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Gulf Coast visit on emotional anniversary brought renewed hope; restaurant and hotel finds

By Kara Kimbrough Visiting the Mississippi Gulf Coast on the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina proved to be an emotional journey. Highlights were moving commemorative ceremonies and candlelight vigils; riveting documentaries and personal stories from those who lost everything but never considered not rebuilding. I discovered a hidden gem hotel as well as restaurants serving…

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Lelend Garden Club’s Yard of the Week: End-of-Summer Gardens of the Week

As summer leans into evening, Leland’s porches and borders rest in honey light. Crepe myrtles, tidy lawns and arborvitae hold their silhouettes like hand-cut prints against the last glow. We’ve gathered July and August together, so you can wander the season’s best in one place. Thanks to the Leland Deer Creek Garden Club and Kristy…

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Fields of struggle, seeds of hope: Delta farmers brace for 2025

Mississippi’s row crop producers are facing one of their bleakest financial years in decades, with new state and regional analyses showing losses across every major commodity. Economists and producers say the downturn carries echoes of past crises, from the 1980s farm collapse to the hollowing out of Chicago’s manufacturing base, when structural shifts wiped out…

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Forward Together: MDCC Establishes Permanent Greenwood Center

Mississippi Delta Community College (MDCC) is proud to announce the purchase of a new permanent home for its Greenwood Center, securing a long-term presence in Leflore County and reaffirming its commitment to the Delta. Situated in the former Malouf Furniture and Interiors building on U.S. 82, the new 44,000-square-foot Greenwood Center will allow MDCC to…

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Delta State Men’s Golf Placed Runner-Up at Montevallo Invitational

The Delta State University Men’s Golf team opened the 2025 fall season in impressive fashion, claiming a second-place finish at the Montevallo Invitational hosted at Timberline Golf Club. The Statesmen posted a three-round team score of 875 (292-286-297). Leading the way for Delta State was Ty Werynski, who carded rounds of 68 (-3), 69 (-2),…

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Delta State University to launch Centennial Celebration on September 15

Delta State University will officially kick off its yearlong Centennial Celebration on Monday, September 15 – exactly 100 years after the institution opened its doors as Delta State Teachers College in 1925. The public is invited to attend a celebratory program at 1:00 p.m. in the Bologna Performing Arts Center (BPAC), followed by a reception…

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Along Deer Creek at sunset: A fall garden for pollinators
 – Plant drifts, invite bees, enjoy the season’s soft colors

As summer fades and fall nears in Leland, many gardeners look to mums, asters and pansies for color. Pansies will not settle in here until well into October, so this year I am trying a more naturalistic approach inspired by Dutch designer Piet Oudolf: layering structural grasses, long-blooming perennials and textured foliage to mimic wild…

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Back to the heart of it: How a Delta town is rewriting its story

Part II of a series on Leland’s quiet renaissance From decay to rebirth Degrees alone do not bring towns back to life; people do. In downtown Leland, preservationist and entrepreneur Sherry Smythe is helping revive the heart of Third Street. Where storefronts once stood empty, new life is returning. Her work secured a $10,000 National…

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Movie Review: “The Conjuring: Last Rites”

By Bob Garver A few days before I saw “The Conjuring: Last Rites,” a friend of mine asked me about my plans for the weekend. I told her that I planned to see the film, and I was excited. When she asked me why I was excited to see yet another entry in the generally-middling…

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