New year begins with swearing in of county officials

Joshua Underwood (far left), 34th Judicial Circuit judge, presided over a swearing-in ceremony for the New Madrid County Sheriff’s Department on Jan. 2. Pictured from left are full and part-time members of the Department: Ronnie Adams, Anthony Roberts, Rick Rapert, Sgt. Charles Youngblood, Lt. B.J. Phillips, Rodger Seal, Sheriff Joey Higgerson, Chief Deputy Jimmy Alsup, Brandon Hanner, Armondo Thatch, Jim Darter, Rick Colbert, Sgt. John Dubois and Jackie Hayes. Full-time deputies not pictured are: Sgt. Nick Pratte, Lakesha Miller, Kelsey Dial, Zach Albright, Tyler Hollingshead and Ron Haas.

Early Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, New Madrid County officials, who won electtion in November 2024, took their oaths of office from New Madrid County Clerk Amy Brown. Pictured from left are: County Assessor Jacob Johnson, Second District Commissioner Michael Kellams, Public Administrator Paula Scobey; Circuit Judge Joshua Underwood and Coroner George DeLisle.

First District Commissioner Bobby Aycock, who took his oath of office on Dec. 31 from Underwood.

Higgerson also was sworn in as the county’s new sheriff on Dec. 31 to enable him to be on call for any emergencies over the New Year’s holiday.