‘It’s frustrating’: Residents fed up after Mississippi town’s only gas station shuts down
By Crystal Tisme
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UTICA, Mississippi (WAPT) — Utica residents left frustrated now having to drive miles to the next nearest town just to fill up their tank.
“They had closed down last week because of a leak, and they were up and running for two days and then I come down here this morning and they said there was another leak, so we’ve been without gas. If we want to get gas, we have to go to Raymond, Clinton or Vicksburg just to get gas,” said Brenda Lawson.
Hubbard’s is the only gas station in town and community members said they’re fed up, already struggling with limited access to grocery stores.
“I say it’s a breakdown in management, in the mayors and stuff, it’s a breakdown, because we haven’t had a grocery store since I left here, I left a couple of years back, and we haven’t had a grocery store since I left,” said Sherlene Lloyd.
Leaders in the town said it’s been a challenge bringing in businesses.
“Well, you know, for a small town like this, it’s hard to get businesses to come to a small town when there are 600 to 700 people. We’ve been trying ever since I became mayor to get a grocery here, but the big chain stores are not going to come,” said Utica Mayor Kenneth Broome.
Broome said another gas station known as the “Pit Stop” should be back up and running in a couple of weeks after being burned down almost a year ago.
With it being his last day as the mayor, he hopes the next administration will continue the push to bring businesses to the town.
“We need some more businesses in this area, maybe another grocery store, a gas station, because if one is down, then there would be a big push and everyone will be trying to get gas at one time,” said Broome.
16 WAPT crews with staff at the gas station and they said it’s unclear when the repairs will be complete to reopen.
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