Thomas's McComb, Pike County, and Southwest Mississippi Real Estate Blog

McComb, MS: Camp Sunshine 2008 was a great success!

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 13:36:44 -0500

Camper Rosmonique Bonds receiving his dance trophy from JA member Leigh Ann Creel

Camp Sunshine 2008 at Percy Quin State Park July 9-13 was a great success! Grease was this year’s theme for the five-day camp for mentally and physically handicapped children and adults. Some of the theme-related highlights this year were a “drive-in movie” held on the park’s activity field, a dance-off contest with trophies awarded, and a special performance of songs from the movie Grease by guest musicians.

Each year Janet Stewart’s Girl Scouts lead activities on Wednesday, the opening day of camp. This year’s activities were called Rockin’ Races, Greased Lightnin’ Games, Bebop Make and Take, Nifty Nature, and Big Blue Bathtub (swimming)! On Wednesday afternoon, Beth Hemeter of Image Maker Photography came out and made a group picture of all the campers and counselors. She climbed to the top of the pavilion to get everyone in the shot! On Wednesday evening the Parklane Players performed scenes from Grease. The actors were Taylor Stringer as "Danny" and Kelly Bonner as "Sandy"; Morgan Middleton, Erica Lewis, Mary Elizabeth Stringer, and Sarah Loper as "The Pink Ladies"; and Josh King, Frankie Castello, Seth Caras, and Hunter Caras as the "T-Birds."

Camper LaDonovan Nelson enjoys the water slide, with Counselor Jeremy Turner (left).

Friday evening the participants rode McComb School District busses to dinner at Southwest MS Regional Medical Center and then went bowling at the McComb Bowling Center. Special devices were used so that campers in wheelchairs were able to bowl, also.

On Saturday morning the Olympic Games were held on the activities field. Relays such as bubble-gum blowing and “water balloon-sit on-and pop” contests were precursors to the ever-popular counselors’ egg toss/shaving cream fight! The Sunny Hill Volunteer Fire Department hosed off the counselors after this event! The Knights of Columbus assisted all day with the fishing rodeo and preparing balloons for the relay. Also assisting with the fishing rodeo were Kade Boone, William Hightower, and Zack McDaniel. Saturday evening Erin Alford as "Sandy" and Jonathan Watts as "Danny" sang several tunes from Grease after “Sandy” roared onto the stage escorted on a motorcycle! The rest of the evening was filled with group skits and camper stage acts.

On Sunday morning during the church service in the pavilion Miss Mattie of the McComb Public Library played her autoharp and sang songs, and Ian McAnally, interim student minister at First Baptist Church of McComb, delivered the sermon. Campers took up a “nature offering” in the spirit of giving back to God a portion of the great things He has given us.

Camp Sunshine, begun in 1976 with about fifteen campers, has grown into a huge operation with eighty campers and over 100 teenaged counselors, in addition to about a dozen college-aged experienced leaders. The McComb Junior Auxiliary sponsors the event, and JA members are responsible for running the five major events (dance, swimming, arts and crafts, nature, and recreation), in addition to arranging nighttime entertainment, meals, counselor snacks, canteen, fabulous decorations, goody bags and buttons, laundry, and so much more. The cafeteria staff at Percy Quin cooked breakfast and lunch each day. In addition, several businesses donated food on various days. U.S. Food Group provided the sausage and pork which John Devine of Devine’s Bar-B-Que, US Food Group’s Jason Mercier, and others spent all day slow cooking on site. Rick and Bente’ Johnson fried fish for everyone, and Jerry and Jeanine Stogner supplied the French fries and other sides. Pike Construction and Cox Architecture provided desserts, and Buffalo Services donated TCBY treats for Coke floats!

Campers Robert Britt (left) and Kayla Stinson love Camp Sunshine!

Becky Morgan is the long-time camp director, and this year’s JA Coordinator was Denise Webb. This year’s Assistant JA Coordinator, Becky Moak, will be the 2009 Coordinator. Diedre Reynolds and Heidi Hart were the Camp Nurses. JA Life Member Flo Boyd was the Swimming Director, and Janet Stewart and JA Life Member Betsy Enochs assisted at the pool. Boyd received an award from the campers, counselors, and staff for her 30 years of hard work and dedicated service as Camp Sunshine’s Swimming Director. JA Life Member Betsy Murrell was actively involved in nearly every aspect of camp, and received a Volunteer of the Year award from The Tri County Arc. Stewart’s Girl Scouts not only planned and ran Wednesday’s events, they also helped throughout the week at all the activities, and even wrote letters to each camper so that everyone would receive mail during the week!

Many pictures from both this year’s and last year’s Camp Sunshine, as well as "The Best of Camp, 2002-2006," can be viewed online at www.photoworks.com/members/tmorgan100. (Click on "View all" to see albums not pictured on the first page. Note: Photos can be viewed as a slide show, but in full-screen mode descriptions which may be under some of the photos are not visible--you may need to scroll down to read the descriptions.)

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McComb, MS: Christian Rap Group 116 Clique Performs at McComb Event Center

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 14:23:31 -0500

116 Clique on stage at the McComb Event and Entertainment Center

McComb got a real treat Wednesday, July 9, 2008, when the highly acclaimed Christian rap group 116 Clique performed at the McComb Event and Entertainment Center as part of their Unashamed ’08 tour. The group is comprised of musicians Lecrae, Trip Lee, Tedashii, and Sho Baraka. Church vans and busses brought teenagers from all over to listen to the inspiring music and message. One group even drove down from Jackson to see the big-name acts and hear the testimonies. There were also several adults in the audience enjoying the concert (although most of the adults sat around the edges, while the young people stood in the center close to the stage!).

116 Clique (pronounced one-one-six click) takes their name from Romans 1:16: “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.” The performers encouraged everyone present to not be ashamed of being a Christian in the face of peer pressure. They challenged their listeners to be “souled out for Christ.”

Lecrae, a Memphis resident, has been nominated twice for the Gospel Music Association’s Dove Awards--for his song “Jesus Muzik” with Trip Lee and for his latest album After the Music Stops. He is also the winner of several Rapzilla awards. In addition to hosting Christian hip-hop related events, Lecrae also volunteers at a local juvenile detention center. The other members of 116 Clique are all well-known Reach Records talents who deliver powerful gospel messages as well.

Lecrae performing

The two-hour concert included both individual and group performances. CDs, t-shirts, and gospel tract booklets were available for sale and with donations. ReachLife Ministries’ mission is “to equip ministries with biblically solid, culturally relevant tools for discipleship.” To learn more about their program, visit http://reachlife.org/.

Bringing 116 Clique to McComb was a joint effort among several area churches, including FBC McComb, FBC Summit, New Heights Baptist, Pine Grove Missionary Baptist, Walker’s Chapel Free Will Baptist, and 24^th Street Church of God in Christ. After a conversation with Dean Ross of Abandon Production Ministries out of New Orleans, Ian McAnally, interim student minister at First Baptist Church of McComb, was instrumental in getting FBC McComb’s Mission Committee to underwrite the event. Tasha Dillon, City of McComb Community Relations and Tourism Director, was a prime organizer and fundraising energizer for the event. She coordinated communications among the event planners, area churches, and the media. “This was a very positive event for our young people,” Dillon said. “All the youth groups were very attentive, and all the adult sponsors I spoke with hope these musicians and others like them will come again to our area. It’s so important for McComb to support events like this to invest in the future of our children.”

The children really got into the show!

McAnally said McComb was very fortunate to be able to host this event on short notice, as there is usually about a three-year waiting list. After performing in New Orleans on July 10, the group heads to California and other states, and then takes their tour to Europe beginning in August. To see their events calendar, listen to songs, read lyrics and artist biographies, and to purchase items from the online store, please visit http://www.reachrecords.com/. Several videos by the artists can also be found on YouTube.

***To see more photos of this event (and all my photo albums), please visit www.photoworks.com/members/tmorgan100. (Click on "View all" to see albums not pictured on the first page. Note: Photos can be viewed as a slide show, but in full-screen mode descriptions which may be under some of the photos are not visible--you may need to scroll down to read the descriptions.)

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McComb, MS: Neddie Winters speaks at Mission Pike County's Pastors' and Ministers' Breakfast

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 13:35:35 -0500

“What am I committed to? What am I concerned about? What will I change?” These are the three questions pastors and ministers should be asking themselves and seeking answers to, according to Pastor Neddie R. Winters, Executive Director of Mission Mississippi. Winters spoke at the pastors’ and ministers’ breakfast on Tuesday, July 1, at the Days Inn of McComb.

Winters is committed to racial reconciliation. “We (blacks and whites) spend a lot of time together, but we don’t spend enough time getting to know each other,” Winters said. “Blacks and whites come from different cultures, and have different ways of handling conflicts. We should listen to others, rather than talk at them,” Winters suggested. “If you listen and talk to others long enough, you’ll find the answer.”

The breakfast meeting of about a dozen church leaders was a true roundtable discussion. The participants agreed that openness and honesty are prerequisites for a commitment to change. “We are here to speak from our heart, not use platitudes, pontification, or platforms,” Winters acknowledged. “What are we doing to help eliminate barriers of distrust?”

Here are some ideas and suggestions from other participants:

*We need to talk honestly, come to the table, bring it to the surface, not sugarcoat it.”

*”I need to not blame (the other race) for what was done in the past.”

*”Don’t take rejection (of your race) personally. Don’t let other people’s racist attitudes become your racist attitude.”

*”We have to get away from being afraid to go places to fellowship with the other race.”

*”I need to overcome ignorance of how other people are treated.”

*”I would like to think churches impact the community, rather than the community impacts the churches.”

*If it’s to be, it must begin with me.” And even “I’m going to make you love me!”

*”We’re here to listen to each other’s story, and find out how it can become our story.”

In his closing remarks, Winters said he is “not really looking for you to change; I’m looking for you to stay at the table, and allow God to move through us” to bring about change. Winters encouraged participants to invite other church leaders to next month’s breakfast, and especially to bring someone of a different race than their own. He stressed that the organization is not looking for participants to take on new leadership responsibilities, but merely to be present, to not be indifferent, and to participate in discussions of racial reconciliation. The breakfast is open to church leaders or church representatives of all denominations in Pike County.

The motto of Mission Mississippi is “Changing Mississippi . . . One Relationship at a Time.” For more information, please visit www.missionmississippi.org .

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McComb, MS: Ben Rauch "Get the Reading Bug" Photos on Display at McComb Public Library

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 12:14:07 -0500

Io Moth--Photo by Ben Rauch.

You’ve got to go see the “Big Bug” photo exhibit by Ben Rauch at the McComb Public Library while it is on display during the month of July! Extreme close-up enlargements of moths, butterflies, beetles, and more in full color—come name your favorite today!

Ben Rauch (his last name rhymes with “now”) is a Chatawa resident. He got his first quality 35mm SLR camera when he was a teenager in New Orleans, and he has been taking photos ever since. Although he never took any formal photographic training, Ben has taken part in many seminars and classes given by photographers such as Kjell Sandved (the Butterfly Alphabet photographer), Cole Weston, Merry Moor Winnett, and Yousuf Karsh. His photographic experience has varied from working for a model agency doing portfolios, being staff photographer for International Windsurfer magazine, and spending a summer in Brazil and two weeks in Costa Rica photographing insects.

He enjoys sharing his techniques with others, and feels he has learned as much as he has taught by doing so. His photographs have been exhibited in New Orleans, Phoenix, McComb, Mandeville, and Magnolia. Currently the McComb Library has some of his photographs of insects on display in conjunction with the children’s reading program “Get the Reading Bug.”

The photographs at the library were almost all taken in Ben’s yard in Chatawa. He uses a moderately priced Olympus Zoom with close-up capabilities. Ben says, “The important thing with any camera is to read the manual and make maximum use of its capabilities. Many point-and-shoot digital cameras can focus at ½ inch!”

Ben is looking forward to his next project – taking photos of some of the exotic insects on display at the new Audubon Insectarium in New Orleans. In the meantime, he is also looking for human models to photograph! To see more photographs like the ones on display at the McComb library, along with close-ups of mushrooms, birds, frogs, spiders, and more, visit Ben’s Flickr site at http://www.flickr.com/photos/benrauch/ . Ben is also interested in helping people take better photographs. You can contact him at 601-341-0402 or email benrauch@yahoo.com .

The McComb Public Library is open Mondays, 8:30-5:30, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8:30-8:00, Wednesdays, 8:30-1:00, and Fridays and Saturdays, 8:30-5:00.

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Pike County, Mississippi 1798-1876: Pioneer Families and Confederate Soldiers is back in print

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 14:07:15 -0500

The following is information sent to me by Lee Jackson of Buford, GA. I thought I would share it with my readers here. Let me know if you are aware of any of the things he is looking for, and I will pass it along to him!

(Photo Link Below!)

“Pike County, Mississippi 1798-1876: Pioneer Families and Confederate Soldiers, by Luke W. Conerly, published in 1909, is back in print. This book documents many early families of Pike County, MS, as well as Confederate soldiers going out from Pike and surrounding counties, with over 400 surnames. I am the author’s great great grandson and had the reprint created from a pristine 1909 copy. It is a very good quality hardbound reprint with 368 pages, and several photos and illustrations. This is a link to the book:

http://www.southernlionbooks.com/pikecountymississippi_book.htm

This book is not in many libraries. There is some info on the author at www.lukewardconerly.com. I just located his grave this year in Gulfport, MS, and the SCV is giving him a headstone. He never had a proper marker but I found records where he is buried and several of his living grandchildren had already told me where he was. There is a story in the book about the 1812 Unknown Soldier that never had a proper marker, and Luke Conerly had him moved to a military cemetery. I have a picture of that 1812 soldier’s marker. It’s strange how history repeated itself with Luke never having a headstone. Luke is buried next to his second wife, Ida Mae Farmer. It looks like someone scratched his name into a piece of concrete. The SCV headstone will be placed in August. If you run across any old photos of Luke or the Conerlys pre-1920's, let me know. I’m also looking for an original 1909 copy of his book or the newspaper he owned in Pike County, the Magnolia Herald, from the1870's. You can see a photo of Luke's ninth son, Preston Johnston Conerly (PJ), and his wife and family. One of his daughters in the photo was my grandmother. It was taken circa 1930 in Okolona. And some postcards I have with Luke's handwriting on them.

Spread the word around McComb about the reprint. I've sold a few in Pike County--most have gone to descendents of the book around the country. I'm working with Dr. Luke Lampton, the owner of the Magnolia Gazette on writing a biography of Luke W. Conerly to be printed in his newspaper.”

***To see more photos contributed by Lee Jackson relating to Luke Ward Conerly (and all my photo albums), please visit www.photoworks.com/members/tmorgan100. (Click on "View all" to see albums not pictured on the first page. Note: Photos can be viewed as a slide show, but in full-screen mode descriptions which may be under some of the photos are not visible--you may need to scroll down to read the descriptions.)

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McComb, MS: See What Others See--Make McComb Your Retirement Home!

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 20:55:17 -0500

Families enjoying the recent Mission Pike County annual picnic at Percy Quin State Park in McComb.

McComb, Mississippi, recently was featured in Effect magazine as an ideal retirement community. McComb is one of only a few towns certified by the American Association of Retirement Communities. To become certified, towns must meet qualifications in terms of housing, safety, civic pride, shopping, educational, cultural, and recreational opportunities, and availability of hospital and medical care.

Please read about McComb in pages three and four of the Effect article:

http://www.larsonallen.com/effect/spring08/feature.pdf

Also, the Mississippi Development Authority, Division of Tourism Development, has its own certification program. McComb is one of only twenty-one towns in the state to earn the distinction of being a Certified Retirement Community. According to the website, the factors examined in the search for certification include "affordable cost of living, low taxes, low crime rate, quality medical care, recreation, educational and cultural opportunities, and most importantly - a warm, welcoming community." Read the VisitMississipi.org article about McComb as a Certified Retirement Community.

***To see my photo albums, please visit www.photoworks.com/members/tmorgan100. (Click on "View all" to see albums not pictured on the first page. Note: Photos can be viewed as a slide show, but in full-screen mode descriptions which may be under some of the photos are not visible--you may need to scroll down to read the descriptions.)

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Magnolia, MS: "We Remember Our Troops" at The Eagle's Nest at Lake Luvarn

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 21:55:42 -0500

Magnolia, MS: "We Remember Our Troops" at The Eagle's Nest at Lake Luvarn

Aporil Celestine remembering her fallen husband Willie P. Celestine, Jr.

On Memorial Day 2008 (Monday, May 26), the staff at Lake Luvarn hosted an event in commemoration of those military men and women who gave their lives in service to our country, including area soldiers recently fallen in the line of duty. The event also honored those who are actively defending the freedoms we enjoy as Americans today.

The afternoon began with a welcome by emcee Mrs. Fern Crossley, followed by a guitar instrumental rendition of the national anthem by "Blue Boy George," prayer and scripture reading by the Reverend Hilton Harrell, and singing of "God Bless America" by Dale McDonald, bassist in the Jeff Carrier Band.

Thomas Richardson

Families of recent victims in the Iraq Conflict gave remembrances. Among those speaking were Aporil Celestine, wife of Cpl. Willie P. Celestine, Jr., and Paula Carruth, mother of U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Casey Casanova. The afternoon continued with musical performances by Mr. Thomas Richardson of McComb and the Jeff Carrier Band of Louisiana.

Jeff Carrier

For more information on The Eagle's Nest at Lake Luvarn, call 601-783-3307.

Lake Luvarn in the afternoon, with the entertainment facilities in the background.

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Summit, Pike County, MS: Sesquicentennial "Tour of Homes"

Thu, 22 May 2008 08:58:43 -0500

Summit, Pike County, MS, "Tour of Homes"

Entrance to "The Summit House"

Summit, Mississippi, celebrated its sesquicentennial (150^th anniversary) April 13-19, 2008. Six historic homes were open to the public during Summit's two-day "Tour of Homes," sponsored by the Summit Historical Society.

*Charles Levy was a Jewish merchant. His Greek Revival home, built in the 1870's, is on the corner of Magnolia Street.

*Jacobowsky was a builder. His Colonial Revival home, built in 1854, is on Peters Street.

*S.M. Covington was a druggist. His modified Queen Ann Victorian home is on the corner of Laurel and Calhoun Streets.

*James C. Lamkin was mayor of Summit twice. His home, one of the oldest in Pike County, is on Calhoun Street and includes 17 acres of land..

*Hugh Atkinson was a cotton exchange worker. His home, built several years after the Civil War, is on East Robb Street.

*The Salusburys were first-generation architects from Wales. Their home, located on Laurel Street, was completely rebuilt after the tornado of 1923 destroyed it, along with many other historic landmarks in Summit.

"The Summit House"

I took a few pictures at the Jacobowsky home, also known as "The Summit House," and the following is information taken from the open house brochure on this home:

After the current owners, Jim and Missy Hancock, purchased this home, they spent several years working to prepare it to live in. As they were living in Jackson during most of the preparation, the grandchildren referred to their grandparents' two homes as "The Jackson House" and "The Summit House." After the Hancocks sold their Jackson home, only "The Summit House" remained, and the name stuck!

Owner Missy Hancock inside "The Summit House"

In 1992 "The Summit House" stood in a virtual 2.7 acre wilderness of briars, broom sedge, wisteria, and wild privet hedge interspersed with multiflora roses. The vacant home was in need of quite a bit of repair and restoration. After retiring, the Hancocks worked on the home, with attention focused on maintaining era-specific architecture and furnishings. The entire family enjoyed their first Christmas together in their newly restored home in 1997.

Some of the features of the home are period-specific furniture, architectural dental moldings, copula, a 13-column wrap-around porch, and a carriage house. Also in the home is an 1860 half teaster bedroom suite, wig dressers, hurricane glass, walk-through windows, wormy cypress flooring, and quarter-sawn white oak flooring. A few special family touches include the heart-pine flooring in the kitchen from the Hancock home in Amite County, MS, the Wallace family's 1917 mantle clock, and the 1817 pier mirror from New Orleans.

The fourteen-foot ceilings show the expanse of the formal dining and living rooms. Beautiful solid cherry cabinets adorn the kitchen. The grand entry hall and foyer open up the eyes of the viewer to times gone by. Many circle dances were held in the home during the era. The path was down the hallway, through the dining room, into the living, and back into the hallway to complete the circle!

Owner Jim Hancock with visitors in the backyard of "The Summit House"

The back porch was converted into a sunroom and laundry room in later years. The carriage house was redesigned and remodeled by the Hancocks. The hand-made doors were built on site by James J. Hancock, and the windows came from Calvary Baptist Church in Lincoln County, by way of the Martin Wallace family, who helped build the church.

On the expansive grounds are many types of azaleas, camellias, daylily beds strewn with impatiens, Gerber daisies, amaryllis, Confederate and yellow jasmine, and flowering cherry, crabapple, fig, and plum trees.

*** To see the photos of "The Summit House" (and all my photo albums, including the Summit Sesquicentennial parade and entertainment and beard-growing contest winners), please visit www.photoworks.com/members/tmorgan100. (Click on "View all" to see albums not pictured on the first page. Note: Photos can be viewed as a slide show, but in full-screen mode descriptions which may be under some of the photos are not visible--you may need to scroll down to read the descriptions.) (Photo uploading for the ActiveRain site is not working at this time. When it is fixed, I will post a few photos here.)

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Okhissa Lake in Franklin County, MS, has new website

Tue, 20 May 2008 15:03:54 -0500

There's a new website for Okhissa Lake near Meadville, MS, and it's packed with good information! The website address is http://okhissalake.com . On the site you'll find photos of the lake, fishing news, area events, lodging and restaurant information, an online lake store, tips and videos, an ask the expert column, and more.

Okhissa Lake, part of the Homochitto National Forest, opened in November 2007. It is about an 1,800 acre lake surrounded by 4,400 acres of beautiful national forest land. It is about 2 ½ miles long and up to a mile or so wide. There are two boat ramps and lots of parking and picnic space. It was originally stocked over time with 80,000 Florida bass, 30,000 blue gill bream, 200,000 catfish, and 300,000 fat head minnows.

Okhissa Lake is the first Bill Dance Signature Lake. There have been some fishing tournaments there already. I will try to keep you posted on future events, and will post pictures after I visit again. I went once or twice before it opened, and have been itching to go now that the fish are kickin'! By the way, you can now ski on the lake-see the website above for details!

(The link to Homochitto National Forest is not working at the time of this posting. Here is the general Mississippi National Forests link: http://www.fs.fed.us/r8/mississippi/ )

Information source: The Natchez Democrat newspaper

Come enjoy the great outdoors with us-you may like it so much you'll want to live here!

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McComb, MS: Percy Quin Among Nation's Top Campgrounds!

Tue, 20 May 2008 14:34:21 -0500

Percy Quin State Park south of McComb is one of five Mississippi state parks listed among ReserveAmerica's Top 100 Family Campgrounds. Around four thousand state parks, national parks, and campgrounds in all fifty states were reviewed before the top 100 were named. The other winning Mississippi state parks are John W. Kyle State Park near Sardis, Lake Lincoln State Park near Wesson, Paul B. Johnson State Park near Hattiesburg, and Trace State Park near Belden.

Percy Quin, along with Lake Lincoln and Trace State Park also earned the distinction of being among the top fifty fishing spots! Percy Quin was also named in the top fifty for the quality of its hiking trails!

Come enjoy the great outdoors with us-you may like it so much you'll want to live here!

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McComb, MS: "Noon Tunes": The Pat Cornacchione Band at the Depot Pavilion

Mon, 19 May 2008 13:47:17 -0500

Pat Cornacchione on sax, with bass player.

Ready for some toe-tappin', finger snappin', hand clappin' music? Then come on down to the McComb Depot Pavilion any Friday in May or October at noon to have lunch and listen to the sweet sounds of the Pat Cornacchione Band! For three or four years now the band has played downtown to the delight of its listeners. Although sometimes dubbed a "jazz combo," the band is quite versatile in its offerings. You'll probably not hear the same song repeated from one Friday to the next (except for requests), as the band's wide repertoire includes not only jazz, but also blues and Latin tunes, among other genres. The Pike County Arts Council hosts the free hour-long event. (Pick up a sandwich with chips and a cookie for $5.00, and a drink for $1.00). The band also plays at weddings, ballroom dances, bar mitzvahs, and Mardi Gras and other events. For booking, contact Pat Cornacchione at 601-783-6070.

Singer Kelly Parker with Pat Cornacchione.

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McComb, Mississippi: "McComb Railroad Brick Memorial Dedication"

Mon, 12 May 2008 16:36:09 -0500

McComb, Mississippi: "McComb Railroad Brick Memorial Dedication"

On Saturday, April 5, 2008, a couple of hundred people gathered at the McComb Depot Pavilion to honor those who served on the Illinois Central Railroad.

The master of ceremonies was Larry Carruth. McComb Mayor Zachary Patterson welcomed the crowd, and prayer was led by retired porter the Reverend Leon Moore. Donald Chase, president of the Railroad Retirees Club, gave a history of the brick memorial. Next, Al Andrews, a real estate developer, spoke fondly of his days growing up in McComb as part of a railroad family. He recounted how his father was always talking about going "up north" to Gwin, the "end of the road" for the railroad men from these parts. Of course, Andrews always believed Gwin was located somewhere way up north, until he realized in his late teens that it was just somewhere between Yazoo City and Greenwood (Tchula, actually)!

This reminds me of a tale I heard recently about my father-in-law, the engineer Bob DeCoux. One time he was spending the night in Gwin, and it was so cold they were given electric blankets to help them make it through the night. Well, before he went to sleep, Bob, being really tired, plugged in what he thought was the blanket. Well, he slept through the night, but it wasn't restful-he woke up freezing next to a melted coffee pot he had plugged in instead of the electric blanket! Hey, why don't you share your old railroad stories here? Maybe we can put a book together someday!

After the brick memorial ceremony a reception was held in the Pike Room next to the railroad museum. The museum is open Monday through Friday, noon until 4 PM. Please visit the McComb City Railroad Depot Museum website.

*** To see more photos relating to this event (and all my photo albums), please visit www.photoworks.com/members/tmorgan100. (Click on "View all" to see albums not pictured on the first page. Note: Photos can be viewed as a slide show, but in full-screen mode descriptions which may be under some of the photos are not visible--you may need to scroll down to read the descriptions.) Feel free to add comments on the photo site!

***Did you know?! You can now subscribe by email to my blog! (Enter your email address in the subscribe field in the right column, below the pictures of recent visitors.)

***Comments are welcome and encouraged--please click on the "Comments" link below!

***To buy or sell land or residential or commercial real estate in Southwest Mississippi, contact me! http://www.swmsre.com/ Thank you for visiting!

McComb, Pike County, MS: American Cancer Society Relay for Life 2008

Sun, 11 May 2008 18:53:44 -0500

McComb, Pike County, MS: American Cancer Society Relay for Life 2008.

No replay of last year's torrential rainout! The weather on Friday, May 9, 2008, was wonderful throughout the night. Clear skies and a light breeze helped to make this year's Relay for Life event at the Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center's wooded walking track a great success! Over $121,000 has been raised by scores of vendors and community sponsors. The event began with a survivor's reception at the Mississippi Cancer Institute in McComb. During the opening ceremonies were announcements by event organizer Chastity Burnette, prayer by cancer survivor Jennifer Lindsey, national anthem by Shelby Price, the cancer survivor's ceremony and lap (169 survivors had registered), the caregivers' lap, the kids' lap with music by the Kennedy Elementary choir, and then the team lap.

Next on the agenda were the ever-popular Cutest Baby Contest sponsored by the Mississippi Cancer Institute), great entertainment by Elvis Presley (Jimmy C. Hutchins), and the exciting Pig Race (new for this year in McComb). In this event sponsors raced battery-operated pigs they had dressed and creatively named. "Handlers" had to wear a pig nose during the race. Pigs got one snout's length advantage for every $25 above the minimum $100 required to enter the race. Wal-Mart's porker came out the winner!

Later in the evening and into the early morning were the Relay Star talent contest, the luminary ceremony, karaoke, team activities and games, including Dizzy Bat, Mummy Wrap, Mystery Eating Contest, and other entertainment. The 12-hour event wrapped up around 4 AM Saturday morning. For more information, visit cancer.org and relay for life.org.

Congratulations to the following winners of some of this year's awards:

Best Tent Site--Super D
Best T-Shirt--McComb OB
Best Team Spirit--Eva Gordon Elementary
AM Challenge--Biflex/Genco
Sunrise Award--McComb Market

***Photo uploading for the ActiveRain site is not working at this time. When it is fixed, I will post a few photos here. To see all 103 photos of this event (and all my photo albums), please visit www.photoworks.com/members/tmorgan100. (Click on "View all" to see albums not pictured on the first page. Note: Photos can be viewed as a slide show, but in full-screen mode descriptions which may be under some of the photos are not visible--you may need to scroll down to read the descriptions.)

***Did you know?! You can now subscribe to my blog! (Enter your email address in the subscribe field in the right column, below the pictures of recent visitors.)

***Comments are welcome and encouraged--please click on the "Comments" link below!

***To buy or sell land or residential or commercial real estate in Southwest Mississippi, give me a call! http://www.swmsre.com/ Thank you for visiting!

McComb, MS: "Arts Alive '08"

Mon, 05 May 2008 20:40:12 -0500

On Saturday, May 3, 2008, McComb School District hosted "Arts Alive '08," a five-hour-long celebration of music and the arts. Moved from the McComb Depot Pavilion to the MHS gym due to a threat of rain, the event proved to attract a great crowd, and everyone had a lot of fun! Artwork from students of all grades was displayed in the basketball gym's bleachers. There was face painting, pottery and jewelry, and lots of food from tents lining Virginia Avenue between the gym and the football field.

Performance by "Sharpay" and "Ryan" from the smash MHS production of "High School Musical."

There were performances galore-Denman Junior High's Quest class performed a skit, and the Denman Dramatic Tigers and dance team, along with MHS drama students, displayed their acting skills. Music filled the air all day long, with performances by the Higgins Middle School and Denman bands, the MHS band and pep band, and the Otken and Kennedy Elementary choirs. A special performance by the phenomenal jazz group Ezra and Seven* from Jackson, MS, with MHS band director Robert Lamkin on trombone, got the crowd on its feet and dancing!

Robert Lamkin, left, with Ezra Brown.

Emcee Fern Crossley interviewing Superintendent Therese Palmertree.

***I've posted just a few of the pictures here. To see more pictures of this and other area events, please visit www.photoworks.com/members/tmorgan100. (Click on "View all" to see albums not pictured on the first page. Note: Photos can be viewed as a slide show, but in full-screen mode descriptions which are under some of the photos are not visible--you may need to scroll down to read the descriptions.)

***Did you know?! You can now subscribe to my blog! (Enter your email address in the subscribe field in the right column, below the pictures of recent visitors.)

***To buy or sell residential or commercial real estate in Southwest Mississippi, call on me--Tom Morgan. http://www.swmsre.com/ Thank you for visiting!

Summit, MS: Sons of Confederate Veterans, Stockdale Rangers, at Woodlawn Cemetery

Sun, 04 May 2008 22:18:34 -0500

As part of the week-long Summit Sesquicentennial celebration, on Sunday, April 13, 2008, the Sons of the Confederate Veterans Stockdale Rangers led tours of Summit's Woodlawn Cemetery and provided commentary on prominent veterans buried therein. The group also conducted gravestone dedications for two veterans, Colonel James P. Parker and Private Charles A. Ligon. The grave markers for these Confederate veterans had been missing or destroyed.

Pictured in this post are members of the fourth organization of the Stockdale Rangers. The group is named in honor of Thomas Ringland (T.R.) Stockdale (1828-1899), an educator (at the Peabody School in Summit), a lawyer, congressman, and Mississippi State Supreme Court judge. The group was initially organized in McComb on December 10, 1994, with the following charter members:

Commander: Dr. William Calvert, Lt Commander: L. W. Guy, Adjutant: Ed Funchess, Sergeant at Arms: J. Alford, and Chaplain: William Greg Barron.

Within six months total membership had reached 33. Presently there are 22 members and there have been as many as 42. Present officers are as follows: Commander: Wayne Parker, Lt. Commander: Glen Nunnery, Adjutant: Joe Abbott, and Chaplain: Leroy Springs.

Headstone of T.R. Stockdale, next to the grave of one of two of his children who died at a very young age.

The mission of the Stockdale Rangers is to tell the true story of the Confederate soldiers who were called into service by the state of Mississippi. Other activities of the group include: providing speakers for schools and civic clubs; setting up living history exhibits; locating Confederate graves and providing markers if necessary; and coordinating activities with other groups of similar interest, e.g., UDC (the United Daughters of the Confederacy) and the Mississippi Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans. The Mississippi Division SCV owns and operates Beauvoir, the last home of Jefferson Davis, President of the CSA (Confederate States of America). The Stockdale Rangers' symbol is the square battle flag, also known as the ANV (Army of Northern Virginia) battle flag. Through the national organization the group provides grants and scholarships, leadership training, and summer camp for boys and girls. For more information, please visit the national Sons of Confederate Veterans website at http://www.scv.org/ and the Mississippi Division website at http://www.mississippiscv.org/. See also the website of the Summit Historical Society. Many thanks to Mr. Joseph Abbott for his dedicated assistance in the preparation of the material for this article.

Wayne Parker presenting Summit Mayor Percy Robinson with a certificate of appreciation.

I've posted just a few of the pictures here. *To see more pictures of this and other area events, please visit www.photoworks.com/members/tmorgan100. (Click on "View all" to see albums not pictured on the first page. Note: You can view the photos as a slide show, but you cannot read the descriptions which may occur under some of the photos in full-screen mode. You may need to scroll down to read the descriptions.)

Did you know?! You can now subscribe to my blog! (Enter your email address in the subscribe field in the right column, below the pictures of recent visitors.)

*To buy or sell real estate in Southwest Mississippi, call on me--Tom Morgan. http://www.swmsre.com/ Thank you for visiting!

Hummingbird Spotted!

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 17:58:31 -0500

I saw my first hummingbird of the season a few minutes ago! I had read in the paper about a month ago where the first one was sighted in this area, and at that time I got my feeders out. I intended to put them up, but it seemed like I always had to do something ahead of that, and so they sat on the kitchen table for weeks, just waiting! Well, finally I set them out yesterday, and behold, this evening a hummer is feeding!

Photo from stock.xchng

April 2008 Mortgage Market Conditions in Mississippi

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 17:20:45 -0500

April 2008 Mortgage Market Conditions in Mississippi

Based on research by the National Association of Realtors.

Nationally, 32% of homeowners have paid their homes in full. In Mississippi, 43% have done so.

Nationally, 53% have a prime mortgage. In Mississippi, the number is 38%.

Both nationally and in Mississippi, 9% financed their home with a subprime loan.

Nationally, 6% have either an FHA or a VA loan, while in Mississippi the number is 10%.

The foreclosure rate in Mississippi is 2.1% (nationally, 12.7% 4^th Qtr. 2007). Of foreclosures, 45% are subprime loans (54% nationally), 40% are prime loans (37% nationally), and 15% are FHA or VA (9% nationally).

So, while Mississippi has about the same percentage of subprime loans as the national average, the percentage of these subprime loans in foreclosure is less than the national percentage of subprime loans in foreclosure. Also, subprime exposure is decreasing in almost every state!

Wesson Water-It's the Best!

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 11:08:06 -0500

Wesson Water-It's the Best!

The water in Wesson, Mississippi, has officially been declared the state's best-tasting drinking water. The Mississippi Rural Water Association recently held a contest in its "Quality on Tap!" campaign to determine the best rural water in the state. Samples of water were brought from all around the state and were judged on clarity, color, and taste. Second place in Mississippi went to Northeast Itawamba Water Association in Golden, MS, and third place went to Central Water Association in Philadelphia, MS.

Winners of the competition will compete in a national contest April 20-22 in Washington, D.C. The event is part of the Rural Water Rally, an annual event for state affiliates of the National Rural Water Association.

Mississippi Rural Water Association Executive Director Kirby Mayfield said the state has a good chance of winning the national taste test because of the high quality of Wesson's water.

Wesson Mayor Alton Show said he is proud of this honor, especially in light of a brief water contamination in the late 1980's. Public Works Director Mark Brown praised not only the public works team, but also the police who patrol the water treatment plant and towers, the fire department who routinely flush the plugs and get rid of any sediment, and the city clerks who respond quickly to any calls of potential water problems. In addition, the city government sees to it that Brown attends classes and keeps his certification current.

Shaw added that instead of paying for commercially bottled water, Wesson residents can now save that money and proudly drink their own water-the best in the state!

Based on an article in the Brookhaven Daily Leader.

McComb, Pike County, MS "Home Builders Association of SW MS 2008 Home and Garden Show"

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 16:13:06 -0500

McComb, Pike County, MS "Home Builders Association of SW MS 2008 Home and Garden Show"

On April 5, 2008, the Home Builders Association of Southwest Mississippi put on its annual home and garden show at the National Guard Armory in McComb. About forty vendors from all over the area came and displayed their wares. It was a great time to meet people and learn about all the different home-related businesses in our area.

Adam Pittman of Columbia Block and Brick

Stan and Beth McMorris, Mc Square Builders

Mike Bowers of Mike Bowers Construction

Micah and Ginger Chaney,The Fireplace Connection, http://msfireplaceconnection.com

Sorry I didn't get everyone there--maybe next time! I've posted just a few of the pictures here. *To see more pictures of this and other area events, please visit www.photoworks.com/members/tmorgan100. (Click on "View all" to see albums not pictured on the first page.) These photos are of lower resolution for Internet posting. If you would like a higher resolution photo for printing, please let me know.
*To buy or sell real estate in Southwest Mississippi, call on me--Tom Morgan. http://www.swmsre.com/ Thank you for visiting!

McComb, MS 90-Day Residential Real Estate Market Report, 1/1/08-3/31/08

Sun, 06 Apr 2008 09:19:18 -0500

McComb, MS 90-Day Residential Real Estate Market Report, 1/1/08-3/31/08

Based on Info from the Southwest Mississippi Board of Realtors MLS Statistics

Number of Active Listings: 144

Average List Price of Active Listings: $139,274

Number of New Listings: 59

Avg. List Price of New Listings: $153,010

Number of Sold Listings: 29

Avg. Sold Price of Sold Listings: $100,751

Avg. DOM of Sold Listings: 151

For comparison, these are previous reports:

McComb, MS 90-Day Residential Real Estate Market Report, 12/01/07-02/29/08

Number of Active Listings: 133

Average List Price of Active Listings: $123,856

Number of New Listings: 49

Avg. List Price of New Listings: $119,671

Number of Sold Listings: 30

Avg. Sold Price of Sold Listings: $128,247

Avg. DOM of Sold Listings: 154

McComb, MS 90-Day Residential Market Report, 10/31/07-1/29/08

Number of Active Listings: 135

Average List Price of Active Listings: $131,368

Number of New Listings: 55

Avg. List Price of New Listings: $139,189

Number of Sold Listings: 38

Avg. Sold Price of Sold Listings: $102,803

Avg. DOM of Sold Listings: 144

90-Day Residential Real Estate Market Report for McComb, Mississippi, 8/30/07-11/28/07

Number of Active Listings: 135

Average List Price of Active Listings: $135,138

Number of New Listings: 58

Avg. List Price of New Listings: $139,308

Number of Sold Listings: 37

Avg. Sold Price of Sold Listings: $110,636

Avg. DOM of Sold Listings: 101

90-Day Residential Real Estate Market Report for McComb, Mississippi, posted 9-1-07

Number of Active Listings: 135

Average List Price of Active Listings: $123,504

Number of New Listings: 78

Avg. List Price of New Listings: $134,219

Number of Sold Listings: 50

Avg. Sold Price of Sold Listings: $109,314

Avg. DOM of Sold Listings:111

Summit, MS, Residential Real Estate Market Report, 1/1/08-3/31/08

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 13:28:20 -0500

Summit, MS, 90-Day Residential Real Estate Market Report, 1/1/08-3/31/08

Based on Info from the Southwest Mississippi Board of Realtors MLS Statistics

Number of Active Listings: 55

Average List Price of Active Listings: $213,980

Number of New Listings: 28

Avg. List Price of New Listings: $206,843

Number of Sold Listings: 14

Avg. Sold Price of Sold Listings: $197,392

Avg. DOM of Sold Listings: 168

For comparison, here are previous reports:

---Summit, MS 90-Day Residential Real Estate Market Report, 12/01/07-02/29/08

Number of Active Listings: 49

Average List Price of Active Listings: $217,360

Number of New Listings: 24

Avg. List Price of New Listings: $207,606

Number of Sold Listings: 15

Avg. Sold Price of Sold Listings: $172,933

Avg. DOM of Sold Listings: 162

---90-Day Residential Market Report for Summit, Mississippi, 8/30/07-11/28/07

Number of Active Listings: 51

Average List Price of Active Listings: $202,306

Number of New Listings: 24

Avg. List Price of New Listings: $151,825

Number of Sold Listings: 14

Avg. Sold Price of Sold Listings: $139,250

Avg. DOM of Sold Listings: 125

McComb, Pike County, MS "Spring Has Finally Sprung!"

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 16:45:27 -0500

McComb, Pike County, MS "Spring Has Finally Sprung!"

Spring is really here in Southwest Mississippi, as evidenced by all the profuse blooms in the area. Dogwoods, Bradford pear trees, wisteria, and of course, azaleas galore! Above is a photo I made last week showing the changing of the seasons in my own yard: pansies still in bloom as gladioli stems make their way up all around the same flowerbed. (Can you see the bird feeder in the background?)

Come enjoy the season with us as Pike County, MS, celebrates the 50^th anniversary of the Pike County Lighted Azalea Trail March 24 through April 5. On the agenda are a Family Day in the Park, a 5K Run through the Azaleas, historical home tours, flower shows, art shows, and more!

Check out the calendar of events at www.pikeinfo.com

And why not buy a home here while you're in town?!

McComb, Pike County, MS "It Ain't the Heat, It's the Pollen, Dahlin'"

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 10:56:35 -0500

McComb, Pike County, MS "It Ain't the Heat, It's the Pollen, Dahlin'"

View from the driver's seat.

This is the time of year when Southwest Mississippi gets hit hard with pine tree pollen. Some places of the country have dust storms; I guess you could say we have pollen storms. The greenish-yellow substance covers everything-cars, especially. You might as well not wash your car until it's all over, because the next day it'll be covered again! Sometimes you could even see the pollen blowing in the wind! But the last week or two has seemed more intense than usual (witness the pictures!). When I was younger, the allergy doctor told me I had the worst allergies of anyone he'd ever tested, so I was really surprised to make it through the worst of the pollen invasion without even one sneeze. Then all of a sudden the other day it hit me and I started coughing and sneezing in an almost dangerous manner!

It will get inside if you let it!

By the way, if you like pine trees (and the pollen that goes with it!) why not get in touch with me about some of the great acreage available here in Southwest Mississippi. I can help you can get a great deal on hunting land or timberland-and that's nothing to sneeze at!

I'd prefer to keep it inside a closed garbage can!

McComb, Pike County, MS, Spring is on its way . . . !

Sat, 08 Mar 2008 16:49:26 -0600

McComb, Pike County, MS

Spring is on its way . . . !

This morning I noticed the beautiful Bradford pear trees beginning to bloom! Redbuds are also making their appearances, and dogwoods won't be far behind. A week or two ago the daffodils started popping up everywhere, and we've had Carolina jessamine and even azaleas blooming during the winter, due to this haywire weather we've been having! Gladioli stems have been rising from their flowerbeds, and irises are preparing for their show. It won't be long! But guess what was predicted for this weekend? Snow!!! I guess I could have titled this "Spring is Here, But Winter's on its Way!"

Brookhaven, MS 90-Day Residential Real Estate Market Report, 12/01/07-02/29/08

Fri, 29 Feb 2008 16:52:31 -0600

Brookhaven, MS 90-Day Residential Real Estate Market Report, 12/01/07-02/29/08

Based on Info from the Southwest Mississippi Board of Realtors MLS Statistics

Number of Active Listings: 88

Average List Price of Active Listings: $170,720

Number of New Listings: 35

Avg. List Price of New Listings: $152,668

Number of Sold Listings: 25

Avg. Sold Price of Sold Listings: $130,518

Avg. DOM of Sold Listings: 146

For comparison, here is a previous report:

90-Day Residential Real Estate Market Report for Brookhaven, Mississippi, posted 9-1-07

Number of Active Listings: 93

Average List Price of Active Listings: $169,092

Number of New Listings: 43

Avg. List Price of New Listings: $119,503

Number of Sold Listings: 39

Avg. Sold Price of Sold Listings: $135,512

Avg. DOM of Sold Listings: 143