Rev. Calvin Hawkins was elected to serve as the eighth Moderator for the Mt. Moriah Missionary Baptist District Association and its auxiliaries. The installation program was held on Sunday, October 15 at the district headquarters located in Coffeeville. In addition to Rev. Hawkins other cabinet members installed were Rev. Kelvin Lee, pastor of Hopewell M.…

WATER VALLEY – The Water Valley Blue Devils hosted fellow Region 2-2A foe, the M.S. Palmer Dragons to open up Region Play during Fall Break 2023 on October 12.. The theme was “Military Appreciation Night” and the Blue Devils illustrated the grind and grit that is synonymous with our nation’s military and pulled out a…

It has been a soothing fall break for the Water Valley High students, teachers, and staff. This was a well-needed break for many members of the school community. Fall break allows teachers to reset their classrooms with fall decorations that are fitting for the time and gather lesson plans, and it gives students a chance…

VELMA – A Yalobusha County man died Sunday from injuries sustained in a house fire late Saturday night. Yalobusha County Coroner Ronnie Stark reported James “Buddy” Durr, Jr., 67, died Sunday at Regional One Hospital in Memphis. Yalobusha County Emergency Management Agency (EMA) director Stewart Spence reported that Velma Fire Department was initially dispatched to…

WATER VALLEY – The Water Valley Police Department is cleaning up the city in October with dozens of “arrests” planned as part of the Arrest the Cure cancer fundraiser to benefit St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Chief Jason Mangrum launched the fundraiser last week, “arresting” Sheriff Jerimaine Gooch as the first victim. The sheriff joined…

GRENADA – The Water Valley High School band earned strong ratings at the 2023 MHSAA Region II State Marching Evaluation at Grenada High School on October 7. Band director Wes Brown reported drum major Jackson Herrera and the color guard each earned superior ratings and the band and percussion each earned excellent ratings. Superior is…

WATER VALLEY – On Friday, October 6, 2023 the Class 4A Shannon Red Raiders came to town to take on the homesteading Blue Devils. The Raiders would jump out to a quick 14 to 0 lead and came away with a 34 to 3 victory. The Blue Devils showed they came to play and attempted…

All I’ve done for these many months of unrelenting heat waves is wish for cooler weather and as soon as that cooler weather arrives I can’t handle it. Last Friday night while hanging outside at a porch party I was shivering like a I had a glitch in my matrix and started going into what…

National School Lunch Week was being observed at the Water Valley Schools 60 years ago and the Herald published several photos in the Oct. 17, 1963 issue. According to the article, the lunchroom had only been in operation here for 15 years (starting in 1948). Manager Ludie Appleton said that 7,791 meals were served the…

In 1901, Joe Brooks Cole and a group of men from the former Pisgah church combined their efforts to build the Bethlehem United Methodist Church nearby. Bethlehem is a little, old, country church in the Velma community, and although members no longer worship there each week, they do assemble there on the first Sunday of…