Last modified: Wednesday, May 14, 2008 2:38 PM CDT Community Notes Staff $60M bond election set for Tuesday The public will get to vote in a $60 million bond election on May 20 that will have no school millage increase and no new school taxes. Voting precincts will be in the county’s elementary schools. For voting precinct information, visit www.desotocountyschools.org. If the bond has a 60 percent approval rating, county education superintendent Milton Kuykendall said the money will be used to build Lake Cormorant High School,Center Hill Middle School, and Lewisburg Middle School, as well as provide funds for 14 new classrooms at DeSoto Central High School and 10 new classrooms at DeSoto Central Middle School.Two new elementary schools will be built - one in the DeSoto Central area, and one in the Lewisburg area. And security measures will be improved at all district schools. Kuykendall said in the next five years, the district is expected to gain about 7,500 students. Gross honored by Sigma Alpha Lambda Shannon Michele Gross of Olive Branch was recently recognized as a member of Sigma Alpha Lambda, a national leadership and honors organization at the University of Memphis. The organization is dedicated to promoting and rewarding academic achievement and providing members with opportunities for community service, personal development, and lifelong professional fulfillment. Farr, daughters donate locks for love Olive Branch police officer Leann Farr and her two daughters, Presley, 8, and Bailey, 12, recently donated a total of 30 inches of their hair to Locks of Love. Locks of Love is a public non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children under age 18 suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis. The three had their hair cut at New Cut on Goodman in Olive Branch by Jeanine Russell. NWCC elects new board members New board members of Northwest Mississippi Community College Foundation are Dr. Robert L. Smith, Jr. of Hernando, president of the board of directors, Kevin Doddridge of Olive Branch, Perrin Hunter of Eads, Tenn., Curtis Greer of Holly Springs, Sybil Canon, director of development at Northwest, and Alvan Kelly of Hernando. The Northwest Foundation has assets of almost $5 million, the majority of which is used to provide ongoing scholarship assistance to area students. Jacob, Pacheco attend MUW workshop Liyan Jacob of Southaven and Matthew Pacheco of Lake Cormorant recently attended a workshop at Mississippi University for Women titled College Aspirations. Jacob and Pacheco were among 25 high school juniors and seniors with at least a 24 on the ACT invited to participate in the all afternoon workshop on writing a college application essay and on interviewing skills. The workshop was designed to give students invaluable advice on the college application process. Students were given pointers on interviewing skills and had an opportunity to sit in on a mock interview and get immediate feedback from faculty members who regularly interview students for scholarship. They were also offered advice on how to write a college application essay. The juniors and seniors were treated to dinner and were special guests at a lecture given by Arun Gandhi, grandson of the famous peace crusader. Gandhi’s lecture was part of the Honors Forum of the Ina E. Gordy Honors College. Emergency FSA loans ready for farmers Emergency loans for farmers, ranchers, and operators are available at the DeSoto County Office of the Farm Service Agency (FSA) through Oct. 7 as a result of severe storms,tornadoes and straight-line winds that ripped through the county in early February. Farmers qualifying for emergency loans may borrow up to 100 percent of their actual production loss or the amount needed to restore their operation to its pre-disaster condition, whichever is less. The new emergency loan and outstanding principal balance of any existing emergency loan owed by the applicant or any individual member of an entity cannot exceed $500,000. FSA emergency loans cover losses from designated disasters and are made to qualified farmers who cannot obtain credit from other lenders in the local area. DAC adds two new fitness coaches The Southaven DAC, a regional fitness management company committed to community health and wellness, has added two fitness coaches, Lisa Delgado and Colleen Foeller, to its staff. As a DAC Fitness Coach, Delgado and Foeller are responsible for helping members with equipment, conducting fitness consultations, providing a physical analysis based on a client’s specific fitness goals and assisting clients with workout routines. Delgado holds an associates degree in fitness and nutrition from Northwest Mississippi Community College and a degree in fitness specializing in stress management and motivation from Penn Foster University. Prior to joining DAC, she was an aerobics instructor. Foeller holds an associate’s degree in applied science in occupational therapy from Metropolitan Community College - Penn Valley. Prior to her fitness coach appointment, Foeller was a yoga and group fitness instructor at DAC. Jazz band present 'What is Hip?' The Northwest Mississippi Community College Jazz Band recently presented its “What is Hip?” spring concert program in the Fine Arts Auditorium on the Senatobia campus. The director of bands is John Ungurait. The band performed such favorites as Chicago’s “25 or 6 to 4,” “Hay Burner” by Sammy Nestico, “Alright, Okay, You Win,” by Sid Wyche and Mamie Watts, Chuck Mangione’s “Land of Make Believe” and the Tower of Power standard, “What is Hip?” The band is made up of DeSoto County residents Taylor Houston, Tommy Jasmin and Preston White, all of Olive Branch; Marlon Love, Angela Tabor and Will Bryer, all of Hernando; and Chris Sparks, Southaven. Umfress among STAR students honored DeSoto Central High School student Allison Umfress was among 20 Top STAR students and their teachers honored at the Swayze Foundation’s annual Education Celebration at Mississippi College in April. The STAR (Student-Teacher Achievement Recognition) program, which encourages and promotes academic achievement among Mississippi’s high school seniors, is sponsored by the Mississippi Economic Council’s M.B. Swayze Educational Foundation. STAR students are selected on the basis of academic excellence. Each STAR student is asked to designate a STAR teacher, a classroom instructor who has made the greatest contribution to the student’s scholastic achievement. The students are ALL-STAR Scholars who are totally funded by the Kelly Gene Cook, Sr. Charitable Foundation, Inc. The ALL-STAR scholarships this year totaled over $70,000. Snyder elected as fellow of Bar Association Olive Branch lawyer Gary P. Snyder has been selected as a Fellow of the Mississippi Bar Foundation. Snyder, 56, is a shareholder in the firm of Watkins Ludlam Winter & Stennis, P.A., in the firm’s education, environmental and government law practice group. The designation as a Fellow is limited to 10 percent of Mississippi lawyers. It is recognition by peers that the lawyer has reached the highest level of professionalism, competence and leadership. Snyder is a graduate of the University of Mississippi and the Ole Miss law school. Supervisors approve 220 acre rezone DeSoto County supervisors recently approved the rezoning of 220 acres for the Forest Park development east of Olive Branch. The property, zoned agricultural-residential, is on DeSoto Road east of Polk Lane in the northeastern corner of the county. It’s next to the Olive Branch’s industrial park. The approved planned development calls for warehouses on the westernmost 120 acres, offices and businesses on a proposed alignment of Forest Hill-Irene Road in the center, and 126 homes on the east. Supervisor Jessie Medlin, whose district includes the site, voted against it. Medlin objected to plans for more warehouses. Springfest pageant winners Winners of this year’s Springfest pageant have been announced. They are: 0-12 months - Baby Hudson Baxter; 2-3 years - Toddler Alvin Jackson Jr.; 0-12 months - Baby Miss Ava Engles; 13-23 months - Wee Miss Kaleigh Buenaventura; 2-3 years -Toddler Miss Haley Owens; 4-5 years - Tiny Miss Brooklyn Farmer; 6-7 years - Dainty Miss Lauren Stubbs; 8-9 years - Little Miss Pearl Whiteley; 10-12 years Petite Miss Tylan Mask; 13-15 years - Jr. Miss Caitlin Newman; 16-21 years - Miss Springfest Morgan Averesch. Chung named parent of the year in county Leslie Chung has been named DeSoto County Parent of the Year. Chung’s two children, son Orion and daughter Kymlan, attend Walls Elementary School. “Mrs. Chung has been a picture of determiniation and strength under pressure as her family deals with her son’s illness and still manages to carry out regular activities. She has been a creative and determined PTO president whose untiring efforts have provided many wonderful activities for our school,” said Becky Kelley, principal at Walls Elementary. “Mrs. Chung is a team player. She has a whole slate of officers working beside her and has been able to inspire many parents and grandparents to volunteer. She is an excellent leader.” Chung contributes to both children’s classes while volunteering endless hours each week at school running the Parent Resource Center and serving as PTO president. She started a father/daughter dance at the school and has most recently been in the process of hosting a mother/son sports jam.