A crowd gathered at the Tupelo Furniture Market on Coley Road two days after that city issued an executive order discouraging crowds because of the coronavirus crisis.
According to signs posted within ten feet of the Coley Road pavement, a company called Dalton Christian Auctions was holding an auction of “drug seized” items. The signs had been in place at least as early as Friday, March 20.
Matt Laubhan, a meteorologist for Tupelo television station WTVA, called attention to the crowd gathered at the Coley Road site in a video posted on “social media” early Saturday afternoon, March 21.
A short time later, Laubhan quoted Tupelo Mayor Jason Shelton as saying, “I have just issued an Executive Order to stop the auction at the Furniture Market. We have been waiting on uniform state action, but that is not coming, and we can no longer wait on the state to implement uniform protections that will apply equally to each county and city in the State of Mississippi.
“We will issue more Executive Orders due to the State’s failure to mandate any safety precautions outside of the school system across our state.”
NEMISS.NEWS spoke by telephone at 8:40 p.m. Saturday evening, May 21, to a man who identified himself as Dalton Christian, owner of the Okolona, MS based auction company.
He was first asked if he had held an auction Saturday at the Tupelo Furniture Market. He answered. “Yes. But we shut it down.”
Asked if he knew the city of Tupelo had issued an order two days earlier regarding avoiding gatherings of people because of the COVID-19 threat, Christian said, “We were not aware of it.”
Christian was then asked if he was aware there was a nationwide coronavirus crisis and that the news had been filled for several days with official warnings discouraging people from gathering in groups of more than ten. He did not answer, but terminated the phone call.
Sometime after Laubhan first exposed the situation, V.M. Cleveland, the CEO of Tupelo Furniture Market, issued this statement: “The event being held at the Tupelo Furniture Market is not being held by Tupelo Furniture Market. It is being held by Dalton Christian Auctions by their discretion.
“We have not been mandated to prevent events at our facility, however these events make their own decision. They are taking precautions by only allowing so many people into the lobby.
“We understand this is not OK, and we should have canceled ourselves. We are working on shutting it down.”
Mid-evening Saturday, March 21, Tupelo Mayor Shelton’s office said he was drafting another more restrictive order, but no copy of that anticipated order was available as this was posted.
NEMISS.NEWS asks this question: What will Mayor Shelton do to enforce his new order that he did not do to enforce his March 19th Tupelo Executive Order 20-004?
https://i0.wp.com/nemiss.news/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Fuarnitiure-Market.jpg?fit=1200%2C600&ssl=16001200NEMiss.Newshttps://nemiss.news/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/nemiss-full-logo-300x77.jpgNEMiss.News2020-03-21 22:04:342020-04-13 21:16:26Crowd at Tupelo Furniture Market; Tupelo mayor promises another order
Tupelo MS – With respect to the coronavirus pandemic, the City of Tupelo has ordered “social distancing” restrictions on when and how restaurants in Northeast Mississippi’s largest city may operate.
For the short term the city’s proclamation says restaurants may be occupied by no more than 50% of their licensed occupation or not more than 20 persons, whichever is less.
Tupelo Mayor Jason Shelton issued an executive order enforcing “social distancing.”
Then, beginning on Monday, March 23rd, Tupelo restaurants are required to close their dining rooms and to offer only “curbside, carry-out, to-go or other such services.”
Tupelo Executive Order 20-004 does allow businesses, including restaurants, to “erect tents, banners and take any other reasonable steps” to facilitate such restricted food service.
Restaurants will be allowed to use on-street parking spaces to help make curbside or carry-out service workable for their customers.
Regardless of how food is served, restaurants in Tupelo are ordered to close by 9 PM daily, with that restriction lasting until April 1, 2020.
Large retailers, such as grocery stores, are required to “adhere to CDC requirements including, but not limited to, social distancing; all employees shall wear latex gloves.”
Smaller retail businesses such as gasoline stations and convenience stores are ordered to allow no more than ten customers inside at any one time. Employees of such facilities are also ordered to wear latex gloves.
Playgrounds in all Tupelo parks are “closed until further notice.” Other facilities in city parks may remain open so long as they observe the “social distancing requirements of the CDC.”
Recreational facilities such as skating rinks, bowling alleys, arcades are required to close by 5 p.m. today, Friday, March 20, and to remain closed until Wednesday, April 1st. The order notes that movie theaters are excepted because they have already closed.
The Tupelo proclamation complains about the lack of direction from state and federal officials “regarding major employers within our city limits.” The proclamation urges federal and state officials to “take decisive action immediately.”
The proclamation concludes that all directives will “be revisited Monday, March 23, 2020, at 10 a.m. and are subject to being amended by any applicable state or federal proclamation, rule or regulation.”
Tupelo Executive order 20-004 was signed by Jason Shelton, Tupelo’s mayor, on Thursday, March 19.
Need some practical help with the whys and hows of social distancing? Here’s two good suggestions based on information from Asaf Bitton, a primary-care physician, public-health researcher, and the director of the Ariadne Labs, at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health: A short one –Social Distancing: This is Not a Snow Day
https://i0.wp.com/nemiss.news/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Tupelo-MS-City-hall-front-entrance.jpg?fit=1200%2C600&ssl=16001200NEMiss.Newshttps://nemiss.news/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/nemiss-full-logo-300x77.jpgNEMiss.News2020-03-20 08:00:342020-04-13 21:16:42Tupelo government orders “social distancing” restrictions on restaurants, other retailers
Tupelo MS – Community leaders from northeast Mississippi heard a presentation Friday morning, February 14, by the president of the Mississippi Economic Council (MEC). MEC President Scott Waller spoke to the group gathered at the Elvis Presley Birthplace Museum in Tupelo. His appearance in Tupelo was part of the “MEC 2020 Tour to Focus on Building a Better Mississippi.”
Tupelo is one of 18 cities on the MEC 2020 tour, which started in Corinth on January 23. The tour concludes in Gulfport on March 19th. During the Tour MEC seeks input from community leaders on what needs to be done to improve the state’s economy.
Waller made the Tupelo group aware of some of the input gathered thus far this year. “Ninety-eight percent said the state is suffering from ‘brain drain,’ with educated and capable workers leaving the state,” Waller said.
In surveying the group in Tupelo, results showed agreement that most Mississippians have a fairly positive image of our state, but nearly 100 agreed that people outside the state have a negative view.
Those at the Tupelo meeting were also split on the quality of Mississippi’s workforce and about half of them felt students in grades K-12 are still not being adequately prepared for the workforce. They think community colleges are doing a better job of preparation and the four-year colleges better still, but more is needed.
MEC President Scott Waller spoke Friday morning at the Elvis Presley Birthplace Museum in Tupelo.
“Most employers believe their workforce will require additional training in the next 10-20 years,” Waller said, so the need is not just in secondary and higher education.
Concerning an issue that might not seem so related to business, Waller asked about the influence of the state’s flag with its Confederate association. Opinion in Tupelo was split as to whether the state flag negatively impacts recruiting talent. with a slight majority saying it does. Nearly two-thirds said they believe the flag does not have a negative effect in keeping young people here, Waller said.
It was probably no surprise that most agreed good health care is essential to the economy, with 81 percent strongly agreeing.
Waller also brought up transportation.
He noted that the legislature passed a measure last year to give $200 million for state and local transportation. He asked if those present thought that amount would be adequate. Nearly 87 percent said it would not be. They supported the idea that the state needs a long-range comprehensive plan for transportation.
Waller said Mississippi’s good points are sometimes overlooked.
Factors that help drive the state’s negative image cited by Waller include the state flag, a poor educational system, poverty, population loss, racial relations, gender bias and a lack of access to healthcare.
Creating a positive image are strong values, a sense of community pride, low cost of living, improvements in the state’s education system and a pro-growth mindset, he said.
Paraphrasing CREATE Foundation founder George McLean, Waller said, “If we don’t tell our own story, someone else will tell it for us.”
“To attract and retain talent, we need to create a sense of place,”Waller said.
Concerning education and the economy, “We need to fix gap racially and between males and females.”
The answer to many economic problems is to grow Mississippi’s workforce in general, he said.
“So how do we create something that will be the envy of the nation?” he asked. “First of all we need to work together.”
Waller quoted Southwest Michigan First CEO Ron Kitchens who said, “The greatest force of change is a job.”
“Provide pathways with a clear career in mind,” Waller said. “Address the needs of today while charting a course for the future. A healthy workforce is vital to the economy,” he said.
Waller’s presentation included video comments from MEC Chairman Lex Taylor of Louisville MS and a variety of state officials.
The Mississippi Economic Council is a private, non-profit organization that receives no government funds and is supported by members. They refer to themselves as Mississippi’s Chamber of Commerce. Their motto is “We are the voice of business.”
https://i0.wp.com/nemiss.news/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/MEC-tour-tupelo-ms.jpg?fit=1200%2C601&ssl=16011200NEMiss.Newshttps://nemiss.news/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/nemiss-full-logo-300x77.jpgNEMiss.News2020-02-18 14:21:322020-04-13 21:27:00MS Economic Council (MEC) 2020 Tour: Tupelo, MS
Tupelo, MS – Tupelo City Council meeting December 3, 2019, honors Vietnam-era POW, author of “TapCode.”
Mayor Shelton Gives Col. Carlyle “Smitty” Harris the Key to the City
During the December 3rd Tupelo City Council meeting, Mayor Jason Shelton honored Vietnam-era POW Col. Carlyle Harris with a key to the city. Shelton said that he was pleased to honor Col. Harris with the highest honor a mayor could give for the things he has done for the city. Harris gave a short speech. “Tupelo did an outstanding job in accepting and helping my wife,” Harris said, referring when his wife, Louise, moved to Tupelo to be with family during his time as a POW in Vietnam.
Harris became a POW after his plane was shot down in Vietnam on April 4, 1965. He and his wife have written a book, Tap Code which tells the events that took place, both in Vietnam and at home, after his capture. Harris has also been active in the Tupelo Community. He played a role in establishing the Vietnam Memorial that is located at Veterans Park. After retiring from the Air Force, Harris had a successful career in business.
Hospital Program Seeks to Employ Special Needs Students
NMMC Community Outreach Coordinator, Marcus Gary addresses the council
Community Outreach Coordinator, Marcus Gary spoke to members of the city council about a program established at North Mississippi Medical Center. The program is designed to train high-functioning special needs students for work. Twelve students are rotated through different jobs at the hospital so they can learn skills to apply in the workforce after graduation. These students are getting on-the-job training in the areas of data entry, food service, laundry, and sanitation.
The hospital will give jobs to three of these students, however, seven of the twelve will need to be employed by the end of the school year for the program to continue. Mr. Gary asked the council members to please remember these students, and to help get them jobs so that the program can continue.
Other Items Discussed
The council voted to approve a donation of a sky jack for the Tupelo Fire Department. After voting to pay the city’s bills, the council decided to table several other topics that were not mentioned for a later date.
https://i0.wp.com/nemiss.news/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/POW.jpg?fit=1030%2C438&ssl=14381030NEMiss.Newshttps://nemiss.news/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/nemiss-full-logo-300x77.jpgNEMiss.News2020-02-09 14:15:152020-02-09 01:44:43Tupelo City Council, December 3, 2019: POW honored
Tupelo, MS – Shopping has become a major source of frustration for many people over the years. The reasons for this tension are many, and they are getting worse. Self checkout is just the most recent Walmart customer insult. It is no secret that the bottom line is the primary concern for all businesses, however, many of the larger retailers are committing sins against customers. One has to wonder how much more the consumer is willing to take.
Trying to find the product that you are looking for is next to impossible, because they seem to relocate themselves every minute. You can spend what seems like an eternity just trying to decide which of thirty brands of ketchup to buy, and end up buying sriracha by mistake.
Then there is the time spent wading through the crowds that have either decided that it’s appropriate to gossip in the aisle, or just stand in a state of confusion; when all you want to do is grab your favorite brand of baked beans and go home. I mean they’re right there! Just move over a little and I’ll gladly move on so you can keep talking about your cousin’s friend’s Pomeranian that likes to eat dandelion fluff even though it makes him sneeze.
These stores are often running on a skeleton crew of employees, and the ones that are fortunate enough to be working are often so under-paid that they have stopped caring about the customer at all. Those that do still care about their jobs are usually lost in a sea of cardboard due to pulling double or triple duty, because the company has gotten rid of the stockers.
With that said, it is Wal-Mart that has committed the biggest sin. After walking around the store five times to find what I am looking for, because I didn’t have a map handy when I made my shopping list. After braving the wilds of the diary section, where the milk is always sweaty for some reason. After saying “excuse me” to a quarter of the population, now I have to use self checkout?
Is self checkout the final insult?
I have spent a great deal of time working in retail stores, and I can honestly say that I was never put on a register without being trained. Wal-Mart only allows employees that have been approved for the register to ring up customers. However, you, a completely untrained individual can check yourself out. Keep in mind that this is a job that the company doesn’t even trust a majority of its own employees to do.
Self-checks are justified by the fact that the customer is not actually handling the company’s money. A fact that is not entirely true. In one of my earlier mentioned retail jobs, the CEO of the company paid the store a visit while we were in the middle of cleaning the stock room. He asked me, the manager on duty, “Why is my money lying on the floor?” Wal-Mart has to look its products in a similar way.
Since I am untrained, and I am not sure how to operate the scales at the register, who is to say that I won’t accidentally pay for bananas when I actually purchased grapes, which are a lot pricier per pound?
There is typically an employee at the self-check to monitor the customer, and make sure that such accidents don’t happen, however, when I have been through these lines they are typically more worried about gossip and what time they can take their lunch.
Don’t get me wrong, the self checkout is a wonderful thing if you are buying one or two items. The problem is when a person has an entire cart full of groceries, and they are forced to ring themselves up.
Once I scan an item, it goes into the bag. That’s first day cashier stuff. My question is, where do I put that bag after it is full. If I leave it on the bag station, I can’t fill my next bag. I suppose we are intended to just pile items that we have already scanned on top of items that we are yet to purchase and hope for the best.
If we are all Wal-Mart employees now, then I suppose during our next shopping trip; we should stop by HR and give them our direct deposit information and fill out our tax forms. Maybe after we get the paperwork done, we can all watch the new cashier training videos on a smartphone app.
https://i0.wp.com/nemiss.news/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/walmart-sign-1.jpg?fit=1030%2C438&ssl=14381030NEMiss.Newshttps://nemiss.news/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/nemiss-full-logo-300x77.jpgNEMiss.News2020-01-31 12:20:352020-02-08 20:14:44Self checkout: We all work for Walmart now
In the brief time that I have been reporting for NAnewsweb.com, I have been given some opportunities that I otherwise would not have had the chance to experience. One such opportunity was attending the Keep America Great rally with President Trump in Tupelo, on Friday night. I originally had no plans to attend the rally, but after giving it some thought, decided that attending and covering the event would be a good experience. After all, it is not very often that a person has the opportunity to be in the same room with a sitting United States President.
I applied for media credentials roughly two weeks before the rally, with the understanding that these are not usually easy to come by, and I never expected to be cleared. In fact, I had already gotten a ticket from the President’s website with the anticipation of being seated in the nosebleeds. I was deeply surprised, when I was notified that I had been cleared, and would be in the press area. Again, something that I had yet to experience.
The Trump rally crowd filled all but a very few seats in the Bancorpsouth arena in Tupelo MS.
The media was covering the event well before Friday, as the city of Tupelo gave numerous updates through various outlets with information on parking, where the general public should line up, and what to expect. It was being reported that supporters should show up as early as possible, in order to gain entrance into the event; since more tickets were given out than the arena had the capacity to hold.
Having been cleared for a press pass, I was not concerned with being able to get in to the building, however, I was concerned with parking. Having a disability, the idea of parking blocks away, and having to walk to the event was not something that I wanted to face. I arrived at roughly 2:00 pm. I drove past a large crowd gathered in the front of the building, and then looked at the massive amount of cars already in the lot. As I turned toward the Bancorpsouth Arena, I noticed several law enforcement officers blocking one side of the road. After stopping to speak to one of the officers, I was relieved to learn that there was, in fact, media parking on the other side of the building.
Despite attempting to reach out to someone from President Trump’s press office, I had no idea where to go once I was actually at the arena. No one had told me where to check in, or to whom I was supposed to report. Once in the parking lot, I spotted a local TV news anchor that I recognized, and asked her if she had any information. She knew just as much as I did, so we walked together toward the entrance so we could find out how to get inside.
The process of checking in was simple. I gave my name to the woman at the sign-in table, and she handed me my press badge. I have to say, I always wanted to have one of those…I am not sure why. After being thoroughly scanned and checked for explosives, knives, firearms, and shoe bombs. (One of my shoes looks a little funny due to my disability.) I was shown into the arena and to the press box.
The press area was located in the center of the arena, and sectioned off with a large guard rail. In the back, there were three rows of tables for those of us without TV cameras. Each table was equipped with a power strip for charging laptops and cell phones. After speaking to another member of the media, I learned that there was no WIFI for the press to use. This was a problem for a few of the bloggers there, since their programs needed internet in order to work. I was thankful that I had only brought a digital recorder and a notebook. In my experience, old fashioned works better than the newest technology. One does not need internet access to take notes, and a pen will usually work without being plugged in.
Being seated in the back of the press area, my view of the stage was completely blocked. The front of the press box was occupied by a series of risers. This area was reserved for the members of the media with TV crews. The crews ranged from several local stations, as well as, national news outlets like CNN and NBC. Even though I was there to listen to the rally, rather than film it, I couldn’t help but be frustrated once the event started, because I had absolutely no chance of getting photographs.
Once the crowds began to file in, I watched excited faces as they looked for the best seats they could find. Early in the day, the event staff had told the ushers to be sure to fill the seats closer to the stage first. I can only assume that is because the venue would appear to be full for the TV cameras. One of the things that struck me, was the crowd. I noted a few times that it resembled the crowd of a monster truck rally, rather than a presidential audience. I didn’t expect the crowd to be dressed in suits and ties, but I was a little surprised at some of the things I saw. Most of the crowd was wearing jeans and graphic tee shirts, which speaks to President Trump’s blue collar appeal.
Trump’s political rally in Tupelo, MS.
At around 5:30, the rally was opened with a word of prayer. The crowd stood and bowed their heads, but it quickly turned into something else. When I was young, I was taught to be respectful and quiet during prayer. With that said, I realized that the crowd might have been taught something else. Every time the speaker mentioned President Trump, the crowd roared to life. It almost seemed like I had walked into the middle of the First Presidential Church of Trump. When Jesus was mentioned, the crowd often fell silent. After the prayer, the national anthem was preformed, and then we all stood and pledged allegiance to the flag…which I couldn’t see. What followed was another hour and a half of random soft rock played over the PA system and more boredom.
When the clock hit 7:00, the crowd grew more and more excited. With the end of each song, the chants of “Trump” and “Trump Train” filled the air. Half an hour later, Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World” came up next on the arena’s random playlist. Immediately followed by the introduction of the President. I will admit that I have a bad habit of laughing at the most inappropriate times. I could not help myself, as I belly laughed at the idea that the President was introduced after a song about the woes of the country was played.
President Trump took the stage to a thunderous applause, immediately cracking a joke about Tupelo being the birthplace of Elvis Presley. For a moment, I was struck with the feeling of something special. I was standing 100 yards from the President of the United States, even though I could hardly see anything over the sea of cell phones trying to snap pictures and videos. However, when Trump began to speak that feeling quickly disappeared.
President Trump spoke about his administration, and all of the good they had done. He spoke about the stock market closing at an all-time high. He spoke about how the environment had greatly improved, claiming that the air and water had never been cleaner. Then, he spoke about the Democrat party…at great length.
The Bancorpsouth Arena in Tupelo MS, nearly full of Trump fans.
The President mentioned that the military had just killed Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of ISIS, and so-called number one terrorist. He spoke about the military, and praised the men and women that had served, and then villainized the media for burying that story. He then approached the topic of impeachment, stating that it was nothing more than a witch hunt from the democrats and the media. At one point, he called out CNN, and even pointed out the fact that they had stopped recording. This did not strike me as very presidential behavior.
After more muck raking, the President moved on to the topic at hand. The reason for his visit was to drum up support for Tate Reeves, the Republican candidate for Governor. However, he didn’t speak about Reeves very much at all. Instead, he built up Mississippi’s current Governor Phil Bryant. He told the audience how Bryant had lowered the unemployment rate, and had made several other improvements to the state. He concluded by asking for the vote for the Republican ticket, rarely mentioning Reeves by name when it came to Tuesday’s election. When President Trump left the podium, Reeves himself stepped to the podium. Reeves delivered a very short speech asking for support on Tuesday. Shortly after Reeves left the podium, the crowd started to head toward the exit, eager to leave the venue as quickly as possible.
This was an experience that I am glad that I was a part of, However, I left feeling somewhat underwhelmed. I am not an avid Trump fan, however, I do support him. In my opinion, Trump could not have been less presidential. I’m not sure how dignified I expected him to be. He is, after all, the same man that ran a reality TV show for 14 years, and appeared in three different Playboy home entertainment videos. The entire thing felt like a WWE event, which Trump has also been a part of, rather than a political rally. Despite the frustration from being corralled in an area where I had to struggle to see, and having absolutely no chance of getting photos, I am glad I had the chance to cover the rally. Next time, I might skip the whole press pass thing (still cool) and simply attend the event with the general audience.
Editor’s note: Phillip Martin has very recently begun reporting for NAnewsweb.com, his first such job in the news business. We imagine that few small town reporters get the opportunity to cover a sitting president before they’ve got five stories under their belt. We are happy he was able to be one of the few. Martin, his wife and their eight year old son live in Blue Springs, MS.
https://i0.wp.com/nemiss.news/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Trump-in-Tupelo.jpg?fit=1030%2C438&ssl=14381030NEMiss.Newshttps://nemiss.news/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/nemiss-full-logo-300x77.jpgNEMiss.News2019-11-02 15:00:392020-07-20 20:18:11Trump in Tupelo: A new reporter’s view
BLUE SPRINGS, Miss. – Toyota is making Mississippi mobile.
Beginning with furniture production more than a 70 years ago, the northeast corner of the state has a long history of manufacturing, and Toyota’s 2-million-square-foot facility continues the tradition. The state-of-the-art facility, nestled among the pastoral rolling hills in Blue Springs, has rolled almost one million Corolla vehicles off the line.
“The progress our team members have made over the past 10 years has been amazing,” says Vice President of Administration Mike Botkin. “Their commitment to quality and safety, plus the unwavering support we have received from the community, is the foundation of our success.”
Earlier this year, Toyota announced plans to build a nearly $10 million visitor and interactive training center. The facility will offer public tours showcasing how nearly 2,000 Mississippians produce ever-better Corollas vehicles, the world’s best-selling sedan of all time.
Toyota Mississippi also is turning up the tunes to celebrate 10 years since its groundbreaking.
Free “Back Porch Blues” Concert
To thank the community for its support, Toyota Mississippi will host “Back Porch Blues,” a free outdoor community concert, Nov. 4, at Fairpark in Tupelo, Mississippi. A powerhouse lineup offers a little something for everyone. Soul Shockers will showcase its classic R&B styling at 5:30 p.m., followed by the Dirty Dozen Brass Band bringing the brass and the funk at 6:45 p.m. The seven-man soulful combo, Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats, will bring down the house when they roll out an eclectic sound of vintage rhythm and blues at 8 p.m.
Food and beverages will be available for purchase. For complete details, visit www.toyotamsevents.com.
Toyota Mississippi has shown through collaboration with neighborhood non-profits that when good ideas are shared, great things can happen. During the event, the company will announce a special donation to a community partner during its event that is sure to get engines revving.
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. and North America for 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands. During that time, Toyota has created a tremendous value chain as our teams have contributed to world-class design, engineering, and assembly of more than 33 million cars and trucks in North America, where we operate 14 manufacturing plants (10 in the U.S.) and directly employ more than 46,000 people (more than 36,000 in the U.S.). Our 1,800 North American dealerships (nearly 1,500 in the U.S.) sold almost 2.7 million cars and trucks (2.45 million in the U.S.) in 2016 – and about 85 percent of all Toyota vehicles sold over the past 15 years are still on the road today.
Toyota partners with community, civic, academic, and governmental organizations to address our society’s most pressing mobility challenges. We share company resources and extensive know-how to support non-profits to help expand their ability to assist more people move more places. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.
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UPDATE: Tupelo’s “Boil Water” notice was lifted on Saturday October 21st, with comments from officials indicating the problem stemmed from sampling errors, not from problems with the water itself.
People in Tupelo have been told that their drinking water failed a health test and are warned not to drink it straight from the tap. City officials hope the “boil water notice” can be lifted sometime tomorrow (Saturday)
The Mississippi State Health Department said yesterday morning (Thursday, Oct. 19, 2017) that E. coli bacteria were found in a sample of water from Tupelo’s water supply. The health department warned against drinking the water unless it had been “boiled vigorously for at least one minute,” which is said to kill the bacteria. The warning is believed to apply to nearly 40,000 people.
Many Tupelo restaurants and bars are closed, and bottled water has disappeared from store shelves. At least one school closed for the day on Friday. Tupelo officials say that further testing is being done at the state lab. They hope that the “boil water notice” could be lifted tomorrow (Saturday), if all samples are clear from two consecutive sampling days.
Some strains of E. coli (Escherichia coli), a bacterium found in the gut of warm-blooded animals, can cause serious, even fatal, health problems in humans. The E. coli is expelled with the animals’ fecal matter. Symptoms may include stomach cramps, diarrhea, fatigue and fever. It is particularly dangerous to children, the elderly or anyone whose health is otherwise compromised.
There is no evidence that the water supplied to New Albany residents has or has ever had E.coli bacteria. There are widespread complaints about New Albany’s water being discolored by minerals, but no health risks are known to be present. All of New Albany’s water comes from deep wells.
Tupelo water, on the other hand, is drawn from the Tombigbee River and treated in a plant at Peppertown. None of Tupelo’s water comes from wells.
Tupelo officials say that the E. coli bacteria were found in only one of the many samples of water taken from the system Tuesday, Oct. 17. They have indicated their belief that the presence of E. coli may have been because of an error in the samples taken in Tupelo or the testing done in Jackson.
The Tupelo hospital has said it has seen no increases in patients with complaints that could have been caused by bad water.
According to published sources, samples of Tupelo water are routinely taken from numerous places around the city and are submitted to the state laboratory in Jackson for testing. In Mississippi samples of water are taken regularly from every water system for testing. The number of samples required varies according to the size of the system. Tupelo, with its 40,000 or so people, typically submits water for testing from forty different faucets around the city. New Albany Lights, Gas, and Water (NALGW), which furnishes water to about 4,300 customers, must submit samples from nine different sources around the city.
An additional 126 samples of Tupelo water — 63 Thursday and 63 more Friday — have been sent to the state lab and it is hoped that all will be found free of the E. coli organisms.
E. coli is a dangerous bacterium, which kills many people around the world every year. The World Health Organization (WHO) says that 420,00 people, 125,000 of them children, are killed every year by contaminated food and water.
Whether the problem is actual contamination in the water or is due to errors in sampling and/or testing, the fact that the boil water notice warning was necessary has caused widespread anxiety, inconvenience and economic loss to Tupelo’s residents and businesses.
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The annual Dancing With The King weekend will be held at The Summit Center in Tupelo, March 24-26. Elvis tour, sock hop, amateur and professional competitions to Elvis tunes, ballroom dancing, etc. all come together for a weekend of fun and dance.
Professionals will be Dancing with The King in competition at Saturday night Gala.
If you love Dancing With The Stars, you’ll love Dancing With The KingTM, now in its fourth year. This charitable event raises money for scholarships in support of dance education and is designed to pay tribute to Elvis’TM musical legacy. All competitors Saturday will be dancing to one of Elvis’TM songs, chosen from more than 800 of his tunes.
The Saturday gala event begins at 6:30pm. It features a catered dinner, the best of the best from the amateur competition and a competition where professional dancers compete to their favorite ElvisTM songs. There will also be performances by ElvisTM tribute artist, Jack Curtis. In addition, there will be more than 80 items available to win. If you are looking to enjoy a great evening out including dinner and a great show, this event is for you.
Amateur and Pro-AM competition is Saturday afternoon
Dancing with The King is presented by The Tupelo Elvis PresleyTM Fan Club and is sponsored in part by the Tupelo Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Rotary Club of Tupelo, Mississippi Hills National Heritage Area, the Elaine Dundy and Roy Turner Endowment for the Arts and the City of Tupelo.
Dancing With The KingTM is a special project of the CREATE Foundation. Call Charlise Latour at (662) 687-2188, for help in making your contribution through CREATE so that your donation will be tax deductible.
All events are held at The Summit Center, 852 North Gloster St., in Tupelo.
Tickets are on sale now for this fun weekend, March 24-26. The all-inclusive package includes a Sock Hop, a unique tour of Elvis’TM childhood haunts led by Tupelo ElvisTM Historian, Roy Turner, admission to the amateur show dance competition, tickets to the Saturday evening gala and admission to the ballroom dance competition on Sunday. The package price is just $99 per person. Tickets for weekend events may be purchased separately as well.
See link below for details on events, times, prices, tickets, etc.
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Tupelo Mayor Jason Shelton spoke at the annual meeting of the New Albany Main Street Association.
Tupelo Mayor Jason Shelton spoke to about 150 people today, Oct. 6, at the annual membership meeting of the New Albany Main Street Association.
Shelton praised the efforts of Main Street, local government, and others, who helped create the current prosperous condition of downtown New Albany.
Main Street membership is up about 30% over the same time last year.
Main Street members Tommy Sappington, of Sappington’s Men’s Wear, and Michael Brown, president of the local branch of Renasant Bank, received awards for their exceptional service to Main Street and New Albany.
Original Article:
New Albany, MS- Tupelo Mayor Jason Shelton will speak at the annual membership meeting of the New Albany Main Street Association on Thursday, Oct. 6th.
The luncheon meeting will be at 11: 45 a.m. Thursday, in the Event Hall at 139 West Bankhead St.
Shelton was elected mayor of Tupelo in June 2013, when he was 37 years old. He was the first Democrat elected mayor of Tupelo since 1985 — 28 years. With nearly 60 percent of the votes, he defeated Republican city councilman Fred Pitts, winning 10 of Tupelo’s 13 precincts. The state Republican party had given strong support to Pitts, including money for the Republican’s campaign and visits to Tupelo by state Republican office holders.
Considered a long shot when he first entered the 2013 race, Shelton campaigned as a fiscal conservative and an advocate for economic and population growth in the city of 35,000. He emphasized the need to attract younger, middle-income families back to Tupelo, which had lost such families to other communities in Lee and other nearby counties in the early years of the 21st century..
Shelton’s performance in response to two tragic events during his first 12 months in office made admirers of many of his former political opponents:
First, one Tupelo police officer was killed and another was gravely wounded when they were shot by subjects attempting escape from a bank holdup near downtown Tupelo, a few days before Christmas 2013. Shelton’s confident and compassionate handling of that shocking event helped the city deal with its grief.
Just four months later, on the afternoon of April 28, 2014, a huge tornado struck Tupelo, destroying or seriously damaging hundreds of homes and businesses, killing one individual and injuring dozens of others. Shelton’s calm leadership in helping Tupelo recover from the millions of dollars of property damage and disruption to hundreds of lives was extraordinary.
One Tupelo businessman, previously a powerful opponent of Shelton, told this reporter during the summer of 2014 that Shelton’s performance as mayor while the city dealt with the two shocking events was, “Really exceptional. He handled the killing of the police officer and the tornado recovery with calmness, intelligence, and tremendous skill. You’d have thought he had been dealing with such catastrophic events for decades.”
Shelton is a native of Tupelo and a graduate of its public schools. He attended Itawamba Community College, Mississippi State University and is a graduate of the law school of the University of Mississippi.
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We are excited to be back in Tupelo for our next BOA meeting on Tuesday, May 24 at the First United Methodist Church on Main Street. We hope you will mark your calendar, bring a friend, and make plans to join us. Breakfast begins at 7:30 a.m. and the program will be from 7:45-8:45 a.m.
The speakers will be Forest Thigpen, President of MCPP and Mike Hurst, Director of the Mississippi Justice Institute (a new division of the Mississippi Center for Public Policy).
Forest Thigpen
Forest will bring a 2016 legislative summary, an analysis of topics and trends, and an update on other aspects of the mission of the Mississippi Center for Public Policy.
Mike Hurst
Mike will describe his journey from 2015 candidate for Mississippi Attorney General to the position of Director of the Mississippi Justice Institute, and will provide details on current and potential cases the Institute will be working on.
Please respond TODAY to this email or call Sharon at 601-969-1300to make your reservation.
Mississippi Center for Public Policy exists to advance the ideals of limited government, free markets, and strong traditional families by influencing public policy, informing the media, and equipping the public with information and perspective to help them understand and defend their liberty.
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Dancing With The King, presented by the Tupelo Elvis Presley Fan Club, is a perfect event for Tupelo’s festival season. Dancing With The King, now in its third year, is slated for April 22 – 24.
The event is designed to pay tribute to Elvis’musical legacy through dance. Call Charlise Latour at (662) 687-2188 to purchase tickets.
Click to Enlarge
The Dancing With The King fan package includes a Friday night Sock Hop at the Elvis Presley Birthplace; a Saturday morning unique tour of Elvis’ childhood haunts led by Tupelo Elvis Historian, Roy Turner; admission to the Saturday afternoon amateur show dance competition; tickets to theSaturday evening dinner dance and professional dance competition; and admission to the ballroom dance competition on Sunday. Tickets for the fan package are only $99 per person. Individual weekend sessions may be purchased separately, as well.
All competitors in the show dance competition on Saturday afternoon will be dancing to Elvis’ music, chosen from more than 800 of his songs. People often comment that they hear Elvis songs at this event they have never heard him sing before.
The Saturday evening gala begins at 6:30 pm. It features a catered dinner, the best of the best from the afternoon amateur competition and professional dancers dancing to their favorite Elvis songs. There will also be a performance by popular Elvis tribute artist, Jack Curtis. All Saturday events will be at Shelton Hall at St. James Catholic Church except for the tour.
Dancing With The King is a charitable event designed to raise money for dance scholarships. At the event itself, there will be more than 80 baskets given away which will be filled with donations from area merchants. Anyone who wants to enjoy a great evening out including dinner and a great show will truly enjoy Dancing With The King.
The presenting sponsor for Dancing With The King is The Tupelo Elvis Presley Fan Club. Dancing With The King is also sponsored in part by the Tupelo Convention & Visitors Bureau, the MDA Tourism Division, the Elaine Dundy and Roy Turner Endowment for the Arts and the City of Tupelo and many other individuals and businesses in Northeast Mississippi.
Dancing With The KingTM is a special project of the CREATE Foundation. Sponsorship contributions made through CREATE are tax deductible.
ElvisTM, Elvis PresleyTM and the KingTM are trademarks of ABG EPE IP LLC. Rights of Publicity and Persona Rights for Elvis Presley are used with permission of ABG EPE IP LLC.
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