Area News

By Jacob Venuti There is something special about growing up here in Leland. Our small town is tucked in the Mississippi Delta, next to the mighty Mississippi River. We aren’t known for our towering skyscrapers or crowded city streets; we are known for our people, traditions, and strong sense of community, and that can only…

Katherine Shamoon, a strong community leader, was recently awarded Top 40 under 40. Both Katherine and her mother, Susan Shamoon, spend lots of time running Shamoon Advertising. But when they are not completing business, they are out in the community helping others. Katherine was just recently sworn in as President of the Greenville Rotary Club.…

by Jacob Venuti For Nikki Thompson, canning isn’t just about preserving fruits and vegetables, it’s about preserving family, tradition, and a way of life that has been passed down through generations. A Leland resident for the past twenty years, Thompson’s roots in the Mississippi Delta run much deeper. Her family has called Leland home since…

Planters Bank recently announced the launch of Planters Impact Fund (PIF), a new nonprofit organization created to expand access to capital, strengthen economic stability, and support long-term community resilience across Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee and surrounding states. Bank officials say Planters Impact Fund’s mission is simple: to cultivate economic opportunities to build resilient, thriving communities. Established…

Mississippi Delta Community College’s esports program has completed a landmark inaugural season highlighted by rapid growth, national competitive success and expanded visibility across Mississippi and the nation. Launched during the 2025-26 academic year with 11 student-athletes, the program has nearly tripled in size, growing to 30 participants for the 2026-27 academic year. The expansion reflects…

Mississippi Delta Community College is expanding workforce training opportunities in Washington County with the addition of three new career-technical education programs at the Greenville Higher Education Center. The college has welcomed Leander Williams Sr. as the new Industrial Electricity Technology instructor, Cheryl Harris as the new Cybersecurity Technology instructor and LaQwariyea Williams as the new…

The Smythe family has been involved in Leland for a long time now. Sherry Smythe, owner of Lagniappe, has put in a lot of work and effort in the revitalization efforts of downtown Leland. Her business, which originally began in Leland, was later moved to Greenville. However, in recent years, Sherry and her family worked…

Members of the Leland-Deer Creek Garden Club returned home from a successful awards season after receiving a large collection of honors at both the Garden Clubs of Mississippi State Convention in Natchez and the Deep South Garden Clubs Convention, recognizing the club’s dedication to beautification, conservation, education, community service and horticultural excellence. The club captured…

The 2008 subprime crisis caused the U.S. to rescue financial institutions deemed too big to fail. The cost was socialized on taxpayers.  A lookalike crisis is brewing in Mississippi. Its cost may fall on Entergy’s residential customers. The conventional explanation for the subprime crash is that home prices fell in 2006 and borrowers defaulted. It’s…

The 2nd Quarter did not disappoint for drama or trauma. On 13 April the U.S. initiated a three Carrier Strike Force blockade of the Iranian blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Less than two months later, the U.S. began on again off again ceasefires which continue still. All that sound and fury did little to…