The forecast for Tuesday calls for rain, so the City of Iuka has moved it's Christmas Tree Lighting event to Thursday night.

A beautiful live Arizona Blue Ice tree has been planted in the west end of Jaybird Park and is being decorated by the city for the second annual tree lighting event. It came from Pine Mountain Tree Farm in Kossuth. The ceremony will be at  6:30 p.m. Anna Reese Henderson, an Iuka Middle School 5th grader, will light the tree following an invocation by Mack Wilemon.
After the tree lighting, there will be an outdoor movie (Jim Carrey’s The Grinch) shown in front of O’Claire’s, along with food trucks and shopping at the businesses that choose to stay open late.
Anna Reese, 12, is the youngest daughter of Daniel and Melissa Henderson. As a heart transplant recipient, she is delighted to be enjoying life outside the hospital this year. Liza and Audrey are her older sisters, and they like playing Monopoly or making crafts together. Her favorite thing about Christmas, besides the gifts, is the music—all the Christmas carols, the singing Christmas tree at First Baptist Church in Corinth, and the Christmas songs on the radio.
Mack Wilemon is a member of Iuka Baptist Church, husband to Nelda Wilemon and the Tishomingo County Coroner. In his years with Cutshall Funeral Home, Mack has become like part of the family to many families in Tishomingo County. He and Nelda have a daughter, Lydia, who is married to Collin Mills. They live in Oxford.

Parade Friday night, December 2nd
Friday night, the Iuka Christmas Parade will begin at 6:30 p.m.
This year’s Grand Marshal for the Iuka Christmas Parade is Mrs. Wanda Evans. Wanda moved to Iuka in 1970 with her husband, Charles, and sons, Chris and John. She served as a 4th-grade teacher and her husband served as principal of Iuka Elementary School until their retirement in 2000.
During those years she served in numerous civic and community groups.
After retirement, Wanda was involved in volunteer work including the Iuka Food Pantry and the Iuka Baptist Church Clothes Closet. Wanda is a member of Iuka Baptist Church and loves her church family.
Wanda is the mother of the late Christian (Chris) Evans and of John Evans, and his wife Jennie of Iuka. Of all her roles, being “Nene” to Jake, Annie, and Luke Evans is now her favorite role. Mrs. Evans is so thankful to the town of Iuka to be named this year’s Grand Marshal and wishes everyone a Merry Christmas!