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Posted Aug 16, 2024, 4:46 AM
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Join Date: May 2023
Location: JXN Mississippi
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More news about new apartments development coming to Flowood
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Luxury apartments part of $500 million development in this Metro city
Amid sweltering temperatures Thursday morning, Flowood mayor Gary Rhoads and other dignitaries celebrated the groundbreaking of a mix-used area that is part of an estimated $500 million mixed residential and commercial development called Waterpointe.
This part, known as the Heights at Waterpoint is a "traditional neighborhood development," or TND, the "town within a town" would stretch 800,000 square feet in commercial space alone with 240 luxury units. It will also have a 250-car parking garage that will be the first parking garage in Rankin County.
The entire development in the city of just under 11,000 people is billed as a destination for shopping, dining, entertainment and events in a walkable district with a downtown feel. When completed, it is expected to have a total 560 family homes, according to a previous Clarion Ledger story.
"This project is important to us to help produce a community that people will not only call home, but in having total control of the process, we want to deliver a quality product," said Toby Easterling of Stoa Group, the group in charge of this project, which builds resident-driven developments across the South. "We own these projects and we aren't just trying to make a profit. We want people a have a quality experience while living in these developments."
The Heights at Waterpointe is expected to be completed in 18 months. Along with the 240 "high-end luxury" living units, it will have a 7,000-square-foot clubhouse that will include onsite leasing staff as well as a co-working space and a 24-hour fitness space, a yoga room and game room. There will be a dog park, outdoor grilling area and a resort-style pool.
The entire development of Waterpointe will sit on 240 acres located just east of the East Metro Parkway, south of Lakeland Drive.
Rhoads said the city in 2008 designated the land a "smart growth district" to encourage urban development. Smart growth districts are usually pedestrian-centric, modernized and eco-friendly planned developments that promote a range of housing opportunities and mixed land use, according to smartgrowthamerica.com.
Its central idea, Rhoads said, is to build residences around a downtown commercial space, called a gallery front, with larger box stores and boutique style offices.
Community Bank is at the center of the town square and is already built and doing business.
The development will sit next to an existing 20-acre lake. A plan for restaurants, walking and bicycle trails and a park for waterfront events is also in the works.
"This is another part of the town center and has been in development for years and years," Rhoads said Thursday. "Everything has to be built a certain way. The people that bought the first houses a couple of years ago know what the end result is going to be and when it is completed, there will be no depreciation from start to finish. So, today's groundbreaking starts the work of bringing enough people to have customers for other commercial developments like restaurants and retail."
Rhoads said the city is already in discussions with restaurants that are interested in locating in the development. However, no announcements could be made at this time.
Rhoads said the city, county and developer last year entered into a $5.2 million tax increment financing bond deal, also known as TIFs, to finance the construction of the infrastructure in the public right of way.
https://www.clarionledger.com/story/...s/74809285007/
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Starkville-based developer invests $350 million in Mississippi projects
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Business columnist Lynne Jeter profiles Mark Castleberry.
Mark Castleberry’s dabble in Mississippi business began with two small single concrete plants in 1992.
Today, he’s one of Mississippi’s megadevelopers, racking up $350 million in investments in Mississippi from Olive Branch to Biloxi.
“It’s good business, you know,” said Castleberry, of his small ready-mix concrete company. “It used to be that you could be a little guy (in the industry), and I was definitely a little guy. Now, huge companies run that industry.”
Making Concrete Investments in Mississippi
A native of Long Beach, California, Castleberry studied industrial technology. His first post-college job: working in the office furniture engineering department of piano maker and office furniture manufacturer Kimball Co. in Indiana. He then became manager of the design and engineering departments of an office and school furniture manufacturer in Seattle. Soon, his wife, Lisa, wanted to return home to Mississippi.
“We picked a place that wasn’t too far from Batesville, where her family lives, and that was West Point,” he said.
At the time, the concrete industry was in demand, with a major highway project and several sizable manufacturing projects underway. After five years, he sold his small business to APAC.
“When the trucks are rolling, you’re making money,” he told Progress magazine in 2019. “When they’re not, there’s a large sucking sound.”
Projects Continued to Grow Around the State
Castleberry took those proceeds and expanded the development business as Castle Properties in 1998, with the Tower Center in West Point. He worked on smaller retail projects and office buildings until 2006, when he acquired 14 acres on Highway 82 and 18th Avenue in Columbus. He built three hotels and sold sites for a restaurant and a bank.
Those proceeds helped develop The Mill at MSU (Mississippi State University), an incredibly complicated project on 10.89 acres that began in 2012 and ultimately cost $57 million. Completed in 2015, it involved redeveloping a 1902 cotton mill that had been turned into MSU’s old physical plant. It’s now home to the MSU Foundation, and a 1,000-seat ballroom. The property also houses Courtyard by Marriott and a tri-level, 450-space parking garage.
On the corner of Mill and Russell streets, Castleberry built 550 Russell, a mixed-use development that includes Mugshots restaurant and eight condominiums.
In 2018, Castleberry partnered with Dr. Michael Manning of Ridgeland and Lee Stafford of West Point to acquire 25 acres located in the heart of Madison, near Madison United Methodist Church and adjacent to the Madison Police Department. Together, they are building The Village at Madison, a $90 million project that mimics the look of the historic New Orleans Garden District. The development started with the Half Shell Oyster House restaurant.
Like most projects nationwide, it hit a snag in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic struck.
“It just sat, because everybody was scared to do anything, especially restaurants,” he said.
There are 90 residential lots averaging $130,000 per lot. Phase 1 is almost sold out and Phase II will come on the market in 2025. Builders have constructed custom homes, from simple to ornate, ranging from $700,000 to $1.6 million.
The Market Grows in Mississippi
The trio of developers recently completed a 12,000-square-foot building with retail and office space at The Village, in addition to selling a site for the development of a 25,000-square-foot building that will house two personal care businesses. Additional property is yet to be developed.
“Since Amazon announced in Madison County, we’ve definitely seen an acceleration in the market,” said Castleberry.
Back in Starkville, Castleberry completed other projects, such as the $1.4 million renovation of the 1931 Rex Theatre on Main Street in 2021. He recently wrapped up the fully occupied 96,000 sf Triangle Crossing Development on Highway 12 anchored by Marshall, Aldi, and Starbucks.
Across town on Highway 182, Castleberry transformed the former Cadence Bank headquarters into a new 36,000-square-foot Professional Park, occupied by law offices and financial companies. Also available for lease: a 4,800-square-foot warehouse.
Of several properties he owns downtown, Castleberry recently finished an historic renovation project at 115 Lafayette, where he plans to relocate his office, in addition to leasing to a residential design studio. This property was the former Starkville Korean Church, originally a car dealership. Castleberry plans to return it to its original purpose.
“Financially, it wasn’t one of the best deals I’ve ever done, but I wanted to do it,” he said. “It’s a special property.”
What’s Next for Castle Properties
Last January, he sold his interest in The Mill at MSU, Courtyard Marriott and Hampton Inn Starkville to the MSU Foundation. With that money, he invested in 110 Mill, a $20 million mixed-use development on Mill Street, across from The Mill at MSU. Construction is slated to start in early 2025 on approximately 45 high-end apartments for long-term rentals, and 10,000 square feet of retail and office space, with significant green space in front of The Mill.
“The MSU Visitor Center is being built across the street, along with a small amphitheater,” he said. “This project will be facing all these things that will greatly enhance our development. We believe it’ll be a very good investment.”
In 2019, Castleberry’s son, Luke, joined him in business.
“Luke contributes to Castle Properties,” he said, “in addition, he has his own commercial property management business. Luke is doing a great job and has taken a lot off me. I get to watch him build his own business, which is very rewarding.”
Castleberry doesn’t know yet about his next project.
“We have a lot of opportunities to present themselves to us,” he said. “We often review multiple projects, and the best ones become obvious. It’s unusual that we develop such a broad range of projects, but it keeps life interesting, and I always learn something new.”
https://magnoliatribune.com/2024/08/...ippi-projects/
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Delta wind farm provides Amazon carbon-free energy
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The Magnolia State’s first utility-scale wind farm is operational. From a unique perspective, Tunica County farmer Abbott Myers describes the development process.
It happened on June 18, a dusty day in the Mississippi Delta that spiked 88 degrees. A major milestone involving Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) was celebrated in Dundee (population: 73) so quietly that mainstream media generally overlooked it.
On that day, Delta Wind Farm, the state’s first utility-scale wind farm, with 41 of the nation’s tallest wind turbines on U.S. land, officially began generating carbon-free energy to help power Amazon’s nearby operations. The wind farm is located on 14,000 acres of precision land-formed and graded soil long-term leased from Tunica County farmer Abbott Myers and others.
Initially announced in July 2023, Virginia-based AES Corporation (NYSE:AES) brokered the deal with Amazon to provide 184.5 megawatts (MW) of energy, enough to power approximately 80,000 homes.
The substantial project represents a spectacular boost to a place that was “the poorest county in America,” said Charles Finkley Jr., CEO of Tunica County Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development.
“These types of projects aren’t going to come in and solve all the problems with our communities,” he said when the project was announced. “But … it’s a start and a step in the right direction.”
A Unique Viewpoint
Abbott Myers observed the wind farm develop in his backyard.
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“I’ve enjoyed watching them build this project, especially during construction and the foundation work, and seeing the blades and generators go up in the sky,” said Myers, who has 7,500 acres. He and his son, Ransom, farm approximately 2,000 acres of rice, and last year moved around the crops to accommodate construction of the wind turbine towers.
“They were very blessed during construction to have a dry year,” he said. “The Mississippi River was low. They didn’t have water incursion problems.”
The project has 41 wind turbine towers, each 450 feet tall through the center of the generator, reaching nearly 700 feet with the blade tip at its highest point. It’s the tallest wind farm on U.S. land.
Before each tower was built, “they put in geo piers pilings,” explained Myers, an agricultural engineering graduate from Mississippi State University. “They’d make about an 18-inch hole, put rock in it, and pound it down to 80 feet. Depending on the site, they’d have from 60 to 200 pilings under each wind turbine. Then they’d have about 1,000 yards of concrete and 60 tons of steel.”
The bottom part of the tower, bolted down by a 30-foot diameter collar, “looks like an upside-down mushroom,” Myers said, with a chuckle. “Or, as my wife, says, it looks like a UFO.”
Each variable high-tech turbine blade measures and weighs around 44,000 pounds.
“The blades are absolutely fascinating,” said Myers. “They’re made out of fiberglass and graphite and very little steel, with just a bolt-on collar and a little lightning protection.”
Each tower has a generator representing 4.5 MW.
“The generator has gears in it because they turn fairly slowly,” said Myers. “One revolution of the blade is roughly 4.5 seconds. A gearbox speeds up the shaft speed, it goes to the generator, and the generator produces electricity. All the power goes down through the center of the tower by cables to five feet underground, then to a substation, where the power is boosted up a voltage from 7,200 to up to 170,000 to go into the transmission line.”
Each generator with blades turns and aligns itself at the optimum direction and optimizes the pitch of the blades to generate the most electricity, explained Myers.
When the wind reaches over the optimum 17-and-a-half miles an hour, “they start feathering the blades,” or rather, “turn the blades straight, so the wind turbines won’t rotate or they’ll rotate very minimally,” he explained. “Anything over that speed is excess.”
Every tower has a computer and multiple weather stations.
“Energy demand done for the electrical net, like Cooperative Energy, has to be figured up every day and predicted for the next,” said Myers. “How hot is it going to be? They predict the temperatures.”
Overall, Delta Wind Farm has been a terrific addition to little Dundee, Tunica County, the Mississippi Delta, and the state, said Myers, while also emphasizing the significance of Entergy and Amazon.
“My son and I are thrilled to be a tiny part of it,” he said, “and we hope they’ll increase the size of the farm.”
Is Magnolia Wind Farm next?
Generating Wind Energy:
A computer turns the nacelle and the rotor (three blades and a hub) to face into the wind. The blades rotate when wind moves over them, which turns the rotor and a low-speed shaft.
The gearbox connects the low-speed shaft to the high-speed shaft to increase the rotational speed.
The generator uses this faster motion to turn magnets surrounded by copper wire loops. This creates electromagnetic induction, which generates electricity.
The electricity travels down the inside of the tower through cables to a transformer at the base of the tower.
From the transformer, electricity flows underground to an onsite substation.
Overhead power lines take the electricity to an offsite substation and into high-voltage transmission lines.
The electricity goes from the high-voltage transmission lines into lower-voltage distribution lines.
The distribution lines bring electricity to customers’ homes and businesses.
SOURCE: AES Corporation
https://magnoliatribune.com/2024/08/...n-free-energy/
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Let’s Eat, Mississippi: Top 5 Mississippi-centric sandwiches
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When you think of a “Mississippi sandwich,” what comes to mind?
No comfort food is as simple, hearty, or iconic as the sandwich. Delicious bread, slathered in mayo or a secret sauce, with pretty much any filling your heart desires.
When I think of a sandwich that is just so… Mississippi…these are the ones that cross my mind.
Smokes
Smokes–spicy, if you dare– are slider sandwiches made from the innards of those bright red sausages, cooked to greasy perfection on a flat top. The one-and-only true Smokes are found at Big Apple Inn in Jackson. For over 80 years, the Farish street staple has been slinging smokes either with no spice, mild, or spicy, along with a healthy helping of their house-made hot sauce. Should you get the spicy, your mouth will be on fire in the most delicious way.
I’m not partial to the Big Apple Inn just because I think the smokes are great. The place has a reputation, and honestly, somewhat of a cult following. Big Apple Inn has been featured on Food Network, CNN, even ESPN Game Day.
Anthony Bourdain even visited.
Fried Green Tomato Sandwich
Fried green tomatoes are good as a stand-alone dish. Many times, you’ll find fried green tomatoes as an appetizer at restaurants.
But the fried green tomato sandwich is an immaculate homage to the southern delicacy. Breaded and fried crispy, what better way to improve the already perfect fried green tomato than to add more fat and carbs?
The FGT and Praline BLT is a delectable twist on the fried green tomato sandwich. The bacon is candied and fried with a delicious sweetness that counteracts the tangy green tomato. Shredded lettuce adds even more crunch to this sandwich. You’ll only find this amazing sandwich at Georgia Blue locations in Flowood, Madison, Brookhaven, Starkville, and Southaven.
Pulled Pork Sandwich
Tender, juicy pulled pork is enough to make your eyes roll back in your head in its own right. But added onto a delicious bun with signature sauce? The pulled pork sandwich is a slice (or shred?) of heaven.
Look no further than The Shed BBQ and Blues Joint in Ocean Springs, Mississippi, for a pulled pork sandwich that will knock your socks off. Folks usually describe The Shed’s barbecue as delicious and yummy, or silently; they show approval while inhaling more of the pulled pork.
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But don’t just take the word of fans – The Shed is a three-time champion in the World Championship Barbeque Cooking Contest – the largest pork barbeque contest in the world.
Fried Bologna Sandwich
(Photo from SweetPea’s Trip Advisor)
A fried bologna sandwich was a summertime lunch staple when I was a kid. It was my job to remove the red rind from around each slice of bologna, and it was my stepdad’s job to pan-fry them to the point of being nearly black before we smothered them in mustard and slapped them on plain white bread.
But I’m grown now, and my tastes have evolved. These days the bologna sandwich at SweetPea’s Table in Olive Branch is more up to par with my developed palate. The bologna is battered and deep-fried or grilled to perfection. You get to choose the style: the traditional lettuce, mayo, and tomato topping, or go for a more barbecue feel with slaw and barbecue sauce.
Egg and Olive Sandwich
(Photo from Brent’s Drugs Facebook)
Cold, creamy, and full of flavor… the egg and olive sandwich takes you back to family get-togethers at Nana’s house. It’s another one of those sandwiches that is just so simple: briny olives, boiled eggs, and mayo. There’s not much to it, but it hits the spot. And they make a great tea sandwich for parties.
For ages, egg and olive sandwiches have been a menu item at the historic Brent’s Drugs in the Fondren district in Jackson. Boasting Fish’s Original Recipe, this classic sandwich is paired with another simple culinary masterpiece–the potato chip.
To get the full Brent’s Drugs egg and olive experience, order it like Skeeter, played by Emma Stone, in the film adaptation of The Help, which was filmed at the diner and around Mississippi. Egg and olive on rye, paired with a Coke float.
Bonus: Elvis’ Fried Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwich
(Photo from Canva)
The King of Rock and Roll hailed from Tupelo, Mississippi. He was known for his charm, good looks, acting skills, and amazing voice. His gyrating hips had girls going crazy, with others clutching their pearls at such behavior.
But even with all these attributes, Elvis Presley also went down in history for his favorite snack. A fried peanut butter and banana sandwich.
While surely there are restaurants out there that serve the unique sandwich, or a variation of it, you need to make this one at home to get the full effect.
Here’s the recipe from the cookbook Are You Hungry Tonight? Elvis’s Favorite Recipes by Brenda Butler:
Two slices of white bread
Creamy peanut butter
Banana slices
Butter
Toast the bread first, then smear each slice with a healthy heap of creamy peanut butter. Top the peanut butter with sliced bananas. Assemble the sandwich, and then butter the outside. Toss it in a frying pan (with more butter) and cook it until the middle is warm and gooey.
Some variations of this sandwich have added bacon. It’s said the King himself liked this sandwich deep-fried. The sandwich needed to be floating, or else there wasn’t enough butter.
What do you think? What is your favorite Mississippi sandwich?
https://magnoliatribune.com/2024/08/...ic-sandwiches/
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Reward upped for information leading to arrest of Catfish Cabin arsonist
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Photo courtesy of Catfish Cabin/Facebook
It’s been two weeks since a fire took out one of the Mississippi Delta’s most popular catfish restaurants and authorities are still searching for answers.
In the early morning hours of Thursday, Aug. 1, first responders made their way to Catfish Cabin in Boyle in response to a massive blaze that had engulfed the building. The fire caused the local catfish eatery to shut down indefinitely. No injuries were reported at the scene.
Officials are investigating the incident as arson. No arrests have been made so far. To help police gather information, a hefty $10,500 reward is now being offered for information that leads to the arrest of the person responsible for starting the fire.
Below is a snapshot of surveillance footage of the suspected arsonist.
Catfish Cabin arson suspect
Photo courtesy of Cleveland-Bolivar County Crime Stoppers
In the meantime, while Catfish Cabin is unable to serve customers out of its brick-and-mortar facility on US-61, the restaurant is now operating on wheels on the restaurant’s grounds. Using the business’ food truck, Catfish Cabin On The Road is open for lunch with seating available for diners at the neighboring Delta Pointe Event Center.
https://www.supertalk.fm/reward-uppe...abin-arsonist/
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Simpson County is Storm Ready
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Please note that this post contains affiliate links and any sales made through such links will reward MageeNews.com a small commission – at no extra cost to you.
.The Magee Board of Aldermen met on Tuesday, August 6, 2024, for a regularly scheduled meeting. Aldermen Sammy Tebo opened the meeting with prayer, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.
The board approved the agenda.
Forrest Dungan of Clearpoint Engineers gave the board an update on several MCWI (ARPA) Projects and asked the board to approve a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which would extend the deadline until the end of the year. The board approved.
The following MCWI (ARPA) Projects were discussed:
Contract #2 (Water Treatment Plant #1) – Dungan told the board the project is 75% complete, but there have been “workmanship issues,” which are being addressed. In addition, the project needs two new gate valves and two check valve replacements. Dungan asked the board to approve a change order in the amount of $13,200. The board approved. Dungan also advised the board that a unification box might need to be addressed in the future.
Contract #3 (Water Meter Replacement) – 25% of the new water meters have been installed, and it is “going really well,” according to Dungan. He asked the board to approve a pay application in the amount of $234,361 to Vangaurd for the cost of the meters, as well as 60% of the mobilization. The board approved.
Contract #4 (Lamar Road Sewer Extension) – Project bids are due August 12. Dungan said that utility prices have increased so bids are expected to be higher than anticipated.
The city’s paving project has been advertised and is set to bid on September 3 at 10 a.m. Dungan said, “We have a set of plans we feel good about.”
Dungan expects bids for the park project to open in September. He said initial earthwork will be outside of the bids and will be done through quotes. The construction of the pickleball court and the playground will be two different contracts.
The erosion project at 11th Avenue and Big Creek has been approved by the NRCS (Natural Resources Conservation Service). The estimated cost of the project is $120,000. 80% of funding will be from a grant with a 20% local match.
Alderman Sammy Tebo made a motion to amend the minutes to include what was discussed at the board’s July 31 meeting, and the board approved the amended minutes.
Tebo also made a motion to remove item 129832 in the amount of $8485.70 from the claims docket and approve the amended docket. The board approved.
Tebo then made a motion to declare an emergency for the repair of the broken water valve at the hospital, which the board approved.
Afterward, the board approved payment of CJ Morgan, Inc. for the emergency repair of the valve.
Bill Parker and Logan Poole, representatives from the National Weather Service, presented the city of Magee with a sign declaring the county is “Storm Ready.” He said Magee has been storm-ready “for a while, but the whole county needs to be ready.” He told the board that Zoning Administrator Penny Aguirre had been instrumental in helping the county to become storm-ready.
Joe Worrell appeared before the board to express his concerns about the neighborhood behind the tennis courts in Magee. He told the board he does not believe his neighborhood is receiving the same level of services as other parts of town, saying he had limbs sitting for weeks before they were picked up. He also asked for an update on the property directly behind the tennis courts. In addition, he advised the board that there are issues with a recovery home in his neighborhood that he believes the city needs to address.
The board approved sending Becky Freeman and Felicia Hamilton to a 911 conference on the coast. Acting Police Chief Bryan Green told the board the cost is approximately $400 each but is a fully reimbursable training opportunity.
Aguirre presented a revised zoning map, which the board approved.
She asked the board to approve Amendment 2506 to the zoning ordinance, which would allow only property owners to initiate rezoning actions.
Alderman Mark Grubbs said, “I’ve got some reservations about that.”
He asked that the board table the matter for further discussion, saying “I’ve had some concerns from constituents.”
“I’m not totally opposed to it,” Grubbs said. “I just need a little more information.”
The board voted to table the issue for a future workshop.
Aguirre presented the board with proposed new forms for zoning requests, saying the zoning commission believes the forms will lead to less confusion.
City Attorney Wesla Sullivan asked, “How will they know which one to use?”
The board decided to discuss the forms further at a future workshop.
Aguirre asked the board to approve sending someone from the Historical Preservation Commission to the Past Forward Conference in New Orleans at the cost of approximately $1350.
Alderwoman Lawana Thompson said, “I don’t know about the city paying for conferences for people who are not employed by the city.”
She explained she believes it will present questions of liability. The board agreed.
Aguirre said the city has received on estimate for cleanup of the property at 807 5th Avenue and have another in the works.
She said that of 128 cases, 18 have been resolved.
Magee Airport Commission Member Larry Partridge asked the board to approve joining the MS Airports Association at the cost of $250. The board approved.
The board also approved sending Mike Berry to the annual conference.
Sullivan presented the board with updated versions of an agreement for landscaping maintenance, the city’s liquor ordinance, and various usage agreements for its consideration.
The board discussed the question of digging at the city cemetery. It was general consensus that if there is a body, a court order is required before digging. Preliminary findings have been inconclusive.
The board approved a bid from Lily White for janitorial services in city buildings.
The board entered an executive session to discuss personnel matters.
https://mageenews.com/simpson-county-is-storm-ready/
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Summer of Sours Returns August 17 at Key City
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VICKSBURG, Miss. – Key City’s Summer of Sours return this Saturday, August 17 in downtown Vicksburg at the award winning Key City Brewing Co., starting at 11 a.m. The annual event is a celebration of all things sour, and has birthed a handful of local favorites including the Bayou Slush.
According to the Summer of Sours event page: “We’ll be slinging a handful of fresh Speakeasy variants, as well as a few other sour treats. Come chill with us as we jam to some funky tunes and crush some mouth-watering beers.”
Using a 3-barrel brewhouse, Key City put its first beer on tap, Mississippi Queen, in March of 2018. Selling out of the first batch in just 6 days, the small brewhouse in the window began churning out classic and experimental styles left and right. Crushablely crispy lagers, hop-bomb IPAs, robust stouts, and out-of-this-world sours line the tap walls and fill the glasses of friends and family in Downtown Vicksburg.
https://vicksburgnews.com/summer-of-...7-at-key-city/
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MDOT Announces Western Mississippi Projects Update
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JACKSON, Miss. – Mississippi Transportation Commission Chairman Willie Simmons has announced updates to several Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) projects in western Mississippi.
“We are in the midst of summer maintenance season, and projects are making headway throughout the district—many of which are complete or nearly complete,” said Simmons. “These projects show your tax dollars hard at work, and show our commitment to improving safety and efficiency.”
Bank stabilization project underway on I-20 in Warren County
A project calling for the bank stabilization at the I-20 bridge over Clear Creek in Warren County is progressing. Crews are reshaping and armoring the banks of Clear Creek.
The $2.8 million contract was awarded to Maynard Landscaping Co., Inc. of Vicksburg. Work is expected to wrap up by the end of the summer.
I-20 bridge repairs complete in Warren County
An MDOT project calling for repairs to several I-20 bridges over Iowa Ave., Stouts Bayou and the KCS Railroad in Warren County is complete. The $3.4 million project was awarded to Key, LLC and began last summer.
“As the ongoing projects work their way to completion, please do your part by slowing down and staying alert for roadside crews,” said Simmons. “Please give our folks enough space to safely wrap up the projects that remain underway.”
Phase II underway on the U.S. 82 Greenville Bypass
The second phase of the U.S. 82 Greenville Bypass construction is underway. The first of the project phase began in March 2022 and provided the construction of nine miles of four-lane roadway from State Route 1 to Leland in Washington County according to MDOT. Phase II runs from SR 1 to the Mississippi River bridge. It provides cement stabilization and paving of approximately seven miles of the newly constructed U.S. 82 Greenville Bypass.
Almost all borrow material is in place from Leland to the Mississippi River Bridge. Ongoing work includes stone matrix asphalt placement, fence installation, mowing, shoulder gravel placement and bridge work from Leland to SR 1. From SR 1 to the Mississippi River bridge, ongoing work includes chemical stabilization of borrow and clay gravel, paving, placement of shoulder gravel, bridge raid upgrades and ITS installation.
“This project will enhance safety, removing vehicles carrying chemicals or other hazardous products from the residential and business community on Highway 82 in Greenville, alleviate traffic and improve driving conditions throughout Washington County,” said Simmons. “In addition to the safety benefits, from an economic perspective, the bypass will do great things for the Mississippi Delta region.”
Crews anticipate having Haxton Rd. and State Route 454 opened to traffic this fall. The remainder of the project is on track to be completed in fall 2025. The $79 million project was awarded to Eutaw Construction of Madison.
State Route 28 Pearl River bridge repair to begin in Copiah County
Work on a bridge repair project will soon begin on State Route 28 over the Pearl River at the Copiah/Simpson County line. MDOT crews were forced to shut down the bridge in March after it was struck by an over-height vehicle traveling westbound, causing significant damage. The bridge is an 80-year-old steel truss bridge with a vertical clearance of 14.9 feet.
Several sway bracings were struck, resulting in the damage of load-bearing components of the bridge. Traffic should detour using State Route 27, U.S. 84 and State Route 13. Drivers are advised to allow additional travel time and exercise caution while navigating alternate routes.
“We understand that this closure disrupts travel plans and daily routines. However, it is necessary to ensure the safety of all traveling this roadway,” said Simmons. “Every effort will be made to expedite the repair process and reopen the bridge as soon as it is deemed safe to do so. In the meantime, we kindly ask for your patience and cooperation.”
The $1.5 million repair project was awarded to Southern Road & Bridge, LLC. Work is expected to be complete by the end of this year.
State Route 16/149 bridge replacements continue in Yazoo County
An MDOT project calling for the replacement of three bridges on State Route 16/149 over the Yazoo River Floodway Channels continues making headway. The work requires the complete closure of SR 16/149 between W. Leeve Rd. and Whittington East Levee Rd. in Yazoo County.
Crews are pouring approach slabs to Bridge A, working to remove Bridge B and pouring caps for Bridge C. During the closure, northbound traffic will detour by taking State Route 3 to U.S. 49W north. Southbound traffic will take U.S. 49W south to SR 3 south.
“Area residents, drivers and businesses can rest assured and know they will have a safer set of bridges to carry loads across SR 16/149,” said Simmons. “Crews will continue working as quickly and efficiently as possible to complete this crucial work.”
Remaining work is expected to be completed by the end of 2025. The $27.9 million project was awarded to Key, LLC of Madison.
Work zone safety
Highway work zones are meant to protect the traveling public and workers on the side of the road. Work zones present new traffic patterns and configurations that may be unfamiliar to motorists. For information about how to navigate highway work zones safely, click here.
MDOT project website
Stay up to date on MDOT’s significant, active projects by visiting GoMDOT.com/Projects. The webpage provides up-to-date information on project timelines, progress and any potential road closures or detours that may be associated with the project.
For more information about these and other MDOT maintenance and construction projects, download the free MDOT Traffic mobile app.
https://vicksburgnews.com/mdot-annou...ojects-update/
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