Category: <span>Newsroom</span>

The Meridian Blues baseball team on Thursday announced former Major League Baseball player and coach Mickey Callaway will coach the team heading into its inaugural season this May.

At a news conference, Blues General Manager Larry Gill said bringing someone with Callaway’s experience and background to the team is an asset as Meridian’s professional baseball team looks to build quickly.

 

“What stood out most during the process was his vision, not just for winning games but for building a culture, a culture rooted in accountability, preparation and pride,” Gill said. “That’s exactly what we want Meridian Blues baseball to represent.”

 

Baseball has deep roots in Mississippi, Callaway said, and Meridian has its own rich history with the sport. While loving the sport and playing is good, he said being a coach is about more than just finding wins on the field.

 

“Through my experience coaching this game and playing this game, I realized that we’re really developing kids, not just to play baseball, but to go on and have successful careers after baseball, be successful businessmen and leaders in their community,” he said. “That’s kind of what I nerd out the most about is leadership, and I’m very excited to get to be a part of a community that is really taking pride in and leading their young kids in the community to aspire to do something that most don’t get to do.”

 

The Meridian Blues offers a unique opportunity for local youth, Callaway said. As spectators, they will get to see professional athletes compete while interacting with the players at a personal level, he said.

 

As the Blues look to start play in the Mid-America League in May, Gill said the team is setting a clear goal for what it hopes to accomplish.

 

“Our goal is simple, complete at the highest level, develop talent and give our fans a team and experience that they can believe in every single night,” he said.

Meridian Mayor Percy Bland said thanks is owed to Chief Administrative Officer Craig Hitt and Mid-America League Founder Mark Schuster for their efforts bringing the Blues to Meridian. Conversations about the team started between the two several years ago, he said, and it is their cooperation that made Thursday’s announcement possible.

 

Meridian is proud to have the Blues, Bland said.

 

In addition to the coaching announcement, Blues officials also announced the results of a contest naming the mascot, a red fox. The mascot will be called Mojo.

 

Lauderdale County Tax Assessor Whitney Hodges is reminding residents the deadline to file for homestead exemptions and return business renditions is just a few weeks away. All homestead applications and renditions must be completed by April 1.

 

Homestead exemptions save residents money on their property taxes, with several different exemptions available. A regular homestead exemption can be filed by homeowners of any age and can reduce property taxes by $100-$300.

 

Residents over 65 are eligible for an increased exemption, which waives taxes owed on the first $75,000 in property value. Veterans considered 100% disabled qualify for a total exemption from property taxes.

 

To file for homestead, residents must have owned the property on or before Jan. 1. A homestead exemption worksheet is available on the Tax Assessor’s website.

 

Residents who have previously filed for homestead but have had changes to the deed will also need to reapply.

 

Hodges said her office has taken in more than 1,100 homestead applications so far this year and residents are encouraged to take advantage of the opportunity during the application window.

 

In addition to homestead applications, the Tax Assessor’s office is also reminding business owners that renditions are due. State law requires businesses to submit real property renditions to the Tax Assessor each year by April 1.

 

Hodges said businesses with no change in assets can simply sign and date the form mailed to them and send it back to complete the process.

 

Businesses that do not file renditions by the deadline are assessed a 10% penalty on the assessed value of their assets. That penalty compounds for each year missed and can add up quickly.

 

While there are more than 3,000 businesses in Lauderdale County, just over 700 renditions have been received thus far, Hodges said, and she wants to encourage businesses to complete the process ahead of the deadline.

 

Rendition forms were mailed to each business in the county earlier this year and are also available online.

 

The Tax Assessor’s office will be open 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, March 21, to help those unable to come in during regular working hours.

The streets of Collinsville are a little bit cleaner thanks to West Lauderdale High School Career and Technical Education students after more than 150 students took part in a cleanup effort organized by Lauderdale County Solid Waste Enforcement.

CTE Teacher Suzie Sanders, who teaches the Educator Preparation program, said the school is always looking for ways students can participate in community service. West Lauderdale previously participated in a cleanup effort several years ago, she said, and it is good to see the activity return.

 

“We’re just wanting them to practice a good work ethic, clean up, be proud of the school, be proud of the community,” she said. “When they all get outside working together, they’ll have a good time. It doesn’t matter what they’re doing.”

 

Sanders said Lauderdale County Solid Waste Enforcement and Meridian Waste, which provides residential garbage service to county residents, provided a lot of support for the school’s effort.

 

Daniel Mabry, Solid Waste Enforcement Officer for Lauderdale County, said students worked to clean up West Lauderdale Road from the four-way stop in Collinsville to West Lauderdale High School. The cleanup, however, goes beyond picking up litter, and it also helps raise awareness about littering and shows students the impact litter has on the community.

 

“What you can instill in us today, it’ll come back to us tomorrow,” he said.

 

Cole Crozier, Meridian Waste District Manager for Mississippi and West Alabama, said the company was proud to sponsor the cleanup. When Mabry reached out about the event, he said it was something Meridian Waste wanted to support.

“We thought this would be a great idea to get out and get with the community, show them what we do and how we do certain things, and we just thought it’d be a great thing to give back to the community,” he said.

 

Meridian Waste emphasizes giving back, Crozier said, and working with students is an opportunity to not only show how to properly dispose of trash but also to prevent more litter in the future.

 

“We’re just grateful for the partnership with the community and the leadership of Lauderdale County and the School and Mrs. Sanders. We appreciate it and look forward to remaining a great part of the community,” he said.

 

Mabry said everyone who participated in Wednesday’s cleanup will also be treated to lunch on Thursday by Meridian Waste in recognition of their efforts.

 

“Meridian Waste is going to feed them lunch and just reward them for the good work that they’re doing out here today,” he said.

Lauderdale County officials joined Mississippi Transportation Commissioner Willie Simmons and other elected leaders from the East Mississippi region Tuesday as the county was one of five recipients of Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) grant funding.

 

Simmons presented the county with a check for $819,000, which will go toward the second phase of a walking trail project along Sowashee Creek. The first phase saw the trail stretch from 29th Avenue to Grand Avenue.

“On behalf of the Department of Transportation, the Commissioner Busby, Commissioner Caldwell and myself, along with our Executive Director Brad White and the 2,700 employees that we have, we are so grateful to be working with our local partners like you who are here today to make things happen,” Simmons said.

 

TAP funds are federal dollars administered through the Mississippi Department of Transportation for projects improving pedestrian safety, handicap accessibility and infrastructure for bicycles and other non-motorized transport.

 

Supervisor Josh Todd, who serves as president of the Board of Supervisors, said the county is fortunate to have Simmons serving as commissioner for the Central District. Regardless of politics, Simmons is there to support the people of East Mississippi, he said.

 

“I don’t know how many of y’all rode across a bridge or road on the way here, but not one of them is a Democrat or Republican, and this man sees none of that,” Todd said. “He sees us. He sees East Mississippi, and he sees what we can be and who we are right now.”

 

In addition to Lauderdale County, other entities receiving TAP grant funds include the city of Meridian, town of Marion, town of Scooba in cooperation with the Kemper County Economic Development Authority and East Mississippi Community College.

 

In total, Simmons said the grants add up to around $5 million in federal funds for infrastructure in the East Mississippi region.

 

“As commissioner, I am so excited to be here today and to be able to provide this $5 million to the East Mississippi community for our pedestrians,” he said.

Lauderdale County supervisors moved forward with several projects Monday as multiple county departments look to apply for grant funding. Among the items discussed were grants for the Sheriff’s Department, Amnesty Day and funding to build a new fire station at Center Ridge.

Sheriff Ward Calhoun said his department plans to apply for an antiterrorism grant through the Mississippi Department of Homeland Security in the amount of $462,806.21. The Sheriff’s Department could receive all or some of the funding through the grant or not be selected for funding at all, he said.

The grant does not require any matching funds from the county.

Supervisor Craig Houston said the county has also received more than $450,000 through a Community Development Block Grant to build a new fire station for Center Ridge Volunteer Fire Department. Located in the northeast corner of the county, Center Ridge was built in 1989 but never fully completed.

“We’re going to be able to build a new fire station in that community,” he said.

The Board of Supervisors on Monday also discussed the upcoming solid waste Amnesty Day set for Saturday, April 18, at the Lauderdale County Road Department’s central office, located at 210 Windmill Drive in Meridian.

Amnesty Day gives residents an opportunity to dispose of waste that cannot be accepted as part of regular household pickup. Hazardous materials such as motor oil, batteries, fluorescent bulbs, paints and solvents and car tires will be accepted.

Supervisors approved quotes from disposal companies Rhino LLC and Complete Environmental for disposal of materials collected during Amnesty Day. The board also approved applications for a $60,000 grant to combat illegal dumping, as well as a separate $180,000 grant to launch a waste tire collection program.