ECCC PBL Students Receive National Honors During Virtual Awards Competition

Eighteen East Central Community College Phi Beta Lambda students were honored recently when the group held its national awards night Friday, July 24, on the Decatur campus.

Award recipients and their respective categories include Beth Fortner of Port Gibson and Caleb McGrew of Meridian, first place, Business Law; Luke Wall of Decatur and McGrew, first place, Business Sustainability; Lillie Chapman of Philadelphia and Janna Ford of Carthage, first place, Community Service; Hannah Stokes and Carly Greenwood, both of Philadelphia, first place, Integrated Marketing Campaign; Tucker Cain of Carthage, Ford, Brian Pace of Collinsville, and Carly Greenwood and Hannah Stokes, both of Philadelphia, first place, Parliamentary Procedure; Toni Hilliard of Wesson, Nathan Lampley of Louisville, and Genesis Lyons of Decatur, first place, Strategic Analysis and Decision Making; Justice Battle of Lake and Daniel Triplett of Nanih Waiya, second place, Computer Animation; Camilla Addy of Decatur and Jerry Davidson of Philadelphia, second place, Social Media Marketing; Davidson and Cezar Arroyes-Torres of Morton, third place, Financial Services; Wall, fourth place, public speaking; Arroyes-Torres, sixth place, Local Chapter Annual Business Report; and Jamie Pogue of Forest, seventh place, Administrative Technology.

Christy Ferguson, Thomas Fortenberry, Judy Hurtt, Lisa Lampton and Bobby Hebert serve as advisors.

ECCC Phi Beta Lambda students receiving national awards included (top row, from left) Beth Fortner of Port Gibson, Caleb McGrew of Meridian, Lillie Chapman of Philadelphia, and Luke Wall of Decatur; (second row, from left) Brian Pace of Collinsville, Hannah Stokes of Philadelphia, Tucker Cain of Carthage, and Carly Greenwood of Philadelphia; (third row, from left) Genesis Lyons of Decatur, Nathan Lampley of Louisville, Toni Hilliard of Wesson, and Justice Battle of Lake; and (bottom row, from left) Jerry Davidson of Philadelphia, Camilla Addy of Decatur, Cezar Arroyes-Torres of Morton, and Jamie Pogue of Forest. Award winners not pictured are Janna Ford of Carthage and Daniel Triplett of Nanih Waiya.

 

Hostess Brands, LLC Issues Voluntary Recall of Certain Hostess® Raspberry Zingers® Due to the Potential for Mold

Hostess Brands, LLC (“Hostess Brands”) is voluntarily recalling certain Hostess® Raspberry Zingers® because the product may develop mold prior to the best by date.

This recall applies to the following Raspberry Zinger® products:

Product	Item UPC	Batch	Best By Date
Hostess Raspberry Zingers (Multi-Pack fresh)	888109110604	H061224000	08/26/2020
		H061324000	08/27/2020
		H061424000	08/28/2020
		H061524000	08/29/2020
Hostess Raspberry Zingers (Multi-Pack frozen)	888109110604	H061524000
Hostess Raspberry Zingers (Single-Serve fresh)	888109010089	H061224000	08/26/2020
		H061324000	08/27/2020
		H061424000	08/28/2020
Hostess Raspberry Zingers (Single-Serve frozen)	888109010089	H061424000
		H061524000
Hostess Raspberry Zingers (Single-Serve grocery 3 count)	888109010089	H061224000	8/26/2020

The products were sold to mass merchandisers, grocery stores, distributors, dollar and discount stores, and convenience stores throughout the United States.

Consumers who have purchased the affected product are urged to discontinue consumption and contact the place of purchase about returning them for a full refund.

This recall does not affect any other Hostess Brands products.

Just In - Louisville Municipal School District Delays School Start Until At Least August 20th

The following statement has just been released by the Louisville Municipal School District:

Although the return to school safety plan was approved, the actual start date of school remains a matter of consideration. Due to the rising number of COVID cases and continued preparation for a safe return to school, the LMSD will delay the start date of school to August 20, 2020. We will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates through social media.

Winston County Added To Mandatory Mask List

Governor Tate Reeves added six more counties to the list of counties where the mandatory use of masks in public is required. Expressing concerns over the capabilities of health care to provide ICU services due to the number of COVID-19 across the state. this brings the total number of counties with mandates to 29. the six newest counties added to the list include Calhoun, Lamar, Holmes, Montgomery, Winston and Yalobusha. These counties have infection rates equivalent to 500 per 100,000 population.

Reeves also announced additional restrictions statewide - limiting social gatherings to 10 individuals inside and 20 individuals outdoors, prohibiting alcohol sales after 11:00 pm in restaurants and bars and requiring that customers be seated before alcohol is served. Reeves noted that the largest outbreak across the state is in the 20-29 age group.

The following excerpt is from the Governor's website and details the mandate for Winston and the additional 28 counties included:

For all businesses:

• All businesses are expected to take every step necessary to implement the regulations, orders, and guidance from the Mississippi State Department of Health and CDC to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including social distancing and encouraging sick employees to stay home.
• All employees will be screened daily at the beginning of their shifts, including asking whether they have been in contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19 in the past 14 days and have they had a fever in the last 48 hours.
• Based on their duties and responsibilities, employees who are unable to maintain at least 6 feet distance from others must wear a face covering throughout their shift, such as a face mask. Their face coverings must be cleaned or replaced daily.
• Hand sanitizer must be provided to all employees, which can include a hand rub or soap.

For retail businesses (in addition to measures above):

• Face coverings must be provided to all employees who come in direct contact with customers. Employees are required to wear that face covering throughout their shift and clean or replace daily.
• All customers must wear a face covering while inside the retail business.
• Hand sanitizer must be placed at all entrances, in or near bathrooms, and at cashier stations.
• Retail businesses are expected to make all efforts to maintain a 6-foot distance between customers at all times.
• Carts, baskets, and other similar surfaces touched by customers must be sanitized after each use. Other high-touch areas must be sanitized at least once every two hours.

For people out in public:

• Everyone must wear face coverings when at public gatherings or in a shopping environment.
• People must maintain a 6-foot distance between themselves and others.
• Further limits on social gatherings: down to no more than 10 indoors and 20 outdoors.

Former Mississippi State Standout Joins ECCC Softball Coaching Staff

Kat Moore, a First-Team All Southeastern Conference outfielder for the Mississippi State University Bulldogs during the 2019 season, is the newest member of the East Central Community College softball coaching staff.

ECCC’s head softball coach Leigh White completed her staff for the 2021 season with the hiring of Moore. Former Lady Warrior and National Junior College Athletic Association Division II First Team All-American Mahalia Gibson joined the staff earlier this month.

“We are extremely excited to have a player of Kat Moore’s ability join our coaching staff at East Central Community College,” said White. “She was an outstanding player at Mississippi State, and she will also be an outstanding softball coach. Kat and Mahalia will help our players to be the best they can be on the softball field, as well as prepare them for productive lives.”

Moore started 55 games for Mississippi State in her senior season in 2019, hitting .343, with seven doubles and career highs of four triples and 13 home runs. The 13 homers in a season puts Moore tied for eighth all time for the Bulldogs. In addition to her All-SEC Team accolades, Moore was named to the NCAA Seattle Regional All-Regional Team during postseason play.

She started 56 contests her junior season in 2018 and hit .334, which was second best on the team. Moore appeared in 49 games in 2017, with 48 starts and hit .304. She played in 32 contests with 13 starts as a freshman in 2016.

Moore’s career batting average of .324 ties for 10th all-time for the Bulldogs.

A native of Holly Springs, Moore prepped at Marshall Academy where she was All-Conference four seasons and All-State three seasons. She hit .560 as a senior.

She received her bachelor’s degree in criminology from Mississippi State in 2019.

Presley Announces Fifteen Mississippi Electric Cooperatives Apply for State CARES ACT Grant Funds for Broadband

Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley has announced that fifteen Mississippi electric power associations have applied for grants to expand high-speed internet access. Of the applicants, 13 of the 15 serve customers in the Northern District.

These funds were made available by the Mississippi Legislature from Federal money set aside to assist the state with issues related COVID-19 recovery.

“During the COVID-19 pandemic, the digital divide has become even more evident,” said Commissioner Presley. “Businesses are trying to reopen and return to normal as much as possible and schools are looking to move forward with plans to teach students in the coming months. Reliable, high-speed internet service is essential to these plans and these funds will go a long way in bringing that service to areas that are currently either making do with what they have or just doing without.”

Presley continued: “One of the biggest issues our co-ops have faced is funding for these projects. The announcement of these funds today is a giant leap forward for these companies.”

“I want to thank the Legislature, especially House Speaker Phillip Gunn, Lieutenant Governor Delbert Hosemann, Senate Energy Committee Chairman Joel Carter and House Public Utilities Committee Chairman Scott Bounds, for setting these funds aside to move rural Mississippi forward,” said Presley. “Without their leadership and forward-thinking on this issue, many of the plans this money will go toward would be sitting on shelves collecting dust. Instead, this will get many shovel-ready projects going to serve our citizens and move our state forward.”

 

A chart with the project amounts is below.

CARES Act Project Totals
	Grant Amount	Match Amount	Total Project Amount
Alcorn County	$5,431,797.58	$5,431,797.57	$10,863,595.15
Coast	$6,000,000.00	$6,000,000.00	$12,000,000.00
Delta	$4,900,890.00	$4,900,890.00	$9,801,780.00
Dixie	$3,676,500.00	$3,676,500.00	$7,353,000.00
East MS	$6,000,000.00	$6,000,000.00	$12,000,000.00
4-County	$6,000,000.00	$7,039,633.00	$13,039,633.00
Monroe County	$4,200,000.00	$4,200,000.00	$8,400,000.00
Natchez Trace	$4,360,000.00	$4,360,000.00	$8,720,000.00
North East MS	$4,098,598.00	$4,098,598.00	$8,197,196.00
Northcentral	$2,750,000.00	$2,750,000.00	$5,500,000.00
Prentiss County	$5,000,000.00	$5,000,000.00	$10,000,000.00
Tallahatchie Valley	$4,512,768.00	$4,512,769.00	$9,025,537.00
Tippah	$6,000,000.00	$6,000,000.00	$12,000,000.00
Tishomingo County	$4,500,000.00	$4,500,000.00	$9,000,000.00
Tombigbee	$6,000,000.00	$6,000,000.00	$12,000,000.00
TOTALS	$73,430,553.58	$74,470,187.57	$147,900,741.15

 

2020 Louisville Lions Club Golf Tournament Winners

The Louisville Lions Club would like to thank all of our sponsors, (Hole Sponsors) - Dan Whitfield, Louisville Dental Associates, McMillin Realty, Winston County Courthouse (Darlene Bane, Kim Ming, & Rusty Foster). (Team Sponsors) - Gentry's Paint & Body, Kansas City Southern Railroad, Renasant Bank and Winston Web News. (Corporate Sponsor) - Lake Tiak O'Khata. (Food & Drink Sponsor) - Vowell's Market Place and (Water Sponsor) - WalMart. We would also like to thank all the participants who came out to play, the Louisville Country Club and the grounds crew. We really appreciate all of you for helping  make this tournament a success, especially this year when COVID-19 has hit all of us hard.

Listed below are the winners of this years tournament.

First Place: Esther and Scott Ming

Second Place: Dan Whitfield and Dusty Rigdon

Third Place Chris Covington and Justin Bates

Fourth Place Jimmy Marlowe and Tommy Marlowe

Closest to the Hole: Jimmy Marlowe

Longest Drive : Esther Ming & Tom Bush

ECCC Announces 2020 Cosmetology Program Graduates

Seventeen students graduated in July from the 12-month cosmetology program at East Central Community College in Decatur.

Those graduates include:

 

• Deena Scott Adkins of Union
• Dakota Brown of Chunky
• Ta’Erynea Culberson of McCool
• Emily Daniel of Philadelphia
• Allyson Dufour of Bailey
• Precious-Aniya Floyd of Louisville
• MaryDrew Hall of Meridian
• Nakita Johnson of Newton
• Natalie Haiden Kirkland of Philadelphia
• Marion Ming of Louisville
• Meredith Reid of Union
• Kelly Rosas of Forest
• Makenzie Smith of Decatur
• Anna-Grace Tingle of Philadelphia
• Ariana Wells of Forest
• MiKayla Wilcher of Carthage
• Anna Wooten of Carthage

 

ECCC’s cosmetology program prepares students to become licensed cosmetologists and has the approval of the Mississippi State Board of Education and the Mississippi Board of Cosmetology, along with the support and approval of beauty salon owners and operators throughout the state.

Students complete 1,500 clock hours of training during the yearlong program.

For more information on the program, contact cosmetology instructor Aubrie Howell at ahowell@eccc.edu.

EMCC Re-opens to Public - July 20

City of Louisville Joins #MaskUpMississippi Campaign

40 ECCC Student-Athletes Recognized Nationally for Academic Success

Forty East Central Community College student-athletes have been honored by the National Junior College Athletic Association for their academic performance during the 2019-2020 school year.

In addition to individual awards, the ECCC women’s tennis team garnered the 2019-20 NJCAA Academic Team of the Year award for that sport with a 3.83 grade-point average.

The NJCAA presents awards in three categories: NJCAA All-Academic First Team (for those achieving a perfect 4.0 grade-point average), NJCAA All-Academic Second Team (3.80 to 3.99 GPA), and NJCAA All-Academic Third Team (3.60 to 3.79 GPA).

Receiving NJCAA All-Academic First Team and their respective high schools were Mackenzie Alford (women’s soccer) of Kosciusko, Dylan Barnett (men’s tennis) of Newton County, Hannah Dufault (softball) of East Central in Hurley, Kelli Ficken (softball) of Central Hinds Academy, Marla Graham (women’s tennis) of Newton County Academy, Vanessa Martinez (women’s soccer) of Kosciusko, Sidney Rone (softball) of Ethel, and Ali Grace Walker (women’s soccer/tennis) of Newton County.

Receiving NJCAA All-Academic Second Team were Landree Amis (softball) of Newton County, Leah Anderson (women’s soccer) of Huntingdon, England, Kelsea Archer (women’s soccer) a home schooler from Purvis, Gracey Baucum (softball) of Purvis, Natalia Beltran (women’s tennis) of Bogota, Colombia, Dylan Bond (baseball) of Lewisburg, Jesse Boydstun (baseball) of Winston Academy, Parker Breland (softball) of Union, Savannah Jones (softball) of Leake Academy, Daelyn Kell (women’s soccer) of Ocean Springs, Brooklyn King (softball) of George County, Jonathan Knight (men’s basketball) of Vancleave, Anna McNeer (softball) of Canton Academy, Raphael Salles (men’s soccer) of Sao Paulo, Brazil, Laila Sisson (women’s tennis) of Neshoba Central, Susie Stevison (women’s soccer) of Long Beach, Kailee Swindle (softball) of Presbyterian Christian School in Hattiesburg, Tri Vaughan (baseball) of Washington School in Greenville, Kaylee Webb (softball) of Ruston, La., and Hayden Sullivan (women’s soccer) of Florence.

Receiving NJCAA All-Academic Third Team were Gavin Bailey (baseball) of Newton County, Kayla Baucum (women’s tennis) of Newton County, Courtney Gill (women’s tennis) of Leake Academy, Lorin Greene (women’s soccer) of Richland, Joel Hill (men’s soccer) of Newton County, Robert Holifield (football) of Stringer, Josie Hurst (women’s tennis) of Newton County, Tanner Knight (baseball) of Eupora, George Mota (men’s soccer) of Fortaleza, Brazil, Payton Rogers (football) of Forest, Alejandra Vargas (women’s tennis) of Bogota, Colombia, and KeiMoya Walker (women’s basketball) of Jackson Murrah.

East Central Community College to Fully Reopen Campus Beginning July 13

The East Central Community College campus in Decatur will fully reopen to students and the general public beginning at 8 a.m. on Monday, July 13.

The college’s centers in Philadelphia, Choctaw, Louisville, Forest, and Carthage will also reopen to visitors on July 13.

The ECCC campus has been closed to students and visitors since March 16, with classes transitioning to online and alternate delivery formats for the remainder of the spring semester, and both the June and July summer semesters.

Employees have been transitioning back to work over the past few weeks, with the college fully staffed Monday through Friday beginning Monday, July 6.

Current office hours on the main campus in Decatur are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to Noon on Friday.

“The college’s Pandemic Response Team and now the Reopening of Campus Task Force have worked hard over the past few months to put us in a position to begin reopening our campus,” said ECCC President Dr. Brent Gregory. “Our number one priority remains the health and safety of not only our students and visitors, but also our faculty and staff. We ask that all those who come to campus or one of our centers around the district adhere to the health and safety protocols implemented by the college and posted throughout the campus.”

Those needing to visit an office on campus must adhere to all college health and safety protocols, including, but not limited to, social distancing (at least six feet), wearing a mask, washing hands regularly, and using hand sanitizer provided inside the entrance of each college building. Those individuals with a fever, who have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, or exhibit any of the symptoms associated with the virus as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Mississippi State Department of Health are asked not to come to campus or to one of the off-site locations across the five-county district.

The college also requests that students and visitors come to campus alone if possible to limit the number of people on campus at any one time.

Assistance with admissions, registration, financial aid, online classes, and other areas associated with attending ECCC is also available via email, telephone, or Zoom virtual meeting. Appointments can be scheduled by completing and submitting the form located at www.eccc.edu/go-virtual.

ECCC continues to make plans to resume in-person, on-campus classes beginning with the fall 2020 semester. Fall 2020 full-term day and evening on-campus classes begin on Monday, Aug. 17. Online classes begin Monday, Aug. 24.

The fall 2020 semester will end the week of Thanksgiving so that students do not have to return to campus after the Thanksgiving holiday. The abbreviated fall term calendar will allow students to return home for several weeks to help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus during a period when there is predicted to be an increase in the number of cases.

The abbreviated fall term academic calendar will be accomplished by using Fridays and other open dates and holidays to fully complete classes and labs. ECCC moved to a four-day class schedule in spring 2016, with Fridays open for studying and learning opportunities outside the classroom. Online classes conducted by the Mississippi Virtual Community College could extend past the Thanksgiving holiday.

Gregory said the Reopening of Campus Task Force that includes Instruction, Student Services, and Health and Safety committees continues to work on the plan to safely resume in-person classes beginning with the fall 2020 term.

Registration for any ECCC academic term can be done online at www.eccc.edu using the Student tab under the myEC portal, which includes all the information students need to register, including course schedules and academic calendars.

In order to register, students must complete the admissions process: complete and submit the Application for Admission; submit ACT or Accuplacer scores, which are used for placement in English and math; and submit high school or college transcripts. Transfer students must have all college transcripts on file before they can register for classes.

Students who need assistance registering for classes once logged in to myEC should contact registration@eccc.edu. Students who have questions about their admissions status or who need help in applying to attend ECCC should contact the Office of Admissions at sholling@eccc.edu or 601-635-6207.

COVID-19 Testing Available Again in Winston County - July 11th

NOTE TO MEDIA: 

JACKSON, Miss. - Residents of  Winston County and surrounding communities can be tested for COVID-19 on July 11th as the University of Mississippi Medical Center and Mississippi State Department of Health continue efforts to stem virus transmission by setting up one-day, drive-through collection sites.

Anyone can be tested who is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, including fever, cough, shortness of breath or sore throat; or who has a known or potential exposure to someone confirmed with the virus.

Mississippians who want to be tested must first complete a free screening from a UMMC clinician through an online questionnaire found at umc.edu/covidscreening. Or, they can call the UMMC Center for Telehealth at (601) 496-7200 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday. Anyone determined to need testing will be given an appointment date and time at the testing site most convenient. The C Spire Health app is no longer a screening tool for COVID-19 testing.

Appointment-only testing has been offered since a daily testing site was established March 24 at the Mississippi State Fairgrounds in Jackson. On June 1, that testing operation moved to the West Street Farmers Market at Woodrow Wilson Avenue in Jackson. One-day sample collections are being offered at selected sites statewide.

Testing will be availale for Saturday, July 11 at:

Winston County: Louisville Coliseum, 245 Ivy Ave., Louisville

Those who believe they need to be tested must first complete a free screening from a UMMC clinician through an online questionnaire at umc.edu/covidscreening. Or, they can call the UMMC Center for Telehealth at (601) 496-7200 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday. Anyone determined to need testing will receive an appointment date and time at the testing site most convenient.

Thousands of people in Mississippi communities have taken advantage of the UMMC/MSDH drive-through collection sites. Those numbers include, as of the end of the day July 1, a total 5,780 people at 127 one-day testing sites statewide, plus another 9,831 at the Mississippi State Fairgrounds and West Street Farmers Market, for a total of 15,611 tested.

The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency and the Mississippi National Guard are partnering with UMMC and MSDH to coordinate mobile testing sites. During drive-through testing, health care professionals will collect specimen samples via a nose swab. Those being tested will not exit their vehicle.

For more information about testing, click here.

Be Aware of COVID-19 Over Holiday Weekend

As we enter the July 4th holiday weekend, It is more important than ever to take necessary precautions against the spread of COVID-19. Mississippi is still under an executive order that limits social gatherings. The following is an excerpt from info posted by the Ms. Department of Health:

"As we prepare to commemorate the 4th of July, the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) would like to remind you to follow the current mandates outlined in the existing Executive Order 1492:

Social gatherings indoors are limited to 20 persons if social distancing cannot be assured, and 50 if social distancing can be maintained.
Social gatherings outdoors are limited to 50 persons if social distancing cannot be assured, and 100 if social distancing can be maintained.
Arena attendance is limited to 25% or less of full capacity.
Fireworks displays and outdoor gatherings

MSDH does not provide specific event approvals, but in general, firework displays meeting the requirements of current Mississippi Executive Orders and other statutory requirements are allowed.

MSDH recommends adherence to CDC published guidelines, including those for outdoor groups and community events, to maintain social distancing. See the guidelines »

For planning purposes, it is strongly recommended that those watching displays remain in their automobiles and not interact with others outside of their vehicles. The numerical limit on outdoor groups from the Executive Orders do not apply to those remaining in their own vehicles."

COVID -19 Testing To Be Available Again in Winston County

Another mobile community test site for COVID-19 is tentatively scheduled for July 11th in Winston County. Once all details are confirmed - we will have further information. The testing will take place at the Louisville Coliseum, 245 Ivy Ave., Louisville and begin at noon and continue til 4:00 pm

The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency and the Mississippi National Guard are partnering with UMMC and MSDH to coordinate mobile testing sites. During drive-through testing, health care professionals will collect specimen samples via a nose swab. Those being tested will not exit their vehicle.

For more information about testing, click here