The Mississippi Business Journal articles from October 2005

The Mississippi Business Journal archives from October 2005

Coast coliseum plans to come back from hurricane damage: what's in store? Same job with a new face.
October 3, 2005... BILOXI -- The Mississippi Coast Coliseum and Convention Center had planned to serve a banquet to 3,500 members of the Mississippi Municipal League (MML) August 29. Instead, the only diners the day Hurricane Katrina struck were jellyfish, says...

Deal expected to strengthen Irby's market position.(forecast of Stuart C. Irby Co.'s merger with Sonepar USA)
October 3, 2005... JACKSON -- The recent acquisition of family-owned Stuart C. Irby Company with Sonepar USA, a subsidiary of family-owned Sonepar SA Paris, brings two industry leaders together. From an international strategic perspective, the merger is...

Planners scurry to move meetings and conventions.
October 3, 2005... The night before Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, Genelle Perrin was in her office at Grand Casino Biloxi, frantically dialing meeting planners about rescheduling upcoming meetings. "The Friday before the hurricane, we were off...

In search of Jeffrey Gitomer.
October 3, 2005... Editor's Note: Ever wondered who Jeffrey Gitomer is or why his column appears weekly in the MISSISSIPPI BUSINESS JOURNAL? Staff writer Wally Northway decided to find out. Enjoy. Without hesitation, and certainly with no apology, he said, "I...

New South Economic Development Course postponed.
October 3, 2005... HATTIESBURG -- The New South Economic Development Course (NSEDC) at the University of Southern Mississippi, scheduled October 23-28 at the Gulf Park campus in Long Beach, has been postponed until early 2006. "We intend to reschedule this...

Stronger economy best way to gain tax revenue.(As I See It)
October 3, 2005... I'm trying to be a little more restrained at bashing my friends at the other end of the ideological spectrum these days, but the liberals' resurgent obsession with raising tax rates has called me back onto the playing field. The vast...

Building on rock, not sand.(planning casinos on land near the water)(governor Haley Barbour)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2005... Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall because it had been founded on rock....

Brewer Realty & Appraisal.(People to Watch)
October 3, 2005... Former DeSoto County (1980-94) and Tunica County (1994-2005) county administrator Kenneth M. Murphree has joined Brewer Realty & Appraisal, Senatobia. Murphree will focus on brokerage and appraisal in his hometown of Tunica County.

Guaranty Bank & Trust.(People to Watch)
October 3, 2005... Guaranty Bank & Trust's UVEST financial consultant Donna Adams has been authorized by the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) Board of Standards to use the certification marks CFP in accordance with CFP board certification and renewal...

Haddox Reid Burkes & Calhoun, PLLC.(Melanie Estridge and Michael Powell promoted)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2005... Melanie Estridge and Michael Powell have been promoted to managers at Haddox Reid Burkes & Calhoun, PLLC, Certified Public Accountants in Jackson. Estridge practices in the audit division of the firm and is a graduate of Delta State University....

Southern Eye Center.(honoring employees for their services)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2005... Southern Eye Center recently honored employees for 340 years of combined service. Those honored with five years of service are: Terri Arrington, Cynthia Barr, Deedra Davis, Wendy Greene, Darla Purvis, Alisha Salvato, Gwen Wallace, Christine...

Tradition Properties Inc.(Gerald Blessey appointed)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2005... Developer Joseph C. Canizaro announced the appointment of Gerald Blessey as president of Tradition Properties Inc. in Biloxi. The former mayor of Biloxi, well-known community leader and attorney will lead the day-to-day operations of...

SmartSynch.(People to Watch)
October 3, 2005... SmartSynch has named John Palmer to its board of directors. Palmer, a former ambassador to Portugal and telecommunications pioneer, will join six other members of the SmartSynch board. Palmer is chairman of GulfSouth Capital Inc. of Jackson,...

ImageForce.(People to Watch)
October 3, 2005... Robert Dillard of ImageForce (technology partner in Legal Resources Network) has become a CaseLogistix certified database designer and trainer. ImageForce provides consulting for software/hardware purchases, upgrades, document imaging and...

Rankin Medical Center's Emergency Department recently received the Schumacher Group's "Best Practices Award" for the Midwest Region.(People to Watch)
October 3, 2005... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Caption: Rankin Medical Center's Emergency Department recently received the Schumacher Group's "Best Practices Award" for the Midwest Region. Pictured with the award are: (l-r, first row): Dr. Andy Anfanger; Dr. John...

Governor names Hurricane recovery leadership: special to the Mississippi Business Journal.
October 3, 2005... In response to massive costs of that will surpass legal coverage provisions of federal and state funds. The Mississippi Hurricane Recovery Fund Inc:, a Mississippi nonprofit corporation, was established through ,the efforts of Gov. Haley...

Fast economic rebound expected on Coast, in South Miss: construction jobs will fuel employment sector.(Mississippi)
October 3, 2005... The first week after Hurricane Katrina, 600,000 people across the state couldn't go to work because of electrical outages and other problems. "Now that things are settled down and power is restored, we think 300,000 are still out of jobs...

Port Authority reports cleanup ahead of schedule.(Strictly Business)
October 3, 2005... GULFPORT -- The Mississippi State Port Authority (MSPA) saw a significant impact from Hurricane Katrina, including damage to navigational aids in the Gulfport channel and to transit sheds and freezer facilities. There was also a complete loss...

U.S. 61 project complete.(highway construction plans)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2005... On September 21, the final segment of four-lane U.S; 61, stretching from Leland to Memphis, was officially opened. This marks the achievement of the goal of having a four-lane highway spanning from the Central Mississippi Delta to Memphis. ...

Chevron repairs berth.(Strictly Business)
October 3, 2005... PASCAGOULA -- Chevron Corporation has repaired a hurricane-damaged product berth at its refinery in this Gulf Coast city, and is now transporting refined product from Pascagoula to its Collins terminal in Central Mississippi and to the...

NuStart chooses Grand Gulf.(Strictly Business)
October 3, 2005... PORT GIBSON -- NuStart Energy Development, LLC, a consortium of the nation's nuclear power companies, has chosen Grand Gulf Nuclear Station in West Mississippi and Belefonte Nuclear Plant near Scottsboro, Ala., as the sites it will use on...

State forestland bears brunt.(Hurricane Katrina damages)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2005... WASHINGTON -- Scientists from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service have found that approximately 19 billion board feet of timber spread over five million acres in Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama have been destroyed as a result...

Economists predict turnaround.(Strictly Business)
October 3, 2005... LOS ANGELES -- The devastation left by Hurricane Katrina could cost the U.S. economy an initial loss of 400,000 jobs in September and reduce monthly average job creation by 30,000 jobs for the rest of 2005, according to two Milken Institute...

MPC closed for months.(Mississippi Phosphates Corp., assessment of the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina)
October 3, 2005... PASCAGOULA -- Mississippi Phosphates Corporation (MPC) has completed a preliminary assessment of the damage caused by Hurricane Katrina to its plant in this Jackson County city. Based on its assessment, the company projects that the facility...

Barbour proposes bridge loans.(Haley Barbour, small business emergency bridge loan program )(Brief Article)
October 3, 2005... JACKSON -- Gov. Haley Barbour has proposed a small business emergency bridge loan program to provide temporary working capital for small businesses in Hurricane Katrina-affected counties. The short-term loan, modeled after a similar program in...

Wellman idled until November.(Wellman Inc. to resume production)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2005... HANCOCK COUNTY -- Wellman Inc. is expecting to resume PET resin production at its Pearl River facility in Mississippi Gulf Coast county in November. The facility, which was shut down in anticipation of Hurricane Katrina, did not sustain...

Butler Snow office reopens.(Butler, Snow, O'Mara, Stevens and Cannada P.L.L.C.)(Brief Article)
October 3, 2005... GULFPORT -- The law firm of Butler, Snow, O'Mara, Stevens & Cannada, PLLC, has reopened its office in this Gulf Coast city, which was temporally closed due to Hurricane Katrina. Thirteen attorneys and 12 staff are based in the office in the...

Auto dealers recovering, expecting heavy business.
October 3, 2005... Cars and trucks were easy prey for Hurricane Katrina, leaving them strewn about throughout the storm-torn area along the Coast and in South Mississippi. W.E. "Bill" Lehman, president of the Mississippi Automobile Dealer's Association...

MetroJackson Chamber of commerce goes into emergency mode.
October 3, 2005... JACKSON -- Hurricane Katrina certainly did not spare the metropolitan Jackson area. Still a hurricane when it reached Central Mississippi, the storm's high winds brought down trees, knocked out power and caused a fatality in the Belhaven area...

Builders face many challenges as reconstruction begins: companies busy with relief, recovery and rebuilding.
October 3, 2005... Marly Milstead, executive vice president of the Home Builders Association of Mississippi (HBAM) has been to the Mississippi Gulf Coast and seen the devastation first-hand. He said things are far worse than photographs or video show. "You...

Coast casinos plan to overcome crippling losses, rebuild.(Hurricane Katrina, trade policy)
October 3, 2005... Before state legislators voted to allow gaming on the water's edge in Mississippi, tourism officials on the Mississippi Gulf Coast had a tough time selling the 26-mile stretch of sand beach dotted with sleepy fishing villages and deepwater...

Moving casinos inland--even a bit--a prickly issue.(Focus)
October 3, 2005... Gov. Haley Barbour called a special session September 27 to discuss disaster relief measures for businesses, including a top-priority item: discussing options for land-based casinos. "Everybody knows we're going to get hit by another...

Casino Golf Courses fail prey to Katrina's wicked ways.(Focus)
October 3, 2005... MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST -- The golf courses owned by Coast casinos are also listed among Katrina's victims. The three that were open prior to the storm-Broadwater, Grand Bear and Bridges--had downed trees along with wind and water damage. The...

Beau Rivage deals with post-hurricane recovery issues.(Casinos & Gaming)
October 3, 2005... BILOXI -- Reports that Beau Rivage, which suffered less damage than its competitors, is breaking ranks with the Mississippi Gulf Coast gaming industry by opposing land-based casinos isn't true. "That original headline, 'Beau Says No'...

River casinos report post-Katrina bump in business.(Focus)
October 3, 2005... Clara Ross Stamps has noticed a pick up in meeting and convention business in the Vicksburg market since Hurricane Katrina shut down Mississippi Gulf Coast casinos. "Meeting planners are calling to reschedule Coast meetings and...

Headliner entertainment remains draw for casinos.(Casinos & Gaming)
October 3, 2005... Five years ago, when trumpet player Lee Loughnane of Chicago learned the band's June 15 show at Beau Rivage had been sold out weeks in advance, he was giddy. "Really?! That's fantastic," he said in 2000. "This is our 34th touring season....

Busy, busy days for Signal International.
October 10, 2005... PASCAGOULA -- The Signal International shipyards that provide overhaul, repair, upgrade and conversion for offshore oil drilling rigs had plenty of business prior to Katrina due to the high price of oil leading to increased incentives for...

Reeves offers financial 'state of the state'.(reconstruction planning after Hurricane Katrina)
October 10, 2005... Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Mississippi Gulf Coast August 29, leaving in its wake significant housing, business and infrastructure damage, and curtailing Mississippi's economic recovery. "Prior to Hurricane Katrina, the state's...

Hurricane Katrina places workforce training funds in peril.
October 10, 2005... After wrangling with state lawmakers on an annual basis for sufficient workforce training funds through general budget negotiations, industry leaders were thrilled when, earlier this year, the Mississippi Legislature created an annual $20...

CREATE, CDF joint venture on Community Leadership Institute.
October 10, 2005... TUPELO -- Ask 20 business and civic leaders for their definition of community service, and you'll likely receive 20 different answers, given their individual perspectives. Priorities, concerns and management styles all may vary given...

State Board pegs initial damage to two-year college campuses at $80M.
October 10, 2005... Special to the Mississippi Business Journal Mississippi's community and junior college system continues to assess the damages and address the needs of several of its community and junior colleges throughout the state in the aftermath of...

Most valuable Katrina lesson? Depend on yourself.
October 10, 2005... As terrible as the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katina is for our state and our neighboring states, there are some valuable life lessons to be learned by the survivors. Much has been written and broadcast about the lack of emergency...

Thoughts and prayers with state.(Letter to the Editor)
October 10, 2005... I recently returned to my home in Vermont, after being deployed as an Air Force Reservist to help respond to Hurricane Katrina. Part of my job was to provide Air Force support to the state, which consisted of airlifting materials and people...

Mississippi State Fair.(Perspective)(Cartoon)
October 10, 2005... MISSISSIPI STATE FAIR. RIDE THE HURRICANE NO .. I THINK WELL SKIP THAT RIDE! [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Quest for the right college well underway.
October 10, 2005... For most of us, October is synonymous with changing leaves, cooler temperatures and fall football weekends. But for stressed-out seniors and panic-stricken parents, it also represents another seasonal rite of passage--the Quest for College. ...

Butler, Snow, O'Mara, Stevens & Cannada, PLLC.(Rance Sapen appointed)(Brief Article)
October 10, 2005... Rance Sapen, CPA, CPCU, has joined Butler, Snow, O'Mara, Stevens & Cannada, PLLC, as chief financial officer, based in the firm's Jackson office. Sapen has over 14 years of financial and accounting management experience in both public and...

Jackson Medical Supply.(People to Watch)
October 10, 2005... Jackson Medical Supply has been certified by the U.S. Small Business Administration as a small business operating in a qualified HUBZone (Historically Underutilized Business Zone). Sylvester Oguh is owner of Jackson Medical Supply, a...

Grand Casino Tunica.(People to Watch)
October 10, 2005... Harrah's Entertainment is pleased to announce the following individuals as the Grand Casino Tunica executive team: Patrick Browne, Senior Vice President/General Manager; Ricky Busey, Assistant General Manager; Jerry Artigiliere, Vice President...

Harbor Walk-Main Harbor Development, LLC.(Jack Miller appointed)(Brief Article)
October 10, 2005... Jack Miller has been hired as project manager for Harbor Walk on the Ross Barnett Reservoir, a development of Main Harbor Development, LLC. Miller, formerly with Miller Saks Incorporated, came out of retirement to be a part of the project....

Ross & Yerger Inc.(People to Watch)
October 10, 2005... Marilyn Jones has been promoted to personal lines team leader in the Jackson-based insurance firm Ross & Yerger. Formerly an account manager with Ross & Yerger, Jones has been with the firm for 19 years. Lailah Valentine has been promoted from...

U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center.(People to Watch)
October 10, 2005... Jose E. Sanchez, a supervisory hydraulic engineer at the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) in Vicksburg, was recently promoted to chief of the Harbors, Entrances and Structures Branch of the ERDC Coastal and Hydraulics...

Mississippi Public Broadcasting.(People to Watch)
October 10, 2005... Pamela Hughes has joined Mississippi Public Broadcasting (MPB) as an accountant auditor. Hughes earned her BBA from the University of Southern Mississippi. Prior to joining MPB, she served as an accountant auditor with Mississippi State...

Jones County Junior College.(staff honor award for 2005)(Brief Article)
October 10, 2005... Jones County Junior College (JCJC) staff members were recently honored for outstanding service to the college: Velma Rogers, Kim Duckworth, Myra Boler, and Danny Wooten, who received the highest staff honor award for 2005. JCJC recently named...

Mississippi Municipal League.(Gene F. MeGee elected as president)(Brief Article)
October 10, 2005... Ridgeland Mayor Gene F. MeGee was re-elected president of the Mississippi Municipal League. McGee, who joined the League in 1985, has served in several key leadership positions, including first vice president and second vice president and...

GranthamPoole CPA.(People to Watch)
October 10, 2005... Chris Turnipseed, CPA, of Flowood and Monica Roberts of Canton joined GranthamPoole CPA as staff accountants, working with the firm's tax team. Prior to joining GranthamPoole, Turnnipseed worked for CPA firms in Jackson and Starkville. A...

Williford, Gearhart & Knight Inc., Engineers and Surveyors.(People to Watch)
October 10, 2005... Williford, Gearhart & Knight Inc., announces that Jon A. "Tony" Lucas has been promoted to the position of assistant survey manager for the survey department. Lucas has been with the firm since the summer of 2003 and has a total of 14 years'...

Hattiesburg Clinic.(People to Watch)
October 10, 2005... Michael Louis Goodman, M.D., FACS, joined Hattiesburg Clinic in the practice of neurosurgery. Goodman received his medical degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in Pennsylvania. He completed his internship at Duke...

President George Bush picks Thompson.(Horace A. Thompson III to be appointed for Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission)(Brief Article)
October 10, 2005... Special to the Mississippi Business Journal President George W. Bush has announced his intention to appoint Horace A. "Topper" Thompson III to the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. Thompson is a shareholder in Watkins...

State unemployment rate climbs to 7%, MDES reports; Katrina's impact will be seen in September numbers.(Strickly Business)
October 10, 2005... The state's unemployment rate rose to 7% in August, up from the 6.7% rate recorded in July, according to the Mississippi Department of Employment Security (MDES). The national unemployment rate in August was 4.9%. The number of employed...

TVA has record-setting year.(performance of Tennessee Valley Authority's hydroelectric plants )(Brief Article)
October 10, 2005... NORTH MISSISSIPPI -- The combined performance of the Tennessee Valley Authority's (TVA's) fossil, nuclear and hydroelectric plants during the 2005 fiscal year resulted in TVA setting numerous records in supplying power to its customers,...

CCCS wins approval.(Strickly Business)
October 10, 2005... JACKSON -- As part of Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Greater Atlanta's CredAbility Network, Consumer Credit Counseling Service (CCCS) of Jackson is among a select group approved by the Executive Office for United States Trustees to...

Malcolm White takes helm of Mississippi Arts Commission.(Strickly Business)
October 10, 2005... JACKSON -- The Mississippi Commission board has named Malcolm White of Jackson as the agency's new executive director. White took the helm October 1, and one of his first duties is to oversee the MAC's role in assisting artists and arts...

Detroit sends RV to chamber.(Strickly Business)
October 10, 2005... GULFPORT -- The Detroit Regional Chamber (DRC), with assistance from its members and partner organizations, is sending an RV, outfitted as a mobile office with 15 workstations, to the Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce. The DRC said it...

Bonds given 'negative'.(Strickly Business)
October 10, 2005... gulfport -- Fitch has placed approximately $97 million in bonds issued on behalf of Memorial Hospital at Gulfport on "Rating Watch Negative" and assigned it an "A" rating. Fitch said placement of the bonds on "Rating Watch Negative" was...

Hino donates trucks.(Strickly Business)
October 10, 2005... SOUTHAVEN -- Hino Trucks has donated three of its vehicles to the City of Waveland and two to the City of Bay St. Louis as the Coast communities clean up from Hurricane Katrina. Hino Motors Sales and Hino Motors Manufacturing are U.S.-based...

DuPont Delisle inspected.(Strickly Business)
October 10, 2005... DELISLE -- Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) inspections at the DuPont Delisle plant in Harrison County have revealed that, while the plant site was inundated with water and railcars pushed off the tracks and on their sides...

DUA deadline extended.(Disaster Unemployment Assistance)(Brief Article)
October 10, 2005... The filing period to apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) has been extended to November 30, 2005, according to the Mississippi Department of Employment Security (MDES). "The original filing deadline of October 7, 2005, was...

Parkway slightly impacted.(impact of Hurricane Rita on Parkway Properties Inc.)(Brief Article)
October 10, 2005... JACKSON -- Parkway Properties Inc. reports that all 15 of its properties in Houston are open and operational. Early assessments indicate that the properties incurred minimal damages as a result of Hurricane Rita. Furthermore, no properties...

Rita spares Callon assets.(Strickly Business)
October 10, 2005... NATCHEZ -- Callon Petroleum Company's assets in the Gulf of Mexico saw only a slight impact from Hurricane Rita, according to the company. All employees and contract personnel were safely evacuated prior to the storm. "We are very...

NSMI opens in Hub City.(Strickly Business)
October 10, 2005... HATTIESBURG -- National Storm Management Inc. (NSMI) is set to begin operations in this South Mississippi city. The roofing company has leased both warehouse and office space in the Hub City. "From this strategic location, National Storm...

CANM, UMC partner.(Cardiology Associates of North Mississippi, University of Mississippi Medical Center )(Brief Article)
October 10, 2005... TUPELO -- Cardiology Associates of North Mississippi (CANM) has partnered with the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMC) to expand UMC's cardiology fellowship program. The partnership allows for fellows to train on-site in a private...

Rita closes fabric stores.(Strickly Business)
October 10, 2005... BALDWYN -- Hurricane Rita effected the operating hours of 31 of Hancock Fabrics Inc.'s stores, according to the company. Through September 26, these stores lost a total of almost 100 full days of business and 25 partial days. Fifteen of...

Odyssey buying interest.(Odyssey Petroleum Corp., Verba Field )(Brief Article)
October 10, 2005... JASPER COUNTY -- Odyssey Petroleum Corporation of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, has entered into an agreement under which Odyssey would acquire a controlling interest (being a 95% working interest) in the Verba Field located in this East...

Mass layoffs decline.(Strickly Business)
October 10, 2005... WASHINGTON -- In August 2005, employers took 1,142 mass layoff actions, seasonally adjusted, as measured by new filings for unemployment insurance benefits during the month, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Each action involved at...

Sheldon Laboratory Systems eyes higher profile.(Company Profile)
October 10, 2005... CRYSTAL SPRINGS -- Considering that it has been around for more than a century and counts customers all over the world, Sheldon Laboratory Systems is a relatively unknown here in the Magnolia State. But the company that manufactures laboratory...

Banking, credit union leaders optimistic about reopening.
October 10, 2005... After helping financial institutions address safety, security, electricity, communication and transportation issues immediately following Hurricane Katrina, the chiefs of the Mississippi Bankers Association (MBA) and Mississippi Credit Union...

Bagley College of Engineering at MSU promoting diversity.(Mississippi State University, Dr. Tommy Stevenson appointed)
October 10, 2005... STARKVILLE -- When Dr. Tommy Stevenson speaks about the importance of diversity in student engineering programs, it's not just from an administrative perspective--it's from personal experience. Stevenson, who was recently named assistant...

Monotech/PSP growing at Yellow Creek Port in Tishomingo County.
October 10, 2005... On September 6, Monotech/PSP Industries unveiled plans for a major expansion of its facility in this Northeast Mississippi county. The expansion will create 100 new jobs, and is welcome news for both Tishomingo County and Yellow Creek Port just...

McGraw-Hill Construction offering relief.
October 10, 2005... Special to the Mississippi Business Journal NEW YORK -- McGraw-Hill Construction has launched a relief effort to serve the demand for information among construction industry professionals and property owners in the Gulf Coast region as...

RAMCO consolidating operations in Deep South Industrial Park.
October 10, 2005... RAMCO Inc., which operates convenience stores and fast food outlets and provides fuel distribution services from Meridian to the Gulf Coast, is consolidating its operations in the Deep South Industrial Park in Purvis and plans to open the new...

Post-Katrina relocation issues challenging businesses.(Focus Real Estate)
October 10, 2005... By the time Hurricane Katrina was churning slowly through Northeast Mississippi, the executive committee at Butler, Snow, O'Mara, Stevens & Cannada, PLLC, in Jackson was scrambling to communicate with the firm's 13 lawyers and 12 staff members...

Five minutes with the MBJ.(Focus Real Estate)(Interview)
October 10, 2005... Five Minutes with Jamie Chustz, vice president of Jackson-based Parkway Properties Inc. Mississippi Business Journal: Tell us about the demand for office space after the storm. Jamie Chustz: Leasing activity in the Jackson office...

Displaced Realtors picking up pieces, appreciative of relief.(Focus Real Estate)
October 10, 2005... A few weeks before Hurricane Katrina plowed through the Mississippi Gulf Coast beach communities, ReMax by the Gulf Realtor Elena Alm had sold a young couple their first waterfront home. Even though the Category Four storm totally destroyed the...

Hattiesburg agents: 'phones ringing off the wall'.(Focus Real Estate)
October 10, 2005... HATTIESBURG -- The sale of new homes in the Hub City was up 38% over the same period last year--and then Hurricane Katrina hit. Now, with thousands of hurricane evacuees from the Gulf Coast and Louisiana stranded in the Hattiesburg area,...