Oakland celebrated its oldest citizen, Mrs. Ora Lumas, this past week at a celebration of her 99th birthday! Mayor Stephanie Patterson presented Mrs. Lumas with an engraved plaque in tribute to her status. Mrs. Lumas expressed her gratitude for Mayor Patterson and others checking on her during Winter Storm Fern. Mrs. Lumas said she had never experienced such cold in her life. Happy birthday, Mrs. Lumas, and here’s wishing you a very blessed year ahead with no ice storm!
Once again, there’s excitement at Enid Depot. Chef Brent Tippitt has advanced to the semifinals of the nationwide Favorite Chef Competition, presented in partnership with the James Beard Foundation.
Brent is chef and owner of The Enid Depot and has earned strong support from the community throughout the competition and now moves one step closer to the national title. To reach the finals, he must receive votes. Find Enid Depot on Facebook and it will tell you how to vote or go to https://favchef.com/2026/brent-tippitt. Votes are free or you can also make a donation to the James Beard Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, which generates more votes for Brent. Voting for this round in the competition ends on Thursday evening, so don’t waste any time! Do it now!
“I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who has voted, shared, donated to the James Beard Foundation. This is an opportunity to represent rural Mississippi and show that world-class hospitality and great food can come from small towns,” Brent said. The winner of the competition gets coverage in Taste of Home magazine, wins $25,000, and a televised appearance with celebrity chef Carla Hall on her show “Chewed Up.”
Mother Nature couldn’t stop Oakland’s Back-to-School Celebration, but she did cause a quick change of venue. It was intended to be held in the Swearengen Park, but got quickly moved to the Chamber Building after the rain forecast was reviewed. More than 40 students came through to visit with youth groups, collect back to school supplies collected by the Oakland Area Lions Club, and enjoy hot dogs, watermelon, and snow-cones.
The Oakland Area Chamber of Commerce is the official host, but more than 15 groups and businesses made this happen for our students plus support from America250 Mississippi and the Mississippi Humanities Council. It’s wonderful how our community and friends rally to support our young people. Here’s wishing all of our area students a great school year!
During this 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, we are planning to create and bury a time capsule. Send us your ideas about what we should include in the capsule! Email oaklandareachamber@gmail.com, or you can text or leave a message at my answering service at 601-853-3942.
On July 26, 1975 (51 years ago from the day I am writing this), it rained in the early afternoon and one of my aunts was working a bit on my hair that another aunt had styled. My hair has never liked humidity and the afternoon rain didn’t help at all. I can remember this because a few hours later the sun was shining and my Daddy walked me down the aisle at the Oakland Baptist Church where I married James Aldy. Some of his high school friends tried to hold him hostage in the back of the church and Mrs. Helen Sellers, wife of our pastor Buford Sellers, came to the rescue and made them release him! As we were leaving after the wedding, one of my bridesmaids, Sissy Gorden, somehow managed to jump in the car and off the three of us went. After several miles, she was begging us to stop and let her out because it was her parents’ anniversary and she had to get home for that celebration! We finally stopped and let her out, which caused the parade of cars trying to follow us to stop to pick her up.
I’m not sure weddings are still this much fun, but it launched us on our way to a new life together. Happy anniversary to my life-long partner! We’ll be surrounded with family to celebrate. A trip is in the works to celebrate, but it won’t be until next year. For our 25th anniversary, we toured England and the Channel Islands, but went in year 27. Our math is rather relaxed!
Cossar State Park is presenting Dancing in the Park from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 5.
Vendors are invited and should call the office at 662-623-7356 and press 2 to get signed up. They will have the mechanical bull ride for $5 a ride. There will be a $2 entry fee at the Park Gatehouse.
Let us know if your group is having an event. You can reach me by texting or leaving a message at 601-853-3942.
Email the Chamber at oaklandareachamber@gmail.com and I will pass the information along to Sue Donohue Smith.
