SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2011 BUSINESS NEWS Celtic Creations offers Hilltop Garden Club wild jewelry and more. about turkeys. See page 3 See page 2 “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ VOLUME 109 • NUMBER 93 ESTABLISHED 1882 Jesus.” — Ephesians 2:4-6 CA among Tornado state’s ‘elite’ rips through academies By Adam Prestridge Publisher The hard work of the faculty and staff Bunker Hill at Columbia Academy has paid off once again earning the school recognition as one of the “elite” private schools among the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools. Headmaster Baxter White was informed earlier this week that the school had earned accreditation from the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). “Accreditation represents verification that an institution provides a quality edu- cational opportunity for its students and patrons,” White said. “During the accred- itation process, an independent commit- tee visits the school, normally for three or four days, to assure that all reports are accurate. “ See ‘Elite’ Page 10 Event aimed to promote ‘diversity’ By Mark Rogers Managing Editor After a successful debut last year, the Heal the Land Ministry will host a unity Top, Tri-Community firefighters prepare to saw up one of the many trees blocking Grice Road early Wednesday morning. Above, praise service on Sunday, Nov. 27. MCSO deputies and firefighters control traffic as a crew from Pearl River Valley Electric Power Company works to cut trees off This year’s event is set to take place from a downed power pole. Photos by Mark Rogers 6 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. at Life Church locat- ed at 2385 U.S. Highway 98 East. No injuries, but several properties suffer heavy damage “It will be a one-day event this year,” Corene Russell, one of the event’s coordina- approximately 100 feet behind By Mark Rogers tors, said. “It will be more like a service Evans’ house and continued on rather than a conference.” Managing Editor the ground damaging the Carl Last year, the event spanned three days Boone residence nearby. and was held at the Columbia Exposition Residents of Bunker Hill were “It blew some tin off my bard, Center. startled awake early Wednesday but my biggest problem was As with before, all churches are invited. morning as a tornado ripped trees,” Evans said. Russell hopes once again to “embrace through the northern Marion The storm also tossed around diversity and unite in praise.” County community. two deer stands on Evans’ prop- “We want to talk about the diversity of the “We were sleeping and there erty. people,” Russell said. “We are all different, was a big clap of thunder,” “It blew one of the deer stands yet we are one in the body of Christ. We Jimmy Evans, a Bunker Hill res- about 100 feet, but it didn’t dam- shouldn’t let our differences get between us age it,” Evans said. “We were ident said. “Then all of a sudden See ‘Heal’ Page 3 blessed, had it been an hour later, it sounded like two or three I might have been in one of the freight trains coming out of the deer stands.” The front porch from the Carl Boone residence was found more than woods.” City, county set five miles away in Jefferson Davis County. The tornado touched down See ‘Tornado’ Page 10 holiday hours The Columbia Board of Aldermen approved its holiday closings, affecting Physically fit: Grant provides exercise stations Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s. grams to schools and creates After each holiday, there will be a double By Mark Rogers opportunities for children to be garbage run on Tuesdays. Managing Editor active, fit and healthy as part of the The city will follow the state’s holiday everyday school experience. Since schedule which includes closing offices Students at Columbia 2006, the Blue Cross & Blue Shield Thursday, Nov. 24 and Friday Nov. 25 for Elementary School are working to of Mississippi Foundation has Thanksgiving; Friday, Dec. 23 and Monday, become more physically fit, and invested more than $4.5 million to Dec. 26 for Christmas and Friday, Dec. 30 they are enjoying it more thanks to place Project Fit America equip- and Monday, Jan. 2, 2012 for New Year’s. a new addition at their school. ment at 164 elementary and middle In Marion County, holiday garbage pick- Last week, Project Fit America schools around the state. up for Thanksgiving is as flows. kicked off in a big way as CES Components of the PFA program Beats 3 and 4 will be picked up on opened a fitness area on the include outdoor and indoor physi- Wednesday, Nov. 23. Beat 3 is normally school’s playground. cal fitness equipment, structured picked up on Thursday. Beat 4 is normally physical fitness curriculum, and picked up on Wednesday. The time of pick- PFA is a national non-profit training for physical education up will vary because of the double route. organization that provides cardio- Columbia Elementary School students participate in the ceremony. Beat 5 will be picked up on Friday as it vascular health and fitness pro- Photo by Mark Rogers See ‘Healthy’ Page 3 normally is. SATURDAY 2 www.columbianprogress.com November 19, 2011 Hilltop Garden Club wild about turkeys ment using a large, willow Sara Swinney presented a tle, and hot spiced tea. Special to cornucopia with Japanese report on the book of the They decorated the serving The Columbian-Progress yew, oak leaves, yaupon, month, Felder Rushing’s tables with a Fall motif crepe myrtle leaves, Tough Plants. She recom- including gourds, scarlet During their November Japanese maple, mulhy mended the book as a good leaves, and a terra cotta meeting, Hilltop Garden grass, bronze azalea leaves, reference for Mississippi turkey planter filled with Club members watched purple aster, olive green gardeners, since it included gold chrysanthemums. Gloria Barrett, co-owner of wax myrtle, scarlet sumac chapters on “Annuals that Other members present Barrett’s Garden Center, and wild seed pods. And, Endure, Low-Maintenance were: Merlyn Autry, Ouida demonstrate how to create lastly, Barrett made a man- Lawns, and Stout-hearted Delcoure, Judy Easterling, several floral arrangements. tle arrangement using vari- Trees.” She also mentioned Mary Beth Golson, Mary In a large and colorful ous colored old and antique that the book will soon be Miksa, Opal Smith, Gail turkey basket, she made an glass bottles and rudbekia. available at the Marion Stephens, Bobbye Toney, arrangement using several President Jane Martin County Public Library, Norma Ward, and kinds of wild and garden pointed out several kinds of where Rushing will be Catherine Wilson. flowers including rudbekia gourds in her gourd collec- speaking on March 22. Gloria Barrett stands with (black-eyed Susans), blue tion used to decorate the Hostesses Gloria Barrett, one of her creations from ageratum, old-time white tables at the meeting, Jane Martin, and Bethany the November Hilltop garden mums, goldenrod, including an apple-shaped Coker served gingerbread Garden Club meeting. and purple loropetalum. gourd and gourds from with lemon curd and She made a second arrange- South America. whipped cream, peanut brit- Photo submitted Janitorial discussion raises concern informed the Board that the school fundraisers. Lift-Off students to Board OKs contract renewal for the Approved PBIS “Dress Hammond, La.) and West current company also need- Down Days” throughout the Marion High School (band career tech ed to be addressed in case school year for West members to Orlando, Fla.). the job needed to be bid out. Marion Elementary School. Approved East Marion purchases “If you’re going to cut The days will be used as High School’s 2012 base- jobs and these people have rewards for positive behav- ball schedule. been working and then ior. Canceled four 16th they’re not going to have a Call or come see By Adam Prestridge Approved the purchase Section land leases due to job, it’s not feasible,” Bilal of a Technical Training Tiia Williams, manager Publisher non-payment of rent and said. Aids uPrint Plus 3D printer Pam or Angela for all Fortenberry explained approved a partial lease A recommendation to hire with kit for the Polymer that the company would payment. your financial needs. an outside janitorial compa- Science Program at the Carl provide its own workers to Approved numerous ny to perform cleaning Loftin Career Center. The clean the facilities some of 16th Section land classifi- duties on the campus of printer and installation kit which could possibly be cation changes. East Marion and at West will cost $28,844 and will those custodians currently Accepted the highest Marion Primary raised sev- be purchased with the MDE employed. timber land bid of $128,920 eral concerns among county approved Carl Perkins Take the “That would have to be in from Blackwell Timber Co. school board members ear- funding. worry out writing,” Bilal responded. Two other bids Southern lier this week. OK’d Concepts in MARION of holiday Fortenberry said he did Superintendent Ronald Production, LLC K2 CNC Timber Products ($99,311) buying not think that type of clause Fortenberry provided the Mill with kit for the and Forest Products could be included in the Polymer Science Program ($96,335) were also FINANCE Board with financial figures contract. weighing the costs associat- at the Carl Loftin Career received. “We need to discuss this ed with hiring an outside Center.