The Mississippi Business Journal articles from July 2008

The Mississippi Business Journal archives from July 2008

Rough waters: shrimpers battling high fuel costs and imports.
July 7, 2008... This year's shrimp season is in progress, and fishermen are catching those great tasting shrimp in the waters off the Mississippi coastline. That's the good news. The bad news is that commercial shrimpers are dwindling in numbers as they face...

Sentencing closes latest chapter on Scruggs.
July 7, 2008... Three of the five men indicted last fall on charges of conspiracy to bribe a judge were sentenced recently in Oxford in Federal Court. All five have pleaded guilty to variations of those charges. Sentenced June 27 were Dickie Scruggs,...

PSC sets July 7 hearing to scrutinize utility's fuel adjustment.
July 7, 2008... The next electric bill Entergy Mississippi customers get is going to be higher than it has been. The pricey power is due to a 28% rate increase that took effect July 1 and will last until September. In an economic climate in which...

Medicaid situation unresolved.
July 7, 2008... As the Mississippi Business Journal went to press July 2, lawmakers continued to negotiate the means to fund the state Medicaid program. Medicaid provides healthcare for the state's poor, elderly and disabled. There exists a $90-million...

BankPlus' Johnson honored for service.(David Johnson)(Brief article)
July 7, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Special to the Mississippi Business Journal The Robinson-Watson Book Company recognized BankPlus senior vice president and director of community development David Johnson as a Public Service Honoree at the...

Mississippi Hospital Association.(People to Watch)
July 7, 2008... James G. "Bo" Chastain, director of Mississippi State Hospital (MSH) at Whitfield, was recently appointed chairman for the 2008-2009 Mississippi Hospital Association board of governors. Chastain has served as director of MSH since 1993. He...

Mississippi Airports Association.(People to Watch)
July 7, 2008... The Mississippi Airports Association recently elected its new board of directors for 2008-2009. Officers are Dirk Vanderleest of Jackson Municipal Airport Authority, president; and Don Shepley, Gulfport Biloxi International Airport, vice...

Burns Cooley Dennis Inc.(People to Watch)(promotions of Allen Cooley and Jeff Williams)(Brief article)
July 7, 2008... Allen Cooley Jr., Ph.D., and Jeff Williams, EE., have been named principals of Ridgeland-based Burns Cooley Dennis Inc. (BCD). Cooley joined BCD in 1993 and was employed for a year as a staff geotechnical engineer. He returned to BCD in 2003 in...

The McCarty Company-Design Group, P.A.(People to Watch)(appointment of Nicole Fore)(Brief article)
July 7, 2008... Nicole Fore has joined The McCarty Company-Design Group, P.A., in Tupelo as an architect. She is a May 2004 graduate of Florida A&M University where she finished in the top 1% of her class. Fore is originally from the West Coast and she, her...

Hollywood Casino Bay St. Louis.(People to Watch)
July 7, 2008... Brenda Barlow has been promoted to the newly created position of special events manager for Hollywood Casino Bay St. Louis. She will be responsible for the casino resort's special events, promotions and private player development projects...

McAlister's Deli.(People to Watch)
July 7, 2008... Ken Green has been promoted to the newly-created position of chief operating officer for McAlister's Deli. He has more than 20 years of experience working for Friendly's, Cosi, TGI Friday's and Las Vegas' Stratosphere Hotel and Casino. In Green...

Health Management Associates-River Oaks Hospital.(People to Watch)
July 7, 2008... Dennis R. "Denny" Bruns has joined the Health Management Associates Mississippi management team as the new chief executive officer of River Oaks Hospital. Bruns earned his undergraduate degree in chemistry, math and biology and a master of...

Sideline speculation and a few lessons learned.(Perspective)(Column)
July 7, 2008... Soccer season is stretching into the long, hot summer. The Eight Year Old and her All-Star teammates continue with hours devoted to practice, weekend scrimmages and an upcoming qualifying tournament for the State Games in Meridian. I've...

Democrats proposing lower taxes?(Perspective)
July 7, 2008... Surely my feeble eyesight is deceiving me or, perhaps, I'm losing my mind. Either way, Sen. Barack Obama proposes to lower the top corporate income tax rate. Plus, other prominent Democrats are in agreement. What's this world coming to?...

Pure gold: value of effective taglines.(Perspective)
July 7, 2008... While many tools and technologies of marketing change at the speed of innovation, some fundamental elements retain their value. A few essential elements increase in value as more clutter finds new ways to compete for our increasingly valuable...

Consortium hammers out details to land national research facility.
July 7, 2008... Though the announcement is not due until this fall, the group lobbying the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to select Flora as the site of the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) is not sitting around and waiting. The Gulf...

HUD okays plan.(Strictly Business)
July 7, 2008... MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has approved the state's $350-million plan to build housing units on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. "Without question HUD's final approval of the Long Term...

Sanderson postpones project.(Strictly Business)
July 7, 2008... LAUREL -- Sanderson Farms Inc.'s board of directors has approved delaying the construction and start-up of the company's new Kinston, N.C., poultry complex. Last April, Sanderson Farms previously announced plans to invest approximately...

Cal-Maine to buy Zephyr.(Strictly Business)
July 7, 2008... JACKSON -- Cal-Maine Foods Inc. has reached an agreement to acquire the majority of the assets of Zephyr Egg Company, located in Zephyrhills, Fla. Terms were not disclosed. The assets to be purchased by Cal-Maine include approximately two...

Catfish law in effect.(Strictly Business)(Brief article)
July 7, 2008... ACROSS MISSISSIPPI -- House Bill 728, requiring Mississippi restaurants to disclose the country of origin of the catfish they serve, went into effect July 1. Gov. Haley Barbour signed the bill after the House and Senate unanimously approved it....

Bomgar 10.1 released.(Strictly Business)(Bomgar Corporation)(Brief article)
July 7, 2008... RIDGELAND -- Bomgar Corporation has released Bomgar 10.1, which includes features designed to help organizations easily virtualize the people involved in IT support, enabling them to be more efficient and effective. Help desk...

Community Bank opens 26,000-square-foot operations center.(Strictly Business)
July 7, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Community Bank hosted a ribbon-cutting and reception June 25 to launch the opening of its new 26,000-square-foot Southeast operations center in Brandon. The operations center handles all electronic banking, deposit...

Nonprofit center likes law.(Strictly Business)(Mississippi Center for Nonprofits)(Brief article)
July 7, 2008... JACKSON -- The Mississippi Center for Nonprofits (MCN) says House Bill 316 (HB 316), which went into effect June 26, is much needed and will save some, smaller nonprofits. HB 316 requires only a professional audit for non-profit...

'Great response,' Polk says.(Strictly Business)(Mississippi Military Relief Fund)(Brief article)
July 7, 2008... MAGEE -- A statewide effort to call attention to the Mississippi Military Relief Fund by Polk's Meat Products is in its final days and will wrap up by July 15. For every UPC barcode from a Polks, Red Rose or Magnolia product turned in...

CVB launches campaign.(Strictly Business)
July 7, 2008... JACKSON -- On July 1, the Jackson Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) unveiled a new restaurant promotion called "Super City With Soul. Bowl." The CVB says the volatile economy is greatly affecting the restaurant industry. The new campaign...

Tanglefoot receives funding.(Strictly Business)(Brief article)
July 7, 2008... NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI -- The Mississippi Transportation Commission and the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) have awarded an Enhancement Grant to provide the GM&O Rails to Trails Recreational District with $5.1 million federal and...

Midlife job hunting requires combination of hard work, networking.(On the Job)
July 7, 2008... Job hunting when you are a decade or two out of college and about that far from retirement, as well, poses special advantages and challenges. People in the 35- to 50-year-old range have had time to build up experience and valuable networking...

Business events (and more).(Calendar)
July 7, 2008... Tuesday, July 8 * The Home Builders Association of Jackson will host a roundtable discussion on Jackson's present and future housing market from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. at the HBAJ Education Facility. The cost is $25 per attendee. To reserve...

Coast ship building diversifying.
July 7, 2008... Ship building continues to be a major economic component on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The industry encompasses luxury yachts, small commercial boats, offshore vessels and ocean-going military ships. The largest ship builder is Northrop...

Prices, drought tolerance appeal to peanut growers in state.(Mississippi Agribusiness)
July 7, 2008... Strong market prices and the ability to cope with less moisture than most crops have Mississippi's peanut growers expanding their acreage again this year. Peanuts have been increasingly popular since the Farm Bill ended the quota system in...

Summer buzzword? Staycation.(Focus)
July 7, 2008... People may not spend as much on souvenirs and they might take economy measures like bringing along a sack lunch for the road trip rather than eating out. And trips might be to closer attractions because of the cost of gas. But most folks are...

State tweaking tourism marketing efforts as economy changes.(Travel, Tourism & Casino Resorts)
July 7, 2008... Decreasing the geographic reach of its marketing campaign and focusing on four niche markets are two ways state tourism is changing its promotional efforts to stay in tune with rising fuels prices and the slowing economy. Instead of a niche...

Southern Miss revamps tourism management program.(Focus)
July 7, 2008... To better reflect the changing tourism industry, the hospitality management program at the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) was reformulated in 2005. It is now the tourism management program with concentrations in basic tourism and...

Hotels.
July 7, 2008... Name Address Website Business Travel Amenities/Services Beau Rivage 875 Beach Blvd. www.beaurivage.com Biloxi, MS 39530 Spa, golf...

State parks offer bargain getaways, variety, scenic beauty.(Focus)
July 7, 2008... Mississippi has a treasure trove of natural beauty, fun and activities in the 25 state parks that dot the state, putting at least one within easy driving of all residents. With the trend of keeping this summer's vacations close to home, the...

Natchez, Vicksburg, Greenville tourism rollin' on the River.(Travel, Tourism & Casino Resorts)
July 7, 2008... When it comes to tourism, things are rolling on the River. Natchez, Vicksburg and Greenville continue to welcome visitors despite rising fuel costs--and recording water upstream. Natchez It may be too early to accurately gauge the...

Golf Magazine calls Dancing Rabbit 'the Augusta you can play'.(Focus)
July 7, 2008... Yankee Stadium, Wrigley Field and Fenway Park are athletic venues that qualify as hallowed ground, as much a part of baseball's landscape as the players who toiled on their grass. They are American sporting icons and they have never even laced...

Hard Rock Biloxi sees stunning success in its first year.(Travel, Tourism & Casino Resorts)(Hard Rock Cafe International Inc. Hard Rock Hotel and Casino)
July 7, 2008... It's hard to keep a good casino down. Hurricane Katrina dealt Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Biloxi an especially tough blow. The gaming venue was preparing to open when the storm came roaring ashore. On July 7, 2007, Hard Rock Biloxi, with much...

Travel agencies.
July 7, 2008... Travel Agencies Top Miss. Name/Address/Phone Number/FAX Officer, Title Miss. Action Travel & Tours--(601) James A. Hankins, CEO 948-2096 ...

Hainsey and Ardillo: airports must diversify to thrive, survive.(Focus)
July 7, 2008... Airports must diversify, find a niche outside of the airline industry to ensure financial stability. And with the current shaky economy and high fuel prices, all contributing to a faltering airline industry that is still trying to recover from...

Commercial airports.(Focus)
July 7, 2008... Commercial Airports Name (IATA Code), Year Founded Address Business Travel Amenities Website Jackson-Evers International Airport PO. Box 98109, Jackson, MS (JAN), 1963 ...

Golden Triangle, Coast boardings buffer declines elsewhere.(Focus)
July 7, 2008... One might expect that with high fuel prices making it more expensive to fly, air travel in Mississippi would be down. While the number of flights at some commercial airports has decreased, overall statewide passenger boardings in May were up...

Interest piqued? Fuel prices place public transit in spotlight.(Transportation)
July 7, 2008... Interest in public transit is picking up across the state as fuel costs escalate, and it's not just in metropolitan areas. The Mississippi Department of Transportation's (MDOT) Public Transit Division has programs for rural general public...

Skidding to a stop: diesel prices have truckers slamming brakes.(Focus)
July 7, 2008... With 85% of consumer goods in Mississippi transported by truck, diesel costs of more than $4 per gallon are having an impact on the cost of nearly everything. The steep increase in the price of diesel has also been the major factor in nearly...

Into the great wide open: passion fuels Frallic's daily flight.(Transportation)
July 7, 2008... What's it like to run an airport? Bruce Frallic, executive director of the Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport, makes it seem easy. The affable former Marine Corps pilot handles the intensity of his job in a quiet, positive way. ...

Trucking companies.
July 7, 2008... Trucking Companies Name, Year Founded Address Specialties/Services Offered KLLM Transport Services 135 Riverview Dr., Richland, MS 39218 Inc., 1963 Temperature controlled carrier Total...

Drink up (or down?): nationally, coffee craze grinds to a halt, but Cups reports robust metro sales.(Financial report)
July 14, 2008... After emerging during the economic boom of the 1990s and the early part of this decade, the coffee industry has ground to a halt. In two separate announcements this month. Starbucks, the market leader, has unveiled plans to close a total of...

Darling takes helm of Mississippi Business Journal.(appointment of Ed Darling )
July 14, 2008... A familiar face has returned to the Mississippi newspaper scene. Ed Darling has been named editor and publisher of the Mississippi Business Journal, returning to the state after an absence of nearly 12 years. Formerly publisher of The...

PSC's fuel adjustment review process moves to next phase.
July 14, 2008... During the first of two days' worth of hearings the Public Service Commission (PSC) held last week in response to Entergy Mississippi raising its rates 28%, PSC chairman Leonard Bentz wanted to make one thing clear. "This is not a...

Adams and Reese LLP.(People to Watch)(appointment of Reginald Jones)(Brief article)
July 14, 2008... Reginald "Reggie" Jones has joined Adams and Reese LLP's Jackson office as an associate with the Special Business Services Practice Group. He will focus on the areas of labor and employment law, as well as education law and health care law....

G. Williams.(People to Watch)(G. Williams and Associates Inc. appointed Shelly Vincent )(Brief article)
July 14, 2008... Shelly Vincent has joined G. Williams Marketing in Ridgeland as its new director of marketing. She is a graduate of Mississippi College and has had a distinguished career in the field of marketing, including publishing an award-winning Vincent...

Prudential CRES Real Estate.(People to Watch)
July 14, 2008... Brian E. Estes, president and managing broker of Prudential CRES Real Estate in Jackson, has earned the Certified Property Manager, or CPM, designation from the Institute of Real Estate Management, an affiliate of the National Association of...

The McCarty Company.(People to Watch)
July 14, 2008... Keith Strachan has joined The McCarty Company-Design Group, EA., in Tupelo as a designer. Strachan is a 1988 graduate of Northeast Mississippi Community College and 1991 graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi. He currently resides...

Askew Hargraves Harcourt and Associates.(People to Watch)(appointment of Cecil Sowell)(Brief article)
July 14, 2008... Cecil Sowell has joined Askew Hargraves Harcourt and Associates Inc. (A2H) as I manager of the firm's new Hernando office. A native of DeSoto County and Auburn University graduate, he brings more than 40 years of experience in the consulting...

Capital One Financial Corporation.(People to Watch)
July 14, 2008... McComb native and Mississippi State University alum Jim McBride has joined Capital One Financial Corporation (NYSE: COF) as executive vice president and manager of energy banking at Capital One Bank. He also will be a managing director of...

Chambers ranks 26 Butler Snow attorneys.
July 14, 2008... Special to the Mississippi Business Journal Chambers USA 2008 has ranked 26 attorneys from Butler, Snow, O'Mara, Stevens & Cannada, PLLC, as leaders in their fields and has singled out seven practice areas for special recognition. In...

Wicker tackles Medicare, mortgages and more during luncheon.
July 14, 2008... If interim U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker (photo right) is ever struck by a meteorite, doctors had better hang onto their wallets. The Republican, speaking at the Stennis Capitol Press Corps luncheon July 7, said the chances of the federal health...

Barbour, state legislators on a break from Medicaid session.
July 14, 2008... After a regular session and two special sessions, legislators are pretty much back where they started when it comes to funding Medicaid, the state's healthcare program for poor and elderly. The state's obligation to the program is $90 million....

Spreading like wildfire!(Perspective)(Cartoon)
July 14, 2008... SMOKING BANS CAN'T THE GOVERNOR VETO THESE?! [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

'This does not bode well for the state' and other serendipity.(Perspective)(Column)
July 14, 2008... I found the June issue of "Mississippi's Business" digging through a pile of mail a few weeks ago. The monthly publication from the Department of Forecast and Analysis in the Institutions of Higher Learning University Research Center watches...

HUD okays action plan.(Strictly Business)(United States. Department of Housing and Urban Development)(Brief article)
July 14, 2008... HANCOCK COUNTY -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has formally approved the State of Mississippi's "Ground Zero" action plan, which directs approximately $200 million of federally-awarded Hurricane Katrina recovery...

Trailers hit low.(Strictly Business)
July 14, 2008... MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST -- According to the Governor's Office, the total number of occupied travel trailers provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has dropped below 4,000 in Mississippi's three coastal counties hardest hit by...

SRAP checks coming.(Strictly Business)(Small Rental Assistance Program)
July 14, 2008... MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST -- After several months of efforts to clear federal environmental and regulatory hurdles, the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) has begun closings and initial check disbursal pertaining to its Small Rental...

Plant cutting ribbon.(Strictly Business)
July 14, 2008... RIPLEY -- On July 15, Industrial Timber will open its newest plant in the North Ripley Industrial Park. Industrial Timber has completed the purchase of the former WoodCraft Frame Shop plus equipment from BenchCraft Inc. Terms were not...

Tribe lands Ground Zero.(Strictly Business)(Pearl River Resort )(Brief article)
July 14, 2008... CHOCTAW -- Pearl River Resort has struck a deal to bring the Ground Zero Blues Club to its Golden Moon Hotel and Casino with a planned opening of late 2008 or early 2009. "When people think of Mississippi they think birth place of the...

DAR honors Colbert's community service.(Strictly Business)(Daughters of the American Revolution Community)(Thomas W. Colbert of Community Bank has been awarded)(Brief article)
July 14, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: Thomas W. Colbert, chairman of Community Bank, has been awarded the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution Community Service Award. Joining him for the recent presentation are chapter regent...

Cal-Maine completes purchase.(Strictly Business)
July 14, 2008... JACKSON -- Cal-Maine Foods Inc. has closed the previously reported acquisition of the majority of the assets of Zephyr Egg Company, located in Zephyrhills, Fla. The acquisition was closed in accordance with the asset purchase agreement's terms,...

SBA loans retooled.(Strictly Business)
July 14, 2008... WASHINGTON -- Jovita Carranza, acting administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), announced during a tour of Iowa July 1 that disaster victims now have increased benefits, including immediate access to loans of up to $14,000...

PEER seeking comments.(Strictly Business)(Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review )
July 14, 2008... JACKSON -- During the 2008 regular session, the Legislature gave the Joint Legislative Committee on Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review (PEER) responsibility for conducting a statewide performance review of Mississippi state...

Raytheon celebrates milestone.(Strictly Business)
July 14, 2008... FOREST -- Raytheon Company has delivered its 100th APG-79 active electronically scanned array radar system to Boeing and the U.S. Navy for use on F/A-18 and EA-18G aircraft. The company marked the occasion with a ceremony July 1 that attracted...

Gas storage facility under construction.(Strictly Business)
July 14, 2008... MONROE COUNTY -- Monroe Gas Storage Company, LLC (MGS), a joint venture of Foothills Energy Ventures, LLC, and High Sierra Energy, LP, has closed its $130-million debt financing for the Monroe Gas Storage facility, located near Amory. ...

MDEQ makes loan for wastewater facility.(Strictly Business)
July 14, 2008... MCCOMB -- The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) has awarded the City of McComb a Water Pollution Control Revolving Loan Fund (WPCRLF) loan of approximately $34.47 million to construct a new wastewater treatment facility....

GEAR UP grabs grant.(Strictly Business)(Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs)(Brief article)
July 14, 2008... JACKSON -- GEAR UP Mississippi will continue to increase the number of low-income students in Mississippi who are prepared to enter and succeed in college thanks to a six-year $18 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education through the...

Election day report available.(Strictly Business)
July 14, 2008... JACKSON -- The Secretary of State's Office has released the first of what is to become an annual report. The "Report on Election Day Activities: Mississippi Presidential Preference/Congressional Primary and Primary Run-Off Elections," reports...

Scholarships presented.(Strictly Business)
July 14, 2008... RIDGELAND -- BankPlus has unveiled the 2008 recipients of the bank-sponsored Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) Scholarships. The three recipients are Willis Finley of The Real Estate Reality, Chuck Morris of Mississippi Home...

Pull-A-Part opens.(Strictly Business)(Brief article)
July 14, 2008... JACKSON -- Pull-A-Part, a used automotive parts retailer based in Atlanta, has opened a new location in the Capital City. The new location is at 4000 1-55 South. Pull-A-Part recycles approximately 1,000 tons of automobiles per facility...

Flowood lake treated.(Strictly Business)(Brief article)
July 14, 2008... CENTRAL MISSISSIPPI -- Water hyacinth, with bright green foliage and lovely lavender flowers, can be a treat to the eye, but a major headache to boaters and anglers. A co-operative effort by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries,...

Nissan makes donation.(Strictly Business)
July 14, 2008... CANTON -- Nissan North America's Canton Plant has donated 136 computers valued at more than $100,000 to The Salvation Army's after-school and community enrichment programs in Mississippi. "It's important no one's left out when it comes to...

Regions donates to Mississippi Food Network.(Strictly Business)(Regions Bank)(Brief article)
July 14, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Special to the Mississippi Business Journal Regions Bank recently collected 828 pounds of canned food items as part of a food drive benefiting the Mississippi Food Network. The campaign was orchestrated in...

Energy cost advantages could benefit local manufacturers.
July 14, 2008... While there are many downsides to the soaring cost for oil and gas and the declining value of the U.S. dollar, there may also be some surprising benefits. The declining dollar makes goods manufactured domestically less expensive in other...

Many small businesses well positioned to weather storm.(Focus)
July 14, 2008... Calling on their resourcefulness and resiliency, small business owners may be better prepared than others to ride out less-than-ideal economic times. They do it in a variety of ways. Harold Neal, co-owner of Upton-Neal Interiors of Pearl,...

Government agency focused on financing for your small business.(Small Business)
July 14, 2008... Perhaps no activity in starting up a new businesses or in laying plans for growth of an existing business will have as much impact on your prospects for success over the long run than ensuring adequate financing. How do you go about...

SBA approved small business leaders.
July 14, 2008... SBA Approved Small Business Leaders Contact Person, Company Name, Year Founded Title Main Office Address Local Office or Phone/ Fax Phone/ Web-site/ E-...

Small businesses searching for answers to rising fuel costs: rebates, creative shipping and smaller vehicles can help protect profit margins.(Focus)
July 14, 2008... Everyone is feeling the pinch at the pump, but the ever-increasing gasoline prices are threatening more than just the family budget. For small business owners, it is a struggle to control a major business expense. Already strapped with...