There are certain smells that let you know the Watermelon Carnival is here. Fresh watermelon is one of them. Funnel cakes are another. But when the smoke starts drifting from the barbecue pits near City Park, folks know the Train Tracks Pork Attack is officially back in town. The Train Tracks Pork Attack Barbecue Cooking…

I hope everyone had a wonderful Father’s Day. We had a good day at church. Things have been pretty slow our way. Leigh Anne, Mrs. Anne, Carol and Jimmy took the kids to see Sammie Sol (Sam Watts) in a program at the Oakland Library. The kids had a great time and really enjoyed the…

I hope all of you fathers and father figures had a wonderful Father’s Day. Freda Weir reports they had a great week of VBS this past week at Friendship. Freda’s better half, Frank Weir, has had a lot of doctor visits this past week. Kyle and Beth Pearson, along with their sweet daughters, Trinity and…

I had a nice, long phone visit this week with James Caruthers. James is younger than I am, but his entire family went to Oakland Baptist Church, as did we growing. Of course, Oakland School was also small before we consolidated with Coffeeville, so I knew him in the way that small communities know each…

WATER VALLEY – The Blackmur Memorial Library was formally recognized as a Water Valley historic landmark during a ceremony held June 19, following action by the Board of Aldermen earlier this month. The board approved the designation during its June 2 meeting as part of an effort to support an application for grant funding that…

WATER VALLEY – A powerful explosion rattled windows across Water Valley and destroyed a residence on Thornton Street Sunday night, leaving one person dead, one person severely injured and triggering a massive emergency response as firefighters battled a blaze fueled by an active natural gas leak. The explosion occurred around 8:15 p.m. at a small…

WATER VALLEY – Community members are invited to attend the exhumation of Water Valley’s Bicentennial  time capsule at 11 a.m. on July 4 at City Hall. The ceremony is being organized by the Water Valley Odd Fellows, the oldest civic organization in the city. The capsule was buried during a July 4, 1977 ceremony and…

WATER VALLEY – It is beginning to look a lot like Watermelon Carnival season in Water Valley, and the first sure sign is always the arrival of the official Carnival T-shirts. The 2026 Watermelon Carnival T-shirts are now on sale at the Water Valley Area Chamber of Commerce office for $20 each. Shirts are available…

WATER VALLEY – Residents, property owners and business owners will have an opportunity later this month to review and comment on a proposed ordinance that would create a formal process for identifying, registering and maintaining vacant and abandoned structures within the city. The Water Valley Planning Commission will host a public hearing on the proposed…