Polls open at 7 a.m.
Midterm elections generally don’t bring high percentages of voters out to the polls.
“Typically in the past it’s been fairly low,” said Lafayette County Circuit Clerk Mary Alice Busby.
But this year, Busby expects the turnout to be higher.“We’re had a much large amount of absentee voters for this election,” she said.
All 18 voter precincts will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday. The deadline to register to vote has passed and Busby said there are no last minute registrations.
There are 24,235 people registered to vote in Lafayette County. (November 1, 2010, Page 1A)
Halloween Spooktacular Safestop
The annual Halloween Spooktacular Safestop will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday on the Lafayette County Courthouse. This free event will feature games, candy, information, a costume parade and more. The costume parade will be held at 5. This event is free for the children and families of the community.
The Spooktacular Safestop is sponsored by Family Crisis Services of Northwest Mississippi Inc., Domestic Violence Project Inc., Lafayette County Department of Human Services: Family and Children Services, Lafayette County Law Enforcement Association, Lift Inc., Lafayette/Oxford School Attendance Office and the Lafayette County 4-H. (October 27, 2010)
County appeals drug court debacle
The Lafayette County Board of Supervisors instructed county attorney David O’Donnell to file an appeal with the Mississippi Supreme Court against a final order given by a Circuit Court judge instructing them to not interfere with the operation of the county’s Drug Court.
The one-page appeal, filed Tuesday, says the supervisors are appealing the entire Final Order filed Sept. 21 by Circuit Court Judge Andrew Howorth but doesn’t list any specific parts of the order. The appeal was filed after the board voted 3 to 2 granting O’Donnell permission to file the appeal during an executive session earlier this month. Supervisors Robert Blackmon and Mike Pickens were the dissenting votes.
Howorth, who started Drug Court three years ago, filed a “cease and desist” in June against the supervisors from interfering with the operations of the Drug Court and the Circuit Court in general. Howorth claims the supervisors have continually interfered with the operations of the Circuit Court, almost from the day the current board took office in 2008. He also ordered the supervisors to comply with all reasonable requests made by and on behalf of the Drug Court pertaining to Drug Court funds administered by Lafayette County. (October 21, 2010, Page 1)
Stiffer charges sought for drug dealers
Lafayette County Metro Narcotics Unit’s Keith Davis, and the other investigators at Metro, are pushing adding “enhancement charges” to regular drug dealing charges. Enhancement charges include, selling drugs within 1,500 of a school or church or child endangerment, for selling drugs when a child is present.
An enhancement charge does just that — it enhances the sentence of the defendant if found guilty. Under state law, selling drugs within 1,500 feet of a church or school allows a judge to double the penalty.
Several suspects charged with dealing drugs were indicted during the September grand jury and have been given enhancement charges along with being indicted with selling drugs.
See these and other indictments handed down by the grand jury in today’s EAGLE. (October 20, 2010, Page 1)
Diabetes walk set Sunday
Olivia Estes is a Girl Scout with Oxford Troop 374. She likes music, especially teen pop star Justin Bieber. She plays basketball and enjoys drawing.
When the active 9-year-old isn’t busy being 9 years old, she’s making sure her diabetes is in check.
Olivia Estes is this year’s Oxford honorary chairperson for the Mississippi Walk for Diabetes that will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, starting at the Square in front of the Lafayette County Courthouse.
Registration will begin at 1 p.m. in front of City Hall. Family activities will include a visit from Rancor Raiders Garrison of the Mississippi with “special friends” Darth Vader and other Star Wars characters. All money raised will benefit The Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi. (October 19, 2010, Page 1)
Letters to the Editor
Charles E. Treas writes about how restaurants could help local patrons who leave their credit cards behind by just taking a few minutes of their time, John McKendree writes to tell that Jimmy Nail won the Rolling Thunder rifle giveaway and John Arrechea’s letter explained a bit about the decision to take down a tree at the historic Lafayette County courthouse. (September 21, 2010, Page 4)
Hands off Drug Court
Circuit Court Judge Andrew Howorth is ordering the Lafayette County Board of Supervisors to “cease and desist” from interfering with operations of the Circuit Court, particularly the Drug Court. An order filed Thursday demands the supervisors to comply with all reasonable requests made by and on behalf of the Drug Court pertaining to Drug Court funds administered by Lafayette County. (June 18, 2010, Page 1A)
Clockmaker gets more time
Lafayette County supervisors are giving Lloyd Larish, master clockmaker, a few more days to finish the work he started on the Lafayette County Courthouse before searching for someone else to complete the job. (June 8, 2010, Page 1)
Garden Club presents ‘A Standard Flower Show’
Oxford and Ole Miss historian Jack Lamar Mayfield takes a closer look at the 50-plus year history of the Oxford Garden Club as it prepares for an upcoming flower show. (April 9, 2010, Page 3B)
‘Art and All That Jazz’
PHOTOS — The Oxford Artists Guild presented “Art and All That Jazz,” featuring displays by local artists, Saturday on the lawn of the Lafayette County Courthouse. (March 29, 2010, Page 1A)
