Prison break escapees all recaptured - Matchbin

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Explosion leads to
meth lab busts
By Don Hill
Editor
The Marion County Sheriff’s Office
made a major drug bust Sunday, as an
explosion led to the discovery of four
methamphetamine labs.
“We received a call about an
explosion on Highway 13 South,” said
MCSO investigator Scott McKinney.
“After a brief investigation, we
believed it was a meth lab.”
McKinney said an ambulance picked
up Daniel Augie and took him to
Marion General, were he was later
transported by helicopter to the burn
unit at the University of South
Alabama.
Deputies and investigators with the
Pearl River Basin Narcotics Task Force
arrived on the scene, later to be joined
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by the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics.
The MBN Hazardous Material Cleanup
team confirmed it was a meth lab that
exploded.
“In the process of cleaning up and
executing proper search warrants, we
discovered a total of four labs,”
McKinney said. The area consisted of
citizens living in mobile homes, where
the labs were found in two of them. The
explosion was in one of the mobile
homes, which received damage to only
one room.
Alerted to suspicious activity in that
area, MCSO and PRBNTF had the road
near the Lamar County line under
surveillance.
“There was some stuff going on
down there we needed to be aware off,”
was the tip told to McKinney. “We were
watching them, but the meth lab blew
up before we could get to them. I’m just
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glad it didn’t blow up on our guys,”
McKinney said.
McKinney said they didn’t collect
any “finished product” of meth,
because one blew up, one was cooked
with no drugs left, another getting ready
to be cooked and another set of
ingredients (precursors) were in a back
pack.
MCSO and PRBNTF arrested four
people in connection with the labs and
charged them with manufacturing a
controlled substance. Arrested were
Tiffany Ann Hodge, 27, and James
Allen Smith, both of 213 County Line
Road South; Tony Allen Murry Jr., 26,
152 Copper Road, Purvis; and
Benjamin Clay Stringer, 20, 25
McRainey Road.
As of Tuesday morning, bond has not
been set and the MCSO and PRBNTF
continues to investigate the crime.
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SONATA
Highway 98 East • Columbia, MS
601-736-3432/601-731-1953
THURSDAY
February 26, 2009
2009 City Elections
More qualify
for city offices
By Don Hill
Editor
With less than three weeks left to qualify to run for city
offices, three more have added their names to run for a
couple of aldermen spots.
Todd Pittman and Gregory A. Keen have jumped into
the Alderman Ward 4 race, Pittman as a Democrat and
Keen as a Republican. They join Jason Moree who is
also seeking that position. Carolyn Finley currently holds
this alderman spot, but she has decided to run for Mayor.
Also joining the election fray is Clarence Ray Odom,
as he signs up to run for the Alderman Ward 1 spot.
Odom joins David McKenzie to run against incumbent
Wendell Hammond for the position.
For Mayor of Columbia, Finley and Reed Houston of
Houstons Columbia Cleaners have signed up to run as
Democrats and former Columbian-Progress publisher
Ken Prillhart will run on the Republican ticket. Current
Mayor Harold Bryant will not seek another term.
Stephanie Wilson has declared for the Ward Three
Alderman post, joining incumbent James Manning, and
current Alderman Cheryl Bourne has signed up for the
Ward 2 position without an opponent.
Vance B. Berry and Marvin Webber will vie for the
Alderman-at-Large position, which now belongs to
David McCance, who has not announced if he will seek
another term.
All candidates are running as Democrats, except for
Prillhart, Keen and Bourne, who are running as
Republicans.
Also on the ballot will be those seeking positions on
the Democratic Executive Committee. They are Bonnie
M. Dillon, Claire Von Gahlen, Anna Evans, John
Conerly, Sandra Sutton and Betty Upton.
Potential candidates have until Friday, March 6 to
qualify. The primary election will be Tuesday, May 5,
with a runoff election scheduled for Tuesday, May 19.
The general election will by Tuesday, June 2.
Aultman participates in inauguration
Army National Guard Warrant Officer 1 Dustin M.
Aultman participated in the 56th Presidential Inauguration
Jan. 20 as part of the largest ever contingent of National
Guard members to serve in Washington, D.C.
More than 7,000 Army and Air National Guard members
from 31 states and territories provided the 2009
Presidential Inauguration with military working dogs,
consequence management planning and ceremonial,
logistics and medical support through the Armed Forces
Inaugural Committee. National Guard members also
assisted local authorities with crowd management, traffic
control and emergency services operations.
The Armed Forces Inaugural Committee is established
every four years by the Secretary of Defense as a joint
service organization to coordinate military ceremonial
participation and support inaugural events.
Aultman, an aviator, is a member of the 111th Aviation
based in Meridian. The guard member has served in the
military for seven years. He is the son of Randy Aultman of
Katy, Texas and Victoria M. Lawrence of Columbia. His
wife, Rachel, is the daughter of James W. and Linda S.
Moulder of Brookhaven.
The warrant officer graduated in 2000 from Oak Grove
High School in Hattiesburg.
SWEETHEART OF
A SALE!
Sat. February 28th
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Prize Give-a-ways throughout the day.
Refreshments will be served.
Towne Square
Flea Market
601-736-2800
Hwy 13S & Hwy 98
Columbia
Thank You
The Family of Mr. Roosevelt Peavy
would like to take this time to say thank
you for all the acts of kindness in our hour
of sorrow. Thank you to our friends and
family for everything you did, especially
for your prayers.
Special thanks to Cook and Galloway
Funeral Home, Eaton Temple Church of
God in Christ, Song Health and Rehab of
Columbia, Pinebelt Clubhouse, Bo Greer,
Microtel Inns and Suites of Columbia and
the Columbia Police Department.
May God keep you and forever bless
you.
The Family of Elder Peavy, Michal,
Rose, Mary Ann, Daisy and Louise