Congress approves Hills heritage area

From Congressman Travis Childers:

Washington, DC – Congressman Travis Childers (D-MS) today voted for the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 (H.R. 146), which establishes the Mississippi Hills National Heritage Area, as well the Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area. This language originated in the House from legislation cosponsored by Congressman Childers. The Omnibus Public Lands bill passed with overwhelming bipartisan support by a vote of 285 to 140.

“The Mississippi Hills Region is a unique area that contributes significantly to the state’s tourism industry, culture, and history,” said Congressman Childers. “Designating the Hills as a National Heritage Area will help bolster economic development in North Mississippi and throughout the state by preserving and promoting the Hill’s rich cultural landscape and traditions.”

The National Park Service began designating National Heritage Areas in 1984 to encourage economic growth through tourism, preserve and promote cultural and natural resources, and provide educational opportunities about a region’s cultural and physical landscape. There are currently only 37 National Heritage Areas in the country.

And here’s another spin from Noxubee County:

Cheapest gas: Fulton/New Albany 1/23

Cheapest gas this week is in Fulton and New Albany ($1.63 for a gallon of regular).

It’s $1.69 in Sherman, $1.67 in Pontotoc, $1.78 in Oxford and $1.69 in Starkville. Ripley, one of our usual cheap gas contenders, has it for $1.67.

It’s $1.75 at Kroger at Crosstown, $1.69 for members at Sam’s and $1.76 at Travel Center USA.

Most expensive gas: Aberdeen/Calhoun City ($1.79)

*P.S. Sorry for the late posting. Half of the Biz (Dennis) is out with a fractured and dislocated finger. He got the cast put on this morning. Word on the street is an ankle-biter beat him up in tae kwon do. So, bear with us posting-wise over the next week. We’ll be juggling Furniture Market coverage and putting out the February edition of the Business Journal. Feel free to talk amongst yourselves.

Cheapest gas: Fulton 1/16

We have a new entry for this week’s cheapest gas – Fulton at $1.53 for a gallon of regular.

It’s $1.59 in Sherman, $1.69 in New Albany, $1.71 in Ripley and $1.74 in Pontotoc. It’s $1.79 in Starkville and $1.79 in Oxford.

In Tupelo, gas is $1.78 at Travel Center USA on Eason, $1.71 for members at Sam’s and $1.77 at Kroger at Crosstown.

Most expensive gas: all the ones at $1.79 (Aberdeen, Calhoun City, Oxford, Starkville)

State gas average, according to the AAA Daily Fuel Gauge, is $1.70. National average is $1.81.

The Biz collects its gas prices Friday morning and mid afternoon.

87 new jobs for Aberdeen

From Monroe360.com:

ABERDEEN – Holley Performance in Aberdeen will soon be adding 55 new jobs. Read more.

And Aberdeen Mayor Jim Ballard has announced Mississippi Investment Petroleum Company (MIPCO) has chosen the Aberdeen Port as its preferred site to build a Third Generation Biodiesel Refinery. The refinery is expected to create 32 new jobs over three phases, the first is schedules to be completed by mid-summer. The capital investment is approximately $12 million. Read more on djournal.com.

Cheapest gas: Ripley 1/9

Cheapest gas this week is in Ripley for $1.53.

It’s $1.59 in Sherman and New Albany. In Pontotoc, it’s $1.62, and $1.64 in Starkville and $1.67 in Oxford.

In Tupelo, it’s $1.70 for members at Sam’s, $1.76 at Travel Center USA and $1.76 at Kroger at Crosstown.

Most expensive gas is in Aberdeen ($1.79).

Read Sunday’s Business and Money section for more gas information, including a roundup of diesel prices.

2008 Christmas Windows

Window shoppers get a visual treat come the holidays and now the Biz is bringing Northeast Mississippi’s windows to the Web. We featured a few stores in Sunday’s paper (full story), and we know there are plenty more beautiful windows out there. So, send us your pictures. Both customers and retailers are welcome to submit. Send them to carlie.kollath@djournal.com. Tell us the name and location of the store in the e-mail. And, if you want credit for the photo, tell us your name.

Here are a few to get us started. Take a good look and vote for your favorite by leaving a comment.

Bella Vita (Tupelo)

Classy Creations (Oxford)

The Gift Shop (Pontotoc)

Hinton & Hinton (Oxford)

Kaleidoscope (Oxford)

MLM Clothiers (Tupelo)

The Red Door (Pontotoc)

The Red Door (Pontotoc)

Square Books Jr (Oxford)

Waldron St. Market (Corinth)

Waldron St. Market (Corinth)

Weather Vane (Oxford)

Weather Vane (Oxford)

Main Attraction (Tupelo)

Main Attraction (Tupelo)

Neilson’s (Oxford)

Neilson’s (Oxford)

Square Books Jr. (Oxford)

Beauty Motif (Tupelo)

Omi (Tupelo)

Kate’s & Co. (Corinth)

Artifacts (Bruce)

Upclose of Artifacts (Bruce)

TVA to increase rates 20 pct

From djournal.com:

The 8.6 million customers of the Tennessee Valley Authority can expect fuel adjustment cost rate increases of 17 percent beginning Oct. 1, the Chattanooga Times Free Press (full story) reported in its Tuesday editions. The figure was confirmed by business community sources briefed earlier by TVA.

The report confirms a prediction of a double-digit increase, the largest single increase in TVA’s 75-year history, made earlier by the seven-state public utility’s executives. The increase is expected to increase average monthly bills about $15.

However, TVA’s governing board, meeting Wednesday in Knoxville, may also raise the base-line rate, which could further increase monthly bills. The rate changes are driven by soaring costs for natural gas and coal which produce the largest amount of TVA’s electricity, and a region wide drought, which has stifled its hydro-electric generating program.

Read full details in the Daily Journal’s Wednesday and Thursday editions.

Wednesday update from djournal.com:

TVA’s board of directors on Wednesday morning approved a 17 percent fuel cost adjustment rate increase for all customers and a 3 percent base rate increase, both effective Oct. 1.

The total 20 percent rate increase is among the largest in TVA’s 75-year history.

Read more in Thursday’s Daily Journal.

Cheapest gas: New Albany/Ripley

We’re getting closer to $4/gallon in Northeast Mississippi each week.

The cheapest gas this week is in New Albany and Ripley ($3.81 for regular). Pontotoc is next up, at $3.82.

It’s $3.89 at Sam’s for members, $3.93 at Kroger in Tupelo and $3.89 in Sherman. Regular is $3.91 in Oxford and $3.95 in Starkville.

Most expensive: all the gas stations at $3.99 — Aberdeen, Amory, Houston and the majority of gas stations (including the one we sample) in Tupelo

Read Sunday’s Business & Money section for more gas prices, including diesel. And, when you see the chart, you’ll notice that the Booneville gas station we sample from has regular at $3.97, mid-grade at $3.99 and premium at $3.99. The reason – the pumps can’t go to $4.00.

Eutaw wins Oxford airport contract

From the AP:

OXFORD, Miss. (AP) — Aberdeen-based Eutaw Construction Company has won a $4.8 million contract to build the East Parallel Taxiway at the University-Oxford Airport in Oxford.

The University of Mississippi awarded the project intended to aid local and regional economic development by improving the airport facility.

Eutaw will clear and grub 42 acres, excavate and develop the site, and do silt fencing, erosion control, pavement removal, concrete paving and markings.

NeMiss Fuel Prices 6/15

The following gas price chart ran in Sunday’s Business & Money section of the Daily Journal. Since then, the national average according to the AAA Daily Fuel Gauge is now $4.08. The state average currently is $3.90. Follow our $4 gas countdown (and guess which town will have it first) here.

Click the chart for a bigger version. Check back Friday for more gas prices.