DAR To Donate Book To The Library

The Nanih Waiya Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution is donating the book, The British Are Coming, by Rick Atkinson to the Winston County Library. Mr. Atkinson is a two-time Pulitzer award winner and was awarded the DAR Excellence in American History Book Award at its recent virtual 129th Continental Congress. The book is a three-volume history of the American Revolution. For more information on joining our local DAR chapter please call us at 662-803-5443.

Shown are DAR Regent Theresa Bridges and Librarian Beth Edwards.

Presley Praises Passage of Mississippi Electric Cooperative Broadband Covid-19 Act

On Monday, June 29, 2020, Commissioner Brandon Presley announced that Mississippi legislators passed the Mississippi Electric Cooperatives Broadband COVID-19 Act. This legislation will establish a $75 million grant program for the immediate deployment of fiber broadband infrastructure in unserved areas.

The global pandemic highlighted areas without high-speed internet service across Mississippi. This legislation will allow underserved areas the opportunity to receive much needed services. The applications for an electric cooperative to receive these funds are due by July 17, 2020 and funds should be expended by the end of the year. The bill also requires internet service providers to provide minimum upload and download speeds of 100 mbps (megabits per second)

“This grant program will ensure that these dollars deliver the very best seeds to the people in the areas of the state that lack broadband the most. The work of Lieutenant Governor Hosemann, Speaker Gunn, Senator Carter, and Representative Bounds have created a path for real investments in rural broadband that will get the job done. I couldn’t be more excited to see this major piece of legislation pass. Now, it’s time to get to work,” said Commissioner Brandon Presley.

Lanette Hanna Receives ECCC’s Excellence With Class Award

East Central Community College instructional counselor Lanette Hanna of Nanih Waiya receives the college’s 2020 Excellence with Class Award as the outstanding staff member during a surprise presentation June 25 by ECCC President Dr. Billy Stewart. The award comes with a $500 check from the ECCC Foundation. Hanna received the honor on her last day of work as she is retiring after nearly 26 years at the Decatur college. Stewart also is retiring June 30 after eight years as president of ECCC.

National DAR American Heritage Winner

Congratulations to Susan Clark, DAR member from the Nanih Waiya chapter of DAR, for receiving two national awards for her work in the DAR National American Heritage Competition. 

She received a 1st place award in the Crafts Division for the sculpture of a woman with her button to remind us to vote! She lights our responsibility as women to vote.

Susan received a 2nd place award in the Art and Sculpture Division for her depiction of three women who fought for the 19th amendment. The sculpture shows Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucertia Mott and Susan B. Anthony in a ballot box. This calls us all to remember the contributions these women made for women to vote.

We would like to thank Susan for bringing national recognition to our DAR chapter and our community.

COVID-19 Testing Available Again in Winston County - June 18

JACKSON, Miss. – Residents of Winston County and surrounding communities can be tested for COVID-19 next week as the University of Mississippi Medical Center and Mississippi State Department of Health continue efforts to stem virus transmission by setting up one-day, drive-through collection sites.

Anyone can be tested who is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, including fever, cough, shortness of breath or sore throat; or who has a known or potential exposure to someone confirmed with the virus.

The testing site for Thursday, June 18:

• Winston County: Louisville Coliseum, 245 Ivy Ave., Louisville

Those who believe they need to be tested must first complete a free screening from a UMMC clinician through an online questionnaire at umc.edu/covidscreening. Or, they can call the UMMC Center for Telehealth at (601) 496-7200 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday. Anyone determined to need testing will receive an appointment date and time at the testing site most convenient. The C Spire Health app is no longer a screening tool for COVID-19 testing.

Hundreds of people in Mississippi communities have taken advantage of the UMMC/MSDH drive-through collection sites. Those numbers include, as of the end of the day June 9, a total 3,401 people at 91 one-day testing sites statewide, plus another 7,439 at the Mississippi State Fairgrounds and West Street Farmers Market, for a total of 10,840 tested.

The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency and the Mississippi National Guard are partnering with UMMC and MSDH to coordinate mobile testing sites. During drive-through testing, health care professionals will collect specimen samples via a nose swab. Those being tested will not exit their vehicle.

For more information about testing, click here.

Mid-MS Regional Library Announces Reopening and Summer Reading Program Plans

The Mid-Mississippi Regional Library System is resuming partial services for all branch locations on June 8th in accordance with the library’s phased reopening plan. Patrons will be permitted inside library buildings to browse collections of “grab & go” books and movies plus request other items, schedule 30-minute public access computer sessions, and request copy/fax/print/scanning document services. To help ensure the safety of library guests and staff, patrons will be required to wear a mask to enter library buildings, strict building capacity limits will be observed at each location, and hand sanitizing stations will be available at building entrances.

Bookdrops are also open at all locations to return checked out library materials, though all items with a due date of March 9th and after have automatically been extended to June 15th. Patrons will be able to continue requesting curbside service at the system’s Attala County Library, Carthage-Leake County Library, Winona-Montgomery County Library, and Winston County Library locations.

The library system will also be moving forward with a revised version of its popular Summer Reading Program. Registration will begin on June 8th for the new program, and there are a few different ways for patrons to register. MMRLS is offering a new online tool called Beanstack (app available for download from the Apple or Google App Stores) which will enable patrons to easily log and track their reading, while earning fun badges and prizes. Patrons can also register with a paper form at their local library. This year’s Summer Reading Program will take place from June 15th through July 19th, and there will be different reading challenges for children, teens, and adults. Each MMRLS branch location will have weekly activity packets for children available throughout the program, which will include registration information, activities, and craft ideas for families to complete. Virtual programming will also be featured on library social media accounts throughout the program.

“Though we are once again reopening our doors to offer essential services, the library is going to look a lot different to our patrons,” said Mid-Mississippi Regional Library System Executive Director, Josh Haidet. “We will be taking every precaution to protect our customers and staff by following Governor Tate Reeves’ recommendations for reopening public libraries, as well as by utilizing other established best practices and protocol. We are working hard to provide the programming and services our guests have come to rely on from their public library in the safest way possible during this challenging time.” For more information or questions about library services, reopening plans, and the 2020 Summer Library Program, visit: www.mmrls.lib.ms.us, or call 662-289-5151. The Mid- Mississippi Regional Library System’s thirteen branch locations serve Attala, Holmes, Leake, Montgomery, and Winston Counties.

ECCC Announces 2020 Spring Semester Honor Roll

Students named to the 2020 spring semester honor roll, which includes those selected to the President’s List, Dean’s List and Honorable Mention List, have been announced at East Central Community College in Decatur.

Those named to the President’s List, students with a 4.0 grade point average, include the following:

LOUISVILLE: Jesse Boydstun, Anna Bucklew, Molli Childs, Janie Espino, Hanna Higginbotham, Bria Hunt, Erika Jordan, Hailey Myers, Braeden Nabers, Lance Sanders and Bailey Wood

NOXAPATER: Zachary Kimbriel and Ariel Moore

New CD Release from Local Pastor and Daughter

Jay Murphy, Pastor of Shiloh Baptist Church and 13 year old daughter Abigail recently recorded in Nashville with producer Chris Golden (son of Lee Golden / The Oak Ridge Boys). Their new CD contains 10 all original songs plus a new arrangement of a hymn. The CD was released on Friday, May 8th.

Murphy commented on the release. "My 13 year old daughter (Abigail) and I form a duet. I play acoustic guitar and Mark Anderton of Carthage, plays piano/keyboards. Abigail wrote "He's Here" (track 7) when she was 10 years old and wrote it when her grandmother (Phyllis Murphy) was dying of cancer. It is her recognition of how God is always there with you no matter what you are facing. The title track, "Choose Life" (track 2) was written due to the work of my mom (Phyllis) for many years with the Philadelphia CPC (Crisis Pregnancy Center). The song reinforces how miraculous a new born baby is and how they will steal your heart with just one touch."

You can visit the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/The-Murphys-Music-332702177468139/
to find information and videos showcasing song clips.

Curfew for Winston County and City Remain in Effect

The city and county curfew remains in effect as the State of Mississippi does continue to remain under an Executive Order. Our local county and city curfew continues for the life of state executive orders.

Although the order is a “safe return order” to provide guidance to get back to business or “normal”, we need to continue respecting the virus and one another.

All citizens are encouraged to remain focused on safety by adhering to social distance, excellent hygiene, wear a mask in public places, avoid large gatherings, and understand the recommendations set forth by federal, state, and local guidance.

Be safe, be smart, and be respectful.

The curfew limits all non-essential travel in the county between the hours of 9:00 pm and 6:00 am.

Back To Business Grant Program Soon To Be Available - To Sign Up -

The Back to Business Mississippi Grant Program has been created for small businesses with less than 50 employees to recover from the economic impact of COVID-19. Applications from the Mississippi Development Authority will be available via https://www.backtobusinessms.org/ in the near future along with eligibility requirements for the grant. To be notified when applications become available, visit this website and enter your email address at the bottom of the page.

Safe Return Now in Place Across Mississippi

Masks Available to Public on Friday, June 5th

Winston County and the City of Louisville will be handing out protective masks to the public on June 5th, 2020 at the Louisville Coliseum. This will be a drive-through event which will allow for citizens to receive these masks without leaving their vehicle.

As we work through this pandemic together our government officials would like to make these masks available and request that everyone utilize these masks as we begin to open more and more of our businesses. The City of Louisville and Winston County have done a wonderful job in limiting the progression of the Corona Virus in our community. We know this by the comparison of our infection rates with those of some of our neighbors.

As we become more active it is important that everyone have access to the proper protective equipment in order to keep our infection rates as low as possible.

During this drive through event, every vehicle that comes through will be given 10 masks each for that family. These masks will be in various styles and packaging, with no preference given to one type or another.

The location and time are as follows:

City of Louisville Coliseum

201 Ivy Avenue

From 2:00 pm until 5:00 pm