Carl Hogan Toyota Gives Two Cars to EMCC’s Auto Tech Program

COLUMBUS, MS – Courtesy of EMCC

Students in East Mississippi Community College’s Automotive Technology Program now have two new cars upon which to hone their skills: a pair of Toyota Corollas that have been donated by Carl Hogan Toyota. The vehicles are preproduction models (which cannot be sold, and are normally only used for training purposes or for working out the last-minute kinks in a new design).

General Manager Jonnie Moore said that he already has three graduates of the Auto Tech Program working for him, and that he would like to see more graduates of their caliber in the future: “We are really excited about what EMCC has going on over there in that program and we want to help out in any way we can to get these students ready to go to work,” Moore said. “If we give them Toyotas to work on, it will make it a little easier when they come over here to work for us.”

In January 2018, EMCC was one of only twelve colleges nationwide selected by Toyota Motor North America to participate in the Toyota Technician Education Program (T-Ten); prior to this, only workers educated at Toyota facilities could get jobs as Toyota Certified Technicians.

EMCC President Dr. Scott Alsobrooks expressed his gratitude for Carl Hogan’s donation of the Corollas: “These Corollas will further enhance the quality education provided to students in our Automotive Technology Program,” Alsobrooks said. “We can’t thank Carl Hogan Toyota enough for this contribution and for the support of this program and our institution.”

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Tea for Two and a Spa for You

GOLDEN TRIANGLE REGION – Courtesy of the Dispatch

Starkville Nutrition (SN) is coming to Columbus with two new locations, under two new names. Columbus Nutrition is coming to 2020 Hwy 45 (a bit past Sonic on the right). They will offer such items as loaded teas and healthy protein shakes. The owners are SN founders Luke and Avery Adkins. Downtown will also get its own location in late May, to be called Second Ave. Nutrition soon; owners are Michael and Rachel Womack. While the shops are independent of one another, the items they carry will be similar, and certain items will be the same at both stores.

Brickerton Day Spa has been revamped by its new owners and rebranded as “Allegro Medspa.”

“Hopefully this will give (spa customers) easier access to health care. If you need to get seen we can make that happen,” Amy Bogue, one of the owners said. “Say someone comes into the clinic for back pain — I would love for our providers to send them to the spa for a massage before putting them on medicine. We just kind of want to marry medicine and wellness together and promote being healthy overall.”

The West Point Growth Alliance will be sponsoring a city-wide yard sale this Saturday morning. Check out the West Point Life Facebook page for a map, or call them if you want to sell items: 662-494-5121.

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Golden Triangle to receive $13.1 Million in Project Funding

GOLDEN TRIANGLE REGION, MS – Courtesy of the Dispatch

The GTR will soon be receiving about $13 million in funds from the State, which will include more than $6 million for construction and MUW and $5 million for the Partnership School in Starkville.

“We didn’t get everything we wanted, but we got a lot,” said Rep. Jeff Smith (R-Columbus), chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.

Columbus will receive about $1 million to be used for City Hall renovation and for Phase 2 of the Brown Ampitheater on The Island. West Point will receive about $500 thousand for road repairs. Crawford and Caledonia will get money for school repairs and park improvements.

“It was nice to see Crawford get something,” Smith said. “It’s the first time they’ve ever gotten anything.”

Not all of the financial requests succeeded, however, but this will be strong start. Much of the funding will be going to our universities and to improve quality of life for people in the GTR region – and THAT’S Good for Business!

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Starkville Considers Ways to Go Forward on Cornerstone Park

STARKVILLE, MS – Courtesy of the Dispatch

The Mississippi Senate approved HB 1565 this week with a 51-1 vote. As it is believed that the Governor will sign it into law soon. The new law will add 1% to the existing 2% restaurant tax, which is expected to bring in about $2 million in its first year. Local Aldermen have begun discussions on how to move forward with the proposed Cornerstone Park project, with a final cost estimated to be around $18-22 million.

The model for Cornerstone – Vicksburg’s Sports Force Park – has turned out to be a massive success in a very short time, so following their lead is the current plan. The City of Starkville plans to build a tournament-ready recreation facility at Cornerstone Park on Highway 25. Once the bill is signed, it will go to the people for a referendum, which requires a 60% approval in order to pass.

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[VIDEO] Restoration Progresses Apace at Waverly Mansion

GOLDEN TRIANGLE – Courtesy of WCBI

Part of the Pilgrimage once again, restoration on Clay County’s Waverly Mansion have been moving forward at full tilt. Hundreds of visitors come there every year for the Pilgrimage, even in its partially-restored status, to see its beauty and wonder what it will look like when it’s all done.

WCBI has more: Please click here for their video.

Get Out of the House This Weekend – Lots of Great Things to do in the Golden Triangle!

The Columbus Pilgrimage – This Thursday, March 28 through Saturday., April 6. Come and take a gander at our beautiful houses as you relax on a guided tour.

https://www.facebook.com/events/239028697037666/

Aberdeen will be holding its own Pilgrimage on April 5th and 6th.

https://www.facebook.com/events/323758051686883/

Catfish in the Alley – This Saturday, March 30th in Columbus’ own Catfish Alley just South of Main Street. Great food, great music, and lots of friends hanging around and having a great time! The shindig starts at 7:30 AM and lasts until 3:30 PM.

The 11th annual Catfish in the Alley Celebration will take place right outside of Jones Restaurant.

This year’s musical line up includes:
10 AM-11 AM | Big Joe Shelton & The Black Prairie Blues Ambassadors

11:15 AM – 12:15 PM | Terry “Harmonica” Bean

12:30 PM – 1:30 PM | Grady Champion

1:45 PM – 2:45 PM | Keith “The Prince of the Delta Blues” Johnson Keith Johnson & The Big Muddy Band

https://www.facebook.com/events/1892673337521777/

Mississippi Bass Tournament – This Saturday, March 30th. Pickwick Landing State Park. Bass tournament benefitting Sheltering Tree Ranch. $100 entry fee with optional $10 lunker pot. 75% payback, 25% to the ranch. 15″ size limit; 5 fish. Safe light til 3:00. I will be at the post office near the park entrance around 4:45 or so to check folks in. If you don’t know about the ranch and their work, look them up. Awesome people and awesome ministry. Share and plan on coming out Saturday. Gonna be a good day!

Tournament info: click here

In SEC baseball:

The MSU Bulldogs have three games against LSU in the next few days. The games will be played in Starkville at Dudy Noble Field: This Thursday and Friday at 6 PM, and this Saturday at 2 PM Come on out and support your local team!

In music:

The Blues for Willie tribute concert, originally scheduled for this month, has been pushed back to April 26th. More info at the link below.

[VIDEO] Small Businesses in Starkville Do Gangbusters on Game Days

STARKVILLE, MS – Courtesy of WCBI

While smaller businesses often have to work that much harder in order to compete with large corporations, many have found that catering to game day crowds is a formula for success. Some have even changed their operating hours to account for the games, to their benefit. Tourists come in droves to support their college teams and local shops, and THAT’S Good for Business!

Please click this link to see their video.

Generational Credit Opens its Doors in Columbus

Have bad credit in need of repair because of erroneous information on it that you’ve not been able to get corrected? Swing on by and see what these fine folks can do for you.

PRESS RELEASE – Courtesy of the Columbus-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce – COLUMBUS, MS

Congratulations Generational Credit on your Ribbon Cutting and Grand Opening! Welcome to the Chamber of Commerce! Corey Lockett and Cary Black can help you improve your credit and prepare you & your family for financial success.

They are located at 118 South McCrary Road, Suite 102 in the Fairlane Office Center in Columbus, MS, just East of Fairview Elementary School.

https://www.facebook.com/ColumbusLowndesChamber/posts/2144270735627915

New Houses in Classic Style and Lofts Where Lee Used to Be

GOLDEN TRIANGLE AREA, MS – Courtesy of Progress/The Dispatch

Developer Saunders Ramsey is bringing a touch of the good ol’ days to Starkville with Creole, Acadian, and French Colonial houses in the new Adelaide subdivision. The houses are designed to encourage folks to sit on the generous front porches – perhaps with a glass of iced tea or a Mint Julep in hand – and wile away the hot summer hours chatting with their neighbors: “It’s where new meets the old,” Ramsey said. “We are going way back to before conventional subdivisions. We’re using the ability to influence behavior through design.”  

Meanwhile, in Columbus, Guy Mackey has renovated two existing apartment complexes (College Manor on College St and Park Manor in Lee Park), giving them new life: “Nothing had been done to them in 30 or 40 years,” he said. “We didn’t anticipate going to the extent that we did, but it made sense to focus on getting it done right. And that’s a great thing for the community.”

It just really dated back to the 70s,” Mackey said. “We gave it a nice facelift though.”

Developer Scott Berry is moving forward on his project to turn the old abandoned Lee school building into loft apartments, though he is keeping some of the school’s old touches, such as an intercom in one corner, the original school doors, and rows of lockers that were once used by students of all stripes: “If you’re familiar with the school, once you get into the old apartments, there’s no doubt you’ll know where you are,” Berry said. 

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