Oakland Updates As 2026 Starts
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Oakland News
By Linda Aldy
The calendar has rolled around to a fresh New Year, meaning many of us will struggle for a few weeks to write 2026 instead of 2025. Many will have made New Year’s resolutions or, as is currently popular, chosen a word for the year. That’s what I’ve elected to do. I’ve chosen “Balance” and hope I can live up to that!
Congratulations to Jennifer Wolfe on her promotion to branch manager at Oakland’s Cadence Bank. Jennifer Ross, who retired at the end of December, asked me to thank everyone who has wished her a happy retirement. The ladies at the bank held a retirement reception for her on Dec. 30.
Jennifer Ross has spent nearly 40 years at the bank, the last 12 years as manager. Her boss during many of those years was Betty Simmons Osbarn, who retired after 50 years and who was on hand at the reception to give Jennifer advice on retirement!
A very interesting thing is that both Jennifers — Ross and Wolfe — had the maiden name Bailey (but are not related). Customers would call and ask for Jennifer and when asked which Jennifer, some would say “the one who was a Bailey.”
Cadence has been bought by Huntington Bank, but I’m not sure when that change will occur. Support our local bank — you get personal service. Many towns have had their banks close, and it’s important to support our local businesses. Oakland is very fortunate to have a bank, a clinic, a library, a post office, a grocery store and more, which allows us to build toward the future.
Speaking of our grocery store, it has new hours. They will now be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and closed on Sunday. They have some amazing specials going on right now, especially on meats!
If you are a farmer and want an outlet to sell your products, that’s a big part of what the Farmacy Marketplace was established to do. Farmacy Marketplace is under the umbrella of In Her Shoes Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Reach out to them to learn more about how to get your produce, meats, eggs and more into the store. You can email programming@inhershoesinc.org or call 929-312-8330.
I am proud to serve on the board of this amazing organization. The founder and executive director, Marquitrice Mangham, is a native of Webb and understands small towns. She is recognized nationally for what she is doing, and Oakland is absolutely blessed to have her working in our town.
The 2026 Mississippi Legislature is convening this week and as a lobbyist for both the Town of Oakland and my alma mater, The W, I am about to be really busy. The Town of Oakland’s major request this year is funding for a new fire truck. Mayor Stephanie Patterson has really been working to put together the right mix of funds to make this happen.
The mayor has also passed along this traffic alert from MDOT: State Route 32 between U.S. 51 and Walnut Street in Yalobusha County will be closed from 7 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 6, to 7 a.m. Friday, March 6, for bridge inspection and repair. Based on comments, it appears the detour will be through downtown Oakland, so everyone pay attention. We have many people who walk and cross Hickory Street, the main street, to do banking and go to the post office.
One of my favorite holiday events is walking, weather permitting, from my mom’s house on Christmas Eve to Oakland Methodist Church for their sweet program.
Typically, the Mullen sisters sing, the multi-talented Wiggins sisters are involved and the Rev. Clay Baker, who came for three months and stayed for 30 years, leads a short service. It is always full, and it feels like such an “It’s a Wonderful Life” gathering.
We walk back home where sister Carol has left a simple meal simmering. We typically have four generations attending the service, and this year was no exception. The kids love singing “Go Tell It on the Mountain” and did so with gusto!
The Mississippi Department of Archives and History announced that 15 Mississippi sites were placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2025, and two of those are in our area. From their press release:
• Walker High School, Oakland vicinity, Yalobusha County, March 3 — Constructed in 1954 and designed by Edgar Lucian Malvaney, this Equalization school is where many African American children were taught until desegregation in 1970. The consolidation that followed caused enrollment to decline until the school closed permanently in 1999.
• Mitchell & McLendon General Merchants, Enid, Tallahatchie County, Sept. 23 — Constructed circa 1910, the former store served as the commercial and social center of the Town of Enid during the early 20th century, and the building embodies the distinctive characteristics of early 20th-century commercial architecture. Much like the J.W. Crawford store, it represents a dwindling historic resource type in rural Mississippi.
