From the Publisher
14
ow that smartphones have become ubiquitous, it seems everyone is — or at least can be — a photographer. We live in amazing times when we have the ability to put a device capable of capturing still photos and videos in our pockets, keeping it with us like car keys. More people are taking more photos these days, so it was about time we had a contest inviting amateur shutterbugs to take their best shot. The responses showed that we have a lot of talented and creative people in our midst, and we are happy to showcase those talents in this issue of Pulse magazine, in glossy print. This issue is devoted to photography. In it, we keep up with eye doctor by day and sports photographer by night Chuck Barnes. We follow another photographer, Elise Parker, and her husband Pat along their journey to Mount Kilimanjaro. And we take a look back at the Pike County Azalea Festival. Photography is an amazing art form. It allows us to capture a split second of time and make it a permanent representation of life as we see it. Or in this case, as you see it.
N
He shoots, he scores
McComb eye doctor stays focused on photography
In this issue:
Your best shot
Quite a climb Pike County couple tackles Mount Kilimanjaro, dreams of a life of full-time adventure
6
Big leaguer McComb native, MLB veteran Corey Dickerson joins the Pirates
Staff
38 Some of our favorite entries from our photo contest
18
Publisher - Jack Ryan Editor - Matt Williamson Advertising Manager - Vicky Deere Advertising sales-
LeWair Foreman, Debra Moore, Jennifer Price & Sheila Wallace.
pulse is a publication of J.O. Emmerich & Associates Inc. and is produced in association with the Enterprise-Journal, 112 Oliver Emmerich Dr., McComb, Mississippi. For more copies or advertising information, call 601-6842421, write P.O. Box 2009, McComb, MS 39649 or e-mail advertising@enterprise-journal.com.
Historic dining
The Porter’s House serves up fine food while dishing out overlooked railroad history.
42
Volume 10, Issue 4
On the cover: Ashley Lea captures her daugher, Jessa, in the mailbox, making it our Grand Prize winner in our Photo Contest.
4
pulse
2018 Spring Issue
The Roaming Parkers
Guide Washingtone leads Pat and Elise Parker up a trail on Mount Kilimanjaro after a rough morning of snow and sleet.
6
pulse
2018 Spring Issue
Magnolia family craves life of adventure
2018 Spring Issue
pulse
7
Couple plans toward full-time travels Story by Ernest Herndon Ph otos by Elise Parker dventures are afoot in the Parker household. Ellen, 11, cradles a baby rabbit the cat brought up. It appears dazed but uninjured. No problem. The family is used to caring for critters. The dining room already houses pens for Easter chicks and an African chameleon. A pair of stray beagles recently showed up out back as well. “Welcome to our home school, where any day we could have possums or armadillos,” says mother and home-school teacher Elise Parker, 43, going on to describe visits by frogs, snapping turtles and a nutria rat. Kids and critters are just part of the fun at Pat and Elise’s home in Magnolia. Recently returned from Africa, they welcome a visitor with a cup of Africafe’ instant coffee and trail mix from their January trek on Mount Kilimanjaro. Pat’s boots are still muddy from a weekend Boy Scout hike to Topisaw Creek (he’s Scoutmaster for Troop 124). And he and Elise are planning a trip to Mount St. Helens, Wash., this summer, among many other excursions. Adventures big and small, far and near are part of the fabric of life for the “Roaming Parkers,” as Pat and Elise call themselves. They even have a Facebook page and website by that name. But they don’t plan to stop
A
8
pulse
2018 Spring Issue
Above, Pat and Elise Parker pose for a photo at a guide post along a trail at Mount Kilimanjaro. At right, the Boy Scout troop they lead crosses a suspension bridge. with occasional trips. In a few years they hope to embark on what they call “Chapter 2” — a full-time life of adventure on the road. n n n Elise started out on a life of adventure early on. Born in South Carolina and raised in Magnolia, she and her mom hosted exchange students in their home throughout high school, and Elise traveled Europe on study-abroad programs. After graduating from Millsaps, she lived in Namibia, Africa, working with the Peace Corps.
continue d on page 10
Elise got to go on a photo safari during the couple’s time in Africa. She was getting ready to go to Canada to interview for a job in Japan when she met Pat. They married and lived in Starkville, where he was on the faculty at Mississippi State University. They returned to his hometown of McComb when he was offered a job at the thennew Cardiovascular Institute of Mississippi, where he serves as program director for cardio-pulmonary rehab. They have five children: Whit, Knox, Quin, Ellen and Cady. “I have a fabulous education,” says Elise. “I have traveled and lived on three continents. I have birthed, raised and mostly educated five kids.” Pat, 49, got a late start on adventure. As a kid he wanted to be an “explorer-writer,” but when it came time to go to college he
10
pulse
took his elders’ advice and went into fields where he would be more likely to get a job — earning a B.S. in computer science, master’s in exercise physiology and Ph.D in healthcare administration. It was only after son Whit enrolled in the Boy Scouts that Pat’s adventurous spirit emerged. “I had completely forgotten what I wanted to be. It took scouting to get me out of that,” he says. Scouting re-awakened Elise’s adventurous spirit as well. After her time in Namibia she declared she’d had enough camping, but tagging along on Scout trips she threw caution to the winds and went all in.
2018 Spring Issue
n n n Their love for adventure snowballed. Pat hankered for something bigger — namely Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak on the African continent. “It’s always been the thing I wanted to do,” he confesses, citing inspiration by Ernest Hemingway’s “Snows of Kilimanjaro,” Michael Crichton’s “Travels,” and a college course that dealt with high-altitude, low-oxygen environments. “It had always been so far beyond the realm of possibility that it was a goal like colonizing Mars,” Pat says. “And Elise had always wanted to take me back to Africa to see what she had experienced, so she said, ‘Why don’t we do both?’ ” He planned meticulously, researching everything from the
Tour Guide Washingtone, right, chats with local Chagga merchants in the market. Chagga tribe that lives on Kili“It took 18 months to really manjaro to what outfitter to go get ready,” Parker says. with and what equipment to take. “We did a bunch of training
on the treadmill and elliptical and everything.”
continue d on page 12
2018 Spring Issue
pulse
11
They went this past January. The flight itself was an adventure — snowbound in New York, marathon waits at the airport, lost luggage, misplaced passport. They made it to Tanzania but started the hike behind schedule using borrowed equipment. All of which paled beside Mount Kilimanjaro. “It’s like straight up, and I had a panic attack,” Elise says, recalling her first sight of the mountain. “Never had a panic attack in my life.” “There’s something about the mountain,” Pat says. “It messes with everybody’s mind.” Their African guides taught them Swahili words for “go slow” and “don’t worry about it” — good advice for a trek that turned out to be harder than they had envisioned.
12
pulse
By the fifth day they were wiped out. “I declared it to be a sabbatical because we had been caught in a snowstorm and we had to come down a very treacherous valley where we couldn’t see,” Elise says. “Our knees were shot. It had been like an 18-hour day.” With conditions promising to get worse, they decided to bail — though the hike out proved to be lengthy, difficult and dangerous as well. They made it down after seven days on the mountain, then had more adventures exploring the town and countryside and taking a photo safari — Elise being a professional photographer. “It was transformational and educational,” Pat says. “Kilimanjaro is still calling me. As
2018 Spring Issue
soon as we got home, our oldest son said he wanted to go with us the next time we go. Uhuru Peak (19,341 feet) is still calling me because I only got to 14,000 feet, so we might go back in a couple of years.” Beyond that, the Roaming Parkers have an even bigger quest in mind — Chapter 2. n n n In a few years the three boys will be in college or grown. Ellen, 11, will be old enough for an artsoriented boarding school (she’s the musical member of the family). That will leave Cady, the youngest, to accompany Mom and Dad on a life of full-time adventure. “I’ve got to broaden my horizons some, do some exploration with the intention to do what I
wanted to do when I was 12, which is basically be a park ranger,” Pat says. He envisions being a seasonal ranger or campground host, moving from one park or national forest to another around the country with Elise and Cady. “I can be a photographer or teacher anywhere,” Elise says. “I can sew. I’m learning how to make soap.” In the meantime, they average one big trip a year, three or four moderate ones and several smaller ones. “Those are training,” Pat says. “We’re already living the lifestyle, to some degree.” They post their adventures — including blogs, photographs, videos, related articles — on the Roaming Parkers Facebook page and website.
“It is sort of a journal of accomplishments and things we have learned,” Pat says. “Also, we think there’s a lot of folks in this world who are fed up with overtechnological (changes). There are a lot of folks that feel a craving for what we’re up to.” If the website draws enough readers, it may also attract advertisers, which could generate a “trickle of income” for the Roaming Parkers someday. So what will Pat and Elise do when they reach the end of Chapter 2? They’ve thought of that, too. Pat has access to some family land in George County that might provide a place to “hang our hammocks.” “I figured several years of park rangering or something like that and then re-evaluate,” he says. “If I could retire, I want goats and peacocks, and I really don’t
want to see people,” Elise says. “I would like to craft things and make things and wear long flowery skirts.” For now, their dreams are in-
terrupted when the family cat brings up another baby rabbit. Pat rescues it and puts it in a plastic tub with the other one. “We shaved them some carrot
and left them a bowl of water,” he reported the next day. “The two rabbits hated each other for a while, but then they snuggled up together.” n
2018 Spring Issue
pulse
13
In step with:
Chuck Barnes By Matt Wi lliamson hile some doctors might be found on the golf course during their down time, Chuck Barnes will probably be on the sidelines somewhere. To call the McComb eye doctor a shutterbug or a hobbyist photographer would be an understatement. He shoots sporting events, from Dixie Youth Baseball to high school and college football to the biggest arenas in pro sports. He takes trips all over the U.S. and as far as Iceland in pursuit of breathtaking, postcard-worthy landscapes. He drives to most games in a 1990 Chevrolet pickup that’s worth a fraction of his camera gear, including pro-level camera bodies worth a couple of semesters of state college and bazookasized telephoto lenses that could buy a better — albeit still used — pickup truck. From a photographic standpoint, Barnes said he’s grateful for his medical profession because it gives him a better understanding about the physics of photography, how to capture light and how the eyes work. Also, it pays better than photojournalism. “It finances my photography habit,” he said. “My day job pays or might night job. I don't hunt and I don't fish, really."
W
14
pulse
2018 Spring Issue
At left, McComb eye doctor and photographer Chuck Barnes keeps his telephoto lens at the ready to capture the action of a Southwest Mississippi Community College baseball game. Below, is an action shot from a New Orleans SaintsNew York Giants game.
A rider is bucked off of a bull during the Parklane Pro Rodeo. Sports is Barnes’ forte. “I shoot them all. I love them all,” he said. “Football is my favorite and I figured out why: Anything can happen on any play.” Barnes shoots for the Enterprise-Journal and sells prints of his work, but mostly he’s in it for the access to the games. “I can’t watch football if I’m not on the sidelines anymore,” he said. He’s built connections among other photographers that has gotten him into NFL stadiums and behind-the-scenes access most fans will never experience. But it’s all a matter of perspective, Barnes said, noting that getting on the sidelines of a pro game is more restrictive than shooting high school football. “There’s a lot to be said about having all of the access,” he said. “You can stand next to the coach in high school.” Through the years, he’s seen
athletes’ careers blossom from high school to college to the pros. “Shooting kids you know makes a world of difference, too,” he said. “When (North Pike graduate) A.J. Jefferson and those guys were playing at Mississippi State, it was cool. ... It is definitely more fun when you know the kids." He shot another former North Pike Jaguar, Glover Quinn, during his stints with the Houston Texans and the Detroit Lions and keeps an autographed print of a photo he took of Quinn’s recordbreaking interception with the Texans in his office. “The most fun games I’ve ever shot is LSU and Alabama at Tiger stadium. ... I’ve shot at just about every school in the SEC except for Missouri,” he said, questioning the kind of geography that puts Missouri in the SEC in the first place.
continue d on page 16 2018 Spring Issue
pulse
15
Above, Horseshoe Bend on the Colorado River south of Page, Ariz. Above right is Mesa Arch at Arches National Park near Moab, Utah.
16
pulse
2018 Spring Issue
Barnes said he played some high school ball, so being familiar with the sport helps him catch the action. “People who don't understand the sport, you're not going to get a good shot,” he said. “You've got to be a step ahead to get the good shots.” That also means keeping up with the teams and players. “We've got a guy that's going to set the school record for pass receptions, then you know they're going to try to get the ball to this
guy,” he said. “You're trying to do the same thing that the defensive coaches are doing.” Besides sports, Barnes has taken a lot of trips to attend photography workshops in some of America’s most scenic places, including Yosemite, Glacier, Bryce, Canyon, Zion and Acadia national parks, Horseshoe Bend on the Colorado River, New England, Monument Valley and Iceland. The Grand Canyon is still unchecked on his bucket list.
At top, rows of oak trees flank a dirt road in Georgia. At right, a great blue heron perches on a cypress knee. Above, pebbles in Vermont. “It’s worth it to me to go to a workshop and pay to go with a guy who's been there 20 times and knows where to stand and when to stand,” he said. He recalls bears banging on bear boxes containing safeguarded food around the campsites at Yosemite at night and the friendly people and good food — not of the fermented shark variety — in Iceland. If going to Monument Valley on the Utah-Arizona border, “You’ve got to get the Navajo guides to take you,” he advises. There are a lot of makers of cameras, but most professional photographers shoot with either Canon or Nikon equipment. Barnes shot with Nikons ever since he was in high school, but out of curiosity — and at the recom-
mendation of a friend — he decided to try out some Canon gear. Of course, he went all out, buying top-level bodies and lenses. That caused him to get some strange looks from fellow sideline shooters, as if toting around both Nikon and Canon gear made him some sort of heretic, like a Chevy guy all of a sudden showing up to work in a Ford. For Barnes, the pursuit of the perfect shot, whether it’s at a game, in a national park or anywhere else where something beautiful or interesting passes in front of his lens, will never end. And before anybody asks, Barnes wants to be clear about one thing: He’s more likely to take a sideline hit from a linebacker than to ever agree to shoot a wedding. n 2018 Spring Issue
pulse
17
er is n n i w e h t ... And fey
ra Cof By LaKe andterprise-Journal put out a
he E s in the best photo e th r fo ll ca onded aders resp area and re es with the inbox g in d o o fl well, t entries. re than some grea iewing mo v re r e ft a y Lea’s And hose Ashle c r e p a sp ew g her 100, the n ter peekin h g u a d r e ing photo of h s the winn a x o b il a of a m head out She winner. l in boxes. w a r c to s as perfect “She like e always h sh , ts e ssa was a sk a Je b , h d g n u a o s s e en she lov loves boxe said. Sure get out. hand and r e h in l e ’t want to g n n n in id d tu th e a d m n ’s a so ought it re fit uff. If the ere and th st th to . in in id t o g sa g n “She crawli it,” Lea crawling crawl into l, she was l o ’l e o , c n sh o y , tt ss x e o re or b om W was p ea said. riginally fr laying,” L ra p d m nde n n a e e d Lea, 32, o b n arou y-head blo d has rl n a u c a e k th sy eO int, and 10 At one po lives outsid e mailbox Derek for th d f o n a t u sb o u h d r hea icture. girls, Anried to he stuck her e perfect p has three th le s a p u w o c it t e 0 ne, h years. Th h my pho nd Jessa, 2 Lea thoug a it w 3 , re ie ls tu e ic ep 6, K t the “I took th na-Marie, d on me a a h I g in ’ ly th Samr parents months. it’s the on ture at he ing to her r ic r p fe e re , th id k sa She too time,” she r y 7. fo x x house. sung Gala ge mailbo u h is th e e 20 “They hav ue d on pag e decided in w t n d o n c a s g nd thin e,” Lea packages a ld fit insid u o w a ss to see if Je
T
18
pulse
2018 Spring Issue
Jacqueline Wall took this photo of her son, CJ, after an afternoon of fishing at Percy Quin in June.
Jeannie Love took this photo of a dragonfly at her house in Liberty last summer.
2018 Spring Issue
pulse
19
The Real Garfield
20
pulse
2018 Spring Issue
Charlotte Starrett’s cat is in fact named Garfield. Charlotte Starrett
She said after she snapped the picture, her family and friends thought it was a cute photo and they encouraged her to submit it for the contest. She also submitted a picture of a cat in the middle of dandelions, her daughter walking a pony, flying a kite and her oldest two daughters walking a dog. “I just thought, ‘Why not submit it?’ ” she said. “I didn’t think it would win. I just thought it would get published and we could put it in her little scrapbook. I told my husband that I had won. He told me, ‘I thought it was a pretty cute picture, too.’ ” Lea, a stay-at-home mom and who homeschools her children, said she’s thought about being a photographer but didn’t think she had what it took. “I really enjoy taking pictures, I like photography. I’m not a professional by any means. I just enjoy taking pictures. I just submitted one. I thought, ‘If nothing else, she would have her picture in the magazine,’” Lea said. n
2018 Spring Issue
pulse
21
Rainbow and Birds
With over 100 entries our Photo Contest revealed that we have many photographers with an eye for photography. Thank you for your interest and hopefully you will see another contest in the near future. Keep those pictures coming!
Carol Ash
Bright Sunflower
Rose Felder
22
pulse
2018 Spring Issue
Rose Felder
Contrast in Buildings Rose Felder captured this shot of these two downtown McComb buildings.
Liftoff
Amanda Hughey
2018 Spring Issue
pulse
23
Others We Liked!
Beach Dog Taylor Spring
Snow Berries Sarah Walker
24
pulse
2018 Spring Issue
Downtown Snow Andrew Dale
Water Slide Yvonne Church
2018 Spring Issue
pulse
25
Snowy Christmas Andrew Dale
Pine Needles Brandon Williams
IT’s A Mystery Brandon Williams
26
pulse
2018 Spring Issue
High Steppin’ Ashley Lea
Full Bloom Charlotte Starrett
Froggy Free Carol Ash
2018 Spring Issue
pulse
27
Springtime
Members of the McComb Garden Club’s Azalea Court are pictured at Edgewood Park during their coronation ceremony. The event was part of the monthlong Pike County Azalea Fest, which hosted several events throughout the area in March. The following is a pictorial look back at some of the festival’s highlights.
28
pulse
2018 Spring Issue
celebration
Pike County Azalea Fest showcases area’s vernal beauty 2018 Spring Issue
pulse
29
McComb Garden Club Azalea Court McComb Garden Club’s Azalea Court honors outstanding high school seniors, with a king and queen crowned at the conclusion of a coronation ceremony held at Edgewood Park. At left, King Newlon Gillihan and Queen Kiley Gazzo walk down the steps at Edgewood Park as they are introduced. Below, flower girls accompany the royal couple.
At right, King Newlon Gillihan and Queen Kiley Gazzo of the McComb Garden Club’s Azalea Court. Preceding page, the court gathers at the pool at Edgewood Park in McComb.
30
pulse
2018 Spring Issue
Above, the Garden Club’s Junior Court lines up before leading the king and queen around the pool at Edgewood Park. At left, members of the azalea court await the announcement of the royal couple.
2018 Spring Issue
pulse
31
Azalea Fest: Princesses on Parade
As the McComb Garden Club’s Azalea Court coronation approaches, young ladies in the court are presented to the public during Princesses on Parade, where they don evening gowns they’ll wear to the coronation and white gloves and wave to passing traffic. This year’s event was held at the home of Dr. Turner and Barbara Willis on Cherokee Drive in McComb. Above are the young ladies who participated in the court. At left, Caroline Whitaker and other ‘princesses’ wave as people pass by.
32
pulse
2018 Spring Issue
At top, Madeline Brock takes a selfie with Kiley Gazzo, left, and Shelby Woodworth. Above, Madison White and other members of the azalea court walk into the home of Dr. Turner and Barabara Willis for a photo shoot.
2018 Spring Issue
pulse
33
Camellia City Civic Club Azalea Court
Above, members of the Camellia City Civic Club’s Azalea Court line up before they are presented at Edgewood Park. At right, Destiny Martin stands on a stage in a dress that almost perfectly matches the azaleas, which bloomed vibrantly for this year’s festival. Opposite page: Members of the junior court, in top photo, sit on the steps at Edgewood Park as the azalea court is announced. Below, junior court member Heather Garner, right, climbs the steps.
34
pulse
2018 Spring Issue
2018 Spring Issue
pulse
35
Flower Lovers Club’s Festival of Flowers
The Flower Lovers Club presents its Festival of Flowers at Pike National Bank’s main office in McComb during the azalea festival. At top, Missy Hancock looks at an arrangement by Shawn Johnson that blends blooms with books. Above right, Ann Elise Duncan looks at a mannequin head-turned flower arrangement, also seen below. At right, flowers bloom as visitors look at arrangements.
36
pulse
2018 Spring Issue
Pike County Arts Council juried art show
The Pike County Arts Council’s juried art show also is held at Pike National Bank during the azalea festival. At top is Anna Dancsisin’s Best in Show-winning oil painting, ‘Portrait of Tucker.’ Above is ‘Cigar Man’ by Matthew Nichols. At right, entries are on display in the lobby. 2018 Spring Issue
pulse
37
Small town to Big Leagues 5-year MLB veteran, McComb native Dickerson settling in with Pirates By Jordan Arce ne aux fter earning his first All-Star selection last season as a member of Tampa Bay Rays, McComb native Corey Dickerson was traded this offseason to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Dickerson was coming off a year where he hit .282 with a career-best 27 home runs and was traded Feb. 22 for pitcher Daniel Hudson, minor leaguer Tristen Gray and cash considerations. Despite the year he had, Dickerson said the trade didn’t completely surprise him. “When you play in a smaller market, there’s always a chance,” Dickerson said. “The way it happened and how it happened, it wasn’t expected.” Days before Dickerson was traded, the Rays designated Dickerson for assignment, which drew criticism of the organization from current and previous Rays’ play-
A
38
pulse
2018 Spring Issue
ers. The move from the organization meant Dickerson was removed from the 40-man roster. “I was in limbo for a couple of days,” Dickerson said. “The day I got traded was the day we had our baby.” Two years ago, when Dickerson was a member of the Colorado Rockies, he was involved in a trade that sent him to Tampa Bay. The all-star compared his approach to the two situations. “The first time I was super excited,” Dickerson reflected. “This time, I’m taking it slow, taking it day by day.” With the move to Pittsburgh, Dickerson joins the NL Central with the likes of the Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Cardinals, Milwaukee Brewers and Cincinnati Reds, and he leaves arguably the toughest division in baseball, the AL East with the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. Continue d on Page 40
2018 Spring Issue
pulse
39
Pittsburgh Pirates left fielder Corey Dickerson runs down a ball.
40
pulse
2018 Spring Issue
Dickerson played in last year’s MLB All-Star game as a member of the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Dickerson played in the outfield for the Rays, as well as designated hitter. The designated hitter position does not exist in the National League, so Dickerson has a shot to be the everyday starter in left field. “I’m thankful for the opportunity to play in the outfield every day, just being able to prove myself,” he said. “That’s how I grew up in McComb with my brother. I played left field most of the second half of the season last year.” The timing of Dickerson’s trade forced the five-year veteran to begin spring training with his new team very late. “The transition period, coming into spring training late, was a pretty overwhelming process,” Dickerson said. “I’m starting to get my second wind. I’m starting to feel good. Once I get my timing back, I’ll be fine.” In 10 spring training games as
of March 22, Dickerson is hitting .303 with four doubles and four RBIs. Spring training for the Pirates is held in Bradenton, Fla., and Dickerson said he hasn’t been to Pittsburgh yet to experience the harsh weather in the Northeast. However, he said it’s something he’ll get used to and has to play in just like everyone else. He did have a taste of cold weather when he played in Colorado for the Rockies to begin his professional career. Dickerson admitted at times he still thinks about the trade, but he said he is happy with the Pirates. “Whenever you’re wanted by somebody and they believe in you, you want to play for them,” he said. “I’m just taking it slow, not putting any timetable on getting over it and it should take care of itself.” n 2018 Spring Issue
pulse
41
Pulse points
Porter’s House mixes history, food By LaKe adra Coffey n the days of old where railroads were the main source of transportation, Pullman porters welcomed patrons onto the cars, served with a smile and presented them with hospitality and humility. Fast forward to today, Demetrius Witherspoon and Dr. Louise Gombako-Amos are creating the same atmosphere at their new restaurant, The Porters’ House. Located in Magnolia on East Railroad Avenue, beside the Pizza Hut, the restaurant sets out to bring an upscale dining experience to the heart of Pike County. “We wanted to do something that honored the Pullman porters,” Witherspoon said, a selfdescribed history buff. Pullman porters gained the name after slavery when they worked on the Pullman train cars for little to no money. “It felt like to them they were doing a little better but they weren’t,” Witherspoon said, calling the job a way to keep slaves as slaves without giving them the title, similar to what was done with sharecroppers. Witherspoon said the Pullman porters tie into the Civil Rights Movement and Rosa Parks. Parks worked for A. Phillip Randolph, who was the leader of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters. Witherspoon said that when Parks refused to give up her seat
I
42
pulse
Proprietors Demetrius Witherspoon and Dr. Louise Gombako-Amos. on a Montgomery, Ala., bus, she contacted Randolph and it was Randolph and others who persuaded Dr. Martin L. King Jr. to get involved. Amos grew up in New Orleans and Witherspoon is from Summit. His mother, Shirley Conerly, is the executive chef of the restaurant. Witherspoon said he gets his business mentality from his grandfather, the Rev. Alton Witherspoon. “He was the first black elected
2018 Spring Issue
official in Pike County,” he said. Witherspoon also credits his business mentality to his father Alton and his uncle, Anthony Witherspoon, Magnolia’s mayor. Amos said the goal was to give Magnolia a taste of New Orleans and they believe they accomplished it. “We wanted the restaurant to be like some of the ones we have back home,” Amos said. “We wanted to offer that experience
right here in Magnolia.” Amos said her schedule is hectic juggling being a OB/GYN and a restauranteur but she loves it. She said it took her some time to see Witherspoon’s vision when she first saw the location. “It was ugly,” she said laughing. But with a little convincing, Amos was on board. Witherspoon said Porter’s House will offer a virtual entertainment night — where a concert will be played on the big screen for the diner’s entertainment — dinner and a movie, poetry night and live entertainment. Witherspoon also said the restaurant will offer “event dining” with a special menu that’s a little more pricey but still gives the hometown feel. The restaurant also offers a daily buffet and a Sunday brunch. Amos said the buffet is a way for people to get lunch and go. The two said they had a two soft openings that were better than they even expected and their turnout has been well. “One of the things that people told us is that there aren’t many places to get a good lunch in Magnolia,” Amos said, “That’s what we wanted to offer.” n n n Porter’s House is open Monday through Friday 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for daily lunch, 3 p.m. to midnight Thursdays, 5:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. Fridays and 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., 9:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. for Sunday brunch.