As the community gears up for holiday shopping and quality time spent with family on Thanksgiving, many businesses and government offices throughout Pearl River County will be closed this Thursday and Friday in observance of the holiday.

Last week, the Pearl River County Board of Supervisors and the Picayune City Council acknowledged Nov. 26 and Nov. 27 as holidays in accordance with Gov. Phil Bryant’s declaration.

As a result, all county and city offices in both Picayune and Poplarville will be closed on Thursday and Friday and will resume normal hours on Monday.

Picayune Mayor Ed Pinero wishes everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.

“We also ask that our citizens use their time on Friday to shop locally,” Pinero said.

Picayune garbage pick-up will be moved back one day for all residents. Residents who usually have their trash collected on Thursday will have their garbage collected on Friday of this week, while Friday’s pick-up will be moved to Saturday, Pinero said.

The Crosby Memorial Library will be closed Thursday, Friday and Saturday in observance of the holiday. The Poplarville Library will be closed Thursday and Friday. Both libraries will resume their normal hours on Nov. 30.

For those looking to do some last-minute Thanksgiving shopping, both Winn-Dixie grocery stores will be open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday, but the pharmacy is closed. Claiborne Hill will be open on Thanksgiving from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Both stores will resume normal business hours on Friday.

Wal-Mart will remain open 24 hours on Thursday and Friday.

Picayune Drug Co., City Rexall Drugs and Fred’s Westside Pharmacy are all closed on Thanksgiving, but will resume normal hours on Friday. Rite Aid will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thanksgiving and the pharmacy hours will be 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Walgreens on Highway 43 will be open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Thanksgiving, but the pharmacy is closed. On Friday, the store will be open from 7 a.m. to midnight and the pharmacy will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for Black Friday shoppers. The Walgreens on Highway 11 will also be open on Thanksgiving from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., but the pharmacy will be closed. The CVS pharmacy will be closed Thursday, but the store will be open regular hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday.