2019 Partners in ProgressA & B DistributingAbles Real EstateB & G Equipment of IukaBANCORPSOUTHCity of BelmontBelmont Parts SupplyBelmont PharmacyRobert BelueBestway, Inc.James BethayAlvia & Barbara BlakneyBMSI, Inc.Eddie Bobo GunsmithingBOW-T’s CateringBrooks GroceryJackie & Burnette BryantCity of BurnsvilleBurnsville TireRobert Carnathan HVACCDI Machining & FabricatingClark Law FirmCommunity Spirit BankCook Coggin EngineersKen & Sheila CooleyCooper Marine & TimberlandsCorinth Coca Cola BottlingCornelison Law OfficeCornerstone Insurance & FinancialCountry Squire RestaurantPeyton CummingsD. L. Cutshall & Sons LoggingCutshall Funeral HomeNeil DavisDead Serious SecurityLeroy DeanDeaton Funeral HomeDennis Country StoreEagle Radio GroupFairless HardwareRalph & Dorothy FarrFellowship Christian RetreatFidelity National LoansFirst American Insurance ServicesFirst American National BankFirst Franklin Financial CorpPaul Fisher Oil CompanyFite Building CompanyG & G Steel Mississippi WorksGatlin’s PharmacyHarold GistGoat Island Campground, Inc.City of GoldenDr. Phillip GrayJames T. GrishamRobert GrishamHAGO AutomotiveHamilton-Ryker GroupHampton Inn of CorinthHarbin Heating & Air ConditioningHigh Maintenance Salon of IukaHighpoint Timber ManagementBoyce Hollingsworth State FarmHometown Pizza BelmontIndustrial Electronics RepairInternational Converter/NOVOLEXCity of IukaIuka Discount DrugsIuka HardwareJACOMA ConstructionJekyll & Hyde Market, Bar & GrillJeremy JohnsonJohn’s Garage/J&S Auto SalesJourdan Lumber CompanyLisa A. Koon, AttorneyMalcolm KuykendallDr. Ben Kitchens

Tishomingo County Update 2019 Partners in ProgressKX Technologies LLCLittrell Lumber MillHarold Lomenick State FarmGrace Long Real EstateMax Home LLCJena McNattMike & Dennie McReeMill Creek Marina & ResortMilligan Ready Mix, Inc.Mississippi Medical AssociatesToney MobleyMississippi SiliconMike MontgomeryMoore Automotive SupplyMike Nelson ContractorsNix Flying ServiceNorth MS Medical Center--IukaNorth MS Primary Health CareScott NunleyNunley Trucking CompanyJames D. NunnallyMiles D. NunnallyOffice ProOld Country Store & DeliCharlotte OrickCity of PadenParson’s Earth WorksPeden’s Prop ShopDr. Jim Perkins, Iuka Animal ClinicPetals & PearlsPickwick Cabin RentalsPickwick Premier PropertiesPiggly Wiggly BelmontPiggly Wiggly IukaPlant Process SupportPray PotteryBilly RaineyRedmont Heating & CoolingRenasant BankRushing Drugs/Ben BurnsJimmie SeagoMartha SegarsScott SegarsTyler SegarsSids Trading CompanySilver Dollar SalesSkyline SteelSouthern Forestry, Inc.Sparks CPA Firm, PCThe Family Resource CenterTempur Sealy/Comfort RevolutionTennessee Valley AuthorityTIMCO, Inc.City of TishomingoTishomingo County Board of SupervisorsTishomingo County Electric Power AssociationTishomingo Health Services-- Iuka HospitalTOLTEC CompanyTri-State Educational FoundationTri-State RecyclingTruck Bodies & Equipment Int.Union Harbor Marina & ResortUniversal Faith Missions & Southwind A&DViva la Casita Mexican RestaurantMack & Jeanette WadkinsBeth Booker WhiteWhitaker’s Cleaning ServiceWiley Discount Tobacco & Beverages, Inc.Quaye YarberDan & Betty Young

CDI MACHINING & FABRICATING. On April 24 a rib-bon cutting was held for CDI Machining & Fabricat-ing. CDI owner Caleb Ivey reported that “we are a complete machine and fabrication shop. We do ev-erything with all types of metal from simple welding of trailers and hitches to complex tubing, component parts, and other metal parts.”

CDI Machining and Fabricating is located at 2080 Paul Edmondson Drive next door to Iuka Hardware. The business is open from 7 AM to 5 PM Monday thru Fri-day. The contact number is 662-401-9016 and e-mail cdimachining.com.

BRIDGE HOUSE. On May 24 local officials, board members, and friends gathered to celebrate the opening of Bridge House for Men. Bridge House for Women opened in 2018. Jason Roberts, President, Board of Directors of Bridge House, reported that “Bridge House is the embodiment of our vision to help men who have successfully gone through a drug rehab program to integrate into society. We offer a safe and healthful environment away from harm-ful influences. The Bridge of Burnsville is building a community of recovery.”

Jason emphasized that “we owe a special thanks to Harold Lynn Barnes for allowing us to use this resi-dence for the Bridge House and to every business, individual, and church that has partnered with us to make this vision a reality.

For more information, contact Jason Roberts at 662-415-0560 or e-mail jroberts4995@aol.com.

2019 TISHOMINGO COUNTYDEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION

BOARD OF DIRECTORS:Alvia BlakneyJackie Bryant

Ferrin Rainey Burress,Secretary-TreasurerMayor John Castleberry, Iuka

Greg Collier, President,Board of Supervisors

Ken CooleyPeyton Cummings

Dale CurtisNeil Davis

Eric Daniel, Vice ChairRalph Farr

Mayor Davy Ginn, GoldenHarold Gist

Robert GrishamDon Hall, First Vice Chair

Beth HudsonMalcolm Kuykendall

Steve McAnallyJena McNatt

Mike MontgomeryMayor David Nixon, Burnsville

Mayor Pam Oswalt, PadenJimmy Ramsey, Chair,

Economic Development AuthorityMayor James Tennyson, Tishomingo

Fred TruesdaleButler Whitehead, Chair

Sidney Whitehurst, Past ChairMayor Buddy Wiltshire, Belmont

Royal Witcher

2019 TISHOMINGO COUNTYECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

AUTHORITY BOARD OF DIRECTORS:Charles Emmons, Vice Chair

Harold GistGlen Harrison

Malcolm KuykendallToney Mobley

Charlotte Orick, Secretary-TreasurerJimmy Ramsey, Chair

Jimmie SeagoButler WhiteheadTommy Williams

2019 TISHOMINGO COUNTYTOURISM COUNCIL:

Ellen Ayers, Vice ChairBarbara Blakney, Secretary-Treasurer

Natalie CokerMary Ann Grant, Chair

Sandra Medlin Leigh Ann Robertson

Buddy WiltshireTheresa Cutshall, AdministratorJim Gibson, Part-time Assistant

REHABILITATION SERVICES. Tishomingo County has one of the highest rates of disability in the state. Thousands of Mississippians with disabilities are employed each year through the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services. No-cost services to individuals include helping discover what jobs you like; determining what type of work you are good at doing; obtaining the training you need; offering specialized help that you may need to do your job; and assisting with college expenses.

MDRS works with businesses to promote diversity in the workplace; provide a job ready workforce; and to provide no-cost resources and training. No-cost services to businesses include referral of job ready candidates; job coaching; follow-up support; Work Opportunity Tax Credit; on-the-job training; and job site accommodations and building accessibility evaluations.

For more information, visit www.mdrs.ms.gov or contact Heather Collums at 662-844-9634 or hcollums@mdrs.ms.gov.

JEKYLL & HYDE MARKET, BAR & GRILL. Local officials, team members, family, and friends gathered on May 31 to celebrate the opening of Jekyll & Hyde Market, Bar and Grill. Danny Bone, Owner, reported that “our family has been in the restaurant business for close to 40 years. We were urged by fam-ily and friends to open a restaurant, market, and bar in the Tishomingo area. We serve all types of sandwiches on ciabatta buns, specialty pizzas, funnel wraps, burgers, BLTs, and breakfast funnels. Our salad bar is well stocked and we offer all types of drinks, including draft and bottled beer. We serve lunch and dinner now and will soon be open for breakfast. We invite everyone to try us and you will come back for sure.”

Jeff Holt said that “we thank the Bone family for opening a new business in Tishomingo County and we encourage others to consider starting a business in our county.” Jekyll & Hyde Market, Bar and Grill is located at 1103 Highway 25 South of Tishomingo, across the highway from the entrance to Tishomingo State Park, voted Mississippi’s most popular outdoor recreation destination. The busi-ness hours are 11 AM to 9 PM Monday thru Thursday, 11 AM to midnight Friday and Saturday, and 11 AM to 8 PM on Sunday.

Breakfast hours are coming soon and will begin at 5:30 AM six days per week. The telephone number is 662-438-0061. Find us on Facebook.

Tishomingo County Development Foun-dation, Tishomingo County’s public/pri-vate economic development team:

2,300 jobs & over $380 million in • private investment over the past 10 years.

Rated TOP TEN industrial sites in the • southern USA in 2012.

Rated TOP TEN rural sites in the • southern USA for reshored industry in 2013.

National Economic Development IN-• NOVATION AWARDS in 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2018.

Rated TOP TEN “Comeback Kids” in • the southern USA in 2015.

TCDF rated one of the best economic • development agencies in the south-ern USA in 2015.

Tishomingo County rated among the • top three counties in the USA in cost efficient government in 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018.

In 2017 Tishomingo County rated 1st • in the south for new manufacturing jobs per capita over the last decade.

We still have a lot of work to do, but just about every citizen has family or friends working at one of the companies that have been recruited to, or has expanded in, Tishomingo County. Most businesses have customers that get their paychecks from these companies, or sell products or services to these companies.

Everyone benefits from economic de-velopment, especially the school system that receives significant tax revenue from economic development projects.

Be sure to thank our TCDF Partners in Progress and do business with those businesses that support economic de-velopment. A listing of these partners is on the front page of this update. You can learn more about these commu-nity minded businesses at http://www.tishomingo.org/pdf_docs/Partners%20in%20Progress.pdf.

Remember to thank our TCDF, TCEDA, and TCTC board member volunteers who serve the community without compen-sation.

2018 UNEMPLOYMENT RATE BREAKS HISTORIC RECORDS. Economists consider an unem-ployment rate below 5% to be full employment.

The annual unemployment rate for Tishomingo County in 2018 was 4.6%, the lowest un-employment rate since such statistics have been kept.

The latest monthly (April 2019) unemployment rate for Tishomingo County is 4.2%.

The unemployment rate can change dramatically from month to month as businesses and industries add or layoff workers in response to eco-nomic conditions.

The highest unemployment rate for Tishomingo County was 25.3% in 1984. The low-est unemployment rate during the TVA nuclear power plant construction was 13.0% and during the NASA construction period 6.3%. Source: Missis-sippi Department of Employ-ment Security.

The unemployment rate is good news for those in the work-force but bad news for employ-ers struggling to find qualified workers. One local employer is busing workers from a neigh-boring state.

Attracting workers from out-side the region is difficult due to perceptions of life in Mis-sissippi, the lack of modern affordable rental and owner housing, and the preference of young people and profession-als to live in larger communi-ties.

FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT CLUSTERS. Southern Business & Development (SBD), the recog-nized authority on economic de-velopment in the southern USA, has again recognized Tishomingo County as one of the most success-ful counties in the south in recruit-ing industry.

SBD studied small and medium-sized communities in the south at-tracting the most foreign direct in-vestment.

In Mississippi, three communities made the list:

Columbus-Starkvi l le-West • Point;Tishomingo County; and • Tupelo-Lee County. •

Creating over 2,300 new manu-facturing jobs and $380 million in private investment over the last decade, Tishomingo County has competed for and won foreign in-vestment from Germany, Brazil, Canada, and Luxembourg.

Tishomingo County has been rated # 1 for creating more new manufac-turing jobs per capita over the last decade than any other county in the southern USA.

Visit the county’s web site at www.t ishomingo.org /PDFs/INDUS-TRY%20LIST.pdf to find out which Tishomingo County companies have corporate headquarters out-side the USA.

FAMILIES FIRST RESOURCE CEN-TER. The free services of Fami-lies First for Mississippi are avail-able to residents of Tishomingo County. These services and pro-grams include:

Promotion of literacy; •

Accredited high school; •

Parenting skills; •

Positive Youth Development • Classes;

Child in the Middle Program; •

Addiction assessments and • education;

Job readiness; •

Improving job skills; and•

Finding jobs or better jobs.•

Families First, in general, at-tempts to fill gaps left by other social programs.

Tishomingo County has a local re-source office located at 236 Kaki Street in Iuka. Services are free and confidential.

Please refer potential clients to Tonya McAnally or Pam Morris at 662-423-3836 or e-mail tcm-canally@frcnms.org/pmorris@frcnms. Visit the web site at www.familiesfirstforms.org.

U. S. CENSUS COUNTS FOR TISHOMINGO COUNTY.

1840 6,681 1850 15,490 1860 24,149 1870 7,350 1880 8,774 1890 9,302 1900 10,124 1910 13,067 1920 15,091 1930 16,411 1940 16,974 1950 15,544 1960 13,889 1970 14,940 1980 18,434 1990 17,663 2000 19,163 2010 19,546

In spite of the high death rate, low birth rate, and a high percentage of new jobs held by workers who live outside the county, Tishom-ingo County is one of the few rural counties in Mississippi that did not decline in population in 2010.

However, since 2010, population growth appears to be slowing or maybe even declining due to lack of affordable owner and rental housing.

JOB LISTINGS. Many of the industries, construction contractors, and other businesses in Tishomingo County are seeking skilled and/or trainable work-ers. Some of these jobs are listed on the Mississippi Department of Employment Security web site.

Go to http://mdes.ms.gov/, click on “I need a job and Find a job now” and then type in your zip code or city.

The INDEED web site also lists local job openings at www.indeed.com.

Manufacturing jobs nowadays are differ-ent from the manufacturing jobs of just 20 years ago. Most manufacturing pro-cesses are automated and in buildings that are clean and climate controlled. Jobs in manufacturing often pay more than jobs that require a college degree.

Jobs in construction such as carpenters, plumbers, electricians, masons, roofers, HVAC technicians, and others also pay more than many professions requiring a college degree. Construction jobs are also more machine assisted nowadays.

In addition to manufacturing and con-struction trade jobs, both job sites list other types of job openings, especially health care and retail jobs.