Verona friends gathered for fellowship, food and laughter recently at the home of Charlene Hill. Peggy Haire provided tacos and Mexican soup. These shut-ins have stayed in due to COVID-19 and other health reasons, but they enjoyed their meal together.

85th birthday

Jean Lucille Scales Shumpert celebrated her 85th birthday on March 25, 2022, with a sit-down dinner at Mr. Tony's with family, friends and gifts galore.

The matriarch of her family, Shumpert was born in Pontotoc. At the age of 15, she married James Shumpert, Sr. Several years later, they moved to Chicago, where they started their family lived for 25 years before moving home to Mississippi.

The Shumperts had seven children, 17 grandchildren and 63 great-grandchildren. Shumpert is an author, business owner, member of the NC and W and a faithful member of the Backland M.B. Church.

She is currently working on a book and a song that she hopes her grandson Pattiman can produce one day.

Patterson scholarship

On Jan. 13, 2022, Verona's assistant police chief, Johnny Patterson, was injured while directing traffic in front of Shannon Primary School, where he was a school resource officer. On Jan. 21, Patterson gave the ultimate sacrifice and died from his injuries.

On March 22, the Verona Police Department started the Johnny Patterson Training Scholarship. This scholarship will help pay for any officer in Lee County to get the proper training and protection offered to law enforcement officers.

To donate, make checks payable to Johnny Patterson Training Scholarship and mail them to Verona City Hall, P.O. Box 2363 Verona, MS 38879.

Renika Franks is currently filling the vacant assistant police chief position.