What’s open/closed for MLK Day; state continues Robert E. Lee dual observance
Local government offices and most sanitation services across DeSoto County will observe Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday, Jan. 19, leading to a one-day delay for household garbage collection in all locations, except for one city.
The holiday, which honors the civil rights leader, remains a dual-observed state holiday in Mississippi alongside Robert E. Lee’s birthday. While House Bill 407 was introduced in the 2026 legislative session to recognize the day exclusively as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday, the bill currently sits in the Rules Committee, leaving the state’s traditional double designation in place for this year.
Garbage Collection Shifts
Most residents in DeSoto County will see their trash pickup pushed back by 24 hours. Except for Horn Lake, Monday routes will be collected Tuesday, and the delay will continue through Saturday.
- Southaven: Sanitation services will run one day behind schedule all week.
- Olive Branch: Waste services will be delayed by one day.
- Hernando: Garbage and recycling collection is pushed back one day.
- Horn Lake: Meridian Waste will operate on a regular schedule with Monday customers being serviced on Monday.
- Unincorporated DeSoto County: Waste Connections will not provide services Monday. Pickup will shift by one day for the remainder of the week.
Closures and Service Adjustments
Federal and state offices, including courthouses and the Department of Public Safety (DPS) stations, are closed Monday. The U.S. Postal Service will not deliver regular mail.
City government offices are also closed for the day Monday.
Most major retailers and stores in the North Mississippi area will maintain regular business hours. Emergency services, including police, fire, and EMS, will remain fully operational across all municipalities.
