Tunican Bob Gann asked county supervisors a question when it was his turn to offer comments at last week’s budget hearing, “Once we pay the debt service, what will you do with money that keeps coming in? Will you blow it or bank it?”
Tunica County’s second floor courtroom wasn’t filled to capacity last Thursday, but the hearing was better attended than any in recent memory.
That’s because the Board of Supervisors is proposing to raise ad valorem taxes by nearly 30 percent for 2013.

Read more

Just over a month since Tunica County schools reopened their doors after a summer break, educators learned how the district fared on state mandated testing.
Tunica Middle School showed marked improvement and earned bragging rights as the school with the highest increases district wide. Testing coordinator Dr. Debra Dace attributes the accomplishment to solid preparation on the elementary level, coupled with rigorous instruction by teachers and administrative support school-wide.

Read more

A decision to accept a proposed $47 million budget along with a 30 percent ad valorem tax increase was delayed by supervisors at their Tuesday, Sept. 4 meeting. The issue is set to be taken up again at a special meeting on September 17 at 5 p.m.
Talks began with a discussion of some revisions or the introduction of a second budget to include reduced department spending, pay raises, and a reserve fund. Supervisor Henry Nickson said he’d like “a clearer picture of where the money is going throughout the county.” He said he would also like to see more micromanaging of the departments.
Supervisor Cedric Burnett proposed the creation of a county reserve fund and noted that the county is currently operating solely on gaming revenue.

Read more

A Tunica County mother will serve three decades in a Tennessee corrections facility for her role in the death of her child.
Angela Murphree, 32, entered a guilty plea for second degree murder in the death of her daughter, 11 month old Madison. Murphree appeared in Criminal Court in Memphis, after awaiting trial since December 2010. She had been denied bond.

Read more