Here's Pearl River County 2018

The Only Guide You’ll Ever Need For The Pearl River County Area www.heresprc.com

Board of Supervisors

Pearl River County Board of Supervisors would like to welcome you to our beautiful home, the Pearl of Mississippi’s Gulf Coast.

A high energy and growing community, Pearl River County has become a place of choice for singles, families and retirees, valuing longtime residents while welcoming everyone.

There are few counties in the state that offer as much as Pearl River with our unique blend of small town bustling interchange, boasting over 500,000 square feet of locally owned boutique and antique shopping, as well as our luscious farmlands, beautiful green spaces and abundance of recreational activities for 2 Here’s Pearl River County!

everyone young and old.

With three large metropolitan areas located within a sixty-mile radius, Pearl River County offers the at home feelings we all long for, with the amenities of the city just a short drive away.

The county proudly provides the many services necessary for a comfortable and safe life; such as great school systems, hospitals and many health care providers here to minister to the needs of those of all ages.

We are committed to the preservation of yesterday, while also appreciating that the future is now, focusing on progress, investment and job creation.

Our citizens appreciate the small town feel that we have to offer and pursue ways to celebrate our way of life through year-round festivals like the famous Blueberry Jubilee held in Poplarville every year, or the popular Street Festival, held in Picayune’s beautiful downtown every fall and spring.

We are blessed to serve such a beautiful county, where the residents strive to stay healthy and connected while looking out for their neighbors.

Come for a day, enjoy our hospitality at one of our hometown events and you will experience why we all call Pearl River County home!

– Donald Hart -Supervisor District I– The location is what makes Pearl River County so special. Everything you could think of to do for fun or recreation is in close proximity. It’s an easy commute if you live here and work in the surrounding area. Not to mention the opportunity for growth that we have. I’m truly grateful for the opportunity to serve our community!

–Malcolm Perry -Supervisor District 2– I love the people most of all. Anytime someone is in need, everyone pitches in to help, even if they don’t even know each other. We have so many caring people with big hearts in this county.

–Hudson Holliday -Supervisor District 3– As a lifelong resident I have come to love the people! Our quality of life, and diversified landscape, delivers something for everyone.

– Farron Moeller -Supervisor District 4– The people here are the best part of Pearl River County, without a doubt.

They are the kindest, most generous Christian people you’ll ever meet.

Pearl River County has such a unique location. We have big cities within an hour any direction but we get to enjoy all the benefits of country living.

We have such great potential for economic growth.

– Sandy Kane Smith –BOS President District 5– What I love most about Pearl River County is its warm hospitality that makes you want to stay. This is home and always will be.

We are in the best location, not far from big city life while maintaining the presence of a safe, homestead atmosphere.

Here’s Pearl River County! 3

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Advanced Eyecare. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Shopping in Pearl River County . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Bank Plus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 BeeHive Homes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Chevron Pascagoula Refinery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 First National Bank. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Highland Community Hospital . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Keesler Federal Credit Union. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Main Street Picayune. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 McDonald Funeral Home. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Moore Chiropractic Clinic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Picayune Funeral Home. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Poplarville Chamber Of Commerce. . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 PRC Board of Supervisors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 & 3 PRC Hospital & Nursing Home. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 PRCC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Pearl River County Statistics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Pearl River County Map. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Poplarville Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Picayune Statistics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Picayune Area Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Picayune Main Street. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12-13 Horse Haven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14-17 Local Fruit - McNeill Research Unit . . . . . . . . . . 19-22 Red Gate Bison Ranch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23-25 Agritourism in Pearl River County. . . . . . . . . . . 26-27 Fishing & Hunting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28-30 Newcomer Information & Important Numbers . . . . 31 1. Muscadines - McNeill Research Unit

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STAFF: Linda Gilmore - Publisher Jeremy Pittari - Associate Publisher Jan Sutherland Wells - Layout & Design Mrudvi Bakshi, Leah McEwen, Jeremy Pittari - Writers & Photography Here’s Pearl River County! is published annually by Picayune Newsmedia, LLC, 17 Richardson Ozona Road, Picayune, MS 39466.

For additional information on this issue, other publications or for copies, call 601-798-4766. ©Copyright 2018 by Picayune Newsmedia, LLC. 4 Here’s Pearl River County!

2. Red Gate Bison Ranch 3. Horse Haven 4. Agritourism in PRC

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and Hwy. 53, where there are a great variety of restaurants, real estate offices, auto parts, medical services and more.

Shopping Pearl River County Shopping is pretty much split into two areas in Pearl River County: Picayune, Pearl River County’s largest city and Poplarville, the county seat.

However, there are businesses, restaurants and shops in Carriere, Nicholson, Crossroads, White Sands, Henleyfield, McNeill, Millard and in other unincorporated areas of the county. So don’t overlook great choices just because they’re not in an incorporated area.

Downtown Picayune The Downtown Picayune area includes portions of US Hwy. 11, West and East Canal Street, Goodyear Blvd., Haugh Ave. and more. This area has a collection of great little shops, locally owned restaurants and cafes, banks, government institutions, medical and dental clinics, pharmaceuticals and medical supply, transportation, churches and services.

I-59 & Memorial Blvd.-Hwy. 43 South intersection In this area, there are many national chain stores along with fast food spots.

Financial institutions are conveniently located in the area as well.

Poplarville Downtown Downtown Poplarville is centered on Main Street and has a nice mix of shops and services. Hardware, gifts, places to eat, government services, legal services, and banks are all available in the downtown area.

The Poplarville Downtown and

all of Poplarville benefit from events such as The Pearl River County Fair & Livestock Show, held in September at the County fairgrounds, located close to the intersection of Hwy. 26 and Hwy. 11. The Fair draws people from surrounding areas to Poplarville for six days of fun and entertainment.

Poplarville’s Merchants Trick or Treat in October allows kids to celebrate a safer Halloween experience. To add holiday cheer to the Christmas season, the Poplarville Chamber sponsors the Christmas Parade. The Easter Egg hunt, also held in downtown Poplarville, is great family fun for all ages. The Blueberry Jubilee, held the second Saturday of June every year, draws nearly 10,000 people into Poplarville.

Hwy. 11 Business Corridor A variety of businesses dot Hwy 11 from Lakeshore Drive and Hwy. 11 North all the way down to the Hwy. 11/I-59 intersection, mostly centered in the downtown area and the intersection with Hwy. 43 N. Highland Community Hospital is located just off Hwy. 11 North.

South Main/Hwy. 53 The shopping in Poplarville continues down Main Street as it turns into South Main Street Here’s Pearl River County! 5

Pearl River County Statistics COUNTY POPULATION PROJECTIONS* (2015, 2020, 2025)

Female: 50.5%

BOTH SEXES WHITE

MALE WHITE

FEMALE WHITE

BOTH SEXES NON-WHITE

MALE NON-WHITE

FEMALE NON-WHITE

2015

50,174

24,689

25,485

10,079

4,942

5,137

60,253

2020

53,051

26,140

26,911

11,193

5,483

5,710

64,244

2025

53,958

26,483

27,475

12,140

5,888

6,252

66,098

HOME VALUE**

Male: 49.5%

TOTAL POPULATION

RACE**

Median Value $120,300

of owner-occupied housing units

OCCUPATIONS Production, transportation, and material moving occupations

Natural Resources, construction, and maintenance occupations

14.0%

15.5% Service occupations

White A

81.2%

Asian

0%

Black

16.0%

Hispanic or Latino

3.9%

2 or More Races

2.2%

Am. Indian & Alaska Native 0%

16.6% 31.3% 22.6% Management, business, science, and arts occupations

Sales and office occupations

AGE**

EDUCATION** 59.0%

Persons 19-64

12.2%

Persons under 18

85.3% Persons 65+

17.5% 17.2%

HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE OR HIGHER Percentage of persons age 25 years+, 2010-2014

BACHELOR’S DEGREE OR HIGHER Percentage of persons age 25 years+, 2010-2014

* Office of Policy Research and Planning, Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning, “Mississippi Population Projections 2015, 2020, 2025”, February 2012.

A. Those designating only one race. ** US Census Bureau Quick Facts, 2016 est.

6 Here’s Pearl River County!

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Wolf River Wildlife Management Area

Desoto National Park

Pearl River County

LEGEND Cities/Towns

King’s Arrow Ranch Golf Course

Airport County Seat

Pearl River Blues Berry Farm

Hospital

www.pearlrivercounty.net Pearl River Community College

The Pearl River Pearl River County Fair Poplarville

Poplarville

Welcome Center

County Seat

RV Park Blueberry Farm*

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Fishing

Horseshoe Lake

Blue Poplarville-Pearl Tara River County Farms Airport

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53

Old River Wildlife Management Area

Walkiah Bluff

Walking Track

The Annual Blueberry Jubilee Poplarville

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Golf Course

Street Festival

Picayune

59

Pond Fishing

McNeill Bogue Chitto N.W.R.

Clearwater RV Park

Carriere

Picayune

Walkiah Bluff

Walkiah Bluff: swimming, Blueberry Ridge kayaking, S&M camping, canoeing, Blueberries tubing, fishing

Pearl River

Millbrook County Club 43

Picayune Airport

Sun Roamer’s RV Park

Nicholson * Blueberry Farms are normally open from the end of May to the end of June

Welcome Center

Pearl River County Courthouse Poplarville

Crosby Arboretum Picayune

COUNTY OFFICE LISTINGS Board of Supervisors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 601-403-2300 Bookkeeping. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 601-403-2300 Chancery Clerk. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 601-403-2300 Chancery Court. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 601-403-2300 Circuit Clerk. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 601-403-2300 Circuit Court. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 601-403-2300 Civil Defense. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 601-795-3058 County Agent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 601-403-2280 Data Processing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 601-403-2300 District Attorney. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 601-403-2300 E-911 Addressing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 601-403-2300 4-H Office. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 601-403-2280 Human Services Department Child Support Enforcement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 601-795-4507 Economic Assistance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 601-795-4507 Family & Children’s Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . 601-795-4507 Justice Court . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 601-403-2300 Mapping. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 601-403-2300 Nutrition & Food Safety. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 601-403-2281 Planning & Development. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 601-403-2300 Purchasing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 601-403-2300 Road/Bridge Maintenance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 601-795-9930 Safety Department. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 601-403-2300 Safety Director. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 601-795-9930 Sheriff’s Office. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 601-403-2340 Emergency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 911 Dispatch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 601-795-2241 Jail. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 601-403-2300 TDY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-800-478-6987 Tax Office . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 601-403-2300 USDA Service Office. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 601-795-4409 Vets Service Office. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 601-795-2558

Here’s Pearl River County! 7

Poplarville Area Chamber of Commerce A Touch of Vintage Amanda Cutrer Designs Adams Sign Company Alfa Insurance Shawn Keener All About Me Apple’s LTD Bank Plus Bennies Auto Best Choice Realty, Inc. Best Equipment Technologies Big Bucks 4 Gold Big Deal$ Outlet Blueberry Jubilee Council Boone’s Pharmacy BOTR Press LLC Brother’s Keeper Ministries Bruno Counseling and Consulting Services LLC CableSouth Media 3 Check Plus LLC Circuit Clerk - Nance Stokes City of Poplarville Coast Electric Power Association Coldwell Banker Country Properties, Inc. College Heights Baptist Church Comfort Care Service Community Accounting & Tax Services Cornerstone Chiropractic Crossfit 534 Daddy Mac’s Bistro Davis Products, Co., Inc. Deb’s Pizza & Pasta Delta P, Inc Dimples Fried Chicken East Poplarville Veterinary Clinic Edward Jones Investments - Billy W. Hartfield El Mariachi Farm Bureau - Crisper Stanford F.E.B Distributing Co. Inc First National Bank First Baptist Church First United Methodist Church First United Pentecostal Church

of Poplarville Glenn Bolin’s Towing Greer’s CashSaver Hall’s Service Station Hancock Bank Holliday Real Estate Hornet Touchdown Club JD Farms US Jenni Cakes Bakery Jerine’s Guest Cottage Keesler Federal Credit Union Kloze Kloset II Kiwanis Club of Poplarville Knight’s Ace Hardware Lambert Therapy Services LLC L.J. Filters & Supplies McDonald, Patch and Brian PLLC Main St. Coffee Company Main Street LLC Magnolia Gas, Inc. Miller Enterprises, Inc. Mia’s Sweet Box Mississippi Power Company Morris Agency, LLC MS Tobacco Free Coalition H & PR County MSU Pearl River County Extension Service Murray Hill Church of God Nana’s Nest Nature’s Path New York Life (Agent Alicia Near) P & G Smith Timber. Inc. Parish Tractor Pearl River Tea Poplarville Academy of Performing Arts Poplarville Schools Pearl River County Board of Supervisors Pearl River County Hospital & Nursing Home Pearl River Community College Pearl River County Soil

Poplarville Area Chamber of Commerce 101 North Main St., Poplarville, MS 39470 601-795-0578 8 Here’s Pearl River County!

and Water Conservation District Pearl River Drug Perry’s Seafood Picayune Chamber Picayune Item The Poplarville Democrat Poplarville Boy Scouts Troop #28 Poplarville Camper Sales Poplarville Clinic Poplarville Cub Scouts Poplarville Dental Clinic Poplarville Eye Clinic Poplarville Family Chiropractic Poplarville Farmers Market Poplarville Financial Services, Inc Poplarville Garden Club Poplarville Historical Society Poplarville Library System Poplarville Physical Therapy with Hattiesburg Clinic Health Poplarville Realty Poplarville Rodeo Club Poplarville Rotary Club Poplarville Soccer Club Poplarville Women’s Club Pot Lickers Catering and Restaurant PRCC BSU Princess Parties “R” Us and Characters Ramey’s Marketplace Radio Shack/Carmar Music and Poplarville Hardware Residential Services LLC ReSteel Express, Inc. Robicheaux’s Specialty Candy S & H Waste Sandy’s Business Center Salon 53 Sargent’s Yard Farm Home Scooter’s Solace Hospice, Inc So Miss Essentials Sonic Drive-In of Poplarville Southern Sno

Starkey Rentals Stonewall’s Poplarville Strojny & Strojny Financial Service Stuit & Associates Swallow Fork Lake & Cabins Sweetie Pies Catering and Bakery Tavie Productions Teen Challenge of MS The Body Shop The Loft Salon Penton Jewelry The Pigott Agency (Allstate) Tobacco Discount, Inc. Trader Classifieds, LLC Transitions Day Spa Tropical Bliss Boutique Walker Farms Ward’s Fast Food of Poplarville Way Out West Way Out West Grill Wells Insurance LLC West Poplarville Church Williams Financial Group Williams, Williams and Montgomery Individual Memberships Joan Bassett Susan Fueller John and Gwen Grant, Jr. Ginger Holston Cindy Jackson Laurie Jaufre Brittany Krutzfeldt Michelle Lewis Claiborne “Buddy” McDonald Jennifer Seal Tony Smith Margaret Smith Beth Spangel Carolyn Tedford James Williams

Office open: M-W-F 8 a.m.-3 p.m. www.poplarville.org

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POINTS of INTEREST 17

1. Pearl River County Courthouse 2. Poplarville City Hall 3. Poplarville Chamber of Commerce 4. Post Office 5. Library 6. Hospital & Nursing Home 7. Pearl River Community College 8. MSU Extension Experiment Station 9. National Guard Armory 10. Pearl River County Fairgrounds 11. City Park 12. Poplarville Lower Elementary School 13. Poplarville Upper Elementary School 14. Poplarville Middle School 15. Poplarville High School 16. Poplarville Police Department 17. Poplarville Fire Department 18. Thad Chochran Southern Horticultural Laboratory

Here’s Pearl River County! 9

Picayune Statistics* White 64.7% Black 33.8%

RACE

POPULATION 10,382 MEDIAN VALUE OF

Asian 0.6% Other 5.1%

OWNER-OCCUPIED HOUSING $115,100

AGE

16.5%

EDUCATION

Persons 19-64 Persons under 18

HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE OR HIGHER

64.6%

25.2%

Percentage of persons age 25 years+, 2010-2016

14.2%

Persons 65+

85.3%

BACHELOR’S DEGREE OR HIGHER Percentage of persons age 25 years+, 2010-2016

* US Census Bureau Quick Facts 2017

Poplarville Statistics** White Black Asian Other

RACE

66.1% 29.6% 1% 1%

POPULATION 2,894 MEDIAN VALUE OF

OWNER-OCCUPIED HOUSING $113,800

AGE

EDUCATION

Persons 20-64 Persons under 18

Persons 65+

42.7%

45.2% 12.2%

HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE OR HIGHER Percentage of persons age 25 years+, 2016

22.9% 88.3%

BACHELOR’S DEGREE OR HIGHER Percentage of persons age 25 years+, 2016

** US Census Bureau American Fact Finder - 2016, 2017 estimates

10 Here’s Pearl River County!

PICAYUNE

Points of Interest 1. Picayune City Hall 2. Chamber of Commerce 3. Picayune Main Street, Inc. 4. Highland Community Hospital 5. Picayune Jr. High School 6. Stadium 7. Picayune High School 8. Roseland Park Elementary School 9. Southside Elementary School 10. Margaret Reed Crosby Memorial Library 11. Friendship Park (Ballfields, Playgrounds, Tennis) 12. Picayune Municipal Airport 13. Crosby Arboretum 14. Shay Park 15. Jack Read Park 16. Picayune Police 17. Post Office 18. Picayune Fire Department 19. Pearl River County Administration Office 20. Crosby Commons

AREA MAP

Legend Main Streets

Millbrook County Club

43

Other Streets Fed/State Roads Rivers/Streams

11

4

Parks/Recreation

HWY 43 NORTH

43

HOB

OLO

GOO

STIN

NORTH BEECH ST

PAL E

DYE A

ER

D

CHIT

TO

RIV

ER

7

RB

LVD

59

6

10 5

19

15

20 10 WEST

CANAL

1

UN

ION

17

EAST CANAL

3

9

D

LR

OO

14 2

16

H SC

8

ROSA STREET

18

43

MEMORIAL BLVD

UTH

43 SO

TE RLO

TTE

DR

J

D

AN

NL

SO

K AC

ING

SOUTH BEECH ST

CHA

HWY

LL YR

MA R KINTIN L G B UTH LVD ER

OA

D

Crosby Arboretum

11 11 13

Picayune City Hall Friendship Park

59

Crosby Arboretum 12

Welcome Center

Picayune Municipal Airport Crosby Arboretum

Shay Park

Crosby Arboretum

Picayune City Hall

Here’s Pearl River County! 11

Picayune Main Street’s Mission is Downtown Revitalization and Historic Preservation In an active Main Street community, the downtown is the traditional center for social, cultural, and the economic activity core which helps make communities great places to live, work and play.

Downtown is the heart of any city. It is Picayune Main Street’s job to keep our heart healthy. You cannot have a healthy body without a healthy heart and the same thing applies to our community. Even though Picayune Main Street, Inc. events are in Historic Downtown Picayune these events have an economic impact on the entire community.

Picayune Main Street, Inc. applies the National Main Street Four-Point ApproachD.O.P.E Design; Organization; Promotion and Economic Vitality, to organize our program’s goal, to plan for our future, preserve our rich resources and promote a thriving downtown district.

Our organization has an active Board of Directors; a fantastic volunteer group and a working relationship with City of Picayune and Pearl River County elected and appointed officials.

12 Here’s Pearl River County!

Picayune Main Street, Inc was designated 501©3 non-profit organization in 1998. The organization is governed by a board of directors, which is responsible for establishing policy, reviewing, and monitoring committee work plans in progress. The board participates in fundraising, membership campaigns and serves on one of the 4-point committees.

Picayune Main Street, Inc. is committed to sponsoring programs which fulfill our goals: historic preservation, community education and lessening the burden of local government.

The mission of Picayune Main Street, Inc. is to preserve the historic character and integrity of the downtown commercial and residential district; to enhance the culture and quality of life through active community involvement.

The vision of Picayune Main Street, Inc. is to have a progressive southern city, which offers an excellent quality of life to our residents yet maintains our unique charm. That downtown Picayune will have a unified appearance, streetscape improvement program with adequate street lighting that will encourage walking during the day and evening hours, the completion

of downtown improvement projects with new sidewalks to encourage pedestrian travel, together with the involvement of the citizens of the community, have a city that places a high premium on the quality of life for its residents.

MAINSTREET 4- POINT APPROACH Design-Enhancing the commercial district’s physical appearance by rehabilitating historic buildings and managing design improvements and new construction. Serve to educate others about good design and offer advice that will encourage quality improvements.

Organization-Building agreement and cooperation among downtown and individuals, who have a vested interest in the commercial and residential districts, to work toward the same goals.

Promotion- Marketing the downtown’s unique characteristics to shoppers, investors, new businesses, tourists and others. Focus on downtown’s best assets and potential, building a unified image of downtown and establish downtown as the center of the community life.

Economic Vitality-Strengthening the existing economic base of downtown

while finding ways to expand to meet new opportunities.

We encourage locals to shop with our many merchants not just our downtown merchants but throughout the entire county.

Shopping local helps strengthen our community. Small businesses are owned by people who live right here in Pearl River County, go to church here, their family members attend local schools, coach little league teams, instruct dance studios, donate to local animal shelters, Toys for Tots, Relay for Life etc.

When WE spend money in locally owned retail businesses, media, specialty shops, bakeries, drug stores, restaurants, services such as insurance, beauty salons, preferred doctors, chiropractor, local owned gas stations, etc. WE support our neighbors. Small Business owners give back to the community- through volunteering, in-kind contributions, or even cash donations. Small Business owners are often members of one or more of the many existing local organizations.

Picayune Main Street, Inc. invites you to join us, a group of volunteers, who participate in and work to advance a new vision for our community.

This vision encompasses renewed and thriving retail and service businesses, professional and government offices, and restaurants. Our vision includes downtown revitalization, a new walking track for citizens, new lighting for our downtown area, and comfortable benches for sitting… A downtown area where people feel comfortable to live, work, shop and play.

You can help make this happen. Main Street Members are people who may or may not live or work in Picayune downtown area, but they are people who envision a place that is attractive, thriving, and lively, active seven days a week.

A town you can be proud to show off to visiting family and friends.

Your membership or participation in Picayune Main Street, Inc. will provide support for the operational work of the organization. This support helps provide Main Street with a staff and the cost of office expenses, sponsor events, and

promotions. Membership fees also support the activities of our volunteer committees; Promotion, Design, Economic Restructuring and Special Events.

Membership support is a critical piece of the public-private partnership “pie” that is making it possible to achieve Picayune Main Street, Inc. goals. Picayune Main Street, Inc. goals are high. We plan to move quickly to make our community look and work better.

We want those who walk around our

town to feel safe and comfortable. We want to make sure our small retail and large companies thrive and expand. Main Street wants to attract new shops, services, housing and entertainment opportunities.

In an active Main Street community, the downtown is the traditional center for social, cultural, and the economic activity core which helps make communities great places to live, work and play.

BLUES & HERITAGE FESTIVAL SPONSORS MS Power Mitchells Brother’s Carnival McDonald Funeral Home Moore Chiropractic Clinic Allstate The Pigott Agency WRJW /Swap Shop News Collier Construction Southern Char Steakhouse Hot Rod Heaven Toys For Tots Heritage Plastics Prime Lending Sheriff David Allison Barzé Antiques & Collectibles Mall Stewart Insurance Agency

October 19, 20 & 21 2018 11th Annual Blues, Music & BBQ Festival New for the 2018 Event is a Dessert Cook off Contest on Saturday and Mitchell Brothers Amusements on Friday, Saturday & Sunday.

Entertainment Stage will be located on West Canal Street in Historic Downtown Picayune

Local Entertainment Line Up

Friday – October 19 Welcome Ted & Picayune Blues Queen Lynne Barzé 6:00pm 4 On the Floor 6:30 – 7:30 Southern Sound Band 8:00pm – 10:00pm

Saturday- October 20

Picayune Blues Queen Lynne & Ted Barzé 6:00pm Curmudgeons – Blue Grass Group featuring Pat Drackett & David Delcambre 6:30pm -7:30pm Solid Gold BandTribute to the Blues Brothers 8:00pm- 10:00pm VISIT

Here’s Pearl River County! 13

By Leah McEwen Originally an exclusively Paso Fino horse ranch, Poplarville’s Horse Haven is now an all-inclusive place to visit and have a unique experience.

Owner Michael Gascon said the ranch offers retreats where visitors can learn how to ride and how to communicate with horses.

The ranch offers a rustic, old-fashioned looking hotel with ten rooms to choose from. When the hotel was built, Gascon said they built much of it with pallet wood to make it look more authentic. The seats along the bar are saddles, and decorations and paintings featuring horses adorn every wall.

14 Here’s Pearl River County!

He said since people travel from across the world to stay at the ranch, he wanted to make sure it was as rustic as possible to give them a uniquely Southern Mississippi experience.

Guests who want to experience one of the ranch’s retreats can stay for a day, a week or even a month, Gascon said. He said the day starts with breakfast, followed by a session to work with horses and learn how to communicate with them. Then, guests are taken on a trail ride through the property.

After the trail ride, guests are taught a discipline that can include riding around obstacles, barrel racing, jumping a horse or horse soccer. Finally, the day ends with a home-cooked dinner.

While the ranch currently has only one hotel, Gascon said he plans to build another building that looks like an old-timey bank so people can stay in the “vault” and a sheriff’s office where people

can stay in a jail cell. Eventually he said he wants to build a “saloon” with ten rooms and a large hall where people can have weddings or book corporate retreats and other events.

In addition to the overnight stays, Gascon said the ranch also offers special retreats twice a year where special trainers come in to teach different disciplines not usually offered at the ranch.

Here’s Pearl River County! 15

MOORE

Chiropractic Clinic

6682 Hwy 11 N Ste 103 | Carriere www.Moore-Chiro.com

601-749-4939

16 Here’s Pearl River County!

We take a drug free approach to pain relief and wellness with safe and effective chiropractic adjustments developed to help you enjoy a healthier, more active life.

Gascon said while space is limited, he’s had people from across the world travel to Poplarville to take part in the retreats.

“It’s like a week-long party while we learn to ride horses,” Gascon said.

He said he has had people come from across Europe, Australia and beyond to experience the ranch.

Gascon said he is a fifth-generation Paso Fino horse trainer. While most of his family focused on horses, Gascon said he branched off and decided to work with people as well. He said he always wanted a horse training business. So, when he took over the business for his father five years ago, he invested everything into the ranch.

He said a lot of the horse industry is shrouded in mystery. In his experience, horse masters keep their trade secrets by putting up smoke and mirrors. That can make horses seem more complicated than they actually are. But Gascon said horses are very simple creatures, so his goal is to educate the world about how simple training horses can actually be.

For more information, Horse Haven can be reached at 601-299-0264.

Choose Quality Care, Close to Home.

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601-403-8284

Here’s Pearl River County! 17

PRCC students, employees set new benchmarks for success

POPLARVILLE ––Dr. Adam Breerwood became president of Pearl River Community College on July 1, 2017, and challenged faculty and staff to “Change Lives.”

“This charge resulted in a level of dedication, commitment and results that far exceeded my expectations,” Breerwood said.

“As a member of the Pearl River Community College family for more than 21 years, I have witnessed thousands of students have their lives changed by the power of education and opportunity. The foundation of that success is built upon the student-centered focus of our uniquely talented and dedicated faculty, administrators and staff.”

Breerwood cited a number of benchmarks for success: •Students planning to transfer into bachelor’s degree programs received more than $700,000 in scholarships. Included in that figure is the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Transfer Scholarship, worth $40,000 a year, awarded to Said D. Otwane, 20, of Petal.

•The Wildcat men’s soccer team, men’s basketball team and baseball team captured Mississippi Association of Community and Junior College championships. Two members of the PRCC Rodeo Team competed in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association’s national rodeo. The athletic department as a whole maintained a cumulative 3.2 GPA. •Industry partnerships and programs provided career and technical students career pathways, resulting in record breaking job placement around the region.

•Student Caitlin Sumrall of Poplarville won a third place award at the Collegiate DECA International Career Development Conference in Washington, DC. •Dr. Amanda Parker, assistant vice president for PRCC Forrest County operations, received the Women Under 40 Award from the American Association for Women in Community Colleges.

•Student McKinsy Harris of Poplarville received the Rising Star Award from the Sales and Marketing Professionals of the Pine Belt and a $1,000 scholarship.

•PRCC’s chapters of Phi Theta Kappa honor society - Iota Mu in Poplarville and Beta Tau Gamma at the Forrest County Center - won awards for students, advisors and chapters at the international convention in Kansas City, Mo. Dr. Jennifer Seal, vice president for planning and institutional research, received the Distinguished Community College Administrator Award 18 Here’s Pearl River County!

and Dr. Jana Causey, vice president for Forrest County operations, received the Alumni Award of Appreciation.

“Pearl River Community College will continue to embrace the opportunities to assist students in achieving success in whatever career field they choose,” Breerwood said. “With steady enrollment growth over the past year, the college is preparing to expand programs, facilities and services to alleviate the obstacles that students face on their way to graduation.”

The 2018 fall semester begins with ROAR orientation sessions for new students throughout the summer. Classes begin Aug. 13 at all three campuses.

Athletics will kick off with men’s and women’s soccer games at home on Aug. 22 against Itawamba Community College followed by Wildcat football on Aug. 30, also at home and against Itawamba. Football tickets and all-sports passes are on sale through the PRCC Athletic Office at 601 4031179.

The Brownstone Center for the Arts, the premier performance venue in South

Poplarville Campus 101 Highway 11 North Poplarville, MS 39470 (601) 403-1214

Mississippi, will host a number of events during the fall semester, beginning with the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra on Sept. 17. The full schedule of events and ticket information can be found at www. brownstonecenter.com.

PRCC Public Relations photo Cody Johnson of Poplarville receives his automotive mechanics technology diploma from Pearl River Community College President Dr. Adam Breerwood.

Forrest County Center 5448 Highway 49 South Hattiesburg, MS 39401 (601) 554-5519

Hancock Center 454 Highway 90, Suite D Waveland, MS 39576 228-252-7000

Check us out at

www.prcc.edu

LOCAL FRUIT McNeill Research Unit

By Jeremy Pittari Along Highway 11 in McNeill is a research station that may resemble a farm. It’s called the McNeill Research Unit and has been in operation since 1905. It is home to more than 40 varieties of muscadines, some blueberry bushes and also blackberry bushes.

But it’s actually an offshoot of the ongoing work by the Thad Cochran Southern Horticultural Laboratory and the United States Department of Agriculture to create strains of some types of fruit that not only taste better, but may be able to better resist diseases as well.

Dr. Stephen Stringer is a research geneticist with the USDA and conducts research at the centers to develop strains of blueberries, blackberries and when he has time, muscadines, that are not only tasty, but disease resistant.

Of the dozens of varieties of muscadines being grown at the McNeill facility, some are more desired than others because they have a better flavor and texture. Stringer said he is working to develop a strain of the local grapes that have a good taste and a less mushy texture.

Here’s Pearl River County! 19

While this type of local grape can be easily grown locally, they are typically not found in grocery stores. They are edible and can be used to make wine. However the work at the McNeill research station focuses on the more scientific aspects.

No matter the variety, muscadines fall into two categories, self-fertile or female. Self-fertile vines can, as the name implies, pollinate the flowers and therefore produce fruit without the presence of other muscadine vines, where as female vines require a self-fertile vine to be nearby for fruit production to occur.

Since muscadines are native to South Mississippi and the region, they are resistant to many of the diseases that would affect California grapes found in the grocery store. Stringer said California grapes can’t handle the increased humidity found in the South.

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20 Here’s Pearl River County!

Anyone interested in starting their own muscadine garden should take the expense into account and determine their level of patience. Stringer said establishing a muscadine garden will entail an initial expense of $12,000 to $15,000 per acre. And don’t expect fruit production to occur until the vines are 5 to 6-years-old.

Once they are established, well-kept muscadine vines can live for 50 years. Maintenance of the plants includes pruning them in the winter when the plants are dormant to ensure new growth occurs during the growing season. Stringer said new vines produce more fruit.

Here’s Pearl River County! 21

Tours of the McNeill facility are offered to the public once a year.

It’s called the Muscadine Field Day and allows the community to learn about the native plants.

The event typically starts with an hour-long presentation about the work going on at the facility and includes tips from professionals to assist those with a muscadine garden at their home.

This year’s muscadine field day will be held on Aug. 30 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., said Dr. Eric Stafne, who organizes the events.

After the presentation, attendees are invited to tour the facility and sample some of the varieties of muscadines.

First National Bank of Picayune First National Bank of Poplarville MAIN OFFICE 121 East Canal Street Picayune, MS 39466 601-798-4726

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Even though the public is invited to the facility once a year, Stringer said the staff is regularly available by phone to answer questions about issues they are having with their own muscadines.

Representatives can be reached by calling 601-795-4525.

Red Gate Bison Ranch

By Leah McEwen

More than two-dozen American bison roam the 200 acres that make up Red Gate Bison Ranch outside of Poplarville. Once a hunting camp, the property is now home to the national mammal of the United States.

Owner Beth Toups said there are a lot of things for visitors to do when they visit the ranch. The most popular activity is the hayride tour. During the tour, visitors can get up close and personal with the bison by feeding them nuggets of alfalfa. Toups said that since the bison are grass-fed and do not receive supplemental grains, alfalfa is like candy to them. Bison are docile animals, similar to horses. Toups said visitors typically leave at the end of the hour with a fun experience to tell friends and family about.

Here’s Pearl River County! 23

Toups said there are plenty of other things visitors can do if they want to stay longer and experience more than just a hayride. Toups offers a workshop where visitors can make their own bison themed necklace. Workshop participants are given a length of string, several beads to choose from and one bison themed object. Toups said the ranch also offers nature hikes across the property and scavenger hunts. On a scavenger hunt, visitors are sent out with a ranch worker to take pictures of certain objects around the area.

These can include a particular type of flower, tree, feather or some other article in nature. Toups said the purpose of the activity is to help children and adults be more observant of nature. The ranch also has a large creek-fed pond overstocked with fish. Toups said the ranch has fishing supplies for those who want to cast a line, but only if visitors agree to release the fish afterwards.

The ranch also offers group events, Toups said. She said they often have families use the ranch for reunions. It features a terraced area that is good for weddings and other large events.

While the ranch is not certified as a bed and breakfast, Toups said she plans to change that.

24 Here’s Pearl River County!

Picayune and Pearl River County’s Oldest Most Trusted Funeral Home “Since 1917” 401 West Canal Street Picayune, Mississippi 39466

601-798-1212

www.mcdonaldfh.com

***Vitalboards are available to the public via the McDonald Funeral Home also. Mr. Steve McDonald also provides a life-saving Vital Memo Board to the public for display. First Responders utilize the Vitalboard if someone is incapacitated or unable to speak.

Please feel free to drop by and pick up your free Vitalboard at the funeral home…Compliments of the McDonald Funeral Home.

The ranch is one of eight official agritourism locations in Pearl River County. Toups said she and her husband have worked hard to make it a fun destination where people can learn more about bison.

While agritourism is a large part of the ranch, the bison are bred for their meat. Toups said Red Gate is the only retail-meat bison ranch in Mississippi or Louisiana. To provide the best quality meat, bison are raised in a low-stress environment with very little human contact to, “let bison be bison.�

In addition to being solely grass fed, they are also bred naturally without human influence and do not receive growth hormones, subtherapeutic antibiotics or steroids. Bison cows are allowed to deliver their calves naturally, with no human interaction. When it comes time to process the meat, Toups said she personally oversees the process to ensure everything is labeled properly.

For more information, Red Gate Bison Ranch can be reached at 225-485-5117.

Here’s Pearl River County! 25

AGRITOURISM

In Pearl River County

By Mrudvi Bakshi

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Over the years, farmers in Pearl River County have been actively involved in promoting agritourism.

The county seat, Poplarville, is home to one of the largest blueberry events in the state, the Blueberry Jubilee. Just outside of the city, several farms offer the community a unique opportunity to learn how animals are raised, and how fruits and vegetables are grown. Many of these facilities offer tours that allow visitors to see the process in action.

Poplarville is also home to Mississippi State University’s South Mississippi Branch Experiment Station.

Eugene Blythe, Associate Research Professor of Horticulture at Mississippi State University, said agritourism is becoming an important part of the economy because people are showing interest in plants, animals and the environment.

Blythe said that growing interest leads to more farms offering tours, and thereby providing people a way to see how food is produced.

Visitors to the South Mississippi Branch Experiment Station are introduced to ornamental plants, fruit-bearing bushes and pollinators such as honeybees and native bees.

Researchers at the station look for plants that perform well in the extreme weather conditions of the region.

In recent years the station has seen groups from Alabama, Arkansas and Louisiana.

Angela Hill, Mississippi State Senator for District 40, said that agritourism is good for the economy because it not only attracts tourists but also educates the public about how a farm operates to bring food to their table.

Hill said it also provides farmers with some supplemental income. Even though agritourism is growing in Pearl River County, she said a lot needs to be done to promote it.

One of the ways Hill feels that can be achieved is to abolish regulations that hinder farmers from promoting their products.

“Small farmers do not have a lobbyist, the representatives and senators are their lobbyists,” Hill said.

Mississippi Agriculture Commissioner Andy Gibson said agritourism is a tool to help educate the younger generations about the farmer’s way of life, he said.

Gibson recently took a tour of the farms in the Poplarville area, and said he was impressed with the diversity of products produced within Pearl River County.

“Research is driving much of the improvement.

There’s a lot of cattle. And the climate here is welcoming to a diverse set of agriculture,” Gibson said.

His trips across the various counties in Mississippi have shown Gibson that people would rather buy locally grown foods.

In Pearl River County, local farmers believe agritourism helps increase the employment rate in the county and generates longterm customer relationships.

Butch Smith, owner of Country Girl’s Creamery in Lumberton, said that providing tours of the farm has been a win-win situation.

The creamery has been in business for eight years and seven of which included guided tours for the public and various schools.

Tours of the farm provide visitors with an opportunity to see where milk comes from, allows them to feed the calves, learn how cheese is made and take a ride through the farm on a wagon.

“It’s an enriching diary farm experience,” Smith said.

Here’s Pearl River County! 27

Fishing & Hunting in Pearl River County

By Mark Wallace

The miles of creek bank in Pearl River County seem to have been forgotten in today’s world of angling.

Many have forgotten the appreciation of fishing for bream, perch, catfish and bass on a creek or farm pond.

The availability of free water to anglers is extensive but is passed over each and every day on the way to and from work and play.

Boley Creek float trips on a canoe or your favorite kayak is a great way to learn the rivers and creeks in our county. Kayaking is the new craze for a lot of outdoor enthusiasts and floating down Boley Creek offers great bass, bream and catfish action.

Looking at Google Earth of the creeks and planning trips from bridge to bridge on a full day is the way to go.

Pre-planning is key to any trip and making sure someone knows your route especially if you plan to go it alone. Creek fishing may not be the same in your mind as setting out on a long run in the Gulf waters but not being prepared can get you into a heap of trouble. Simply adding a small emergency kit is a must and shouldn’t be overlooked.

Traveling on McNeill/Henleyfield Road between McNeill and Millcreek, you pass over what is commonly referred to as West Boley. This is where I spent many days mostly swimming with my buddies, but there were plenty of times when the fishing pole made the trips on the bike.

East Boley is on the east side of Interstate-59, off of McNeill Steephollow Road. East Boley is just the same as West Boley in that the fishing is especially great in the summer when the water almost looks red in color.

Many other creeks such as Juniper, Stanfield, Cole, Magee and Chinquapin meander their way all over Pearl River County. The secret to good creek fishing is to find the deep holes around the bends of the creeks or next to bluffs. Walking the bank with a short 4-5 foot rod and an array 28 Here’s Pearl River County!

of beetle spins and small top water lures is all that is needed to fill your stringer.

If you have catfish on the brains the Pearl River may be your best bet.

Catching the high water cycles after a good rain is the optimum time to set limb or trotlines for the creek running channel cats. Short run lines placed in current in the back water, baited with crawfish, catalpa worms or cool cats is the preferred way to fish for these

great tasting fin bearers.

If river or creek fishing is not your cup of tea, then you need to check out the famous “local pond”. Over the years of writing many stories about someone’s first or their largest fish, farm ponds have been responsible for some great first time and trophy catches.

Farm ponds are located all over Pearl River County and on average they do not get fished or managed enough throughout the year. If you have a neighbor with one or several ponds, don’t be too proud to ask permission to fish, but respect what they may tell you.

Many pond owners have certain fish they are raising and want to keep stocked such as catfish or bass, but would love for someone to come and catch all the perch and bream they would like. On the other hand, some folks only want the big bream and

bass and would love for the catfish to be taken out. In either case, respect the wishes of the pond owner and always offer cleaned fish to them as a token of thanks when the trip is over.

Never offer fish without cleaning them first, this is an unspoken code of pond fishing.

Whether it be Old River, Walkiah, Boley, Magee or the local pond, we are blessed with many miles of river, creek and pond banks right here in Pearl River County so take a day off, hit the water and remember what it was like as a kid to walk the bank and as always, get outdoors and enjoy what God has given us.

With bow season a few months away, many hunters have their preseason rituals including evening bow shoots with friends and in the past few years the popularity of hunting wild hogs has increased tremendously.

According to the Mississippi Department of Wildlife Fisheries and Parks, “Landowners and leaseholders may hunt nuisance animals yearround at any time of day or night with no weapon/caliber restrictions on property titled in their name or otherwise owned, or leased by them.

Wild hogs are classified as a nuisance and the amount of destruction they can cause to farmland and yards is unbelievable.”

When you talk to deer hunters you get a lot of mixed feelings about going out-of-state to hunt. Some hunters make annual trips out-of-state looking for the chance to take a shot at a record buck.

Other hunters make the trek out-ofstate simply to enjoy the adventure of hunting in other surroundings and to see other woodlands. I am one of those weird hunters that just love the experience of hunting in a new area and meeting new friends. Record -book hunters may not need to go out-of-state when looking for that trophy whitetail.

Mississippi is blessed with management areas totaling

Fishing & Hunting in Pearl River County

By Mark Wallace

over 850,000 acres in just state management areas. These areas are managed by biologists that take herd data and hunter information to mandate seasons and harvest rates for hunters, not many hunting clubs I know of have this extensive staff for management of the herd.

Now I know what many of you are thinking as you read this, the pressure on the land is so great that I would never be able to hunt a quality buck for any length of time without intrusion from another hunter. I am not going to say that you would not encounter this situation, but I hear every year from club hunters that have been jinxed by a member or a guest of a member that came to hunt a day or so and wandered into the situation of taking a buck that a member had been hunting for days.

This is a viable point and when hunting on management areas around the state, I have found that the majority of hunters are very cordial and are not going to knowingly encroach on your hunting area. I really feel that 90 percent of taking a trophy buck is luck and the other 10 percent is broken up into skill, planning and praying.

Well, if you want to plan to hunt for big bucks on Mississippi public lands there are a few things you can do to stack the odds a little more in your favor. First, instead of hunting the open season, get brochures from different areas to see if they offer special “draw” hunts. In my family, we always put the dates on the calendar so we can send in our names in the hopes of getting drawn for a special hunt on some of the management areas.

These draw hunts may include days set aside for a special rifle or muzzleloader season on a “bow only” management area, youth or senior draw hunts for one to three days and some are special bow hunting days.

With all of these different types of draw hunts, the number of hunters on the area each day is limited therefore increasing the odds of you hunting a nice buck alone.

The stories of trophy bucks from state management areas go on and on, and the lack of pressure in many of these areas would surprise you.

Call some of the management areas and talk with the managers and staff, load up and take a ride so you can see

the terrain and layout of the area. Take the time to surf the Internet and see what is out there in the state. You may be surprised. Within a couple hours’ drive from anywhere in the state, you could be in big buck territory.

In Pearl River County we are blessed to have over 25,000 acres of public hunting land including over 15,000 acres at Old River WMA. All hunting is open with no draw hunts but every year several huge bucks come off of our public lands in Pearl River County.

Each one of the management areas will have its own guidelines for taking quality animals, and it is suited specifically for that area.

Ignorance of the regulations is not an excuse. It is up to you as the hunter to know and follow all rules and regulations when on one of these areas. For more information on the management areas in Pearl River County and the state or to order a topographic map of a management area just go online to www.mdwfp. com or call 601-432-2400.

I hope you get the chance to check out all of the options this great state affords, and as always, get outdoors and enjoy what God has given us.

Fishing Licenses RESIDENT LICENSES Sportsman’s License Does not include saltwater fishing.

All Game Hunting/Freshwater Fishing Does not include Archery/Primitive Weapon/Crossbow.

Small Game Hunting/Freshwater Fishing 3-Day Freshwater Fishing Saltwater Fishing Senior Lifetime Saltwater License - age 65 and over.

PRICE

AGENT FEE

PROCESS FEE

$45.00 $1.00 $1.29 $25.00 $1.00 $1.29 $10.00 $1.00 $1.29 $3.00 $1.00 $1.29 $10.00 $1.00 $1.29 $5.00 $1.00 $1.29

NON-RESIDENT LICENSES PRICE AGENT FEE PROCESS FEE Armed Forces 14-Day Hunting/Fishing $33.00 $0 $1.29 Must apply through MDWFP - Application. (Includes Fall Turkey and Archery/Primitive Weapon/Crossbow. Does not include Saltwater Fishing) Freshwater Fishing $60.00 $3.00 $1.29 3-Day Freshwater Fishing $15.00 $2.00 $1.29 1-Day Freshwater Fishing $8.00 $1.00 $1.29 Saltwater Fishing $30.00 $3.00 $1.29 3-Day Saltwater Fishing $15.00 $2.00 $1.29 NOTE: Louisiana residents must purchase both the Freshwater and Saltwater license to fish in the marine waters of Mississippi.

Here’s Pearl River County! 29

Hunting Licenses RESIDENT LICENSES PRICE AGENT FEE PROCESS FEE Sportsman’s License $45.00 $1.00 $1.29 Includes Fall Turkey Permit, Archery/Primitive Weapon/Crossbow - does not include WMA User Permit or Saltwater Fishing All Game Hunting/Freshwater Fishing $25.00 $1.00 $1.29 Does not include Archery/Primitive/Crossbow, Fall Turkey Permit or WMA User Permit.

Archery/Primitive Weapon/Crossbow $14.00 $1.00 $1.29 Must be bought in addition to All Game Hunting/ Freshwater Fishing when hunting during special seasons. As of July 1st, 2013, this privilege will include the use of a Crossbow.

Fall Turkey Permit $5.00 $1.00 $1.29 Not required with purchase of resident Sportsman License or resident Lifetime Sportsman License. Must be purchased in addition to All Game Hunting/Freshwater Fishing license to fall turkey hunt.

Small Game Hunting/Freshwater Fishing $10.00 $1.00 $1.29 Wildlife Management Area User Permit $15.00 $1.00 $1.29 Must be purchased prior to ANY use of a wildlife management area and in addition to any other required hunting/fishing license.

Electronic State Waterfowl Stamp $10.00 $1.00 $1.29 Required with all licenses above for persons 16 years of age and older when hunting waterfowl.

Exempt Under 16 - Voluntary $2.30 $1.00 $1.70 Exempt Age 15 - Voluntary $2.30 $1.00 $1.70 Annual Resident Range Permit $40.00 $1.00 $1.29 Senior Annual Resident Range Permit $20.00 $1.00 $1.29 North MS NWR Permit $15.00 $1.00 $1.29 Trapping License $25.00 $1.00 $1.29 A trapping license is required of any person sixteen years of age or older, who traps or assists with trapping of furbearers. A trapping license is not required for a person to trap on their own land. A trapping license is required to sell the skins, carcasses, and/or meat of any furbearing animal.

Fur Dealer License $50.00 $1.00 $1.29 A fur dealer license is required of any person regardless of age, who buys furbearing animals from trappers or hunters.

NOTE: All Deer and Turkey hunters must buy either an All Game Hunting/Fishing or the Sportsman’s License.

NON-RESIDENT LICENSES PRICE AGENT FEE PROCESS FEE Armed Forces 14-Day Hunting/Fishing $33.00 0 $1.29 Must apply through MDWFP - Application. (Includes Fall Turkey and Archery/Primitive Weapon/Crossbow. Does not include Saltwater Fishing) All Game Hunting $300.00 $3.00 $1.29 Ages 19 and over - does not include Archery/Primitive Weapon/Crossbow, Spring or Fall Turkey permits, deer permit, or WMA User Permit.

Youth All Game Hunting $110.00 $3.00 $1.29 Ages 16, 17 and 18 - does not include Archery/Primitive Weapon/Crossbow, Spring or Fall Turkey permits, deer permit, or WMA User Permit.

7-Day All Game Hunting $125.00 $3.00 $1.29 Ages 19 and over - does not include Archery/Primitive Weapon/Crossbow, Spring or Fall Turkey permits, deer permit, or WMA User Permit.

Youth 7-Day All Game Hunting $60.00 $3.00 $1.29 Ages 16, 17 and 18 - does not include Archery/Primitive Weapon/Crossbow,Spring or Fall Turkey permits, deer permit, or WMA User Permit.

3-Day All Game - Archery/Primitive Weapon $125.00 $3.00 $1.29 Includes Archery/Primitive Weapon/Crossbow - does not include Spring or Fall Turkey, deer permit, or WMA User Permit.

Archery/Primitive Weapon/Crossbow Permit $75.00 $3.00 $1.29 Must be bought in addition to All Game Hunting or 7-Day All Game Hunting when hunting during special seasons.

Wildlife Management Area User Permit $30.00 $1.00 $1.29 Must be purchased prior to ANY use of a wildlife management area and in addition to any other required hunting/fishing license.

Deer Permit $5.00 $1.00 $1.29 Required for hunting deer during all deer seasons. This license must be purchased in addition to All Game, 7-Day All Game, or 3-Day All Game Hunting License.

Spring Turkey Permit $20.00 $1.00 $1.29 Required for hunting turkey during spring turkey season. This license must be purchased in addition to All Game, 7-Day All Game, or 3-Day All Game Hunting License.

Fall Turkey Permit $20.00 $1.00 $1.29 Required for hunting turkey during fall either-sex seasons. This license must be purchased in addition to All Game, 7-Day All-Game, or 3-Day All Game Hunting License. Fall turkey hunting limited to certain areas.

Small Game Hunting (covers waterfowl) $95.00 $3.00 $1.29 7-Day Small Game Hunting (covers waterfowl) $38.00 $3.00 $1.29 Shooting Preserve $13.00 0 $1.29 Electronic State Waterfowl Stamp $19.00 $1.00 $1.29 Required with all licenses above when hunting waterfowl.

30 Here’s Pearl River County!

NEWCOMER INFORMATION & IMPORTANT NUMBERS GOVERNMENT LISTINGS FEDERAL OFFICIALS U.S. Senators Cindy Hyde-Smith Jackson Office ................................... 601-965-4459 Washington, D.C. ............................... 202-224-5054 Roger Wicker Jackson Office ................................... 601-965-4644 Washington, D.C. ............................... 202-224-6253 U.S. Representative Steve Palazzo (4th District) Hattiesburg area ................................ 601-582-3246 Washington ....................................... 202-225-5772

STATE OF MISSISSIPPI OFFICIALS Official Home Page: www.mississippi.gov Governor Phil Bryant ............................................ 601-359-3150 Lt. Governor Tate Reeves .......................................... 601-359-3200 Secretary Of State Delbert Hosemann ................................. 601-359-1350 Attorney General Jim Hood .............................................. 601-359-3680

STATE OF MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE 2016-2019 Official Home Page: www.legislature.ms.gov State Senate District 40: Angela Hill Capitol Address: P.O. Box 1018, Jackson, MS 39215 (W) ....................................................601-359-2886 E-mail address: ahill@senate.ms.gov District 45: Billy Hudson Capitol Address: P. O. Box 1018, Jackson, MS 39215 (W) ....................................................601-359-2395 E-mail address: bhudson@senate.ms.gov District 47: Joseph M. Seymour Capitol Address: P. O. Box 1018, Jackson, MS 39215 (W) .................................................... 601-359-2886 E-mail address: mseymour@senate.ms.gov State Representatives District 108: Stacey Hobgood Wilkes Capitol: Room: 402-B, P. O. Box 1018, Jackson, MS 39215 (W) .....................................................601-798-3334 E-mail address: swilkes@house.ms.gov District 106: John Glen Corley Capitol: Room: 201-C, P. O. Box 1018, Jackson, MS 39215 (W) .................................................... 601-818-5205 E-mail address: jcorley@house.ms.us

PEARL RIVER COUNTY OFFICIALS Official Home Page: www.pearlrivercounty.net MAIN NUMBERS Millard .................................................... 601-403-2500 Picayune ................................................. 601-749-7700 Poplarville ............................................... 601-403-2300 Sheriff’s Office: 200 Julia St, Poplarville Sheriff: David Allison Emergency 911 Non-emergency .....................................601-795-2241

CITY OF PICAYUNE Official Home Page: www.picayune.ms.us 203 Goodyear Blvd, Picayune ..................... 601-798-9770 City Water & Gas ...................................... 601-798-9770 or ........................................................... 601-798-9776 Court Clerk: 203 Goodyear Blvd ................... 601-798-9773 Picayune Municipal Airport ....................... 601-749-7017 Police Department: 328 S. Main St., Picayune Emergency 911 Non-emergency .................................... 601-798-4682

CITY OF POPLARVILLE Official Home Page: www.poplarville.ms.gov City Hall, 200 Hwy 26 E, Poplarville .......................... 601-795-8161 Police Department: 305 Hwy. 26 E., Poplarville Emergency 911 Non-emergency .................. 601-795-4447 If no answer, dial ................. 601-795-2241

HIGHER EDUCATION Pearl River Community College Official Home Page: www.prcc.edu 101 Hwy 11 N, Poplarville, MS Main Number ...................... 601-403-1000

PUBLIC SCHOOLS Pearl River Central School District Official Home Page: www.prc.k12.ms.us 7441 Highway 11, Carriere, MS Superintendent’s Office ........ 601-798-7744 Picayune School District Official Home Page: www.picayune.schooldesk.net 706 Goodyear Blvd., Picayune MS Superintendent’s Office ........ 601-798-3230 Poplarville School District Official Home Page: www.poplarvilleschools.org 302 South Julia Street, Poplarville, MS

PRIVATE SCHOOLS Heritage Christian Academy Official Home Page: www.hcapicayune.com 21 Richardson Rd., Picayune, MS Office ........ 601-215-6327 St. Charles Borromeo Catholic School Official Home Page: www.stcbcatholicschool.org 1006 Goodyear Blvd., Picayune, MS Office ........ 601-799-0860 Union Baptist Academy Official Home Page: www.ubcnet.org/UBA 1628 W. Union Rd., Picayune, MS Office ........ 601-798-6470

CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE Picayune Chamber of Commerce Official Home Page: greaterpicayunechamber.org 201 Hwy 11 N, Picayune ........... 601-798-3122 Poplarville Chamber of Commerce Official Home Page: www.poplarville.org 101 N Main St., Poplarville ........ 601-795-0578

ELECTRIC UTILITIES Call Before You Dig ...................... 800-227-6477 Coast Electric Power Association Official Home Page: www.coastepa.com 6375 Hwy 11 N, Picayune ......... 601-798-5013 After Hours, Power Outages ...... 800-624-3348 Mississippi Power Company Official Home Page: www.mississippipower.com 600 W Canal St., Picayune ........ 800-532-1502 201 W Cumberland St., Poplarville .............................. 800-532-1502 Power Outage-Problems ........... 800-487-3275 Pearl River Valley Electric Power Assoc.

Official Home Page: www.prvepa.com 1422 Hwy 13 N, Columbia ......... 601-736-2666

HOSPITALS Highland Community Hospital 130 Highland Parkway, Picayune 601-358-9400

Pearl River County Hospital & Nursing Home 305 W Moody St., Poplarville ..... 601-795-4543

LIBRARIES Pearl River County Library System Official Home Page: www.pearlriver.lib.ms.us Margaret Reed Crosby Memorial Library Headquarters of PRCLS 900 Goodyear Blvd. Picayune .... 601-798-5081 Poplarville Public Library 202 West Beers St., Poplarville .. 601-795-8411

NEWSPAPERS Picayune Item 17 Richardson-Ozona Rd. Picayune ................................. 601-798-4766 The Poplarville Democrat 418 S. Main St., Poplarville ......... 601-795-2247

CARS/LICENSE INFORMATION DRIVER’S LICENSE

If you are a new resident, you must apply for a Mississippi driver’s license within 60 days after establishing your residence in the state.

If you currently have a valid license from the state you’re moving from, you just have to take the eye test. If you don’t have a valid driver’s license, you have to take the driving test as well as the written test and the eye test. The fee for a regular 4-year license is $24. Cash, debit, and credit cards accepted. No checks. In Pearl River County, the Dept. of Public Safety driver’s license office is located at 917 Goodyear Blvd., Picayune, MS. For times of testing, call 601-7991428. Normally open Mon.-Fri. 8 am-5 pm.

If you already have a valid MS license and live at the same address as printed on the license, you can renew online, www.ms.gov/hp/drivers/ license/Main.do

TAGS & REGISTRATION

If you are moving to Mississippi from another state bring your title or name and address of lien holder and your current registration. You must purchase your Mississippi tags within 30 days of establishing your residency in Mississippi. Tags are issued for one year. For tags, contact Pearl River County Tax Assessor: Gary Beech, 601403-2300.

To renew your tags online, go pearlrivercounty.net/tax/index.htm

to

www.

TAXES HOMESTEAD EXEMPTION

Homestead exemptions are available on the first $75,000 of assessed value. The actual amount of exempted tax dollars is limited to $300.

The county tax collector, where the property is located, determines assessed value. To qualify, the taxpayer must live and occupy the property.

Also the person must have all personal cars licensed in the state of Mississippi and must be current with their Mississippi state income tax.

An application must be submitted from Jan. 1 to April 1 through the State Tax Commission: Homestead Exemption Division. Check with your realtor, mortgagor or local tax office for more information on the Homestead Exemption.

Here’s Pearl River County! 31

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32 Here’s Pearl River County!