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By Staff
Mississippi's Promote the Vote' receives award
Feb. 16, 2001
Secretary of State Eric Clark's program to encourage voting and political involvement by young people has received a first place TIME/NASBE Award from the National Student/Parent Mock Election.
The citation specifically praised Mississippi for its "Web site and e-mail newsletter and special versions of all their materials available for the School for the Blind (for students with limited vision) as well as formatting diskettes of the materials for a Braille printer."
More than 170,000 students from 370 schools participated in "Promote the Vote" in 2000. The program allows students in grades 7-12 to vote in mock elections for the President, U.S. Senate and U.S. Representative. All Mississippi children are eligible to participate.
Weems Community Mental Health Center has added a new psychiatrist as Dr. Sonia Ashish-Mishra joined the Weems staff recently. She divides her time between Weems offices in Meridian, DeKalb, Heidelberg, Philadelphia and Quitman.
A native of India, Dr. Ashish-Mishra received her training in psychiatry at the Mercer University School of Medicine in Macon, Ga. and Atlanta's Morehouse School of Medicine. She is licensed by the State of Mississippi.
She and her husband, architect Ashish Mishra, have a 2-year-old daughter, Deeksha Mishra, and they reside in Meridian.
The Home Builders Association of Mississippi (HBAM) elected a new president for 2001, Donnie Massey of Meridian. He is the president of D&H Construction Company and has been an HBAM member since 1992.
Massey previously served as HBAM vice president and secretary/treasurer.
He and his wife, Charlotte, have two children, Ashley and Clarie.
Air National Guard Airman 1st Class William R. Davis has graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas.
He is son of Patricia Gay Stewart of Meridian and William Bryon Davis of Lawrenceville, Ga.
Davis is a 2000 graduate of Enterprise High School.
Army 1st Sgt. Donamechie Jennings has arrived for duty at Camp Humphreys, Pyogtaek-Gun, South Korea.
Jennings is assigned to the 348th Quartermaster Company. He is the son of Rudolph and Fannie Mae Jennings of Meridian.
Army National Guard Sgt. 1st Class Ricky M. Posey has received the Chief of Staff, Army Supply Excellence Award for outstanding technical expertise, attention to detail and professionalism as demonstrated during the Army supply excellence program evaluation.
The award recognized the soldier's dedication to service in the highest tradition of the U.S. Army.
Posey is a supply sergeant assigned to the 150th Engineer Battalion at Key Field, Meridian.
He is the son of Reuben G. and Nina M. Posey of Meridian.
Marine Corps Cpl. Michael S. Kilpatrick, son of Nona D. and Billy D. Kilpatrick of Philadelphia, recently received the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal.
Kilpatrick was recognized for his outstanding achievement while serving at the Marine Corps Formal Schools, Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune, N.C. Kilpatrick received the award for his superb initiative and contribution in helping the command fulfill its mission.
Kilpatrick is a 1995 graduate of Neshoba Central High School.
Navy Airman Monique T. Levons, whose husband, Terrel, is the son of Susie Nichols of Meridian, recently returned from a six month deployment to the Mediterranean Sea and Arabian Gulf while assigned to the aircraft carrier USS George Washington, home ported in Norfolk, Va.
During the deployment, Levon's ship assisted in the recovery effort of Gulf Air Flight 072. After the plane crashed on its approach to Bahrain International Airport Aug. 23, more than 80 sailors and several boats from the aircraft carrier arrived at the scene to help.
While in Bahrain, USS George Washington Sailors painted the Al Hytham Islamic School and the Saudi/Bahraini School for the Blind.
Ora L. Pogue, customer service representative II in the Meridian office for the American General Career Distribution Group, has marked 20 years with the group.
Rebecca Sims Walters, of Meridian, a doctor of optometry, has been accepted by The National Registry of Who's Who as a Life Member. The acceptance of Dr. Walters as a Life Member is in recognition of exemplary service, both to community and to profession. She has worked at the Eye Clinic of Meridian since 1998.