UNION COUNTY

Swine flu found in Union County

- Swine flu has made its way to Northeast Mississippi.

On Wednesday, the Mississippi State Department of Health reported a case of swine flu had been confirmed in a young adult male in Union County. His health status was not available on Thursday afternoon.

As of Thursday, Mississippi had 20 confirmed cases of the new H1N1 flu virus and no deaths. The Union County case is the first reported outside the Mississippi Gulf Coast and Hattiesburg areas.

The official Centers of Disease Control count - updated Wednesday - reported nearly 8,000 swine flu cases with 11 deaths. To date, it has behaved like a mild, seasonal flu.

COPIAH COUNTY

South Pontotoc senior gets Boys State post

- WESSON - Corey Sewell of South Pontotoc High School has served this week as commissioner of agriculture at the Mississippi Department of American Legion Boys State.

Sewell is among 300 rising high school seniors and student leaders taking part in the week-long statewide program, which ends today.

As part of their training on state and local government, the students are elected to positions that mirror state offices.

They are meting at the Copiah-Lincoln Community College campus in Wesson.



LEE COUNTY

Bar owners cited for selling alcohol to minors

- TUPELO - Three clubs were cited for selling alcohol to minors last weekend.

Club Miami at 701 South Gloster St. was cited for possession of beer with intent to sell without a permit, Bottom Line Club at 775 Senter St. was charged with sale of beer to a minor, and Main Street Bar and Grill at 124 West Main St. was charged with sale of an alcoholic beverage to a minor and the sale of beer to a minor.

Bar owners will face regulatory charges that could result in fines, suspensions or revocation of privileges to sell beer and alcohol.

The Alcohol and Beverage Control and the Tupelo Police Department carried out the investigations.

JEFFERSON COUNTY

Alcorn University eliminates jobs

- LORMAN - Alcorn State University has eliminated 60 positions, including faculty whose contracts were not renewed for the 2009-10 school year.

Alcorn State spokesman Stephen McDaniel says faculty and staff were cut from the Lorman, Natchez and Vicksburg campuses. He did not say how many faculty positions were eliminated Wednesday.

McDaniel says financial cuts on the state level contributed to the school's actions and more cuts may be announced soon.