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Five Inducted Into Oakland Area Lions Club

June 13 marks the last day for Mississippians with losses from Winter Storm Fern to receive in-person assistance applying for disaster recovery resources.  MEMA/FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers are operating through June 13 to assist people with applying.  According to information I received from Mississippi Main Street, FEMA’s deadline is June 10; SBA’s physical deadline is also June…

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Obituaries 06/11/2026

Mary Louise Sartor Bell OXFORD – Mary Louise Sartor Bell, a wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, friend, child and servant of God, transitioned peacefully from her life on earth on June 2, 2026 in Oxford, Mississippi at the age of 86. Born November 5, 1939, in Water Valley, Mississippi, she was the daughter of Clyde Flake…

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Supervisors Discuss Animal Control Challenges

COFFEEVILLE – A complaint about two large dogs bothering an elderly County Road 168 resident led to a wide-ranging discussion about stray dogs, vicious dogs and the limited options available when county residents call for help during the June 1 meeting of the Yalobusha County Board of Supervisors at the Coffeeville Courthouse. District 4 Supervisor…

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Historic Lamar Block Hosts Chamber Ambassadors Meeting

WATER VALLEY — Members of the Water Valley Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors gathered June 1 at the Lamar Block, formerly known as Magnolia Furniture, for their monthly meeting. The meeting was hosted by Mary Lu Vaughn and her daughter, Meagan Vaughn Backes, owners of the historic downtown building. During the meeting, Vaughn and Backes…

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Obituaries 06/04/2026

Rex Morgan Babb PARIS – Rex Morgan Babb, 66, of Paris passed away at his home on May 25, 2026. He was born on Aug. 23, 1959, in Oxford, and grew up in Waterford and Paris.  He is survived by his sisters, Lisa Babb Byars of Water Valley, Georgia Robbin Sweeny of Gulf Breeze, Fla,…

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Driver Charged After Bypass Crash

WATER VALLEY — A 34-year-old Water Valley man was charged with felony DUI Saturday after allegedly causing a two-vehicle crash at the intersection of Wise Street and Highway 7 and then leaving the scene on foot, according to Water Valley Police Chief Jason Mangrum. Andrew Russell “Drew” Kisner, 34, of Water Valley, was arrested following…

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County Begins Property Cleanup Process On Tillatoba Property

TILLATOBA — Yalobusha County supervisors have begun the property cleanup process on a Tillatoba-area property after receiving complaints about more than 20 abandoned vehicles and other conditions officials say pose a threat to public health. District 5 Supervisor Gaylon Gray brought the matter before the Board of Supervisors during Monday’s meeting at the Water Valley…

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Yalobusha 4-H Team Wins Modeling Squad Showdown

Eight Yalobusha County senior 4-H members brought home a first-place victory from 4-H Club Congress at Mississippi State University last week, winning the 4-H Modeling Squad Showdown after months of preparation and teamwork. The team began planning for the competition several months ago when members decided they wanted to participate in the event, which challenges…

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Reader Commends Fussell Article

To the Editor, I enjoyed Ms. Fussell’s article “Intellectuals in Jessie Wagner’s World” in the May 28th edition of The Herald. Wagner’s journey to Wellesley College underscores the importance of Wellesley and the six other so-called “Seven Sisters” colleges, which were founded in the nineteenth century to provide women with an excellent education at a…

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The Strange Arithmetic Of Aging

I’m writing this column on the morning of my birthday. I turned 49 years old today and while I have been expecting this to happen all year, it still feels wrong and factually inaccurate. Are we sure I’m 49? Like, absolutely sure? This can’t be correct. Yet, when you subtract the year I was born…

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