News

Voters in Collins Wards 3 and 4 will head to the polls on Tuesday, April 6, 2021, to cast their ballots in the primary municipal election.  Collins voting will take place at the Collins Civic Center from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m..  Curbside voting at the Civic Center will be available.

Absentee ballot voting will be available at the Collins City Hall through Saturday, April 3, 2021, with City Hall being closed on Friday, April 2, for the Good Friday Holiday.  Saturday hours at Collins City Hall will be from 8:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon on April 3.

Ward Three Alderwoman Sally Buffington will race challenger Lucy Crosby.  Both are running as Republicans.

Ward Four Alderwoman Debbie Lundy faces Misty Dickens.  Both are running as Republicans.

The Covington County Chamber of Commerce will host the 32nd annual Okatoma Festival on Saturday, May 1, 2021.   Plans are underway for the events of the day including the 2021 Okatoma Festival Parade to be held on Saturday, May 1, at 10:30 a.m.  If you cannot make a float, you may use a 4-wheeler, truck, car, or golf cart.  Due to safety concerns, walkers will not be permitted to participate in the parade with the exception of bands, color guard, and The Camp Shelby Youth Challenge Group.  For more information on the parade, please contact Ginger Kirkley at Peoples Bank at 601-765-6514 or email gkirkley@pbms.com.

Rubber Duck Race tickets are available at all the local banks.  Many prizes will be available including a first prize of $300, a second prize of $200, and a third prize of $100.

The special guest for the day and Grand Marshal of the parade will be country recording artist John King.

For more information about the Festival, contact the Covington County Chamber of Commerce at  601-765-6012.

Covington County Hospital recently acquired the old Covington County Nursing Center across the street from Collins High School in Collins.  The hospital opened a Covid-19 vaccination drive thru in the building on Monday, March 15, 2021.

The vaccination drive thru will be open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.  Patients wishing to receive their Covid-19 vaccination must make an appointment by calling 601-419-SHOT.

“We will still leave doses of the Covid-19 vaccine on our outlying clinics, such as Sumrall, Magee and Taylorsville, but this will give individuals in Covington County a central location to receive their Covid-19 vaccine,” said Santana Fulcher, CCH Clinic Director.

As of Monday morning, the hospital had doses of the Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, and Pfizer vaccine available.  Patients will be able to choose which vaccination they would like to receive depending on availability.

In addition to a vaccine drive thru, CCH will be moving some staff members to the facility for increased office space as the hospital continues to grow.

The Covington County Nursing Center has been empty since 2018 when the company that owned the building built Landmark of Collins.  Until CCH purchased the building, it was owned and managed by the City of Collins.

Landmark of Collins has named Bobby Hamilton as the new Administrator.  Before being named Administrator in November 2020, he served as the Director of Psychology at Millcreek Rehabilitation Center in Magee.  He has over 20 years of experience in the Mental Health and Developmentally Disabled population.  Mr. Hamilton received his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Southern Mississippi and his Masters of Business Administration and Masters of Science Degree in Psychology from William Carey University.  Mr. Hamilton also serves as the Senior Pastor of Pillars of Truth Church in Mendenhall.  He resides in Magee with his wife, Karen, and their son, Colby.