[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 208 (Wednesday, December 9, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H7102-H7104]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    RECOGNIZING MISSISSIPPI'S LINEMEN AND POWER COMPANIES FOLLOWING 
                             HURRICANE ZETA

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of 
January 3, 2019, the Chair recognizes the gentleman from Mississippi 
(Mr. Palazzo) for 30 minutes.
  Mr. PALAZZO. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in recognition of the linemen 
of Mississippi.
  Following the recent Hurricane Zeta, almost 100,000 homes in our area 
were left without power due to the heavy rains and winds.
  Nearly 1,000 of Mississippi's linemen jumped to action to serve their 
neighbors during our time of need. These storm teams are expertly 
trained and well-equipped to reinstate normalcy following a storm, and 
I am proud to acknowledge their work here today.
  As one of America's most dangerous jobs, these individuals go to work 
knowing they serve a critical cause providing the power that empowers 
our daily lives.
  So when you make a call to a loved one, use hot water, turn on an 
air-conditioner, or stay up to date on the news, remember the brave 
linemen who make these services possible.
  Mr. Speaker, I also want to take a moment to thank Mississippi Power, 
Coast Electric Power Association, Singing River Electric Power Company, 
Pearl River Valley Electric Company, Dixie Electric Power Association, 
and the many other workers within Mississippi and from out of State who 
banded together to restore power back to our area.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in expressing our 
gratitude to these unsung heroes. Without them, our future would be a 
lot less bright.

[[Page H7103]]

  



Recognizing the Mississippi 1A State Champion Football Team, Lumberton 
                              High School

  Mr. PALAZZO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of a high 
school football team within the Fourth District of Mississippi that now 
can claim the prestigious title of State Champions.
  The Lumberton Panthers defeated Biggersville High School, 20-14, at 
Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium.
  This is the Panthers' fifth State title in school history and the 
first State title for head coach Zach Jones.
  Their win was secured with just 24 seconds left of play and a tied 
scoreboard after senior receiver K'nylan Willis carried a touchdown 
pass from a junior quarterback named Rodney Parker.
  The Panthers were 12-1 this season, a record to be proud of.
  2020 has brought many challenges to our Nation and has not left our 
students and sports teams untouched.
  In my opinion, there are few things better than a community coming 
together to celebrate the resilience and strength of young athletes.
  Congratulations again to Lumberton High School, all of their players, 
coaches, staff, and many supporters. This will truly be a football 
season to remember.


Recognizing the Mississippi 5A State Champion Football Team, West Jones 
                              High School

  Mr. PALAZZO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of a high 
school football team within the Fourth District of Mississippi that now 
can claim the prestigious title of State Champions.
  The West Jones Mustangs defeated West Point High School, 33-27, at 
Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium.
  This is the Mustangs' first State title in school history and for 
head coach Scott Pierson, a 27-year coaching veteran.
  The Mustangs were behind with 50 seconds to go when senior 
quarterback, Alan Follis, rushed 63 yards for the touchdown.
  West Jones' season concluded with a 13-2 record, showing that, even 
in times of adversity, victory is possible.
  Seeing a group of young athletes come together to rise above the 
challenges they face and a community circle around them is very 
special, especially in a year like 2020.
  Congratulations again to West Jones High School, all of their 
players, coaches, staff, and many supporters. I am sure this will be a 
season they never forget.

                              {time}  1845


        Recognizing Oak Grove High School on State Championship

  Mr. PALAZZO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of a high 
school football team within the Fourth District of Mississippi that now 
can claim the prestigious title of State champions.
  The Oak Grove Warriors, led by Head Coach Drew Causey, defeated 
Oxford High School, 29-28, at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium. 
This is the Warriors' second State title in school history.
  The Warriors were 1 point behind with 7.1 seconds to go after a 
touchdown when junior quarterback Kabe Barnett made the split-second 
decision not to kick the extra point to take the game into overtime 
and, instead, rushed 10 yards for a 2-point conversion to win the game.
  Oak Grove Warriors' season concluded with a 13-0 record, a perfect 
season even in the midst of so much uncertainty in the world.
  These young athletes have risen above all the chaos that 2020 and the 
COVID-19 pandemic has brought. They have shown great strength and 
leadership and brought a community together in a divided time.
  Congratulations again to Oak Grove High School, all of their players, 
coaches, staff, and many supporters. 2020 will truly be a season to 
remember.


  Honoring 2020 Blue Ribbon Schools in Fourth District of Mississippi

  Mr. PALAZZO. Mr. Speaker, I rise in recognition today of two 
Mississippi elementary schools that were awarded the 2020 National Blue 
Ribbon Schools award. This prestigious award is given in acknowledgment 
of overall progress and closing achievement gaps and/or being among the 
State's highest performing schools.
  The first school was Popp's Ferry Elementary School, located in 
Biloxi, Mississippi. Popp's Ferry is a title I school for kindergarten 
through third grade, serving 500 students.
  I want to congratulate the principal at the time of the nomination, 
Dr. Todd Boucher; the current principal, Dr. Vivian Malone; Biloxi 
Public Schools Superintendent Marcus Boudreaux; as well as all members 
of the Popp's Ferry faculty and staff.
  The second school is D'Iberville Elementary School in D'Iberville, 
Mississippi. D'Iberville Elementary is a title I school for 
kindergarten through fourth grade, serving more than 700 students. This 
is their second Blue Ribbon Schools award, having previously been 
honored in 2009.
  I want to congratulate Principal Cindy Dusang, Harrison County 
Schools Superintendent Roy Gill, and all D'Iberville Elementary faculty 
and staff members.
  It is an honor that two of the four Mississippi schools awarded the 
National Blue Ribbon Schools award call the Fourth District of 
Mississippi home.
  Mississippi is fortunate to have schools and educators dedicated to 
preparing the next generation. So congratulations again to Popp's Ferry 
and D'Iberville elementary schools on this incredible achievement.


                Recognizing the Career of Rupert H. Lacy

  Mr. PALAZZO. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to recognize a true leader of 
Mississippi for his outstanding career of service, Mr. Rupert H. Lacy.
  Mr. Lacy has served as the director of emergency management, homeland 
security, and e-911 for Harrison County, Mississippi, for 13 years.
  He was appointed director in December 2007 and has been responsible 
for a wide range of public safety activities, including emergency 
planning, hazard mitigation, emergency communications disaster 
response, and recovery for Mississippi's second most populous county, 
comprised of five cities and more than 200,000 residents.
  A native Mississippian, Mr. Lacy was touched by disasters growing up 
and saw the chaos they could cause firsthand.
  In the late 1970s, he started as a volunteer firefighter but has 
served in many capacities since then, including deputy director of 
Harrison County Emergency Management, warden of Leake County 
Correctional Facility, captain of support services for Harrison County 
Sheriff's Department, and training officer for Harrison County 
Sheriff's Department.
  An expert in all-hazards comprehensive emergency management, Mr. Lacy 
has been a leader on several high-profile incident management teams and 
delegations.
  During Hurricane Katrina in 2005, he served as logistics section 
chief. From 2008 until 2020, Mr. Lacy served as co-chairman of the 
National Hurricane Conference's response committee, helping scores of 
coastal communities share their best practices and lessons learned.
  He is detail-oriented, organized, and prioritizes safety above all, 
which is precisely the type of person you want running point during 
hurricane season or an unprecedented pandemic.
  Mr. Lacy was mentored by the late former Harrison County Emergency 
Services director, Wade Guice, and has since continued this tradition 
of mentorship with his coworkers and all who come in contact with him.
  When asked about Mr. Lacy, many of his coworkers responded that he is 
a strong father figure in their lives and has taught them so much 
through his positive example.
  After many years of faithful and distinguished service, Mr. Lacy 
retired as EMA director on December 1, 2020.
  A resident of Saucier, Mississippi, he is married to Ivy Lacy and is 
the proud father and grandfather of three children, four grandchildren, 
and three great-grandchildren, who all certainly enjoy the extra time 
with him.
  We thank his family for being so understanding of his long hours 
spent serving others. Over the door in his office, Mr. Lacy kept a 
plaque that said: ``Remembering the past and working in the present to 
protect the future of Harrison County.''

  It is safe to say he lived this creed well. Mr. Lacy's length and 
breadth of experience in public safety are to be applauded.

[[Page H7104]]

  I know many join me in wishing him a happy and restful retirement. It 
is my honor and privilege to recognize the remarkable career of Mr. 
Rupert H. Lacy.


    Honoring the Life and Legacy of Staff Sergeant Robert E. Carter

  Mr. PALAZZO. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to recognize the legacy and 
the outstanding life of service of Purple Heart recipient Staff 
Sergeant Robert E. Carter.
  He was born September 2, 1986, in San Luis Obispo, California, to 
Rick and Linda Carter. Staff Sergeant Carter attended Rio Vista High 
School and San Joaquin Delta College as a firefighter for a degree in 
fire science. He was also in the process of completing his bachelor of 
science in public health at The University of Southern Mississippi in 
Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
  Staff Sergeant Carter joined the United States Army on April 25, 
2007, and attended training at Fort Benning, Georgia, where he 
graduated as an 11 Bravo Infantryman.
  Staff Sergeant Carter's first deployment was in 2007 to Baghdad under 
the Dagger Brigade in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
  His second deployment was from November 2008 to November 2009 for 
Operation Iraqi Freedom as a rifle team leader and platoon designated 
marksman in charge of Small Denial Team's counteroffensive for IEDs. It 
was during this deployment on April 5, 2009, that he sustained injuries 
from an IED explosion while conducting dismounted clearance of a 
hostile village in Balad Ruz, Iraq.
  His final deployment was in July 2011 to Afghanistan in support of 
Operation Enduring Freedom. During this deployment, he created and 
implemented the Afghanistan National Army's sniper course.
  His last assignment before retirement was to serve as a sniper-
observer course trainer.
  A few of Staff Sergeant Carter's awards and decorations included: 
Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Valorous 
Unit Award, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, 
Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, NATO 
Medal, Expert Infantryman Badge, and Combat Infantryman Badge.
  He earned each of these accolades and will be remembered for his 
unwavering service to his country.
  Staff Sergeant Carter was laid to rest on October 19, 2020, at the 
Sacramento Valley National Cemetery.
  He is survived by his fiancee, Erica Farmer. Staff Sergeant Carter 
was a beloved son, brother, and friend to all who knew him.
  He accomplished more in just his 34 years on this Earth than most do 
in a lifetime. I had the pleasure of meeting with and presenting Staff 
Sergeant Carter with his Purple Heart award on January 24, 2020.
  He was a true American hero, motivated by the love of his fellow man. 
We are all indebted to the sacrifices he made through his unwavering 
commitment to boldly defending our country.
  It is an honor to recognize Staff Sergeant Robert E. Carter's life 
and legacy of service.


                 Honoring the Works of Cannie Lee Cody

  Mr. PALAZZO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the outstanding 
career of service of Mr. Cannie Lee Cody.
  Mr. Cody hails from Jacksonville, Florida, and volunteered at 18 
years old to serve his country in the United States Coast Guard.
  After a few years, he decided to follow the path to become a 
detective. At the age of 29, Mr. Cody graduated as valedictorian from 
the Duval County Patrol Academy. He served as a highway patrolman for 5 
years, eventually reaching the rank of detective sergeant at the Duval 
County Sheriff's Office.
  In the 1960s, riots began to break out in Jacksonville, Florida. One 
riot occurred on March 23, 1964, and on that evening, Mrs. Johnnie Mae 
Chappell, a mother of 10, was shot and killed. Mrs. Chappell had 
returned home by bus and then walked to a local store. Upon arriving 
home, she realized she had left her wallet and went to look for it 
along the highway.
  According to witnesses, a dark sedan slowed down and a shot was fired 
from the vehicle, which killed Mrs. Chappell. The case was left open 
and unsolved.
  Five months later, Mr. Cody and his partner encountered a young man 
who they suspected was involved in the murder. This encounter led them 
to three other assailants who also confessed to Mrs. Chappell's murder.
  By this time, they had tracked down the murder weapon and enough 
evidence to close the case. They gave the uncovered information to the 
chief of police, but sadly, they were removed from the case and lost 
their jobs a year later.
  Mr. Cody had spent the following decades trying to get justice for 
Mrs. Chappell and her family. For years, he sought vindication and to 
expose the corruption of the officials involved.
  Mr. Cody went on to write a book called ``The 14th Denial: A Civil 
Rights Memoir,'' which inspired the movie ``Wanted Justice: Johnnie Mae 
Chappell.'' Both the book and movie are thought-provoking and share an 
incredibly important story.
  For his service, Mr. Cody is being honored by the Department of 
Veterans Affairs for his dedication to our country and the civil rights 
movement.
  Mr. Cody has spent his life fighting for what is right and serving 
others. It is an honor to recognize the heroic career of service of Mr. 
Cannie Lee Cody.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

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