Pet Adoption Center welcomes animal control officers
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Melissa Solorzano, owner of Morning Glory Coffee
Photo by Les Hassell
We salute these Texas Bank and Trust officers and employees for their years of dedicated service to our bank and the communities they serve. Together, they represent 455 years of combined service. Through their excellence, commitment, and loyalty, they continue to demonstrate the power of...
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Left to Right: Brenda Brown 25 years, Dorrie DeLand 25 years, Wendy Adams 25 years, Ruthie Washington 30 years, Todd Meadows 40 years, Rogers Pope 55 years, Rogers Pope, Jr. 30 years, Shane Best 35 years, Marsha Byrd 25 years, Karen Partee 20 years, Mary Waits 25 years, Craig Chaikin 25 years, Diane Kenton 25 years
pictured: Tina Lemoine 30 years, Debbie Fox 20 years, Tommy Timmons 20 years
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PAWS-ITIVE
Pet Adoption Center welcomes animal control officers
story by Robin Y. Richardson | photos special to Harrison Magazine
The City of Marshall has fulfilled a longtime goal this year with the hiring of three animal control officers at Marshall Pet Adoption Center.
Marshall Police Chief Cliff Carruth said the hiring of the three new officers — Skylar Clark, Kaitlynn Doolan, and Kenneth “Grey” Kelding will make a positive impact when it comes to not only improving operations at the shelter, but also enhancing public safety when it comes to addressing vicious animals.
“Back in December, I presented to the City Council the Marshall pet adoption plan, and where we were, along with the police department plan. Because the concern is, we’re seeing a lot of dogs on the streets, I told them how we need to address it. I told them, the challenge was we had zero animal control officers, to put it in perspective,” he shared in an interview with the Marshall News Messenger. “Then a month later, I spoke to the Harrison County Commission to answer their questions and kind of come up with a way of how we can let them know what’s actually happening. I told them not even (long) ago, we have zero animal control officers.
“And here we are, a few weeks later and now we have three,” Carruth happily announced.
Amanda Smith with Friends of Marshall Animals noted that the nonprofit is thrilled that the MPAC is strengthening its team with the addition of the three new animal
control officers, which she said marks a significant step toward rebuilding its workforce after months of being critically understaffed.
They’re particularly thrilled for Clark, who she noted was last year’s Hometown Best Volunteer of the Year and a dedicated advocate for Marshall’s homeless animals.
“She made history as the first and only paid employee of Friends of Marshall Animals (FOMA) before stepping into this vital role with the City of Marshall,” Smith noted. “Clark’s journey in animal welfare began four years ago as a medical foster for gravely ill puppies, and she has continued to dedicate herself to the care and protection of animals in need.”
“These hires mark a major step forward for MPAC, which had been operating with only one full-time staff member — Shelter Director Justin Serna — since October,” said Smith. “The addition of Clark, Kelding and Doolan will provide much-needed support, allowing the shelter to better serve the community and improve the level of care provided to the animals in its facility.”
Chief Carruth said the recruiting efforts were made possible through the collaborative efforts of the city council and city manager to offer more competitive pay to attract qualified candidates.
“So that’s taken months and months and months,” said Carruth. “The city council, the city manager, worked with us and were able to get that pay up. We just had to raise it to get to a point where someone’s willing to do that job — someone that we want doing the job, because you don’t want to just put someone in there.”
“It’s like all jobs… you need somebody that’s trained, that wants to come to work every day, and cares about the animals, cares about the citizens that we’re serving,” the police chief said. “It’s a big deal. So I think people will start to see some improvements.”
The police chief said he’s confident residents will start seeing improvements because the focus has changed when it comes to the priorities of the shelter.
“We have changed in this process, looking at: ‘Alright, how do we deal with these issues? Yes, this happened and got us there, but how do we fix it’ he said.
He said the first step was hiring a new shelter manager, Justin Serna, who was hired this past August, and has since introduced new practices and policies to help operations run more smoothly.
“So, first it was hiring the staff, new staff that had that focus of what we’re trying to accomplish,” explained Carruth. “We got Justin Serna, the manager, and he’s great.”
Changing Focus
The police chief said they then formed an advisory committee, consisting of veterinarians and other animal service professionals, who met with Serna to discuss operational goals.
“They were able to sit down with him, and (say): ‘Okay, how does our operations (work)? How can we change it to make it better for the animals and better for the citizens?’”
Carruth said a main priority was to keep the shelter open.
“What was happening with the previous group… When we got full, we shut the doors,” he explained. “We can’t do that. And I think that’s a big part of why we had some of the issues that we had.”
“While we do care, and will work hard for the low kill-no kill status, we still have to balance that with customer service to the community and public safety,” said Carruth. “So Justin understands that, and we’re able to communicate that.”
He said, mainly, they just had to redirect their focus from what it was initially when the shelter first opened.
“In all fairness to everybody… when we first opened, that was the big focus,” he said.
“And that’s important, and we want to stay true to that, but not at the expense of public safety,” said Carruth.
Thus, the question became: How do they accomplish both?
“So that’s where our focus is,” said Carruth. “It’s not open 24/7, but we don’t just shut it down unless, like I told both City Council and the County Commission, unless we have a reason.”
He said reasons such as a Parvo outbreak can cause for alarm, temporarily shutting operations.
“If we get to a point that we can’t take care of the animals, it shouldn’t be long-term, but there could be reasons temporar-
Officers are, from left: Skylar Clark, Kaitlynn Doolan, Grey Kelding and Justin Serna. (Contributed Photo)
ily to stop intake,” said Carruth. He said it’s something that rarely happens. “I would say it’s very limited, and we have to really internally have a good reason for that. And I’m sure that we thought we did before, but with different priorities and different focus, we got to look at it with a different lens.”
He noted that all three of the newly hired animal control officers have experience in animal services and will receive the adequate training they need for the job.
“They’re young. I think they’re hearts and minds are in the right place and we’re giving them the right focus,” he said. “We’re going to definitely be better. We’re already better by them being there and I think people are going to start to see that difference.”
The new officers’ duties will include addressing animal complaints, responding to calls for service, capturing animals, enforcement, writing citations, and more. Because the officers have a full load, including feeding the approximately 120 animals at the shelter, and being on call 24-7, specified drop off times are available.
“There’s a lot going on there,” said Carruth. “It’s a challenge.
“They have to be able to go out and capture animals,” noted Carruth. “They have to be able to take care of the animals. And remember, they have to work seven days a week. How do you accomplish that? And the way you do it is come up with specific times for drop offs.”
While the shelter is open seven days a week to take care of the animals; drop off times are only 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
“So, they’re working, but they have to focus on taking care of the animals, administrative things that have to be done, and plus their on-call 24/7 dealing with animal complaints,” Carruth pointed out.
For instance, “If it’s the middle of night and we get an animal complaint, we’ll send the police out there. And if they get there and it’s an aggressive dog, and they just can’t catch it, then they’ll call them out,” he said regarding the animal control officers. “But we have to manage that, because nobody can come out (constantly). So, that’s explaining the challenge.”
While anything comes with a challenge, the police chief said they are thrilled that the animal control staff reached its goal, increasing from zero officers to three.
“So that’s a 300% increase — from nothing to three,” he said. “We’ve got to train them. We have to teach them. It’s going to take some time with some animal control school. So there’s some training that’s happening, as we speak.
“So, yes, I’m excited,” he said.
“We’ve come a long way — a 300% increase — really a 400% increase in six months,” he said, counting the addition of the new shelter manager. “And they have a heart to serve the ani-
mals, but they’ve been taught understanding it’s also that customer service and protection of the community.”
He said that’s the focus he thinks was originally neglected.
“I wouldn’t say it was missing, but I think when we first opened, the focus was we’ve got to get the kill rate down,” he recalled. “It was 90%, and so that was the main focus, out of fairness to the people that were there then. But, gosh, that created some issues and unintended consequences. And so we’ve had to retool and refocus, and that’s what we’re doing. I’m not telling you it’s going to happen overnight, as far as we’re going solve all the problems, but I’m saying we now have people that are there to work on those problems with the right focus.”
Chief Carruth said enforcement of ordinances will be a main obligation as well, going forward.
“They’ll write citations for violations of ordinances, because really … part of our problem is they just weren’t writing tickets,” he said of the past. “If we’ve gone out three times to the same place with the same problems, then we need to be writing tickets. There’s gotta be an enforcement piece. I think that was ignored. So we’ve got to have some enforcement, focus, education focus, training and all that, even in the community. And so we’ve got to write tickets. There’s got to be consequences.”
The police chief said it’ll need to be a community effort to ensure the safety of all.
“We want to do everything we can to protect the community,” he said. “So, there’s got to be a balance. So, our animal officers do work with enforcement; they work with training; they work with prevention, and then they also have to care for the animals.”
Carruth said part of their duties sometimes call for them to set up traps to catch aggressive animals, for instance. Carruth said individuals could land in trouble if they attempt to release the trapped animal.
“If we catch them doing it, we’ll arrest them,” he said, explaining it’s adding to the problem when people see a trapped down and release them.
“Those will be the very people that call and complain about a vicious dog running around in the neighborhood,” said Carruth. “It’s not humane to allow these dogs to roam everywhere, breeding all over town, and they’re adding to the problem. If we can get the dog, fix it, adopt it out, it goes out fixed and (reduces) the problem.”
He said aggressive dog issues are not unique to Marshall as he learned at a recent law enforcement meeting with East Texas police chiefs, who voiced their struggles as will with roaming, vicious dogs in their own respective cities.
“That’s not unique to Marshall. It is everywhere,” said Carruth. “It boils down to, if we work together, everybody will be safer, and the animals will be treated more humane. If we work together, we can make this better. And we’re working. We now have a few more tools now to do that with the three employees and I believe the right focus. That focus is kind of from the council, it’s from the community. And, you know, we agree with all that. It’s just being in a position to actually do it with the community’s help. So I think, I think we’re on the right track.”
For those interested in supporting MPAC — whether through volunteering, fostering, or advocating for additional staffing — please visit FriendsOfMarshallAnimals.org or follow Friends of Marshall Animals on Facebook.
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Marshall native honored for 50-year career with State of Texas
Marshall native Pearlie Copeland Kirven recently celebrated a milestone — serving 50 years with the State of Texas as one of its longest employees prior to her recent retirement.
Kirven was recently honored with a golden service celebration in which the City of Marshall issued a proclamation declaring March 22, 2025 as Pearlie R. Kirven Day.
“In February 1973, Mrs. Pearlie Copeland (Kirven) began her tenure as a state of Texas employee with the Department of Human and Health Services. In 1982, Mrs. Kirven joined the Department of Family and Protective Services in which she cultivated many partnerships, established strong friendships within the workplace,” the proclamation states. “She was instrumental in supporting, training, and onboarding over 80plus case workers during her 50 years of service and she has welcomed and trained over 30-plus new administrative assistants throughout her 50 years of services.”
The proclamation noted that Kirven supported more than 15 supervisors during her tenure and more than 150 caseworkers, parents and children in the agency.
“Throughout her career of 50 years, all of her supervisors expressed words like … family oriented, outspoken, dependable, professional and productive to describe Ms. Kirven’s
story and photos by Robin Y. Richardson
character,” the proclamation, signed by Marshall Mayor Amy Ware on behalf of the commission, notes.
Kirven, who was recently honored with a western glam celebration at George Washington Carver Community Center by her family, expressed her gratitude.
“I’m just overwhelmed,” she beamed.
Kirven is a 1969 graduate of H.B. Pemberton Sr. High School. She spent her career in the Dallas office of the State Department of Health and Human Services after obtaining an associate’s degree in computer science in 1972 from El Centro Junior College. She joined the state department in February 1973.
How It Began
Kirven, who blazed trails as one of the first Black employees for the department, said she initially sought a career in fashion design, but soon pursued social services after learning the profession was more receptive to minorities, during that era, than the fashion world.
“When I (initially) went to school, I went to school for fashion design,” shared Kirven. “So, you know, during that time in the 60s, they weren’t really into Black people working in that field.”
That’s when she decided to pursue an associate’s degree in computer science. Not immediately utilizing her degree, Kirven said it was a very firm and needed ultimatum from her father that led her to her longtime career with the state.
“One day I passed this big room with a lot of computers, I mean these computers were old that we did on punch cards. I said: I think I’d like doing that. So, I decided to go into computers,” Kirven recalled. “So, I did that. That’s where I ended up. It’s like I knew that the designing field (wasn’t going to work). I would’ve had to leave Texas, so I just decided that I would try computers. So, I did that and I graduated with an associate’s degree in computer science. And I wasn’t doing anything but hanging out with my friends after I graduated,” she recalled. “So my daddy was paying the bill. And he said you’re not going to be up there (hanging out) with your friends and he still paying the bill. He said you’re going to go get a job or you’re coming back to Marshall.”
Wanting to venture outside of her hometown, Kirven said she quickly took heed and found her passion in social services.
“All of my sisters, there were seven of us… My oldest sister graduated from Bishop. And my other sisters, they all graduated from Wiley College. So, I was determined,” she said of
finding her own path. “So, I went February 1973, it was snow on the ground, and I had talked to my daddy that week, and he said I’d give you a week or so (to get a job).”
“He said you don’t have a job, you’re coming back home,” she chuckled as she reminisced. “It was snow on the ground, and it was still snowing. I got out and got on that bus and just walked the streets of downtown Dallas. I went to a lot of places. But I went to this old, red courthouse in downtown Dallas. It was health and human services. I went there and I filled out an application. I had to take a test in order to even get an interview. So, I went and took the test. I passed the test. They called me in for a position. It was a position for denied files. It used to be like commodity and stuff like that. They didn’t give food stamps. They gave like the canned meat and all that kind of stuff. I worked there for about three years in denied files.”
She said because of her background in computer science, she was familiar with computers, which ultimately opened the door to a position in data processing.
“They gave a computer on every floor. We had to stand in line to use one computer. And so, for my background, I knew a little about computers. And then I got a chance to really start working with them,” recalled Kirven. “I started helping out other people. Like they were dealing with the computer, they
always needed some extra help, down in that area, because we were short staffed.”
She said they were so short staffed that they didn’t have anyone available to answer phones.
“People’s phone just keep ringing, so I volunteered one day and just started going down there and answering people’s phone and writing down their message,” said Kirven. “Oh, they were so impressed with that. And then I got to know the man that was over the computers on the floor. So, I started answering his phone. That’s how I got into computers. I told him if you ever had a job or anything, I sure would like to work with you. So, I did data processing. And we were the center control for the whole Dallas County. All the directors came through us, and we had to dispatch the other units because we were just a database for everything. And I was dealing with child abuse (matters), human social services and food stamps. But it wasn’t food stamps at that time, but we did all the entry and everything that go directly to Austin.”
Making a Difference
Kirven worked in the data processing department from 1973 to 1978. She briefly left, and then returned to begin her last 31 years for the state with the Department of Family and Protective Services, where she worked up until her recent retirement.
Kirven was offered a job in the Department of Family and Protective Services after her administrative role in her previous department phased out.
“This lady, Sandy, was over a program called the youth treatment program and it dealt with sexual abused children and their family,” shared Kirven. “We had counselors to come out and counsel the kids and the families. And so she told me she had two positions, one was for the group treatment program, which was sexual abuse, and the other was just an administrative position within the unit.”
She said she never thought she’d be out in the field with clients or have the strength enough to handle matters of sexually abused children, but it quickly became her passion to help those victims.
“I got in that program, and I (stayed),” she said, noting her love and concern for the young victims. “You know, you see those babies come in and that look on their face. I even dealt with the perpetrators. I had the children on Tuesday and the perpetrators on Wednesday. And you’d see the children come in with their stories, and you see the grown man standing over here and call this baby a lie.”
“And then I had to fix myself,” she said of her composure, “to be able to face the perpetrator and face the victim.”
“But the outcome that made it so good was to see those sad, long faces of sexual abused children that comes through that
program…to see that smile when it was over… for some after many years… to see the healing in those kids (was rewarding),” said Kirven.
Kirven said she was blessed to work with a unit that cared.
“The agency got a lot of flack with different things as far as case workers. You know, everybody is not going to do their job, but my time, the unit I worked with, the workers I worked with, they were 100%,” Kirven praised. “And my job as their administrative assistant was to make the workflow go good for them. I made the workflow go good for them. And we removed kids from homes and stuff like that, we had to find somewhere to put those kids and it’s hard for them. And my job was to try to make it easy on them. They were under a lot of stress and everything, so my job was to relieve some of the pressure.”
Kirven said that’s why she always made sure that the unit stayed strong and celebrated milestones, just like her family.
“My family, we always party. We celebrate each other’s birthday, weddings, everything, and that’s what I introduced to my unit — family,” she said. “For birthdays, weddings, funerals… I always wanted them to know I’m here for you; and, all of my unit, we were there for each other. And I made sure (of that).”
Recognition
Presenting Kirven with a flag that flew across the state capitol, Nicole Williams, Kirven’s supervisor and administrator with Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, praised Kirven for her 50 years of dedicated service, and in-
stilling the sense of family in the unit.
“I often hear people say that I go to work and my purpose at work is not to make friends, it’s just to go and collect a check and go home. And oftentimes I look at those people and I think how sad, because part of our purpose in life is God created us to build relationships and to pour into others. And if you’re fortunate enough, you find some lasting, lifelong relationships and friendships from the people that you work with. And that is truly what I have with Ms. Pearlie,” said Williams. “There was not a birthday, not a boss’s day, not a wedding, baby shower or anything that Ms. Pearlie and the people that she worked with didn’t (fail to) recognize me.”
Williams said she knows Marshall, Texas because of Kirven and everyone loves her popular potato salad, and famous punch.
“My family knows Mrs. Pearlie’s punch all across Texas. My family doesn’t have an event without Mrs. Pearlie’s punch,” teased Williams. “And this relationship, this friendship has meant so much to me. I am so grateful that God put her in my life, and my family’s life, and I am so excited to be here to celebrate.
Reading the proclamation from the State of Texas and Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, Williams said they appreciate her commitment in protecting the children,
vulnerable adults and families of Texas for 31 years.
“All of Ms. Pearlie’s time was not with Child Protective Services. She had 20 years with the state long before she came over to CPS, but the bulk of her time has been with Child Protective Services,” she said of the last three decades Kirven spent in her 50-year career. “And she has been a huge support to our staff over the years, and making sure the children have what they need to be safe. She used to oversee a program with us, a treatment program, and that was for children who were sexually abused. And Ms. Pearlie was very key and instrumental in making sure that all of those children when they came to the office on Tuesday, they had their snack. She was very instrumental in making sure that somebody was there to watch all of their siblings, so that (victims) and their parents could go to their counseling sessions. She coordinated all of that for us for 31 years. So, she was very, very instrumental in the children and families for the state of Texas, particularly Dallas, Texas.”
Billy L. Bell Sr., Kirven’s pastor, also congratulated her for her longtime service.
“She has impacted so many lives, not only here in Marshall, but people in Dallas, Texas, and all around,” he said. “So I’m grateful to God for being a part of this 50th retirement celebration.”
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SHOP Your Heart OUT
Marshall boutique draws inspiration from mother-daughter trips
story by Robin Y. Richardson | photos by Les Hassell
Nestled near the heart of downtown Marshall, at 201 S. Bolivar St., sits a dazzling boutique, offering a memorable shopping experience, inspired by cherished memories made on unforgettable trips to Oxford, Mississippi, and the tender moments shared between a mother and daughter.
“It is a little bit unique,” boutique owner Marcy Minor said of the boutique, she so befittingly named “The Grove at the Station.”
The name not only plays homage to its unique location — the town’s former bus station — but it pays tribute to the store’s main inspiration, Minor’s daughter, the late Caroline Roth, a 2018 Marshall High School graduate and senior at Ole Miss, who tragically died in a 2022 car accident.
“The inspiration for this boutique came from my visits to Oxford, where I spent cherished moments with my daughter, Caroline,” Minor shared on the store’s website, thegrovemarshall.com. “We made some of our best memories together in The Grove, whether it was enjoying a picnic lunch or joining in on the legendary tailgate parties during game days. The Grove truly felt like the heart of Ole Miss, and it didn’t take long for me to see why Caroline loved it so much.”
The mother and daughter both loved Oxford and loved spending quality time, eating and shopping in the enchanting city.
“It was just always such a magical place,” said Minor.
“No trip to Oxford was complete without a stop at a charming boutique called Cicada,” Minor shared. “I’ve always had a passion for clothing and décor, and as it turns out, so did Caroline — Cicada quickly became a familiar name on my monthly credit card statements! When the time came to start my own business, opening a boutique and naming it The Grove felt like the perfect way to honor Caroline’s legacy and keep her spirit with me on this journey.”
And just like the coined term “Velvet Ditch, a term of endearment describing Oxford, customers to the alluring bou-
tique, will find it “easy to fall into but hard to leave.”
“Oxford was Caroline’s ‘Velvet Ditch’ — a term coined for Oxford back in the 1950s as a place that’s easy to fall into but hard to leave — and it is my hope every customer who walks through the doors of The Grove Marshall feels the same sense of belonging,” Minor stated on her website.
Minor said she also fell in love with the idea of opening a boutique when exploring other ventures, following her longtime career as executive director of CASA.
“I worked with CASA and then kind of (dabbled) around a little bit and wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do,” she said.
It was her friend, Suzanne Planchard, former owner of the Brass Trunk boutique, who piqued her interest in opening a boutique.
“Suzanne reached out to me and she said: ‘I kind of want to go a little different direction with my store. Would you be interested in going to market with me?’ I said: ‘Gosh, I would love to go to market!’” Minor recalled.
Her interest burgeoned from there.
“That’s a whole different world, when you get to learn what’s behind the scenes and how it works,” Minor said of the fun she has going to market. “I really enjoyed that with her. And
Marcy Minor, owner The Grove at the station
then when she retired and closed her store, I just thought, you know, I needed a project and I thought this is something I think I could do.”
She set her eyes on the vacant, former bus station at the recommendation of businessman Keith Hill.
“Keith Hill works across the street, and we were talking about locations and downtown and he said, ‘What about the old bus station? I was like: (Yes)!’” recalled Minor.
Fortunately, the building was available. It’s been a labor of love, opening her boutique there since.
“Here we are,” Minor beamed, pointing out the boutique’s beautiful mural, adorning the outside wall.
Trendy Items
Located in the town’s former Greyhound bus station, the women’s boutique recently opened in October 2024, offering various brands that customers love, including Lysse’ New York, GoGo, Sanctuary, Penguin Random House, Milio Milano, Kut from the Kloth, Lucy Paris, Dragonfly Candles, Magnolia Soap & Bath Co., French Kande jewelry, Lucy Paris, Marcy, the Dot & Dash Morse code jewelry, and more.
“I sell clothing, handbags, accessories, jewelry, a few shoes and gifts,” Minor said of some of the items available. “
“I carry the brand, Lysse. It’s a really good quality line. I sell a lot of that,” Minor said of her most popular items. “I have Katie Loxton for handbags and travel bags. And she’s real reasonable.”
“It just kind of depends on what people are looking for,” she said of what’s been most sought after.
The store’s selection of silky Twilly scarves is also a customer favorite. Many of her shoppers like to sport them on hats and wear them for college game days. Minor has them displayed on a collection of hats from fellow downtown boutique Penelope Rode.
“I actually borrow hats from Penelope Rode boutique,” she said, sharing that they like to collaborate. “She’s been really good to us.”
The boutique also carries stylish “Que Color!” accessories, which promotes the empowering of women artisans.
In addition to apparel and accessories, The Grove at the Station also offers fun stemware and charming gifts such as unique games and décor from the brand Tart by Taylor. A few gift items for men, such as a Bourbon Barrel Foods gift set, can also be found there.
“There’s like pecans, and barbecue seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, and Teriyaki and a bloody Mary mix and some grilling type things… in case you need a men’s gift,” she said.
“I’m really trying to get a good selection of gifts going, and I want people to be able to come in and have the experience
of shopping in here rather than just online shopping,” said Minor, noting she’s not opposed to online shopping, but wants to provide the personable touch of an interactive in-store experience.
“I really understand how easy it is to shop online, and I love it when people come in and we can wait on them and cater to them and get them a glass of wine or get them a cup of coffee,” said Minor.
“Just that it’s a good experience,” she said on how the boutique prides itself on excellent customer service.
The Grove at the Station has welcomed customers from near and far, including from the Shreveport-Bossier City area. Right now, the boutique is all set for spring’s arrival, helping customers step into vacation vibes with new, trendy options.
And although not on the main strip with the rest of the downtown stores, Minor feels right at home, as “The Grove at the Station” has been embraced by the downtown shopping community with open arms.
Hours of operation are Tuesday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; and Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Mstory
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Lauren Rosenberg photos by Les Hassell
elissa Solorzano started her coffee journey working at a local coffee shop. She got to experience firsthand the ways in which a simple cup of coffee can bring people together. She’d go and work at catering events and see the love people have for coffee and the interactions that come with it.
Soloranzo saw a prime opportunity to continue the coffee scene in Marshall and thus, Morning Glory Coffee was born. What makes Morning Glory special is that it’s not a standard brick and mortar coffee shop, but rather one on wheels.
A coffee food truck is practically unheard of, and she saw this as a unique way to bring coffee lovers together, whether with other food trucks on 700 W. Grand in Marshall or at catering events.
“The shop [I worked at] had a trailer for events, but nobody in town ever had a food truck. Before I started Morning Glory, there were only two coffee shops in Marshall. There was just not another local coffee shop,” said Soloranzo.
Being from Marshall, Solorzano knows the local importance and community is vital to running a successful business. When COVID-19 hit and business was at a standstill, Marshall still stood by each other to help out. Now in 2025 where business is booming, Solorzano knew the strong, but mighty community of Marshall would have her back.
“I think people really have a strong sense of community given that it’s small, but, as of recently, is growing a bunch. Just having a lot of connections that I already have from being raised here, everyone was so encouraging. I had people wanting to be investors stemming from local investors, to teachers and even my doctor. It’s so nice and uplifting knowing that people I grew up with are so encouraging and excited about this. If it wasn’t for people telling me to start this, I wouldn’t have done it,” said Solorzano.
A great deal of support for Solorzano came from her old bosses at the previous coffee shop, which helped her overcome the nerves of starting a business.
“My previous bosses were really encouraging. They told me
that if I wanted to own a coffee shop, I should go ahead and do it. I think that was the scariest part for me. My partner Frank, he’s one of my biggest investors, and he’s the one that brought the idea up in the first place. He knows me well enough to know I’m too scared to do anything and am so hesitant. What really pushed me was him going ahead and getting the trailer paperwork, putting down the payment and telling me the trailer is on the way so now you have to do it, it’s coming. He set the foundation,” said Solorzano.
Morning Glory has appeared at many events throughout East Texas. She’s gone down from Tyler and up to Jefferson. In Jefferson, she got to cater Employee Appreciation Day. She’ll be catering a wedding and has done a lot for local churches and the Marshall pet adoption center. She adopted her two dogs from the adoption center and loved coming back to the community she adopted them from.
The support from the other food trucks in the area are one of the aspects that keep her going but, most importantly, it’s the customers she meets everyday, whether new people driving through Marshall or regulars who come every morning, that make this experience so worthwhile.
“I’m most thankful for the customers who make this business successful. I’ve never had anyone who was just completely rude. They’re really honest on how they like their drink.
The girls who come here are the most supportive girls I’ve ever met in town. They’re truly the ones that feed into the seasonal flavors and help come up with new flavors. I just go home and try to figure out how to implement what they want. Their support of Morning Glory means so much to me,” said Solorzano.
MAKING MEMORIES
Camp Fern continues legacy of summer fun in Marshall
story by Lauren Rosenberg | photos contributed to Harrison Magazine
In 1932, three families who lived on Fern Lake wanted something for their daughters to do during the summer to keep busy. These three families got together and started an informal camp called Camp Fern of Fern Lake.
Eight girls attended the camp where the three lake houses, located right next to each other, were used as a bunk house and kitchen. After seeing how much the girls loved this informal camp, the three mothers pitched in and implemented canoeing, swimming, fishing and other outdoor activities.
Margaret and Vernon Hilliard formalized the camp and moved the camp to the other side of the lake and thus, Camp Fern, now known as Camp Fern Legacy, was officially established in 1934.
“1934 is the official founding year of the camp. It’s right there on Fern Lake in Marshall. The camp kind of grew over the years. It just started out with girls and, in the early years, it was six week sessions,” said Trey Price, “A few years later, they added a boys session so there’d be five weeks of girls and five weeks of boys. It really took off after that.”
In Texas, there are many camps across the state known as
legacy camps. These camps are ones that have been open for decades and have had numerous generations come through to experience the wonders of a sleepaway camp. Camp Fern Legacy is one of those camps where people participated in camp and then their children and grandchildren continued going.
Price is one of those legacy members of Camp Fern Legacy.
The current treasurer and former board president’s grandma was part of the first official session in 1934. His children all attend Camp Fern Legacy as fourth-generation campers.
“Three years ago, the camp was converted to a nonprofit so we converted to Camp Fern Legacy, which allowed us to create a board of directors and bring in a lot of people to help the structure of the camp and put some professionalism around it. We also reached out to all of the alumni and people who love camp. A lot of our kids are second, third or even fourth generation campers. We were able to fundraise and pour back into the camp to improve and upgrade facilities,” said Price.
The deep roots of the alumni of Camp Fern Legacy continues to show up in the way they come together to help benefit the camp and allow it to flourish. Alumni have contributed their
time and effort to head over to camp on the weekends and assist in repainting the buildings, dig ditches and repair equipment so it’s ready for the summer.
“Two years ago, we had a work weekend where around 200 adults showed up and it’s really inspiring and exciting. It’s really an example of how bought in these families are. When they go back to their communities, part of the outreach is telling families we’re looking for more to come join us. Most of our new campers are friends or family members of current campers who come because they’ve heard a lot of talk about how camp is so much fun and want to send their kids here,” said Price, “We have open houses in cities like Baton Rouge, Shreveport, Houston, Austin, Tyler and Dallas that’s typically done at an alumni’s house. You’re not only encouraging all of your existing campers that live in these communities to come, but you’re also inviting new families to come see it. We play a video that talks about camp and the kids get caught up in the fun. That’s really the organic way of keeping the kids coming to camp and getting new ones to come join.”
There are a plethora of activities that campers get to participate in. With the camp being located on Fern Lake, the water sports like canoeing, kayaking, fishing, water skiing, wakeboarding and tubing are highly popular, especially in the Texas heat. They have a ropes course with high elements, ziplines and a climbing wall. For the athletes, they have tennis courts, basketball courts and a soccer field. Camp Fern Legacy also offers riflery and archery. They follow the rules and regulations of the National Ri-
fle Association, which provides administered and professional lessons. In typical Texas fashion, they offer horseback riding where the kids get to form a relationship with their horse.
The campers are divided into two tribes and they have a sports competition against each other daily, where the winning tribe is announced and honored in the dining hall forever at the end of the four week sessions.
Camp Fern Legacy is rooted in Christian values with their motto of “God first, others second, I am third,” which embodies how camp is run. Although this is a camp run on Christian values, anyone, no matter their religion can come and enjoy the wonders that Camp Fern Legacy has to offer. A way they include children of other faiths is by their evening activity known as Vespers.
During Vespers, the campers get to read out bible verses and have a moment of reflection. They are held outside by the waterfront where there is a council ring and everyone can bask in the sunset while reflecting on the day.
“I’d describe [vespers] as a 15-20 minute reflection. Every night, a different cabin leads the vespers service so every kid gets an opportunity to stand up, read a bible verse, lead the camp in a song and reflect on the thought of the day. There is a vespers class where the daughter of the founder, Margaret Lee, who was also camp director for around 25 years,
helps campers prepare the vespers, organizes the vespers schedule and leads the campers who are leading the service,” said Price, “Camp Fern Legacy is founded on Christian principles, but it’s not strictly a Christian camp. When I was a camper, I had two kids in my cabin that were Jewish. They’d go to synagogue on Sundays [for Sunday school] and have their service while the Catholic kids would go into Marshall and attend their service. I would say it’s non-denominational and is very accepting of any religious beliefs and outlooks. It’s not about Christianity versus Judaism, but rather a moment to reflect on your Creator and your relationship with your Creator. You’re not in church or a temple but in nature in an environment created by God. I know a lot of people who didn’t have a relationship with God before camp and because of camp, they were able to form one through these vesper services.”
A unique aspect of Camp Fern Legacy is the way they set up their camp sessions. They have one session for only girls and one session for only boys. Although a lot of sleepaway camps are coed, the camp finds the positives in separate sessions to help alleviate the pressures of adolescence and allow themselves to just be kids.
“There are so many pressures that kids go through these days. The draw of camp for the parents and kids is that it’s a place to be able to
go and be themselves. At camp, we have a session in June for girls and a session in July for boys to alleviate the pressures they face. When you remove the pressure of the girls wanting to put on makeup and the boys trying to get the girl’s attention, they act differently. There’s something unique about being here with just girls and just boys because they get to be themselves,” said Price.
Price hopes the legacy of Camp Fern Legacy is one where the kids have such a great experience that they want to keep going, bring more people in and send their kids to camp when they’re older to share the magic of camp across generations. The relationships between each other continues to grow with one of Price’s bunkmates from camp being one of his best friends to this day. It’s the community that makes Camp Fern Legacy stand out and a special place where kids can be kids, learn a new skill, enhance their faith in God and make lifelong friendships.
“Ultimately, what we really want is for these kids that are here today, for their children to come to Camp Fern Legacy and have the same kind of experience. One of the magical things that happens at camp is the experiences and bonding moments you have with your cabin. You live together as a small unit, you go to classes together, clean together and eat together. They are some of my closest friends to this day and I’m seeing those relationships foster with my kids. Their closest friends in the world are my closest friend’s kids. Camp Fern Legacy is generational and it’s the families and friendships that transcend our lifetime,” said Price.
MUSIC PIONEER
Famed guitarist Lead Belly is focus of 2025 Boogie Woogie Marshall event
story
by Meredith Shamburger | photos contributed to Harrison Magazine
Boogie Woogie Marshall is gearing up for its annual music celebration, and this year’s events will include a tribute to Lead Belly, one of if not the most influential musician of the 20th century, who adapted Boogie Woogie’s rolling bass to a guitar.
Boogie Woogie Marshall will host its annual celebration Sept. 26-28 with a number of musical acts, as well as special Lead Belly-themed activities, including a screening of the documentary “Lead Belly: The Man Who Invented Rock & Roll.”
Who is Lead Belly?
Boogie Woogie is a style of blues music traditionally described as using a piano like a drum, or to make the piano sound like a drum or like a train. It is well known as a large influence to the current genres of Rock n’ Roll, gospel, country western music and more.
The credit for the creation of Boogie Woogie music is given exclusively to Black former slaves, who after finding freedom in the 1870’s brought their traditional drum-centric style of music to the new instruments that were previously unavailable to them.
The influence of the growing industrial railway system
during the same time was an incredibly important influence as well to the Black musicians, who historians said worked to replicate the sounds of the trains through the piano music.
Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Lead Belly, known as the “King of the 12-String Guitar,” drew inspiration from the Boogie Woogie music he heard living in East Texas and Louisiana, created his own style of blues and folk music and in turn inspired wellknown musicians such as The Beatles, Janis Joplin, B.B. King, Kurt Cobain, Bob Dylan and more.
Huddie “Lead Belly” Ledbetter was born in 1888 near the Texas-Louisiana Border and grew up in Harrison County, according to Boogie Woogie historian Jack Canson. It was at this time that barrelhouse pianists, drawing inspiration for their rhythmic beats from the work of laying railroad tracks, would be playing Boogie Woogie sounds on piano. Lead Belly was performing in East Texas and Louisiana at the same time, and is credited as being inspired by a Louisiana pianist named Pine Top performing Boogie Woogie on Fanning Street in Shreveport.
Ernest Borneman quotes Lead Belly in his book Just Jazz: “He played that Boogie Woogie. That’s what I wanted to play on guitar — that piano bass. I always wanted to play piano
tunes. I got it out of the barrelhouses on Fannin Street.”
Lead Belly would also perform with Blind Lemon Jefferson in Dallas’s Deep Ellum, a crossroads central to the development of blues music.
“Leadbelly could be responsible for having taught Blind Lemon Jefferson to play a walking bass line on Jefferson’s guitar. According to Sammy Price, Jefferson called his walking bass line his ‘booga-rooga,’” Canson wrote.
Lead Belly, a Black man living in a time of racial segregation and among poverty and violence that often proved dangerous, is said to have sung his way out of prison twice, earning early release on a murder charge in Texas in 1925 and then from Louisiana’s infamous Angola prison in 1930.
One pivotal point of Lead Belly’s career took place in Marshall: A meeting with folk music recorder John Lomax at the Hotel Marshall on Sept. 16, 1934. After this meeting, Lead Belly went on a road trip with John Lomax visiting prisons and work camps, and Lead Belly performances inspired others to perform their folks songs, which John Lomax recorded.
Lomax introduced Lead Belly to the wider establishment in Philadelphia and New York, playing up Lead Belly’s dangerous past. Lead Belly himself sang about the rich and varied experiences of his life and those around him. Notable songs include “Goodnight Irene,” “Bourgeois Blues” and “Midnight Special.”
The Wall Street Journal, in an obituary for Lead Belly, notes a cover of his “Rock Island Line” by Irish and Scottish singer Lonnie Donegan launched a skiffle craze, inspiring a generation of British musicians. George Harrison is said to have remarked, “No Lead Belly, no Beatles.”
It is this musical legacy that Boogie Woogie Marshall will be highlighting throughout its festivities.
Planned Events
The following activities are being planned, with the final musical lineup to be announced at a later date:
Friday, Sept. 26: A screening of the Lead Belly documentary (http://houseofleadbelly.com/). Lead Belly’s great nephew Alvin Singh and great niece Terika Dean will answer questions as part of the event. Area tribute artists will perform before and after the documentary. This is scheduled for Friday evening at Memorial City Hall.
Saturday, Sept. 27: A bus tour to the gravesite near Mooringsport, with music, and again attended by the Lead Belly descendants, is planned. Boogie Woogie Marshall will also unveil the Lead Belly Room at the Boogie Woogie Museum, which is located in the Marshall Depot. A lineup of artists celebrating Boogie Woogie and Lead Belly will perform on Saturday at Memorial City Hall, with organizers saying they are also working to host events at other downtown locations.
For more information on this year’s celebration, go to https://www.boogiewoogie.org.
CELEBRATING SUCCESS FOR MARSHALL & MARSHALL INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT
The We Align group recently celebrated a remarkable achievement: securing a $244,990 grant aimed at advancing manufacturing and industrial technology at Marshall High School. This initiative is particularly inspiring as it serves a dual purpose—empowering students with valuable skills that align with the needs of local industries, while simultaneously boosting the overall competitiveness of the Marshall community.
By introducing cutting-edge industrial technology to the curriculum, the program will prepare students to step confidently into the workforce with sought-after expertise. This, in turn, has the potential to attract more businesses to the area, strengthen the local economy, and create a thriving environment for both individuals and the community at large.
The grant represents an investment not just in education, but also in Marshall’s future, ensuring that students and the community are wellequipped to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving industrial landscape. It’s an exciting step forward that underscores the importance of collaboration between education, industry, and community development.
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