EDITOR’S LETTER By JEREM Y PIT TARI
W
ELCOME
It’s fall, and soon the temperatures will begin to drop some. There are some certainties to fall; the days get shorter, football games take place weekly and cooler weather wardrobes are reclaimed from their summer storage spaces. As the leaves begin to fall and yard-raking duties replace yard-cutting duties, our thoughts begin to turn toward the holiday season. That’s right, Christmas is right around the corner. So, take your mind off the stresses of the impending holidays and instead relax and savor our fall edition of Picayune Living. We’ve compiled several stories you will surely enjoy. Did you know there’s a bison farm in Poplarville? In these pages you can read about how a trio decided to start up their very own ranch that raises our national mammal and even offers public tours of the ranch that could make for an interesting weekend adventure. Homes and their amenities have always piqued my interest. From the most modest of homes, to the most grand, a structure that provides shelter and solace is one of our greatest investments. In this edition
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you can get an inside look at the Normand abode, where Eric, his wife Heather and their four children reside. For those seeking musical entertainment, consider attending one of the student performances at Pearl River Community College. There are several options at the local school of higher learning, but in this edition we cover two. Spirit of the River is PRCC’s marching band, whom you may have seen during halftime performances during a Wildcat’s game. PRCC also has several vocal groups, such as the Pearl River Singers. Have you ever passed by a beautiful garden in someone’s yard and thought, “I’d love to do that on my own property?” Well, growing daylilies may be for you. All they need is lots of water, and a bit of knowledge on how to crossbreed strains. Finally, we have an interesting art feature that does not entail the traditional mediums. Instead of using paint, this edition’s artist uses thread. Don’t forget to give your best guess to our “Where Am I?” page. This one might be a bit of a challenge.
CONTENTS 7 MUST-HAVES4
SEVEN ON 7 By PIC AY UNE LIVING S TAFF
Are you ready for some football? Check out the offerings on page 7.
PICAYUNELIVING.COM 7
325 WHERE?
Test your knowledge of Picayune & see if you can identify our secret locale.
10 BISON ON THE RANGE: Three friends joined forces to establish a bison farm near Poplarville.
18 VOCAL STYLINGS: Students at Pearl River Community College put their talents to the test in an informal setting.
22 DAYLILIES: Interested in crossbreeding your own unique flower? Daylilies provide just the experiences you are looking for.
28 MUSICAL: Pearl River Community College’s band puts hundreds of hours into preparing quality performances.
14 ON THE COVER
Take a tour of the Normand household, where big city living meets the tranquility of a remote country setting. See page 14 for the story. Photo by Jeremy Pittari
STAFF LINDA GILMORE Publisher JEREMY PITTARI Associate Publisher WRITERS Cassandra Favre Taylor Welsh Julia Arenstam
ADVERTISING Laci Lee Laura Henley COMPOSITION Debra Howell Duey Entrekin
ALSO INSIDE:
Free copies of Picayune Living magazine are available at these fine establishments:
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Holiday Inn Express, Glass Porch, MS Welcome Center, Stanek Chiropractic Centre, Moore Chiropractic Clinic, Scooters, Senior Center of South MS, Phillips Building Supply, City Rexall Drugs, Ford Realty, Paul’s Pastry Shop, Apple’s LTD, Greater Picayune Chamber of Commerce, and the offices of the Picayune Item and The Poplarville Democrat. INFORMATION: Picayune Living is published four times per year by Picayune Newsmedia, LLC. All content is subject to copyright. POSTMASTER: Please send any changes of address or undeliverable information attn: Picayune Item, P.O. 580, Picayune, MS 39466
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Browse the calendar page for a look at this season’s upcoming activities.
37 OUT & ABOUT
See who’s attending the city’s premier events.
32 ALTERNATIVE CANVAS: Ruth Miller utilizes a different type of medium to display her gift for art.
42 WHY I LOVE PICAYUNE Pearl River County resident Steve McDonald shares his memories of growing up in Picayune.
SEVEN ON 7 By PIC AY UNE LIVING S TAFF
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS OCTOBER 14 & 15 CROSBY ARBORETUM FALL NATIVE PLANT SALE Choose from a selection of native trees, shrubs, and perennials. Knowledgeable staff and volunteers will be on hand to assist with plant questions and offer advice on plant selection for your site. Free Admission. Sale will be located in Greenhouse area. Please use our Service Road entrance. Call the Arboretum office at (601) 799-2311 for more information. NOV. 18 (SCHOOLS) & 19 (PUBLIC) ARBORETUM’S 14th PINEY WOODS HERITAGE FESTIVAL Celebrate the early days of Mississippi’s Piney Woods region in this annual festival featuring exhibits and demonstrations. Friday is for preregistered school groups, $2 per child. Free to teachers/chaperones. Saturday will feature live music performances. Saturday admission, adults $5, children $2. Members attend free. Call (601) 799-2311 for info. OCTOBER 22 8th ANNUAL BLUES AND HERITAGE FESTIVAL Don’t miss out one of the most popular fall festivals in Picayune. This year there’s music featuring Vince Vance & the Valiants and Al “Carnival Time” Johnson. In addition, there’s a car show and Fairy Tale Fall Festival by GPAC at Jack Read Park. NOVEMBER 5 & 6 FALL STREET FESTIVAL This two-day festival begins at 9 a.m. and wraps up each day at 5 p.m. Vendors will line the streets of downtown offering everything from chainsaw demonstrations to a classic car show. But there will also be live music, martial arts demonstration, hot air balloon rides, giant slides, train rides, reenactments and even the Eurobungee. Don’t miss the fun! NOVEMBER 12 CHRISTMAS OPEN HOUSE Kick off the holiday season with a trip downtown as local store owners will be open late (from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.) so you can get all your shopping done early, or maybe you can fill up your Christmas wish list. NOVEMBER 26 NATIONAL SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY Beat the crowds and the big box stores and help support downtown Picayune during the annual Small Business Saturday. Held the weekend after Thanksgiving, the shopping event is the perfect way to unwind after too much turkey–with a leisurely stroll among your friends and neighbors. DECEMBER 2 SHOP BY CANDLELIGHT & CHRISTMAS ON THE RAILS Come see Santa and Mrs. Claus arrive by firetruck at Jack Read Park. Also, take a walk through downtown and check out the streets of Picayune, lit by luminaries. The event offers hayrides, refreshments and more. 8 FALL 2016
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A MERICAN PRIDE By C A SSANDR A FAVRE
On the Range
One couple turns their childh
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hood dream into reality PICAYUNELIVING.COM 11
RED GATE BISON RANCH IS HOME TO ABOUT 30 OF THE LARGE MAMMALS, WHICH WERE RECENTLY DESIGNATED AS THE FIRST NATIONAL MAMMAL OF THE UNITED STATES When Andre Toups was a Boy Scout, he visited a bison ranch during a backpacking expedition in New Mexico. “I was fascinated,” he said. “They were so majestic and I knew I would have a ranch one day.” About two years ago, his dream became a reality when he, his wife Beth and their friend Michele Roach started the Red Gate Bison Ranch LLC in Poplarville. The Toups are originally from Louisiana and retired from the medical profession; Andre was a paramedic and shift commander and Beth was a registered critical care nurse. The couple always joked about
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starting a ranch. In preparation, Beth took what she calls “bison 101” and joined the National Bison Association. Then her friend Michele Roach agreed to join the adventure. The Toups started looking for land after Hurricane Katrina, but didn’t have much luck until Beth went to her first National Bison Association conference, where she met someone who could help them. “She was a Realtor for this area and she agreed to take us as clients and started rounding up parcels,” Beth said. “We needed mostly grazeable land. This land had not been grazed in 30 years and would take a lot to restore, but we saw the potential.” Red Gate Bison Ranch is home
to about 30 of the large mammals, which were recently designated as the first national mammal of the United States by President Barack Obama, Beth added. The animals graze the 200-acre property as a “family,” untouched by artificial insemination, growth hormones or sub-therapeutic antibiotics to stimulate appetite. “We watch them,” Beth said. “They can fend off predators and protect their babies,” Beth said. The trio also learned about grass, grazing, rotation and fencing, because essentially ranchers are grass farmers, Michele said. Last November, the Toups started producing meat from their bison,
selling their products under the Red Gate Ranch label at Greer’s Cash Saver in Poplarville, Toups Eatery in New Orleans and direct sales through their Facebook page. The bison’s hump, which is located over their shoulder, makes a unique roast, Beth said. “It’s a delicious, sweet
meat,” she said. “It’s alkaline-based and healthy. Bison are the only mammals known to not get cancer because of this alkalinity.” “This is our retirement,” Beth said. “It’s a lot of work right now, but we chose an animal that didn’t need a lot of daily care and maintenance.”
The farm also plays a key role in the county’s agritourism industry through hosting tours by special request via Facebook or from the Mississippi State University Extension Office. Andre said, at first, he didn’t know what to expect when they started the ranch. Even though he grew up
in the city, he is an avid outdoorsman. “It’s been great, a lot of fun and challenging,” he said. For Michele, working the ranch provides a great getaway. “It’s work that we like to do,” she said. “We’ve been friends for 20 plus years and this has brought us closer.”
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AT HOME By JEREM Y PIT TARI
Modern
Rustic land in Pearl River Co
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serenity
ounty houses big city charm
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THE NORMAND HOME IS TRULY ONE THAT OFFERS A WARM, INVITING PLACE TO RAISE A FAMILY AND HOST GATHERINGS Eric Normand, his wife Heather and their four children all reside in a beautiful 5,500 square-foot twostory home that sits on 60 acres in the middle of Pearl River County. Their home was built in 2007, and purchased by the family in 2013. Eric said the family moved to their new home from North Hill, where they lived for 12 years prior. He’s originally from Baton Rouge, Louisiana while Heather comes to Pearl River County from Santa Cruz, California. A job with Lockheed Martin brought Eric to Pearl River County, but he now runs his own business that sells used
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vending machines, concession trailers and food trucks. Their home features a wraparound porch made of repurposed brick and surrounded by a wrought iron banister. In the five-acre pond are plenty of catfish and perch for leisurely fishing off of the adjoining dock. A three-car garage provides ample space for vehicles and other belongings. A 600 square foot apartment above the garage has its own kitchenette and half bath. Two horses also reside on the property, which affords the family a leisurely way to tour the expansive acreage. With only 45 acres of the property cleared, the remaining 15 acres is wooded delight, featuring a trail
that runs from the barn to a secluded field. Five bedrooms, and two and a half baths provide enough room for the family to have their own private space. For entertaining purposes, the 800 square-foot kitchen with it’s 12-foot ceiling offers 94 cabinets to store all of the utensils and cookware needed to whip up a large holiday dinner. A walk-in pantry provides additional storage, while the six-foot range and four ovens provide the space needed to prepare meals for a large family. Eric said the dining room has held more than 25 people during holiday get togethers.
Eric said one of the first things that caught the couple’s eye while considering purchasing the home was the large fridge. “When we first came to look at the house we took a picture in front of the fridge because we never saw a fridge like that,” Eric Normand said. Twenty-seven-foot cathedral ceilings grace the living room and foyer. The chandeliers in those rooms are motorized, allowing easy access to change the bulbs. To cool off in the summer, the family can step out the back door to an inground pool, rope swing and a dock on the lake.
With so much land that is still wooded, Eric said a number of wildlife has been known to wander out into the open, including bobcats, panthers, deer, wild hogs and rabbits. For those chilly nights, two fireplaces provide warmth in the living room and there’s another one on the back porch. On the second floor is a guest room with attached office, bedrooms for the children and a separate living space where the children watch movies and play video games. The Normand home is truly one that offers a warm, inviting place to raise a family and host gatherings.
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TUNED IN By JULIA ARENS TAM
Becoming l Pearl River Singers
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lifelong singers achieve more than trophies
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A LIFE-LONG SINGER HERSELF, TYSON ENCOURAGES HER STUDENTS TO FIND A PLACE TO SING, EVEN AFTER LEAVING THE COLLEGE The Pearl River Singers: a simple name for a diverse and evolving group of students at Pearl River Community College. The group has been performing contemporary western classical pieces since before the 80’s, Director of Choral Groups LaDonna Tyson said. The Singers is the largest of the three choirs she directs at PRCC and has previously boasted between 60 and 70 auditioned singers. This year, however, Tyson is splitting the group into men’s and women’s choirs, with 45 auditioned performers each. Over 120 students auditioned this year to be a select member of the choir and receive a hefty, half-
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tuition scholarship, Tyson said. Every February, the Singers participate in the Mississippi Community College Choral Festival in Meridian. This two-day event is noncompetitive and encourages students to appreciate each group for their individual abilities, Tyson said. “It’s not a competition, everybody does their own thing and we can appreciate the hard work that went into that,” Tyson said. With so many students coming from competitive high school programs it can be hard for them to switch gears, Tyson said. “The students learn to appreciate what we have here, if they don’t
already,” Tyson said. “It’s an opportunity to see that we’re in a really wonderful situation with administrative support; we don’t struggle with numbers, scheduling, or budget and a lot of other schools do.” In April, the group was honored to be chosen as the first community college in 10 years to perform at the Mississippi conference of the American Choral Directors Association, Tyson said. After being accustomed to friendly audiences filled with family and local supporters, “You walk into a room of professional musicians that do it for a living, so the bar’s raised a little bit,” Tyson said.
The group began tediously rehearsing in August. “There was no immediate gratification, it was a slow plow through to get to a really mountaintop experience,” Tyson said. Even though there’s a lack of competitive events for community college choirs in the state, Tyson is content. “Too often in our profession, it does become about winning or rating and not about singing,” Tyson said. Tyson said she has found her home at PRCC and has connected with her students.
“I love when the light bulb comes on; that moment where we’ve been working on this one piece of music that’s really difficult…and then we get to a point where the notes come off the page and we connect the meaning of the text to what we’re singing and it all comes together,” Tyson said. A life-long singer herself, Tyson encourages her students to find a place to sing, even after leaving the college. During their visit to New York this December, the group will help make sandwiches and hand them out to the homeless with the
organization One Sandwich at a Time, in addition to attending Broadway shows, Tyson said. “That’s as valuable as any concert that we can do,” Tyson said. Another interesting twist comes to the group this year with a joint effort with the PRCC football team. Fifteen of the Wildcats will join the Singers throughout the year, in addition to singing together during the Homecoming game in October. “Coach Saunders and I think football and choir both add a lot to the curriculum for those guys,” Tyson said.
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DIRT WORK By JEREM Y PIT TARI
DAYLILIES CAN BE REWARDING GARDENING EXPERIENCE Daylilies could be a backyard gardener’s dream, especially if they like to discover unique flowers through hybridization. Pearl River County resident Kay Cline has been growing daylilies for about two decades, and has even crossbred her own flowers, one of which is registered with the American Hemerocallis Society. It’s called Coffee Frenzy, which came from crossing Coffee to Go and Firefly Frenzy. She got into the hobby while looking for plants to grow in her yard. Today, Cline’s crossbreeding efforts aim for the best colors and traits. But she admits nature may have a hand in what the final flower will look like.
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“I never know if it’s me or the bees,” Cline said. Not only does the hobby let her create her own flowers, but she also gets plenty of exercise. She used to run on the treadmill until she took up growing daylilies. “One of my favorite things about hybridizing is you never know what you’re going to find the next day. It’s
like Christmas,” she said. While the plants are perennials, the individual flower lasts for just one day. They bloom each morning and by the end of the day it’s gone. Plants grown from seeds are always different and unique, so much so that seeds within the same pod can produce different flowers, Cline said. Seedpods can hold between 6 to 40 seeds, leaving room for a lot of variety from the same plant. If a flower is good enough, it can be registered. Cline estimates there are about 60,000 named flowers due to backyard and professional hybridization efforts.
Once the seedpod has been harvested, the best way to germinate the seeds is by putting them in pots, which provides up to a 90 percent germination rate. Alternately, if they are left to fall to the ground only about 1 percent will grow. For anyone considering taking up the hobby, Cline said there are three things daylilies need, water, water and more water. Once the seed has sprouted and matured into a plant, there’s one thing they need in order for them to bloom, at least six hours of sunlight. Before someone gets too far into the hobby, Cline suggests they have the soil in their yard tested to see if essential compounds
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are missing and that the soil’s pH is at 6.5. Each season she uses 13-13-13 fertilizer combined with a high-grade compost in the fall and the beginning of spring. Cline plants her daylilies in the fall, and again in the spring because the weather is cooler. Mulching them in the fall helps keep the weeds out and the water in the ground. As for the investment in time, Cline said they are relatively easy to grow. The more care they receive, the more buds grow on a scape, or the long stem supporting the buds. There are some things to protect the plants from, such as aphids and a fungus called rust that can affect the foliage. Cline doesn’t spray her plants to prevent the rust fungus because she is trying to breed them for rust resistance. Before deciding on a variant to grow, take a second to see what is being grown locally. Cline said there are variants that do well in a northern climate while others do better in the warmer southern weather. Serious hobbyists enter competitions, such as the one in Hattiesburg in June. Cline has brought home Best In Category twice at the event, but strives to one day bring home the Best In Show prize. It’s not just a hobby for those with too much time on their hands. Cline said that some of the people that grow daylilies include brain surgeons, microbiologists and
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educators. If someone would like to take a tour of her garden, she said her contact information can be found on the websites listed below. A daylily database can be found at the American Hemerocallis Society website, http://www. daylilies.org/DaylilyDB/ and locally at http://www. hattiesburgdaylily.com
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M ARCHING ON By TAY LOR WEL SH
PRCC’S “SPIRIT OF THE RIVER” WORK MORE THAN THE AVERAGE PERSON MIGHT THINK It takes tremendous dedication and years of practice to be a part of Pearl River Community College’s “Spirit of the River” marching band. Whether practicing three times a day in the Mississippi heat or memorizing sets until the break of dawn, the members of the Spirit of the River exhibit devotion to their school while participating in this rewarding and challenging endeavor. Band Director Dr. Kyle Hill has been with the PRCC marching band for the past 25 years, but this year might
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be special. “This is a very well-rounded group. Section wise, this might be one of the most talented groups we have ever had. Usually, bands have a weak section here or there. However, this group is equally talented across-the-
board, which is saying something because they all are extremely good at what they do,” Hill said. Previously, the “Spirit” has been recognized as one of the most outstanding marching bands in Southern Mississippi, so this year is exciting not only to Hill, but for the members as well. “The most exciting time for us has got to be the beginning of the season. We get to learn new music and basically start the whole process over again, which is what I love to do,” third year marching band veteran Scott Nguyen said. Even though the beginning of the season is exciting, the preparation does not come easy. “Because bands are such large groups, anything
could happen that potentially can make us relearn everything we have been taught for the past month or so. If someone drops out of the band, we have to learn new marching sets. Also, it’s not uncommon for us to completely change songs in the middle of preparing for a show,” third year Spirit of the River member Jonathyn Masters said. Hill said this group is talented enough to learn and perform a new song after about a week or two of practice, barring any setbacks. Members of the “Spirit” share one goal, and that is to continue to improve from year to year. However, what most of them do not realize until after a couple years of experience are the life lessons learned through the
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journey. “The band helps us out in so many ways and translates almost perfectly into the real world. During shows and practice we have to concentrate on memorizing notes, songs, marching sets and mannerisms all at the same time along with being on key with the other members around us,” third year marching band veteran Gabriel Ericson said. “I soon found out that this really helps with other aspects in life like school. I not only can retain more information, but I also understand my studying habits better and what I can handle.” Hill said being involved in a marching band helps students learn time management, teamwork and how to adapt to a wide variety of people and personalities. “This whole group is so disciplined. During practice you can see them growing not only as musicians, but also as young adults,” Hill said. In previous years, PRCC’s Spirit of the River was invited to perform at the Chicago Thanksgiving Parade twice
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and also the Presidential Inaugural Parade for President Barack Obama in 2013. Although the marching band, as a whole, does not compete, some sections of the band do, and have a history of bringing home awards. “The ‘Pearls’ have won national championships and state championships for about 18 years in a row; we stopped counting. The drum line has won a couple of state championships and the rest of the band does not compete,” Hill said. This season, Hill expects to have an entertaining halftime show for football games. He hopes to end the season on a positive note before building on the group for the next season.
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IN STITCHES By JULIA ARENS TAM
LOCAL EMBROIDERY STUDIO FILLED WITH LIFE-SIZED TAPESTRIES Just outside the city limits of Picayune, one local artist is reviving a lost art form in her quiet country studio. “Hawaii, everyone says, is very beautiful, but Mississippi is beautiful and I felt that even in this small property, I
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can make my own Hawaii,” Ruth Miller said, a local embroiderer who creates tapestries by hand. After spending much of her life in New York City, moving down South was quite the culture shock Miller said, but she “needed the trees to recover from the concrete in New York.” Her choice to embrace simplicity allows her to take her time with each piece, which can take about a year to create. “When I say a piece takes a year, or a year and a half, that’s only the stitching. The deciding, there’s no telling how long that will take,” Miller said. She favors the soft touch and clean lines of brightly colored woolen yarn to other mediums. “When I was a teenager I saw an art exhibition in Canada and there were woven tapestries by this African artist…and I thought ‘oh, I don’t have to paint.’ …This was a skill I already had and it was nice and clean,” said Miller. “At the time, I hadn’t had any children, but now I know what dirty is.” She creates her often larger-than-life tapestries to show the finer details of her subjects. Her first tapestry, and only self-portrait, took 19 months to complete. “One reason I started with me was because I was too shy to ask anybody to model,” Miller said. She stitched her first pieces in the late 70s, putting time
into them after work or whenever she got a chance. “I just felt like I would do whatever I felt like and time would not be an object, nor money or anything,� Miller said. At a young age, it was her mother who encouraged
her to pursue art, enrolling her in an art high school and teaching her embroidery when she was a young girl, along with her Aunt Mildred. She began making small pieces in high school and later on challenged herself until she discovered the detail that
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could be achieved on a larger scale. Miller pushed herself further to “see the colors” in everyday life. “One year I decided I was going to learn how to see the colors because I had seen other artists work and I said, ‘I’m going to try and find them,’” Miller said. Her process is painstaking, requiring a lot of time and attention; after finding the right photograph, she creates a line drawing, experiments with colors, and lastly grids the image to transfer it onto the large tapestry. “It’s never exact,” Miller said, who continuously makes corrections to her work. She built her studio after her mother passed away in the 70s with help from her inheritance. “She’s helping me still,” Miller said. Her studio now provides plenty of natural light, a stark contrast to the days she spent stitching on the floor of her small living room in New York. “I told them to put as many windows as the structure could hold,” Miller said. In the corner sits a framed tapestry on an easel. Entitled “The Evocation and Capture of Aphrodite,” it’s a colorful, larger than
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life portrait of her granddaughter, Tatiana, layered with leaves and an imaginary environment. This piece in particular tells the story of womanhood, “All of us girls are always looking for the beauty and the ‘lovableness’ within ourselves,” Miller said. Over the years she has found inspiration from her family, friends, strangers and even her children’s drawings. Miller is beginning to teach small groups and is planning to begin a class on contemporary floral samplers. “It sounds difficult...but you just have to learn to see,” Miller said. Those interested in classes should contact her at tapestryportraits@yahoo.com.
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WHERE A M I ? By JEREM Y PIT TARI
PAST FUNCTION Do you know where this picture was taken? If you do, then send your guess to news@picayuneliving.com or post it on Picayune Living’s Facebook page. We will unveil the location in the next edition of Picayune Living. LAST EDITION: The photo below was featured in our summer edition of Picayune Living. This statue stands in front of the county courthouse in Poplarville. Congratulations to those of you who recognized the feature of this building.
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By JEREM Y PIT TARI and JULIA ARENS TAM
RELAY FOR LIFE Cancer survivors and their families attended the annual Relay for Life celebration at Jack Read Park in Picayune. 1. From left are Wendell Lumpkin, Shannon Howard, Sonia Mitchell, Tracey Harvey, Angela Ribben and Ronnie Spence. 2. From left are Cameron Acker, Joyce Brumfield and Adrian Trudeau. 3. From left are Ava McBeth, Gloria Travis and Kailey Travis.
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SENIOR CENTER Volunteers and community members attended a workshop at the Senior Center of South Pearl River County to learn about medical fraud. 4. From left are Dennis Redman, Jane Blanks, Barbara Redman and Austin Easterling. 5. From left are Mike Fitzwilliam, Alvin Martinez and Russel Foster. 6. From left are Marie Gilcrease, Edna Creel and James Case.
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OUT & ABOUT By C A SSANDR A FAVRE
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BLUEBERRY JUBILEE
People from Pearl River County and surrounding areas attended the annual Blueberry Jubilee held in June in downtown Poplarville. 1. From left are Samantha Cook, Ashley Whitaker and Kriss Amacker. 2. From left are Nevin Applewhite, Catalina Olavarria and Nicholas LaHaye. 3. From left are Logan Edwards-Easley, Tahoe, Gizmo and Jason Edwards-Easley.
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APPRECIATION LUNCHEON
In July, members of the First Baptist Church of Picayune hosted a luncheon to recognize members of the Picayune Police Department, the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department, Picayune Fire Department, employees of the city of Picayune and employees from both Picayune and Pearl River County School Districts. 4.From left are Scott Harris, Kenneth Magee, Tommy Johnson and Darrel Jackson. 5.From left are Brooke Walker, Bonnie Nelson, Deborah Benoit, Abby Rester, Shirley Rester and Autumn McKenzie. 6.From left are Alvin Richard, James Jones and Andre Jones.
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OUT & ABOUT 1
By JULIA ARENS TAM
INSECTS WORKSHOP
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In June the Crosby Arboretum conducted an educational entomology event where children learned about the importance of insects before going on an expedition to collect their own bugs. 1. From left in the top row are Shari Radich and Lauren Nelson. From left in the bottom row are Ty Radich, Lily Radich, Garrett Nelson and Wyatt Nelson. 2. From left are Berkeley Crosswhite, Marie Betts and Declan Crosswhite. 3. From left are Sally Edwards, Nola Marlin, Ronan Marlin and Greta White. 4. From left are Eli Hayman and Landon Rainey. 5. In the top row from left are Jamie Romano, Liam Romano, Peyton Romano, and Kallie Anderson. In the bottom row from left are Brylee Anderson, Rylee Romano, Jake Romano, Keely Anderson, Blayne Anderson and Miley Anderson.
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OUT & ABOUT By JULIA ARENS TAM
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PANCAKE BREAKFAST A pancake breakfast fundraiser was held at Applebee’s in Picayune to benefit Donovan Trudel, who is battling cancer. 1. From left are Joe, Joseph and Julia Murphy 2. From left are Keith Arthur and Palmer Sullins 3. From left are Tanesha, Ahmad and James Roche 4. From left are Minister Fred Walker, Josh Walker, Lagather Dylan and Dallas Dylan. 5. From left are Kristy, Mark and Adlea Emelio. 6. From left are Jasmine and Ja’niyah Ducre
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OUT & ABOUT By C A SSANDR A FAVRE
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MS MISSISSIPPI PAGEANT The Ms. Mississippi Senior America Pageant was held in July at the Pittman Family Life Center in Picayune. 1. From left are Trudy and Steve Morris. 2. From left are Ms. Mississippi Senior America ’08 Betty Rushing and Ms. Mississippi Senior America ’07 Jessica Lacour. 3. From left are Dorothene Willis, Gwen Strong and Esther Owens.
FASHION FRENZY In Aug. Picayune Main Street and the Krewe of the Pearl hosted the second annual Fashion Frenzy at Southern Char Steakhouse.
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4. From left are Glady’s Hughes, Trina Shelton and Bonnie Hughes. 5. From left are Tana Cochran and Fr. Jonathan Filkins. 6. From left are Susan Spiers, Ann McDonald, Cole Arthur and Johnny Niemann.
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WHY I LOVE PICAYUNE By S TE VE MCDONAL D
Community-minded LIVING
My life in Picayune has been exciting, never dull. Growing up, we had limited TV, listened to WRJW from daylight until dark to hear the news and everything from music to programs about local families and clubs. The Picayune Item filled us with the in-depth coverage of the news once a week as I remember. Saturday shopping meant that everyone from the local farms and countryside came to town to do their banking and to shop for supplies and see sporting and other local events. Church functions were top priority and the center of everything that happened in town. The young people went to each other’s church for services and social events. The
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older teenagers kept an eye on the younger ones, while the adults kept an eye on the teenagers. Outings included Millcreek for bonfires, swimming and fishing, and in the summer we attended out of town church camps. Everyone was in the Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts where we learned to camp and make all kinds of things our parents didn’t need but saved as mementos. Scouting operated with, and out of, the churches and provided great leadership lessons for everyone. I loved little league baseball. There, I met new friends and built up my confidence. I played for 3 years and then another 2 years of Dixie League. The relationships I formed with my friends and our coaches, Charles H. Stewart and J.D. Seal, continue to this day. I had many great teachers as I moved through the Picayune School system and enjoyed every minute of it. I can’t say the same for my teachers but they were smiling as I moved to the next grade. We received attention, love and a firm hand when we needed it. Some of us needed it more than others. Two events have really stuck in my mind from my school years. First, I remember that just before our weekly English test in the 7th grade our teacher would say a prayer with the class until one day she informed us that we would no longer be able to pray in class because of a Supreme Court Ruling. Tests continued in the class, as did the prayer, in spite of the ruling. The second, was the afternoon
that word of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination reached us in school. These two events have left strong memories for me. I love the people of Picayune and Mississippi! We aren’t perfect here; however I would not trade anything for the people, churches and organizations which have helped mold my life! I have been, and am currently involved, in numerous organizations locally because our parents always taught us to be part of giving back to your community in whatever way we could. People here constantly work to make Picayune a better place and join together to make improvements for their families and others. My work history started with a job for Mariam Salloum at Salloum men’s clothing store. I was very thankful for this opportunity, which I will never forget. Mr. Salloum was an excellent teacher, I really enjoyed working for him. Later, I worked a couple of years at WRJW doing several different Jobs. Mr. Jimmy Jones was the owner. Mr. Jones allowed me to work in many different aspects of the business. After leaving the radio station I was able to go to work for my father at McDonald Funeral Home. My brother and I grew up in and around the funeral home and had done many different things. I like to say we started below ground and worked our way up. I have always been proud to be from Picayune and feel very fortunate to have not only grown up here but raised my family here!