The Mississippi Business Journal articles from November 2008

The Mississippi Business Journal archives from November 2008

NBAF team still working on deal.(National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility)
November 3, 2008... Special to the Business Journal Representatives from the Gulf States Bio and Agro- Defense Consortium recently met with congressional leaders from numerous states to strengthen Mississippi's bid to bring the National Bio and Agro-Defense...

Politicos take pulpit at Hobnob.
November 3, 2008... The Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum transformed Thursday morning from a showcase of the state's agrarian heritage into a political pulpit. Several candidates and state Democratic and Republican leaders made last-minute pleas to...

John McCain can't win, Luntz says.(Frank Luntz)(Brief article)
November 3, 2008... The next time Frank Luntz encounters Marsha Barbour, he would do well to turn and run. Luntz, a national pollster who spoke Thursday at the Mississippi Economic Council's annual Hobnob Mississippi, gave Mississippi's First Lady's husband...

Ross Reily named Mississippi Business Journal managing editor.
November 3, 2008... Veteran Mississippi newsman Ross Reily has been named managing editor of the Mississippi Business Journal. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] He fills the opening created when Jim Laird, longtime head of the Business Journal's newsgathering...

McBride: Mississippi needs an alternative fuels clearinghouse.
November 3, 2008... On a recent trip to Washington, D.C., to discuss transportation issues with national leaders, Rep. Warner McBride, chairman of the State House of Representative's Transportation Committee, learned much about the work in alternative fuels going...

AG's charges 'completely unfounded,' says Entergy Mississippi CEO.
November 3, 2008... The latest round of inquiries into Entergy Mississippi's business practices could reach a resolution by the end of November. Attorneys with the company and from the Mississippi Attorney General's office laid out their cases last Monday in...

[Cartoon].(Perspective)(Cartoon)
November 3, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] WELCOME TO THE GOAT ROAST, MR. GREENSPAN!

Business news like you've never read it before.(Perspective)
November 3, 2008... Mississippi -- it extends from Iuka to Woodville, from Walls to Moss Point, from Rosedale to Smithville and from Port Gibson to Quitman. In Mississippi, you find the goodness and courage of everyday Americans whether at the end of a...

Defining leadership as we head to the polls.(Decision 2008)
November 3, 2008... The subject of leadership gets a lot of attention. And rightly so. There seems to be a dearth of leadership at so many levels these days. But let us not forget the followers--or the heroes. Leadership has been described in many ways....

Secretary of State anticipating record turnout for historic election.(Decision 2008)
November 3, 2008... Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann has a few tips for making election day smoother for Mississippi voters. "There is no doubt Tuesday, November 4 will be a historic election, and we anticipate a record turnout," says Hosemann. "Our office...

Simple charge: vote.(Editorial)(Brief article)
November 3, 2008... There's a lot riding on Tuesday's elections, whether it be the Presidential race between Sen. John McCain and Sen. Barack Obama or the Mississippi senate race between Roger Wicker and Ronnie Musgrove. In either case, your vote should not be...

Barack Obama.(Decision 2008)(Column)
November 3, 2008... Mississippi will be the better under an Obama/Biden Administration in the same way the country will be. Our men and women who are in Iraq will come home sooner. The individuals who brought us the Wall Street/housing market/financial bailout...

John McCain.(Decision 2008)
November 3, 2008... Rarely does a small state like Mississippi have the opportunity to elect one of its own to the White House--Arkansas got to with Bill Clinton during the 90's--but John McCain comes close. His family connections to Mississippi are significant,...

Backers tout Obama as best choice for the Magnolia State.(Decision 2008)(Barack Obama)
November 3, 2008... Mississippians just don't seem to know what's good for them. That, in effect, is what state Democratic Party leaders are saying as they look ahead to Tuesday's election. With polls of Mississippi voters showing the Democrats'...

What would a McCain-Palin administration mean to the state?(Decision 2008)
November 3, 2008... It has been a while (1980 and President Jimmy Carter) since the Democrats' nominee for President has outpolled the Republican contender, and it has not even been close. In 2004, President George W. Bush took 59.5% of the Mississippi vote,...

Economy, education cornerstones of Musgrove's campaign.(Decision 2008)
November 3, 2008... After four years of being on the outside looking in, Ronnie Musgrove jumped front and center into Mississippi politics when he announced in January that he was running against his friend and former roommate Roger Wicker for the right to fill...

Industry advocacy orgs lining up with support for Roger Wicker.(Decision 2008)
November 3, 2008... It has been 14 years since interim Republican Sen. Roger Wicker was involved in an election in which there was even a little doubt that he would be victorious. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In November 1994 Wicker, then a state senator from...

Banner week for business developments in late October.
November 3, 2008... Good news for a change. At a time when troubling news about the economy is dominating the headlines, Mississippi had a slew of successes in the business world in late October. "We recently had a banner week for Mississippi," said Gray...

'We aren't going to get out of this overnight,' commissioner says.
November 3, 2008... The federal government has pledged $700 billion to invest in troubled banks in the country with the intention of unfreezing credit markets. But there have been concerns about some banks hoarding the money or spending it for other purposes...

Electing or appointing judges can be a double-edged sword.(Focus: Law & Accounting)
November 3, 2008... There's a case to be made for appointing judges, but there's also one for electing them. Politics, law professionals point out, are involved with both methods. "The politics will take on a different form and work in different ways, but...

Baker, Donelson promoting diversity in profession.(Focus: Law & Accounting)
November 3, 2008... The law firm of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell Berkowitz, PC, in its ongoing efforts to promote diversity in the legal profession, has selected the recipients in its recently established diversity scholarship program. Baker Donelson has...

Accountants, lawyers working on year-end planning with clients.(Focus: Law & Accounting)
November 3, 2008... Accountants and attorneys are providing end-of-year planning suggestions to clients as 2008 draws to a close. Gulfport CPA Jerry Levens says taxpayers should watch the outcome of the Presidential election. "Both candidates have made...

Society of CPAs preparing for upcoming legislative session.(Focus: Law & Accounting)
November 3, 2008... It's a busy time for the Mississippi Society of Certified Public Accountants (MSCPA). While members are helping clients sort out the various strains on the economy as this tumultuous year comes to a close, the association is providing support...

Past presidents of the Miss. Bar Association.
November 3, 2008... Past Presidents of the Miss. Bar Association Name/City Year Served G. D. Shards Oxford Jan.-June, 1906 Murray F. Smith Vicksburg ...

Bar tackling wide range of issues for its members, public.(Focus)(Bar associations)
November 3, 2008... The Mississippi Bar is continuing to serve the needs of its members as it's done since its founding in 1906. Now with approximately 6,800 members, the organization is offering programs to address a changing world that includes the growing use...

Connecting with students, faculty key to academic library.(Cook Business)
November 3, 2008... Academic libraries, like all libraries, are changing to meet the needs of the times. They are centers of information, serving students, faculty and staff. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Joan Estes Tierce, district director of libraries for...

Unemployment rate falls.(Strictly Business)
November 3, 2008... In September, Mississippi's unadjusted unemployment rate was 7.4%, down from 7.7% in August, according to the Mississippi Department of Employment Security (MDES). The number of unemployed fell by 4,300 while employment declined by 3,700....

Chiquita signs lease.(Strictly Business)
November 3, 2008... GULFPORT -- Chiquita Fresh North America and the Mississippi State Port Authority have put the finishing touches on a new lease that will extend the partnership of the two organizations through the year 2019. Gov. Haley Barbour, U.S. Sen....

Ayrshire buys ACT.(Strictly Business)(Ayrshire Electronics)(ACT Electronics)(Brief article)
November 3, 2008... CORINTH -- According to the Governor's Office, Louisville, Ky.-based Ayrshire Electronics will acquire the assets of a Corinth company that had said it would close by the end of the year. The cost of the acquisition was not disclosed. The...

GE Aviation dedicates plant.(Strictly Business)
November 3, 2008... PANOLA COUNTY -- On October 23, GE Aviation dedicated its new jet engine component factory near Batesville. "Today we realize the tremendous promise offered by this outstanding project since the initial announcement two years ago that it...

TTA to supply Toyota.(Strictly Business)
November 3, 2008... BLUE SPRINGS -- According to the Governor's Office, automotive supplier Toyota Tsusho America Inc. (TTA) will locate two operations in Blue Springs to supply Toyota Motor Manufacturing Mississippi. The cost of the project was not disclosed. ...

Cadence records loss.(Strictly Business)(Cadence Financial Corporation)(Financial report)(Brief article)
November 3, 2008... STARKVILLE -- Cadence Financial Corporation, a $2-billion financial holding company whose principal subsidiary is Cadence Bank, N.A., reports a net loss of $5.3 million, or $0.44 per diluted share, for the third quarter ended September 30,...

Jancor shutting down.(Strictly Business)(Jancor Companies Inc)(Brief article)
November 3, 2008... AROUND MISSISSIPPI -- Jancor Companies Inc. is ceasing all United States operations effective immediately at its five subsidiary companies, including Outdoor Technologies Inc. in Macon. According to Jancor, this action became necessary due...

Lucas named interim.(Strictly Business)
November 3, 2008... JACKSON AND STARKVILLE -- The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) has named University of Southern Mississippi (USM) president emeritus and professor of higher education Dr. Aubrey K. Lucas interim commissioner,...

Med-1 ready to serve.(Strictly Business)(Mississippi State Department of Health introducing medical hospital)(Brief article)
November 3, 2008... JACKSON -- On October 23, the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) and the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) unveiled Mississippi Med-l, a mobile field hospital that is self-contained, self-sufficient and ready to respond...

Barbour speaks at conference.(Strictly Business)(Conference notes)
November 3, 2008... CHICAGO -- On October 28, Gov. Haley Barbour keynoted the first U.S.-China-Japan Automotive Conference in Chicago, focusing on auto industry globalization, foreign investment and why American businesses should seek partnerships with Asian...

Peoples re-states earnings.(Strictly Business)(Peoples Financial Corp.)(Financial report)(Brief article)
November 3, 2008... BILOXI -- Peoples Financial Corporation, parent of The Peoples Bank, has recorded an additional loan loss provision of $300,000, or $198,000 net of taxes, which reduces previously reported earnings for the quarter ended September 30, 2008, to a...

First Trust consolidating.(Strictly Business)
November 3, 2008... NEW ORLEANS -- First Trust Corporation plans to merge all of its banks under the charter of First Bank and Trust. The company said the move that would allow First Bank and Trust to extend its brand, capital strength, commitment and menu of...

Oby's closes location.(Strictly Business)(Brief article)
November 3, 2008... FLOWOOD -- On October 29, Oby's Corporate closed Oby's of Flowood. The company said the decision to close its Flowood operations is primarily due to the increasing economic downturn and an extensive family illness with one of the franchise...

MUW taking name suggestions.(Strictly Business)(Mississippi University for Women)(Brief article)
November 3, 2008... COLUMBUS -- Mississippi University for Women (MUW) Naming Committee is seeking help to rename the university. Anonymous suggestions for a new name can be submitted online at www.muw.edu/pie/name. The site can also be accessed from the MUW...

Mass layoffs increase.(Strictly Business)
November 3, 2008... WASHINGTON--In September, employers took 2,269 mass layoff actions, seasonally adjusted, as measured by new filings for unemployment insurance benefits during the month, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The number of workers...

First Hyatt Place opens.(Strictly Business)(Hyatt Corp.)(Brief article)
November 3, 2008... RIDGELAND--Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, Madison Lodging, LLC, and InterMountain Management have opened Hyatt Place Jackson/Ridgeland, marking Mississippi's first Hyatt-branded hotel and the first newly built Hyatt Place in the South. The hotel,...

ELFA releases index.(Strictly Business)(Equipment Leasing and Finance Association)
November 3, 2008... WASHINGTON -- The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association's (ELFA's) Monthly Leasing and Finance Index (MLFI-25), which reports economic activity for the $650-billion equipment finance sector, showed overall new business volume for September...

Courses featured on TV.(Strictly Business)
November 3, 2008... ACROSS MISSISSIPPI -- On October 28, The Golf Channel's "Golf With Style" television show featured Mississippi golf courses. The Mississippi Development Authority's (MDA's) Tourism Division escorted The Golf Channel through Mississippi to...

MDOT project makes finals.(Strictly Business)(Mississippi Department of Transportation)(Brief article)
November 3, 2008... MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST -- ITSA (Intelligent Transportation Systems--America) has declared the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) project to reconnect and improve the network of traffic signals along U.S. 90 on the Gulf Coast a...

Workers may get TAA.(Strictly Business)
November 3, 2008... GUNTOWN -- Former employees of Unicord International, LLC, d/b/a Columbia Rope Company (CRC), may be eligible to receive payments and qualify for a variety of reemployment services under the Trade Adjustment Assistance Act (TAA), according to...

Coast EPA gets loan.(Strictly Business)
November 3, 2008... BAY ST. LOUIS -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has selected 33 rural utilities and cooperatives in 26 states to receive $1.8 billion in loans to build and repair 7,600 miles of distribution and transmission lines serving more than...

Courtyard's opening set.(Strictly Business)
November 3, 2008... VICKSBURG -- According to Southern Hospitality Services, LLC, the Courtyard by Marriott Vicksburg is scheduled to open in December 2008, and will feature 107 rooms and four suites. The cost of the project was not disclosed. In addition,...

Advanced Ear, Nose and Throat Specialty Clinic.(People to Watch)(Brief article)
November 3, 2008... Dr. Shane Tucker and his staff recently celebrated the official opening of Advanced Ear, Nose and Throat Specialty Clinic in New Albany. The practice features an in-office CT Scanner, allergy testing and treatment, audiology services including...

Mississippi State Department of Education.(People to Watch)
November 3, 2008... Dr. Hank M. Bounds, Mississippi's superintendent of education, has been named to the first-ever national Education Council focused on expanding and enhancing the manufacturing workforce. The council held its inaugural meeting October 29 in...

Pryor & Morrow Architects, P.A.(People to Watch)
November 3, 2008... Kevin Burchfield of Pryor & Morrow Architects' Columbus office has completed his landscape architectural certification exams and is now a licensed Mississippi landscape architect. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Burchfield received his...

Staplcotn and Stapldiscount.(People to Watch)
November 3, 2008... Meredith Allen has been promoted to executive vice president of Staple Cotton Cooperative Association (Staplcotn) and Staple Cotton Discount Corporation (Stapldiscount) in Greenwood. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Allen began his career with...

The Morrell Agency Inc.(People to Watch)(Ruth E. Phillips)(Brief article)
November 3, 2008... Ruth E. Phillips, AAI, AIM, CISR, CPIW, CPSR, DAE, has been elected council director elect of the Mississippi Council of the National Association of Insurance Women. She is an agent and customer service representative for The Morrell Agency...

Holcomb Dunbar, P.A.(People to Watch)
November 3, 2008... Jack Dunbar, senior partner and cofounder of the Oxford-based law firm, Holcomb Dunbar, P.A. , has been recognized for inclusion in the 2009 Edition of the "Best Lawyers in America" in the specialty of alternative dispute resolution, municipal...

Consumer Credit Counseling Service.(People to Watch)
November 3, 2008... Sherry Rainey of Madison has been named president of Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Jackson. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Jackson native will be responsible for community outreach, business development, special events, marketing...

Land Bank of North Mississippi.(People to Watch)(appoints Matthew Kimbrough )(Brief article)
November 3, 2008... Matthew Kimbrough of New Albany has joined Land Bank of North Mississippi's Tupelo branch office as a loan officer trainee. He graduated from Mississippi State University in May with a bachelor's degree in agribusiness and a minor in...

Eubank & Betts, PLLC.(People to Watch)
November 3, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Heather Davis has joined the CPA firm of Eubank & Belts, PLLC, in Jackson as a staff accountant. Davis is a graduate of Mississippi College where she received a BSBA in accounting.

Cotton harvest ends trying year for ever shrinking crop.(Mississippi Agribusiness)
November 3, 2008... Cotton farmers are trying just to put the season behind them after a year of struggling with the crop once called "king" in Mississippi. Darrin Dodds, cotton specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said much of...

Business events and (more).(Calendar)
November 3, 2008... Thursday, November 6 * Mistletoe Marketplace will be held November 6-8 at the Mississippi Trade Mart in Jackson. The general shopping hours will be 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. November 6 and 7 and 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. November 8. Special events...

Alternative fuels could put gas in tank, money in bank.
November 10, 2008... Every month, Jon Jones is left with a problem the size of a small mountain. He is a poultry grower in Simpson County, and just like his peers, he struggles with what to do with the huge amounts of litter his operation generates. "I don't...

State's airports hoping holiday travel is no humbug.
November 10, 2008... On Oct. 29, the U.S. Department of Transportation's (USDOT's) Bureau of Transportation Statistics released a report that showed that average domestic airfares in the second quarter of 2008 reached their highest level for any quarter in the 13...

50 million pennies: for Mississippi Baptist Association, it believes they are pennies from heaven.(Brief article)
November 10, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] What does $500,000 mean to you? Some may see this as a good amount of money for some luxury expenses. Some may view this number as a great amount to work with in economic standings or development of their companies...

Change a long time coming.(Column)
November 10, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] I knew I had to get (Max) Schmeling good. I had my own personal reasons and the whole damned country was depending on me." Hall of Fame boxer and African American, Joe Louis, wrote those words in his 1976...

A new quarterback!(Perspective)(Cartoon)
November 10, 2008... GOOD LUCK! [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Contact Hattie-burg-based cartoonist Ricky Nobile at nobilericky@aol.com

Election 2008 by the numbers.(Viewpoint essay)
November 10, 2008... Odds and ends, bits and pieces, some statistics and an opinion or two after last week's historic election process. Like him or not, President-elect Barack Obama has certainly earned much respect for the way he organized and managed his...

Time for Wicker to forgive and get to work for state.(Roger Wicker)(Editorial)(Brief article)
November 10, 2008... Now that former Gov. Ronnie Musgrove officially conceded the U.S. Senate race to Republican Roger Wicker last week, Mississippians can move forward without scathing and bad-mannered political advertising jamming our airways. Wicker, who...

Moving into the new world with rapidly changing technology.(Delta Regional Authority)(Viewpoint essay)
November 10, 2008... Impoverished regions such as the Delta face formidable challenges as they attempt to become more competitive in the knowledge-based economy of the new century. We must, of course, improve our inadequate physical infrastructure, with major...

When we all can be proud to be Americans.(Perspective)
November 10, 2008... The TV screen suddenly read, "BARACK OBAMA ELECTED PRESIDENT." And with that simple message, the screams began to be heard in the small central room in the Obama Headquarters in Greenville. The hundred or so souls only moments before had...

We need to reassure our employees, or do we?(Perspective)
November 10, 2008... Since the financial press is swamped with facts and opinions about the current economic debacle I doubt that adding my two cents to the mix would be useful. However, I do believe it useful and encouraging to point out that the US economy has...

A political knee-slapper: Nash and Taggart follow up serious historical book with humorous, easy-to-read stories.(Book Biz)(Jere Nash)(Andy Taggart)
November 10, 2008... One look at the cover, and there is no doubt this political book by Jere Nash and Andy Taggart is a little off. The cover photo shows former Gov. Cliff Finch and Col. Harland Sanders, founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken, enjoying some...

Tupelo's Reed OK after health scare: longtime businessman ran for governor in 1987, losing to Ray Maybus.
November 10, 2008... State Republican stalwart and former gubernatorial candidate Jack Reed of Tupelo underwent emergency surgery last Tuesday morning and was briefly in the intensive care unit at North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo. Reed, who built his...

Voter reform: Hoseman believes now is the time to implement new legislation that includes a renewed push for voter ID.(Cover story)
November 10, 2008... With last Tuesday's election in the books, and few. problems reported with the record turnout, voting issues are poised to take center stage when the Legislature convenes Jan. 6. Then-new Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann presented a...

Jefferson Davis County: a great place to vote if you are dead.
November 10, 2008... A comparison of the number of registered voters and 2000 Census numbers by county in Mississippi gets weird when you get to Jefferson Davis County. That's because the number of registered voters far exceeds the total population. According...

Mississippi election: by the numbers.(Statistical table)
November 10, 2008... Mississippi Election: By the numbers Unofficial ELECTORATE Registered Percent County Population Voters Reg. Voter Adams 31,710 21,949 69.22%...

Real estate agents hunker down to weather the storm.(Focus)
November 10, 2008... For most real estate agents in Mississippi, it is time to hunker down, trim expenses and weather the stoma of the subprime mortgage failure disaster. "We've had downtimes in my business, ups and down, but never a downtime that lasted this...

Metro area staying stable.(Real Estate Quarterly)
November 10, 2008... As the largest population center in Mississippi, the housing market in Jackson and the surrounding suburbs has traditionally been the strongest in the state. So how are things now that the national housing market has collapsed under the...

Northeast's sales weak.(Real Estate Quarterly)
November 10, 2008... Columbus Realtor Don West, owner of Coldwell Banker/West Realty, knows the housing market in the Golden Triangle area of Northeast Mississippi has slumped. "But I haven't run the full numbers because it's too depressing," West said. "But...

Coast still feeling Katrina.(Focus)
November 10, 2008... The housing market, and just about everything else, on the Mississippi Gulf Coast changed August 29, 2005. That was the day Hurricane Katrina came ashore and left behind what has been the largest and most expensive clean-up and rebuilding...

Delta market stays steady.(Focus)
November 10, 2008... Long an area where it has been difficult to attract industry, the Mississippi Delta's housing market historically has been similar to a dependable clock--sure and steady. While some parts of the state such as the areas just south of...

Housing woes not significantly affecting commercial Realtors.(Focus)
November 10, 2008... While the commercial real estate market is not immune to the current calamity of the residential market, commercial Realtors say they are staying busy--really busy. They are reporting traffic is well up. Lenders are a little gun-shy because...

MHC assistance programs hit by tightening credit market.(Real Estate Quarterly)
November 10, 2008... The financial meltdown has come down hard on the nation's housing finance agencies, which provide tens of thousands of mortgages to first-time low and moderate-income homebuyers. State housing finance agencies helped finance 119,920...

Off-campus student housing sales strong.(Focus)
November 10, 2008... For years, there's been a growing trend for college students to live off campus. Often that means homes and condos purchased by parents. How has the current housing slump affected the student market in the towns that are home to the state's...

Realtors land institute.
November 10, 2008... Realtors Land Institute Member Name Company Barbara Adams Realty Executives Pete Alman Alman Realty & Associates John Arnold DAB Realty Kyle Bass Mossy Oak Properties--Forest...

Homebuilders.
November 10, 2008... Homebuilders Name/Address Phone Number/ Top Officer Annual New Fax Number Year Founded Permits Acadian Builders LLC John E. Price Jr. 5 513 Liberty Rd., 1979...