2006 ends Saturday and the Progress-Times is providing this month-by month summary of some of the stories of interest published during the year:
JANUARY
Members of the Mississippi Army National Guard's 155th Combat Brigade continue to return after a year of active duty in Iraq. These include soldiers with Eupora/Ackerman detachment of the 114th Field Artillery.
Leevester Hill Sr., 67, dies two days after suffering burns during a fire at his mobile home in Bellefontaine.
Bob Jones is named administrator at North Mississippi Medical Center-Eupora. He had served as a vice president for Tupelo-based North Mississippi Health Services since 2001.
The Wood Institute in Mathiston becomes state headquarters of the Society of Saint Andrew. SOSA is a national nonprofit hunger-relief organization that gleans fresh produce from fields that is not commercially marketable and donates it to food banks and serving agencies for the hungry.
FEBRUARY
Eupora native Charlie Ross, Republican state senator from Brandon, confirms that he's running for lieutenant governor next year.
Fire Baptist Church of Eupora holds a special service and reception in honor of Dr. William S. Stewart, who retired as pastor after 41 1/2 years.
The Eupora Board of Aldermen votes to request additional legal assistance in defending a federal lawsuit brought against the city. Dontrel Quinn filed suit two months earlier against the city and former police officer Perry Yates alleging constitutional violations involving unreasonable seizure and arbitrary government action.
MARCH
Webster County learns it will get nine extra touch-screen voting machines from the state for the 2006 elections, in addition to 26 already funded.
Wildfires during one weekend burn more than 50 acres in the county.
Renovation of the BLY Fine Arts Center in downtown Eupora begins.
Eupora Alderman at-large Jack Haney files suit in Chancery Court against the mayor and three aldermen claiming that he should be declared mayor pro tem for the rest of his term of office. The suit alleges they had an opportunity to "correct a void transaction and certain void acts by the previous board ... and they refused to do such."
APRIL
The Hoopsters Association asks the county School Board to consider placing a referendum for a $1.1 million bond issue on the next general election ballot to fund construction of a "gymatorium" on the campus of Eupora High School. In July, a board member's motion to place it on the ballot dies for lack of a second.
Vance W. Hill of Starkville is arrested after authorities say he shot at Mathiston Police Officer Shane Box following a traffic stop. Following a high-speed, wrong-way chase down U.S. 82, Hill crashed his car.
He was apprehended and charged with aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, felony eluding and fleeing from a law enforcement officer in a motor vehicle, disorderly conduct, reckless driving, driving under the influence-second offense, driving on the wrong side of a roadway and suspended driver's license. Box was not hit when fired upon.
MAY
The Eupora Lady Eagles win the state Class 2A fast-pitch softball championship against Clarksdale, finishing the season with a 29-4 record.
The East Webster Lady Wolverines win the 1A fast-pitch softball championship against Ingomar, finishing the season with a 24-11 record.
The East Webster Wolverines win the Class 1A state baseball championship against Greenville St. Joe, ending the season with a 30-5 record.
Eupora aldermen are informed that a motel/shopping complex has been proposed for construction near the bypass on Highway 9 South and vote to apply for a grant to provide utilities to the property.
The Webster County Development Council holds its first-ever Recognition Banquet, presenting various awards to county residents.
JUNE
Regions and AmSouth banks announce that they have agreed to merge, forming one of the top 10 bank holding companies in the nation.
The Four County Farmers Market opens in what was formerly known as the Doss Building on Highway 182/East Roane Avenue in Eupora.
County voters use touch-screen voting machines for the first time in Democratic primary elections, which had a small turnout. No major problems are reported.
JULY
Hundreds of people attend Freedom Fest 2006 at Whites Creek Lake.
County supervisors continue discussions concerning completion of E911 addressing and implementation of the emergency telephone service.
AUGUST
Webster County receives $40,000 in state fire rebate insurance funds for distribution to the eight fire departments in the county.
The Appalachian Regional Commission awards a grant to the county to go toward building an access road at Hawkeye Glove and another grant to the WCDC to study the feasibility of restoring rail service along 92 miles of the C&G Railroad.
Lewis Evans Ford of Eupora is arrested and charged in connection with the stabbing of Tiffany Guess, which resulted in the death of her unborn child. Ford is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, homicide in killing an unborn child and grand larceny-auto theft.
SEPTEMBER
Eupora and East Webster high schools both receive Level 5 superior ratings under the Mississippi Accountability System, which are the highest accreditation classifications based on test scores. Maintaining East Webster Elementary and Eupora Elementary maintain performance classifications of Level 4 and Level 3, respectively.
Eupora aldermen approve the city's first tax increase in nine years, with intentions of using most of the 9.6 percent increase to cover the loan part of combination grant-loan for street paving
Front Line Apparel Group officials announces its relocation to the former Red Kap plant in Mathiston to produce military clothing and that it is seeking experienced job applicants. The plant has not yet begun operations.
OCTOBER
A raging fire on Oct. 4 in downtown Eupora destroys two buildings on the east side of North Dunn but no one is injured. Firefighters from 17 departments in five counties respond to assist the city Fire Department. A ladder truck from Starkville proves instrumental in helping prevent the fire from spreading further. Fire Chief Jerry Gary has since said the fire was believed to have been electrical in origin.
The Eupora High School Band announces plans to march in the Walt Disney World Parade in Orlando, Fla., next spring.
Webster County is awarded a $150,000 grant to go toward construction of street lighting at the intersections of highways 9 and 82 in Eupora.
NOVEMBER
The EHS Band is awarded first place in all six categories of the state Marching Band Championship in Pearl.
Citizens Bank announces it is acquiring the AmSouth Bank branch in Eupora.
In School Board elections, Etty P. Brown is re-elected as District 3 board member and Scott Hollenhead wins the open District 4 seat.
Buck Meek of Eupora, a former state representative and prominent lawyer, dies at age 80 after battling a form of leukemia. Former state representative Glenn Burdine of Mathiston, also a former state representative, dies at age 76.
The Mathiston Clinic, which is affiliated with the Choctaw County Medical Center, opens on Highway 15 north of town.
The East Webster Wolverines, North Half champions, play for the state Class 1A football championship in Jackson but fall to Puckett, 38-20. The Wolverines ended the season with a 12-2 record.
DECEMBER
Roseburg Forest Products takes ownership of seven former Georgia-Pacific wood products mills, including the one in Eupora.
The Webster County Christmas Market is held in downtown Eupora and Christmas parades are held in area towns.
The county School District will receive an $88,000 grant from the state Archives and History Department to continue exterior restoration of the historic Eupora High School building.
Orlando Brooks, a 15-year-old Eupora High School student, dies Dec. 19 after collapsing while playing basketball at home. An autopsy reveals that he died of natural causes.
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