Year in Review continued
July 3 – Electrical distribution transformer and technology products manufacturer Howard Industries is expanding operations across its Mississippi facilities in Simpson, Clark and Jones counties. The project is a $236.95 million investment and will create a total of 450 jobs.
July 10 – Mayor Mark Grubbs; Alderwoman Ward 1 Allyson Berch; Alderwoman Ward 2 Lawana Thompson; Alderwoman Ward 3 Suzie Bourn; Alderman Ward 4 Julian Harper; and, Alderwoman-at-large Sue Honea were sworn in as the new Magee Mayor and Board of Aldermen July 1 by Circuit Court Judge Stanley Sorey.
In Mendenhall, Mayor Todd Booth; Alderwoman Ward 1 Judy Lee; Alderman Ward 2 Robert Mangum; Alderwoman Ward 3 Janna Miller; Alderman Ward 4 Arthur Walker; and, Alderwoman-at-large Vickie Everett were sworn in as the Mendenhall Mayor and Board of Aldermen July 1 by Justice Court Judge Charles Savell.
July 17 – Dirt work began on the new Magee City Park in preparation for new playground equipment to arrive in the coming weeks.
At the regular July 8 meeting Simpson County Board of Supervisors (BOS) heard from Pat Brown Simpson County Economic Development Foundation (SCDF) Executive Director expressing concern that the lack of a work-ready local labor force may have contributed to the county missing out on a new physical plant. Brown suggested collaboration between the supervisors and Simpson County School Board to align strategies and efforts for workforce development.
Plans are in place to close the Highway 540 and Highway 49 intersection in Mendenhall, commonly referred to as the “caution lights” for safety concerns due to limited visibility from atop the hill. The crossing has been the scene of several traffic accidents over the years.
July 24 – Copiah-Lincoln Community College Simpson Center celebrates two decades of success in Simpson County.
July 31 – Resident and former mayor of Magee Dale Berry, 68, died July 28 from heart complications. He was hospitalized at the University of Mississippi Medical Center since leaving office at the end of June, waiting for a heart transplant.
Mendenhall Mayor Todd Booth shared his four year vision for the city’s future that includes focusing on infrastructure expansion, economic development, public safety, and beautification efforts.
August 7 – Simpson Central School’s Taylor Brown has been named to the prestigious Curriculum Associates’ *Extraordinary Educators Class of 2025*, an honor awarded to only 29 teachers nationwide. This recognition celebrates her excellence in the classroom, her leadership among peers, and her commitment to student growth.
The Simpson County BOS heard from Michael Allan of the Magee Fire Department during their regular meeting August 4. His proposal was for a fire grading district aimed at lowering insurance rates for county residents. The board approved the district pending legal review and a required public hearing according to Board Attorney Danny Welch.
Braxton Fire Department received a new fire truck.
August 14 – The Magee Fire Department began fire inspections of local businesses August 11. The inspections are required for compliance with the International Fire Code.
August 21 – A combination of quick action, training, and a touch of luck saved a man’s life at the Magee Walmart Thursday morning, August 14. The efforts of Mississippi Highway Patrol Trooper Darius Brown, and Magee Police Department Officers Michael Allan and Vance Hamilton saved an individual bleeding profusely from the wrist. Chief Denis Borges stated, “Had we not acted immediately, the individual likely would not be here today.”
SCDF Executive Director Pat Brown appeared before the Simpson County School District Board Meeting August 14 with a formal request to purchase the property the school board previously bought from Phillip Davis as the potential site for a consolidated high school, which has since been voted down by the school board. Brown offered to pay the exact amount the district originally paid for the property. School board member Thomas Ray Floyd made a motion to sell the property but no action was taken.
August 28 – The Magee Courier/Simpson County News marked the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina with a special section. It featured in-depth stories on the storm’s impact in Simpson County and personal accounts from survivors who lived through those harrowing days, and a closer look at how the lessons of Katrina changed the way the nation responds to disasters.
September 4 – The Mendenhall Tigers lost their football season opener to Ridgeland, 21-13. The Simpson County Academy Cougars also lost their season opener to Leake Academy, 26-29. The Magee Trojans beat opponent Mt. Olive in their first game of the season, 16-0.
September 11 – The Magee Trojans fell to the Mendenhall Tigers in the annual Simpson County Super Bowl played at Tiger Field. The final score was 47-14.
September 18 – Simpson General Hospital broke ground on an extensive renovation project with physical plant upgrades and additions. The construction process will take a year to complete.
September 25 – The Simpson County Farm Bureau hosted its Annual Meeting drawing a strong turnout from local members and community leaders. The highlight of the evening was the keynote address delivered by Congressman Michael Guest, who spoke about the role of farmers in keeping America fed and the importance of agriculture to Mississippi’s economy.
The City of Mendenhall adopted a $3.26 million budget for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, balancing revenues and expenditures across the general fund, special funds and enterprise funds.
October 2 – The Mississippi Department of Education released its 2025 accountability results, and the Simpson County School District posted a “C” rating overall, with an accountability score of 551 and a district graduation rate of 84.1%. While the district held steady in mid-range performance, the data shows significant variation among individual schools in Magee, Mendenhall and Simpson Central.
October 9 – The Mendenhall High School Band delivered a show-stopping performance at the Copiah Marching Festival, earning all-superior ratings across every judged category. The band swept top honors taking home First Place Best in Class awards for Color Guard, Percussion, Drum Major and Best Band.
October 16 – The Simpson Academy Lady Cougars Fast Pitch Softball Team won the 2025 AAAA Division 1 Championship after defeating Parklane Academy two games to one in the best of three series.
October 23 – Congressman Michael Guest visited the Simpson County E911 Center to tour the facility and hear from county leaders about plans to expand it into a fully functioning Emergency Operations Center. Simpson County does not currently have a dedicated Emergency Operations Center.
The Simpson County School Board opened a regular meeting in October recognizing all elementary students who scored “advanced” or “proficient” on their MAAP (Mississippi Academic Assessment Program) tests. They praised the students’ hard work and the teachers’ commitment to academic excellence.
October 30 – The town of Braxton received a major paving project that transformed nearly every major street in town. Mayor Michael Arinder said the work marked a milestone for the community, with the assistance and funding support from Representative Price Wallace and State Senator Andy Berry.
November 6 – The Magee Courier/Simpson County News launched a new article series for November featuring military veterans and their years in service to the United States.
The Magee Trojans football team lost to the Seminary Bulldogs 30-27, but will move into the playoffs as a No. 3 seed. Mendenhall Tigers won the season’s last regular game shutting out the Raymond Rangers 33-0. They advanced to the first round of playoffs as a No. 3 seed. Simpson Academy lost their final game of the season to Madison-Ridgeland Academy Patriots, 35-12 but will still advance to the MAIS Division 3 playoffs as the No. 4 seed.
November 13 – The City of Magee partnered with Main Street Magee and honored servicemen and women with a Veterans Day Parade, Tuesday, November 11, followed by a program and meal at the Community House.
Co-Lin Simpson Center held its third annual Veterans Day Breakfast for the Brave honoring veterans in Simpson County and surrounding counties. Guest speaker was State Senator Andy Berry.
A partnership between Copiah-Lincoln Community College, the Simpson County School District and the Central Mississippi Planning and Development District (CMPDD) launched a first of its kind workforce training program. It is designed to help high school seniors and recent graduates gain skills and credentials needed for high-demand creers in construction, HVAC and fiber fusion splicing.
The Magee Trojans won the first round of playoffs defeating Quitman Panthers 23-16 to move on to round two. The Mendenhall Tigers and Simpson Academy Cougars lost in the first round of playoffs, eliminating them from further play.
November 20 – Simpson General Hospital received a $10,000 grant from Healthcare Providers Insurance Company (HPIC) to purchase four new transport wheelchairs for the hospital.
First Lady of Mississippi Elee Reeves visited Pre-K students at Simpson Central where she shared story time with them while receiving handmade ornaments crafted by the class. The ornaments will be displayed at the Governor’s Mansion as part of this year’s Christmas theme, “A Season of Success.”
At a meeting November 13 the Simpson County School Board received an extensive facilities update covering three buildings in need of renovations for a total of $20.1 million. The financial breakdown to cover said renovations include $5M from district maintenance; $2M from Sixteenth Section funds; $7.5M from District Infrastructure; and, $5.6M from the Capital Projects 3-mill account. The board approved the proposal.
The Magee Trojans ended their playoff hopes with a loss to the Franklin County Bulldogs, 23-20.
November 27 – Kim Maddox of Magee was chosen to participate in this year’s annual White House Christmas decorating that occurs Thanksgiving week. She was one of 145 people across the United States selected.
December 4 – Magee police arrested Jordan Jamal Brinson in connection with the killing of Daryious Collins, ending a two-day manhunt that had residents of the Goodwater community on high alert.
December 11 – The Mendenhall Business Women’s Club held an inaugural event, Holiday Magic, at the Simpson County Courthouse in conjunction with the annual Tour of Homes. Holiday Magic was created as a fundraiser to help families in need in the Mendenhall area at Christmas. It was supported by local merchants and community residents, raising $3,400.
Magee General Hospital held a ribbon cutting/open house to celebrate the completion of a $4M renovation funded by a grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration. The hospital broke ground on the project February 26, 2025. Interior and exterior renovations were made.
At a regular meeting of the Magee Mayor and Board of Aldermen, public comments were made by three residents, Angie Von Seutter, Hannah Berry May and Chris May. All three referenced a fence torn down by the city at a property owned by Von Seutter. The following Friday Penny Aguirre, zoning director, and Duane Simmons, building inspector, were notified of their terminations via phone calls by Mayor Mark Grubbs.
December 25 – The Simpson County BOS held a regular meeting December 15 with a full agenda that included the current county rubbish pit is nearing capacity and expected to close within the next three weeks. The Rubbish Board approved the purchase of six dumpsters to help manage waste during the transition. Chancery Clerk Tim Gray stated that construction on a new pit is underway and expected to take about a year to complete. The board approved a contract for the six dumpsters at a cost of $600 each per month that includes transportation to Ellisville for disposal.
