RAYMOND NEWS

I hope everyone enjoyed a beautiful Mother's Day weekend!

Ours was action packed. On Saturday Robert's niece, Irene Stark, was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force after graduating from Ole Miss. Robert, his brother John, and their mother, Dena, traveled to Oxford for the ceremony where Robert had the honor of giving Irene her commissioning oath. In July, Irene and her husband, Matthew, will be moving to California where she will start her career with missile operations training at Vandenberg Space Force Base. We are so proud of our little Irene.

This weekend also marked the baptism of our nephew, John Gibson Culpepper Jr., at the Raymond Presbyterian Church. Baby Jack didn't bat an eye when Pastor Zach Byrd doused him with a big handful of water. It was a beautiful day to welcome the newest member of our covenant family.

On Sunday morning, I woke up to the smell of freshly baked cinnamon rolls by my sweet gaggle of girls. Robert and the girls (and someday, Bob) know me so well and showered me with all my favorite things. Lyda Belle gave me a candle that smells like a bakery, Virginia Rose and Helen drew me a vase with flowers, and Robert gifted me the greatest gift a mother could possibly receive - a single ticket reservation to the movie theater for Mother's Day evening!

It has been a solid decade since I have enjoyed a movie of my choosing in a theater and Robert knew I was dying to see "The Devil Wears Prada 2." I am happy to report that the movie was fabulous and the movie theater popcorn tasted better than ever. But after 3 hours of alone time, I was ready to get back home to those who gave me the title of "Momma."

The girls' Mother's Day crafts and creations were so impressive, I feel they are ready to expand their skills to a new level. Thankfully, a brand-new art space is open in town! Barnyard Creations, located at 100 Courtyard Square (next to Raymond City Hall), is offering a kids art camp this summer. There will be two camp dates with two sessions each. Camper dates are June 15-18 and July 13-16 with a morning 8:30am-11:30am session and an afternoon session from 1:00pm-4:00pm. The cost is $150 per child and includes all art materials and an apron. Students should bring their own drinks and snacks. The campers will enjoy painting projects and creative crafts in a fun and relaxed environment. Kids take home their artwork! For more information, contact Vickie Fisher on Facebook or at 601-672-6352.

The White Horse Coffee Shop moved this week and is now next door inside the White Horse Market Cafe and Creamery. The coffee shop is open with the same hours as when they were inside The Lucky Hen. Lunch will now start at 11:00am inside the Creamery. The Lucky Hen will be closing its doors and a big sale is coming soon. I've heard that a new salon and boutique will move in to the corner location. According to Kim Porch, this new corner will have some "fab vibes!"

The community rummage sale and silent auction for Mercy House for Women that took place last weekend raised $6,000! With this money, three new storage cabinets were ordered that will store supplies the Mercy House women use for their occupational skills classes and a much-needed credenza for their living room. What a wonderful way to give back to the community!

Some Hinds County property owners outside of Raymond near McFarland Road and Springridge Road received a letter in the mail regarding the application of a special use permit for a business called the EcoWomanist Institute Southeast Corp. The owner of the company, Valerie Hill Rawls of Atlanta, Georgia, is acting as the authorized representative of Phillip Goff and Goff Enterprises, LLC, owner of the Hinds County property seeking approval from the Hinds County Planning Commission. A Special Use Permit is needed for the purpose of using Agricultural (A) land for an Educational Institutions District, for development and operation of the Hill Eco Campus, a 196-acre privately funded educational and community development campus.

According to the EcoWomanist Institute Southeast (EWISE) website, EWISE "empowers women and girls of color to heal, lead, and advocate through land-based practices, eco-spirituality, and environmental justice." The website description continues that their "vision is unapologetic: expand land justice, create sacred spaces for learning and healing, and prepare the next generation to lead with competence and resilience. Rooted in the legacy of Black land stewardship and the wisdom of ecowomanist values, we seek to transform how communities relate to land, wellness, and power."

The petition will be heard by the Hinds County Planning Commission on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, at 2:00 P.M. in the Hinds County Courthouse Annex in Raymond.

From coffee location change ups, new art spaces, and a possible "ecowomanist" community. We just really never know what's going to hatch next in Raymond, do we?!

Be kind and suffer well.