Business is Booming at Local Airport

COLUMBUS, MS – Courtesy of the Dispatch and Brian Jones

Columbus-Lowndes County Airport (off of Hwy 69) reports that they have seen a 200% jump in Summertime air traffic over this same time just as couple of years ago. This is, in large part, thanks to Fixed Base Operator Dan Dunston and his crew: “A lot of that is just because somebody is here to provide good service when people fly in,” he said. “We’re starting to get a lot of repeat customers. . . They’re flying coast-to-coast and our airport, like (Golden Triangle Regional Airport), is right underneath a major airway,” he went on to say. “There’s less traffic here (compared to GTRA), so it’s easy to get in and out of.”

In order to help build upon that success, officials are seeking nearly $2 million in FAA grant funding, to be used to repave the 20-year-old runway at the airport.

Their clients include a broad variety of pilots – everything from medical aircraft to forestry to private fliers. Also, they are an official FAA testing site, Duston said: “As of April, pilots and student pilots who need to take a written FAA knowledge exam can take it here. That’s great for us, because the next closest (testing area) is 100 miles away. Anybody at (Raspet Flight Research Laboratory at Mississippi State University) or in law enforcement can come here to take drone tests, for example.”

Please click here for the original article: https://cdispatch.com/news/columbus-lowndes-county-airport-sees-200-bump-in-traffic/

Airbus Celebrates Twenty Years in Columbus

COLUMBUS, MS – Courtesy of the Dispatch and Grant McLaughlin

Airbus Helicopters, Inc. recently celebrated the 20th anniversary of its industrial site in Columbus. They held a celebration and spoke about their history, and marked the occasion with the installation of a display model of their H125 aircraft near the entrance. “We are an entrepreneurial business at heart,” says Johannes Dienemann, Vice President, Industry and Civil Programs at the facility. “Many of our employees have stories of working their way up into leadership roles.”

They cited a number of factors as to why they placed a factory here, so far from their HQ in Plano, TX: that the GTR tri-city area has plenty of military veterans eager for work, the readiness of the government to encourage industry and the availability of technical expertise from local residents. The copters they produce “…are flying and protecting our nation,” says Dienemann.

They began with just seven workers here and have since expanded to over three hundred. Over the years, the region has since gained a number of other thriving industrial concerns – thanks, in part, to Airbus’ being willing to take a chance on our area.

Please click here for the original article: https://www.airbus.com/en/newsroom/stories/2023-09-behind-the-scenes-of-20-years-of-airbus-helicopters-in-mississippi

Bulley’s Lodge and Starbucks Expanding Their Operations

GOLDEN TRIANGLE REGION, MS – Courtesy of the Dispatch and Grant McLaughlin

STARKVILLE

Developer Mark Castleberry reports that he has been building out a new Starbucks location in the Triangle Crossing Shopping Center at 601 Hwy. 12 W. It is anticipated to be ready to open next year.

Professional cleaning service The Clean Team has moved to the big city! Originally based out of Ackerman, owner Ramae Allen said that they are moving their HQ to 506 Academy Rd in Starkville in order to accommodate the large userbase they have already established there: “The business is just growing,” Allen said. “We started off with four or five clients in Starkville to maybe even 50 or 60 clients now.”

WEST POINT

Mitch Bulley, owner of Bulley’s Lodge in Caledonia, is opening his second store. Like the current shop, they will offer premium meats and seafood, among other items. However, being in a larger town will also allow him to offer more seating space for patrons, as well as a lunch menu with offerings such as deli sandwiches and even steaks cooked to order. They will be opening next Thursday, Sept 28 in the old Farmhouse Market building at 3229 E. Church Hill Road: “[The prior owners] felt like I was a good choice to make an offer because they had heard good things about what we did in Caledonia and the business,” Bulley said. “The building has a lot of potential, and they wanted somebody who could maximize that and bring some really good things into their community.”

Hours will be Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at first; once they’re all settled in and fully staffed, he plans to be open Tuesdays through Saturdays.

COLUMBUS

Owner Chad Clardy has announced that his counseling operation has moved to a new location right next to the Columbus Packet, at 423 College St. Patients have already begun coming in: “Columbus just kind of fell into our laps and it worked out great,” Clardy said. “We’re going to have an all-inclusive access to our care facilities.” They offer general counseling services and therapy to those in need.

The counseling center is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Contact them at (662) 205-0098.

Please click here for the original article: https://cdispatch.com/news/goings-on-with-grant-triangle-crossing-to-host-starkvilles-fourth-starbucks/

Microtek/Ecolab Medical Building Sells

COLUMBUS, MS – Courtesy of the Dispatch and Grant McLaughlin

Realtor Royce Hudspeth has announced that the former Microtek Medical facilities at 602 Lehmberg Road has been sold to an out-of-state buyer: “[H]e is not ready to discuss any details as to what is intended with the building,” Hudspeth said. “… I will say they’re not an end-user (they won’t operate the facility). They would be willing to repurpose (it), perhaps.” “(Selling it) was just a matter of timing,” he went on to say. “I will say that the increased activity from some of the things that are happening in West Lowndes County with the aluminum plant and some of the other industries are very positive.”

GTD LINK COO Meryl Fisackerly spoke of the desire for big industry to secure in-town warehouses and other buildings as part of their growth: “We’ve seen companies and industries wanting to locate in the area, just given recent announcements and recent economic growth,” she said. “What we’re seeing is these are smaller companies that might do services for these other industries or they might be warehousing. It’s twofold when the bigger industry locates, and then we see these smaller ones wanting to locate close to them.”

Please click here for the original article: https://cdispatch.com/news/microtek-ecolab-building-sells-to-out-of-state-investor/

Strombolis and Flowers and Fashion, Oh My!

GTR REGION, MS – Courtesy of the Dispatch and Grant McLaughlin

STARKVILLE

Stromboli’s, a beloved Italian joint located at 408 University Drive, closed up their storefront back in April so that the owners could retire; however, they are still offering catering services and the occasional “pop-up” day at the restaurant thanks in part to their daughter, Stella Turman. She and her family have been looking into re-opening on an ongoing basis, but the plans have not yet been finalized. Please check their FaceBook page for info on days when their tasty food will be available.

The University Florist, 100 Lee Blvd., is preparing to move to a new location: the A.B. McKay Food Research and Enology Lab located at 205 Technology Blvd. They do not yet have a definite moving date, but they plan to do so soon, so get your flowers from the current on-campus shop while you still can! Even at the new location, they will still be glad to deliver their products to anywhere on campus for free, in addition to keeping a stock in the university’s MAFES Sales Store.

WEST POINT

Women’s fashion store Southern Dane Boutique opened at 26346 W. Main St. in mid-August, per owner Jessi Morton. The shop began as an online business, and it soon got so much attention that the need for a physical store was clear. She helped over a hundred customers on opening day alone: “We had so much traffic come through that we actually sold almost all of our inventory,” she said. “It just feels amazing and it was such a relief now that we are finally (open).”

COLUMBUS

The Road Side Ranch House at 807 Alabama St. re-opened mid-August, having had some renovations and an increased focus on area sporting events – Indeed, they have installed four large-screen TVs so that patrons can catch MSU games in comfort. Co-owner Tracy Wilson said, “People probably get tired of just sitting at home alone during the game. Now, those people can come to the restaurant, sit down and enjoy your food while drinking and watching the game.”

Juva Juice, 502 18th Ave. N., is under new management: it has been sold to West Point resident Stance Henderson. The prior owner was Ryan Munson of Munson & Bros.

Please click here for the original article: https://cdispatch.com/category-news/goings-on-with-grant-strombolis-open-for-pop-up-food-service/

State Theater Getting New Lease on Life with New Owners

STARKVILLE, MS – Courtesy of the Dispatch and Grant McLaughlin

State Theater owners Greg and Mark Hayden are banking that they will be able to succeed where some others have failed over the past two decades – as their attempt to revitalize the venerable venue as a restaurant, bar, and live music theater. They purchased the property in 2015; it was originally founded as a movie hall in the 1930s and has borne other names and hosted several businesses ever since. The Hayden’s face an uphill challenge due, in part to the sheer size of the venus and the attendant costs, but they are certain that they are up to the challenge. The bar is ready to rock already, and they are continuing to invest their hard-earned money into renovating the rest of the building.

Mayor Lynn Spruill expressed her support for the project and reminisced about her own past as a patron there: “When I was growing up, I used to go to the movies there, so I’m very fond of the fact that people are trying to bring it back to life,” Spruill said. “I’m excited about having events downtown. I’ve always thought that the Cotton District was the Cotton District and then downtown had other things to offer. So, I like the idea of us having more than one location for that.”

Please click here for the original article: https://cdispatch.com/category-news/new-york-based-owners-try-to-make-go-of-state-theatre/

10.5 Mil Grant Awarded to Help Support Future Engineers

STARKVILLE, MS – Courtesy of msstate.edu

MSU-Bagley College of Engineering faculty member Dalton “Ross” Smith was recently awarded a $10.5 million grant to be used to improve and expand the college’s IDEELab program, which educates and trains prospective engineers at the school. “A strong industrial base is critical to our national security, and we need innovative approaches to developing our industrial workforce,” said Adele Ratcliff, an MSU alumna and ICAM Director. “It’s exciting to see this work taking place in Mississippi that will grow hands-on learning opportunities in advanced manufacturing for students in such a defense-rich region. Mississippi State’s leadership follows a National Academy’s recommendation to incorporate an applied manufacturing focus to strengthen U.S. engineering and manufacturing capabilities.”

The grant will allow training and other opportunities to be extended to students in such a way that they can get hands-on training while still at school, in addition to making it possible to introduce the concepts to students in K-12 grades, as well: “Ideally, everyone would have the opportunity of a co-op or internship, but that isn’t always the case,” Smith said. “This now becomes the place where students get to practice skills they learn in the classroom for creating marketable technologies. Students will have access to advanced manufacturing equipment, as well as collaborative design spaces.” The plan is to help students gain more hands-on experience and better prepare them for the working world after graduation.

In addition to the $7 million provided by DoD, approximately $3.5 million of the grant comes from non-federal matching funds.

Please click here for the original article: https://www.msstate.edu/newsroom/article/2023/09/mechanical-engineering-instructor-and-ideelab-deputy-director-has-big

Soul Food for the Soul – And Giving Back to the Community

COLUMBUS, MS – Courtesy of the Dispatch and Slim Smith

Shirley Coleman has been dedicating nearly half of her life to serving up great soul food for the good folks of Columbus, frequently parking her food truck in the Gateway Shopping Center in East Columbus (generally 11 to 6 Wed~Sat). Having learned to cook at a young age, she worked other jobs and eventually sold candy in order to raise the money to start her own business. She began running the food truck full-time in 2003 after the clothing factory where she had been working shut down.

More recently, she has felt the calling to also give back to the community in other ways, by giving good, hot meals to those in need on a regular basis. This year has been the best ever in that regard, as she has given out four thousand free meals; she sets out on Mondays to provide this service. Recently, the Columbus Housing Authority has granted her permission to set up her truck in their parking lot. “It hasn’t been easy, but the Lord was with me,” Coleman said. “The Lord put it on my heart to go out in the community and feed the poor,” she said. “At first, I did it on my own, driving around the neighborhoods and feeding children who would come by. I loved it. I thought, ‘This is one day that I know these children aren’t going to bed hungry.’” She even delivers to elderly folks who cannot easily leave their homes.

Please click here for the original article: https://cdispatch.com/category-news/profile-ms-shirley-uses-food-truck-to-feed-less-fortunate-in-east-columbus/

Trotter Accessibility & Safety Renos Planned. Plus: A Literal Fire(house) Sale

COLUMBUS, MS – Courtesy of the Dispatch and Brian Jones

The Columbus City Council on Tuesday night unanimously approved some external renovations for the Trotter in order to bring it into compliance with ADA law. The focus of Phase I is on the 2nd Street side, where the plan is to double the current sidewalk width from five to ten feet in addition to making some badly-needed repairs there, add a wheelchair ramp, and change the parking from angled to parallel parking. They will also be removing the “hazardous” crepe myrtle trees on the corner. “We’re going to convert angled parking — where people can’t see to back out — to parallel parking, which mimics what’s across the street,” City Engineer Kevin Stafford explained. “You can see (when) coming in and out of those spaces.”

Phase II will be all about the courtyard area: “If you’ve been down there, the patio area outside the downstairs doors of the Trotter is kind of treacherous,” Mayor Keith Gaskin said. “The trees that are in there have bumped up the sidewalk.” Trees will be removed and the concrete will be repaired. All repairs and renovations are slated to be complete by about christmastime of this year, and the funding will come from the city’s current 2% hotel tax, which is designated for Trotter maintenance and repair.

The Old Fire Station 4 at Airline and South McCrary, which has not been in active use for several years, is going up on the auction block. The 1959 structure has been plagued by structural and roof issues, so any buyer would need to deal with those. One potential bidder has expressed interest: Crossroads Sober Living, which ic located right next door. Founder Dusty Snider spoke with the Dispatch: “We’ve been going back and forth with the city for about a year. . . We’re still interested if it makes sense. It’s been sitting there empty, it needs a lot of (repair work), so we’re hoping for a fair price.”

Please click here for the original article: https://cdispatch.com/news/ada-ramp-better-sidewalks-parallel-parking-coming-to-trotter/

Airbus Has 20 Years in GTR, Future Prospects are Sky High

COLUMBUS, MS – Courtesy of the Dispatch and Grant McLaughlin

Airbus Helicopters recently celebrated the twentieth anniversary of their assembly plant next to the GTR Airport. In that time, they have gone from producing five helis per year to over a hundred, in a space that has expanded from 85 thousand square feet to 331K, and they have done so with the help of a workforce that has added more then 300 employees in that time. “It was still a dream (in 2003),” CEO Romain Trapp said Friday during the celebration. “We are very happy with what we have achieved. We believe the success we have comes also from having found Mississippi as a great place to do business. . .Here in Mississippi, we bring (Airbus’s) purpose to life by building and supporting helicopters that enable our customers to perform essential missions, such as serving and protecting people and communities.”

They continue to produce helicopters for both military and civilian use, including some that are used for medical and rescue purposes. U.S. Senator Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi) spoke about the accomplishment: “Our friends from Airbus, and their leadership of so many people in this room and those who are not able to be with us now, have performed something worthy to be remembered.”

Please click here for the original article: https://cdispatch.com/news/20-years-of-airbus-worthy-to-be-remembered/