Hometown Rankin - October & November 2016

volume 3 number 5 

oct/nov 2016 

Planting a Family 

____________________ 

A Season of Freshness 

____________________ 

In God’s Hands 

____________________ 

From Diamonds to Deer stands

Hometown Rankin • 3

Call us to schedule 

your next visit. 

(601) 825-3368 

Sarah Langston, DMD 

14 Woodgate Drive 

Brandon, Mississippi 39042 

4 • October/November 2016

publisher & Editor 

Tahya A. Dobbs 

CFO 

Kevin W. Dobbs 

Consulting Editor 

Mary Ann Kirby 

Account Executive 

Rachel Lombardo 

Contributing Writers 

Camille Anding 

Olivia Halverson 


Susan Marquez 

Knox Ross 

Shari Veazey 

Jamie Walley 

staff Photographer 

Othel Anding 

Contributing 

Photographer 

Kristy Ellingburg 

Administrative 

Assistants 

Alisha Floyd 

Brenda McCall 

Layout Design 

Daniel Thomas - 3dt 

• • • 

www.facebook.com 

/hometownrankinmagazine 

For subscription information 

visit www.htmags.com 

Have you ever considered the gift of communication? 

We utilize it from the time we wake up to 

the time we close our eyes and night, and it appears 

to have no limits. Where there’s a television, radio, 

or cell tower, there’s a way! 

The most modern and certainly most popular 

means of communication today appears to be 

texting. It can be brief but with added emotion, 

thanks to those cute little emojis. It seems that 

preschoolers to senior adults have adopted this 

unique form of staying in touch. But there’s one 

catch–successful communication via texting 

definitely requires a response. At least that’s what 

I’ve tried to impress upon our youngest, CandyLee, 

now that she’s a sophomore at Southern. 

Having our “baby” leave us as empty nesters 

wasn’t on my top-ten list of things in which to look 

forward. The emotion was similar to her leaving 

for kindergarten–but this was a whole new level, 

altogether. A week of college had passed and our 

communication was considerably less than I was 

expecting. Our baby had adjusted wonderfully to 

college–and without the close proximity of her 

parents. I had mixed feelings about that. While I 

was grateful that God had answered our prayer in 

helping her to love her new home and roommate, 

I also had a tinge of sadness that her maturity had 

reached such a level of independence. And she 

didn’t exactly text me back as quickly or as often as 

I had hoped, either. It’s been a difficult adjustment 

for ol’ mom here. 

But, as anyone that’s been through it knows, 

it’s all just a part of the process–and, if nothing 

else, it renewed my drive to make Hometown Rankin 

a quality issue of positive encouragement and open 

communication. We are blessed to call Rankin 

County our home and I want this publication to 

be a reminder of that to you, our readers. 

We are surrounded by people who have wonderfully 

important and inspirational stories. Please 

make us aware of any that you think need to be 

told. Feel free to communicate 

with us by phone, email or 

Facebook. We always love 

hearing from our readers 

and want to hear 

from you soon. 

Contact us at info@HTMags.com 

601.706.4059 

26 Eastgate Drive, Suite F 

Brandon MS 39042 

• • • 

All rights reserved. No portion of Hometown Rankin 

may be reproduced without written permission from 

the publisher. The management of Hometown Rankin 

is not responsible for opinions expressed by its 

writers or editors. Hometown Rankin maintains the 

unrestricted right to edit or refuse all submitted 

material. All advertisements are subject to approval by 

the publisher. The production of Hometown Rankin 

is funded by advertising. 

In this issue The Rythm of Home 8 

In God’s Hands 14 

A Season of Freshness 20 

Shopping Local 27 

Planting a Family 28 

Y’all Aboard! 38 

Tender Loving Hair 54 

From Diamonds to Deer Stands 86 


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Musical Legend 

& Jackson Native, 

Dorothy Moore 


The Rhythm 

of Home 

Olivia Halverson 

A bluesy bravado echoes 

throughout Jackson, Mississippi. 

The smooth sound reminisces of days when a young 

girl belted out gospel hymns and blues hits to the 

delight of local ears. For this little girl, learning a 

melody came as easily as breathing. 

Musical legend and Jackson native, Dorothy Moore, 

made her humble debut singing in the choir at New 

Strangers’ Home Baptist Church. She was raised by her 

great-grandmother, or “Mama” as Dorothy called her. 

Mama supported Dorothy’s singing from the very 

beginning, encouraging her to join the church choir and 

sing in talent shows at the Alamo Theatre. 

Barely tall enough to reach the microphone, Dorothy 

Moore was the youngest competitor in the Alamo talent 

shows. Her small stature inspired the nickname “Little 

Dorothy,” but there was nothing little about the song 

Dorothy had in her heart. At just 11 years old, Dorothy 

roused the crowds with her powerful voice and natural 

talent of singing the blues. 

Mama sat in the front row watching her great-granddaughter 

blossom into the singer she was destined to be. 

Dorothy did not know it at the time, but she was well on 

her way to stardom. Soon, Dorothy would graduate from 

the Alamo stage to Madison Square Garden and stages 

across the globe. 

Late one evening, Dorothy was nearly asleep in the 

front room of Mama’s home when a man knocked on 

the front door. Mama answered the door, and Dorothy 

listened to the conversation. The man was a record 

producer looking for the girl who could sing. “When 

I heard that, I stood up and walked out of that bed.” 

Dorothy knew that she wanted to be a singer, and her 

opportunity was standing right in front of her that night. 

Only 17-years-old at the time, Dorothy accepted an 

opportunity that literally came knocking at her door. 


Dorothy began to sing professionally 

with a group called The Poppies while she 

attended college at Jackson State University. They 

recorded for Epic Records, reaching the Billboard Hot 100 

chart in 1966 with “Lullaby of Love.” 

Some years later, Dorothy joined with Jackson’s Malaco 

Records as an independent artist. At Malaco, Dorothy 

recorded “Misty Blue,” the song that would take her to the 

top of her career. She recorded “Misty Blue” in 1973. The 

producers at Malaco did not trust that “Misty Blue” would 

become a hit song, so they put Dorothy’s record on the 

shelf. Two years later, producers at Malaco found themselves 

in financial turmoil. In a last attempt to avoid bankruptcy, 

they released every record they had on label in hopes that 

just one song might take off. “Misty Blue” climbed the 

charts and became an instant hit in the R&B genre. 

At the same time “Misty Blue” was taking off, Dorothy 

had married. She was working at School Pictures on 

Mill Street. Dorothy and her coworkers were listening 

to the radio at work when “Misty Blue” began to play. 

The song played all around town, and locals recognized 

the unmistakable smooth voice that flowed from their 

radio speakers. 

“Dorothy, ‘Misty Blue’ is on! They are playing it again!” 

Dorothy’s coworkers would cheer. When “Misty Blue” 

made the top 50 chart, Malaco Records contacted Dorothy 

about going on tour. Thanks to “Misty Blue,” Malaco was 

financially stabilized. At the age of 27, Dorothy was on her 

way to the big stage–a really big stage. Madison Square 

Garden was Dorothy’s first stop on the “Misty Blue” journey. 

Dorothy was the opener for Smokey Robinson and Hal 

Melvin and the Blue Notes. “I was just singing ‘Misty 

Blue,’” Dorothy said. “It was all I had.” That night on the 

Madison Square Garden stage, Dorothy got encore after 

encore. She came back out to the crowd waving and 

bowing. When she finally came off the stage, 

Dorothy’s booking agent lifted her up, twirled 

her around, and said “What do you want, Dorothy? You 

can have anything you want.” Dorothy smiled, and said 

“I really want a hamburger deluxe.” 

The world had chosen Dorothy Moore and her song. 

Fame came to her in as pure a form as it could. She was 

simply following her dream and doing what she loved. 

After “Misty Blue” came out, people wanted more. 

Dorothy’s record went gold in the United States and 

Canada and platinum in the United Kingdom. In 1996, 

“Misty Blue” went gold again after being featured in the 

movie “Phenomenon” on compilation. Today, the song 

remains in the iTunes top 10 chart for the blues genre. 

Dorothy toured all over the world and sang alongside 

stars she had always listened to and seen on TV like 

Johnnie Taylor, Ray Charles and The Temptations. She 

felt right at home on stage with a band and a microphone. 

But Dorothy’s voice was never meant for just performing– 

and Dorothy knew that well. 

In addition to the blues, Dorothy had a passion for 

singing gospel. After all, the church is where it all began 

for Dorothy Moore. “I don’t perform when I’m singing 

gospel,” Dorothy said. “I minister.” During her career, 

Dorothy recorded a gospel album that made it to the top 

10 chart. Despite the album’s success, Dorothy faced a 

battle. “I was confused.” Dorothy explained. “I felt wrong 

performing gospel for people.” Dorothy prayed that God 

would help her. “He told me to just sing and He would do 

the rest. I’m not the star when I’m singing gospel. He is.” 

Over the years, fame pulled Dorothy in every direction 

but never defeated her. The industry pressured her to 

abandon comfort zones and sing music she did not 

believe in. “I was very particular about what I sang.” 

Dorothy said. She turned down songs that did not match 


her values. Mama had raised Dorothy to stand 

firm in her beliefs, and stay true to herself. “And 

Lord if I didn’t,” Dorothy said, “my great-grandmother...I 

knew she was going to turn over in her 

grave, come out, and whoop me good!” 

Dorothy always felt the strong tug of her 

Mississippi roots when she toured. Jackson was 

the birthplace of her career. “This is home,” 

Dorothy said. “Ain’t nothing like it.” It was the 

place where Dorothy fell in love with singing, 

and learned about the God who gave her such 

an incredible talent. “I get to leave and go 

perform in Hollywood or Europe. You name it. 

I like to come back home, though, for some 

good ole black eyed peas and cornbread. The 

plane sometimes seems like it don’t be flying 

fast enough when I’ve been gone.” 

Real Mississippians never forget the rhythm 

of the south. The beat is slow and rich with 

sounds of family, fishing, good southern cooking 

and sweet tea. Dorothy always followed the 

melody right back home. The sound of home 

has only gotten sweeter over the years, as 

Dorothy now spends her days with her children 

and grandchildren. She fishes in the pond at her 

Rankin County home. You can even find her 

selling popcorn at the Alamo Theatre where she 

serves the community that nurtured her for so 

many years. 

Times have changed since 

the first days of “Misty Blue,” 

but the classic tune plays on through the ages. 

The melody continues to delight the ears of all 

who listen, and the rhythm never fails to bring 

listeners to Mississippi where Dorothy Moore’s 

musical journey began, and her legacy will 

never end. n 



URGENT NEED: LOVING HOMES FOR FOSTER CHILDREN 

Rescue 100 is a collaborative effort between the Mississippi 

Department of Child Protection Services, the Mississippi Commission 

on Children’s Justice, 200 Million Flowers and churches across the 

state of Mississippi to provide loving homes for children in the foster 

system. 

These organizations work together to streamline the training and certification 

process for resource families – most of which happens over one weekend after a 

family attends a brief orientation/informational meeting. Trainings will be held in 

different parts of the state throughout the year. 

UPCOMING ORIENTATIONS: 

All begin at 6 p.m. 

October 10 - Madison County Chancery Court Annex 

October 11 - Hinds County Chancery Court Building 

October 12 - Warren County Courthouse 

October 13 - Rankin County Justice Center 

TRAINING: 

October 21-23 - Mississippi College, Clinton* 

For more information or to register, visit: www.200millionflowers.org/rescue100. 

*You must complete orientation in order to attend the training.


In God’sHands 

Susan Marquez 

It’s no accident that Leigh Cochran had an unscheduled 

mammogram just after her 40th birthday in 2014. “I wasn’t 

scheduled for a mammogram, but when I went to see my 

gynecologist, Dr. Darden North, for my annual checkup, he 

insisted that I have one while I was there.” 

Cochran, a Brandon resident, had no history of cancer in 

her family, and no real reason to suspect that there would be 

any problems with the routine mammogram. Yet doctors 

reviewing the results saw something wrong. “They saw 

something that didn’t look right, and thought it was probably 

nothing, but because it was my first ever 

mammogram, they had nothing to compare 

it to. I was sent to Women’s Hospital to have 

a 3-D mammogram done, and they found 

a spot on one of my breasts.” A biopsy was 

done, followed by a lumpectomy. “I was 

diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ,” 

explained Cochran. 

According to the Mayo Clinic website, 

ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is the 

presence of abnormal cells inside a milk 

duct in the breast. It is considered the earliest form of breast 

cancer and it is noninvasive, meaning it hasn’t spread out of 

the milk duct to invade other parts of the breast. DCIS is 

usually found during a mammogram done as part of breast 

cancer screening or when there is another concern with a 

woman’s breast. While DCIS isn’t life-threatening, it does 

require treatment to prevent the condition from becoming 

invasive. Most women with DCIS are effectively treated 

with breast-conserving surgery and radiation. 

Since Cochran’s cancer was discovered early, she did not 

require radiation or chemotherapy. 

What she did have was a mastectomy, 

and that was harder than she had 

anticipated. “I had issues, and I didn’t 

heal right. I had to go back and have 

more work done. In all, I had five 

surgeries in one year.” 

During that time, Cochran leaned 

heavily on her faith along with family 

and friends for support. “This experience 

deepened my faith, no doubt,” she laughed. 


“I had to 

totally 

depend 

on God 

and 

hand this 

burden 

over to 

Him.” 


“I am a person who, in both my professional and personal 

life, had to be totally in control at all times. That’s so funny 

now to me, because I realize I’m not in control at all. I had 

to totally depend on God and hand this burden over to Him.” 

Unable to leave her house for a month except to go to the 

doctors, Cochran said she had nothing to do but pray. “I was 

kind of forced to slow down, and in doing so, I became more 

focused on the important things in life. I couldn’t lift my 

arms at all because I had drains and my arm was in a sling, so 

I depended on my mother and others to brush my hair and 

other things I couldn’t do for myself. I had to learn to let 

others do for me.” 

Although it was a rough time for Cochran, she said there 

were many blessings in her life during that time as well. “I had 

gotten divorced, but when all this happened, my ex-husband 

was right by my side, helping me every step of the way. We 

are now back together and I am so grateful for that.” The 

couple has two boys, ages 11 and 15. “I had to miss a lot with 

them, such as going to their ballgames, but honestly, I don’t 

think I could have gone through this without them. They 

were such a big help to me.” 

Through it all, her faith never wavered. “I remember 

sitting in Dr. Scott Runnels’ office and his nurse, Rachel 

Burnham sat down with my mom and me and prayed. She 

said that we would not accept a bad diagnosis, and that we 

claimed a full healing. That meant the world to me.” 

Cochran has become a minister of sorts to other women 

with the same diagnosis. “I found out a girl I went to high 

school with in the fifth grade had the same thing, then two 

other women who go to the same gym I do have it. I didn’t 

know anyone who had been through this at the time I was 

diagnosed, but I was introduced to someone through a 

friend who had been through it and she really helped me. 

It is important to pass on that support and help walk others 

through it.” 

Because of increased screening with mammograms, the 

rate at which DCIS is diagnosed has increased dramatically 

in recent years. “If I can say anything to other women,” 

Cochran stressed, “it’s get a mammogram! It can save your 

life like it did mine.” n 


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Hometown Rankin • 19 

16ORIGIN095_ATMTeamAd_HRM-J.indd 1 

9/16/16 10:21 AM

A Season of 

Freshness 

Susan Marquez 


Kyle Cockrell is the third generation of produce 

peddlers in his family, something he’s quite 

proud of. “My grandfather, Homer Cockrell, 

started in this business farming and selling his produce 

to others,” said Cockrell. “He actually started the Farmers 

Market on Woodrow Wilson in 1948 with the help of then 

Commissioner of Agriculture Si Corley. 

The first thing he ever sold there was 

ten pounds of peas. They were a penny 

a pound, so he made a whopping ten 

cents!” Cockrell said his family has been 

closely tied through the years to the 

State Agriculture Commission, working 

with Commissioners Jim Buck Ross, 

Lester Spell and now Cindy Hyde-Smith. 

Cockrell’s grandfather Homer worked his stand at 

the farmers market with his wife, Effie. “They brought 

my dad up in this business as well,” said Cockrell. “He 

farmed and sold produce at the farmers market as far 

back as I can remember.” What Billy and Jane Cockrell 

did differently was that they began buying 

produce from other areas of the country 

when it was not in season here. “Daddy 

took over the stand around 1989 and moved 

to Freshway Produce on Old Canton Road. 

He had developed relationships with 

growers from Homestead, Florida, all the 

way up to Michigan. They could supply 


more than Daddy could grow. I drove an 18-wheeler to 

pick up the produce, so I got to know the suppliers as well.” 

After doing some farming on his own, and working 

with his dad for many years, Kyle Cockrell and his wife, 

Sherry, took a leap of faith and purchased the Old Fannin 

Farmers Market on Old Fannin Road in Flowood. “We 

changed the name to Cockrell’s Farmers Market and 

here we are today.” 

“God works in wonderful, mysterious ways,” said 

Sherry Cockrell. “He certainly has done so for us in the 

past couple of years.” The Cockrells didn’t change too much 

about the business, other than adding more options. They 

still have suppliers far and wide to make sure they meet 

the demands of their customers, but there is also a strong 

emphasis on buying local whenever possible. “I have 

some cousins and friends who are growers, and we buy 

from them,” said Kyle Cockrell. “I try to pick farmers 

who are in it for the long haul, so we can 

have a consistent supply. I do, however, 

buy from farmers who grow small amounts, but what 

they grow really looks good.” 

In addition to produce, the business continues to sell 

preserves, jams and jellies as well as a full line of Amish 

goods including butter and cheese. They sell local milk 

and old timey peppermints. “We try to keep it as simple 

as possible,” said Sherry Cockrell. Depending on the 

season, the business also sells metal lawn art, birdhouses 

and “anything unique and different,” most all made by 

local folks. 

Running a produce stand is as seasonal a business as 

you can find. After a winter break, the business opens on 

March 1 of each year, offering spring flowers and ferns in 

addition to spring produce. As summer comes along, it’s 

almost all vegetables and fruits, including local figs and 

muscadines. The fall brings peanuts, which is a big seller 

according to Kyle Cockrell, as well as mums and 

pumpkins. And finally, the year closes with 

Christmas trees, citrus and pecans. 


“God works in wonderful, 

mysterious ways. He certainly 

has done so for us in the 

past couple of years.” 

Being the third generation family member to be in the 

business is a big deal to Kyle Cockrell, and his daughter, 

Rhegan, is continuing the legacy. The City of Flowood 

asked if the Cockrells would have a produce stand during 

the Green Market and Craft Fair held each Saturday in 

the Belk parking lot at Dogwood from July to November. 

They bought a trailer that Rhegan takes to the market. 

The Simpson Academy senior will continue working the 

produce trailer this fall and again next summer to save 

money for college. “She’s going to Mississippi College 

next fall to work towards getting her nursing degree,” 

said Sherry Cockrell. “But she’ll always be involved with 

the family business in one way or another.” n 

To see what’s fresh at Cockrell’s Farmer’s Market, 

visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ 

cockrellsfarmersmarket 



November 2-5, 2016 | Mississippi Trademart | Jackson, MS 

Presented by the Junior League of Jackson 

Wednesday, November 2 

PREVIEW GALA & AUCTION: A YULETIDE TREASURE 

Presented by the Junior League of Jackson 

HAIL THE NEW YEAR | 7 P.M. 

WALK THE RED CARPET | 7 - 10 P.M. 

Presented by C Spire 

SILENT AUCTION | 7 - 10 P.M. 

LIVE AUCTION | 9 P.M. 

Presented by Rogers Dabbs Chevrolet 

PRESENT PICK | 7 - 10 P.M. 

Presented by Lee Michaels Fine Jewelry 

Thursday, November 3 

MISTLETOE MORNING: A MORNING OF MERRIMINT 

8 - 11 A.M. 

Presented by Trustmark 

GIRLS NIGHT OUT: ALL DECKED OUT 

6:30 - 8:30 P.M. 

Presented by Belk 

General Shopping Hours 

ATM presented by BankPlus 

Thursday, November 3 | 11 A.M. - 9 P.M. 

Friday, November 4 | 11 A.M. - 9 P.M. 

Saturday, November 5 | 9 A.M. - 5 P.M. 

Friday, November 4 

MARKETPLACE BRUNCH: MARKETPLACE JAZZ BRUNCH 

8 - 11 A.M. 

Presented by Regions 

FASHION SHOW LUNCHEON: 

JOYOUS ALL TOGETHER - A CELEBRATION OF STRENGTH 

Featuring Joan Lunden 

11:30 A.M. - 1:30 P.M. 

Presented by Baptist Health Systems 

Fashions presented by Belk 

SANTA SNAPS 

2:30 - 6:30 P.M. 

TWEEN & TEEN EVENT: THE SWEET LIFE 

4 - 5:30 P.M. 

Presented by University of Mississippi Medical Center 

FRIDAY NIGHT EVENT: MISTLETOE ON TAP 

7:30 - 11 P.M. 

Presented by Southern Beverage Co, Inc. 

Saturday, November 5 

CHILDREN’S EVENT: SANTA’S WORKSHOP OF WONDER 

9:30 - 11:30 A.M. 

Presented by Ergon 

SANTA SNAPS 

9 A.M. - 3 P.M. 

MISTLETOE SPIRITS 

10 A.M. - 3 P.M. 

MISTLETOE RAFFLE CAR 

Presented by Patty Peck Honda 

For more information or to order tickets, please visit MistletoeMarketplace.com or call 1.800.324.0027.

“Hartfield provides flourishing academics 

with Biblical influences.” 

– Hartfield Academy Parent 

Hartfield Academy is a Christ-centered, college preparatory school 

that exists to help families prepare their young people academically, 

emotionally, and spiritually. They will gain a passion for learning, for 

putting others ahead of self, and for the living and active Jesus Christ. 

Contact us to schedule a tour or visit our website to apply online. 

601.992.5333 HartfieldAcademy.com 


Shopping Local 

Shari Veazey, Executive Director, Mississippi Municipal League 

As we approach this year’s holiday season, 

our thoughts will naturally turn to shopping and 

the quest to find the perfect gifts for family and 

friends. Many people now do all or most of their 

shopping on the internet, while other shoppers 

will choose to shop at “big box” retailers. 

But this year, I would urge you to make it a 

point to shop at home and support your local 

retailers and businesses. Brick and mortar 

businesses are extremely important to cities, 

towns and our state as a whole. When you shop 

locally, you are supporting “mom and pop” 

businesses that, in turn, support the cities and 

towns where they are located. 

In Mississippi, 18.5% of sales tax paid by local 

businesses is diverted back to the municipalities 

where they are located. This revenue supports 

critical municipal services such as police and fire 

protection; water and sewer; parks and recreation; 

libraries; and street infrastructure. For many 

municipalities in the state, sales tax revenue is a 

significant contributor to their overall budget. 

A recent survey of the Mississippi Municipal 

League revealed that sales tax is often the largest 

source of revenue for many of the 299 municipalities 

located in the state. 

There are many other reasons to shop locally, 

though. Local retailers and other small businesses 

are more invested in the overall success of their 

communities and are more likely to play active 

roles in the betterment of their city or town. 

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, 

in 2015, Mississippi housed more than 

242,000 small businesses making significant 

contributions to the state’s economy. These 

locally-owned companies support community 

events, local schools and sports teams, and often 

create partnerships with other small businesses, 

neighbors and residents. 

Small locally-owned businesses are the largest 

creator of jobs nationally, according to the Small 

Business Administration. As a general rule, local 

retailers can offer better customer service and add 

a more “personal” touch to the buying experience. 

Big-box retailers may have a larger physical 

footprint, but small retailers often have access 

to the same vendors and are more vested in 

satisfying your needs as a customer. They can 

order products that are not currently in stock, 

and because they are locally owned, they can be 

more flexible to extend a sale price, or offer a 

rebate to attract your business. 

Now, no one can dispute the convenience 

factor of ordering products online from the 

comfort of your home or office, but online 

retailers have an unfair advantage over our 

“Main Street” businesses that are working hard 

to grow, or sometimes just sustain, their clientele. 

These same businesses are contributing to the 

fiscal health of cities and towns, which ultimately 

benefits local citizens. Internet based businesses 

do nothing to contribute to these communities 

or to the state of Mississippi. 

The Mississippi Municipal League has been 

and will continue to be a strong advocate for the 

implementation of internet sales tax as a 

mechanism to simply level the playing field. A 

local retailer in one of our member cities has 

told me of many instances of “showrooming” 

where customers come into his store to try on a 

coat or pair of shoes, and when questioned by 

a salesperson about making a purchase, they 

indicate that they are just trying on the item so 

they could make the purchase online. 

Determining the mechanism for collecting 

internet sales tax is not easy, but with all of the 

technology and software currently available, it 

can be done. The MML would support a method 

of taxing the product based on the destination. 

For example, if someone in a Mississippi city 

buys online from a company and the product is 

delivered to their home, then the state of 

Mississippi would collect the 7% sales tax on the 

purchase and then divert 18.5% back to the city 

where the online purchase was delivered–the 

same method used when purchases are made 

in a brick and mortar retailer. 

Closing the online sales tax loophole will give 

cities and towns in Mississippi more resources to 

invest in improving the business environment 

and the quality of life for our citizens. In the 

meantime, when you choose to shop locally, 

you are doing much more than helping one 

small business–you are supporting your entire 

community. n 



I 

Planting 

a Family 

Jamie Walley 

t’s been over five years since two couples from our church approached our 

staff about getting involved in orphan care. We agreed to meet, and the 

conversation led to what this would look like for our faith family. As the 

student and mission’s pastor at Meadow Grove Baptist Church, part of my 

role was to help develop our orphan care ministry and team. Fortunately for 

me, we had several amazing people who had adopted, were foster parents, or 

were already praying about how they could be involved. 

It wasn’t long after those initial conversations that we were actively involved 

with orphan care. We began by reaching out to our local CPS (Child Protective 

Services) office, and building relationships with social workers. A foster care/ 

adoption support group started to meet at our church. We created a resource 

closet to help foster families and 

social workers have quick access 

to clothes, diapers, toys, and other 

essentials for children who came 

into custody with nothing but the 

clothes on their backs. I was proud 

of our church, and content with 

my role. 

Along the journey, I met my 

friend Rick Valore who was at that 

time the executive director of 200 

Million Flowers, an adoption agency 

based out of Ridgeland, Mississippi. 

Rick was traveling the state 

encouraging churches to create, 

equip, and train orphan care teams. 

He played a critical role in Meadow 

Grove taking the next steps in orphan 

care, and was a huge blessing to me 

personally, and our team. I was excited to see what God was doing in the lives 

of others, and felt like what I was doing was adequate. Then one day my wife 

Stephanie mentioned to me that she felt like we needed to consider becoming 

foster parents. My initial thought was, “We are already doing enough!” We 

have three children. Evan is 19, Eli is 14, and Olivia is 12. In my mind our 

family was set, and we were already making a difference. But I reluctantly 

agreed, and we moved forward. 

We began our journey to get licensed to be a resource family through CPS 

in 2013. We received our license in April of 2014. It took almost a year for us 

to get licensed. I really struggled at first with bringing children into our home. 

It disrupted everything. Our schedules were off, we had additional meetings 

to attend, and it limited what we would normally do as a family. In October 

of 2014 I received the Heart of Adoption Award from 200 Million Flowers 

for my work in orphan care, and yet I was still struggling as a resource parent. 

God, in His grace and kindness, used several people in my life to help change 

my heart. Stephanie was doing an amazing job, and I was trying my best to 

keep up. 

In early December of 2014, Stephanie received a call for a medically fragile 

child that would be a long-term placement. I remember going to the hospital 

and seeing this tiny baby boy lying in a hospital bed with no place to go. The 

doctor explained that he would need a kidney transplant, and after hearing 

that, I only caught bits and pieces of the rest. I heard “G tube”, “around ten

medications per day,” and “dialysis in your home”. We were both fearful, 

but God had been preparing us for that moment for years, and we just 

didn’t know. 

Currently we are waiting to finalize the adoption of our foster son. 

Hopefully by the end of this year he will be a Walley. None of us can 

imagine life without him. He is handsome, smart, funny, busy, and very 

special. He is doing really well, and because of the outstanding care from 

his team and Stephanie, he can continue to grow before his transplant is 

scheduled. The reality of his situation is this; had we 

not taken him into our family, he would not be alive. 

Everyone involved with his care has stated that. Foster 

families are critical, and our state is in desperate need 

of more. Many more. 

In May of this year I began working with 200 

Million Flowers as the director of church relations 

and training in addition to my ministry at Meadow 

Grove. Shortly thereafter, 200 Million Flowers got 

involved with Rescue 100. 

Rescue 100 is a collaborative effort between the 

Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services, 

the Mississippi Commission on Children’s Justice, 

200 Million Flowers and churches across the state 

of Mississippi to provide loving homes for children 

in the foster system. 

The goal is to streamline the training and 

certification process for resource families–most of 

which happens over one weekend after a family 

attends a brief orientation/informational meeting. 

What took our family almost a year to complete can 

now be done in about 4 months. The Central Mississippi Rescue 100 

training is scheduled for October 21-23 at Mississippi College in Clinton. 

Orientations will be October 10-13 in surrounding counties. Training 

weekends are limited to 100 families. 

This faith-based initiative started in Gulfport under the leadership 

of Pastor Tony Karnes of Michael Memorial Baptist Church and the 

J127 Ministry, which hosted the first Rescue 100 event. The second 

event was held in July at William Carey University in Hattiesburg. 

74 families from that weekend are in the process of being licensed. 

In addition to regular resource families, partnering social service 

agencies such as Mississippi Children’s Home Services and Southern 

Christian Services for Children and Youth are helping to place families 

as therapeutic foster care homes. 

There are over 7,000 churches in our state. Currently there are 

approximately 5,400 children in foster care in Mississippi. If one family 

from every church were a licensed resource family, there would be a 

waiting list of families and not children. All of the information for 

the Central Mississippi Rescue 100 event can be found at their website, 

www.200millionflowers.org. 

People will think, “There is no way we could be a foster family.” 

I would point them to the words of Christ in Matthew 19:26 where 

He is speaking on salvation, but it certainly applicable to fostering: 

“With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” n 

“ With man 

this is impossible, 

but with God 

all things 

are possible."


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Night 

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Fashion Show 

August 27th 

Clyde Muse Center • Pearl , MS 



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Rankin's finest 

Dwayne “Dlo” Thornton 

Rankin County Investigator 

Why did you decide to become an 

investigator? 

As a kid I always wanted to be a law enforcement officer. I grew 

up next door to and was influenced by Mr. Hulon Craft. Mr. Craft 

was a Rankin County constable and deputy sheriff for as long 

as I can remember. When I first started working for the sheriff’s 

office, Mr. Hulon was an investigator under Sheriff Ken Dickerson. 

I enjoyed being able to work with Mr. Hulon for several years 

before he retired. 

How long have you been an investigator 

in Rankin County? 

I have worked at the sheriff’s department 17 years. I started as 

a reserve officer and full time jailor under sheriff Ken Dickerson. 

After completing my training at the Mississippi Law Enforcement 

Officers Training Academy, I served as a school resource officer 

and juvenile investigator for approximately four years. I then 

moved to the patrol division and served as a patrol deputy under 

Sheriff Ronnie Pennington. After several years of working on 

patrol, I returned to the criminal investigations division where I 

currently serve under Sheriff Bryan Bailey and on October 1st 

will become chief investigator. 

Tell us about your family. 

My wife Julie Thornton has been a nurse for 12 years and 

currently serves as the head nurse for Pearl Public School 

District. We have two great kids who keep us busy. Our daughter 

Amy is 13-years-old. She loves riding ATV’s, and enjoys hunting 

and fishing. Our son Brady is 7-years-old. He also loves riding 

ATV’s, and enjoys swimming and playing baseball. We are 

members of McLaurin Heights Baptist Church in Pearl. Our 

family enjoys sports. In fact, when we were choosing a 

wedding date, we picked the opening weekend of college 

football so that we would always remember our anniversary. 

Like any good husband, I let Julie choose our honeymoon 

destination. I knew I had a great woman when she chose to 

start the weekend off at a Mississippi State game in Starkville 

and ended in Atlanta, Georgia at a Braves game. We have 

spent every anniversary since watching college football. 

Share some things you enjoy doing in your 

spare time. 

I enjoy watching my children play softball and baseball. I also 

enjoy old muscle cars. I have restored a 1970 Chevy Chevelle 

and a 1987 Buick Grand National. When my son Brady was born 

we brought him home from the hospital in the Chevelle. I have 

also restored a 1952 Ferguson tractor. My latest project has 

been building a cabin with my dad. It has been a great experience 

and our family has already enjoyed many weekends there. Being 

able to build it myself with the help of my dad makes it that much 

better. I will always have the memories of working side by side 

with him, from clearing the land to hammering the last nail. 

What is the toughest thing you have 

experienced in your job? 

I have experienced a lot during my time in law enforcement. 

The toughest thing I have experienced in my line of work is 

dealing with the loss of life. Any loss of life is hard, from a 

child gone too soon to a fellow officer taken in the line of duty. 

Those are the cases that stick with me. 

What are three things on your bucket list? 

I have never really developed a “bucket list”. But if I had three 

wishes they would be: That my family would live long healthy 

lives. That my children grow into hard working adults who rely 

on their Christian faith to guide them through life, and that I live 

long enough to enjoy retirement with my family. 

Who is someone you admire and why? 

My parents are the people I admire the most. My father 

Howard Thornton and my mother Peggy Thornton have always 

been great Christian parents. They taught my sister Anna and 

me how important it is to work hard, put God first, and put our 

family’s needs above our own. 

If you could give one piece of advice to 

a young person, what would it be? 

Think before you act. One bad decision can follow you for the 

rest of your life. Finish school, set goals and work hard to 

achieve them, and stand firm in your beliefs. 

What is the biggest mistake you think 

young people make today? 

Giving into peer pressure and going along with “the crowd” 

even when they know it is wrong. It is much harder to do the 

right thing when everyone around you is doing wrong. It is very 

important to surround yourself with friends/people who will 

stick by you even when you stand up for what is right. 

What is your favorite thing about 

Rankin County? 

I have been blessed to have worked for three great Sheriff’s: 

Ken Dickerson, Ronnie Pennington, and our current sheriff, 

Bryan Bailey. I am fortunate to work with the Rankin County 

Sheriff’s Department where every day we end our morning 

meeting with a prayer. I am also humbled by the support the 

citizens of Rankin County have shown us. In light of the recent 

tragedies suffered by our law enforcement brothers across the 

nation, it is a blessing and an honor to serve in a county that 

supports its law enforcement officers. 


Corkscrews 

& How Do You Do's 

September 1 • Table 100 



Y’all Aboard! That’s the motto of the Southern 

Rail Commission, a compact between the states 

of Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana formed by 

the United States Congress to promote passenger rail 

in our three states. I have had the honor of serving 

on the Commission since 2011, including a term as 

its chairman. 

The Commission currently has three focus areas. 

They include the resumption of Amtrak service east 

of New Orleans to Orlando, the establishment of 

Amtrak service on the I-20 corridor between Meridian 

and Dallas/Ft. Worth, and a multi departure service 

between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, including a 

stop at Louis Armstrong International Airport. 

In February, the Commission, along with Amtrak 

and host railroad CSX Transportation, hosted a 

two- day inspection train from New Orleans to 

Jacksonville to inspect the condition of the railroad 

and to gauge the interest of the communities along 

the line. We were joined on the trip by mayors, 

state legislators, and business leaders. We also hosted 

Governor Phil Bryant, Senator Roger Wicker, and 

Federal Railroad Administrator Sarah Feinberg. 

The public response to our trip was unbelievable! 

Thousands of people greeted the train at our stops. 

There were high school bands, fire departments, and 

the largest American flags I have ever seen, even in 

the smallest towns. Most importantly, the people who 

came represented every walk of life. Any and every 

demographic imaginable was there, arm in arm. It 

was a sight none on the train have forgotten. When 

talking to the leaders of these communities, the refrain 

was common; they need connectivity to the nation. 

They need ways to connect their communities to 

those who would like to visit. 

Out of this experience, Senator Wicker and Cochran 

worked to include language in the latest Transportation 

Bill to assist in our work to make this train and our 

other priorities possible. Currently, I am serving on 

the Gulf Coast Working Group that was created by 

this bill to determine exactly what has to be done to 

re-establish service. Our group has been meeting 

along the line since February, and will have a report 

to deliver to Congress in the fall. We are confident that 


. . .Central Mississippi will have some of the best rail connections in the country. 

our report will provide Congress with a realistic plan to 

re-establish service that makes sense for all involved. 

Both of our long distance train initiatives directly 

impact Rankin County. The I-20 corridor project 

would give us one seat service to Dallas/Ft. Worth 

and to Atlanta, along with Washington D.C. and 

New York. The New Orleans/Orlando train would be 

an extension of the City of New Orleans, currently 

serving Jackson. A one seat, or sleeper, ride from 

Jackson to the Magic Kingdom, or the Mississippi 

Coast would be a great way to start a vacation. 

This is an effort that Mississippi is leading. When I 

have met with mayors from Ft. Worth to Jacksonville, 

it has brought me great pleasure to be able to say that 

this effort began with, and would not be possible 

without, the leadership and urging of Governor 

Bryant and Senators Wicker and Cochran. When we 

are successful in bringing these projects to fruition, 

Central Mississippi will have some of the best rail 

connections in the country. We look forward to being 

able to bring our inspection train to Rankin County so 

you too can enjoy the fun and excitement and look 

forward to the day we can all say “Y’all Aboard!” 

Many photographs, news stories, and videos 

are available at www.southernrailcommission.org. 

These tell a much more complete story of who we 

are and what we are doing to promote passenger 

rail options. 

Knox Ross 

Mayor, 

Town of Pelahatchie 


Richland Mayor’s 

Prayer Breakfast 

September 23 / Richland Community Center 




? 

? 


St. Marks Tablescapes 

August 27, 2016 





Flowood Chamber of Commerce 

Health Fair 

September 22 

Flowood YMCA 




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Tender Loving Hair 

Susan Marquez 


Brandon resident Lisa McFadden is on an unlikely mission 

to make women with cancer look and feel better. 

“This isn’t something I set out to do in life,” 

laughs Lisa McFadden of Rankin County. 

“I really kind of fought it. But obviously, it’s 

a God-thing that I’m supposed to be doing.” 

McFadden grew up in the hair salon 

business, working with her mom and dad at 

the Kirkland Hair Studio, a salon they’ve 

owned in downtown Jackson for many years. 

“About 15 years ago, my dad really wanted me 

to work with all the ladies who came in with 

thinning hair or hair loss,” she recalled. “I began 

learning more about hair loss in women and 

saw that what I was doing was making a 

difference in how those ladies felt about 

themselves.” 

One day, a distraught mother called 

McFadden about her daughter who had been 

diagnosed with malignant melanoma in her 

brain. The patient was a young mother who 

had just given birth to her second child. “She 

suffered from a headache that wouldn’t go 

away, and all along she thought it was from 

the anesthesia that was administered before 

childbirth. But the medical staff realized it 

was something more and they sent her for 

tests and the cancer was discovered.” 

That young mother was Whitney Luckett, 

who came into the salon with her mother that 

day ten years ago to consult with McFadden. 

“It was about 4:00 in the afternoon, and 

Whitney was really in a bad way. Her hair was 

already thinning due the chemo drugs she 

was getting, and she was very self-conscious. 

I helped her pick out a wig in a catalog and I 

ordered it next-day delivery.” Luckett and her 

mother returned to the salon the next day and 

tried on the wig. “It looked amazing on her,” 

said McFadden. “Her mother called Whitney’s 

husband, who worked just down the street, to 

come see it. When he got there he said, ‘That’s 

your hair!’ Whitney asked him to take her to eat 

at the Mayflower, something she would have 

been too embarrassed to do the day before.” 

While McFadden had never worked with 

cancer patients before, that experience was an 

“aha” moment for the hairdresser. “I knew I 

had to help other women with cancer, because 

I saw the difference it made in Whitney’s life. 

It also gave me a renewed appreciation for other 

women who suffer from permanent hair loss.” 

McFadden embraced fully the idea of 

helping cancer patients and began visiting 

hospitals and cancer centers in the area. In 

doing so, she learned that what most women 

with cancer want is to look like themselves. 

“That gives them a better sense of wellness 

and when they look good, they feel better and 

they have more of a fight in them. Every 

doctor I’ve spoken with has told me that.” 

She began teaching the “Look Good, Feel 

Better” class at Women’s Hospital and St. 

Dominic’s, but after a while she became 

frustrated with that. “The class was focused on 

makeup, but what I saw was that women were 

more concerned with their hair, or lack of it. 

I began learning what wigs were out there, and 

which wigs were better suited to certain people. 

For example, some chemo drugs have hormones 

in them, and that makes the patients hot. Add 

that to living through a Mississippi summer, 

and a lot of wigs are just too tight and too hot 

for people to feel comfortable wearing. I’ve 

found wigs that are lighter and breathe more.” 

Budget is often an issue for some cancer 

patients, so McFadden works to get the best 

wig possible for the money. “If you spend $200 

on something that’s hot and itchy, you simply 

won’t wear it. But if you can find something 

that looks great and is comfortable for $400, 

that might be worth it to you. However, that 

may be too much for some people, so we do 

the best we can with the budget they have.” 

The longer she’s involved in this work, the 

more McFadden has learned. “I found a 

product recently that women can use to keep 

their eyelashes and eyebrows from falling out 

during chemo. You can put a wig on a head 

with no hair, but when there are no eyelashes 

or eyebrows, the person just doesn’t look the 

same.” A certain kind of chemo will often 

cause patients’ nails to come off the nail beds. 

“My husband found a product that helps with 

that, and many have come in showing me their 

nails, which are stronger than ever.” 

Learning about the different chemo drugs 

used in treatment and the effects they can have 

on the body has been essential for McFadden 

to continue the work she does. “I work closely 

with the doctors and nurses, and I help counsel 

my clients when they have questions. I know I 

can always call one of the nurses or doctors 

when there’s a question about something I’m 

not sure about.” 

It’s been a rewarding journey for McFadden, 

and she says she is very focused now on the 

often uncertain journey cancer patients are on. 

“This work has been the biggest blessing to me. 

I owe this all to Whitney, who lived to see her 

baby’s second birthday before she passed away. 

I think of her often, and how she unknowingly 

led me to the work I’m doing today.” n 


“If you could try 

any job for one day... 

Jeremy Rushing 

I’ve always wanted to be a game warden 

since I was little and first started hunting 

and fishing. I would love to be one of the 

people in my community that enforces the 

laws that protect our wildlife and outdoor 

sports, from deer hunting and fishing to 

skiing and riding 4-wheelers. 

John Robison 

President of the United States. In addition 

to the generous pension plan, allowance 

and medical care I’d get once I retire from 

my hard day’s work, it would be nice to have 

the power to change some of the things 

that are truly wrong with the world we 

live in today. Having the job for only a day 

would allow someone the focus to address 

a few key issues (take your pick) without 

the distraction of having to sweat the 

small stuff. 

Kim Little 

A counselor for young girls. Preferably teens 

who have low self-esteem. I would choose 

this position of influence because it would 

be so rewarding to see young girls realize 

their true value and live life like they know 

they are loved and that they are important. 

Many times, during the teen years, girls lose 

a bit of their self-identity trying to fit in with 

the in crowd without realizing that being 

who God created them to be will draw the 

right crowd to them. 

Fletcher Trask 

Well, I always wanted to be a cowboy, 

but seriously I am in the profession that 

if I had the choice to pick, I would pick 

over and over again. Public interaction, 

public safety and community growth is all 

involved in my career. Since I’m employed 

with Rankin County, I’m not limited to just 

one city. Hands down best decision I’ve 

made to protect and live with citizens of 

Rankin County! 

Marie Grant 

I love nails. I would love to be a celebrity 

nail technician and work with the stars, 

traveling with them and being their personal 

nail technician. 

Allen Thomas 

President. I would change all the rules that 

I could in one day. 


what would it be 

and why?” 

Tracey McKay 

Cupcake Tester for GiGi’s, because I love 

cupcakes. Doesn’t get better than that 

–eat sugar all day and get paid for it. 

Amber Biswell 

If I could be anything for a day, I think I 

would like to be a pilot. It’s quite ironic too, 

the older I get the more fearful of heights 

I get! But just the thought of being able to 

control a machine to fly through the air is 

interesting to me. 

LeMarcus Norman 

I would still be a principal. I enjoy being a 

principal because it allows me to interact 

with kids on a daily basis and have an 

influence on their future. Although I am 

not in the classroom actually teaching, 

I still have an impact on what students are 

learning by observing teachers, mentoring 

students, and talking to parents. Being 

a principal can be challenging at times, 

however it is one of the most rewarding 

professions I think anyone could have. 

Seeing kids grow up to become future 

leaders and active participants in the 

community is something special. 

Emily Tisdale 

I have always wanted to live out my inner 

history nerd as a greeter at a presidential 

library. I would have the opportunity to 

meet so many different people and maybe 

even my favorite president! 

Madeline Sanders 

I would own my own event and floral 

business. I love planning events and getting 

to use my creativity to make people feel 

special so to be able to do that as a career 

would be a dream come true. 

Khrysten Glass 

If I could have one job, I would most 

definitely be a gourmet chef! This way, 

I could provide a delicious hot meal for 

those who can’t provide one for themselves. 

It really breaks my heart to see people 

going without their basic needs being met. 

Ronnie Moore 

To have a legislator’s job for one day and 

provide the Rankin County Sheriff’s 

Department with radar. Why? To save lives. 




Anthony Clay, Eric Norwood 

Caroline & Randall Vaughan 

Dr. Bryan Lantrip, Sonya Summerlin 

Brit Phelps, Jana Fuss 

Jesse Houston, Stephanie Fowler 

In its third year in Jackson, 

24 prominent area men 

will take a stand against breast 

cancer by supporting the 

American Cancer Society 

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer 

of Jackson, MS 

throught participation in the 

Real Men 

Wear Pink 

campaign. Throughout the month 

of October, Real Men Wear Pink 

candidates will encourage women 

in their lives and in the community 

to take action in the fight 

against breast cancer. 

August 9, 2016 

Table 100 

Jay & Shirley Johnson 

John MacLennan, Pamela Hancock 

60 • October/November 2016 

Kelli Towers, Pam Verdung 

Michael Wallis, Diane Rester 

Natalie Nichols, Deniece Ponder

Tracie Wade, Samuel McDonald, Christie Levy 

Jason & Ruth Thomas 

Terrance Black, Fredrick Hadley 

Nelda & John Neal 

Rickey Thigpen, Mary Allen Bennett 

Sheila & Richard Friedman 

Sherry Pierce Hartfield, Mike Brechtel, Lori Brechtel 

Nate Delaware, Blake Butler 

Gaye Broyles, Johnny Donaldson, Katy Barrett 

Ora Reed, Alice Tisdale, Marie Smith 

Joseph Moss, Bill Iupe 


LOOKING FOR SOME 

HALLOWEEN 

FUN? 

Thurs Night, oct 27th 

Muse Center, Pearl 

• 5K Run 

• 5K Walk 

• Kids Fun Run 

Costume up 

& come run! 

Info & Register online at: 

www.RankinGlowRun.com 

TREAT 

Street 

Thurs, oct 27th - 5:00-7:30 pm 

Muse Center, Pearl 

at socc 

Enroll at soccershots.org 


Ages 2+ 

Ages 2+ 


Ages 2+ 


Ages 2+ 

QUESTIONS? derek@soccershots.org 


The Nutcracker 

December 2 • 7:30pm 

December 3 & 4 • 2:00pm 


Thalia Mara Hall 

Age 

QUESTIONS? derek 

This safe and fun-filled 

indoor event is open to 

kids 12 & under. 

ARM BANDS $5 EACH 

RANKIN COUNTY CHAMBER 

101 Service Drive, Brandon MS 39042 

601.825.2268 

Featured Artist 

Lisa Busby 

balletms.com • 601.960.1560 


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Good News Travels Fast 

Great News 

Travels Faster... 


School had not started yet and we were constantly 

looking for ways to stay entertained. I’m sure there are 

plenty of parents that can relate. So when my husband 

announced that his company was doing a promotion in 

Dallas, the location of which just happened to be the 

AT&T Stadium, and that my son and I could go if we 

wanted, we jumped on it. We could just drive out to 

meet him since he would already be there. He works 

for one of the big national mattress companies and 

travels all over the country. 

We really didn’t know what all the trip would 

entail, but on a Thursday afternoon, my 13-year old 

and I headed from Jackson to Dallas–by ourselves. 

It was six hours of non-stop talking and laughing– 

and if we didn’t do anything else, the trip was worth it 

for that reason, alone. 

We stopped at Buc-ee’s, the Texas-owned Disney 

World of “travel centers”, and bought drinks and snacks. 

We had already checked to make sure it would be on 

our route. It’s a 60,000 square-foot roadside-refuge 

that’s as much a tourist attraction as anything else. 

There are 84 gas pumps, mega-aisles of various snack 

mixes and candies, Texas-themed home accessories, 

Buc-ee’s clothing, and an entire wall of beverage 

fountains. They’re probably best known for their 

bathrooms–the cleanest in the industry, they claim. 

We took the obligatory photo with the big bronze beaver 

mascot out front, popped it up on Facebook with the 

caption, “Because Texas….”, and headed on our way. 

The next day, after killing several hours around the 

Dallas area, we headed to the stadium. I’ve never been 

on an NFL football field and was in awe of the massive 

venue the Dallas Cowboys call home. There’s a jumbotron 

hanging overhead that’s wider than most houses. It’s 

actually the 24th largest hi-definition video screen in 

the world and spans from one 20-yard line to the other. 

Upon entering the field, we were given our 

volunteer t-shirts and ushered to where 100 twin beds 

were set up–complete with Dallas Cowboy bed linens, 

pillows, teddy bears, footballs, and promotional swag. 

We were told that 100 kids and their parents or 

guardians were already in the building getting a tour. 

The field would be their last stop and would soon 

become home for one great big sleepover. Ranging in 

ages from 5 to 12, these children, through a monthslong 

application and vetting process, were found to be 

in-need–and particularly in need of beds. 

I started taking pictures with my phone. I got 

close-ups of the teddy bears holding footballs and of 

the beds, themselves, lined up like soldiers on the field. 

I could hear the drumline playing outside of the locker 

room and knew that it was getting close to time for the 

kids to enter the arena. 

I scrolled through my photos, created a quick 

collage, and decided to post it to Facebook before the 

kiddos got there. The caption read, “. . . 100 kids will be 

coming to AT&T Stadium for a giant sleepover. Little do 

they know they get to keep their beds. These kids don’t 

have beds of their own . . . and now they will. I’ll be the 

one standing off to the side, bawling.” I posted it and 

took my position as they headed our way. 

Everyone was wide-eyed and cheering as those 

kids ran full-steam onto the field, led by one of the 

football players, along with Rowdy, the team mascot. 

Each was rushed to their own bed awaiting them with 

their name on it. 

I started taking more pictures; pictures of kids 

hugging their new teddy bears, pictures of kids throwing 

their new footballs, wearing their new hats with big 

blue Cowboy stars on them, and bouncing on their new 

beds–and I quickly added them to Facebook, too. 

There’s no way those kids could have realized how their 

lives were about to change. They had just been given 

the gift of a good night’s sleep–if not that night, then 

certainly for nights soon to come. 

After a couple of hours of dancing with cheerleaders, 

lots of running and throwing, hula-hoop wars and pizza 

eating, it was time for the movie to start–to be shown 

on the enormous screen above. The kids made their 

way into the stands with their popcorn–some carrying 

their new teddy 

bears and others 

dragging their 

Cowboy blankets 

behind them. The 

lights dimmed and 

Finding Nemo began 

to play–one of my 

all-time favorites. 


It was already late by then. I hated to leave 

knowing that I was in the midst of something so 

special, especially with the movie just starting. But I 

wasn’t particularly interested in sleeping on the field 

in a sleeping bag either, so we loaded up and headed 

back to the hotel. It was around 11 p.m., and I checked 

Facebook for the first time since making my posts. 

One post had been shared almost 400 times. The 

other related posts were picking up steam, too. I stayed 

up a couple of hours longer that night just watching all 

the shares and likes grow. 

Shares were at 2,500 the next 

morning and over 5,000 by the 

time I got out of the shower, just 

thirty-minutes later. They had grown 

to 15,000 by lunch and were at 30,000 by mid-day. 

I had never seen anything like it–especially from such 

close proximity. 

By Sunday, shares were nearing 90,000 and it was 

clear that it wasn’t slowing. It had gone viral–and all I 

could do was watch. 

One post has been shared over 150,000 times on 

my Facebook page alone–and is still growing! It’s been 

shared another several-hundred thousand times on other 

pages and been featured on countless news sites 

including The Houston Chronicle, AOL.com, Fox News 

and The Huffington Post. It’s been on Love What Matters, 

Good News Network, Little Things, Do Something.org, 

and Reddit. The promotion was talked about on K-Love 

and Fox Sports along with numerous radio and 

television outlets and, by any estimation, has easily 

touched millions of people. 

I have to admit, I’ve had an incredible time watching 

this phenomenon unfold. It’s been surreal, to say the 

least. Ironically, I’ve spent my entire adult-life in the 

marketing and media industry but could never have 

predicted this. And truth be known, there’s no way to 

predict how people will react anyway–especially in the 

realm of social media. But I can tell you this; people like 

good news! And beyond that, it all boils down to good 

timing–and good old-fashioned luck. Lightening in a 

bottle, as they say. 

The Dallas Cowboys Organization, Tempur+Sealy 

International and Ashley Furniture HomeStore DFW 

gave those kids an ultimate sleepover and the experience 

of a lifetime. One little girl said it was the best night of 

her life. She also went on to say she had never had her 

own bed before–or a teddy bear. God bless her. 

The program is called Hope to Dream and they 

have donated over 40,000 beds to children across the 

nation and around the world. And now, because of the 

generosity of these companies, another hundred kids in 

Dallas can sleep a little better, too. Amen to that. ✭ 


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the non-discrimination policies: Dr. Debra Mays-Jackson, Vice President for Administrative Services, 34175 Hwy. 18, Utica, MS 39175, 601.885.7002. Dr. Tyrone Jackson, Associate Vice President for Student Services & Title IX Coordinator, Box 1100 Raymond Campus (Denton Hall 221), Raymond, 

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Hometown Rankin 

Reader 

SPOTLIGHT 

Jamie 

Higdon 

Why did you decide to make Rankin County 

your home? 

My husband and I have always lived in Rankin 

County and we chose to stay because of the quality 

of life the area offers and the excellent school 

system. We can’t imagine living anywhere else. 

How long have you lived in Rankin County? 

I was born and raised in Richland and now live 

in Florence. Scott and I are both graduates of 

Richland High School. 


We have been married for 17 years and have two 

daughters, Sydney and Karlie. Sydney is a 4th 

grader at Florence Elementary and Karlie is in first 

grade at Steen’s Creek Elementary where I serve 

on the PTO Board. We are actively involved in 

various ministries at First Baptist Richland. Scott is 

a deacon, teaches an adult Sunday school class, 

and sings in the choir. I volunteer in our children’s 

ministry and have served on various committees. 

Scott just celebrated 20 years at Hudspeth 

Regional Center where he is the director of 

information systems. I have worked for TempStaff 

for 16 years where I am the vice president of 

operations. 

What is your favorite memory of living in 


Growing up, life always seemed to center around 

church and school activities. Having been a 

cheerleader and in the band, Friday night football 

games were a highlight of the week. The friendships 

made then are still important relationships 

I have now. 

Where are your three favorite places to 

eat in Rankin County? 

There are so many to choose from, but you will 

often find us at Jerry’s Fish House in Florence, 

El Ranchito in Richland, or Heart & Soul in 

Brandon. 

What are some fun things to do in Rankin 

County on weekends? 

We enjoy shopping at Dogwood or the outlet mall. 

After a busy week of school, work, dance practice 

and other school activities, we often just hang out 

with family and friends with a cookout or pool party. 

Sundays are always for worship and fellowship at 

FBC Richland. 


spare time. 

We love cheering on the MSU Bulldogs, whether 

it’s a football, baseball or basketball game. Spring 

break you will often find us snow skiing. In the 

summers, we love going to the beach or spending 

time at the pool. 


I love to travel and will check Ireland off the list in 

October with a family trip. Australia, London and 

Paris are also on the list. 


My parents have taught me about the value of hard 

work and perseverance. They’ve instilled in me 

the importance of setting priorities: God is always 

first, family second, and then work and service to 

our community. Not only do I live next door to my 

parents, but I also work with my mom at TempStaff. 

I’ve had the amazing privilege to learn from one of 

the best on how to grow a successful business. 

I also admire my friend Jill Dale. We became quick 

friends our freshman year at Mississippi College. 

Last year, her son Campbell lost his battle with 

cancer. She is an amazing woman who has had 

remarkable faith through such adversity. She is now 

helping others through the Campbell Bulldog Fund 

and www.goinggoldformskids.com by raising 

awareness and funds to find a cure to childhood 

cancer. 

Where do you see yourself ten years 

from now? 

We will have both a high school and college student 

in ten years. Life will be busy! 

What is your favorite childhood memory? 

Much of my extended family lives in the Richland 

and Florence areas. Family events have always been 

a fun way to keep us all connected. As a child, 

Christmas Eve with my dad’s family includes about 

50 people and lots of home cooking. It is much the 

same when we gather with my mom’s side of the 

family on Christmas day. As a child, I remember 

the mounds of presents and endless laughter as we 

celebrated Christmas. 

If you could give us one encouraging 

quote, what would it be? 

Find your passion. I was with a group from the 

Rankin Chamber the other day and we were 

discussing our passions and what would happen if 

we gave just 5% more. Rankin County, our state, 

and our country would become even greater if we 

all would find our passions and dedicate ourselves 

to them. 


Hometown Magazines? 

Rankin County is a great place to live and work. 

While we have so much negative in the world, 

Hometown Magazines showcase the positive and 

allow us to celebrate the successes of our 

communities. n 


Richland Fire Chief 

David Stanley 

Why did you decide to be a firefighter? 

For the most part, it was all coincidental, perhaps 

fate. I was approached by some members of a newly 

built volunteer fire department in a small community 

called Three Forks. I worked nights, and they needed 

someone to respond in the day. The next meeting, 

I was sworn-in and given personal protective 

equipment and a radio. They showed me as much 

as they could, like how to get my gear on correctly 

and search patterns. 

About a week later, we were paged out for a house 

fire. When I arrived, the house was over halfway 

involved. I partnered up with some senior firefighters 

and went in with them. The intense heat and flames 

were all around us but we fought the fire and 

extinguished it, saving the rest of the house and 

belongings. It was at that moment that I could not 

believe people got paid to do what I just did. So for 

the next two years, I tried to get on with a department. 

I have thought of this numerous of times. It goes 

beyond pay, for sure. It reaches deep down into your 

desire to help people, work as a team towards 

something greater than one’s self, and to save lives and 

property while making a positive impact in society. 

How long have you been with Richland Fire 

Department? 

I started this grand adventure on August 2, 2016 

and love the department as well the city. 


Unfortunately, I have out-lived my grandparents 

and parents. However, my wife April and I have 

been married for 19 years and are raising 5 children. 

I have two boys in college with the oldest getting his 

Ph.D. The other has been accepted into medical school. 

Rachel, our oldest daughter is 15 years old and 

11-year-old Ashley is our middle child. She is the 

girly-girl whereas Rachel is my tomboy. Dyllan is 

the youngest at 10 years old. He’s my little buddy. 

What is the toughest thing you have 

experienced in your job? 

I get this question quite a bit. Out of my 24 years 

of emergency service, with 20 in EMS and 3 years as 

a flight medic, I can honestly say whatever you can 

think of, I have seen it or, more than likely, done it. 

I have seen lives taken unexpectedly and with great 

violence, innocence lost from babies and from the 

elderly. 

What gets me through all of the carnage and 

sheer devastation and tragedies is God. He gives the 

strongest warriors the toughest battles. Obviously, 

there were times when I was not sure; however, I know 

He would not give me anything I cannot handle–that 

is His promise. Sometime we need to remember that. 

The toughest part is standing at the caskets and 

gravesites of my fellow brothers who I have lived and 

worked with for over a third of my life. We have 

fought many battles, held the hands of the innocent, 

and supported each other financially, mentally, 

emotionally, and spiritually. These are the brothers 

who supported me through the loss of all of my 

family and even a son. These brothers are my family 

and, throughout my career, I have lost too many of 

them to accidents, heart disease, and cancer. Hearing 

the last call when the bell rings is definitely hard. 


spare time. 

What is that, spare time? What time I do have, I 

try to spend it with family and friends. I like hanging 

out at the firehouse and to fish. This is my recent 

sport, just picked back up. My goal here is to put the 

fish on the endangered species list and I’m doing it 

one fish at a time. 


This is a tough question because I honestly 

believe I’ve done everything I’ve ever wanted to do. 

Most people would answer with places, events, or 

extravagant experiences. However, my bucket list is 

being a firefighter. God blessed me beyond what I 

deserve and has allowed me to fulfill a career with 

amazing experiences. 

Back in Corinth, I worked my way through the 

ranks to company officer. This was something I 

always wanted to do, lead my comrades into battle, 

teaching them all that I knew. As a paramedic, I was 

involved with coordinating several scene flights. 

As they lifted off, I wondered if I could ever be that 

good. That day came and I flew as a flight medic for 

three years. 

Having had most of my training at the Mississippi 

State Fire Academy, I told myself that one day I’d be 

training members of the fire service. Eventually I 

served as a senior instructor. Knowing training is the 

backbone of a department, a training officer will have 

great contributions to the success of a fire department. 

I went on to serve in Jackson as the chief of training. 

This was a great experience and learned even more. 

Now, here we are. For some unknown reason, 

God blessed me way more than I deserve. I do not 

see what he sees in me, but I am glad to receive his 

favor. I have been given an opportunity to come to 

Richland and serve the best fire department and 

wonderful city as the fire chief. For me the fire service 

is my bucket list. It has allowed me to see, experience, 

and impact people’s lives beyond what I deserve. I 

cannot think of anything else I want to do. 


There are so many people I admire. These are the 

ones who believed in me, helped me, and mentored 

me into a better person–from my parents to my 

teachers in my early years. Jack, Bobby, and 

Raymond who showed me fire behavior in the fires, 

as well helped me master the organized chaos of the 

emergency scene. When I moved to the metro area, 

I worked beside the very ones who taught me how 

to fight fire at the MSFA. Perhaps the two most 

influential in my life are Dr. Jeffery Brown (Doc) 

who has become family in my eyes and Chief Rob 

Martin. These two men allowed me to follow them, 

pick their brains, and always guided my path when 

I was unsure of myself. They demonstrated true 

leadership and pushed me to new heights. They have 

impacted my life profoundly and hope one day I can 

rise to their level. 


Where do you see yourself in 10 years? 

This is a hard question, too, because I never 

thought I would be where I am now. I made a 

promise to my guys here that I would stay 8 years. 

They reminded me of this promise the other day 

when I was offered a contract job at a training event 

when a colleague jokingly mentioned coming to 

work for them. One of the firefighters said, “You 

made a promise to us and that you’d stay a minimum 

of 8 years so you need to keep you word.” As far as 

ten years? I see great things happening with Richland 

Fire Department and the city. We are striving to be 

the best, and we are headed in the right direction. 

Each member is willing to pull their weight and have 

gotten on board in our vision. Because I see the true 

potential of our department and fully understand the 

direction we all want to go, I will be here in Richland 

working for the very best firefighters in the very best 

fire department. 

If you could give one piece of advice to a young 

person, what would it be? 

Life is about being well balanced. Be kind but do 

not let people abuse you. Trust, but do not be deceived. 

Be content but never stop improving yourself, no 

matter what life throws at you. 

Find passion in something you love to do. Work 

is a big part of our lives; therefore, we need to find 

something we truly have passion for. When this 

happens, you really look forward to going to work. 

I cannot believe this is my 24th year. I love serving 

others and enjoy every minute of the day in the fire 

service. That is why my response to someone who 

asks me how I am doing; I am living the dream and 

getting paid for it. 

We only get one shot in life; therefore, we need 

to make something great of every day of our lives. 

I can’t think of doing anything greater than serving 

in the fire service helping people in their greatest 

time of need. 

Also, I would share this. Be careful of what you put 

in your mind and stay positive. I grew up on a farm 

and learned a whole lot about life. We would cultivate 

the land. No matter what was planted, we reaped what 

we sowed. On the other hand, if we would have planted 

Morning Glory there it would have grown, as well. 

Morning Glory is poisonous and would take over the 

garden if we did not cut it out. Our minds are like the 

fertile soil. Whatever we place in our minds, we will 

produce just that. Then, we become the by-product 

of what we have taken in and allowed to enter our 

brain. That is why I stay so motivated and positive. 

We should not allow negativity get rooted in our 

thoughts. 

Negative people and circumstances are like a 

cancer. Once it takes hold, it will consume you, and 

you will become negative with a poor attitude. We 

should not permit negative people or circumstances 

to affect us. That is just too much power to give away. 

If we allow these negative situations and individuals 

to control us, we become a slave for something that 

will not be there long term. I cannot see why anyone 

relinquishes their power for any reason. We are the 

cultivators of our own lives, and we should cultivate 

something spectacular. God said we are created 

unique, one of a kind and to never be duplicated. 

Therefore, we need to harness the idiosyncrasies and 

construct great works. 

What is your favorite childhood memory? 

I would have to say growing up in the country on a 

farm. At that time, I hated it every day. We cultivated 

10 acers and had chickens and cows. My dad worked 

us like Hebrew slaves every day. During that era, the 

communities were very close. We all knew each 

other, and the community would come together to 

help each other during hardships. My dad believed 

in that theory. He would take us over to other folks’ 

houses to work the gardens, hay fields, and cattle. 

Once I remember dad taking me to an elderly 

lady’s house. Her husband had died and dad told 

me to stay there until she figured out what to do with 

the farm. I was instructed to run the farm in the 

meantime. I would get up around 4:30 every morning 

and she would already be up with my breakfast made 

and a cup of hot coffee waiting on me. After eating, 

I would go out to feed the cows, horses, and chickens. 

This was all before I got on the school bus headed to 

school. Later that afternoon, I would do the same 

thing and work the fields or cut wood for the winter. 

When all of this was completed, I would get a shower 

and do my homework before bed. The next morning 

was a repeat like the movie “Groundhog Day.” I did 

this for about 2 months. 

Looking back on this time in my life, I understand 

why my dad did all of this. He was raising men, not 

boys. I learned so much about life on the farm, just 

like cultivating our minds. I guess this is why I enjoy 

being a firefighter. I am helping others and serving 

my community. 

What is the biggest mistake you think young 

people make today? 

Most would say not going to college. However, 

college does not make the person. The biggest 

mistake I see with today’s generation is their attitude 

thinking the world owes them something, like 

self-entitlement. I have my own opinion why this is 

taking place, but I can assure them the world does 

not owe anyone anything, and it sure as heck does 

not care what they think they deserve. With this 

sense of entitlement, this generation believes they 

do not have to work to get things they want/need. 

To them, the entitlement attitude is just “give” it to 

me, like working for $15.00/hr. 

I was a paramedic and didn’t make that much, 

and I was responsible for narcotics and peoples’ lives. 

Hard work makes you appreciate the things you 

purchase and own. It also builds your self-esteem, 

and you have gratitude. 

What is your favorite thing about the 

City of Richland? 

The very first thing I noticed about this great city 

is it’s a very tight-knit community with the same 

closeness I grew up on. Everyone has welcomed me 

with open arms and treats me as if I have always 

lived here. This is comforting, coming from the 

outside. It is like there are no strangers. People speak 

to you and are friendly. 



Rankin County has everything you need to raise 

a family. It has the conveniences of metropolitan 

lifestyle, yet small-town feel. Other than going on 

vacation, there is pretty much everything you want 

or need right here, all within driving distance. 


Mayor’s 

Prayer Breakfast 

Pelahatchie Baptist Church 

Saturday, August 20, 2016 



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The Clinton Chamber of Commerce presents 

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The CHALKBOARD 

rankin county Schools 

Brandon Middle 

Leading in Learning and Life is more than a motto at Brandon 

Middle School…it’s a lifestyle. Students do not have to look far to 

become engaged learners. With various clubs to choose from, 

Brandon Middle School takes pride in getting students actively 

involved. A newly organized Art Club is designed for students 

who have a love for the arts. Working with different mediums, 

students expand their knowledge while expressing their designs. 

A Science Club offers learners opportunities to take part in 

experiments, observations, and educational field trips. For students 

who maintain a GPA of a 4.0, Beta Club is an organization that 

provides students the opportunity to attend competitions and 

conventions showcasing their talents, skills, and academic prowess. 

For students interested in business, Future Business Leaders of 

America (FBLA) provides students with opportunities to foster 

leadership roles in the community. Fellowship of Christian 

Athletes (FCA) is a student led faith based club that encourages 

student fellowship and positive relationships. Students apply and 

are selected based on certain criteria for the Student Technology 

Team. Student’s who are on the Technology Team assist with 1:1 

rollout, work directly with ITD, and help students and faculty 

with computer and Internet issues. Eighth grade students have 

the opportunity to join part in the JROTC, a program that 

focuses on character education, physical wellness, and personal 

leadership. 

Brandon Middle School is pleased to announce recent student 

accomplishments. This summer cheerleaders received the First 

Place Champion award, First Place Chant Performance and a 

National Competition bid along with fourteen All-American 

nominations. Dance team members received the team “Full Out” 

Award, first place in Home Routine, two National Competition 

bids, along with five All-American nominations. Bringing home 

four national titles, Beta Club represented Brandon Middle 

School proudly at convention. 

Brandon Middle School is looking forward to the 2016-2017 

school year as the students continue Leading in Learning and Life. 

McLaurin Kayleigh Keys 

How do you take a school from GREAT to BEST? This is 

the overarching theme for the district, and it has certainly been 

a central goal for McLaurin Elementary. Already, the school year 

is off to its BEST year yet. 

To begin the year, we were informed that McLaurin Elementary 

was selected as the Spring 2016 Scholastic National Elementary 

School first place winner for our “Groovy” book fair. Being the 

BEST in the nation is such an honor, and it has served as great 

motivation for this school year! Already we are enthusiastically 

planning and awaiting this year’s book fair, “Bookaneer: Where 

Books are the Treasure!” 

In sixth grade, students have been challenged by Gandhi’s 

famous words, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” 

Students thought about their future goals in life and how, even 

now, they can begin thinking about their impact on the world 

around them. They displayed these goals in the hallway as daily 

reminders. One student said, “I think some kids’ perspectives 

of what they wanted to be might have changed the goals that 

they had set for themselves. I think it made me and others want 

to be more helpful within our community and later in life.” 

What better way for Gandhi’s famous words to be applied 

than when tragedy struck our neighboring state of Louisiana? 

As communities in Louisiana were devastated by the floodwaters, 

McLaurin Elementary students were encouraged to donate 

school supplies for schools in the affected areas. They rose to 

the task at hand and donated a tremendous amount of supplies. 

There were so many donations that they had to make two trips 

to pick up the supplies. 


Pisgah 

It’s 7:28am, and the blare of a bell sets into motion the sounds 

of shuffling feet and eager chatter as students bustle through the 

hallways. These are the welcomed sounds of the beginning of a 

new year at Pisgah High School as the faculty, staff, and students 

prepare for our best year yet: The Year of the Dragon. 

Our academic and athletic triumphs foreshadow the accomplishments 

ahead of us. This year we welcome five new faculty and 

staff members. In addition, Pisgah High School was awarded the 

title of National Bronze Level School by U.S. News and World 

Report in its 2016 edition of Best High Schools. Pisgah has 

received this award every year since its inception in 2009. 

Athletically, Pisgah continues to be met with success on the 

court and field. In volleyball, the Lady Dragons remain undefeated 

in their division games. Their regular season concludes October 11, 

hopefully to be followed by an appearance in the playoffs. Our 

softball team has endured, in spite of several washout games, 

collecting a win against Morton. The Dragons football team has 

tallied back-to-back victories over Mize and St. Aloysius. Cross 

country is set to begin its season September 10. 

Amidst celebrating our high school teams, the community of 

Pisgah has rallied to support our own hometown Olympian, Tori 

Bowie. Tori, a 2008 Pisgah graduate, competed in her first Olympic 

games this summer by running in the Women’s 4X100 meter 

relay, 100 meter, and 200 meter races and earning gold, silver, 

and bronze medals respectively. On Saturday, August 27th, Tori 

returned home to her alma mater for a meet-and-greet with fans 

who were excited to celebrate her victories as a first-time Olympian. 

Follow Pisgah High School on Facebook and Twitter as we 

continue to triumph this year, #TheYearoftheDragon. 

Pelahatchie 

We are a place where students lead fiercely, encourage constantly, 

and endure strongly. We’re a place where teachers motivate and 

mentor students to break the status quo, and a place where 

administrators have a vision for success and work tirelessly to 

make it happen. 

As the year ushers in great changes from faculty to schedules, 

to a new senior class, OUR TRIBE stands strong and united to 

make 2016-2017 the biggest and best year ever. 

What is so special about OUR TRIBE?? 

OUR TRIBE is growing. People are moving here because 

they want to be a part of the great things we are achieving, and we 

embrace them to become Chieftains and thrive with us. 

OUR TRIBE is enduring. We are working through late 

afternoon softball practices and exhausting football exercises. We 

are persevering through difficult cheer routines and marching to 

the beat of a brand new band. We are conditioning in basketball 

and warming up in baseball. We are building up for soccer, tennis, 

and archery. 

OUR TRIBE is succeeding. We are adding Beta members, 

electing student council and FFA officers, and training yearbook 

photographers. We are building towers in math, traveling to other 

parts of the country in social studies, and visiting characters through 

a good book in English. We are staining glass in art and learning the 

alphabet in Spanish. We are writing hypotheses in science and 

learning what’s beneficial to us in health. 

We are designing webpages and creating spreadsheets in 

business and running laps in P.E. We are yielding great innovators 

in shop and producing respectful citizens in JROTC. We are 

creating Chieftains! 

We are achieving; we are excelling; WE ARE PELAHATCHIE! 

What are you waiting for? Come join OUR TRIBE. 

Submissions provided by local officials from each individual district and not to be considered editorial opinion. 



rankin county Schools 

Florence #eaglepride 

At Florence Elementary School, we strive to always put our 

BEST foot forward. Our school motto is “Focus, Educate, Soar.” 

The word that best describes our school is “family.” From the 

staff members to the students, to our fabulous community, we 

are family. 

As a group, all staff is currently reading the book Focus, by 

Mike Schmoker. This month, our focus, as instructional leaders, 

has been on the importance of simplicity, clarity, and priority. 

We take pride in making students our top priority at Florence 

Elementary. Having a clear vision helps set the tone, focus on the 

tasks at hand, and soar to that next level…from great to BEST! 

At FES, we are looking forward to the BEST school year ever!! 

Puckett 

Welcome back! Puckett High School has started off with a 

bang. There have been a lot of improvements this summer at the 

school. The Art Garden continues to grow in size. All of the 

hallways plus the auditorium have been painted, the senior 

composite pictures from the 1950s-2016 are hanging in the old 

hallway. There is new carpet in the office and a new greenhouse 

for the Ag. classes to use. 

Patrick Lemoine, the Ag. teacher at Puckett High School has 

done it again! Mr. Lemoine’s Ag. classes won state in open and 

closing, horse judging, forestry and tree judging. Since arriving 

in Puckett eight years ago, our Ag. classes have won over 30 state 

championships. The 

forestry team competed 

in West Virginia this 

summer and placed 12th 

in the nation. The open 

and closing team will 

compete in Indianapolis, 

Indiana, later in October. 

A greenhouse was 

built in front of the new 

Ag. building. Puckett 

students will now be able 

to grow plants and 

vegetables to sell as 

fundraisers. In the past, 

our students sold ferns 

that we bought from 

another state. Now, with 

the help of the greenhouse, 

we can grow and 

sell our own ferns. This 

will be a valuable tool in 

the education of our Ag. students. 

With the help of Vallery Temple, the junior high has started 

an Ag. program as well. Mr. Lemoine and Mrs. Temple had two 

groups that won state last year. The junior high students won 

state in nursery/landscaping and horse judging. This group will 

be moving up to help the high school out in the near future. 

Submissions provided by local officials from each individual district and not to be considered editorial opinion.

Richland 

Have you ever been in a situation where you don’t know 

anyone? This year, my students and I found ourselves in that very 

position. Usually when someone is new, it takes a while to 

acclimate and meet new friends. That’s’ what makes Richland 

Upper Elementary School a place like no other. From the moment 

someone walks into our school, whether student or teacher, they 

are a member of a special family. 

In a time where schools are composed of predominantly 

testing and data, Richland Upper Elementary is a breath of fresh 

air. Each morning, when our precious students walk in, we greet 

them as one would greet a friend. Why? It’s because they are our 

friends. Every child who comes into a classroom is automatically a 

part of a small, tight-knit family. 

Oakdale 

As a K-6 feeder school to Northwest Rankin Middle School 

and home to over 600 students in the Brandon/Reservoir area, 

Oakdale has a proven track record and rich tradition of excellence 

in instruction and student achievement. As part of a progressive 

district moving Rankin County from great to best, Oakdale offers 

a variety of academic programs and extracurricular opportunities 

to engage students in deeper learning and social/physical growth, 

such as Jr. Beta Club, Cougar Choir, Archery Team, Band, 

Principal’s Book Club, Critical Thinking Through Chess Initiative, 

and numerous others. 

A sense of belonging is an essential component in making up 

the essence of Richland Upper. Teachers at RUES not only focus 

on the academic portion of teaching a child, they also focus on the 

character and talents of our students. In order to instill a sense of 

character and citizenship, our fearless leader, Principal Toby Price, 

suggests that we begin the year by enforcing the Essential 55 by 

Ron Clark. Teachers strive to integrate this amazing program into 

our daily instruction. Through this program, our students are 

showing the necessary skills to becoming successful adults. 

Every morning a child wakes up either excited to go to school 

or dreading school. At Richland Upper, it’s our mission to create a 

place where kids want to be and where teachers want to teach. At 

our school, we are taking Rankin County School District from Great 

to Best one student at a time. It’s a great day to be a Ranger! 

A point of school pride is how Oakdale is constantly tapping 

into the pulse of the digital age by using technology to enhance 

teachers’ instruction and students’ learning. This year Oakdale 

was the only elementary school in the district selected to participate 

in the state’s CS4MS pilot, a computer science initiative for 

our 6th grade students. Students will also be engaged in extended 

learning through virtual field trips this year via Google Expeditions. 

The school also offers 6th grade and 4th/5th Venture students 

Spanish language learning through Rosetta Stone and guided 

teacher instruction. According to Principal Dr. Lynnette McNeil, 

three things make Oakdale such a wonderful school. First, the 

high expectations teachers have for all students as they work to 

foster their academic and social/emotional growth. Second, the 

outstanding work going on in classrooms everyday with teachers 

and students–as teachers are consistently engaged in collaborative 

growth and learning to provide the best education for 

students. Third, the strong relationships with students, parents, 

community, and each other.


Hartfield 

Jackson Prep 

Newly Elected Student Council: 

President - Hayden Van Norman, Vice President - Megan Smith 

Secretary - Laney Armstrong 

Class Representatives: Freshman-Sally Hatten, Eli Gooden, 

Daniel Walters; Sophomore-Eli Holaday, Kaylynn Steen, Katie 

Long, Julie Thompson; Junior-Alexia Nicks, Kennedy Montgomery, 

John David Beall, Kaylee Van Norman, Cameron Withers, 

McKenzie Ragan; Senior-Shelby Killough, Rachel Long, Maddie 

Dyess, Harper Germany 

4th Annual Hart & Soul Auction is October 20th, 

6-9pm at the Ivy Venue in Flowood. Special Guest will be 

Patrick House, Season 10 Winner of the Biggest Loser. 

Coffee + Chapel Preview Day 

October 25th and November 16th 

Hartfield Academy congratulates one of our seniors, Grace 

Thaggard, for being selected a National Merit Scholarship 

Semifinalist. Grace is Hartfield’s first National Merit Semifinalist. 

She is also one of the 16,000 semifinalists in the National Merit 

Scholarship Program to be chosen 

out of the 1.6 million entrants 

nationwide. To be selected, a 

student must score well on the 

PSAT exam given in October of 

the student’s junior year of high 

school. The next step is to be 

selected as a finalist. The finalists 

will be announced in February of 

2017. We are really proud of Grace 

and hope you join us in congratulating 

her on this big honor! 

Congratulations to Jackson Prep’s National Merit Semifinalists: 

(back row, left to right) Robert Wasson, Will Massey, Paul Andress, 

Wesley Roberson, Lawson Marchetti, (front row) Kennedy 

ZumMallen, Rose Iacono, Kacie Van Pelt and Jack Davis. 

Jackson Prep boasts 570 National Merit Semifinalists: more 

than any independent or public school in the state of Mississippi. 

Discovery 

Christian 

First graders enjoyed apple 

painting while learning all 

about apples. 

Pre-K students had a fun time 

learning about apples. They were 

fascinated by the dehydrator and 

enjoyed tasting the apples.


pearl public Schools 

Pearl 

Pearl High School recently hosted over 35 colleges and military 

recruiters at its annual college fair. Over 400 students and parents 

participated in this year’s fair. After the fair, a Class of 2017 parent 

and student college planning luncheon was held. Over 190 participants 

learned about the college and financial aid planning process 

from a representative of Education services Foundation. ESF is a 

nonprofit college planning service. Both events were sponsored by 

the Pearl High School Counseling Services Department. 

The mission of Pearl Public School District 

is to prepare each student to become a 

lifelong learner, achieve individual goals, 

and positively impact a global society. 

Submissions provided by local officials from each individual district and not to be considered editorial opinion.

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Thanks to our readers 

and advertisers. 

We appreciate you! 



Rankin County Bar Association’s 

Summer 

M-Braves Social 

August 5, 2016 / Trustmark Park 




? ? 


From Diamonds 

to Deer Stands 



“I’m just a deer hunter,” Brian Owens says 

about himself as he tries to keep in perspective the 

potential of his new venture and company, Owens 

Outdoors. It’s definitely far removed from life just a 

few years ago. 

Owens played high school baseball at Northwest 

Rankin and went on to play for Mississippi 

State for two years. He stayed on another year after 

graduation as an assistant to Coach Ron Polk, an 

opportunity that he will always prize. 

Marriage to Anna Werne came next–along 

with a coaching job at Tennessee Tech University 

in Cookeville. The following year, he was offered 

an assistant baseball position at Mississippi 

College. After one year on the job, 

the head baseball coach resigned, 

leaving Owens interim baseball 

coach at age twenty-five. One 

year later, he was offered the 

head coaching job, and baseball 

life at Mississippi College was 

his family’s life for the next 

nine years. 

During that ninth year, Owens used his 

backyard as an experimental station for designing 

a hunting blind that would accommodate bow 

hunting. In the midst of that, he sensed God’s 

direction to do something else. “Go be with your 

kids (Ella, 8 and Parker, 5) more,” were the directions 

that Owens recalls. 

It was easy for Brian and Anna to understand 

due to the long hours away from home that all 

coaches invest. 

It was definitely a step of faith and obedience 

when Owens resigned his head coaching position, 

especially since Mississippi College had become a 

special part of their lives. “I loved my players and 

the college,” Owens says. 

Then the idea that came by 

accident soon launched Brian 

and Anna, along with the help 

of his brother, Daniel and 

sister-in-law, Laura, into 

production of the Double Dare 

Blind, manufactured by Owens 

Outdoors early this year. 


Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, 

they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God 

feeds them. Of how much more value are you than 

the birds!” Luke 12:24 


Life as CEO of his new company is a far 

stretch from the baseball diamond. God has given 

him time with his children, something he never 

had when coaching. “It’s such a priceless thing 

for me to be able to carry our kids to school or 

schedule a lunch date with them,” he says. 

After family time, Owens travels to outdoor/ 

hunting expos to show and promote his one-of-akind 

blind. “It’s actually a portable shooting house,” 

Owens says in describing the ground and tree 

stand blind. “It’s 53”x53”x76” with a shooting 

width of 68” – ample room for bow and gun 

hunting.” The blind travels in a backpack, sturdy 

enough to work as a permanent stand or easily 

breaks down to transport. 

Owens recalls fond memories of growing up 

hunting with his dad and brother. “Dad taught us 

how to move slowly and quietly through the 

woods and to appreciate the beauty of nature and 

its wildlife.” 

This new venture gives Owens more pleasure 

than he could have imagined. “You find something 

you love and you won’t work a day in your life,” he 

says in describing the result of his obedience and 

faith. Owens smiles with great contentment as he 

reflects on God’s faithfulness. “Anna and I have 

claimed Luke 12:24 for years, and we have figured 

it out – God always meets our daily needs.” 

With hopes of endorsements from large retailers 

like Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s, Owens dreams of 

an expanding company and orders for thousands 

of Double Dare Blinds. He may have learned to 

move slowly in the woods, but in the production 

and marketing world, he’s in race mode. n 

www.owens-outdoors.com 



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Rankin County has 

always been supportive 

of its first responders 

and recently three 

local groups had special 

gatherings to honor the 

commitments of these 

brave men and women. 

Country Place Subdivision 

in Pearl hosted a thank 

you celebration where 

every police officer and 

dispatcher received a 

gift card to Frisco Deli 

and all four fire stations 

and Pafford EMS received 

gift baskets. Bailey 

Walter, daughter of slain 

police officer Mike Walter, 

received an educational 

endowment of $1000. 

Brandon Baptist Church 

hosted a breakfast for 

first responders 

on August 27th. 

The Brandon Police 

Department and Rankin 

County Sheriff’s Office 

were both represented. 

Crossgates Baptist 

Church fed fire and 

police departments 

recently as well. 

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 




The Time Coin 

The sweltering, bone-dry days of 

September were tolling a death 

knell for Virginia’s backyard 

garden. The surviving caladiums drooped 

their once lovely heads, and the hardiest 

petunias dangled from their baskets in a 

farewell surrender. The roses had responded 

well to the drop in humidity, but their roots cried for a soaking rain. 

Virginia hurriedly cleared away the dinner dishes so she could 

assuage her garden’s suffering. Smaller jobs seemed to jump in the way 

so by the time Virginia opened the back door, the evening light had 

retired. Not to be deterred from her task, Virginia reached for the 

flashlight and headed for the watering hose. 

The earth was parched, and the plants seemed lifeless, but the sounds 

said there was life. It was too dark to know what kind of life, but all 

unidentified creatures seemed to be making noise. Was it crickets, 

cicadas, locusts or grasshoppers – or a combination of all? Virginia 

wasn’t sure, but their amplifiers were on full throttle. The noise would 

qualify as a roar. 

“Amazing,” Virginia thought to herself that tiny insects could create 

such a symphony. 

Symphony? Virginia was confident that not everyone would define 

those noises in musical terms, but growing up listening to the night 

sounds makes one appreciate the unique 

summer nights in the country. 

Another familiar noise broke Virginia’s 

concentration on God’s little creatures. She 

tossed the hose to pull her cell phone from 

her pocket. “Hi, Mama,” the welcomed voice 

greeted. It was Marie, her firstborn who 

was married with her own family. 

Before Virginia could finish asking Marie about how things were 

going, Marie interrupted. “Where are you, Mama?” she asked. “Outside, 

watering my roses.” “I knew it,” Marie responded, “I hear home!” 

After their conversation ended, Virginia continued watering her 

roses. She thought how anyone could hear the roar of the summer night 

creatures, but not everyone has spiritual ears to hear the still, small voice 

of God. 

For the next few moments, amid the fanfare of the summer night, 

Virginia’s mind drifted from the night sounds and thirsty plants to a 

well of contemplation. She thought about how easily the clamor of 

sounds and pleasures can muffle the eternal voice of God. 

With garden hose in hand, Virginia dedicated herself to more 

disciplined focus on spending time alone with God. She spoke audibly 

into the heavens, “Lord, when You speak, I want to say without 

hesitation, ‘I hear home.’” n 


Because there’s Merit 

in faster care. 

In a medical emergency, every minute matters. So, at Merit Health, you’ll 

find faster care in the emergency room. We work diligently 

to have you initially seen by a medical professional* in 30 minutes – 

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lot more care, if you need it. 

The 30-Minutes-Or-Less E.R. Service Pledge – at Merit Health. 

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100 • June 2015 

*Medical professionals may include physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners. 

MyMeritHealth.com

Hometown Rankin - October & November 2016

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