LINK WorkKeys May Be Key to Ambitious Students’ Futures

GTR Region, MS — Courtesy of the Dispatch

Macaulay Whitaker, COO for the GTR LINK, recently spoke about the WorkKeys program that has been in place in high schools since 2015: “The goal of the (grant) program was to get the high schools started and then track what was happening in the Legislature and Department of Education,” he said. The state legislature approved a $1 million grant for the program in 2019, which has helped to pay for testing and for rewards granted to students who score well on the ACT-adjacent tests.

Lenora Hogan, Director of Starkville High School’s Millsaps Career and Technology Center, remarked that “WorkKeys certification would help [students to] get better internships. I want my students to have every certification they can get. WorkKeys are as much for college-bound kids as anyone. It’s a real value.”

“I think the Work Ready certification demonstrated something we here in the Golden Triangle are particularly good at: Teamwork around an initiative,” Whitaker went on to say. “We had to have everybody involved to make it work: The LINK, EMCC, community leaders, county and city government and the high schools. Establishing WorkKeys as a tool at every level was a big part of that.”

Please click here for the original article: https://cdispatch.com/news/2021-06-17/off-the-training-wheels/

Come TASTE Something New

STARKVILLE, MS – Courtesy of the Dispatch

A new fine dining establishment has just opened its doors at the former location of Veranda, at 208 Lincoln Green Rd. They offer a variety of dishes (which will rotate from time to time) alongside a large selection of wines, cocktails, and other beverages. Manager Michael McIntosh says that they “believe in what we’re doing. . . We believe that what we’re doing in this building will set the standard. It’s our job to be the best. . . We’re coming to an area where our style of service, cuisine, and cocktails aren’t really a part of Starkville. But people want something different and unique. We want to be the spot where everyone wishes to be.” They have put great emphasis on locally-sourced ingredients.

Owner Craig Fant remarked that “It’s just a restaurant but it happens to be one of the better ones in Northeast Mississippi. We’re just trying to bring some of these flavors and some of these styles these guys have to Starkville.”
Call for more info/reservations: (662) 270-0700 or go to their website at https://tastestarkville.com/

Local veterinary service Twelve Oaks has now opened up a permanent location at 105 C Martin Luther King Drive, thanks to their success in operating a formerly mobile clinic. They hope to be able to accommodate more customers and services. They plan to open up the new office in a few weeks.

Please click here for the original article: https://cdispatch.com/news/2021-06-17/mary-means-business-jimmy-johns-in-columbus-closed/

City to Sell Downtown’s Gilmer Inn

COLUMBUS, MS – Courtesy of the Dispatch

The city council recently approved a deal that will allow Financial Concepts to acquire the old Gilmer Inn property on Main Street for a sum of $270,000. FC’s CEO Scott Ferguson remarked that, “As we’ve grown, we realized that we needed a bigger space. We wanted to stay in that downtown area and we looked. We think we’ve got an exciting project to not only move our office and build a new space but also have some other elements to it as well.” He also referred to the property, which used to hold the Inn until its demolition in 2015, as “a fantastic property right in the heart of downtown.”

Ferguson says that they plan to break ground later this year, and anticipate new construction to finish up in about 12 to 15 months.

Please click here for the original article: https://cdispatch.com/news/2021-06-16/city-sells-gilmer-inn-property-to-private-developer/

New Steps Taken to Advance Mission of Saving Lives

JACKSON, Miss. — Courtesy of WAPT Channel 6

MSU, in cooperation with the Jackson MAA, has now performed the first-ever unmanned aircraft take off from an airport. The Tigershark is a remote-controlled survey aircraft designed to perform environmental analyses, to help explore disaster areas in order to get help to those who need it more quickly, help to more quickly make decisions on evacuation needs and routes, and more. It has even performed such roles in the past.

“We have been able to fly more rural areas readily with FAA rules and regulations. Right now, one of the things that is very important with our work with the FAA is trying to prove the safety case for trying to fly these type of vehicles out of an urban area,” said Raspet Flight Research Laboratory VP of Research and Economic Development Julie Jordan.

Please click here for the original article: https://www.wapt.com/article/mississippi-state-partners-with-jmaa-makes-history-with-unmanned-aircraft/36547266

A Trifecta of Business News

GOLDEN TRIANGLE REGION, MS – Courtesy of the Dispatch

STARKVILLE, MS
101 W. Main St, the old Rex Theater ticket office, is now home to Dolce, a new gelato shop that has opened just in time to help patrons cool off with some nice, tasty treats. Go check them out for a variety of frozen desserts or all kinds! The basis for many of their frozen goodies is Sweet Magnolia gelato, from right here in Mississippi. Tues~Thurs 2~9pm and Fri~Sat 2~10pm.

COLUMBUS, MS
Kellogg Hardware and Appliances, 620 Commerce St., has announced that they are closing their doors after three-quarters of a century serving local customers. They are holding a going out of business sale. “As the sale goes on, I marvel at the number of customers that have come by to express their sadness of our closing,” owner Bucky Kellogg said. “I realize how truly blessed we have been to have customers that are truly like a part of our family. Thank you so much.”

WEST POINT, MS
Kellogg Hardware and Appliances, 620 Commerce St., has announced that they are closing their doors after three quarters of a century serving local customers. They are holding a going out of business sale. “As the sale goes on, I marvel at the number of customers that have come by to express their sadness of our closing,” owner Bucky Kellogg said. “I realize how truly blessed we have been to have customers that are truly like a part of our family. Thank you so much.”
Monday through Saturday 8 a.m.-4 p.m. and Wednesdays 8 a.m.-noon.

Please click here for the original article: https://cdispatch.com/news/2021-05-20/mary-means-business-gelato-shop-opens-in-starkville/

New Shopping Center Coming to Starkville

STARKVILLE, Miss. – Courtesy of WCBI

Now that Garan Manufacturing has moved from Hwy 12 to its new digs in the Northstar Industrial Park, a preview has been released showing off the new shopping center that is planned for the space.

“We’ll be developing that into what’s often called a power center[;] it will be anchored by an international grocery store and then also a large well-known discount, shoes, household goods,” said the owner of Castle Properties Mark Castleberry. “As that population comes they like to buy things they’re using goods and services and that sector hasn’t really been filled in or has grown as quickly as the residential growth so we’ll be keeping a lot of dollars here in Starkville and I think also making Starkville more desirable as a place to live,” he went on to say.

The current plan is to demolish the existing building in late Summer and to have the new structure ready to use by sometime next year.

Please click here for the original article: https://www.wcbi.com/a-new-shopping-center-is-being-planned-in-starkville/

New Places to Get Some Good Grub Moving on in!

GTR REGION, MS – Courtesy of the Dispatch

COLUMBUS

Having lived up in Portland for a number of years, Jeff Dudley has come back home to the South, and he’s bringing a new kind of food truck with him. Yardbird Bento will specialize in marinated chicken over rice (with your choice of nearly a dozen sauces) as its primary type of dish. He should be ready to roll by the first week of June, and will be serving up some tasty chicken Mondays thru Fridays from 11am~5:30pm: “There are a lot of food carts (in Portland),” Dudley said. “There was one particular one that was there that did this same thing, and they’ve been doing it for 16 years. I frequented the place quite a bit. . .We moved back here and this is what we decided to go with.”

STARKVILLE

Columbus’ Hollydale Health Food Store, first opened in 1976, has expanded into a new location over in Stark Vegas. He found that he had been getting plenty of business from SV residents who drove to Columbus to shop at his store, so expanding was the natural choice. This new, second store can be found at 446 Hwy. 12 Suite B; it is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

GTR AREA

Finally, Chat Phillips, having founded the Inaka Tea Company in 2019, is now bringing his bottled barley teas to the grocery store shelves. Check your local Kroger and give it a shot!

Please click here for the original article: https://cdispatch.com/news/2021-05-06/mary-means-business-new-food-truck-coming-to-columbus/

Green Energy Making Waves

LOWNDES COUNTY, MS – Courtesy of the GTR LINK

Origis Systems will be bringing a 200MW solar farm to Lowndes County; the go-ahead for the project was recently announced by Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley.

“This project sends a signal to the world that Mississippi is dedicated to smart renewable energy expansion and energy independence. The investment by Origis is an economic development boom for the Golden Triangle and for the development of Mississippi’s resources. With the addition of battery storage, this project will provide new technology, weatherization and harness Mississippi’s solar energy in a way unseen until now,” said Presley.

Please click here for the full article:
https://gtrlink.org/news/article/222

Biz iz Buzzin’ in the GTR

GOLDEN TRIANGLE AREA, MS – Courtesy of the Dispatch

COLUMBUS

Renasant Bank on Main Street officially closed its doors on April 2nd, per their PR VP Liz McIntyre. Their 18th Ave branch remains open.

Family Dollar at 60 Mike Parra Rd near the airbase is getting ready for its Grand Opening this Sunday. They will be open 7 days a week.

Nearby, Friendly City Mini-Warehouse is preparing a site for their location at Hwy 45 and Gatlin Road. They anticipate opening for business in about eight months from now; they will have both regular and climate-controlled units, as well as RV and boat parking. They will also have 24/7 checkin and leasing via a convenient computerized kiosk. https://www.friendlycitymini.com.
In Brickerton Plaza, Beans and Cream has changed its name to Southbound Coffee Co., as we recently reported here on GFB. It has the same owners, same menu, same coffee and same baristas (just with a new name). Mon thru Sat 6-6.

STARKVILLE

Uno Mas has opened up in the Cotton District at the former location of the STAGgerIn Sports Bar at 106 Maxwell St. They will offer Tex-Mex food, margaritas, and more. Mon~Thurs 11-11, Fri~Sat 11-midnight, and Sundays 11-10. This is their third location, joining their shops in Madison and in Oxford.

Please click here for the original article: https://cdispatch.com/news/2021-04-15/mary-means-business-renasant-bank-closes-main-street-branch-in-columbus/

Businesses New and Old Thriving in Starkville

STARKVILLE, MS – Courtesy of the Dispatch

The Power of the Almond held a ribbon-cutting this morning. They’re a new keto/celiac/diabetic-friendly restaurant in the research park near MSU. They offer all sorts of baked goodies, flatbreads, soups, casseroles, and coffee drinks. 60 Technology Blvd (first suite on the right), Lunch is available from 11AM~2PM weekdays and the in-house bakery is open until 5:30PM. — Keep an eye on our page right here in the next day or two for more info about them soon (and pictures!), as we swung by for a visit and a bite (hint: Their food is tasty!) — You can find them on FaceBook at Power of the Almond

Montgomery’s Jewelry is marking its diamond anniversary, having been in business for 75 years! Store Manager Michelle Sharp remarked that they “have weathered all of the fluctuations in this business, including the increase of metal costs . . . You have to move with the times. . . You can’t stay in the past and you can’t go too far into the future.” 218 E. Main St. They offer many types of jewelry, including custom pieces, as well as watch and jewelry repairs. Weekdays 9AM~5PM and Saturdays 9AM~2PM. FB: Montgomery’s Jewelry

Looking to host an event to celebrate a special occasion? Takoya Sherman’s Just For You Events and Visions is now in business and ready to take your calls. They offer planning for events of all kinds, and they also make custom items such as jewelry, car tags, and t-shirts to go along with them. Contact them at justforyoueventsandvision.com or on FB at Just For You Events and Visions

The Starkville Smoothie King has begun work on their new location at 308 Hwy. 12; they anticipate opening in mid-June.

Things are going well in the ‘Ville, and THAT’S Good for Business! Please click here for more business openings and the original article:

https://cdispatch.com/news/2021-04-01/mary-means-business-power-of-the-almond-opens-today-in-starkville/