such as electricity, but also that a person should be contacted if they fall behind. “If the county is not receiving these payments, it seems someone should have been sent out to see why someone hasn’t paid their bills.”

“The garbage bills have to be addressed,” Mitchell said. He also favors associating the bills with another utility to give the county leverage, or making the fees part of the property tax bill.

For the back fees, Mitchell said the county should go after people’s credit ratings.

“You can hit a person’s credit but not everybody is going to care about their credit,” he said. “I don ‘t know if you’re going to be able to recoup that $1.4 million but going forward you’re going to have to attach it to a utility bill.”

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------pÉÉ DISTRICT 4, m~ÖÉ=R

Greenwood Commonwealth / Wednesday, July 31, 2019 PageR slqbop=drfab =======================================================================================================================================================================

Kelly up against incumbent Collins DISTRICT 5 SUPERVISOR

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By GAVIN MALISKA j~å~ÖáåÖ=bÇáíçê

A veteran faces a newcomer for the Democratic primary for Leflore County supervisor for District 5.

Robert Collins, owner of Collins Truck and Tractor, who has served three terms on the board, is up against Ulysses Kelly, chief of technology at the Greenwood Leflore Consolidated School District, who has never run for office before.

The winner of the primary will face independent candidates Derrick “Chitchy” Chambers and Collins Kelvin “Hollywood” Hilton in the Nov. 5 general election.

Collins said an arena in which the board of supervisors has no input, the newly formed Greenwood Leflore Consolidated School District, is the largest issue facing Leflore County.

“We don’t have too much to say about it, but we support the schools,” he said.

Collins and other supervisors were awaiting the results of a study that Superintendent Dr. Mary Brown was conducting on the physical condition of the school buildings and repairs needed to the structures.

Besides that, Collins said, good-paying jobs are the greatest concern in the county.

“Jobs, good-paying jobs,” he said. “And we need to keep our young folks at home.

We need good-paying jobs to keep the young folks from running off to another city.” To bring those employers to Leflore County is going to require help from the state, he said. “We’ve got a governor who wants to spend the money to help the Delta. ... We don’t have a tax base big enough to cover all that needs to be done, so we have to go to the governor and the Legislature for funding.”

Kelly said the biggest issue facing District 5 is “flooding and infrastructure.”

“Once elected, I would try to see exactly what the budget is for District 5 and allocate funds as far as the needs are concerned,” he said.

Kelly especially pointed to the Glendale subdivision, which was severely flooded in February, cutting access for homeowners there, and appears to Kelly flood somewhat with every strong rain. A pumping station is being rebuilt there and should soon be ready, but Kelly said it’s not enough.

“Replacing the pumps won’t fix the problem,” he said. “It doesn’t have a backup generator,” meaning that the pumps will stop working if electrical power to Glendale is interrupted. “To me, the whole system needs to be looked at and revamped.”

He noted that the Legislature has set up a system whereby the county will be able to get paid for any back bills through seizure of residents’ income tax returns.

“People need to come forward and set up payment plans,” he said.

Kelly said the county could add garbage fees onto property taxes in the future to guarantee payment and keep the problem from recurring. As for the backlog, he said, “If I had the answer to that, they wouldn’t have a problem.”

cilobtlla=m^oh Supervisors have discussed improving Florewood Park as a venue for concerts and festivals in order to attract tourism to the county. One proposal was to have a permanent stage constructed at the park. We asked the candidates if the county should construct a permanent stage.

“It would be OK if you’re going to charge more for use of the park,” Collins said. “... If you’re going to go out there and pay $1,000, no. We’ve got to charge enough to make it worthwhile.” Taxpayers, Collins said, need to get more for their money if they pay to build the stage. “If we’re going to invest in it, we need more out of it.”

Kelly’s opinion is similar. “If the county can benefit from some of the proceeds, recoup some of the proceeds, my answer would be yes,” he said. If the stage costs $5,000, you need to charge enough for use of the stage to recover the money spent, he said.

and refuse on their property.

“We have an ordinance officer to enforce those laws,” Collins said. “We’ve got to start writing tickets. ... We’ve got the laws, but we have to enforce them. ... We’ve got to get tougher on littering.”

People have to learn to keep their trash in their cars and take it home to dispose of it instead of tossing it out the window on the side of the road, Collins said. “What we’ve got to do is educate our people, keeping trying to educate them on what they should do.”

“It depends on what the local ordinance is,” Kelly said. “If there’s an ordinance in place, then I would say yes. ... If there’s an ordinance in place, then they should be fined.”

grkh=`^op= ^ka=obcrpb= lk mofs^qb=molmboqv Areas of the county where people store inoperable cars in their yards or hoard random items that can look more like trash than treasure can create a poor image to a county that wants to attract businesses to locate here and people to move here. We asked the candidates if the county should crack down on people who put junk cars

m^v=o^fpbp= clo=prmbosfplop ^ka=lqebo=`lrkqv=lccf`f^ip Last spring, the Mississippi Legislature passed a bill that allows, but doesn’t require, county supervisors to grant themselves and other county officials — except for sheriffs — raises, offset with the increases in certain filing fees for county documents. We asked the candidates if they would give themselves and other county officeholders raises.

Collins said he’d hold off to take a look at the budget for 2019-20.

“I wouldn’t do it right now,” he said. “I would say the other county officials (yes), if the county has the money to do it. But I need to look at the budget and see what the budget is doing this year. ... If the money’s there, we can do it.”

Kelly saw the Legislature’s approval as the key.

“If the Legislature put it into law, then yes,” he said “...Who doesn’t want money?

If they’re following the law, the answer to that would be yes.” n `çåí~Åí=d~îáå=j~äáëâ~=~í=RUNJTOPR=çê Öã~äáëâ~]ÖïÅçããçåïÉ~äíÜKÅçãK

McQueen, 70, the director of the Leflore County Civic Center, sees the job as functional rather than political and therefore doesn’t see any issues facing the constable.

The most difficult part of the job is to have to remove people from their homes, he said. When McQueen property owners rent their property and the tenant fails to pay rent, the property owner goes to court and a judge orders the constable to go to the prop-

erty with the owner and stand by and keep the peace while the tenant is removed.

McQueen said the constable enforces the order from the court and doesn’t physically remove the tenant’s property or change the locks.

“I enjoy the work that I do,” he said. “I think I can make a difference with people because most of them I know, and I respect everybody.”

Glass, 40, a captain with the Greenwood Fire Department, said he has worked as a part-time auxiliary police officer with both the Greenwood Police Department and the Leflore County Sheriff’s Department for

special events and has patrolled and made arrests.

“I don’t think there’ll be anything difficult about the job,” he said.

“Everything they do, I have a feel for it.”

The only part of the job he hasn’t done is serve as a bailiff in Justice Court, he said. He also owns Glass rental properties and has had to collect rents and evict people.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------pÉÉ CONSTABLE, m~ÖÉ=S

also for small local events.

“I don’t have a problem building one of there are funds out there for that,” Mitchell said, adding he wouldn’t support it if the funds had to be taken from somewhere else as the stage would likely be used only a couple of times a year and would require other money to be spent on maintenance.

Cooper said. What might appear to be junk to one person could be a vintage car or something of sentimental value to another, he said.

The county should direct its sources elsewhere until it becomes a problem, Cooper said. “Any time it’s causing problems for persons other than those who own it, it needs to be dealt with,” he said.

“I feel yes, I really do,” Mitchell said. ”You have to enforce those ordinances because properties can negatively influence other properties.”

Mitchell said representatives of the tax assessor’s office could be given responsibility to note when properties have junk cars on them. The county should then follow up with a letter and conversation with the property owner.

passed a bill that allows, but doesn’t require, county supervisors to grant themselves and other county officials — except for sheriffs — raises, offset with the increases in certain filing fees for county documents. We asked the candidates if they would give themselves and other county officeholders raises.

“With the condition Leflore County is in right now, as far as roads and bridges, no,” Cooper said to the pay raise. Everyone should be willing to make sacrifices, he said.

Mitchell said supervisors should be able to give themselves a raise as long as it is in line with other counties of comparable populations.

“I don’t have a problem with supervisors giving themselves raises according to the state law,” he said. n `çåí~Åí=d~îáå=j~äáëâ~=~í=RUNJTOPR=çê Öã~äáëâ~]ÖïÅçããçåïÉ~äíÜKÅçãK

d^o_^db=`liib`qflk=cbbp Leflore County is currently faced with a situation where residents owe the county some $1.4 million in back fees for the collection of garbage. Nearly two-thirds of all county residents using the service are behind at least two years in payments, which are only $8.50 a month, the lowest in the area. Supervisors are trying to come up with the best way to collect the back fees, and a system that will force service users to remain current with their bills in the future. We asked the candidates how they would resolve the problem.

Collins said moving forward the county will have to match garbage cans to houses.

The county will have to send workers into the field to go door to door to determine who in a household actually owes the county for the service provided.

If they refuse to pay, the county should take them to Justice Court and seek a court order, he said.

Glass challenging McQueen again LEFLORE COUNTY SOUTHERN DISTRICT CONSTABLE ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By GAVIN MALISKA j~å~ÖáåÖ=bÇáíçê

The Leflore County constable in the southern district is a law enforcement officer unlike city police or county sheriff’s deputies. Mostly working out of Justice Court, the constable serves warrants and summonses and executes evictions and repossessions.

Andrew McQueen has filled the office for the past 20 years, and he faces a familiar challenger in Chris Glass, who has run against McQueen and lost in two previous elections.

aáëíêáÅí=Q

`çåíáåìÉÇ=Ñêçã=m~ÖÉ=Q ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------cilobtlla=m^oh Supervisors have discussed improving Florewood Park as a venue for concerts and festivals in order to attract tourism to the county. One proposal was to have a permanent stage constructed at the park. We asked the candidates if the county should construct a permanent stage.

“Yes, they should,” Cooper said. Leflore County is continually visited by tourists interested in the history of the blues, he said. “It would be good for us to be ready for that,” he said. “...I try to be as practical as I possibly can, and I try to get as much use out of what you pay for.” He said the stage could be used for concerts and festivals but

grkh=`^op= ^ka=obcrpb= lk mofs^qb=molmboqv Areas of the county where people store inoperable cars in their yards or hoard random items that can look more like trash than treasure can create a poor image to a county that wants to attract businesses to locate here and people to move here.

We asked the candidates if the county should crack down on people who put junk cars and refuse on their property.

“If it’s on their property and it’s not presenting an eyesore or a haven for varmints, I don’t feel like we should bother with it,”

m^v=o^fpbp= clo=prmbosfplop ^ka=lqebo=`lrkqv=lccf`f^ip Last spring, the Mississippi Legislature

Stanton, Elliott emphasize service

PageS Greenwood Commonwealth / Wednesday, July 31, 2019 slqbop=drfab =======================================================================================================================================================================

CARROLL COUNTY CIRCUIT CLERK

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By RUTHIE ROBISON iáÑÉëíóäÉë=bÇáíçê

Now in his 16th year as circuit clerk, Durward Stanton says he wants to continue serving the citizens of Carroll County.

“I feel like this office provides a platform to be able to truly be a public servant, and I enjoy that,” he said. “I feel like we are all collectively trying to move the county forward.”

Also seeking the Stanton Democratic nomination in the Aug. 6 primary is lifelong Carrollton resident Charles “Chuck” Elliott.

The winner will face no opposition in the November general election.

Stanton has been elected to the office four times Elliott and is seeking a fifth term.

In the past three election cycles, he has had no opposition.

“It’s been nice to get out there, knocking on doors and thanking the people for the opportunity to serve these last 16 years,” he said. “It’s been good to reconnect with everyone.”

The circuit clerk is the chief officer of the

`çåëí~ÄäÉ

`çåíáåìÉÇ=Ñêçã=m~ÖÉ=R ----------------------------------------------------------

circuit court and chief elections officer of the county.

The clerk maintains the voter rolls and assists the election commissioners in purging the voter rolls and assists election officials in conducting primary and general elections.

A circuit clerk also has a variety of other daily responsibilities, such as issuing marriage licenses and keeping records of marriages and recording medical and professional licenses among other duties. In Carroll County, the circuit clerk also serves as a deputy chancery clerk for the 2nd District.

Stanton said his office has great working relationships with the Elections Commission and the party executive committees.

“We are all on the same page,” he said.

“We have a common goal: Conducting the best possible elections for the citizens of Carroll County. ... We’ve had very successful elections.”

Stanton said he is proud of the fact that Carroll County has not had a single election contested since he’s been in office.

The 59-year-old Vaiden native and resident said he is also looking toward the future of the Circuit Clerk’s Office.

“We’re already on Mississippi Electronic Courts on the chancery side. I want to fully implement the MEC system on the circuit side,” said Stanton.

“You put someone in the position who’s young and energetic and can bring more to the table,” Glass said.

He proposes expanding the constable’s role to be of assistance to other police agencies, patrolling to help enforce laws and fight crime.

The MEC system is an internet-based document filing and case management system that allows courts to maintain electronic case files and offer electronic filing.

Providing for low-cost user access, it allows courts to make all case information immediately available.

Stanton said what he enjoys most and, if elected again, looks forward to is serving the county.

“I think the single most important attribute of any elected official is having a servant’s heart,” he said. “I want everyone who walks into my office to feel important and respected and to be treated in the same manner I would like to be treated.”

Elliott said he’s never been a politician; he’s just a concerned citizen who believes it is time for a change.

“I feel I could do a great job as being the next circuit clerk,” he said.

Elliott said that he is a stickler for details and would put in the time needed for this office.

“This job is one that serves the public in managing all the minute details of record keeping, making time for everyone this office serves and should welcome the changes that come with every job,” he said.

The 54-year-old is self-employed, buying and selling land and real estate. He is the former co-owner and general manager of Kirk Brothers Buick GMC in Greenwood.

“A constable has the same arresting and law enforcement powers as a policeman and county sheriff,” he said. “The way the crime rate is right now, peo-

During his 11 years at the car dealership, Elliott said, his duties included managing a large staff, being financially responsible and working with the public — “all things that require an enormous amount of detail and time.”

“I have always been a person of detail my whole working life,” he said.

If he is elected, assisting him in the role of deputy chancery clerk will be Elliott’s 20 years of experience with land records and deeds.

Elliott said his attention to detail and taking the time needed to do a job “has served me well not only in my professional life, but in helping others.”

Elliot said he has led large fundraising efforts that benefited nonprofit causes, from local schools to community members diagnosed with cancer.

“This commitment to detail and time mattered,” he said.

Elliott said he’ll also bring attention to detail and time to the Circuit Clerk’s Office.

He added, “I’ll be a full time circuit clerk.”

Elliott said his campaign is focusing on one thing — that it’s time for a change.

“To have a fresh start, you need a change, and change is a very good thing,” he said. “It promotes growth and new perspective and new ideas about how things should be done.” n `çåí~Åí=oìíÜáÉ=oçÄáëçå=~í=RUNJTOPP=çê êêçÄáëçå]ÖïÅçããçåïÉ~äíÜKÅçãK

ple are looking for any assistance they can get right now. Everyone is short right now.”

Glass thinks the constable could take on a

patrolling shift as part of his job. n `çåí~Åí= d~îáå j~äáëâ~= ~í= RUNJTOPR= çê Öã~äáëâ~]ÖïÅçããçåJ ïÉ~äíÜKÅçãK

Greenwood Commonwealth / Wednesday, July 31, 2019 PageT slqbop=drfab =======================================================================================================================================================================

3 hope to succeed retiring Mullins CARROLL COUNTY CHANCERY CLERK

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By TIM KALICH bÇáíçê

When Stanley “Sugar” Mullins announced at the end of last year that he would not be seeking a seventh term as Carroll County’s chancery clerk, it sparked a scramble of hopefuls eager to succeed him in a post that is the highest-compensated elective office in the county.

Three of them — Casey Carpenter, Monica Jones and Christy Noah — will vie for the Democratic nomination in the Aug. 6 party primary.

The winner of that contest will face independents Jenifer Houston and Danette Corder Roland in the November general election. vvv

Casey Carpenter, 38, sees the chancery clerk’s position as a way to give back to the community where he has lived his whole life.

“I just want to do a fair and honest job every day serving the community, he said.

For the past eight years, Carpenter has been in Carpenter business for himself as the owner of C&C Tree Co., a tree-cutting service. Prior to that, he spent 15 years as a digital technician for AT&T, where his main duties involved installing equipment on cellphone towers and installing and maintaining E911 emergency communications systems for local governments.

Carroll County was one of the customers he handled.

Carpenter, who attended Mississippi Delta Community College, said he has learned about financial accounting in his own business as well as by serving as chairman of the Finance Committee at North Carrollton Baptist Church and as a board member at Carroll Academy, his alma mater.

A married father of three children, Carpenter has been a volunteer coach for a number of youth sports as well as active in the youth ministry at his church. He said he would want to work with the local high schools to get their students more involved in understanding how local government operates and its importance.

“I feel comfortable and able to relate and communicate with all of our citizens,” the Carrollton resident told the town’s weekly newspaper, The Conservative. vvv

The chancery clerk is responsible for keeping the records of the chancery court as well as for the board of supervisors. The clerk also records and preserves all land records in the county, such as deeds of trust, mortgages, mineral leases and plats of land surveys.

Monica Jones, having worked for the past three years as a deputy chancery clerk, already has some ideas of how she would modernize some of the office’s functions.

Jones, 39, said she would work to make land records available online “so the landowners can view their deeds from the

comfort of their homes and offices.”

Digitizing these records would also save attorneys time when they are doing title searches, she said.

Jones also has talked with a mapping company about putting the county’s property maps online in such a way that when ownership changes, that Jones information becomes quickly available.

A native of Greenwood, Jones has lived in Carroll County since the age of 9. After graduating from Mississippi Delta Community College with an associate’s degree in medical lab technology, she worked for 13 years for the Greenwood Children’s Clinic. In order to be closer to home and her school-age children, the married mother of two went to work in 2013 as a deputy tax assessor and collector for the county. In 2016, she moved over to the chancery clerk’s office.

That experience, she said, makes her the most qualified to replace Mullins. “I do the job duties on a daily basis already,” she said.

Jones lives in the Jefferson community, outside of Carrollton. vvv

Christy Noah has been keeping an exhausting schedule in trying to knock on every front door of the 3,600 households in Carroll County.

“I have walked into many homes as a candidate looking for a vote, and I have

walked out of those homes with a new friendship beginning to grow,” she said.

Noah, 51, has been selfemployed since the age of 20, following her graduation from Hinds Community College with a paralegal degree. She currently contracts with attorneys to audit estates, trusts and guardianships.

She is also a land and timNoah ber investor.

She and her husband at one time owned a truck stop and a chain of tobacco stores, but they sold the businesses in 2012 following the death of one of her four children.

A county election commissioner since 2011, the Vaiden businesswoman said she felt the time was right to try to serve Carroll County in an even larger role.

She cites her accounting and auditing experience as directly relevant to the duties of chancery clerk. And, she told the Conservative newspaper, her business experience “would help me to work with decision makers, potential industrial and commercial developers, and citizens to maximize the assets of our county.”

She also would like to use the position to try to unite people in addressing some of the county’s problems, such as adolescent pregnancy, child abuse and neglect, drug abuse, poverty, racism and violence.

“In this campaign, going door to door, I’ve met a lot of people, we’ve discussed these things, and they’ve said, ‘Christy, we’d be glad to help. We would love to help.’” n `çåí~Åí= qáã= h~äáÅÜ= ~í= RUNJTOQP= çê íâ~äáÅÜ]ÖïÅçããçåïÉ~äíÜKÅçãK

Walker facing former county deputy

PageU Greenwood Commonwealth / Wednesday, July 31, 2019 slqbop=drfab =======================================================================================================================================================================

CARROLL COUNTY SHERIFF

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By TIM KALICH bÇáíçê

Carroll County Sheriff Clint Walker says he and his deputies don’t just arrest lawbreakers and put them in jail. They also try to point them in a spiritual direction that can turn around the offenders’ lives and break the grip of addiction that often fuels their crimes.

“When you see an addict Walker redeemed from a drug addiction, and you can see God’s hand at work, and a lot of the deputies have seen it, it’s pretty awesome,” said Walker, who is seeking a second term as the county’s top law enforcement officer.

He is opposed in the Aug. 6 Democratic primary by David Mims, a former Carroll County deputy. The winner will face no opposition in the November general election.

The mixing of religion and law enforcement comes naturally for the 45-year-old sheriff.

Walker, the son of a now retired Baptist pastor, served as chaplain for the

Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics for the last three of his 16 years with the state lawenforcement agency.

He said that when he and his deputies talk about God to those they arrest, there’s no guarantee the message will stick, but it sometimes does.

“You’re just planting a seed,” he said. “ ...

When you have an opportunity to witness to them, they’re usually at a low point in their life and they’re ready to try something different.”

Drug enforcement will remain a top priority in the 20-officer department if he is reelected, Walker said.

“We put a lot of time and resources into fighting the drug problem because statistics show that about 90 percent of all crimes are drug-related.”

Walker, who lives in Vaiden, cites several statistics during his first term in office to back up his case for re-election: more than 70 percent of burglary cases resolved, more than 300 drunk drivers arrested, almost 300 felony arrests made.

“I plan to continue my quest to make Carroll County one of the safest places to live, work and worship in our state,” he said in a prepared statement.

He also said that he has reduced his

department’s response time, replaced its aging fleet of vehicles by securing grants and donations to save taxpayers’ money, reinstated an anti-litter program using inmate labor and restructured jail operations to cut expenses.

“We have worked hard to make our Sheriff’s Department one that is very visible, well-equipped and highly trained ... ,” he said.

Mims, however, claims that the Sheriff’s Department has lost its “small-town feel” since Walker took over.

If elected, the 45-yearold former deputy said he would work to foster “a more personal connection to the people of the county.”

Mims said that was Mims how the department operated under Walker’s two predecessors — Don Gray and Jerry Carver.

“Yes, if you did the crimes, we did the investigative. We did the best we could with the men we had, but we also tried to help as many people as we could,” Mims said.

“If you had a flat tire, we’d be out there to

help change the tire. It wasn’t all about writing everybody tickets.”

Mims had worked in the Sheriff’s Department for 18 years before he had a falling out with Walker in 2016. Both candidates declined to explain why Mims was asked to resign.

“David’s a good person and been a friend of mine for a long time,” said Walker. “But I’ve had to make some real hard decisions as sheriff, and that was definitely one of the hardest decisions I had to make.”

As for Mims, he said he does not think of himself as running against Walker. “I’m just running for the position.”

Mims is a 1999 graduate of the Mississippi Law Enforcement Training Academy, where he earned the honorary designation as a “top cop,” he said.

Since leaving law enforcement, he has been working as a machine technician for Milwaukee Tool in Greenwood. He lives in the Teoc area.

Mims said he would be an even-handed and highly visible sheriff.

“I will be fair and honest to all. ... They will see me in their businesses, homes and schools.” n `çåí~Åí= qáã= h~äáÅÜ= ~í= RUNJTOQP= çê íâ~äáÅÜ]ÖïÅçããçåïÉ~äíÜKÅçãK

CARROLL COUNTY TAX ASSESSOR/COLLECTOR

Neal enjoys job; Alderman out to fill need ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By RUTHIE ROBISON iáÑÉëíóäÉë=bÇáíçê

Wilton A. Neal says he wants to use his 40 years of experience as Carroll County’s tax assessor/collector to continue to be a source knowledge or to offer helpful advice to residents.

“I just enjoy the service that you can render in this office,” said the 69-year-old incumbent. “It’s helping Neal people who have problems with titles; it’s helping people understand about homestead exemption ... There’s so many little technical things that you can help folks with.”

Also seeking the Democratic nomination in the Aug. 6 primary is Melinda Sanders Alderman, a 19-year pharmacist. The winner will face independent candidate Donna Gregg Harper in the November general election.

A tax assessor/collector maintains the personal, real and ad valorem tax rolls of the county and is responsible for keeping the records of tax payments and depositing the money in the county treasury.

This is Neal’s 11th election. He became the county’s tax assessor/collector in 1976 at 24 years old. He retired after 36 years of service. Pam Mann followed Neal but did not seek a second term. Neal ran for the

office a 10th time four years ago and won.

“I still enjoy it, and I still enjoy serving people,” he said. “I feel like I’m giving back to the county.”

By holding this office, Neal saves the county money.

“Because I am receiving my retirement, I will only receive 25% salary from Carroll County,” he said. “Therefore, I’m saving Carroll County 75% of my salary each month, even though I will be working full time.”

Neal completed two years at Holmes Community College and studied business at Delta State University. As tax assessor/collector, he attended classes offered by the Department of Revenue. He attained the highest level of expertise, Mississippi assessment evaluator, and has achieved the level of certified general appraiser. He’s also been awarded several honors throughout his 40 years of service.

The average person may not understand property descriptions or how the taxation process works, but Neal said he enjoys explaining this information to the county’s residents.

“You can be proactive and show people how to do things, or you can wait for people to ask, which they won’t ask if they don’t understand it,” he said.

If elected again, Neal wants to make some updates and continue implementing the ones he’s already started. He’s working on making more information, such as

maps, property record cards and deeds, assessable to the public online. He said it’s also a safety feature.

“In case of a fire, all of those records will be saved,” Neal said. “We’re working on things like that to protect our information that we have in the office and thinking of ways to provide information that will be helpful to people.”

Alderman said she never thought she would be a politician, but she’s always had “a special place in my heart for the people Carroll County.”

That’s what motivated the 43-year-old pharmacist to run for tax assessor/collector.

“I love Carroll County, Alderman and I love the people of Carroll County,” she said.

Alderman said it’s past time for a change in the tax office. “There’s a need in this office that is not being met, and I believe I can make a change for the better for the people of Carroll County,” she said.

Alderman attended Carroll Academy and graduated from Winona Academy. She received her bachelor’s degree in pharmaceutical sciences from the University of Mississippi and her Doctorate of Pharmacy degree from the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy.

Alderman has been a pharmacist for 19

years and worked in retail pharmacy for 16 years at Walmart in Greenwood.

She said she believes her pharmacy background will be beneficial if she is elected. “I’m accustomed to long hours of meticulous work,” Alderman said.

She said she has over 16 years of experience serving the public, which would be her priority as tax assessor/collector.

“First and foremost, I would focus on customer service. Every person should be treated in a professional and courteous manner,” she said. “I am committed to treating others the way I would want to be treated, bringing customer service to the next level.”

Alderman also has plans to make the tax office open to the public even during the lunch hour.

“I would also like to implement a staggered lunch schedule, allowing the office to remain open uninterrupted from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for the convenience of the people of Carroll County,” she said.

Alderman knows there will be a learning curve if she is elected, but she said she is “highly motivated to learn all of the policies and procedures required to be a tax assessor/collector.”

“I want to assure the people of Carroll County that I will be devoted to becoming as knowledgeable as quickly as possible,” she said. n `çåí~Åí=oìíÜáÉ=oçÄáëçå=~í=RUNJTOPP=çê êêçÄáëçå]ÖïÅçããçåïÉ~äíÜKÅçãK

In the past several years, a number of Carroll bridges were identified as deficient, and five were closed in 2018. Money for repair and replacement is tight.

November’s general election.

Neill, who grew up in McCarley and still lives there, is the owner of Neill Farms and Mississippi Vintage Bikes.

He also trades in real estate. He explained, “I buy tracts of land and sell them to clients all over the southeast, and I have done several housing developments in surrounding Neill counties.”

He understands the concerns about con-

ditions of roads and bridges and said the Board of Supervisors has been addressing the problem with some success while noting that the county at this point has had to turn to the state for help.

“We have been replacing or repairing bridges as we have had the funds,” he said, noting that the county recently received $4.7 million in state money for three large projects. “One is in (District) Beat 1. There are additional projects in Beats 2 and 5.”

CARROLL COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

Candidates concerned about shape of roads ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By SUSAN MONTGOMERY pí~ÑÑ=têáíÉê

In Carroll County, there’s one big issue before candidates for county supervisor in the Aug. 6 primary election. That’s the county’s road system.

Every candidate in the primary identified the condition of Carroll’s bridges and roads as a major priority. Some called for more paved roads. Others identified reopening of bridges on roads that have been closed because the bridges have been rated as too dangerous for traffic.

v v v

In District 1, both first-term incumbent Jim Neill, 56, and challenger Scott Montgomery, 47, addressed the issue. It’s a two-candidate race. Both are running as Democrats, and there are no Republican or independent candidates, so the winner of the primary will be the winner in

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------pÉÉ CARROLL, m~ÖÉ=V

Candidates stress fairness, service

Greenwood Commonwealth / Wednesday, July 31, 2019 PageV slqbop=drfab =======================================================================================================================================================================

CARROLL COUNTY JUSTICE COURT

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By GERARD EDIC pí~ÑÑ=têáíÉê

Dorothy Branch has been Carroll County’s judge for the southern district for 11 years. She’d like to continue serving the people in her district, she said.

“I rather enjoy my job and what I do. I enjoy interacting with the people and rendering their decisions,” said Branch, 60.

She went to Mississippi Delta Community College where she earned a degree in criminal justice, and she continues her education twice a year at the judi-

`~êêçää

`çåíáåìÉÇ=Ñêçã=m~ÖÉ=U ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------“Beat 1 is rebuilding a bridge on County Road 69, which connects the Jefferson community with Highway 35. It’s been out for at least a year.”

He said there are two more projects funded in District 2 and another in District 5, where three bridges are being replaced.

“In addition, there are road projects in Vaiden, Carrollton, North Carrollton and Carroll County that were funded in the amount of $900,000 in BP settlement money.”

Meanwhile, he wants to continue his mission, which is “to improve our lifestyle here” for current generations and those in the future.

“We have been working on several beautification projects in the county and in the towns here,” he explained. “We have worked really hard on litter programs in our area. We have a recycling bin in our area that a lot of people use.”

The county has employees picking up litter on a weekly basis, and the county recently built a figure 8 walking park near North Carrollton that was funded 100 percent by grant money.

He’s excited about plans for the Delta’s Edge solar facility on more than 600 acres in western Carroll County — not only because of the construction jobs it should create but because of expected additions to the tax base.

Neill said he, other supervisors and town mayors are raising the bar with improvements. “We are all trying to work toward a common goal,” he said.

Neill’s married, and he and his wife have three children.

Scott Montgomery, who is running against Neill for the District 1 seat, is 47, the owner of Lu’s Warehouse.

His experience includes serving as a volunteer firefighter for 28 years, working as the county fire coordinator and civil defense director and working for Montgomery J.J. Ferguson Sand and Gravel for six years.

He said he is running for supervisor because he wants to help the community and has the background for the job. He would “keep our spending down and keep our taxes down” by using his personal expertise and knowledge of “who to call” when outside assistance is needed. “You’ve got to know where to go get it and who to talk to,” Montgomery said.

He said concerns over the effective leasing of 16th Section lands, which help support the public school system, are tied in with road and bridge issues that make access to the land difficult. He said there are 16th Section timber properties that can’t be harvested because they can’t be reached.

“They need to be able to get to that,” he explained. “The county needs that 16th Section land to be worked and used for the school system.”

He continued that “the money is the big situation” and all resources need to be put into play.

Montgomery and his wife have five chil-

cial college, which is held in Oxford.

As a judge, Branch said she wishes there were other options for people who can’t afford to pay their fines, such as a work program.

“I would appreciate the county voters’ support to elect me as justice court judge,” Branch said. “I am fair, committed and impartial in all of my decisions.”

Branch’s opponent, Branch Tinesha Erve-Earnest, 34,

dren and nine grandchildren. v v v

In District 2, first-term incumbent Terry Brown, 65, of Teoc is facing opposition in the Democratic primary from Josh Hurst, 39, of Carrollton. The winner of the primary will run against Republican Jesse C. Saulter in the general election.

Brown, who has worked for the state Forestry Commission and as a Brown diesel mechanic for J.J Ferguson, said he has learned a great deal about county business during his term.

“The first four years is really a learning experience,” he explained.

He picked state-aid road funding as an example, explaining, “You really have to beg for your money. I’ll be honest: State-aid is not promised to us, and we only get so much state-aid money.”

He said bridges are a priority: “I have two bridges that were shut down over a year, and we are still waiting on money for both of them.”

The county is waiting until October for $400,000 in funding for a bridge on County Road 104, he said. A bridge on County Road 215 in his district is waiting on funding. “The money has been set aside for it, but we just haven’t received it yet,” Brown said.

In his district, several roads have been repaved in North Carrollton and stabilization projects are underway elsewhere, he said.

“We are working as hard as we can with what we have to work with,” Brown said.

“If there is something we can fix, we fix it ourselves. We save the county money that way.”

He’s proud of the new walking trail at North Carrollton and excited about the Delta’s Edge solar plant, which he said ought to bring in more tax money.

“I love the people around here, and I was born and raised around them,” he said. “I love my crew, and I’d like to serve another four years if the people would like to keep me. I’d appreciate it.”

He and his wife have two sons, both of whom are married and expecting their first children.

Josh Hurst said he wasn’t thinking about serving as a county supervisor until the issue of who would run came up among people he knows. “Six months ago, I had no desire to do this. I really did not,” Hurst said.

Then someone suggested he throw his name in the hat, and he decided he should. “I saw a need Hurst there,” he explained.

“We need something different in Carroll County,” Hurst said. “I think maybe we need a different viewpoint.

“We shouldn’t do things a certain way just because we have been doing them that way forever.”

Hurst is employed as an engineer purchasing private easements for AT&T in Mississippi, Louisiana and south Alabama. He’s been working along these lines since he graduated from high school and throughout his college career, and he

is a deputy clerk for the county’s chancery and cirucit courts in Vaiden, a position she’s had for seven years.

From that position, she’s had to deal a lot with the public, seeing problems in the community hands-on. Being a judge, she realizes she could be on the other side of the table.

“Serving as judge, it will Erveprovide me a platform for Earnest me to be able to assist the

always has been a resident of Carroll County.

He wants to focus efforts as supervisor on digging up funding resources for the county, especially its roads.

He said, “There has to be outside money available for rural road systems and upgrades. There’s got to be money out there.”

“The road system is not the whole thing,” he said, but all the same his goal would be to pave more roads. “In Beat 2, we have something like four or five paved county roads. You are talking about a beat that has 150-plus miles of road in it.”

So Hurst intends to be “looking for ways to bring more money into the county. We have a small tax base in Carroll County.

We need to make every dime count.”

Hurst and his wife have a daughter and a son. v v v

Roads also are a topic in District 5, where Walter Mitchell, 72, and Andy McCorkle, 57, are contesting the supervisor’s seat held by Rickie Corley, 67, who is running for his fourth term — all in the Democratic primary.

To be declared winner without a runoff, one of the candidates must receive 50 percent plus one more vote. Whoever wins the primary, with or without a runoff, will win the election because there are no Republicans or independents in the race.

Corley, who used to farm and still has cows and bales hay, said, “While money has been tight, we have been able to build some bridges and boxes” in the district, and he expects more construction in August or September.

“I have projects going right now for three boxes.

This is a new thing. The project has just been let.”

The boxes are concrete squares with winged Corley inlets and outlets. In other locations, the boxes have been installed.

“They told me the other day all they lacked was hauling gravel and some rock work,” he said. “People are going over that as we speak.”

He’s also hopeful the Delta’s Edge solar plant will bolster the county’s tax base, which will benefit District 5 along with the other four districts.

So far, he said, there’s been no talk of tax breaks for the company, which produces and sells electricity. The plant is expected to be under construction in western Carroll County by 2021. He said he was told the company’s plant near Columbia in Marion County has produced $2 million in tax revenues. “This one is supposedly updated and a little more modern,” Corley said.

He mentioned education, saying he is pleased with J.Z. George High School, which has “a state-of-the-art field down there.” He supported opponents of state legislation that would have merged Carroll and Montgomery school districts. “We fought hard and did save our school from being consolidated with Montgomery County,” Corley remarked.

He said, “The economy is improving. We try to create a friendly atmosphere for business and economic development. ... I am striving to make Carroll County better and great things are happening in Carroll County.”

people in my community,” Erve-Earnest said.

If elected, she said she’d like provide rehab services for drug users, shelters and programs for victims of domestic violence, and recreational programs for the youth.

“I’ve always lived by one of (Mahatma) Gandhi’s quotes, ‘Be the change that you want to see in the world,’” she said.

Branch and Erve-Earnest, who are both running as Democrats, will face each other during the Aug. 6 primary.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------pÉÉ JUSTICE, m~ÖÉ=NM

Corley and his wife have five children and 15 grandchildren.

Andy McCorkle, who lives between Vaiden and Carrollton, said he is running for supervisor because of the condition of the district’s roads and bridges.

“I want to know why our roads and bridges are in such bad shape,” he said.

“I want know where our money is going. I just want McCorkle Carroll County overall to be a better place to liven in. That’s the main thing.”

In the district, he said, “a lot of the roads need maintaining better than what they are.”

He said he knows a farmer whose combine was crossing a bridge when it broke.

“He had to fix the bridge before he could get his combine back out of there.”

McCorkle, a cattle rancher, was born and raised in Carroll County. For 20 years, he had a construction company in Texas.

Then, “I was a superintendent for Malouf Construction over there in Greenwood. ... I did all aspects of jobs for Malouf. I put in some retaining walls at the reservoir down there in Jackson. I built the second half of the North Mississippi fish hatchery up at Enid. I rehabbed the wastewater treatment plant over in Greenwood.”

He would also concentrate on job development. “We need to look at some things that brings some businesses back to Carroll County,” McCorkle said.

He and his wife have three children and seven grandchildren.

Walter Mitchell, who lives near Vaiden, said he is making his first run for public office, but he’s been interested in government and politics since he was a youth in the Job Corps in Connecticut. Among his other opportunities then was a visit to the White House, where he and Mitchell other members of his group were greeted by President Richard Nixon.

He worked on a variety of construction projects, and later the Job Corps hired him as a heavy equipment instructor. He said he has worked on a nuclear power plant, a flood control project, a military airport and an interstate highway.

Additionally, he was a long distance truck driver, and after he returned to the Vaiden area, where he grew up, he was a road-grader operator for District 5.

He said he understands road maintenance and contends that the roads in the district can be better maintained. “There are a lot of improvements that can be done on them,” he said.

Funding is tight, but efforts ought to be made to pave more gravel roads because, in part, these deter economic development, he said.

“Who would want to drive on a road that is not paved?” Mitchell asked.

He remembered a conversation with a younger friend who said, “Mr. Mitchell, I would love to buy me a new car, but I don’t want to have to drive it on some of these roads.”

Mitchell is the divorced father of two daughters and a son, and he has five grandchildren.

2 incumbents take on challengers

PageNM Greenwood Commonwealth / Wednesday, July 31, 2019 slqbop=drfab =======================================================================================================================================================================

CARROLL COUNTY CONSTABLES

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By GERARD EDIC pí~ÑÑ=têáíÉê

Constables are elected law officers who serve criminal and civil warrants and other court-related documents.

Joe Holman, the incumbent constable for Carroll County’s Northern District, has been constable for more than 23 years. Prior to that he had extensive experience with other law enforcement agencies.

He worked at the Mississippi State Penitentiary in Parchman Holman watching over death row inmates for 19 years.

After Holman worked at Parchman for 14 years, he was elected constable in Carroll County. For five years he worked both jobs until he quit his position at Parchman to focus on his constable position full time.

He has also served in Greenwood, North Carrollton and Vaiden police departments, each for a few years, and he was an acting chief for about six months.

Holman was also the CarrollMontgomery County Correctional Facility’s head of security for two years.

“Anybody can put on a uniform and a badge, but that don’t make them a police officer. You’ve got to have it in your heart,”

Holman said.

He said he knew when he was growing up.that he wanted to be a a law enforcement officer.

“I enjoy serving as a constable of Carroll County,” he said. “I’m a full-time constable; I don’t have another job. I do constable 24/7 — that’s all I do.”

Holman’s opponent, Dustin Haddon, is employed by AT&T. In an interview with The Winona Times, Haddon said he’d like to be constable because he loves his community and “I want to keep putting myself out there, and I want to keep making Carroll County better.”

Haddon Haddon, 36, has been a reserve deputy for the Carroll County Sheriff’s Department for four years.

Through that position, he has received opportunities such as SWAT training, firearm training and training in domestic violence classes.

Both are both running as Democrats and will face each other during the Aug. 6 primary. The winner of the primary will win the Nov. 5 election since no independent or Republican candidates are running for the constable position for the northern district.

In Carroll County’s southern district, four candidates are running for constable.

All are Democrats.

Rob Banks, 40, the incumbent, who has been constable for eight years, is also an employee of the Oxford Police Department, where he works as the training director for Mississippi Training for Impaired Driving Enforcement.

Banks said he works well with the judges in the Banks county and with Holman.

He said he has helped collect over $50,000 in unpaid fines for Carroll County Justice Court since he’s been a constable.

If elected again, Banks said he’ll continue to serve the people of Carroll County in the southern district by working hard and being professional, courteous and approachable for people in his district.

Roshaun Daniels, 34, one of three candidates seeking to unseat Banks for constable, is a deputy at the Carroll County Sheriff’s Department.

Given his job as a deputy, Daniels said the transition to constable Daniels would be smooth.

If elected, he said he’ll provide prompt service to people in his district and ensure they get the justice they deserve.

Travis Gatewood, 37, is the owner of

Gatewood Trucking.

Prior to that he worked as a deputy for the Carroll County Sheriff’s Department for eight years.

Gatewood also served six years in the Mississippi Army National Guard, during Gatewood which he served one year in Afghanistan.

He said that his time as a law enforcement officer has provided him with the necessary training.

Andy Langham, 70, is retired but has more than 30 years of law enforcement experience, such as serving in the Madison County Sheriff’s Department and working as an assistant chief for the Morton Police Department.

If elected, Langham said, he would like to have more of a presence not just in Vaiden, where he lives, but throughout the counLangham ty.

The winner of the Aug. 6 Democratic primary will win the Nov. 5 election since no independents or Republicans are running for the position. n `çåí~Åí= dÉê~êÇ= bÇáÅ= ~í= RUNJTOPV= çê ÖÉÇáÅ]ÖïÅçããçåïÉ~äíÜKÅçãK

Ballot to include several important statewide races The Republican race for governor between Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves, former Mississippi Supreme Court Chief Justice Bill Waller Jr. and state Rep. Robert Foster may be getting most of the attention, but there are also other important statewide races on the Aug. 6 ballot.

In fact, four positions have open seats: lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general and state treasurer.

In each of those, the incumbent is seeking a higher office: Lt. Gov. Reeves is running for governor, Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann is run-

ning for lieutenant governor, Attorney General Jim Hood, the lone statewide elected Democrat, is running for governor, and State Treasurer Lynn Fitch is running for attorney general.

It’s rare for all five of those offices to be open in one election, and sometimes voters don’t know whom to vote for in those down-ballot races where they don’t personally know the candidates like in local elections and where there’s not a wealth of information about the candidates like in national races.

Here’s a look at each contested statewide race in the Aug. 6 GOP primary: ifbrqbk^kq=dlsJ boklo

`çåíáåìÉÇ=Ñêçã=m~ÖÉ=V ---------------------------------------------------------The winner of the primary will automatically win the Nov. 5 election since there are no independent or Republican candidates.

Judge Jimmy Avant, the incumbent judge for Carroll C o u n t y ’s Northern District, declined to be interviewed, other than Avant to say, “I enjoy what I do. Everybody knows me.” He’s in his seventh term as judge.

His opponent, Therrell Turner, 64, is a deputy for the Carroll County Sheriff’s Department.

Turner has spent 25

years as a law enforcement o f f i c e r.

Before he became a deputy, he worked for N o r t h Carrollton’s P o l i c e Department.

Turner He’d now like to help people in his district through a different application of the law.

“I would like to see that everybody is treated fairly and justly,” Turner said.

Avant and Turner, who are both running as Democrats, will face each other during the Aug. 6 primary.

The winner of the primary will be the final winner, since there are no independent or Republican candidates. n `çåí~Åí=dÉê~êÇ=bÇáÅ=~í RUNJTOPV=çê=ÖÉÇáÅ]ÖïÅçãJ ãçåïÉ~äíÜKÅçãK

By CHARLIE SMITH qÜÉ=`çäìãÄá~åJmêçÖêÉëë

gìëíáÅÉ

Current Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann faces little-known Shane Quick in the primary to

replace Reeves. The lieutenant governor presides over the Senate and thus has key influence over leg-

islation.

Hosemann is expected to win easily. He has received $882,500 in campaign con-

tributions this year versus $101 for Quick, according ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------pÉÉ STATE, m~ÖÉ=NN

Greenwood Commonwealth / Wednesday, July 31, 2019 PageNN slqbop=drfab =======================================================================================================================================================================

pí~íÉ

`çåíáåìÉÇ=Ñêçã=m~ÖÉ=NM ---------------------------------------------------------to campaign finance reports. Hosemann has more than $3 million on hand in his campaign account versus $0 for Quick.

Hosemann, a Jackson attorney, has served t h r e e terms as secretary of state. He says he’s cut costs, resulting in Hosemann his office requesting a smaller budget now than when he took office. He also implemented voter ID, working with the U.S. Justice Department to prevent it from suing Mississippi as it has other states that started requiring voter ID, and implemented reforms to the 16th Section land program, where school districts own land that is leased, which has led to more money from it going toward education.

In a video message to the Mississippi Press Association, Hosemann said the 200 agencies, boards and commissions in the state need to be reviewed to make government “lean and mean.” He said compensation for prison guards and mental health workers is “woefully inadequate” and needs to be addressed.

He promised an open policy of having competing interests at the table, as well as the media, while discussing plans for how to address such issues.

Hosemann said the emphasis on economic development would be on growing existing small businesses.

Quick lives in Lake Cormorant in Desoto County and works at Baptist Desoto hospital in Southaven, according to a statement of economic interest filed with the Mississippi Ethics Commission.

He said in a bio published by Mississippi Public Broadcasting that he is a lifelong Mississippi resident, has a degree in cardiovascular technology and is a Christian who believes the 2nd Amendment is “no compromise.”

“I am a regular everyday job working real Mississippian, not a rich politically connected career politician.

Fiscal conservatism is a driving force of my ideas. I am a little hard of hearing, but that makes me highly analytical about things, and that is an important quality,” he said in the MPB bio.

The winner will face Democratic State Rep. Jay Hughes in the general election. pÉÅêÉí~êó=çÑ=ëí~íÉ Vying to replace Hosemann are Sam Britton, a Laurel CPA and investment banker who serves on the Mississippi Public Service Commission, and Michael Watson, an attorney from Pascagoula who serves in the state Senate.

Britton has raised about

$611,000 this year, most of that through a $550,000 personal loan he made to his campaign. He had about $174,000 in his campaign fund as of June 30.

Watson has raised $269,000 this year and had $226,000 cash as of June 30.

Britton, in a talk to the Columbia Lions Club earlier this year, discussed his support for President Trump and opposition to Britton allowing non-citizens to vote and overreach by the Environmental Protection Agency. He also said as the lone Republican versus two Democrats on the PSC that he's learned you have to work together to make progress.

"I understand business. I understand finance, and more importantly I understand getting things done," he said.

He touted his efforts to settle the Kemper power plant issue as his key achievement on the Public Service Commission. His campaign website touts him as a “conservative outsider.”

Watson has served in the state Senate since 2008 and has been endorsed by Gov. Phil Bryant.

His website list his Watson accomplishment in the state Senate as including consolidating school districts to save money to fund teacher raises and classroom supplies, development of alternate track diplomas to prepare students for vocational work after high school, starting charter schools, supporting pro-life causes and pushing laws to shrink the size of the Legislature and spending.

According to a story in the Picayune Item about a speech Watson gave recently, he promised to do a background check to ensure registered voters are U.S. citizens.

He said if a red flag were found, his office would ask the person to provide proof of citizenship before registering to vote.

He also said he would push bringing the driver’s licenses offices under the Secretary of State’s umbrella so that the problem with long lines for renewing licenses could be fixed.

In the general election, the winner will face the victor of the Aug. 6 Democratic primary, either former Hattiesburg mayor and gubernatorial candidate Johnny DuPree or Maryra Hodges Hunt, a home health aide from Cruger. ^ííçêåÉó=ÖÉåÉê~ä With Attorney General Jim Hood running in the Democratic primary for governor, that has opened the door for three serious Republican challengers:

n Mark Baker, a lawyer from Brandon who has served in the state House of Representatives since 2004. n Andy Taggart, a lawyer from Madison who was the chief of staff for former Gov. Kirk Fordice n Lynn Fitch, a lawyer from the Jackson area who has been state treasurer since 2012.

Bryant has not endorsed anyone in the attorney general’s race, making it perhaps the biggest toss-up of all the open seats.

Taggart has raised the most money this year, about $419,000, versus $399,000 for Fitch and $132,000 for Baker.

However, Baker has the most cash on hand entering the stretch run (about $370,000 as of June 30 against $119,000 for Taggart and $231,000 for Fitch) because he had a large campaign fund built up prior to the beginning of 2019.

Baker’s campaign website said he supports more funding for law enforcement, protecting children f r o m abuse, Baker stopping political corruption and white-collar crime, enforcement of immigration laws, drug-testing requirements for welfare and reducing the size of government.

Baker criticized Hood for “a history of circumventing the legislative appropriation process and using settlement money from the virtually limitless lawsuits filed by that office to fund pet programs without legislative enactment.” He said the attorney general should work with other elected officials to bring companies to Mississippi rather than suing them and when lawsuits are necessary handling the case through the AG’s office, not outside lawyers.

Fitch, who was raised in H o l l y Springs, is in her second term as state treasurer.

She previously was executive director of Fitch the Mississippi State Personnel Board.

“I have prosecuted, litigated, written opinions, represented agencies, run complex state agencies including the the Treasurer’s office, I’ve been counsel to the Legislature and I’ve also been in private practice. It allows me to come in and be the managing partner of the state’s largest law firm on day one,” Fitch said in a recent interview with Y’all Politics, a conservative news website.

She said in that interview that she would support the 2nd Amendment and be a leader in the opioid crisis and human trafficking fight. She also said has treasurer she’s shown

good management of the state’s debt and returned money to citizens through the unclaimed property program.

Taggart said in an interview with the C-P earlier this year that tackling the state’s d r u g problem would be a Taggart major priority. Taggart, who lost a son seven years ago who committed suicide after battling drug problems, said there are “predators and victims in the drug war” and that his position would be to find ways, like drug courts, to get help for the users while “nailing predators to the wall.”

He said there needs to be a statewide commitment to funding drug courts and that getting users help would free up resources to better investigate and prosecute dealers. He touts his 34 years of active law experience and said his idea is to have the attorney general’s office investigate matters first and handle cases itself when able. If there’s fraud uncovered that is beyond the state’s capability to litigate, Taggart said it wouldn’t be improper in those cases to hire outside counsel.

Taggart is a proponent of changing the state flag, which contains the Confederate battle flag in one corner. He said it should be put in a museum and that

Missis-sippi needs to be more about looking forward than backward.

The Republican nominee will face Democrat Jennifer Riley Collins, a Meridian native and retired U.S. Army colonel, in the general election. pí~íÉ=íêÉ~ëìêÉê Buck Clarke, a CPA from Hollandale who serves in the state Senate, faces David McRae, a Ridgeland businessman.

The vote represents a potential split among Republican leaders as McRae has Bryant’s endorsement, while Clarke is endorsed by former Gov. Haley Barbour.

McRae has much more financial resources as he’s raised more than $1.1 million this year, most of it through $1 million in personMcRae al loans to his campaign, compared to $169,000 for Clarke.

McRae had about $274,000 cash in his campaign fund as of June 30 versus about $100,000 for Clarke.

McRae ran unsuccessfully against Fitch for the position four years ago, receiving 43 percent of the vote in the primary. His website says he’s a fourth-generation Mississip-pian whose family previously ran the McRae’s department store chain. He said he’s the managing partner in the family business, McRae

Investments.

His website said he would work to improvement investment returns and lower interest costs to the state. He said he would ensure debt payments are made on time to protect the state’s cre-dit rating and operate the office more efficiently.

Clarke has been a CPA for 38 years in Hollan-dale.

He has served since 2004 in the state Senate, where he’s been a key budget writer as chairClarke man of the appropriations committee.

His website said under his leadership Mississippi had a balanced budget that spends recurring revenues on recurring expenses for the first time in more than a decade (previously the state had used one-time monies to fund recurring expenses). He said he also helped restore the state’s financial resources by fully funding the Rainy Day Fund. The website said he’s increased funding for capital repairs on college campuses through direct appropriations rather than the state having to borrow the money. “I’m the only candidate with the experience to protect your tax dollars,” he said in a commercial.

In the general election, the Republican nominee will face Democrat Addie Lee Green, a former Bolton alderwoman.

ͻ EĂƟǀĞ Θ ďƵƐŝŶĞƐƐ ŽǁŶĞƌ ŝŶ ĂƌƌŽůů ŽƵŶƚLJ ͻ hŶĚĞƌŐƌĂĚƵĂƚĞ ĂŶĚ ůĂǁ ĚĞŐƌĞĞƐ͕ hŶŝǀĞƌƐŝƚLJ ŽĨ DŝƐƐŝƐƐŝƉƉŝ ͻ ϮϮ LJĞĂƌ ĐĂƌĞĞƌ ĂƐ ĂŶ ĂƩŽƌŶĞLJ ͻ ^ƉĞĐŝĂůŝnjŝŶŐ ŝŶ ƌĞĂů ĞƐƚĂƚĞ ƌĞƐĞĂƌĐŚ ĂŶĚ ůĂǁ ͻ džƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞ ŝŶ ĐŚĂŶĐĞƌLJ ĐŽƵƌƚ ĂŶĚ ĐŝƌĐƵŝƚ ĐŽƵƌƚ ůĂǁ ͻ ĞĚŝĐĂƚĞĚ ƚŽ ŵĂŝŶƚĂŝŶŝŶŐ ĞdžĐĞůůĞŶƚ ůĂŶĚ ĂŶĚ ĐŽƵƌƚ ƌĞĐŽƌĚƐ ͻ ŽŵŵŝƩĞĚ ƚŽ ƐĞƌǀŝŶŐ ĂƌƌŽůů ŽƵŶƚLJ ͻ ^ŬŝůůƐ ƚŽ ƐĞƌǀĞ ĂƐ ĐůĞƌŬ ŽĨ ŽĂƌĚ ŽĨ ^ƵƉĞƌǀŝƐŽƌƐ ͻ ,ĂƐ ƚŚĞ ŬŶŽǁůĞĚŐĞ ĂŶĚ ĂďŝůŝƚLJ ƚŽ ĂĚŵŝŶŝƐƚĞƌ ĐŽƵŶƚLJ ĨƵŶĚƐ ͻ DĂƌƌŝĞĚ ƚŽ ,ĂƌƌLJ ZŽůĂŶĚ ͻ DĞŵďĞƌ ĂŶĚ ƐŽŶŐ ůĞĂĚĞƌ Ăƚ Dƚ͘ WŝƐŐĂŚ ĂƉƟƐƚ ŚƵƌĐŚ ͻ sŝƐŝƚ ŵLJ &ĂĐĞŬ WĂŐĞ͗ ĂŶĞƚƚĞ ŽƌĚĞƌ ZŽůĂŶĚ ĨŽƌ ĂƌƌŽůů ŽƵŶƚLJ ŚĂŶĐĞƌLJ ůĞƌŬ

Vote November 5th

WĂŝĚ WŽůŝƚŝĐĂů ĂĚ͕ ĂƉƉƌŽǀĞĚ ďLJ ĂŶĞƚƚĞ ŽƌĚĞƌ ZŽůĂŶĚ

PageNO Greenwood Commonwealth / Wednesday, July 31, 2019 slqbop=drfab =======================================================================================================================================================================

TO THE CITIZENS AND FRIENDS OF LEFLORE COUNT Y:

f=~ã=~ååçìåÅáåÖ=ãó=Å~åÇáÇ~Åó=Ñçê=êÉJÉäÉÅíáçå=~ë=óçìê=pÜÉêáÑÑ=çÑ=iÉÑäçêÉ=`çìåíóK=f=ÄÉÅ~ãÉ=ÉãéäçóÉÇ=ïáíÜ=íÜÉ=iÉÑäçêÉ=`çìåíó=pÜÉêáÑÑÛë= aÉé~êíãÉåí=áå=g~åì~êó=NVTO=~åÇ=ëÉêîÉÇ=~ë=`ÜáÉÑ=aÉéìíó=Ñêçã=gìåÉ=çÑ=íÜ~í=óÉ~ê=ìåíáä=f=ï~ë=~ééçáåíÉÇ=^ÅíáåÖ=pÜÉêáÑÑ=áå=NVTU=~åÇ=íÜÉå=ÉäÉÅíÉÇ= óçìê=pÜÉêáÑÑ=áå=kçîÉãÄÉê=NVTV=~åÇ=íççâ=çÑÑáÅÉ=áå=g~åì~êó=NVUMK=^ÑíÉê=QT=óÉ~êë=çå=íÜÉ=àçÄI=f=Ü~îÉ=ÅçãÉ=íç=âåçï=ãçëí=çÑ=íÜÉ=ÅáíáòÉåë=çÑ=çìê=Åçìåíó= ~åÇ=f=ÅçåëáÇÉê=áí=~=éêáîáäÉÖÉ=íç=ëÉêîÉ=É~ÅÜ=~åÇ=ÉîÉêó=çåÉ=çÑ=óçìK=låÉ=çÑ=ãó=ÖêÉ~íÉëí=ëíêÉåÖíÜë=áë=íÜÉ=~Äáäáíó=íç=ïçêâ=ÅççéÉê~íáîÉäó=ïáíÜ=~ää=íÜÉ=éÉçéäÉ=çÑ iÉÑäçêÉ=`çìåíó=~åÇ=f=éäÉÇÖÉ=íç=ÅçåíáåìÉ=íÜ~í=íê~ÇáíáçåK

f=ÜçåÉëíäó=ÄÉäáÉîÉ=íÜ~í=íÜÉ=iÉÑäçêÉ=`çìåíó=pÜÉêáÑÑÛë=aÉé~êíãÉåí=Ü~ë=~ÅÜáÉîÉÇ=~åÇ=ÉåàçóÉÇ=~=ëçäáÇI=éêçÑÉëëáçå~ä=êÉéìí~íáçå=Ñçê=ÜáÖÜ=ëí~åÇ~êÇë=çÑ éÉêÑçêã~åÅÉ=~åÇ=ÅçãéÉíÉåÅÉK=tÉ=ãìëí=ÅçåíáåìÉ=íç=ÄìáäÇ=çå=íÜ~í=êÉéìí~íáçå=~åÇ=~ÄçîÉ=~ääI=ã~áåí~áå=íÜÉ=ëí~åÇ~êÇë=çÑ=ÉñÅÉääÉåÅÉ=ÉñéÉÅíÉÇ=~åÇ=ÅÉêJ í~áåäó=ÇÉëÉêîÉÇ=Äó=íÜÉ=ÅáíáòÉåë=~åÇ=í~ñé~óÉêë=çÑ=çìê=ÅçìåíóK

iÉÑäçêÉ=`çìåíó=áë=ãó=ÜçãÉ=~åÇ=f=Ü~îÉ=äáîÉÇ=ÜÉêÉ=~ää=ãó=äáÑÉI=ÉñÅÉéí=Ñçê=íÜÉ=íÜêÉÉ=óÉ~êë=f=ëÉêîÉÇ=áå=íÜÉ=rK=pK=^êãó=~ë=~=jáäáí~êó=mçäáÅÉã~åK= f=Å~å=~åÇ=Çç=ëÜ~êÉ=óçìê=ÅçåÅÉêåë=Ñçê=óçìê=Ñ~ãáäáÉë=~åÇ=ÅÜáäÇêÉå=~åÇ=îÉêó=ãìÅÜ=êÉ~äáòÉ=íÜÉ=îáí~ä=áãéçêí~åÅÉ=çÑ=íÜÉáê=éêçíÉÅíáçå=Ñêçã=~ää=ÉäÉãÉåíë=çÑ ÅêáãÉ=~åÇ=îáçäÉåÅÉK=f=Ü~îÉ=ïçêâÉÇ=Ü~êÇ=áå=íÜáë=ÉÑÑçêí=~åÇ=ïáääI=ïáíÜ=óçìê=ÜÉäéI=ÅçåíáåìÉ=íç=Çç=ëçK=f=ïáääI=~ë=óçìê=pÜÉêáÑÑI=ÅçåíáåìÉ=íç=Ñ~áíÜÑìääó=ÉåÑçêÅÉ íÜÉ=ä~ïë=çÑ=çìê=pí~íÉ=~åÇ=`çìåíóI=~åÇ=äÉí=~ää=Åêáãáå~äë=âåçï=íÜ~í=áå=iÉÑäçêÉ=`çìåíóK=`êáãÉ=ÇçÉë=åçí=~åÇ=ïáää=åçí=é~óKÒ fÑ=êÉJÉäÉÅíÉÇI=f=ïáää=ÅçåíáåìÉ=íç=ÄÉ=~=pÜÉêáÑÑ=Ñçê=ÉîÉêóçåÉ=áå=iÉÑäçêÉ=`çìåíóJ=ÄÉÅ~ìëÉ=íÜáë=áë=íÜÉ=éÉçéäÉÛë=çÑÑáÅÉK

PLEASE REMEMBER THAT I WILL NOT BE ON THE BALLOT IN THE PRIMARY ON AUGUST 6th, BUT WILL BE ON THE BALLOT ON NOVEMBER 5, 2019.

Paid political ad, approved by Ricky Banks