North Mississippi Rural Legal Services
Celebrating their 50th anniversary By Becky Gillette It was a far different world in the Delta in 1966, particularly when it came to low-income people having access to legal services. There was a great need, especially considering more than 86 percent of non-white residents lived below the poverty line. A group of concerned University of […]
Harry Simmons- Grows not just catfish, but jobs in the Delta
By Becky Gillette Photography by Roy Meeks & Matthew Wood About 40 years ago, Harry Simmons began growing catfish as a way to diversify his income from row crop farming in Humphreys and Yazoo Counties. Through the years, his operation grew and became vertically integrated in 1982, by establishing a catfish processing facility. This expansion […]
Community Digital Scholars Program
Entity is honored with Governor’s Award The Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi was recently honored at the state capitol with the Governor’s Award for its multi-level partnerships with schools throughout the region. The Mississippi Association of Partners in Education recognized its Community Digital Scholars program as producing outstanding results for students. “The partnership programs we’re […]
The Baptist Town Neighborhood Reinvestment Project
By Angela Rogalski Baptist Town, about a mile east of downtown Greenwood, is a community that is solidly defined by its history and the common bond of its residents. Born in the 1800s, it is one of Greenwood’s oldest African American neighborhoods and is steeped in the rich culture that is the Mississippi Delta. Honeyboy […]
Betty Lynn Cameron
Cameron recalls highlight of job as Greenville Main Street Director By Becky Gillette Betty Lynn Cameron recalls one of the highlights of her 18 years working in economic development for the Chamber of Commerce and later as Greenville Main Street Director. It was the day after the first Delta Hot Tamale Festival in Steinmart Square, […]
Delta Businessman Alex Malouf
Building a family business with hard work, dedication and values By Angela Rogalski Photography by Johnny Jennings A long history of tradition, family values and hard work is the backbone of Alex Malouf and the businesses he has built and nurtured over the years. Malouf is a man who believes in the work ethics of […]
Ag Revenues
Most producers well-positioned to withstand decline in commodity prices By Becky Gillette •Photography by Greg Campbell A few years ago, ag was seeing glory days with the highest commodity prices on record. But 2015 was not a great year, and 2016 is not expected to be much better. The major crops, corn and soybeans, have […]
Incubator Network
North Mississippi enterprise centers help turn business dreams into success stories By Becky Gillette Just like baby chicks, sometimes entrepreneurs just need a little incubating. They can get just that at business incubators in Oxford, Batesville and Grenada operated by the non-profit North Mississippi Enterprise Initiative (NMEI), a public/private regional partnership designed to support entrepreneurship […]
Haley Insurance Agency
A family owned and operated Clarksdale business By Randall Haley Photography by Randall Haley In 1973, Harold Haley set out to open his own insurance agency in downtown Clarksdale. After years of transformation and a decrease in the overall population, Haley has been able to maintain Haley Insurance Agency by focusing on customer relations. “If […]
Bill LaForge
DSU’s new president bleeds green and white By Angela Rogalski Bill LaForge respects the individual and has a rapport when it comes to communicating with people. His past experience in both the private and the public sectors attest to that fact. His skill sets span the spectrum of law, government, higher education and public policy. […]