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Articles by Jack weatherly
Jack Weatherly - Memphis Local, Sports, Business & Food News
“When I hear of some old Memphis landmarks biting the dust, my heart sinks a bit.”
Guest Column: 'Old Memphis has a special place in my heart'
Guest Columnists By Jack Weatherly, Guest Columnist
Updated: July 07, 2024 4:00 AM CT | Published: July 07, 2024 4:00 AM CT Jack Weatherly writes about Memphis architectural landmarks, including (clockwise from top left) the Links at Overton Mark, the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, the building that formerly house the Memphis College of Art, the Old Forest, the Sterick Building, 100 North Main and the Memphis International Airport.
Owner: Sal & Mookie's gets rousing welcome in Eastover
The original Sal & Mookie's has moved to a new neighborhood. The Sal & Mookie's (New York Pizza and Ice Cream Joint is the rest of the title) is now located in the District at Eastover. It had been at 565 Taylor St. in the Fondren neighborhood of Jackson for 14 years. Dan Blumenthal, co-owner of with Jeff Good. They also own Bravo! Italian Restaurant and Broadstreet Bakery and Cafe.
Renasant reports $57.9 million in net income for first quarter
Renasant Corp. reported Wednesday that its net income for the first quarter of 2021 was $57.9 million, compared to $2 million for the first quarter of 2020, which ended with the first month of the coronavirus outbreak and government-ordered lockdowns and other restrictions. Earnings per share were $1.02 for the quarter just ended, compared with 4 cents a year earlier. Shares were selling at $41.86 on the NasdaqGS stock market at 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, down 68 cents.
Denver-based chain leases Jackson space in anticipation of medical 'pot' rollout
Grow Generation Corp. announced on Tuesday that it has leased a 40,000-square-foot building in Jackson to use as a warehouse and showroom in anticipation of implementation of Mississippi's medical marijuana program. Statewide voters overwhelmingly approved Initiative 65 in November to legalize medical marijuana, but it is being challenged in the Mississippi Supreme Court, which heard oral arguments on April 14. If the initiative survives court review, Aug.
Stimulus-driven state GDP projected to grow 2.8%
Fueled primarily by federal stimulus money, the Mississippi gross domestic product (GDP) is projected to increase by 2.8 percent this year. That would be the biggest increase in the state since its economy increased 4.1 percent in 2008, according to the University Research Center (URC) of the Institutions of Higher Learning. The U.S. GDP is expected to expand by 6.2 percent this year, though it would “cool” to 4.3 percent next year then 2.2 percent in 2023, the URC outlook states.
First Bancshares reports net income increase
Building and sign bank (done in 3d) The First Bancshares Inc., holding company for The First, reported on Thursday net income of $16.6 million for the quarter ending March 31. That is an increase of $8.3 million, or 100.3 percent, compared with $8.3 million for the year-earlier quarter. Earnings per share were 79 cents compared with 44 cents a year earlier. During the quarter, the company purchased 165,623 shares of its stock under the share buyback program. portfolio.
Home builders pay price, fear 'day of reckoning'
Builders have the answer to the shortage of existing homes on the market in Mississippi. But they are fighting their own battle – high prices for materials and selling at the price they need to cover costs and make a decent profit. Lumber is, of course, the primary component in a stick-built home. The price of wood is a widely known problem.
Hancock Whitney reports income increase for quarter
Hancock Whitney Corp. on Wednesday announced that net income for the first quarter of 2021 was $107.2 million, or $1.21 per share, compared with a net loss for the first quarter of 2020 of $111 million, or a $1.28 per share resulting from a Covid-19 reserve fund. Shares of Gulfport-based Hancock Whitney on the NasdaqGS stock market were up Wednesday by $3.48, or 8.53 percent, closing at $44.48. The 52-week range is $14.88 to $47.37.
Rising house prices, shrinking inventory still define central Mississippi
Now is a great time for homeowners in central Mississippi to sell their residences. Single-family homes selling for more and more. And there are fewer and fewer of them on the market, thus driving up the price. But the bad news is that if you intend to buy in that 10-county area, you may face the same factors that prompted you to sell. That trend has been moving forward for about a decade, just as it has nationally.
Milwaukee Tool invests $60 million, creating 1,200 jobs in Grenada, around state
Milwaukee Tool, a leading manufacturer of heavy-duty power tools and other items, will invest $60 million to enhance its facility in Grenada County, creating 800 jobs there and 400 jobs elsewhere in Mississippi existing operations. The Mississippi Development Authority is providing $26 million for for building construction. Grenada County and the Tennessee Valley Authority also are assisting with the project.
Flora to celebrate beautification of train terminal
Flora is trying its best to live up to its name. A landscaping grant for tree planting and town beautification from the Mississippi Urban Forest Council through a partnership with America In Bloom and the Canadian National Railway made it possible for the beautification of the town’s historical train station. Local volunteers through the non-profit Friends of Flora recently completed the work.
Buzz about honeybees: prof says they're just fine
Honey bees forage on flowers, such as henbit. Photo by Kat Lawrence If you wonder why you've seen only bumblebees buzzing around your azaleas, you may wonder: where are the honeybees? The answer is: honeybees don't care for azalea blossoms. They like other flowering plants. Such easy conclusions that honeybees are on the wane is misleading, according to Dr. Jeff Harris at Mississippi State University. “The plight of honey bees has been somewhat hyped,” Harris said in a recent interview.
Magnolia District progresses in downtown Madison
Rendering for the Magnolia District Construction on the cornerstone of the Magnolia District in downtown Madison has begun. Old buildings were moved to make room for the 9,000 square foot, two-story, historically-inspired brick building offering 4,500 square feet of retail space on the first floor and 4,500 square feet of office space on the second floor. Construction of the building is expected to be completed in January 2022.
Entrepreneurs decide to play boil at Trustmark Park
Jon Peterson (from left), Chase Gabriel and Joe Donovan advertise their business./Photo by Jack Weatherly The idea just popped up and Joe Donovan didn't waste any time acting on it. It's called Crawfish 2 Geaux and for now it operates under tents on the parking lot of Trustmark Park, home of the Mississippi Braves. It offers fresh crawfish and shrimp boiled in large pots and served with corn, potatoes and sausage. In others words, classic Cajun fare.
Refuge Golf Course making a comeback with revamped layout
The oversized statue of a golfer makes for a striking figure at entrance to Refuge./Photo by Jack Weatherly After an absence of four years for renovation and improvements, The Refuge Golf Course in Flowood, will open for daily-fee play on Monday, April 19, with tee times beginning at 8 a.m. “Everything that was built was worth the wait,” head pro Blake Hatfield at Refuge said in an interview.
Madison leads state in small-business success
The historic caboose in Downtown Madison. Madison County is the best place in Mississippi for small businesses, according to a new survey. The county ranks first in SmartAsset's second annual report. Returns for small businesses in Madison for the most recent survey were 58.12.on the index created by SmartAsset, compared with 58.39 in the previous year. Second was Lafayette County,rated at 52.12, compared with 44.94 in 2019.
Flights between Greenville, New Orleans start April 22
Deltans can catch flights from Greenville to New Orleans starting April 22. That's when Boutique Air will begin offering tickets to the Big Easy, on Thursday, Friday and Sunday. The eight-seat Pilatus jets will depart the Mid-Delta Regional Airport in Greenville on Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays at 3:20 p.m., with same-day return flights at 5 p.m., according to Sam Washington, airport director. The flights will be without subsidy through the federal Essential Air Service (EAS) program.
Jones Capital buys intermodal terminals in Texas
Rockport Terminal Jones Capital recently announced its acquisition of the 250-acre Rockport Terminals between Houston and Brownsville, Texas. Rockport Terminals is strategically located within 28 miles of the fast growing Port of Corpus Christi, but outside of the Port's tariff zone,the Houston and Hattiesburg-based company said in a release. Rockport Terminals boasts access to the Intracoastal Waterway, nearby railways, and many major highways.
Cotton Blues cheesecake: a Southern beauty turning culinary heads
Shaun Davis (left) and Chris Ortega have seen their sales grow exponentially. Cheesecakes made by Cotton Blues are advertised as “Mississippi Made, New York Approved.” And they've got the reviews to prove it. First a little about the creator of this dessert. Shaun Davis finished high school in Hattiesburg and went straight to Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Las Vegas He was there to learn to be a chef, but he had brought something with him: an idea of making the perfect cheesecake.
Cotton Blues cheesecake: a Southern sweetie turning culinary heads
Shaun Davis (left) and Chris Ortega have seen their sales grow exponentially. Cheesecakes made by Cotton Blues are advertised as “Mississippi Made, New York Approved.” And they've got the reviews to prove it. First a little about the creator of this dessert. Shaun Davis finished high school in Hattiesburg and went straight to Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Las Vegas He was there to learn to be a chef, but he had brought something with him: an idea of making the perfect cheesecake.
Carp problem has possibility of spawning industry in Mississippi
Perhaps you've seen one of those videos of crazy fish leaping out of a river as a boat passes and passengers laugh, scream and try to defend themselves. Those are Asian carp, and they can grow quite large – 100 pounds or more – and inflict injury on humans. One thing is for sure: they are plentiful and out-compete native species. They have led to programs to control them before they completely take over waterways.
10 St. Andrews Place to rise at Country Club of Jackson
A rendering of St. Andrews Drive condos. When the pros are making the turn for the second nine at the Country Club of Jackson some people will be sitting pretty. Not any of the players in the Sanderson Farms Championship. The residents of 10 St. Andrews Place. They will be in the catbird seat, if you will. Condominiums in the eight-floor luxury development will go on sale toward the end of April.
Best Buys in state remain open during downsizing
Best Buy announced in late February that it laid off 5,000 full-time store employees despite seeing a rise in sales amid the coronavirus pandemic. Calls on Wednesday to stores in Madison, Southaven, Flowood, Hattiesburg, Meridian, Tupelo, D'Iberville and Gulfport were preempted by a recording suggesting the calls be placed to national headquarters, which did not immediately respond. But the recording did indicate that all eight stores were open.
Central Miss. home market still tightening
Eekhoff Picture Lab The central Mississippi market for existing homes continued tightening in February. From the buyer's perspective, that means there were fewer units to choose from and more to pay than a year earlier, according to the Central Mississippi Realtors Association. In the three dominant counties of Hinds, Madison and Rankin, inventory fell 57.2 percent from a year earlier, to 775 from 1,812, the association said in its Market Heartbeat report.
One year later, restaurants fight for life on'patchwork' battlefield
Despima Mangafakis, owner of Yia Yia's in Ridgeland, has posted “now hiring” signs at her restaurant./Photo by Jack Weatherly It's been a year since the Covid-19 wars started. And they are still being fought. Orders are being issued and tactics are being tried out on thousands of fronts across the country.
Pharmacy fills space left by failed drugstore in Eastover
The District at Eastover landed an independent pharmacy to serve the mixed-use development and surrounding area. Breck Hines, co-developer of the District Land Development Co., welcomed District Drugs, saying: “We always thought that the District at Eastover was a good fit for a hometown pharmacy.” Whitney Harris — who has a Ph.D in community pharmacy and worked for Beemon Drugs in Maywood Mart on Nonresident for nearly five years before its owner sold the business to CVS, a national chain.
Back Yard celebrates survival on first anniversary of Covid-19
The Back Yard Burger on Old Canton Road is undergoing a renovation./Photo by Jack Weatherly A glance raises questions as you drive down Old Canton Road in Ridgeland. Is the Backyard Burger gone? If so, is the building going to be part of the huge Storage Max going in behind what had been Fred's? Sure looks like it. The clean, modern architecture in shades of gray for the burger joint and the storage facility is quite similar. A mere coincidence, said regional manager Darrius Phillips.
Pipeline from Memphis to Byhalia draws opposition
A planned 49-mile pipeline to carry oil from a refinery in Memphis and connect two pipelines at Byhalia (Marshall County, Mississippi) has gotten all its permits - but it has drawn opposition. U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, a Democrat who represents Memphis, has asked President Joe Biden to rescind the permission the Plains All American project has gotten. On his first day in office, Jan.
Mississippi leads U.S. in new-business applications
Mississippi led the nation in new-business applications in the 12 months starting in January 2020, according to data gathered from the U.S. Census Bureau. The Magnolia State's increase of more than 6,000 applications was 164 percent year over year, according to a report by Visual Capitalist. In total, there were 492,133 new business applications in January 2021-an increase of over 73 percent year-over-year.
Southwest Mississippi Mental Health Complex gets $4 million
Vladislav Kochelaevs - Fotolia Southwest Mississippi Mental Health Complex has been awarded a $4 million grant by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Services Administration to become a Certified Community Behavioral Health Center. The grant, one of two awarded in Mississippi, is to increase access to mental health and expand and support services across a region headquartered in McComb that includes Adams, Amite, Claiborne, Franklin, Lawrence, Jefferson, Pike, Walthall and Wilkinson counties.
Jackson food service gets $86.1 million military contract
Merchants Foodservice in Hattiesburg has been awarded a contract worth up to $86.1 million to provide food to military installations in Mississippi and Louisiana, according to U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) The fixed-price contract includes economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-quantity provisions. The contract extends to February 2025.
Yak Access faces challenges after pipeline shutdown
Columbia-based Yak Access installs temporary roads made of hardwood mats to allow heavy machinery to traverse otherwise inaccessible locales. The company employs about 200 in Mississippi and 800 to 900 around the country. Joe N.Boris The Keystone XL pipeline is dead, or so so it seems. On his first day in office, Jan.
Old courthouse moves from trials to apartments
The Courthouse Lofts at Walthall is expected to open at the end of this month./Photo by Jack Weatherly For decades, there was an informal relationship between the James O. Eastland Federal Building and the Walthall Hotel. They are two doors apart on Capitol Street in downtown Jackson. The hostelry offered accommodations for out-of-towners involved in some of the trials. The Walthall closed in 2010 and became the Walthall Lofts last July. It has 154 studio and one-bedroom units.
Starbucks to open at County Line, Ridgewood; Shrimp Basket won't reopen
The Starbucks along County Line Road in Ridgeland is expected to open in May./Photo by Jack Weatherly A Starbucks restaurant is under construction on County Line Road at its intersection with Ridgewood Road. The development is a bit of a surprise, as the site — formerly the location of Ralph and Kacoo's, which had been vacant for more than 20 years — had been scheduled to be a Hardee's.
AN ENGLISHMAN IN MISSISSIPPI
DOUGLAS CARSWELL Douglas Carswell played a key role in helping Great Britain leave the European Union and reassert its economic independence. At about the same time, at the end of 2020, he arrived in America when its economy, government and culture were under the thrall of unmitigated turmoil.
APARTMENT SURGE - Jackson stakes new-housing future on upscale units around the city
The Tapestry NorthRidge has leased 44 percent of its 220 units since it opened in September./Photo by Jack Weatherly Jackson is not an urban center that has nowhere to build but up. For that, one thinks of cities such as Chicago and New York, where tall buildings abound like modern high-rise pueblos. Yet, in recent years, Jackson is becoming more of a city for people wanting the amenities of home life but not the upkeep.
Sanderson championship donates record $1.45 million to Friends of Children
The Sanderson Farms Championship presented on Tuesday a record$1.45 million donation to Friends of Children’s Hospital, the fundraising arm for Batson Children’s Hospital, part of Children’s of Mississippi. The record was set despitethe championship being played under the handicap of the coronavirus pandemic. From 2013, when Sanderson Farms became the title sponsor, through 2019, more than $7.6 million, or less than $1.09 million per year had been donated to Friends.
Work resumes on Renaissance 3; expansion of TIF district sought
Construction of new Xfinity store is coming along near Costco in Ridgeland. Jack Weatherly Construction has resumed on Phase 3 of the Renaissance at Colony Park in Ridgeland. Steel has risen for a structure to accommodate an Xfinity store plus a space for another potential tenant. Also, work has begun on a road to accommodate a Walk-ons Bar and Bistreaux.
La Brioche launching a national brand
La Brioche, a Jackson-based patisserie, is launching a national brand called Spark Confectionary. And that is in part because of the corona virus pandemic, owner Patrik Lazzari said in an interview. The virus “accelerated our original vision and plan,” Lazzari said. “We can still produce [La Brioche] products, but with some slight changes to the products and the packaging . . .
State's house market continues to favor sellers
Houses in central Mississippi remain in a seller's market. That's good news for that side of the equation. Previously owned, or “existing” houses, which constitute roughly 90 percent of the market, continue to sell for more and are available for less time, according to the Central Mississippi Realtors Association. Average days on the market were down by 29.3 percent in October, to 51 days, compared with the year-earlier period.
Indie pharmacy closes after eight months at District at Eastover
District Drugs and Mercantile, an independent pharmacy that opened in February in the District at Eastover in Jackson, has closed its doors. The pharmacy's owner, Whitney Harris, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The future for the pharmacy is uncertain, but Harris is “trying to relocate,” according to R. Michael Bolen, her attorney, who declined to comment further. Chapter 11 status, if granted, allows for reorganization of debt, working with creditors.
Dave's BBB circles back with eatery in Flora
Dave's Triple B A butcher shop is not what is usually thought of as a business that energizes a community. But that is the case since Dave Raines opened the Flora Butcher in the small rural town in rural Madison County four years ago. Saturdays used to be desolate in the town, with little foot and vehicular traffic on its “main street,” said Raines, who now feels bold enough to say there is tourism. Chip Estes, owner of Flora Real Estate and Development, agrees.
THE WOOD GAP — Lumber prices set all-time high, while trees are are stuck in the past
Southern yellow pine lumber prices went on an eight-week tear starting in mid-July, while tree farms stayed stuck in the Mississippi clay. Sawmills have realized all-time high prices for lumber and “immense profits,” said Pete Stewart, president and founder of Charlotte, N.C.-based Farm2Market, which provides pricing data to both sides of the market. “Landowners are suffering through historically low prices,” Stewart said.
Merigold: a nice surprise in a small package
Jamie Smith takes a break from working at the wheel. By Jack Weatherly MERIGOLD — Two and one-half hours from Jackson across the Delta, we arrive in this hamlet tucked into the shade of large trees spared in the clearing of the vast farming land. We have come to visit McCarty's Pottery, located on one of the lanes of this town with itsturns and cozied behind 15-foot-tall, board-and-batten cypress fences and even taller bamboo.
Downtown Jackson hotel closed 'due to COVID-19'
The Jackson Downtown Convention Center Hotel on Amite Street at West Street was closed Monday and Tuesday. The entry to the hotel had a sign that said "Closed due to Covid-19." Efforts to reach management were not successful. Attempts to book rooms online at the hotel well into the future were unsuccessful The hotel is a Marriott International franchise operation. Calls to the hotel were not answered.
Trade Mart, bigger, better and more functional
The $30 million Trade Mart has opened, though the grounds are still a work in progress. Jack Weatherly Michael Lasseter looks at a sculpture made from woods from native trees. The Mississippi Trade Mart, built in 1975, had become dated and had a chronically leaky roof. Its exhibit space was 66,600 square feet under a 25-foot ceiling.
Phase two of The Quarter in Jackson will be 138 apartments
Street view rendering of The Quarter Work on the second phase of the revival of The Quarter near the eastern border of Jackson is well underway. Completion of the 138-unit luxury apartment addition, The Quarter House, at 1501 Lakeland Blvd., is anticipated for next summer. The architecture departs from the New Orleans style of the first phase. It is a traditional “clean and classic design,” Justin Peterson, vice president and general counsel for the State Street Group, said in an interview.
Hotel Legends starts making name for itself on the Coast
Legends Hotel in Biloxi The staff of the new Biloxi hotel was watching the weather midweek as another Gulf hurricane made its way toward landfall. But the storm started veering west of Biloxi, and so breathing got easier, and rooms were booked. It's a dance that is nothing new on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. But the Hotel Legends is. It opened last weekend after it was reclaimed from the hulk of an old building that had housed apartments for senior citizens.
Compromise struck on Sun'n'Sand motel demolition
Sun-N-Sand news2 Preliminary work on the demolition of the Sun 'n' Sand motel in downtown Jackson is underway. However, the Mississippi Department of Finance and Administration, which owns the motel, has struck a compromise. The common areas of the 60,000-plus-square-foot structure will be saved and repurposed, Glenn Kornbrek, deputy executive director of DF&A said in an interview.
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