SUSAN MONTGOMERY | The Greenwood Commonwealth

Author Email

smontgomery@gwcommonwealth.com

Author Role

Staff Writer

Leflore County Sheriff James Payne Sr. speaks with Kevin Matthews, a former Leflore County employee, who appeared before the Board of Supervisors Monday to address issues of concern to citizens of the county. District 1 Supervisor Sam Abraham is behind them. Eventually, Matthews was escorted from the room. (By Susan Montgomery, Copyright 2024 Emmerich Newspapers, Inc.)

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Order on Gary sparks debate
By SUSAN MONTGOMERY - Staff Writer
Wed,02/28/24-2:00AM , 4946 Reads
Forty-three minutes into a meeting of the Leflore County Board of Supervisors on Monday, a former county employee spoke to the board about issues in the county that are causing consternation among its citizens.
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The Leflore County Justice Center, which houses Justice Court and the Sheriff’s Department, has been renamed to honor recently retired Sheriff Ricky Banks. From the left are District 3 Leflore County Supervisor Anjuan Brown, Banks, District 5 Supervisor and Board President Robert Collins, and Sheriff James Payne Sr., who began his first term in January. The center is on Baldwin Road. (By Susan Montgomery, Copyright 2024 Emmerich Newspapers, Inc.)

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Justice center named for Banks
By SUSAN MONTGOMERY - Staff Writer
Sat,02/24/24-2:00AM , 2618 Reads
Nothing gets past Ricky Banks, not even the supposedly secret installation of a sign renaming the Leflore County Justice Center in his honor.
Banks, who retired late last year after having served 43 years as sheriff, said he had been told that center’s name would be amended and then learned that the sign was being erected Thursday.
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Wayne Self

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District 4 special election ordered
By SUSAN MONTGOMERY - Staff Writer
Fri,02/23/24-2:36PM , 3092 Reads
Another special election — this one for the seat of Leflore County District 4 supervisor — has been ordered by specially appointed Judge Jess Dickinson.
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Members of the Commonwealth staff peruse the newspaper’s 2024 Profile, which is inside Thursday’s edition. From the left are advertising representatives Cleo Ferguson and Chad Hobson with Jerri Lynn Fountain of the business office. The theme is “Moving Forward,” which is reflected in the edition’s 88 pages of articles, photos and advertisements. (By Susan Montgomery, Copyright 2024 Emmerich Newspapers, Inc.)

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Profile edition celebrates ‘Moving Forward’
By SUSAN MONTGOMERY - Staff Writer
Thu,02/22/24-2:00AM , 1629 Reads
If you open the 38th annual Profile edition in Thursday’s Commonwealth and start flipping through pages, be sure to stop on Page 6.
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Wednesday, February 25, 2026

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