Floor Statements

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable student, Ms. Charkyria Samone Evans.

Charkyria, an aspiring Aerospace Engineer, is the 19 year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. D'Andre Williams and Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Evans. As a native of Washington County, Charkyria has witnessed a few troubling moments that occurred in her county and specifically Greenville, Mississippi. These occurrences drew Charkyria's attention even at a young age.

As a fifth grader at Ella Darling Elementary School, Charkyria decided to take the first step in enhancing her community by joining a campus organization called Darling Leaders/ Delta Action Coalition. This organization helped Charkyria receive the support she needed to express her enlightening ideas and persuaded her to submit an essay that promoted Greenville's beautification. Charkyria was able to execute her plan of beautification when she and a few other students designed a mural, displayed on the walls of Higher Dimensions Church. Charkyria's determination did not stop there.

Upon entering Coleman Middle School (CMS), her community service efforts were refreshed when she became a CMS cheerleader, student council member and President of the National Junior Honor Society.

Immediately upon entering Greenville-Weston High School, Charkyria took on roles of SGA Senator, Science Olympiad Scholar, Academic Bowl Scholar, Principal's Club Pupil, NSL-ITEST scholar (Mississippi Valley State University), varsity cheerleader and an eager mentor for students of various ages. Being involved in school only molded her to become even more involved in Washington County.

Additionally, she became an active member in Teenette Art and Civic Club, Delta Center Stage, Washington County's Democratic Caucus, Chi Mu Omega Chapter of AKA's Cotillion, Eta Theta Omega Chapter of AKA's Fashionetta, Mayor's Youth Council, and Old Jerusalem M.B. Church's Youth Ministry.

Now that Charkyria has embarked upon a new journey at Tuskegee University as an ambitious Aerospace Engineering student, she continues to reach out into her world community. She stretches her arms of love out to all in hopes of inspiring the lives of community members and students through community service.

Charkyria continues to use the skills that she has learned to help nourish the pride of the swift-growing South. With this mindset, she continues to grow with a sense of dignity and nationalism for her local communities and the United States of America because she remembers, ``For God so loved the world. . .''.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Ms. Charkyria Samone Evans for her dedication to serving others and giving back to her community.

While I'm not in opposition to the proposed amendment, I do have an amendment that I had planned to offer. However, the process is going so fast and I was not here in time, but it speaks to the Wetlands Reserve Program at USDA,

commonly referred to as the WRP program.

To date, WRP has restored over 2.5 million acres with over 12,000 private landowners. WRP benefits private landowners by restoring land that should have never been cleared for agriculture. The public benefits from the reduced financial demand for disaster assistance and/ or crop insurance funds from lands that experience repeated losses; significant long-term conservation benefits obtained from the protection of wildlife habitat; the improvement of water quality; the increase of flood storage; and the reduction of soil erosion.

The House farm bill we are considering today consolidates into a new Agricultural Conservation Easement Program. This new program will consist of agricultural easements and wetlands easements.

The components of the amendment that I have offered today are simple. First, it makes the ownership eligibility requirement for wetland easements equal to the other conservation programs by returning to the pre-2008 farm bill requirements of 1-year ownership instead of 7 years.

My amendment's last change excludes the wettest soils from the county enrollment caps. Soils in these classes frequently flood and retain moisture at levels that severely impair or prevent farming. By allowing the lands that are the least economical to farm to be enrolled in a wetland easement, we will save in potential publicly funded disaster assistance and reduce the overall cost of crop insurance.

Mr. Chairman, all of these changes have been adopted in the Senate farm bill. The WRP is reshaping how wetland conservation is carried out on private lands and is doing so in a cost-effective manner.

Had I had the opportunity, I would have offered this amendment. However, after consultation with the chair and ranking member, there is agreement that I will withdraw the amendment, and we will ensure that these important changes are considered in conference.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable public servant, Mr. Jesse Thompson who graduated from Jackson State University with a B.S. degree in science education.

Mr. Jesse Thompson began his career with the Pollution Control Commission in 1976 as an environmental aide in the Air Division of the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). While in the Air Division, he worked with the Minor Source Permitting, Compliance and Emission Management System. He was also the stack testing expert for Air Sampling. In 1995 he became the State's first Small Business Ombudsman. He was also responsible for managing the Mississippi Small Business Technical Program.

Mr. Thompson is currently the acting Director of the Environmental Resource Center, Environmental Assistance Division Director and the Diversity Coordinator.

Mr. Thompson is married to Judy G. Thompson of Jackson and they have a son (Jason) and a daughter (Janell).

Mr. Thompson is a member of the Greater Mt. Calvary Baptist Church where he is an Ordained Deacon, Chairman of the Trustee Board, Sunday School teacher and the Director of the church's television ministry.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mr. Jesse Thompson for his dedication to serving others.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable civil servant and extraordinary educator, Mrs. Josephine Tillman Singleton. Her service to education and the community spans over 35 years.

Mrs. Josphine Tillman Singleton was born October 1, 1940 to Mr. Earnest and Mrs.

Parthinia Salone. Under the care and love of her grandparents, Mr. Spencer Graham and Mrs. Mary Tillman. Mrs. Singleton grew up in the St. Thomas community in Hinds County, Mississippi. She received a formal education at St. Thomas Elementary and Sumner Hill High Schools. She matriculated at Utica Junior College in Utica, Mississippi and later furthered her studies at Jackson State University. For all who know her, Mrs. Singleton is a true champion for early childhood education and her professional career speaks volumes of the works and contributions she has made on behalf of preschool aged children and individuals in her community.

In 1965, Mrs. Singleton began her career in early childhood education by becoming a volunteer at St. Thomas Elementary School. In June 1966, the federally funded Headstart programs were initiated in the St. Thomas community, allowing Mrs. Singleton to become an official teacher at the school. During her years as an educator, Mrs. Singleton was well known for her motherly, nurturing spirit and her love and willingness to help others. Her exceptional work as an educator granted her the opportunity to become the first appointed Center Administrator in the Hinds County Headstart System. She continued in that position until September 2004, distinguishing her as the oldest operating Center Administrator. During her tenure, she also served as the first officiating president for the district Association of Center Administrators for Hinds County Human Resource Agency (HCHRA).

Her influence in the community not only touched the children she educated, but also the parents and numerous close-knit community organizations. Her devotion to positive outreach inspired at least 20 parents of the St. Thomas community to ultimately serve as presidents of the HCHRA Policy Council. Mrs. Singleton was an integral part of the 4-H Club, which emphasized horticulture and other subject areas. The organization participated yearly in events on a state and national scale.

In order to help parents seeking a better future for themselves and their families, Mrs. Singleton used her influence as a board member for General Education Development (GED) with the Clinton Public School district by arranging class schedules held at the St. Thomas Headstart Center. She also assisted adolescents with employment opportunities through her coordinated efforts with the Neighborhood Youth Challenge.

Mrs. Singleton was instrumentally involved in various political campaigns. Her innumerable connections within the community were a tremendous asset to those seeking public office in and around Bolton, Clinton, Edwards, and Raymond, Mississippi. Her outreach efforts are also marked by her participation in the annual Christmas Cheer drive, which is geared towards delivering food items and holiday cheer to those who are homebound and elderly. She also served as president of numerous community outreach organizations, such as the Kitchen Ministry, the Neighborhood Watch, and the St. Thomas Recreation Association.

Currently, Mrs. Singleton enjoys her days spending time with her husband, Mr. Johnny Singleton, Sr., with whom she has been married to for almost 50 years, her five children: Perry, Cathedral, Johnny, Jr., Shauna, and Shantae; and her grandchildren. She is a lifelong member of the St. Thomas Missionary Baptist Church, where she serves as Sunday school teacher.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mrs. Josephine Tillman Singleton for her dedication and service as a respected educator and her commendable contributions made to early childhood education and the St. Thomas community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable public servant, Mrs. Loycie Marvine Morgan Griffin, a Leake County native.

Mrs. Griffin was a member of Jones Chapel M. B. Church where she served as choir president and advisor, president of the mission board, a nurse usher, a member of the mother's board, and a culinary ministry member. She was a Headstart teacher, a nurse, and also served many years as the Most Ancient Matron of the Heroines of Jericho.

Mrs. Griffin's survivors include: two sons, J.C. Griffin and Lois L. Griffin; seven daughters, Almyrtis Henson, Marvis Smith, Pratmus Henson, Priscilla Rogers, all of Carthage, Mississippi, Gwen Davis, Desoto, Texas, Sylvia McKinney, Lancaster, Texas, and Sherry Harris, Terry, Mississippi; five sisters: Bernice Chambers and Bettye Morgan, both of Miwaukee, WI; Verline Gaines and Winnie Millsap, both of Chicago, IL, and Dealie Widler, Carthage, Mississippi; 36 grandchildren; and 43 great-grandchildren.

Mrs. Griffin was definitely a pillar of her community by not only holding many reputable positions in her church, but by fostering positive images and reputations through helping others in her community.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the late Mrs. Loycie Marvine Griffin for her dedication to serving others.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable public servant, Mr. Luther Buckley who was born and reared in Jackson, Mississippi.

Mr. Buckley began his early education at the St. Marks Episcopal School, and completed his elementary and secondary school education at Smith Robertson Elementary School and Lanier High School.

Upon graduation from Lanier High School, Mr. Buckley enlisted in the United States Army, serving the majority of his enlistment in the European Theater of Operations. After completing his tour of duty, he returned to Jackson where he resumed his educational experiences.

Mr. Buckley received a B.S. Degree from Jackson State University and a M.A. Degree in School Administration from Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. He has also done further study at the University of Oklahoma, Atlanta University, Mississippi State University and Mississippi College.

Mr. Buckley's professional experiences began as a principal in Leflore County Schools in 1948. In 1955 he moved to the Jackson Public Schools where he served one year as principal of Brinkley Junior High School and thirty-one years as principal of Lanier High School. He retired from then Jackson Public Schools in June 1987.

Throughout Mr. Buckley's career, he has maintained many professional affiliations: a long standing member of the National Association of Secondary School Principals, Mississippi Association of Secondary School Principals and the Phi Delta Kappa Professional Education Fraternity. He has also served as Vice President of the Third District Teachers Association, and on the boards of numerous organizations such as: Mississippi High Schools Activities Association, Magnolia State High School Activities, Mississippi Secondary School Principals Association, American Red Cross, Crime Stoppers of Jackson, Jackson State University Athletic Affairs and Mississippi Retired Public Employees Association (PERS).

A highlight in Mr. Buckley's professional career was his selection as a member of the Danforth School Administrations' Fellowship program, a selection which enabled participating administrators to tour school districts of the program participants and participates in numerous out- of-state seminars.

On April 2, 1987 Mr. Buckley received the ``Spirit of Mississippi Award'' from Television Station WLBT for his educational contributions to the City of Jackson and the State of Mississippi.

Mr. Buckley is a member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Beta Alpha Chapter, and the Central United Methodist Church where he serves as a member of the Trustee Board.

Mr. Buckley has two children and six grandchildren.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mr. Luther Buckley for his dedication to serving others.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable public servant, Chaplain Margaret Ann Beale.

Chaplain Beale is the 4th out of 10 children. She was born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, but was raised in Helm, Mississippi, where she has lived all of her life. She has 3 children: Steve, Felecia and Ashley; 4 grandchildren; and, 1 great-grandchild.

She is a 1966 graduate from Briech High School in Leland, Mississippi. After high school, she worked various jobs, but it was not until 2007, when she became a librarian assistant. As of today, she is still holding this position where she has to do clerical work, organizing, stocking, hosting events, and assisting the public with their needs.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Chaplain Margaret Beale for her dedication to serving others.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable public servant, Dr. Sandra Carr Hayes.

Dr. Sandra Carr Hayes, a graduate of Tougaloo College, is the Executive Director of the Tougaloo College Health and Wellness Center and Interim Director for the Tougaloo College Institute for Bio Health and Informatics. In this capacity, Dr. Hayes works with national, state and local organizations to improve health and reduce health disparities. She also serves as the Principal Investigator of four federally funded grants and one state funded grant. Her programs reach as far as the Mississippi Delta.

Her work on health disparities has taken her to Kenya, Africa where she conducted research which resulted in the production of a book entitled, ``The State of HIV/AID/TB Co-Infections in Kenya: The Impact of Environment, Resource Management and Culture.'' Her health disparities work has also resulted in the development of a chapter featured in the book entitled ``Diabetes in Black America: Public Health and Clinical Solutions to a National Crisis.''

Over 10 years, Dr. Hayes has co-authored numerous manuscripts that have explored health disparities related to the development of infectious and chronic diseases, such as HIV/AIDS, TB, diabetes, and asthma. In addition, she serves on the editorial board of the National AHEC Organization Journal and as a peer reviewer for Health Promotion and Practice.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Dr. Sandra Carr Hayes for her dedication to serving others.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable civil servant, Mayor Torey Bell.

On March 29, 1996, Torey ran for the Office of Aldermen and was sworn in and appointed as the Vice-Mayor of the Town of Doddsville, MS on July 2, 1996. He was overwhelmingly elected on June 2, 2000, garnering nearly 90 percent of the vote. During his campaign, he pledged to help reunite the town by: focusing on cleaning up failed State's reporting; documentation; seeking a stable building for operation and town business; community beautification; gaining a collaborative approach to water and sewage; having safer streets in all neighborhoods; and restoring fiscal responsibility to city government.

Mayor Torey Bell Administration began the task of moving forward in accomplishing the Mayor's four top priorities: improving community education and awareness for all elderly and children; creating better water control procedures and policies; providing economic development opportunities for all town residents, and making sure residents feel safe in the neighborhood in which they live by ensuring that the city is fiscally sound. Mayor Bell also is focused on achieving self- sufficiency and full democracy for Town of Doddsville and taxpayers and improving their health outcomes.

A native of Sunflower County, Mayor Bell has tirelessly advocated for the residents of the Town for more than 20 years. His dedication to children and their families has been the hallmark of his service in both city government and the non-profit sector. His lifetime of public service to the Sunflower County can be best summed up by a singular governing philosophy--``that a man's heart plans his way, but God directs his footstep.''

His disciplined approach to public service was born from humble beginnings. He grew up in a single parent home and some apartment life in Sunflower, Mississippi until marriage brought James R. Haywood, Sr. in his life. Although his parents were limited to the things they could offer the family of four boys, they instilled in their sons a solid work ethic, strong community ethics and deeply rooted values. Mayor Bell attended East Sunflower Elementary and Ruleville Junior High Schools, and graduated at the age of 17 from Ruleville Central High School, where he excelled in school social relations, High School pride support and sports.

Despite his athletic talents in basketball and baseball, the Mayor chose to continue his education and service by joining the Army during the Gulf War. After returning home, Mayor Bell became an Orderly and an Ambulance Driver at the South Sunflower County Hospital. While serving the community in the medical field, he went to Mississippi Delta Community College where he graduated from the Emergency Medical Technician program. He later went to work for the Northern part of the county community by joining the North Sunflower County Hospital team, where he worked with many others as well as the Walter B Crook Nursing Facility, X-Ray Department and surgery team. He later joined the ranks of Sunflower County Sheriff Department to continue his county-wide service. Subsequently, he was accepted and admitted into the 10th District Masonic Fraternity and later, joined the Order of Eastern Stars.

Mayor Bell began his community service career with local summer baseball teams and basketball leagues. In Sunflower County, he successfully advocated for innovative policy initiatives on behalf of children with very little resources, limited positive mentoring and recreational events and chaired the initiative that lead to the uncovering of abusive administrative powers, fraudulent spending, poor child educational environment and unfair labor within the County school institution.

In 1999, Mayor Bell was appointed to serve as mentor and supporting counselor for the Collaborative Mayor's Initiative for Sunflower and Bolivar County small towns. He spearheaded the implementation of several initiatives to address the developmental needs and community awareness to help direct Mayors to productive partnerships and implement policies that would support overall growth and developments.

In his first term as Mayor, he helped lead a successful campaign to purchase and renovate a real estate office to become Doddsville first official City Hall. Within that same year, he joined others to improve water quality and replace out dated equipment to improve the water and sewage system. Later, he began another campaign to rescue nine lots seized by Mississippi Home Corp in the NR Subdivision to help build single family homes with a multipurpose community center in the Town of Doddsville.

Mayor Bell's dedication to his community and the residents inspired a successful campaign for re-election to office in 2004, with no challengers in the primary. During his second term as mayor, he collaborated with Special Committees throughout the State to help educate and bring awareness to help control and Prevent Youth Violence, and supported HIV/AIDS initiative. While working to establish this support, Mayor Bell worked to obtain enough funds through MDA to rehab all senior citizens owned homes in Doddsville to Energy efficacy homes.

Mayor Bell worked long hours to lead the community into efforts to improve the Council's operations, transparency and oversight for capacity, and was a true champion for positive quality of living for kids and senior citizens. Eventually, the Mayor worked to help improve fire protection in the community by obtaining land to construct a fire truck's house and a fire truck for the community. The Mayor's diligence resulted in those goals being met in September of 2007. Later, Mayor Bell worked with others to help gain funds to improve streets throughout the community. His love for his community allowed him to start community property clean ups, advocating for the saving of the town's post office and jobs, obtain funds to meet the state's mandates for sewage system by-waste products and is currently working to establish partnership to help residents with home purchasing, financing and credit management.

Mayor Bell has lived in the Doddsville neighborhood for more than 17 years. His wife, Lisa, is an outstanding public school accountant in the Cleveland Public Schools and currently seeking office as town Alderman for the 2013-2017 term. He has four children, Torey Bell Jr., Simeon, Nathan and Nigel. Mayor Bell is the oldest of four sons of Deloris Jean Haywood and James R. Haywood Sr. He gives credit to his success as a public servant to God first, teachings from his mother and father, support from his wife and family, a trusting and dedicated board of aldermen, Gregory Associates, Gardner Engineering, a faithful city clerk and a supportive Mentor.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mayor Torey Bell for his dedication to serving others and giving back to his community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Rev. Abraham Reed, Sr., who is a remarkable civil and public servant.

Rev. Abraham Reed, Sr. was born on December 1, 1940, the third child of 10 children. He is a Civil Rights legend in the Jefferson and Claiborne County areas. Often when the movement did a boycott of a business in one county they would follow and boycott in neighboring counties.

Rev. Reed stated that he believed that he was used during the movement because he was not scared of anything, so he was the go-to man, when it was time for standing up to the Jim Crow society in Jefferson County.

Rev. Reed remembers that the movement started in 1965, when Mr. Charles Evers, another movement leader, would come into Fayette, MS to meet at Adams Chapel United Methodist Church in a mass meeting, then march to the Courthouse where demands of the people would be made. They wanted jobs in the stores and in the county offices and to have the same rights for good books for our children in their classrooms which would create the best opportunities for good jobs and education.

Rev. Reed remembers that it was well worth the marching, and the boycotting and the mass meetings, because after long hours and days of marching, many of their demands were met, resulting in two black ladies who were hired. Mrs. Doris White was hired at the Montgomery Store in 1966 and in that same year Mrs. Jeanie Enochs was hired at Hirsch's Store and these ladies worked at the stores for many years. And with continued success in the movement, another lady, Delorise Frye was hired as a Deputy Clerk in the Chancery Clerk's Office and worked there for many years.

Rev. Reed is a bricklayer by trade. He learned this trade from an elderly white man, Claude Brown. Rev. Reed was not participating in the movement to get a job for himself but because of his concern for others.

Rev. Reed stood guard over many of the most prominent civil rights workers at night and laid bricks by day. Oftentimes, while at Mr. Fernand Allen's house, he had to protect Mr. Allen, because he was the president of the NAACP. Therefore, Rev. Reed and others kept shifts because they were determined not to lose a great leader.

Rev. Reed laid the blocks to Mr. Allen's hotel that he was building, but when the MS Southern Bank at Port Gibson found out that Mr. Allen was active in the NAACP movement, the bank withdrew financing of $20,000.00 and the bank gave him 6 weeks to pay it back. Rev. Reed along with others participated in an emergency mass meeting and financial rally; and raised $19,000.00 to cover this debt.

Rev. Reed often stood guard over other leaders of the NAACP as well as continued his trade of laying blocks all day. Often he picked up some worker's before they went on a job and the white folk came and enticed them to go to work with them, another bricklayer, would come by and try and get them to go to his job so that they would not get the building, that Rev. Reed was working on completed.

Rev. Reed enjoyed his work with the civil rights movement which was important work to him. He registered to vote in 1966 and assisted other blacks to register to vote. While doing this, others had to be called to assist in helping to register blacks because blacks were prevented from voting because they did not know how to fill out the forms or simply because of being black. But when help came, blacks were allowed to register and hundreds of blacks registered to vote.

Rev. Reed participated in registration drives and felt very proud when in 1969, a slate of black candidates ran for office in the City of Fayette and everyone that ran won.

Rev. Reed remembers the dangerous times during those years when blacks had to watch out for self and for others, yet he is proud to have been an active part of the movement.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Rev. Abraham Reed, Sr. for his dedication to serving others and giving back to the African American community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Clarence Scutter, who is a remarkable civil and public servant.

Mr. Clarence Scutter is a lifetime resident of Port Gibson, MS. Having been raised in a single parent home by his mother, Georgia Scutter and grandmother, Alice Scutter, he is the eldest of three siblings.

Mr. Scutter graduated from Addison High School in 1962 and attended Alcorn State University. His goal of becoming a doctor was cut short by the death of his mother and later his grandmother. He was left with the responsibility of taking care of his younger sister and brother.

After his siblings reached adulthood, Mr. Scutter began his career: He served in the United States Army Reserve; he was Scoutmaster for a local boy scout troop; he was instrumental in helping to establish the first nutrition sites for the elderly in Claiborne County; he served as Chairman of the Claiborne County Committee on Aging; he was appointed to the Mississippi Council on Aging by Governor William Winter in 1981; he has served as President of the Richardson PTA and the Claiborne County PTA; and he served a number of years on the State PTA Board.

Mr. Scutter also has a compassion for sports; he served as an official with the Mississippi High School Activities Association, where he officiated football and basketball on the Junior High and High School levels; and with the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) where he officiated college basketball.

In 2004, Mr. Scutter was instrumental in applying for and being awarded a grant from the Association of Black Cardiology to promote healthcare awareness in Claiborne County and the surrounding areas. This grant introduced the ``CHOICES'' program to the community. It brought together four (4) local churches within the community with over 50 local residents who received training and became a Certified Health Promotion Specialists, volunteering to travel throughout the community providing health screenings for blood glucose, blood pressure, cholesterol and body mass index free of charge.

Mr. Scutter was employed with the United States Postal Service for 35 years, when he retired in 1999. He has served as County Coordinator for Congressman Bennie Thompson for a number of years. Upon retirement he took on more challenges to impact his community. He is currently active in a variety of civic and cultural organizations including: MS Regional Housing Authority VI where he is a Commissioner for Claiborne County; Claiborne County Branch of the NAACP; Claiborne County PTSA; Citizens for Better Government Consulting Group; Claiborne County Retired Personnel Association and CEO for the Rural Community Development Corporation. His most prestigious award came in 1999 where he received the Outstanding Leadership Award from President Bill Clinton. He is currently an Alderman for the City of Port Gibson. He recently received the Community Service Award from the Alcorn State University Alumni Chapter.

Mr. Scutter is a member of the Christian Chapel Church in Port Gibson, MS where he serves as an Elder, Sunday School Teacher and Board Member.

Mr. Scutter is married to Bobbie ``Doss'' Scutter and they have 4 children and 8 grandchildren.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mr. Clarence Scutter for his dedication to serving others and giving back to the African American community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable public servant, Ms. M. (Mildred) Juanita Scott.

Ms. Scott is the 6th child of 9 to William Scott and Mattie L. Taylor Scott Pace. She was born, raised and currently lives in Sunflower County, Mississippi.

Ms. Scott received her early education at First Church/School Kinlock, under the leadership of Mr. and Mrs. Ratcliff and later attended Sunflower County Baptist Association School under the leadership of Mr. N. A. Brantley, later named Carver Elementary School. She left Carver School in the 7th and graduated from the 8th grade at Magnolia Elementary, in Memphis, Tennessee, under the guidance of Mrs. Harry Mae Simon; attended Booker T. Washington High School, in Memphis, Tennessee, and graduated June 1958 with honors, under the guidance of Blair T. Hunt; attended Coahoma Jr. College and received an AA Degree in Library Science, with honors; she furthered her education at Delta State University, in Cleveland, Mississippi; and earned a special training certificate at Southern University, in Early Childhood Education, in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

Ms. Scott is one of the first pioneers of Child Development Group of Mississippi (CDGM), in Sunflower County and helped type the proposal for the Association Community of Sunflower County under the Directorship of Mrs. Cora Flemings and Mr. Frank Glover.

Ms. Scott worked with Fannie Lou Hamer helping people to vote in Sunflower County. She also served on the Bi-Racial Committee helping to integrate schools in Indianola. Her home was one of several homes who housed individual Freedom Workers who lived in Indianola. Moreover, Ms. Scott helped to boycott Indianola under the leadership of Willie Spurlock to see that blacks could be hired in banks, department stores and public facilities as cashiers in Indianola. She ended up being jailed because at that time, blacks could not use public library facilities. Authorities removed tables and chairs so blacks could not sit down at the Seymour Henry M. Library Facility.

Ms. Scott is a member of Bethlehem #2 Missionary Baptist Church, where she currently serves as church secretary/treasurer and Sunday school teacher. She is involved in many other activities/organizations like: being the secretary of the Sunflower County chapter of the NAACP; serving as the first black woman chairperson for Sunflower County Democratic Executive Committee; coordinated President Barack Obama's campaign literature for Sunflower County in 2008 and 2012; served as den mother for over 32 cub scouts, from 1970 to 1985; she is pictured with an article in the book ``Life and Death in the Delta'' by Kim Lacy Rogers; she is a pioneer Civil Rights Worker in her town, county, and state; is presently employed part-time with the Bolivar County Community Action Agency; and worked 46 years as Administrative Assistant/Finance Department with this agency.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Ms. M. Juanita Scott for her dedication to serving others and giving back to the African American community.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable public servant, Mrs. Cathy Kimbrough.

Mrs. Kimbrough has served adults and children in numerous capacities. Some of the service areas include: reading instructor, while in Germany; General College reading instructor at Alcorn State University; and self-contained and inclusion teacher in the Attala County School District.

Mrs. Kimbrough has served her community as local president of the Attala County Association of Educators and has also served on the Board of Directors for the Boys' and Girls' Club in Kosciusko/Attala County.

Mrs. Kimbrough is a member of the following organizations: Order of the Eastern Star, National Council of Negro Women, and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. She is also a member of Pleasant Hill M.B. Church, pastured by Rev. Osie C. Grays.

Mrs. Kimbrough earned her bachelor's and master's degrees from Jackson State University. She was a member of the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society and the Alpha Beta Alpha Library Science Fraternity.

Mrs. Kimbrough is married to Mr. Henry Kimbrough and has four children: Jerry Jr. (Erica), Essence Crystal (Theodore), Sonja Merrie', and Joyanne' Faith; six grandchildren--Deontrez Jerrick, Jersia, Kamiah, Kayla and Shytianna. She enjoys creating song lyrics, writing poetry, reading and fishing.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mrs. Cathy Kimbrough for her dedication to serving others in Attala County.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a decent and authentic woman, Ms. Margaret Hillman-Bryant. Ms. Bryant has shown what can be done through dedication and a desire to serve others.

Ms. Margaret Hillman-Bryant is a lifelong resident of Yazoo City, Mississippi. She was born April 19, 1960 to Cethel Maples and Eddie Hillman Jr. She graduated from Yazoo City High School in 1978. After high school she attended Holmes Jr. Community College from 1978-1980.

Ms. Hillman-Bryant is the mother of three children: Nikini, Clifton and Yolanda and she is raising four of her grand children: De'Onne, Maia, Wanya and Yakaria.

Ms. Hillman-Bryant has worked for the State of Mississippi for almost twenty years. Currently, she is employed with the Mississippi Department of Human Services. Before going to work for the MS Department of Human Services she worked at the MS Department of Public Safety from November 1993 to February 2006.

Ms. Hillman-Bryant is also a member of New Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church where she serves as assistant to the youth department, program guide assistant and church secretary.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Mrs. Margaret Hillman-Bryant for her dedication to serving others

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a remarkable civil servant, Mr. Darrin D. Allen.

Mr. Allen started his career in law enforcement with the Belzoni Police Department in 1997 under the administration of former Police Chief, Steve Bingham. He attended the Mississippi Delta Community College (MDCC) Law Enforcement Training Academy in Moorhead, Mississippi, in 1998. Upon completion, he worked for five years with the City of Belzoni.

In 2003, Mr. Allen moved to Clarksdale, Mississippi, and assumed a position as patrolman/SWAT with the City of Clarksdale. In 2005, he returned to Humphreys County and was employed with the Humphreys County Sheriffs Department under the administration of former Sheriff, Wayne Holloway.

In 2008, Deputy Darrin Allen was promoted to Captain under the leadership of the current Sheriff, J.D. ``Bubba'' Roseman. Captain Allen has received numerous awards to include, ``Officer of the Year'' in 2009, for heroism during a fatal domestic confrontation in which his quick action saved the life of another upon apprehending the suspect.

Captain Allen also serves as a member of the Force Protection Unit under the direction of the Mississippi Office of Homeland Security and Special Response Team (SRT) with the North Central Narcotic Task Force. His official capacity as Captain is comprised of many responsibilities including but not limited to: performing second-level management to direct, assign and supervise subordinate officers and personnel; having the authority to give oral and written reprimands to its officers and personnel; providing assistance to the Chief Deputy in the formulation of policies and goals for the Sheriffs Department; evaluating the performance of subordinate officers/personnel and recommending appropriate action to the Chief Deputy; attends and/or conducts staff meetings along with in-house training sessions; and Supervise the development of the Departmental training program.

Captain Allen is definitely a man with a lot of heart. He shows a great deal of passion for the department and the community he works for. He is very modest when it comes to achieving merits for a profession that can be extremely demanding. Captain Allen has molded himself with the four D's: drive, determination, discipline and dedication. All of which are required in an occupation that can go from harmless to hurtful in a matter of seconds.

Captain Allen is dedicated to a job that requires him to put his life on the line daily for the citizens of our community. His family at the Humphreys County Sheriffs Department likes to call him their HERO, not for his bravery or heroics shown during the February 6, 2009 shocking incident involving the fatal death of one home-health nurse and the saving of a life of another nurse, but because of his Humane and Eminent Rationalization of Observation that took place to obscure a perpetually dangerous situation.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Captain Darrin D. Allen for his dedication to serving others and giving back to his community.