Archived Stories
Second TCE Lawsuit Filed In The County
WATER VALLEY — A second lawsuit has been filed in Yalobusha County Circuit Court alleging decades of exposure to toxic chemicals at the former Holley Automotive plant in Water Valley caused serious illnesses among workers and residents. The complaint, filed March 10 in the Second Judicial District of Yalobusha County, names 30 plaintiffs and the…
Read MoreTwo Plead Guilty In Ambush Killing
COFFEEVILLE — Two more defendants have pleaded guilty in the ambush killing of Arkansas teenager Fredarrious Wilson who was lured to a remote section of the Holly Springs National Forest in Yalobusha County and shot to death in March 2023. Bralin Jackson, the husband of co-defendant Layvonnia Jackson, and Brandon Jackson entered guilty pleas Thursday,…
Read MoreAyers Reports On Progress In Coffeeville
COFFEEVILLE – Coffeeville Mayor Brad Ayers addressed the Yalobusha County Board of Supervisors Monday during a recessed meeting at the Coffeeville courthouse, thanking the board for its assistance with storm cleanup efforts inside the town limits following Ice Storm Fern. The county has entered into memorandums of understanding with the towns of Coffeeville and Oakland…
Read MoreFarmers’ Goal In 1946 Was To Grow 1,000 Acres Of Peas
20 Years—March 16, 2006 – “Good Stuff Antiques” was celebrating their first year anniversary. Located on Blackmur Drive and owned by C. J. Wakefield and Brad Van Winkle, it was an antique mall with 40 vendors. It also included the building next door, which was called, “Somewhere In Time Furniture.” The Wildlife Tasting Buffet was…
Read MoreReader Questions Placement Of State Flags In City
Dear Editor The current State of Mississippi flag was forced on the ballot in 2020 in a process straight out of the Soviet Union. In the past few weeks the city of Water Valley now has several of these state flags flapping in the wind at city sites – all because an unelected individual decided…
Read MoreThe Heart Of The Chamber: Remembering Zandra Walker
Some weeks it’s easy to write this column. This week it isn’t. This week we lost someone who had been part of the daily life of Water Valley for a long time. Zandra Walker, who served as manager of the Water Valley Area Chamber of Commerce for many years, passed away suddenly, leaving behind a…
Read MoreA Friend To All, Zandra Will Be Missed
Like most everyone else in town, I was shocked and saddened to hear of the untimely passing of Zandra Walker. Because Zandra was such a local personality and held such a visible position in town as the face of The Chamber of Commerce, we all have our own special relationship with her. Or at least…
Read MoreTemporary Closure Of Cossar Rekindles Calls For Improvements
We are excited to announce that Oakland has received another grant. We are waiting to hear this morning about yet another one. (Fingers crossed!) Communities Unlimited has awarded us a grant to bring together our faith-based communities to potentially create a huge core of people to further strengthen our community. We are so grateful to…
Read MoreThe Girls — Joyce, Terri And Diane — Enjoy Catching Up
It was snowing in Starkville Monday morning. A friend sent me a picture and it was coming down! If it wasn’t so far to Starkville, I think I might have tried to go over there. Enjoy the snow, Lonnie! I hope all you readers had a fun and happy St. Patrick’s Day! Did any of…
Read MoreObituaries 03/19/2026
Dianne Tidwell Goodrum WATER VALLEY – Dianne Tidwell Goodrum passed away March 15, 2026, at the age of 68. Born Dec. 10, 1957, in Covington, Tenn., Dianne was a beloved spouse, mother, grandmother and friend — and a fierce survivor who overcame breast cancer with her trademark strength and humor. Dianne dedicated her working years…
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