Byhalia crews clear streets

Byhalia Mayor Don Hollingsworth said the town got by the Ice Storm FERN that dropped four to five inches of sleet and snow, without power outages.

Street crews went to work clearing the streets Wednesday and Thursday after the storm with bobcats, backhoes and a wheel loader, which he said had enough weight on the front end needed to cut through the ice.

The mayor said the community could see town employees taking action to get the streets cleared and there was very little complaining from the public. He was interviewed by the Memphis TV media a couple of times, he said.

Tuesday, April 7 is set for election to replace Delainer Richmond, who resigned as alderman the day after entering a plea agreement with the state of Mississippi regarding a charge of manufacturing marijuana.

Hollingsworth said an election can be held thirty days after a resignation and within 45 days.

Tuesday is a normal election day, he said. Two bridges are to be repaired by the Mississippi Department of Transportation, the decking on Highway 309 at I-22 and a state highway bridge on old Highway 178 east of the armored car manufacturing facility.

He said the bridge on 178 has been out a couple of months between Byhalia and Victoria and MDOT has it scheduled for repair in 2028, a long time for a bridge to be out.

The bridge deck on Highway 309 will be replaced one lane at a time, the mayor said.

“I was told a year ago in October,” Hollingsworth said.

The MDOT engineer retired. Hollingsworth was told in November 2025 that the job on 309 would be let in November 2025.

“So, that should start anytime,” he said. “We’re just trying to get it done sooner.” He said he is talking with the Marshall County Board of Supervisors to try to get the repair of the bridge on 178 moved up.

“It’s hurting our industry and big truck traffic,” the mayor said.

He thanked the public works department and the police department for help in the ice storm.