Smoke Signals and other news
Our collective hearts are saddened to learn of the passing of one of the cornerstones of the town of Byhalia. I cannot remember a time in my life when Bob Carrington was not a part of it in some manner. In his 80 years of living, he touched many lives in a positive way. He was a devoted member and leader of Byhalia United Methodist Church and was a member of the Byhalia Lions Club and Holly Springs Rotary Club, along with many other organizations. He served as an alderman for the Town of Byhalia for 30 years. If you ever met Bob, you indeed have a story associated with him, and you will miss him.
Another community member met with an accident on Monday of this week and passed away. Our dear friend, Rufus Pennington, fell while working to get his 35-ton crane road ready. He was fastening the jib while standing on a four-foot fender. He fell and received a severe head injury. His son Russell reached out on Sunday and said he has been in a coma since the accident. “Despite Regional One’s heroic effort and great care, his brain injuries have proven to be fatal. If the Lord allows him to pass before midnight, the greatest dad in the whole world will be in the arms of the greatest Father of all worlds.”
Prayers for the family are appreciated. Cherish your loved ones. They can be gone so quickly.
My granddaughter, Mary Claire, experienced another “last” this past weekend. After nine years of many hours of dance, she performed in her last dance recital. It has been a journey to watch her grow from the first recital as a youngster to the graceful young lady she has become on and off the stage. I fought to hold back tears as she performed her “senior” solo. I failed at that endeavor. She will have one more opportunity to perform this summer as she landed a part in the musical “Oklahoma,” where Grandma will proudly watch her shine again. I am excited to see what the future holds for her, but I will miss the little girl. She will enter Ole Miss in a few short weeks, majoring in Mechanical Engineering, while her brother, Allan, pursues the same degree at Mississippi State as a Junior. Allan is currently working as an intern for a company in Louisiana. This is his fourth internship, and he has found each one to be interesting and come away with new skills and knowledge.
People watching continued this week as we held the postseason tournament for Marshall County Sports. First and foremost, it’s always about the kids. The players of each team are working hard to bring home the win. Little ones not in the game are running around with old or new friends. You can tell which ones have already been without shoes for a few weeks as they run across graveled areas without slowing down. The concession stand draws the ‘Little ones’ along with the snow cone/ice cream vendor. Mostly, you see happy faces. Parents are another story. Most are watching the game and cheering on the players. Some attempt to argue with the umpire, but I don’t see them offering to change places with them. I watched as a child happily climbed onto a parked motorcycle and sent someone to rescue him before he or the motorcycle or both took a great fall. There appeared to be no one watching the child or looking for him. Shortly after, the child approached other children sitting near their parents, enjoying their freshly bought snacks. The child bit one of the children hard. Again, no one was looking for this child, and no parents were in sight. Not knowing who the child belonged to, there was little to do but to make sure he didn’t get a chance to bite anyone else.
cannot stress enough to please watch your young children even when you believe their surroundings are safe.
One thing that would solve so many issues during games would be for parents to take the time and make an effort to learn the rules of Dizzy Dean Baseball and the exceptions Marshall County Sports has in place. Some parents need to be aware of the many young children and the use of inappropriate language they may use.
Remember, the people working are volunteers, and no volunteers deserve inappropriate language or behavior. Games are won or lost. Parents can and should leave the park when they might present themselves in such a light.
Please share your news with me at jchwagg@gmail.com or text or call 901-246-8843. You can message me on Facebook as Clair Wagg.