News

It’s time to “Light Up! Covington County” with the Covington County Chamber of Commerce’s annual Christmas decorating contest. Registration for the light display contest is going on now.  Form can be picked up at City Halls in Collins, Seminary and Mount Olive.
Participants are invited to choose a decorating theme of their own choice, and will be entered for a chance to win $100 cash.  A winner will be chosen from each town.
The deadline to register for the contest is Monday, December 7, and judging will take place on Thursday, December 10. Previous winners are invited to decorate for the holidays, but will not be judged.
For more information, please call the Covington County Chamber of Commerce at 601-765-6012.

The City of Collins will host a Grand Opening for the Senior Citizens Center on Friday, November 20 from 10-11:30 a.m.

The facility, located behind the Collins Community Center will be open to senior adults and will serve meals daily.  Activities that will be going on at the center for seniors include quilting, exercise, dominoes and others.

“This is a great place for our residents to be able to get together and visit,” said Mayor V.O. Smith.  “They will enjoy lots of activities each week.”

The public is invited to the Grand Opening.  Special acknowledgements will be made at 10:30 a.m. and light refreshments will be served.

Main Street in Collins was packed with residents and neighbors from nearby communities who came to show their overwhelming support for Mayor V.O. Smith and the Collins Board of Aldermen.

The group gathered outside City Hall at the board’s regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, November 3 to support the “Christmas in the Park” light display after the city received a letter from the Madison, Wisconsin, based Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) regarding the display.  The complaint, made by an unnamed local resident, sparked the FFRF to demand that the city immediately remove all religious displays from the Bettie C. Robertson Memorial Park because they are an endorsement of Christianity by the City of Collins.

The Mayor, Aldermen and City Attorney are investigating the facts and the law concerning said demand to determine the course of action to be taken by the City in response.

“Christmas in the Park” will continue this holiday season.

The Covington County Chamber of Commerce and the Covington County Extension Executive Advisory Council will host a political forum on Tuesday, October 20.
This forum is designed to help voters be better informed about the candidates and their platforms before the General Election held on Tuesday, November 3.
The political forum will be held at the Covington County Courthouse at 6 p.m. upstairs in the courtroom.
The forum will be moderated by Mitch Stennett, past president of the Economic Development Authority of Jones County.
All are invited to attend.

Chief Joey Ponder announced that the City of Collins has hired the first female, African American police officer in the department’s history.  Officer Angelique Duncan was hired by the department in September and is currently enrolled in the 11-week course at the Southern Regional Public Safety Institute at Camp Shelby to become a certified police officer with the Collins Police Department.

“We are thrilled to have Angelique joining our department,” said Ponder.  “She will do a great job for the City of Collins.”

The Collins Rotary Club awarded its 2015 scholarships at the annual end of the year banquet.

Officer Ethan Wise completed an 11-week course at the Southern Regional Public Safety Institute at Camp Shelby to become a certified police officer with the Collins Police Department.

The Collins Fire Department responded to a tank fire in Jefferson Davis County on Monday, June 15.

Olivia Lea Brown is among 70 University of Mississippi students to receive a 2015 Marcus Elvis Taylor Memorial Medal, the university’s highest academic award.