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Table of Content 14 21 30 37 44 47 54 65 74 81 88 95 105

Maple Ridge Retrievers Training Top Notch Dogs The Outdoors Call Our Name Pontotoc's History Is In Good Hands We Have A History Of Learning Pontotoc Community Theater Celebrates 20 Years Their Bravery Shines Don't Leave Hungry We Love To Parade Off The Square Market We Love Across The Generations M.B. Mayfield Museum Dream Taking Small Steps To Becoming A Reality Our Children Are Our Cherished Treasure We Strive To Be A Blessing

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Get Connected: City of Pontotoc Get Connected: Pontotoc County Official Contacts Clubs & Organizations Houses of Prayer Public Learning Institutions Calendar Chamber Business Directory

On The Cover: There is no place like Pontotoc for enjoying the afternoon in the creek just like Knox Williams is doing. Pontotoc has many lakes and streams to enjoy sitting beside while you are unwinding from your day. Knox is the son of Forrest and Kaitlyn Williams. Photo

by Darby Armstrong.

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Advertisers 300 Fitness.........................................78 Affordable Employee Benefits, LLC.............................123 Algoma Country Store......................34 American Inn.....................................72 Artistic Taxidermy.............................85 Ashley Furniture................................52 Bank of Pontotoc................................12 Behold Home.....................................77 Blacksmith BBQ..............................102 Boyles Tire & Auto Care...................72 Browning Funeral Home.................101 Circle of Friends................................28 City Mercantile..................................36 City of Pontotoc.................................20 Collier Dental.....................................79 Conrad Adams, State Farm...............109 Crossroads Rehabilitation................101 Dennis Cox, TM Realtors...................18 Fallen Oak..........................................12 First Choice Bank.................back cover Flavia West Huddleston, M.D............34 Flowers of Pontotoc by Redele..........18 Friendship Fitness...........................121 Friendship Medical Clinic...............123 Friendship Pharmacy.......................122 Friendship Travel Center.................122 H&R Jewelry.....................................45 Happy Day Café................................62 Henry Payne, Alfa Insurance...........79 Image Screen Printing........................72 Ivy Green Academy...........................29 Johnson’s Wrecker Service................64 Kennedy Financial Services...............71 Lifted Nutrition..................................93 Madge's County Store........................94 Matthews Real Estate.........................93 Mapp Farm & Hydraulics................28 Market Basket....................................86 McCoy’s Grocery & Meat Market......93 Melinda Nowicki...............................46 Merle Norman @ Legacy..................45 Michael Jolly, Shelter Insurance.......53 Modern Woodmen.............................87 Montgomery Drugs............................20 Montgomery's Restaurants................92 Moore’s.........................................73 Mossy Oak Properties......................109 Mulberry Cottage Industries.............45 North Mississippi Medical Center, Pontotoc...........................................2 One Up Nutrition.............................101 Oxford Home Furnishings..................19 Oxford Pawn Shop............................80

Park Medical Clinic...........................53 Patty Turk Properties, LLC..................3 PEPA..............................................72 Pickens Pest Control, Inc.................109 Piggly Wiggly....................................62 Pontotoc Animal Clinic.....................43 Pontotoc Antiques.............................45 Pontotoc Carpet Sales......................102 Pontotoc County Board of Supervisors.....................27 Pontotoc Fuel Center.........................80 Pontotoc Heath & Rehab Center...........9 Pontotoc Loans..................................45 Pontotoc Progress............................103 Pontotoc Shell Express......................13 Price Cutter.......................................111 Pure Bliss...........................................43 RedMed.........................................104 Reeder Farm Supply, Inc......................9 Renasant Bank...................................29 Rick’s Auto Repair.............................79 Ricky Ferguson..................................62 RidgeCrest Insurance........................53 Roger’s Furniture...............................19 Seafood Junction...............................29 Service Supply-NAPA...............46 & 93 Shannon & Graham Eye Clinic..........46 Snow Cream Corner.............................4 Southern Garage..............................102 Southern Hills Realty & Appraisal, Inc..................34 Sydnei’s Grill.....................................78 Tanglefoot Market at Ecru...............121 The Gift Shop....................................45 The Learning Tree Children’s Academy........................5 The Red Door.....................................94 The Rack............................................36 The Shoe and Boot Outlet...................29 The Tin Nickel..................................101 Town of Algoma...............................53 Town of Ecru....................................42 Town of Thaxton...............................64 Treasurer Loans..................................45 Trent’s Portrait Design.......................34 True Value..........................................71 Van McWhirter..................................86 WADE..............................................8 Washington Holcomb Tractor Co.....35 Way-fil Jewelry.................................72 West Heights Baptist Church............18 Wood + Cloth.....................................87 Wood Eye Clinic..............................111 Young’s Tire Store..............................63

Published by The Pontotoc Progress in partnership with the Pontotoc County Chamber of Commerce.

PONTOTOC PROGRESS STAFF Associate Publisher/ General Manager Lisa Bryant Managing Editor David Helms Staff Reporter Regina Butler Sports Editor Galen Holley Graphic Designer Chelsea Williams Advertising Consultant Angie Quarles Office Manager Tonya Criddle

Pontotoc

Progress 13 East Jefferson Street, P.O. Box 210 Pontotoc, MS 38863 Phone: (662) 489-3511 Fax: (662) 489-1369 www.pontotoc-progress.com Welcome Home to Pontotoc

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Come enjoy

Pontotoc

in the seasons of time

We invite you to come to this place we call home. Our hills are filled with scenic beauty that will warm your heart. They are places … where farmers can harvest a field of hay … where you can fish at the lake and still make it home for supper … enjoy the fall with colors scarlet and gold … revel in quiet snowflakes in the night. Our front porches are welcoming spaces for you to sit down and chat awhile, and carry on the continuity of family and history that makes these red clay hills special.

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GRHRCH WINNIE MNR patiently awaits a signal from Tyler.

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training top notch dogs

BY

HANK WIESNER

yler and Hailey Patterson know a lot about helping a dog be all he or she can be.

The couple breeds and trains duck retriever dogs, hosts AKC Basic Judges/Handlers seminars, holds AKC and UKC competitions field trials at Maple Ridge, and boards all breeds of dogs.

She’s from Decateur, Ala. He’s the son of Ben and Gail Patterson of Pontotoc. He’s a 2006 graduate of Pontotoc High School.

The couple married in 2009, and now have children Valerie 5, and Levi, 3, “and a baby on the way due the end of May,” Patterson said.

She works for Q-Centrix, a fully remote healthcare quality data company as a Senior Manager of Client Operations when she’s not helping Tyler run the operation.

Patterson served in the U. S. Marine Corps from 2006 to 2010, in the infantry, serving two tours of Iraq before he got out as a sergeant E5.

After leaving the Marine Corps, he resumed his first love —training retrievers professionally.

Maple Ridge Retrievers is not only the Pattersons’ job site—it’s their home. The family lives on 80 acres of rolling land that includes four lakes.

Maple Ridge Retrievers broke ground in Pontotoc, Oct. 1, 2020.

Said Hailey at the time: “We’re building our dream. Tyler and I have talked about building a home since we first got married.

It’s not about a structure and how ‘nice’ we can make it. It’s about building a place that we can work our dream job, welcome others in, and serve Jesus.”

Since then, he has become among the country’s top retriever trainers. He’s earned a reputation for hard, honest work, developing top-of-the-line hunting dogs, and being able to train dogs who can win in HRC Grand, AKC Master National and other major competitions, according to information supplied by Garmin Equipment and Purina Foods, both of which he uses extensively in his work.

It’s a long way until the 2022-23 duck season, which runs 60 days from Thanksgiving to the end of January, but training is already under way at Maple Ridge — named after Patterson’s childhood home located on Maple Drive, where he started his kennel as a teenager.

Patterson hopes the 22-23 season will be better than last year’s season. “For me, it was bad because of the lack of cold weather until late in the season. You need cold fronts by early December to push the ducks south before the time change, and we didn’t get that,” he said.

The outlook for this coming season? “It’s too early to tell. You’ve got to have enough rain in the Dakotas and Canada for the hatch to be good,” he said.

He said the best duck hunting areas are in Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee. Arkansas is probably the best known for consistently good duck hunting. “There’s more duck habitat — water and food, bean and rice fields and sloughs and timber areas are flooded.”

For the dogs who retrieve those ducks, retriever training is a physical and mental challenge. They’re expected to remember and complete complex commands, and stay focused so they can make smart decisions.

Dogs are a lot like people, Patterson said. Training can be stressful, and as they trying to figure things out, mental stress can add to their physical stress.

He offered the following analogy: “It’s like when you’re working on a lawnmower outside in July, and it’s hot, you lose a bolt, and you get frustrated. You start working faster and harder and before you know it, you start making mistakes. It’s the same for a dog.”

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GRHRCH STAR MH crouches at the command of Tyler.

To grossly oversimplify, training a duck retriever involves many techniques, and a lot of work on the part of the handler and the dog.

One technique involves tossing out a bumper or a dead duck, then using a lead rope — in a controlled environment to prevent distractions — to lead the dog where the handler wants it to go, and not where the dog wants to go.

A recall command and a tug on the rope gets the dog back to the handler, and earns him praise when he’s there.

After the dog learns, the training sessions may extend to increasingly longer recalls, and multiple bumpers and a more distractions in the environment to increase the dog’s ability.

The goal is to help the dog

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understand to go to the bumper the handler wants, and not the most recent bumper the handler may have thrown.

A dog may also be taught to jump into a duck stand and stay there until it’s time to retrieve a duck. Usually, repeating the process of just putting a dog’s front paws on a platform — simulating a duck stand — and using collar pressure will be enough to get the dog to jump up on his own.

Sometimes, though, the trainer may have to physically lift the dog into the platform until it gets the idea. Once the dog does, the trainer can move increasingly further away, and then begin to vary the platform height, or move to other platforms.

Overall, the training goal to

know exactly what you want the dog to learn, which helps keep sessions short and sweet, Patterson said.

The ideal training weather is about 70 degrees and sunny. It’s often other than ideal, though.

“Sometimes it’s hot, sometimes wet, sometimes dry. Training’s got to continue no matter what the weather — it is what it is,” Patterson said.

That training will only get harder on the dogs as summertime in Mississippi nears. As temperatures mount, dogs can easily overheat. If not treated quickly, that can become life-threatening, Patterson said.

“You gotta be real smart about it,” he said. “When a dog starts working hard, their body temperature goes up, and you need to pay attention to

the dog.”

During heat exhaustion or heatstroke, a dog’s brain can be starved of oxygen. A blood clot may also form, which can cause other serious side effects, including a stroke. Additionally, a dog’s internal temperature can rise, similar to a high fever in a person, according to information from Garmin.

Dehydration or overheating can also lead to kidney problems. Left untreated, the damage can be irreversible, and sometimes fatal.

What Patterson does with his dogs not only during hot weather training, but after, is important. Sometimes he’ll start training at 5:45 a.m., and even then, he’ll have a fan on them to help them cool them down before he puts them back in the kennel.

Even water — usually a retriever’s natural element — can be hazardous during summertime training.

Without recent rain the water in ponds can get very warm. A dog sent for a retrieve may end up swimming through hot, stagnant water that can equal their body temperature.

“Water can also trap body heat, so sending them into hot water then putting them in a box with their body temperature raised, can lead to big trouble,” said Patterson.

One way Patterson checks his dogs for overheating is by checking their tongue. “Dogs can’t sweat, so panting is one way they cool down. Once we see their tongue curl up at the end, I don’t care where we’re at or what we’re doing, that dog is done. It’s getting cooled down and put up,” he said recently.

To counteract these potential problems, Patterson trains his dogs to stay in good condition, “loose and limber,” so when fall’s cooler temperatures come, and training intensifies, there are no injuries.

Various competitions, which often involve a series of events, serve as a yardstick to measure how good each dog is. Judges set guidelines. Each dog performs to a certain standard, and is graded simply pass or fail.

During the competitions, a bird technician may be 100 or more yards away from a dog being tested. He fires a blank shell and throws a dead bird. A handler then releases his dog on command, which must then find the bird, pick it up and return it to the hand of the handler.

The test may involve finding multiple birds, and the dog has to find each one, carry it back to the handler, and then remember where any other birds are, and retrieve them.

The handler guides his dog by hand signals or whistles to get his dog to the bird if the dog didn’t see where the bird fell.

“The trials test the conditioning and memory of each dog, and how well each handler can guide his dog. It’s definitely an interactive team sport between handler and dog,” Paterson said.

Tyler Patterson shows off the ribbons he won with GRHRCH Allie MH and HRCH Abby MH.

It takes about 12 months to train a good retriever into a finished duck dog. Dogs are like professional athletes, Patterson said, “they pretty much train year around except for during their hunting season.”

Patterson can have over two dozen-plus dogs in his kennel for training, but training always comes down to an individual dog.

“You really need to focus on your dog and how it specifically is doing. Each dog is different, so you have to know what they are capable of doing. Some dogs get three reps, some dogs get six reps. It all depends on their age, heat tolerance, where they’re at in their training, and of course, what Mother Nature is giving us.”

The best kind of dog to use is a Labrador Retriever. “We like to start them training at about 6 months,” Patterson said.

The training sometimes hits rough spots.

“Dogs are like kids —some

are more strong-headed than others, some are eager to do the right thing, but they all need some discipline,” Patterson said.

One of the most common obedience problems is failure to come on command.

Proper training can overcome this habit. If a dog is well trained to heel, sit, stay and come, he’ll do nearly anything a handler asks.

A dog is well trained in obedience when he is obedient no matter what the distraction. That means he will respond properly when the neighbor’s cat walks by, when another dog is playing next to him and even when shotguns are going off and ducks are falling.

Patterson’s goal: “Build a ready-to-go-every-morning dog who gets better and better with each hunt. We also strive to build a competitive dog, because we compete as much as we hunt.”

During the off-season there may be about 40 dogs being

trained or boarded at the at the facility, but training takes a break during duck season, when the dogs put their training to use. “Come duck season, we won’t have 10,” Patterson said.

There are many benefits of duck hunting, according to Patterson.

“There’s a lot of friendship and good eating. People who hunt ducks love the outdoors.

They enjoy the group experience of hunting together and just having a good time. They cook and eat breakfast in the duck blind. Actually, killing ducks is just a byproduct.

“It’s an interactive experience. Calling ducks, working the decoys and working the dogs— it’s the challenge of me trying to be better than the duck so I can harvest it,” Patterson said.

How’s the best way to get started duck hunting? “Find a good friend or outfitter to take you, and get some experience. They’ll likely have all the equipment you’ll need.”

Be advised — it can be a high-dollar sport. When you buy all the equipment you’ve borrowed from your friend or rented from the outfitter, you’ll find there’s not many activities more expensive than duck hunting,” Patterson said.

Is Maple Ridge Retrievers a successful operation?

We’ll let Lulu Smith, owner of Grand Champion Delta, a Labrador Retriever, answer that question.

She recently put it this way: “A big thank you to Tyler Patterson for not only running and training Delta but teaching and training us too.

“This ribbon represents more than you could ever imagine.

“We are so blessed that you and Hailey have always treated us like family! All in all hard work, time, and dedication pays off!Thank you Lord, we have a Grand Champion.”

Where does he want to be in five years? “I want to continue to grow this farm, add roads throughout the farm, maybe buy some more land close by, do whatever it takes to have the most premier facilities I can.”

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The Outđoors calls our name

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In all the seasons of time, Pontotoc’s skies call us out to enjoy the day.

The pastoral beauty of the hillsides and the glimmering waters of the lakes awaken our senses like nothing else. We can enjoy a short walk down the street or spend the day playing and fishing on the water. We may be riding our horse, riding our bike or floating in our boat. No matter what the weather you will find us outside soaking in the sunshine, throwing snowballs or just enjoying the sound of the rain and trying to catch the sight of a rainbow.

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Pontotoc’s History

is in good hands

Jackie and Dot Courson will be the project managers at the pavilion. Those involved in this project include: Main Street/Chamber Director Beth Waldo, Jane Winston, Abbie Bell with Three Rivers, Jackie Courson, Mayor Bob Peeples, Mayor Bob Peeples, Chancery Deputy Clerk Hunter Fooshee, Alderwoman Jimma Smith, Alderman David Anderson, Toby Winston and Historical Society President Bob McGee.

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Bob and Claire McGee will be the project managers at the museum. Those involved in this project include: Abbie Bell with Three Rivers, Museum curator Martha Jo Coleman, Chancery Deputy Clerk Hunter Fooshee, Mayor Bob Peeples, Historical Society President Bob McGee, Alderwoman Lena Chewe, Alderwoman Jimma Smith, Alderman David Anderson and Main Street/Chamber Director Beth Waldo.

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BY

DAVID HELMS

n October 2021 the city of Pontotoc joined the Mississippi Hills National Heritage Area (MHNHA), greatly increasing the opportunities of organizations like the Pontotoc County Historical Society to obtain grants to support programs and projects in the Pontotoc County area.

Bob McGee, president of the Pontotoc County Historical Society, said the city paid the $5,000 annual dues to join MHNHA and it’s a membership that is already paying big dividends for at least three projects planned for Pontotoc.

“We’re going to benefit from around $40,000 in Mississippi Hills National Heritage Area grants in just this first year of membership,” McGee said. “Grant application proposals were due in January 2022, we were pushed for time, but we submitted three proposals and got large portions of all three projects funded.”

“One grant will renovate and enhance the arts area of the Pontotoc Town Square Museum,” McGee said. “A second grant will fund a mural which will be painted on the one remaining brick wall of the cotton compress warehouse at the First Choice Bank Gateway in downtown Pontotoc.

And the third grant will help fund a mural enhancement and restoration of the painted advertisements on the old Corner Grocery building at the corner of Main and Washington Streets adjacent to the court square.”

According to the MHNHA website, “National Heritage Areas (NHA) are places where historic, cultural and natural resources combine to form form cohesive, nationally important landscapes. NHA entities collaborate with communities to determine who to make heritage relevant to local interests and needs. NHA designation recognizes the national importance of a region’s sites and history."

“We appreciate the board of aldermen’s action and Mayor Bob Peeples’ support to fund the MHNHA membership,” McGee praised. "It will greatly enhance access to funding to help us showcase the historical heritage of Pontotoc County. Other towns in our area have gotten $50,000 to $90,000 in annual grants."

McGee said a $14,600 grant was secured to enhance the arts area of the Town Square Museum, which is located in the Town Square Post Office building on Main Street.

“The total cost of that project is about $31,000 and we’ll be providing in-kind work to match the grant money,” McGee said. “We appreciate the help of Chamber/ Main Street Director Beth Waldo who helped with these applications."

“The arts area features several talented artists from the Pontotoc area and the Historical Society hopes to enhance the presentation of the stories of these individuals with the goal that their stories would be an inspiration for other native sons and daughters,” McGee said.

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Toby and Jane Winston (third and fourth from right) will be the project managers for the Coca-Cola Mural. Those involved in the project include: Alderman David Anderson, Dr. Lee Waltress, owner of the building, Alderwoman Jimma Smith, Mayor Bob Peeples, Chancery Deputy Clerk Hunter Fooshee, Main Street/Chamber Director Beth Waldo, Jane and Toby Winston, Abbie Bell with Three Rivers and Alderwoman Lena Chewe.

The museum arts area will feature numerous musicians, singers and songwriters from Pontotoc, including Jimmy Weatherly, Ruby Elzy, Delaney Bramlett, Cordell Jackson and Terry Bean.

“Music is an art where Pontotoc natives seem to shine the most, but we’ll also feature acclaimed painter M.B. Mayfield and novelist Borden Deal, who published 21 novels and more than a hundred short stories.”

“The exhibit will include pictures and verbiage about each artist,” McGee continued. "There will be a kiosk highlighting each artist’s life and career. I want kids to come into the museum arts area and see the opportunity to be from Pontotoc and realize that they too could be successful all over the country and abroad in the world of music, art and writing. When we were growing up here we didn’t know about several of these people. We’re going to get the word out right here in their home town.”

McGee said a $20,000 grant was approved to fund painting a mural on the cotton compress brick wall which is still standing at the First Choice Bank Gateway development.

One side of that brick wall faces the large pavilion and the other side faces the old cotton compress machine.

“Mayor Peeples has been wanting to develop that part of the property,” McGee noted. "There is a lot of space

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there and it helps tie in Tanglefoot Trail to the gateway park that the city of Pontotoc has developed surrounding the pavilion area.

"The plan is to paint a mural on the south side of the brick wall to depict key moments in the history of Pontotoc County. Committee members working on that project include Jackie and Dot Courson, Toby and Jane Winston, my wife Claire and I, Hunter Fooshee and Abbie Bell.”

Historical narratives which have been proposed to be a part of the mural include: Hernando DeSoto’s expedition through Pontotoc; the Monroe Mission; the Treaty of Pontotoc and Chickasaw Council House; the McMackin Home; Chickasaw Female College; and the W. C. Faulkner Railroad.

Mayor Peeples said the objective of the mural will be to display Pontotoc County’s significant historical heritage.

“They are going to consider proposals and concepts from numerous artists and I’m anxious to see what they come up with,” Peeples said. “Obviously the mural will portray Pontotoc County’s history but it was also be a photo opportunity for local folks and visitors from all over the country. I’m confident it will be a one of a kind cool factor that enhances the gateway and attracts folks.”

McGee said the mural will also necessitate a lot of inkind work.

“There’s a lot to the process of painting a mural,” McGee said. “It involves preparing the brick to hold paint and withstand weather. We’re going to match that $20,000 with in-kind work, prepping the wall, pre-painting it with a material so that it holds the artists mural and constructing a cover so that you won’t have water running down the wall facing when it rains. This is all designed to protect the mural once it’s painted on the wall."

Pontotoc County Chamber of Commerce/Main Street Director Beth Waldo was responsible for securing the grant which will help fund restoration of the painted advertisements which adorn the south wall of the former Corner Grocery / Furr Drug Store building in downtown Pontotoc.

Waldo said that the MHNHA grant will provide half of the projected costs for restoration.

“The projected cost is $6,500 and we got a check for $3,250,” Waldo said. “So the chamber is raising the rest of the monies to match the grant. If anyone wants to contribute directly to this project they can mail a check or bring it by the chamber office.”

Waldo said this particular wall is the last painted wall we have from the walldog art period.

"Walldogs scaled buildings to paint signs that sold everything from the local laundry to King Midas Flour to Owl Cigars,” Waldo said. "In our case we had the Corner Grocery, Jefferson Salt, Barber’s Milk and Furr Drug

Company painted high upon the building.”

Dr. Lee Waltress, Pontotoc Art Guild member and owner of the Corner Grocery building, thanked Waldo for her efforts.

“We are so grateful that Beth stepped up to help get funding to save the art on the wall,” Waltress said.

“Members of the art guild are out there painting the lower portion of the wall and when Kit Stafford, who painted the other wall downtown, gets through with school she is going to come out and paint the top of the wall,” Waltress said.

The parts of the original signs that will be restored are the Corner Gro, Barbers Milk, Coca Cola, Delicious and Refreshing and Furr Drug Co. In addition, there will be a bodock tree painted on the wall and the top of the Furr Drug Co and the bottom of the milk sign will have muscadine vines with the dark bronzy blue fruit painted on them and to the west of the glass door a group of cattails will be painted.

“We are preserving something from the past,” Waltress stressed. “It is a building I’ve seen most of my life. It is in a location that is seen by a lot of people so we need to preserve it. I see people taking pictures beside it now and if we don’t preserve it the future generations won’t see it.”

Pontotoc’s history is well on its way to being preserved by those who are making history themselves.

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We have a history of

Learning

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Whether we are taking care of chickens and plants or digging into math and science we have a history of studying. Our love for all kinds of learning is active and hands on. You will find us at the museum learning about our historical roots or in the library keeping up with our favorite author’s new book. It is as liquid as the water we pour through a sand demonstration and as solid as the ground we walk on. Learning keeps our minds sharp as we study everything from the quirky rhymes of Dr. Seuss to the everlasting Scriptures of Truth. Our county is full of educational opportunities and we listen to its ever whispering voice.

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Pontotoc Community Theater celebrates 20 years

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estled in downtown Pontotoc is a quaint blue building with a simple sign that has whimsical top hat and eye glass reminiscent of the old theatrical days painted in the middle; with the official name of the Pontototoc Community Theater play house written in capital letters. The Main.

It is from this cozy auditorium that many folks have had their moment to shine on the stage through the many plays that have been presented.

The Pontotoc Community Theater has “played” a vital role in the development of speech and drama in this community for 20 years. Pontotoc Community Theater was organized January 31, 2002 with the first production The Ponder Heart hitting the stage in March of 2003. Many other productions have followed from Arsenic and Old Lace to the War of the Worlds.

Their mission and purpose is to promote, teach and develop interest in the dramatic arts; to educate the general public in the dramatic arts; to advance the general level of culture in the field of dramatic arts by the production of plays, musicals, readings, dramas, comedies, exhibitions and dramatic arts in all forms to Pontotoc County.

The theater does four performances a year. One in the early spring and one in the late spring, one in the fall and one in December. Dramatic arts are important to help a child or adult learn how to memorize, enunciate clearly and makes them a star for a weekend on the stage in front of their community.

At the start there were performances at the elementary school, then the Jr. High School and soon the group was able to purchase the building on Main Street where the

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BY

REGINA BUTLER

theater is now. Formerly a Ford Car Dealership, volunteers spent hours renovating the inside of the building to transform it into the theater which has a lobby, restrooms, a stage and soft cousin auditorium style seating.

The theater brings people from all walks of life on to the stage and they learn camaraderie and teamwork have the thrill of hearing chuckles and the applause. You can help keep that laughter, drama and suspense coming for years to come by choosing to support this endeavor so that everyone who wants can have their moment to shine.

There are many options for membership: You can be a friends of the theater for a donation up to $29; Single/Family Membership - $30 to $149; Star Membership

- $150 to $249 (2 free tickets to a performance during the season); Director Membership - $250 to $399 (3 free tickets to a performance during the season); Producer Membership - $400 to $599 (4 free tickets to a performance during the season); Executive Producer Membership - $600 or more (5 free tickets to a performance during the season); Lifetime Membership - $1,000 (Includes 5 free tickets to a performance each season). In addition to all of this, you can make a one time donation to the theater in memory or in honor of someone.

And there are several ways to donate: either online at https://www.paypal.com/ donate/, mail memberships to 106A North Main Street or you may bring a membership fee to the theater at any performance.

Shop Pontotoc Photo by Terry Wood

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Their bravery

Shines

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Our community is filled with those who will step up and lay down their lives for us. We have a history of men going into battle field, heading into the storm, running to a burning home, picking up the wounded and standing between us and those who want to do harm to our loved ones.

They are committed to our safety by giving of their time, effort and smiles.

They are the first ones we call on when the going gets tough because we know that they will get going.

They prove through their actions that they are that friendly neighbor that cares immensely. We honor them on special days with flags flying and treasure their friendship on other days.

They are a vital part of our existence and we are grateful they have chosen to make Pontotoc their home.

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Hungry

Don't leave

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Cuisine of all kinds will tantalize your tastebuds when you stop for a break along the Tanglefoot BY

T

GALEN HOLLEY

Photos by Galen Holley and Whitney Robbins

he Tanglefoot Trail attracts outdoor enthusiasts from throughout the United States and beyond, and those who work up an appetite can find some of the best eating places in northeast Mississippi along the route.

The Tanglefoot covers 43.9 miles, and it starts in the county seat of Chickasaw County, in the picturesque town of Houston. The first 12 miles of the trail (counted northward) are in Chickasaw County, but the first eating joints on our list are at the 20-mile marker, in the small town of Algoma.

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Algoma Country Store

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Algoma, MS

or those who travel the Tanglefoot on weekdays, Algoma Store offers breakfast and lunch, all served with a downhome friendliness that makes the quaint, country store seem like a piece of Mayberry Americiana.

Doors open at 5 a.m., and breakfast is stick-to-your-ribs country fare.

Made-from-scratch biscuits are among the morning staples, drenched in brown, white or chocolate gravy. Sausage, pork tenderloin, bacon and bologna add a savory dash of protein to the plate, along with eggs cooked any way you like. Pancakes are a hit with kids and adults alike.

Greg Vaughn and his wife, Tabby, bought the store 12 years ago, and added their own brand of Southern hospitality. Regulars amble in wearing work boots and overalls, and the rough-hewn timber on the walls, which Vaughn cut himself, as well as the shelves stocked with everything from candy to motor oil, give the store an old-time charm that Hollywood tries to recreate but never quite gets right.

Around 10 a.m. the kitchen starts transitioning to lunch. Everyday the glass case is filled with fried foods like chicken-on-a-stick, stacked deep with pickles, peppers and onions, along with polish sausage, and thick, hand-patted burgers. The chicken wings are crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. The menu at Algoma Store changes daily and often includes meatloaf, chicken and dressing, pork chops, homemade tomato soup, slow-cooked beans, crispy, light cornbread (served right out of the cast-iron skillet) and all manner of country vegetables. Wednesday is catfish day at Algoma Store, and they serve only Mississippi farmraised fish, flaky and tender and delicious. Get there early on Fridays, because the rib tips, which Vaughn cooks out back on the grill, go fast.

The rib tips pair nicely with homemade potato salad and fresh, cool, cabbage and carrot slaw. The tips are smoky and succulent, with just the right amount of fattiness, and the meat pulls right off the bone for a bitesized piece of gastronomical delight. Homemade cakes and pies add a sweet closing note to any meal. Cyclists often eat on a picnic table in the sunny, springtime air, and make use of the air-compressor to repair low tires. Algoma Store also slices deli meat for cold-cut sandwiches, and they stock a cooler full of bottled and canned drinks.

Algoma Store is open 5 a.m. - 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Call (662) 488-8221 and visit the store’s page on Facebook.

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Seafood Junction Algoma, MS

The Seafood Junction and Algoma Store are right across the road from each other (County Road 124 W, also called Algoma Rd.) and they serve country cooking and seafood that brings food enthusiasts from miles around.

The Seafood Junction is a weekend destination, and it features more than 30 menu items on its famous buffet.

Traditional staples like fried chicken and shrimp, as well as stuffed crab and fried oysters are served up flaky and hot, alongside more unusual offerings, like buttery, fried frog legs, dainty fried quail, and piquant seafood gumbo.

Mississippi, farm-raised catfish is always a crowd favorite. The fish is breaded with cornmeal and the salty, crispy coating gives way to pillowy, moist white meat. Country vegetables like corn, string beans, and greens round out the robust fare, along with grilled chicken and a variety of desserts.

The Seafood Junction has been a Pontotoc institution for more than three decades. Mike and Teresa Montgomery own and operate the Junction, along with their daughter, Jill, and her husband, Scott. They took over the reins in 2010, although the restaurant first opened its doors in 1988.

The Montgomerys serve hundreds of customers on even an average weekend. Most folks eat the buffet, but from the menu diners can also choose premium steaks, burgers, and crab legs.

“People come from Alabama, Tennessee, and as far south as Jackson to eat with us,” said Teresa Montgomery.”We’re so blessed to have folks who eat with us two or three times a week, and we love having our out-oftown visitors. We wouldn’t be here without our customers.”

The atmosphere and attire are casual at the Seafood Junction, and folks in their biking or hiking attire will feel right at home.

The Seafood Junction is open Thursday 5-8:30 p.m, Friday 5-9 p.m., and Saturday 4:30-9 p.m. Call (662) 4898946 or visit the restaurant on Facebook and Instagram.

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The Grill House on Main

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Pontotoc, MS

ur first two eating joints in Algoma are literally right alongside the Tanglefoot. To get to our next stop you’ll have to walk or pedal a whole city block. The Grill House on Main in Pontotoc serves lunch and dinner, all with an easy-going yet creative and rather sophisticated touch. On a recent Friday in May, the lunch buffet included thick hamburger steaks, covered in dark, velvety gravy and sauteed onions, as well as a deep, steaming well of Cape Cod-fragrant boiled shrimp.

Mashed potatoes, fries, peas, butter beans, greens and a cool salad bar made for a seemingly random but quite complimentary tasting menu of Southern cuisine.

Wanda and Mike Gonzales, along with their daughters Jessica and Shelby, own and operate the Grill House, which is located at 103 N. Main St. in Pontotoc. It’s nestled amid the downtown ladies’ boutiques that are a popular shopping destination. The restaurant is about 200 yards north of the picturesque Gateway Stop in Pontotoc, one of the prettiest and most inviting stops along the trail, with wildflowers, a shallow pond and lily pads making for a relaxing, Zen-like ambiance.

Burgers are among the marquee offerings at the Grill House.

They’re made from a 70 / 30 ground beef mix, hand-patted, seared with a crispy outer edge on a flat top grill, topped with cool veggies and served with hand-cut, russet potato fries. The menu includes burgers ranging from ¼ pound to a five-pounder. You read correctly–a five-pound burger.

“Families or people sitting around a table usually split that burger,” said Wanda Gonzales, with a mischievous smile.

The Philly cheesesteak is also a fan favorite. Regular patron Craig Chrestman certainly thought so.

“You can take that meat and cheese and toppings and put in on boot leather and it would be delicious,” said Chrestman.

The sandwich isn’t complicated, just thinly shaved ribeye, served on a hoagie bun with provolone, onions and peppers. Classic, simple and delicious.

The evening menu at the Grill House includes premium steaks, cut from Hereford beef.

“The ribeye is really good,” said Gonzales. “It’s just hard to beat a ribeye, for tenderness, flavor and overall quality.”

Wednesday nights the Grill House shifts to a menu that is a time-honored tradition among working folks in the South: Breakfast-for-supper. Tomato or “red eye” gravy is what locals like over their biscuits, that or chocolate gravy, along with eggs and the usual breakfast meats. A hot cup of coffee or a glass of sweet tea both go equally well with breakfast-for-supper.

Thursday morning is the only a.m. breakfast the Grill House serves, and they make bread pudding with the leftover biscuits.

Fried chicken, meatloaf, boiled cabbage, and farm-raised catfish from nearby Macon frequently pop up on the menu and buffet as well.

The Grill House on Main is open Tuesday 11 a.m. - 2 p.m., Wednesday 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. then 5 p.m. - 8 p.m. for supper, Thursday 11 a.m. - 2 p.m., Friday 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. then 5 p.m. - 8 p.m., Saturday 7 a.m - 11 a.m. then 5 p.m - 8 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Call (662) 586-5125, or visit the restaurant’s Facebook page.

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Blacksmith Bar-B-Q

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Pontotoc, MS

bout three quarters of a mile north of the Gateway Stop, on West Oxford St., also situated right alongside the Tanglefoot, is Blacksmith Barbecue. Slow cooked, fall-off-thebone baby back ribs, tender, salty-sweet Boston butts and succulent brisket–brisket with a savory, crisp bark, and a beautiful, pink smoke ring–will satisfy any ravenous carnivor after a long trek on the trail, but Blacksmith isn’t your ordinary barbecue joint. Owner Amanda Bailey, a former school teacher, gets up with the roosters Tuesday through Saturday and sets to work making a mean breakfast.

Bailey opens the doors at 6 a.m., and folks chow down on biscuits with fried or grilled tenderloin, as well as bacon, sausage, bologna, and chicken. Breakfast burritos and made-to-order omelets are also crowd pleasers.

“We serve a whole lot of pancakes,” said Bailey, who runs the joint with her father, Jerry. White or chocolate gravy ladled generously over biscuits, with a side of scrambled eggs and sausage and a hot cup of coffee, is very nearly the perfect breakfast, and Bailey is happy to oblige.

Around 10 a.m., Blacksmith shifts into lunch mode, and the food coming out of the window is both traditional and innovative. The Buffalo chicken quesadilla offers a New England-meets- Southwest fusion that’s fun and delicious. The pulled pork sandwich is a time-honored classic, along with the Philly cheesesteak. Pulled-pork barbecue nachos, with gooey cheese and jalapenos, make great game day munchies. Marinated grilled chicken breasts are hearty yet light and perfect for cyclists and other trail-goers. Homemade slaw and potato salad are also refreshing and nourishing. Bailey whips up sweet treats as well, like deep fried cinnamon bites with cream-cheese dipping sauce, or, a barbecue joint favorite, banana pudding.

Hot wings, baked beans, rib tips, and burgers are other popular menu items.

Blacksmith Barbecue is located at 231 W. Oxford St., and is open Tuesday - Saturday, 6 a.m. - 2 p.m. Call (662) 488-0032, or visit their Facebook page.

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Zuby’s Cafe

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Ecru, MS

earty, nourishing food is part of the fabric of northeast Mississippi, and Zuby’s in Ecru, near the 32 mile marker, offers the quintessential fare that has graced the tables of families for generations.

When people in Pontotoc County invite folks to dinner, they say, “Ya’ll fix a plate,” and that’s what Zuby’s offers.

They serve up a country buffet, Monday through Thursday, from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m., and it’s stacked deep Owner Ronnie Hamblin and his staff take pride in preparing down home, Southern classics, the kind of comfort food that makes folks feel like they’re eating at home, even when they’re eating out.

Christy Carr Wise, a regular at Zuby’s, raved about the food.

“We love their dough burgers,” said Wise. “The breakfast buffet is also bomb. It’s good, Southern food.”

Dottie Cobb said that Zuby’s breakfast, which usually consists of bacon, sausage, biscuits, gravy, potatoes, pancakes, and all manner of other hearty goodies, is the kind of home cooked food upon which she grew up.

Ambee Villlareal went on a Friday, and said the meatloaf was like homemade. Cobb went back on Tuesday, and said that the lightly breaded, crispy fried catfish was delicious.

Zuby’s serves their country breakfast Monday through Friday, with delicious fare like tenderloin, sausage, bacon and bologna biscuits, smothered in chocolate of sausage gravy, if you like. Sundays they keep the brunch buffet open from 10:45 a.m. until 3 p.m. Call (662) 586-2302 or visit them on Facebook.

The earthy, herbaceous smells of garlic and oregano, comingled with the bright, refreshing zest of lemon, and the hearty aroma of sizzling meat, emanated from the open kitchen, as frantically busy line cooks handed generous, cleanly arranged plates of pasta and steak over the serving line.

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Ciao Chow

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New Albany, MS

t Ciao Chow Restaurant, in downtown New Albany, Mike Carroll worked the dining room like a man hosting a banquet in his own home. Dressed in a smart, grey-blue suit, and a yellow tie, he smiled warmly as he greeted Ryan and Jordan Murray, and their young daughter, Mary Eason.

“Wonderful to see you folks this evening. Welcome,” Carroll said, in a kind, sincere voice.

Every seat in the warmly-lit dining room was filled. Diners were dressed casually but neatly, and the pleasing, almost hypnotic clink of silverware on plates filled the air, along with the blended, symphonic hum of happy conversations. Ceiling fans that once hung in the poker room of the Sands Hotel in Las Vegas, perhaps over Old Blue Eyes and his Rat Pack themselves, a gift from local hardware man Joel Bennett, turned slowly overhead.

Carroll grew up in a restaurant family. His late father, Lee, along with his mother, Betty, first owned Carroll’s Sweet Shop and later Carroll’s County Kitchen in the small town. He leaned the ins-and-outs of the business from his folks, Carroll said, and, just as importantly, the value of providing good service, good food, and treating people well.

“Watching my parents’ earnest, hardworking way of doing things, and how they made a success of their restaurants, made quite an impression on me,” said Carroll.

Carroll’s mother is a beloved member of the kitchen staff at Ciao Chow, and makes many of the deserts, including the decadent hot-fudge cakes.

In the kitchen, Satterfield had five saute’ pans working over the blue, gas flames. He moved quickly, slightly shaking the contents of some while deftly flipping his wrist and tossing the food in others.

“I work at my own pace, which is pretty fast, so my staff just has to keep up,” said Satterfield. “It’s not unusual for us to make 200 entrees in about four hours.”

Satterfield’s father, a native of Sicily, owned several Italian bakeries in Detroit. His mother is from Kentucky, and raised him to appreciate Southern fare, like fried chicken and cornbread. The combination of those two, hearty, culinary styles strongly influenced his approach to cooking, Satterfield said.

In addition to Italian staples, like lasagna, fresh, homemade meatballs, and chicken parmesan, Ciao Chow also serves premium steaks and pork chops.

Satterfield also likes to infuse the menu with special selections, like tortellini with crab in cream sauce, and pasta puttanesca.

Satterfield occasionally prepares one of his own, childhood favorites, honoring his mother’s Southern influence – salmon cakes.

Ciao Chow Restaurant is open Thurs-Sat., 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. Also visit their Facebook page.

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We love to

Parade

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There’s no doubt about it. We love to celebrate.

No matter what the season we know how to have a parade. We parade about everything from homecoming to Christmas. It is a way for the community to come together and enjoy each other’s company while we wave at those we love to spend life with. Parades always put us in a festive spirit and brings that sense of continuity that makes us one big happy family.

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Off The Square Market Pontotoc's special garden spot

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BY

REGINA BUTLER

or years Pontotoc was known for farmers pulling up on the court square and selling their produce under the shade tree or hot sun, whichever parking space was available.

The local produce of the season was piled high in the back of pick-up trucks and folks could buy fresh tomatoes, corn, purple hull peas, watermelons or cantaloupe. And while the nostalgia of selling from the square was a staple in the community, there was no place for farmers to land in case of rain or to escape the hot blazing sun.

Nine years ago all that began to change. A donation of land from Mike and Rene Simon off of Lafayette Street which included some green space started city planners putting together a covered booth market for farmers and others to enjoy, thus Off the Square Market was born.

Built in record time, the market plans were revealed in January of 2013 and it opened for farmers on July 13, 2013.

Through the years those in charge looked for ways to promote the market by having special programs that were extra, like yoga classes, dairy program and other crowd drawing activities just to highlight the green space and the availability of a covered area to sell produce.

It has taken time and effort to begin building the market for people to come and shop and for farmers to bring their produce.

It started picking up more when the the Mississippi Homemaker Volunteer clubs starting to back the market in the summer of 2019. A news item was published in the paper and folks began to take notice of this special garden spot of Pontotoc.

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The pandemic slowed things down the next year, but when 2021 hit promoting the market moved to the responsibility and direction of Julia McDowell, who with her husband Sean, are full time farmers.

“We were fortunate last year to get some voucher monies for folks to spend at the market to encourage purchasing and cooking fresh vegetables,” said Julia McDowell.

McDowell said the $25 vouchers were broken down into tokens that the residents could use so they did not have to spend all $25 at one time in one place.

And then this year the Pontotoc Farmers Market got a further boon with a special grant through the University of Mississippi from Second Nature, a nonprofit group.

“The market has used the funds to expand access to locally grown and produced foods by increasing the buying power of our SNAP recipients,” McDowell noted. “They are allowed to purchase double the amount up to $20 when they buy from the market.”

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“With the support of Second Nature, our market can further its goal of fewer food miles, no long-distance shipping, no chemicals to simulate the ripening process, no cooler storage and reduced packaging, while supporting producers who make environmentally conscious choices on the farm.”

In addition the market can also accept all major credit and debit cards for purchases which helps those who may not remember to get cash before starting their Saturday morning shopping.

Also helping the market is the expanded weeks. This year it began the first Saturday in May and will continue through October when fall crops come in and folks can still get fresh vegetables before the cold winter months nip it all back. The market opens at 7 a.m. and stays open until the farmers sell out or 11:30 to 12 noon which ever comes first.

Even with all these improvements, McDowell is constantly looking for ways to expand the market and make it more readily available for those who want to enjoy fresh vegetables all summer long.

“There are even more plans in the works so folks can make sure they keep their eye down here and watch us grow,” McDowell said.

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Generations We love across the

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They give us something that children in this generation need. Time. Their loving touch. Their quiet spirit. Their wisdom of the years. They provide the continuity of life that is much needed in the generations behind them. You can see the years of hopes and dreams and laugher and tears on their face. Time has traced fronds of gray in their hair and creased their cheeks into pleasant wrinkles that crinkle into a quiet smile. Their laughter brightens even the darkest days and their love cheers us forward to walk on.

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M.B. Mayfield Museum M.B. Mayfield in the mid 1980s

dream taking small steps to becoming a reality

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BY

REGINA BUTLER

he late M.B. Mayfield’s art has touched the lives of those in Pontotoc County and beyond and those in the town of Ecru are determined to preserve his heritage for years to come. It all started in the fall of 2021 with the moving of the home that the late artist lived in for most of his life. The house was moved from it’s location on old Highway 15 down to beside the Tanglefoot Trail and is being turned into the M.B. Mayfield museum. Mayfield died in this home on June 3, 2005.

Jeannie Thompson who is the librarian at North Pontotoc School has long been interested in seeing this bit of history come to life. She will be the director of the museum.

“M.B. Mayfield's art is beautiful,” said Thompson, “but it is also important, not as a novelty, but as part of larger art movements. He completed most of his paintings in the house in Ecru; I was interested in seeing it preserved.”

Ecru businessman Ken Nowlin and his sons purchased the home from the Mayfield family for the town of Ecru and moved it to a location right beside the Tanglefoot Trail in October of 2021.

During the winter months the house saw a complete transformation from the foundation up. “We are very fortunate to have the Nowlins help,” Thompson said. In the meantime a board has been formed for the oversight.

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The M.B. Mayfield Foundation was formed in February of 2022 as a nonprofit. Those on the board include from left: Secretary: Dr. Thiquita Ward, Treasurer: Dr. Carolyn McGehee, Chairperson: Phil Tutor, Esq, Gloria High, Shirley Mayfield Ware, John Nowlin and Judge Glen Davidson. Not shown are: Vice Chairperson: John Reyer Afamasaga and Gail Morton.

Museum director Jeannie Speck Thompson sits beside the art sign that was out front at M.B. Mayfield house proclaiming humbly that he had art for sale.

This was a sign he painted himself.

Folks believe this flower was drawn by Mayfield’s sister Frozier Mayfield Algood.

This chalk sunflower was drawn by M.B. Mayfield himself and is on the wall of the green room.

It will be encased in plexiglass so that folks can enjoy the art and it will be preserved for years to come.

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“The M.B. Mayfield Foundation was formed in February of 2022 as a nonprofit,” Thompson noted. “The Foundation is composed of honorary family members, advisors, and voting members who knew M.B. Mayfield or who are dedicated to the mission of telling and interpreting his life and story in the museum. These people are: Chairperson: Phil Tutor, Esq.; Vice Chairperson: John Reyer Afamasaga; Treasurer: Dr. Carolyn McGehee; Secretary: Dr. Thiquita Ward; Judge Glen Davidson; Gloria High; Gail Morton; John Nowlin and Shirley Mayfield Ware.”

Mayfield studied art from a broom closet at Ole Miss, and became one of the leading artists of our time. His work hangs in many galleries all across the nation.

Born in the years before America was hit with the Great Depression, Mayfield longed to be a great artist.

A twin in a black family with meager means and 10 other siblings, he didn't let that deter him from practicing his talent.

He took flowers and smashed them to make paints. He took red zinnias, blue morning glories and the juice of berries to create his many hues.

He even dabbled into paper mâché and created a bust that was displayed on his front porch. It was his work displayed on his front porch on an early summer day in 1949 that caught the attention of Chattanooga, Tennessee Professor Stuart R. Purser.

The professor was enamored with the bust which was a sculpture of boxer Joe Louis and stopped by Mayfield’s house to get a better look at it. While there he saw his paintings and gave the young man

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of 26 a "generous supply of art materials, of a high quality that I had never been able to own" as Mayfield put it in his book The Baby that Crawled Backward.

Purser asked Mayfield to come and work as custodian in his art department at Ole Miss. It was through this that he was able to take art lessons from Purser in the broom closet at Ole Miss.

Mayfield had literally hundreds of paintings to his credit when he died. His work has been shown in Atlanta, Georgia; San Antonio, Texas; Oxford, Mississippi; Chicago, Illinois and many other states in the lower 48.

Mayfield photographed through his brush and canvas life in the rural south and highlighted the history of the place he grew up in and black people in general. His art captures the simplicity and the sheer joy in spite of the hardships that the country folks experienced during the years after the depression and beyond.

And the preservation of his home is important because, “It will be the place where we tell his story,” Thompson noted. “M.B. Mayfield's story is one of overcoming adversity and poverty to learn.

With art education outreach and visitor experiences that connect people to his story, the Mayfield House Museum can engage students in Mississippi and encourage them to remain in school or pursue higher education because of their interest in the arts. “ And the work is only beginning, the house is being restored to a luster far greater than Mayfield himself lived in because it is being restored to Department of Interior standards and there are a lot of archives to manage.

The late Ellouise Dallas shows off her paintings of Bodock and Queen Bodock.

These mule paintings were the highlight of the art gallery at the Bodock festival for several years.

“The greatest challenge has been time and the multi-faceted nature of directing a house museum project that includes archival management. Another challenge is the need to raise money within the next year to complete the project. We have an in-process National Register of Historic Places application, so I am on track to restore it as much as possible to those standards.”

It will be some time in the year 2023 before it will be ready for the public to come in and see. “The funding of the museum creation is the primary concern in getting it opened to the public,” Thompson said. “We need to raise an initial $250,000 in the first year planning phase now that the house has been restored. This is for museum exhibit planning, some restorative efforts to original doors and more of the original furnishings, and programming efforts.”

Thompson said that Grant opportunities will be taken advantage of for future operations so the museum is sustainable. Individuals or granting institutions interested in supporting the museum can reach out to Thompson, to the CREATE Foundation's M.B Mayfield Special Project by contacting CREATE directly, or visit the Mayfield Instagram page @mayfieldhouseandmuseum or mbmayfieldmuseum.org.

And in the future there are even more plans to connect Ecru's favored artistic son to the world. “M.B. Mayfield's museum plan includes hopes for a future addition of a visitor's center called the Ecru Whistle Stop right off the Tanglefoot Trail. It is an opportunity to contribute to preserving the legacy of this visionary artist and his memory in his hometown for visitors and the local community.”

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Our

Children

are our cherished treasure

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Children. The descendants of a family or people.

We live in their smiles. We see our actions and attitudes in them. They light up our lives. We wonder what we did before they came along. We look forward to what they will become. We take each and every day we have and treasure it for we never know when the measure of our lives or theirs will be poured out. And no matter what the pain or the cost we bear the burden because they are our future and our hope.

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We strive to be a

Blessing

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Whether we are helping someone have fun at a festival, taking lunch to those in need or shipping gifts across the water; as a community we strive to be a blessing to others. Our special niche´ might be quilting a quilt or gathering food for others. Whatever it may be, we use our time, energy and efforts to make another’s walk a little easier, their burden lighter and their day brighter.

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Get Connected: City of Pontotoc Whether you are moving into town or just changing addresses within Pontotoc city limits, sometimes you lose track of all the details that must be attended to in one move. This list will keep those much-needed numbers in one place so you can quickly contact all the right people at the right places to make the move to your new home much easier.

Pontotoc’s utility department offers water/sewer, gas and garbage pick-up. Anyone applying for services must appear in person at Pontotoc City Hall with a state-issued identification card.

GARBAGE PICKUP Once weekly inside the city limits. $12.20 minimum. Anyone applying for services must appear in person at Pontotoc City Hall with a state-issued identification.

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY, Call 911 FIRE CHIEF: 489-7805 The Pontotoc Fire Chief leads a staff of nine full-time firemen and 17 volunteer firemen at two locations in the city. Locations: 116 North Main and 150 Henry Southern Drive.

POLICE CHIEF: 489-7804 Pontotoc City Police Department employs 14 full-time officers and four certified part-time officers. Location: 225 West Reynolds In case of a storm or tornado, you may get to safety in one of the city’s eight public shelters: • 116 North Main St. • 320 Clark St. • 206 Hud St. • 289 Lake Drive • 374 Highway 15 South • 472A Vance Street • 290 Eighth Street • 1814 Highway 15 North For storm alert information, visit www.alertfm.net/ms/pontotoc.

To be alerted of a storm in your community by phone sign up at www.trpdd.com/codered. This is at no cost to you.

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WATER/SEWER Water/sewer service provided inside Pontotoc city limits and to a small portion of the county. Water: $100 Installation/inspection fee (non-refundable/non-transferable). Tap fee is $750

ELECTRICITY Pontotoc Electric Power Association services almost 18,500 members in six counties, which includes most of Pontotoc County.

The main office is located at 12 South Main Street, Pontotoc. Call 489-3211. For emergencies on nights, weekends and holidays, Call 489-6711.

NATURAL GAS Service covers Pontotoc, Union and some of Lee Counties.

Gas inside Pontotoc City limits: $100 Installation/ inspection fee (non-refundable/non-transferable).

New gas service inside city limits: $200 for owner occupied and rental property—installation fee (non-refundable/transferable).

Above fees cover first 100 feet of service line plus installation of gas meter. If new service line is more than 100 feet, extra footage will be charged $2.75 per foot and will be billed separately.

If you have any questions, you may call City Hall, 489-1722 (night or weekends, 489-7805). Office hours are Mon., Tues., Thurs., Fri., 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Wed., 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

CALL BEFORE YOU DIG Call 811 from any phone

Get Connected: Pontotoc County NATURAL GAS

GARBAGE PICKUP

Service from the city of Pontotoc covers most of Pontotoc County. To find out if natural gas is available in your location, you may call Pontotoc City Hall, 489-1722 (night or weekends, 489-7805).

Office hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Wednesday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Garbage is picked up once a week door-to-door. To find out when your garbage day is or ask questions about your bills, call 489-3913.

WATER Pontotoc is serviced by 11 rural water associations, located all across Pontotoc County.

• • • • • • • • • •

East Pontotoc Water Association: 489-0776 Town of Ecru Water Association: 489-3881 Mud Creek Water Association: 489-6851 Oak Hill Water Association: 489-3692 Randolph Water Association: 489-8641 or 489-8820 Toccopola Water Association: 489-6537 Thaxton Water Association: 489-6537 Troy Water Association: 489-1425 Algoma Water Association: 489-8351 Sherman Water Association: 842-6366

ELECTRICITY Pontotoc County is serviced by five electrical power associations.

The Tennessee Valley Authority is the regional electric provider. Call (662) 690-3400, (662) 690-3600, (662) 690-3500.

Pontotoc Electric Power Association services almost 18,500 members in six counties, which includes most of Pontotoc County.

The main office is located at 12 South Main Street, Pontotoc. Call 489-3211. For emergencies on nights, weekends and holidays, call 489-6711.

Natchez Trace Power Association services the south central part of the county toward the Chickasaw County area. Call (662) 456-3037.

Tombigbee Electrical Power Association services the southeastern part of the county toward the Lee County area and Sherman.

Call (662) 842-7635.

Northeast Electrical Power Association services the northwestern part of the county toward the Lafayette County area. Call (662) 234-6331.

The City of New Albany services the northern part of the county near the Union County area. Call (662) 534-1041.

CALL BEFORE YOU DIG Call 811 from any phone

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY, Call 911 FIRE COORDINATOR: 489-3111 The Pontotoc County Fire Coordinator works with more than 200 volunteers who give their time in 12 community fire departments across Pontotoc County.

SHERIFF’S DEPART.: 489-3915 Pontotoc County Sheriff’s Department employs 17 full-time officers, 12 jailers and two school resource officers. To reach the jail, you may call 489-3915, 489-3165 and 489-3182.

In case of a storm or tornado, the county has shelters in almost every community • Algoma - 2 shelters: Both at 1310 Algoma Road • Ecru - 7 shelters: Five at 176 Main Street; Two at the park on Central Avenue • Sherman - 7 shelters: 161 6th Ave.; 9 East Lamar Street; 600 Highway 178; 1041 Cr. 292; 213 First Avenue; 49 E. State Street; 26 West Lamar Street • Thaxton - 4 shelters: 2 at 10260 Highway 336; 10632 Highway 336; 10489 Highway 336 (Thaxton Baptist Church) • Toccopola - 2 shelters: Both located near the fire department at 3100 Toccopola Jct. Rd. • Turnpike Community - 1 shelter: 370 Cane Creek North (Turnpike Baptist Church) • Beckham - 1 shelter: 414 Beckham Road • Hurricane - 1 shelter: 7600 Highway 346 • Longview - 1 shelter: 3497 Longview Road • Randolph - 3 shelters: Two are located at 240 Topsy Road; one at 11800 Hwy. 9 South (Carey Springs Baptist Church) • Troy/Woodland - 2 shelters: 175 Rock Hill Road, 3601 Woodland Road For storm alert information, visit www.alertfm.net/ms/pontotoc.

To be alerted of a storm in your community by phone sign up at www.trpdd.com/codered. This is at no cost to you.

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Official Contacts CITY OF PONTOTOC Mayor Bob Peeples, Office in city hall, (662) 489-4321

ALDERMEN

MUNICIPALITIES ALGOMA - Mayor Harry Corder, (662) 489-5696 Board meets first Tuesday, 7 p.m.

ECRU - Mayor Patty Turk, (662) 489-3881 Board meets first Tuesday, 6 p.m.

Lena Chewe, ward one - (662) 489-5374 Jimma Smith, ward two - (662) 760-1529 Joe DiDonna, ward three - (662) 419-5887 David Anderson, ward four - 662) 419-5318 Jeff Stafford at-large - (662) 231-0122

SHERMAN - Mayor Mike Swords, (662) 840-9185 Board meets first Tuesday, 6 p.m.

How to call: (662) 489-4321

TOCCOPOLA - Mayor Nick Brewer II, (662) 489-6122 Board meets first Tuesday, 7 p.m.

The Pontotoc City Board of Aldermen meets the first Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m.

PONTOTOC COUNTY Chancery Clerk’s Office – (662) 489-3900 Ricky Ferguson The chancery court clerk handles documentation on divorces, property line disputes, adoptions and youth court.

Circuit Clerk’s Office – (662) 489-3908 Melinda Nowicki The circuit clerk handles documentation on marriages, voter registration, criminal and civil cases and notary public.

Tax Assessor/Collector – (662) 489-3904 Van McWhirter

SUPERVISORS

THAXTON - Mayor Steve Moss, (662) 419-2665 Board meets first Tuesday, 7 p.m.

JUSTICE COURT JUDGES East District: David A. Hall (662) 489-3921 West District: Scottie Harrison (662) 489-3921 Justice court judges set bonds on all county crimes, and hear cases that aren’t heard by the circuit court judges.

CONSTABLES East District: Neal Davis West District: L. D. Gillespie Constables are responsible for serving court papers and helping to keep the peace in their district. Contact them at Justice Court, 4893921.

IMPORTANT NUMBERS

District 1: Wayne Stokes - (662) 488-5228 District 2: Mike McGregor - (662) 419-5685 District 3: Brad Ward - (662) 419-0497 District 4: Ernie Wright – (662) 419-5245 District 5: Dan McKnight - (662) 419-2277 The supervisors oversee the budget for the entire county, make decisions on improvements county-wide including buildings, fire protection and emergency management.

Airport – (662) 489-3900 Extension Office – (662) 489-3910 Library – (662) 489-3960 Veteran’s Office – (662) 489-3907 Youth Court Service – (662) 489-3936 Agri-Center – (662) 489-3946

They also see that roads and bridges are repaired.

Governor Tate Reeves, (877) 405-0733

The Pontotoc County Supervisors meet the first Monday of the month, the 15th of the month and the last day of the month at 10 a.m. If the 15th or the last day falls on the weekend, the board meets on the Friday before.

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STATE OFFICIALS STATE REPRESENTATIVES Mac Huddleston District 15 - Pontotoc County P.O. Drawer 300, Pontotoc, MS 38863 (662) 489-5157 E-mail: mhuddleston@house.ms.gov

Sam J. Creekmore IV District 14 - Pontotoc, Union Counties 1315 Central Avenue, New Albany, MS 38652 (662) 534-9280 E-mail: screekmore@house.ms.gov Jon Lancaster District 22 - Pontotoc, Calhoun, Chickasaw, P.O. Box 1018, Jackson, MS 39215 (662) 631-5065 E-mail: jlancaster@house.ms.gov

STATE SENATOR Kathy Chism - District 3 - Pontotoc, Union, Calhoun, P.O. Box 1018, Jackson, MS 39215 (662) 359-4088 E-mail: kchism@senate.ms.gov Benjamin Suber - District 8 P.O. Box 8, Bruce, MS 38915 (662) 983-3000 E-mail: bsuber@senate.ms.gov

FEDERAL OFFICIALS Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith U.S. Senate, 702 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510 Phone: (202) 224-5054 In Mississippi: 2012 15th Street, Suite 451 Gulfport, Mississippi 39501 Phone: (228) 867-9710 E-mail: senator@smith.senate.gov Website: www.hydesmith.senate.gov Senator Roger F. Wicker 555 Dirksen, Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Phone: (202) 224-6253 In Mississippi: P.O. Box 1482 Tupelo, MS 38802 Phone: (662) 844-5010 Phone: (601) 965-4644 Web site: www.wicker.senate.gov Congressman First District Trent Kelly 1005 Longworth, House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-4306 In Mississippi: 431 West Main Street, Ste. 450 Tupelo, MS 38804 Phone: (662) 841-8808

Clubs & Organizations Please call the contact person for more information.

CHILDREN OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION Martha Jo Coleman - 308-1219

CIVITAN CLUB

FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY Phyllis High - 489-5319

MASTER GARDENERS

George Stegall - 419-2727

James Shannon - 489-3910 Julia McDowell - 760-6703

CONCERNED CITIZENS

OPEN GATE GARDEN CLUB

David & Phyllis High - 489-5319

Millicent Seawright - 488-1576

COSMOPOLITAN CLUB

PONTOTOC 4-H CLUB

Joyce Odom - 489-4365

Jane Chamblee - 489-3910

FINE ARTS CLUB

PONTOTOC AMERICAN LEGION, POST #16

Joy Deason - 713-412-7297

Derek Holland - 488-5235

PONTOTOC COMMUNITY THEATER

PONTOTOC VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS

Jennifer Wright - 760-9125

Jason Perkins - 816-9812

PONTOTOC COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

PONTOTOC MUSIC STUDY CLUB

Martha Jo Coleman - 308-1219

Terena Kyle - 419-2697

PONTOTOC HOMEMAKERS

TOWN AND COUNTRY GARDEN CLUB

Linda Smith - 489-3910

Sadie Kenny - 687-1956

PONTOTOC WOMAN’S CLUB

PONTOTOC JUNIORETTES

Jenae Weeks - 488-1355

Michelle Sutton - 231-2707

PONTOTOC ROTARY

PONTOTOC REPUBLICAN WOMEN

Bob McGee - 706-201-4194

DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

PONTOTOC ARTISTS GUILD

TALE-TELLERS

Rhonda Rodgers - 419-0948

Dr. Lee Waltress - 509-2091

B. T. Simms Senior Bldg. - 489-6557

Elise Richmond - 586-5076

HOW WE GIVE BACK Pontotoc County residents give of their time and talents to charitable organizations local and nationwide; to clubs and any local benefit, giving hundreds of thousands of dollars each year to help those in need. These organizations give folks an opportunity to give from Pontotoc to all points of the globe.

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY

FEEDING OF THE 5,000

Pontotoc Habitat for Humanity has built scores of homes in Pontotoc for those who need affordable housing. Volunteers from all walks of life come together to hammer and saw a house into a future home for a needy family. Call 488-9090 for more information or to volunteer.

A week before Thanksgiving churches from across the county come together to pack a meal for the home bound and elderly. The list and man power comes from the different county churches. They come together at First Baptist Church because it is in the center of the county. This even begins being organized by early October each year. If your church wants to participate please call First Baptist at 489-1346.

PONTOTOC FOOD DEPOT Through the Pontotoc Food Depot, those who wish to receive food on a monthly basis sign up the first Saturday of each month at the food depot office from 8-10 a.m. The office is located at the corner of Marion and Liberty Streets beside Cornelieson Law Office. Those who are signed up collect their food on the third Saturday.

OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD Churches across Pontotoc participate in bringing brighter smiles to children all over the world by packing shoe boxes and sending them to Samaritan’s Purse to be distributed by boat, mule, bike, trike and any other means to give hope to a child in need. Call West Heights Baptist Church at 489-1200.

SALVATION ARMY When disaster strikes in any form, the Salvation Army is there to give hope and help. A thrift store is open to aid people in the community.

Volunteers also ring the bell at Christmas to collect monies in the red kettle. Call 509-9400 for more information.

PONTOTOC FOOD PANTRY When your household suffers from an emergency or a sudden job loss occurs, the Pontotoc Food Pantry is there to supply the immediate need.

The organization helps to supply food to an average of 50 families a month and is open from 9 a.m. - 11 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The Pantry is located inside the Pontotoc County Baptist Association, Inc. building at 254 Highway 15 North. Call 489-1251 for more information.

HAMMERS OF HOPE Hammers of Hope repairs & rebuilds homes of those in need whether affected by natural disaster or life circumstances while sharing the love of Christ. Born out of a desire to help people here at home whose homes need repair, Jeff and Kim Cooper along with volunteers make their hands busy helping those in need. 501-3c organization please contact them at 662-871-1605 or go to hammersofhopems.org. Faithful Servants Working ‘Til Jesus Returns! Hebrews 3:1-6

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Houses of Prayer ASSEMBLY OF GOD FIRST ASSEMBLY OF GOD 2448 Hwy. 15 North 662-489-0209

BAPTIST ALGOMA BAPTIST Hwy. 124 W., Algoma 662-489-5846

COOKE MEMORIAL BAPTIST 5962 Redland-Sarepta Road Houlka, MS 38850 COUNTY LINE BAPTIST 14616 Hwy 9 S., Randolph 662-489-7363 DISCOVERY CHURCH 3950 Hwy. 336, Pontotoc www.discoverychurchms.com

HORTON MEMORIAL BAPTIST 2120 Hwy. 346, Pontotoc

PINEY GROVE BAPTIST CHURCH 507 S. Gilmer Road, Pontotoc

HURRICANE BAPTIST 7975 Hwy. 346 662-489-1481

PILGRIM REST BAPTIST CHURCH Hwy 32, Pontotoc, 662-509-9160

IMMANUEL BAPTIST CHURCH 2681 Rowland Road 662-489--4832

EAST BAPTIST 329 Clark St., 662-489-7151

IN GOOD FAITH BAPTIST 685 Rocky Ford Rd. 662-489-7161

ECRU BAPTIST 550 Main St., Ecru 662-489-3091

LEE MEMORIAL BAPTIST 208 Lana St., 662-489-7285

ECRU SECOND BAPTIST Ecru, 662-489-5361

LIBERTY BAPTIST 7974 Hwy. 341 662-489-1943

BELLEVUE BAPTIST Hwy. 6 West, Thaxton, MS 662-509-9235

FIRST BAPTIST 31 E. Washington St. 662-489-1346

LOCUST HILL BAPTIST 1745 Locut Hill Road

BETHANY PRIMITIVE BAPTIST 4905 Hwy. 346 662-489-0222

FIRST BAPTIST OF TROY 145 Rockhill Rd. 662-489-4624

BETHEL MB 2905 Hwy. 342 662-509-9924

FRIENDSHIP BAPTIST Country Road 134 662-489-7070

BETHLEHEM FREEWILL BAPTIST 115 Bethlehem Lane 662-489-6848

FRIENDSHIP BAPTIST 85 Friendship Road, Ecru 662-489-4056

ANTIOCH FREEWILL BAPTIST Toccopola, MS 662-242-0379, 662-801-8815 BEECH SPRINGS FREEWILL BAPTIST Beech Springs Rd., Ecru 662-844-0792

BUCHANAN BAPTIST 4815 Friendship Rd. 662-489-3405

BY FAITH BAPTIST 2220 Hwy. 15 N. 662-489-7701 CAIRO BAPTIST 2610 Cairo Rd., Ecru 662-266-4359

FURRS BAPTIST 9011 Hwy. 6 E. 662-840-1705 GERSHORM BAPTIST 240 Baptist Bend, Houlka 662-488-4033 GREATEST MISSION BAPTIST 125 Old Airport Rd., Pontotoc 419-1797

CAREY SPRINGS BAPTIST 11800 Hwy. 9 South

GREEN VALLEY BAPTIST 265 Old Airport Rd. S. 662-489-6047

CENTER HILL BAPTIST 591 Brassfield Rd. Pontotoc

LONGVIEW BAPTIST 406 Dozier Hill Road, Belden 662-489-5733 MACEDONIA BAPTIST 3996 Macedonia Rd., Houlka McGREGOR’S CHAPEL FW BAPTIST CHURCH Hwy. 6 West, Pontotoc, MS MIDWAY BAPTIST 8773 Hwy. 15 S. 662-489-5664 NEW LIFE FREEWILL BAPTIST 4449 Wallfield Road, Houlka 568-2072 NEW RESIDENT BAPTIST 996 Floyd Rd. 662-488-8843 NEW ROBBS BETHEL BAPTIST 404 Robbs Bends Road, Randolph

PLEASANT GROVE FREEWILL BAPTIST 7705 Hwy. 336, Thaxton 662-488-6042 PLEASANT GROVE MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH Corner of Hwy. 41 & Pleasant Grove Rd., Pontotoc 662-489-8784 RANDOLPH BAPTIST Topsy Road, Randolph 489-4992 SCHOONA CHAPEL BAPTIST Hwy. 341, Pontotoc SAREPTA BAPTIST Randolph, 662-414-7451 SECOND BAPTIST 189 N. College St. 662-489-1274 SELAH BAPTIST 5720 Hwy. 15 N. 662-488-8242 SHADY GROVE BAPTIST 1000 Shady Grove Baptist 662-489-7842 SHERMAN GROVE BAPTIST 209 First Ave., Sherman 662-372-2661 SPRINGVILLE BAPTIST 64 S. Pontotoc Rd. 662-488-0013 SPRINGVILLE CHAPEL MB 1870 Palestine Rd. 662-509-9511

NEW SALEM MB Hwy. 6 E., 662-489-8791

ST. PAUL BAPTIST 360 Cairo Loop 662-489-8417

HARMONY BAPTIST 3534 Hwy. 345 662-489-1070

OAK DALE BAPTIST 7230 Hwy. 346 Pontotoc, MS 38863

THAXTON BAPTIST 10507 Hwy. 336, Thaxton 662-489-8534

CHERRY CREEK BAPTIST Cherry Creek 662-489-6002

HEBRON BAPTIST 71 Hebron Rd., Randolph 662-489-6103

OAK HILL BAPTIST 5830 Hwy. 9 N. 662-489-1897

THE ANCHOR BAPTIST 4495 Hwy. 9 North, Pontotoc 662-489-9241

CHERRY CREEK MB Cherry Creek Rd. 662-489-7009

HOPEWELL PRIMITIVE BAPTIST Robbs Road, Randolph 662-844-9633

PINEY GROVE BAPTIST CHURCH Piney Grove Road 662-489-5825

THE VINE BAPTIST 125 Old Airport Rd., S. Pontotoc 662-401-2218

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“Sweet hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayer, That calls me from a world of care, And bids me at my Father’s throne, Make all my wants and wishes known! In seasons of distress and grief, My soul has often found relief, And oft escaped the tempters snare By thy return, sweet hour of prayer.” When William Walford penned these words more than a century and a half ago, he never realized the comfort they would give to hundreds of thousands in the future. His simple words draw men and women to houses of worship and prayer here in Pontotoc to call upon the Lord. It is from these moments of learning and praying that we go out to serve a lost and dying world with the message of the atoning work of Jesus. And the message has a mission of sharing and caring, of being the hands and feet of the One we follow.

TOCCOPOLA BAPTIST P. O. Box 304 489-7504

RANDOLPH CHURCH OF CHRIST Corner of Topsy Rd. & Indian Creek Tr.

TOXISH BAPTIST 1841 Toxish Rd. 662-489-5839

SHERMAN CHURCH OF CHRIST 2303 St. Hwy. 178 E., Sherman, 662-844-4593

TROY BAPTIST 8272 Hwy. 41 662-489-5770 TURNPIKE BAPTIST Cane Creek Rd. - Pontotoc 489-1923 VALLEY GROVE BAPTIST 3282 Kings Hwy., Tupelo 662-419-0801 WATCHMEN BAPTIST 13013 Hwy. 336 662-489-5560 VICTORY BAPTIST 382 South Main Street 662-489-5900 WEST HEIGHTS BAPTIST 328 W. Oxford St. 662-489-1200 WILSON CHAPEL BAPTIST CHURCH P. O. Box 906 Pontotoc, MS WOODLAND BAPTIST 1257 Pontocola Rd. 662-489-9391 ZION BAPTIST 459 Valley Rd. 662-489-2196

CATHOLIC ST. CHRISTOPHER CATHOLIC CHURCH 431 Pineridge Dr., Pontotoc 662-489-7749

CHURCH OF CHRIST BUCKHORN CHURCH OF CHRIST 13675 Hwy. 341, Randolph 662-308-1229 HWY 15 CHURCH OF CHRIST 276 Hwy. 15 Bypass 662-489-5020 PONTOTOC CHURCH OF CHRIST 369 Church St., 662-489-1136

JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES KINGDOM HALL OF JEHOVAH’S 112 Old Airport Rd. 662-489-7815

METHODIST ALGOMA UNITED METHODIST 1161 Algoma Road, Pontotoc 662-709-0580 BEULAH GROVE UNITED METHODIST Beulah Grove Rd. 662-844-6021 EBENEZER UNITED METHODIST 1411 Hwy. 342, Pontotoc 662-760-3499 ECRU UNITED METHODIST Church Street Ecru, MS FAIRVIEW METHODIST Hwy. 341 662-489-6979 FIRST UNITED METHODIST 68 S. Main St. 662-489-3076 McDONALD UNITED METHODIST 194 College Street 662-489-1020 MOUNT NEBO UNITED METHODIST 1221 Campground Rd. 662-489-7020 NAYLOR CME 326 Clark St. 662-489-6082 PALESTINE UNITED METHODIST 2181 Palestine Road, Pontotoc 662-709-0580

PLEASANT GROVE UNITED METHODIST 205 Martin Lane 662-489-2087

CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY CHURCH 5206A Hwy. 15, Ecru 539-0040

THAXTON UNITED METHODIST 10326 Hwy. 336, Thaxton 488-8178

CHURCH OF GOD OF PROPHECY 1528 Hwy. 341 662-660-0406

UNION GROVE UNITED METHODIST Beulah Grove Rd. 662-844-6021

CHURCH OF THE LIVING GOD 320 Starkard Rd. 662-488-8256

USHER VALLEY UNITED METHODIST 754 Moorman Rd. 662-489-8020

PENTECOSTAL BLACK ZION PENTECOSTAL Hwy. 342 662-489-0068 LIGHTHOUSE APOSTOLIC CHURCH 233 White Gold, Pontotoc 662-419-7271 THAXTON UNITED PENTECOSTAL 265 Wells Road 662-419-2993 WEST PONTOTOC PENTECOSTAL CHURCH 266 Hwy. 341 S., Pontotoc 662-489-6700

PRESBYTERIAN FIRST PRESBYTERIAN 124 S. Main St. 662-489-2183 MAPLE DRIVE PRESBYTERIAN 146 Maple Dr. 662-488-0401 WHITE ZION PRESBYTERIAN Hwy. 6 East 662-840-6589

OTHER ABUNDANT LIFE CHRISTIAN CENTER 267 W. 8th St. 662-489-8409

COLLEGE HILL 7027 Hwy. 6 E. 662-488-4060 ECRU CHURCH OF THE LORD JESUS 259 Old Hwy. 15, Ecru 662-489-4319 GOOD SHEPHERD 184 W. Bolton St. 662-489-2205 HARVESTER CHURCH 686 Royal Oak Drive, Pontotoc 662-489-4677 HARVEST TIME CHURCH OF GOD 289 8th Street, Pontotoc 662-509-2517 HAYSEED COWBOY CHURCH 11171 MS-6, Thaxton 662-419-6104 HEAVEN BOUND CHURCH 110 Jericho Road, Pontotoc 662-308-7663 OASIS OF LOVE FELLOWSHIP 1195 Kings Hwy. 662-690-1920 PONTOTOC APOSTOLIC 248 Apostolic Circle 662-489-7121 REYNOLDS CHAPEL 6498 Hwy. 9 S. 489-3711 TEMPLE OF GLORY RESTORATION CHURCH 364B East Oxford St. Pontotoc, MS THOMPSON CHAPEL CHRISTIAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH 937 CR 308, Houlka, MS 662-568-2680

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Public Learning Institutions PONTOTOC COUNTY SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT’S OFFICE

NORTH PONTOTOC ELEMENTARY

Brock Puckett 354 Center Ridge Road Pontotoc, MS 38863 662-489-3932

Grades K-4 8324 Hwy 15 North Ecru, MS 38841 662-489-5613

Pontotoc County School Website: pcsd.ms

NORTH PONTOTOC UPPER ELEMENTARY

SOUTH PONTOTOC ELEMENTARY

Grades 5-6 1620 Old Hwy 15 North Ecru, MS 38841 662-489-2295

Grades K-5 1523 South Pontotoc Road Pontotoc, MS 38863 662-489-5941

NORTH PONTOTOC MIDDLE Grades 7-8 8324 Hwy 15 North Ecru, MS 38841 662-489-2479

SOUTH PONTOTOC MIDDLE Grades 6-8 1523 South Pontotoc Road Pontotoc, MS 38863 662-489-3476

NORTH PONTOTOC HIGH Grades 9-12 8324 Hwy 15 North Ecru, MS 38841 662-489-5612

SOUTH PONTOTOC HIGH Grades 9-12 1523 South Pontotoc Road Pontotoc, MS 38863 662-489-5925

PONTOTOC CITY SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT’S OFFICE

PONTOTOC MIDDLE SCHOOL

Dr. Michelle Bivens 140 Education Drive Pontotoc, MS 38863 662-489-3336

Grades 5-6 132 North Main street Pontotoc, MS 38863 662-489-6056

Pontotoc City School website: pontotoc.k12.ms.us

PONTOTOC JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL

PONTOTOC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Grades 7-8 132 North Main street Pontotoc, MS 38863 662-489-8360

Grades K-2 145 Fred Dowdy Avenue Pontotoc, MS 38863 662-489-4973

D.T. COX ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Grades 3-4 304 Clark street Pontotoc, MS 38863 662-489-2454

PONTOTOC HIGH SCHOOL Grades 9-12 123 North Main street Pontotoc, MS 38863 662-489-1275

PONTOTOC RIDGE CAREER & TECHNOLOGY CENTER 354 Center Ridge Road Pontotoc, MS 38863 662-489-1826 Director: Patricia Ellison Website: prctc.pcsd.k12.ms.us

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES BLUE MOUNTAIN COLLEGE 1-800-235-0136 or 662-685-4161 Admissions P.O. Box 106 Blue Mountain, MS 38610 Web site: bmc.edu

Tupelo - 662-620-5306 Admissions 2176 South Eason Blvd. Tupelo, MS 38804 Website: icc.ms.edu

MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY

ITAWAMBA COMMUNITY COLLEGE Fulton - 662-862-8034 Admissions 602 West Hill St. Fulton, MS 38843 Web site: icc.ms.edu

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662-325-2224 Admissions P. O. Box 6305 Mississippi State, MS 39762 Web site: msstate.edu

MISSISSIPPI UNIVERSITY FOR WOMEN

NORTHWEST COMMUNITY COLLEGE

662-329-7106 Admissions 1100 College St. MUW –1613 Columbus, MS 39701-5800 Web site: muw.edu

662-562-3219 Admissions P.O. Box 4074 4975 Hwy. 51 North Sentatobia, MS 38668 Web site: north-westms.edu

NORTHEAST COMMUNITY COLLEGE

UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI

662-726-7751 or 1-800-555-2154 Admissions 101 Cunningham Blvd. Booneville, MS 38829 Web site: nemcc.edu

662-915-7227 or 1-800-olemiss Admissions P.O. Box 1848 University, MS 38677 Web site: olemiss.edu

Calendar JULY

DECEMBER

• Independence Day parade downtown Pontotoc - July 4, 2022 • Independence Day picnic and fireworks in the park - July 4, 2022 • Pontotoc County Fair and Livestock show - July 5-9, 2021

• Algoma Drive Thru Nativity • Tanglefoot Tinseltown • Pontotoc, Thaxton, Ecru, Sherman and Toccopola Christmas Parades • Rudolph Run

JANUARY • Martin Luther King Day parade and celebration

AUGUST • County Wide Pep Rally

SEPTEMBER • Bodock Festival September 10, 2022

MARCH • Customer Appreciation Day

APRIL • Easter Egg Hunt at Howard Stafford Park • Easter parade at Algoma

OCTOBER • Cross Tie Festival at Algoma • Harvest Walk in Pontotoc and Ecru

NOVEMBER • Veteran’s Day Ceremonies • Community Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony at The Community House • Christmas Open House November 20, 2022

MAY • North Pontotoc High Graduation • South Pontotoc High Graduation • Pontotoc High Graduation • Memorial Day Ceremonies

JUNE • Juneteenth

These are the events that are normally slated throughout the year in Pontotoc.

Other events include Relay for Life and Chamber of Commerce Banquet.

Don’t forget to check out all the news items you will find in the Progress which include church announcements, what’s happening at the library and what’s happening in each of the communities across the county.

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Where Family Comes First & We Love Every Second BUSINESS & INDUSTRY MEMBERS • Acute Care & Family Clinic of Pontotoc • ALFA Ins., Henry Payne • American Inn • Anna Jade Boutique • Ashley Furniture • B&B Concrete Co., Inc. • Bank of Pontotoc • Behold Washington • Bodock Bed & Breakfast • Browning Funeral Home • Carla Lunn Realty/ Caring Transitions • Carnes Frames • Chuck & Ensley Howell • Collier Dental • Conrad Adams State Farm • Conti Realty • Covenant Financial Group • Crossroads Rehab Services • Don & Michelle Benjamin • Dot Courson Art LLC • Double B Gin • Ella Ivy Boutique • ESI • Factory Connection • Farmers Marketing Assoc • First Choice Bank • First Choice Insurance • Fred Wicker • Graceful Seams • Hughes Brown, PLLC • Image Screen Printing

• J. Greg Brown, Attorney at Law • Jeffus Family Dental • Ladye Kathryn Catering • Lauren Lux 986 Nail Spa • Lep's BBQ & Ribs • Lundi's • Maria Elena PMU • Maxey Fitness & Training • Maxx South • McCoy's Grocery • Millcreek of Pontotoc • Montgomery Drug Company • MS Care • North MS Medical Center - Pontotoc • Northeast MS Electric Power Assoc • Okee McDonald • Oxford Orthopedic & Sports Med • Oxford Pawn Shop #2 • P.E.P.A. • Patty Turk Properties • Payton Mortuary • Pickens Pest Control • Piggly Wiggly • Pontotoc Antiques • Pontotoc County Farm Bureau • Pontotoc Family Chiropractic • Pontotoc Health & Rehab • Pontotoc Loans Inc. • Pontotoc Medical Clinic • Pontotoc Progress • Pontotoc Spring

• Primary Care of Pontotoc • Primerica / Versatile Steel Buildings • R & R Financial Services • Reeder Farm Supply , Inc • Renasant Bank • Ridgecrest Ins. • Rogers Furniture • Seafood Junction • Security Plus • Shannon & Graham Eye Clinic • Simon, INC • Simos Insourcing • Sims & Sims Property • Snow Cream Corner • South Main Dental • Southern Physical & Aquatic Therapy • Stegall & Associates, PLLC • Sydnei's Grill • Taco Bell • The Cell Phone Superstore • The Red Door • Thompson Insurance Brokerage, INC • Three Rivers Planning & DEV • Toyota • Traceway Engineering inc.

• True Blue • Tud Pitman • Waldo Law Firm • Wendy's • Wilders Inc • William & Bessie Givhan

WEBSITE

www.pontotocchamber.com

FACEBOOK

Pontotoc County Chamber Main Street

120 | Welcome Home to Pontotoc

Welcome Home to Pontotoc

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122 | Welcome Home to Pontotoc

Welcome Home to Pontotoc

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124 | Welcome Home to Pontotoc