PICAYUNE —
Picayune groups are coming together for the Second Annual Christmas on the Rails and Shop by Candlelight, which not only showcase the best of our community and encourages support of local businesses, but continues to emphasize that there are fellow community members who are not spending the holidays with their family because they are serving our country.
Picayune Main Street Director Lauri Stockstill says, “Shop by Candlelight is an annual Picayune Main Street, Inc. event. The central portions of West and East Canal as well as the downtown portion of Hwy 11 and South and North Main street are lined with luminary bags. There will be carriage rides to take you down East and West Canal to shop. Many of our merchants offer refreshments to shoppers and extend their business hours for Christmas shoppers. It is memorable experience for the entire family.
“Christmas on the Rails is a Christmas event hosted by the city of Picayune that began last year in conjunction with Shop by Candlelight. This year’s event will truly be beautiful. Shay Park will be lit with Christmas lights and will have our Community Band performing. There will also be shuttles from the Depot to West and East Canal street.
“I would like to encourage everyone to join us for this Christmas event. It is a wonderful outing for all ages and it is a great way to support both your local economy and small business owners.”
City of Picayune Planning and Zoning Director Diane Miller says, “The City of Picayune strongly believes that our deployed servicemen and women know they are always in our thoughts and prayers. We have placed several very special mailboxes outside the Intermodal Center for this Friday’s Christmas on The Rails.
“As you drive through the entrance you will find a Camouflage Mailbox for all ages wanting to send our 857th Engineer Horizontal a card or letter in time for Christmas in order to thank them for their service to our country by serving in Afghanistan. It is conveniently located in the front of the Intermodal so you can just drive through and deposit your letter or card.
“In addition we have a beautiful live Christmas Tree in front of the building with a Military theme in order for the public to place ornaments on behalf of our troops serving.”
She continued, “As Christmas in the Rails is about holiday spirit, we have another box that is specially marked for the North Pole. If you drive through the parking lot, you will notice a brightly decorated mailbox next to the Crosby Tank Car so all the children can deposit their letter to Santa.”
“This year is going to be bigger and better than last year in so many ways. People all over the Coast are talking about this event and we are excited to the community come together once again to fellowship and support their neighbors in business, families of deployed troops and artists with the Greater Picayune Art Council’s ArtWorks. We have had so many people work very hard to make this a premiere event in South Miss. and it will not disappoint,” said City Manager Jim Luke.
“Paul and Judy Byrd have partnered with the city to keep deployed troops in the forefront of everyone’s thoughts and prayers this Christmas. The Security Council from Picayune High School are working as Santa’s Helpers to make sure children get a chance to meet Santa and have an enjoyable experience. Marie Whitman has loaned her snow village to the Intermodal for all to enjoy. We have lots of new donations in the Train Museum to see. Area churches and the Community Band members will be performing as well as artists from GPAC. There will be much to see and do on this night. After the evening is over, everyone can go see Harvey Jesus perform at Southern Char Steakhouse. This band has local ties to our community and is always highly in demand. We will truly have something for everyone,” he continued.
Features
Related Photos
-
Above: Ethan Carter looks at Marie Whitman’s snow village on display at the Intermodal Transportation and Tourism Center. photo submitted
Christmas on the Rails emphasizes community and patriotism
- Features
-
-
City and PRC school work together for flower power
The City of Picayune began a partnership with Pearl River Central High School this past year in a pilot program to supply its own flowers and greenery for flower beds throughout the city. The program, which has been in the works for two years, became a reality as plants were put in the ground in the median area by Exit 6 on Mississippi Highway 43.
-
Miller partners with sponsor for Myasthenia Gravis Awareness Month
In a press release, MasterChef Season One winner and cookbook author Whitney Miller announced she is partnering in her Myasthenia Gravis (MG) fundraising campaign with a national sponsor for the month of June.
- Vocability Words can set a tone for a situation, alter someone’s perception of an individual or group — in short, there is power in them. The Bible cautions, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue...” — Proverbs in 18:21, ASB. With that in mind, I will be focusing on words, some recently used and some obscure, to test the readers and build on what you already know. There will be theme weeks, for instance next week will focus on words involving wine — for no particular reason! So try your vocabulary skills with the following and see how you score. I’m always open to suggestions for material.
-
Precautions for pet evacuation during natural disasters: Part 1
June is the official start of Hurricane Season. Many people have more than human family members to consider as they make their preparations, they have pet family members also. Maria Diamond of the Picayune Animal Shelter which rescues cats and dogs along with RedRover.org Communications Manager Leili Khalessi have recommendations for pet owners of all types.
-
Beginning: Delayed by deployment
Family and loved ones greeted their soldiers at the National Guard Armory in Picayune on Friday as the guardsmen returned from a year-long deployment to Afghanistan. Among those in the crowd were three women holding babies whose husbands had not yet held them because they were deployed.
-
Phares to fill Tufaro’s position
Carol Phares has been selected as the new head librarian for the Pearl River County Library System by the board of Margaret Read Crosby Memorial Library. She also will be head librarian of the Crosby Memorial Library in Picayune. These two libraries make up the Pearl River County System
-
southern gardening
Every spring the home gardener is bombarded with new and improved petunias for the garden and landscape, making it hard to decide which to bring home from the garden center. In my opinion, you simply can’t go wrong selecting any of the Supertunias.
-
arboretum paths
Spring is now in full swing at the Crosby Arboretum, and the show is well on its way toward a crescendo. The blooms of native purple Iris can be seen along the edge of the Piney Woods pond, pink “honeysuckle” azalea is flowering near the Pinecote Pavilion, and the yellow blooms of the pitcher plants — called “buttercups” by local residents — are beginning to carpet the south Savanna Exhibit.
-
USM set to host Children’s Book Festival
One of the most anticipated events celebrating children’s literature, the Fay B. Kaigler Children’s Book Festival at The University of Southern Mississippi, will be held April 10-12 at the Thad Cochran Center on the Hattiesburg campus.
-
Amber Bounds breaks six-year-old state swimming record
The Southern MS Aquatic Club (Mantarays) participated in the Santa’s Best Swim Invitational in Biloxi Nov. 30-Dec. 2. The Mantarays finished 6th out of 22 teams competing from LA, AL, FL, and MS.
- More Features Headlines
-
James Gandolfini Dies at Age 51
Fmr. TWA Flight 800 Investigators Want New Probe
Raw: Heat, Spurs Back on Court Ahead of Game 7
Dolce and Gabbana Convicted of Tax Evasion
Paris, Prince Depositions Used in Jackson Trial
Coiffed Cattle Get Their Close-up
In Berlin, Obama Channels Cold War Activism
Police at Patriots Tight End's Home for 2nd Day
Fed Suggests Bond Purchases Could Slow
AP: DOJ Broke Own Rules Seizing Phone Records
Raw: Baby White Rhino Debuts at Australian Zoo
Time Lapse: Rebuilding Bridge Post-collapse
Ohio Woman Accuses 3 of Holding Her Captive
Hunt for Ex-Teamster Boss Hoffa's Remains Ends
