August 7, 2020 MBJ E-EDITION

M S B U S I N E S S . C O M

| Aug. 7 - Aug. 20, 2020 | Vo. 43 • No. 5 • 24 pages

• Health Care

• Architects & Engineers

{Section begins P12} » Health care front line workers Nurses and staff are high priority for state's hospitals » Routine medical visits during pandemic require scrupulous precautions

{Section begins P17} » TOP OF CLASS - MSU's Bagley College of Engineering maintains high ranking

SPRING

COMEBACK? » m-braves, shuckers plan rousing return » Page 2

Pages 16 & 19

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Mississippi Business Journal

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Aug. 7 - Aug. 20, 2020

M-BRAVES, SHUCKERS PLAN ROUSING COMEBACKS IN SPRING » Teams use layoff to create new fan enticements, keep up brand visibility

By TED CARTER mbj@msbusiness.com

E

xpectations of their teams making grand returns to the field in April have replaced the despair of a 2020 season lost to TED CARTER the coronavirus pandemic, say executives of the Mississippi Braves and Biloxi Shuckers of the Double A Southern League.

The clubs will devote the months in which their teams would otherwise be on the field to putting talents to work on crowd-pleasing promotions and events for a hoped-for 2021 season. With pent-up fan demand for live baseball, the teams expect rollicking receptions on their return to Trustmark Park in Pearl and MGM Park in Biloxi, respectively, the club executives say.

“While we would never choose this script, a silver lining is that we now have a big head start on the new features we will be presenting to fans in 2021,” said Pete Laven, a 30-year veteran of minor league front office work who joined the Mississippi Braves as vice president and general manager in 2018.

“We can't wait to unveil brand new promotional events, premium giveaways, unique culinary offerings as well as a remodeled Farm Bureau Grill in right field,” added Laven

Laven, who reports to club owner Major League Baseball’s Atlanta Braves.

In Biloxi, Hunter Reed envisions the Shuckers’ opening day in April as a “tremendous occasion.”

“As hard as we worked to make 2020 and every season great, there is no denying how special next season will be,” said Reed, general manager of the Double A Milwaukee Brewers affiliate.

“Rest assured, we are working hard every day to make that happen,” he added.

Keeping up their profiles and brands in their markets is a must for the Mississippi clubs’ hopes for making their returns much-anticipated events, Laven and Reed said in emails.

“How our brand stays front-and-center is ever-changing with the times,” Reed said. “But the constant is we want coastal Mississippi and the surrounding areas to know we are here to stay.”

Tee Off or Slug a Homer

Why let all that well-groomed green grass inside MGM Park go to waste at summer’s midpoint? the Shuckers front office staffers asked themselves in deciding to convert the playing field into a 9-hole golf course, calling it the Golf Experience at Schooner’s Landing.

Visitors didn’t even need to golf. They could come and just take swings, with tee times set on the half hour mornings through midafternoon.

The special golfing “experience” is over for

now but those sort of multi-uses for the Biloxi park and other minor league venues around the country reflect a resourcefulness that could be crucial for making it to Opening Day 2021. Non-baseball events, such as 5K runs and craft beer festivals, are a year-round priority for stadium owners. But without games for a season, filling calendar spots is more important than ever, both financially and for maintaining a high profile for the stadium and team.

Take the M-Braves’ Father's Day Batting Practice event, for instance. It brought fans into Trustmark Park and generated a lot of buzz when one dad, partial leg-amputee Jeremy Williams, homered over the left field wall, the only father to go yard. Williams had lost a part of his left leg in a train accident at age 11.

On the Fourth of July weekend, a massive crowd turned out for an annual fireworks show put on by the City of Pearl and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi. Organizers allowed a limited number of fans into Trustmark Park while most watched the show from their autos in the stadium parking lot.

The ballpark will also feature three on-field high school graduations in July.

“While not ideal circumstances, the cancellation of the current season opens up a lot of dates on the summer calendar for our staff to collaborate on ways to book events while observing state and local covid-19 regulations,” Laven, the GM, said.

Beyond stadium events, the Shuckers and M-Braves use social media to remind fans to See BASEBALL, Page 4

Aug. 7 - Aug. 20, 2020

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Mississippi Business Journal

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» Reporter's Notebook

Book Festival cancellation won’t stop the flow

I

n case you missed the Smith said in an email to a news, the sixth annual question about that: “The Mississippi Book Fesnovel leads up to Nick’s first tival, scheduled for Aug. moments in West Egg but 15, will not be held due to I’d like to leave it at that for the coronavirus. now.”

Such is the way in the Year JACK WEATHERLY of the Plague, no or not yet.

But that doesn’t mean that writIn the on-deck circle is Lawrence ing in the Magnolia State and elsewhere Wells’ “In the Shadow of William Faulkner: has stopped. a Memoir.”

The Mississippi pipeline for the “literThat will be out Sept. 1 under the Uniary lawn party” in and around the state versity Press of Mississippi imprimatur.

Capitol, which has set attendance record Wells was founder, along with his wife, after record, is being loaded for next year, to be sure.

Michael Farris Smith is taking an intriguing detour with his next novel.

“Nick” will be a prequel to F. Scott Fitzgerald’s immortal “The Great Gatsby.”

That’s possible now because the Fitzgerald novel’s copyright will expire on Jan. 1, and the work will become part of the public domain, meaning it’s fair game for creative efforts based on the famous novel.

Dean Faulkner Wells, of the YoknapaSmith’s novel, tapha Press in Oxford. to be released Jan. Dean Faulkner Wells, of course, was 5 by Little Brown, William Faulkner’s niece. will center on Nick Larry Wells befriended Barry HanCarraway, the narnah, Willie Morris, Larry Brown and rator of “Gatsby.” many other writers who adopted Ox“The prequel ford as a home. takes place a few years before Carraway “He became both participant and obrents a house in the West Egg district of server to the deeds and misdeeds of a rowdy Long Island and encounters the enigmatic collection of talented authors living in Faulkmultimillionaire Jay Gatsby,” according to ner’s shadow,” the University Press said. a release.

C o i n c i d e n t a l l y, Smith, an Oxford resident, has es- yours truly suggesttablished himself as an inheritor of the ed to another OxSouthern literary mantle. ford-based writer His books of fiction are gothic, save for one. not long ago, before That was his first, “The Hands of news of Wells’ book Strangers,” a novella set in Paris and writ- was made public, that ten with a Hemingwayesque style. he could be the right Smith won’t necessarily emulate Fitz- man to delve into the gerald’s elegant style, though he has the skinny of that culture. chops to do it.

Literary industries He has made a career of primarily writ- thrive on such things ing about down-and-outers.

— Hannah’s troubled genius and the nurturing Interestingly, Carraway “[embarks] on Morris, a truth-telling Mr. Mississippi, both trag‘a transcontinental redemptive journey’ ically fueled by whiskey, made for a volatile mix. to escape the horrors he witnessed during the trench warfare of the First World War”. That sounds like it should play into Smith’s wheelhouse.

Another imminent book by a MissisIt’s enough to say that he believes it does. sippian, British expatriate Richard Grant, Whether we will see or hear about takes a look at another institution.

Gatsby in “Nick” is an intriguing notion.

Just when you thought you knew every-

•••

•••

thing about the fabled city of Natchez.

Grant’s “Dispatches Pluto,” published from Pluto in 2015, perhaps opened the eyes of readers in the state that has historically resisted “outsider” criticism – and strangely endeared

himself in doing so.

His view from an anchorage in the Delta for a year was unblinking but not condescending. (He and his wife and daughter now live in Jackson.)

Now another deep dive.

“The Deepest South of All: True Stories From Natchez, Mississippi” takes a look at the eccentricities of the contemporary version of this town all to itself on the big river and recalls its status as the richest town in the country in its doomed antebellum glory that still thrives for tourists as a shop window version of the past.

Note how the full subtitle of the book, which is also due out on Sept. 1, includes the name of the state. That’s for Yankees and other foreigners, who are very welcome in this vestige of the Old South.

One wonders, contrarily perhaps, how a recent decision to change the state flag will affect tourism.

Could someone from Columbus, Ohio, say, or London be disappointed from a historical perspective to no longer see the Confederate symbol flying over government buildings?

After a majority of state legislators voted to change the state’s 126-year-old flag (91-23 in the House and 37-14 in the Senate), Gov. Tate Reeves signed it on June 30 into public-property oblivion, save for museums.

On Nov. 3, Mississippi voters will decide on the exactly which new symbol will fly over the state.

All we know right now is that it will not have the Confederate battle flag in its design.

How much that will change or reflect the hearts and minds of Mississippians – twothirds of whom cast ballots in 2001 to keep the old flag — remains to be seen, though a lot of muddy water has passed beneath the state’s creaky bridges since then. » JACK WEATHERLY is a reporter at the Mississippi Business Journal. He can be reached at jack.weatherly@msbusiness.com.

Mercedes-Benz adds Cooper Tire to another SUV The Cooper Discoverer SRXLE tire, which is made at Cooper’s plant in Tupelo, has been selected by Mercedes-Benz as original equipment on the new Mercedes-Benz GLS, the automaker’s next generation full-size SUV. The Cooper Discoverer SRXLE is a premium all-season SUV and CUV tire that the company says has earned acclaim for superior innovation, technical achievement, quality and workmanship. Discoverer SRXLE fitments on the Mercedes-Benz GLS include the 275/50R20 and 275/55R19.

“The Cooper Discoverer SRXLE features advanced performance construction to deliver maximum steering response, stability in handling maneuvers, and a smooth, comfortable ride. With leading edge tread technology, the SRXLE provides confidence in vehicle control by delivering superior traction in all weather conditions and helps improve fuel efficiency.”

Cooper also said the tire’s profile shape includes a footprint that enhances vehicle control, in addition to groove in the tread that improve resistance to hydroplaning and provide more control and grip in heavy rain.

“This is the second Mercedes-Benz vehicle announced within the past 18 months to feature Cooper tires as original equipment,” said Glenn Arbaugh, Executive Director, Global Light Vehicle OE Business & Strategy for Cooper. “We are already OE on the Mercedes-Benz GLE, and are excited about this next opportunity on the Mercedes-Benz GLS.” Last year the German automaker chose Cooper’s Discoverer SRXLE to be original equipment on its GLE in sizes 255/50R19XL and 275/50R20.

Cooper Tire opened its Tupelo plant in 1984 and employs about 1,300 people. The facility has produced nearly 400 million tires.

Mercedes-Benz GLS

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Mississippi Business Journal

BASEBALL

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Aug. 7 - Aug. 20, 2020

Continued from Page 2

not forget about baseball. “It’s a lifeline to our loyal supporters,” Laven noted, detailing the efforts of communications chief Chris Harris, who is also the team’s radio voice.

Harris, Laven said, “has done a phenomenal job of engaging fans with creative content such as at-home reading programs for school kids, Quarantine Q&As with current and past M-Braves players as well as Sponsor Spotlights featuring our current partners and their efforts in the community during this extraordinary time.”

The M-Braves are also using a ballpark mainstay – hot dogs – to generate goodwill, Laven said. With the Hot Dog Happy Hours, he added, club staff delivers ballpark hot dogs to

health care workers at local hospitals.

The Shuckers established Shucker Nation before the 2019 season to raise and maintain the team’s brand year-round.

The Shuckers are building on that with efforts led by Sales & Marketing Coordinator Dustin Fishman, GM Reed said. “The constant is we want coastal Mississippi and the surrounding areas to know we are here to stay.”

Fiscal Shortfalls

In the back-and-forth that led to building MGM Park, negotiations ended with the Shuckers agreeing to pay the City of Biloxi a base annual rent of $150,000 and percentages of the gate projected at about $200,000 annually.

Reed

Those payments are short of the $1.5 million or so yearly that Biloxi pays on stadium debt and lease payments to MGM Resorts for the land on which the stadium sits, according to Vincent Creel, Biloxi’s public affairs manager.

Biloxi borrowed $21 million for its con-

tribution to building MGM Park, while the state covered the remainder of the $36 million total with recovery funds from the 2010 BP gulf oil spill.

The debt distress level is far less in Pearl. The city does not own Trustmark Park and resort taxes and sales tax allocations that cover stadium debt are up about $600,000 over last year, according to Pearl Mayor Jake Windham.

That surplus comes from sales from Bass Pro Shops, shopping plazas and hotel properties that are neighbors to the stadium just off Interstate 20. But the picture is bleaker for businesses in Biloxi expecting baseball to liven up downtown.

“We’ll that ain’t going to happen” this year, Creel said.

“It has been catastrophic for them as well.”

Communities lose their summer ‘front porches’ with cancelled minor league season » Fearing for publicly owned ballparks, MiLB asking Congress for recovery loans

By TED CARTER mbj@msbusiness.com

A

top the laments over the loss of the 2020 Minor League Baseball (MiLB) season to the coronavirus pandemic are lost revenues for team owners and zero paydays for players after the end of July.

But on the community front, the consequence that sticks out the most for MiLB’s Jeff Lantz is the loss of the summertime front porches that the games and the players represent to towns across America. “They are essentially a collection of small businesses, and most have local ownership,” Lantz, MiLB spokesman, said of the 160 teams that make up Minor League Baseball.

“That creates an atmosphere of those ballplayers being the front porch of the community in the summer,” he said.

In Pearl and Biloxi, homes of the Mississippi Braves and Biloxi Shuckers, respectively, it’s a front porch prone to rocking and rolling with late-inning rallies or happy dancing on the party deck over a hometown slugger’s shot over the centerfield wall.

But not this year. Like their counterparts around the country, the two Double A Southern League clubs are out of action until at least next spring. "These are unprecedented times for our country and our organization as this is the first time in our history that we've had a summer without Minor League baseball played," MiLB president Pat O'Conner said in a statement on July 1. "While this is a sad day for many, this announcement removes the uncertainty surrounding the 2020 season and allows our teams to begin

planning for an exciting 2021 season of affordable family entertainment."

The job ahead is to get through the financial hardships and the emotional letdowns of a lost season, Lantz said.

“We’ll do what we can to keep teams afloat and keep them in business,” he said. “We’re looking at 19 straight months with no revenue.”

The St. Petersburg, Fla.-based MiLB and its supporters are working congressional contacts in hopes of getting some targeted help from Washington. The Biloxi Shuckers and the other 122 MiLB clubs not owned by Major League Baseball teams (The Atlanta Braves own the MBraves) received payroll help from the government Paycheck Protection Program. But that money was exhausted and while Congress debated on an extension, it could be a long time before MiLB parks hear the call of “play ball.”

“We have people in D.C. lobbying Congress to get a loan program established,” Lantz said, emphasizing that many MiLB clubs are in ball parks funded by cities and counties.

They’re the main tenant, and without them, money sufficient to cover bonds and loans isn’t there, he said.

Lantz called the forgivable Paycheck Protection Program loans a Band-aid. With the season eliminated, MiLB now needs a tourniquet, he said.

“That money is starting to run out,” Lantz said of the PPP allocations that are switched from loans to grants for businesses that fulfill workforce retention rules.

“A lot of teams are making tough decisions with furloughs and layoffs,’ he added.

Lantz said in its request for new financial help, MiLB is committing to repaying the loans over the next few years.

“We’re trying to generate a loan program to help stay afloat,” he said, “We’re certainly not looking for bailouts or grants or something like that.”

Meanwhile, the anxieties of MiLB officials and executives who run the minor league clubs reach beyond the covid-related shutdowns. The nervousness is over an exSee COMMUNITIES, Page 5

Copiah 9.4 Adams 12.4

Jefferson 20.3

Mississippi Unemployment Rates by CountyAdams

Franklin 8.7

12.4

Aug. 7 - Aug. 20, 2020 June 2020 DeSoto 7.6

Mississippi 9.7 11.2 U.S. 11.2

» Mississippi - 9.7 | u.s. -

Wilkinson 14.1

Tunica 17.5

Benton 10.3

Marshall 9.6

Tate 9.2

MISSISSIPPI’S JUNE 2020 UNEMPLOYMENT FIGURES Lafayette 8.1

Quitman 12.6

Coahoma 14.1

Yalobusha June 2020 10.4

Tallahatchie 8.5

Calhoun 8.7

Labor force and employment security data STATE OF MISSISSIPPI Labor Force Data Civilian Labor Force Unemployed Unemployment Rate Employed UNITED STATES Labor Force Data Civilian Labor Force Unemployed Unemployment Rate Employed STATE OF MISSISSIPPI Unemployment Insurance Data •• Initial UI Claims Continued Claims Benefits Paid Weeks Paid First Payments Final Payments Average Weekly Benefit

June ‘20 1,211,200 117,800 9.7 1,093,400

June ‘20 160,883,000 18,072,000 11.2 142,811,000

May ‘20 1,212,000 125,900 10.4 1,086,100

Sunflower 11.5

Leflore 12.6

June ‘19 ‘19 Avg. Washington 1,292,700 1,276,100 12.2 Humphreys 83,200 69,200 15.9 6.4Sharkey

5.4 11.5 1,209,500 1,206,900 Issaquena 7.2

May ‘20 June ‘19 Warren ‘19 Avg. 157,975,000 164,120,000 10.7 163,539,000 Hinds 20,514,000 6,292,000 6,001,000 11.7 13.0 3.8 3.7 Claiborne 137,461,000 157,828,000 157,538,000 18.6 Jefferson 20.3

June 2020 May 2020 Adams Franklin 70,171

12.4 103,087 8.7 657,190 947,444 $123,824,886 $145,555,947 Amite Wilkinson 14.1 9.4 693,021 779,289 33,742 60,675 2,418 889 $178.67 Unemployment $186.78 Rates

Copiah 9.4

1,257,100 86,900 6.9 1,170,200

Holmes 20.2

Moving Avg.** 162,569,000 Rankin 9,655,000 6.3 5.9 152,914,000 Simpson

Scott 6.9

•• Unemployment Insurance amounts presented in this section only represent regular UI benefits, federal program 9.7 - 14.7 amounts are not included. Labor force amounts are produced in cooperation with the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

14.8 - 20.3 Note: Unless indicated state and county data presented are not seasonally adjusted.

— Mississippi Department of Employment Security

Panola Lowndes 12.4 10.7

Noxubee

Tallahatchie 14.7 8.5

Yalobusha 10.4

Kemper

Leflore 12.5 12.6

Carroll 9.0

Montgomery 9.2

Yazoo 12.2Clarke

Issaquena

Jasper 10.1

Wayne Hinds 11.7 10.3

Lamar Forrest Jefferson 7.3 20.3 9.9

14.1

Copiah 9.4 Greene

Perry 9.3

Franklin 8.7

Pearl River Wilkinson 8.4

Hancock 9.6

Madison 8.2

Warren 10.7

Claiborne 18.6

Adams 12.4

9.8

Stone 9.0 Amite 9.4

Rankin 6.3

10.4

Lincoln 8.5

Pike 10.4

Harrison 10.9

Walthall 9.9

Winston 11.0

Leake 9.5

Neshoba 13.4

Scott 6.9

Newton 9.6

Jasper 10.1

Covington Jones 8.8 8.4

Marion 8.3

Jackson 10.9

Lamar 7.3

Unemployment Rates

Perry 9.3

Stone 9.0

6.1 - 7.1 7.2Labor - 9.6Market Data Publication Source: Design: Labor Market Information Department, MDES

Hancock 9.6

Lowndes 10.7

Noxubee 14.7

Kemper 12.5

Lauderdale 9.0

Clarke 9.8

Wayne 10.3

Forrest 9.9

Pearl River 8.4

Monroe 11.3

Oktibbeha 9.9

Choctaw 7.1

Lawrence Jeff Davis 9.6 11.5

George 10.0

Itawamba 7.9

Clay 14.5

Webster 8.7

Smith 6.1

Simpson 7.7

Lee 10.3

Chickasaw 12.7

Attala 9.5

Sharkey 11.5

Tishomingo Source: Labor Market 7.2 PrentissDesign: Labor Market 8.0

Pontotoc 8.9

Calhoun 8.7

Grenada 8.7

Alcorn 7.0

Tippah 8.0

Union 8.2

Lafayette 8.1

Lauderdale Newton Humphreys Holmes 9.0 20.2 9.6 15.9

Covington Jones 8.8 June 2019 8.4 Lawrence Jeff Davis Lincoln 11.5 8.5 6,130 9.6

7.2 - 9.6

Tate 9.2

Quitman 12.6

Benton 10.3

Marshall 9.6

Washington 12.2

Smith 7.2 6.1

Hancock 9.6

14.8 - 20.3

Monroe DeSoto

Bolivar 9.8

Neshoba Sunflower 13.4 11.5

Forre 9.9

Pearl River 8.4

14.8 - 20.3

7.6 14.8 -11.3 20.3

Oktibbeha 9.9

6.1 - 7.1

** Average for most recent twelve months, including current month

Lamar 7.3

9.7 - 14.7

Clay Tunica 17.5 14.5

Winston 11.0

Attala 9.5

7.9

7.2 - 9.6

Coahoma 14.1

7.7

Marion 8.3

10.3

7.2 - 9.6

Chickasaw 12.7

Choctaw 7.1

Leake 9.5

Madison 8.2

47,676 $6,019,904 Pike Walthall 10.4 29,5759.9 3,062 340 $203.55

6.1 - 7.1

Unemployment Rates 7.2 - 9.6

Webster 8.7

Montgomery Carroll 9.2 9.0 Avg.** Moving

Yazoo 12.2

Walthall 9.9

Unemployment Rates

Tishomingo 7.2

Prentiss 8.0

Pontotoc 8.9

Mississippi 9.7 Grenada U.S.8.7 11.2

Bolivar 9.8

Pike 10.4

6.1 14.7 6.1 7.1 9.7 - 14.7 Lee - -7.1 Itawamba Mississippi Unemployment Rates9.7 by- County

Panola 12.4

Lawren 9.6

5

Marion 8.3

Unemployment Rates

Union 8.2

Lincoln 8.5

Covington Jones 8.8 8.4 Lawrence Jeff Davis Lincoln Wilkinson Pike Walthall 9.6 Amite 11.5 8.5 14.1 10.4 9.4 9.9 n Mississippi Business Journal n

Amite 9.4

Alcorn 7.0

Tippah 8.0

7.7

Franklin 8.7

Harrison 10.9

Greene 10.4

George 10.0

Jackson 10.9

9.7 - 14.7

14.8 - 20.3

Source: Labor Market Data Publication Design: Labor Market Information Department, MDES

Mississippi Labor Market Data — 3

COMMUNITIES

Continued from Page 4

pected end-of-September order from Major League Baseball to eliminate a quarter of minor league teams, a move that will leave 1,000 ballplayers out of jobs.

Some observers are calling the revamp specified in a new Professional Baseball Agreement with Major League Baseball the most extensive shakeup in professional baseball over the past 100 years.

It would mandate dramatically improved stadiums and give Major League Baseball control over how leagues are organized as far as affiliations and the geography of leagues, the publication Baseball America reported last year.

In addition to the loss of 40 or so teams, the remaining leagues “would also be dramatically reworked with some leagues getting much smaller, others getting bigger,

and teams switching classification levels all around the country,” Baseball America reported in an Oct. 8 article.

While Lantz said the M-Braves and Shuckers are not among teams to be eliminated, a list of team cuts leaked to the New York Times last fall included the Southern League’s Jackson, Tenn., Generals and Chattanooga Lookouts.

“The teams in Pearl and Biloxi are not on Major League Baseball’s proposed list of teams to contract prior to the next” season, Lantz said in a previous interview. “The main concern MLB has is the quality of the facilities,” he said, and noted the Mississippi teams are in good shape on that front.

The Generals and Lookouts may still avoid extinction. “The list is fluid,” Lantz said.

Despite a greatly shortened season and a slew of other issues confronting

Major League Baseball, the league is expected to make the team eliminations official on Sept. 31, according to Lantz.

“I don’t believe they have any plans to Mississippi Labor Market Data — wait,” he said, but added: “There’s still time to negotiate.”

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» INSIDE MISSISSIPPI

T

What sort of hearts lead us today?

here are the cold-hearted and the warm-hearted, the kind-hearted and the cruel-hearted, the soft-hearted and the hard-hearted among us. Do hearts matter when it comes to leadership?

Author Clifton Taulbert, who grew up in Glen Allan, Mississippi, thinks so. In 1997, he wrote a book entitled “Eight Habits of the Heart” gleaned from the people who made a difference in his early life. “They told me I was good and that my life had a value.”

“The people in my small ‘colored’ community had a thousand reasons not to build, but they ignored that reality and built their lives for my benefit,” he wrote.

“When one builds people, a good community will emerge, one that will leave its imprint beyond our front rooms, far beyond the classroom, beyond the gym, beyond our offices, and, in some cases, beyond geographical boundaries. The Eights Habits of the Heart practiced and lived out in our daily lives builds people and creates a good community.”

Those habits are nurturing attitude, responsibility, dependability, friendship, brotherhood, high expectations, courage, and hope.

These days all sorts of AmerPause, now, and re-focus icans gather as they did in the from this heartfelt exposition ’60s to demonstrate against to our leadership in America what they see as wrong in today. our society. They have a first Are Taulbert’s eight habamendment right to do so. its the traits you sense from The key is such assemblies must them? Or something differbe “peaceable.” Most are, but ent?

BILL CRAWFORD some have escalated into violence.

Back when sit-ins and demonstrations dominated the ’60s, in America, One of Taulbert’s habits is brotherhood. the person who led India’s movement to He teaches that “brotherhood is the habit independence from Britain that reaches beyond comfortable relationwas the often quoted guru of ships to extend a welcome to those who may non-violent civil disobedi- be different from yourself.” Jesus told us to ence. He inspired worldwide love each other, including our enemies.

While violence is unacceptable, the freedom movements as he campaigned for reconciliation leadership challenge today is to manage among sub-continent religious demonstrations using welcoming secusects. Mahatma Gandhi was rity methods that encourage peaceable assassinated at age 79 by a reli- behavior, not incite violence.

So, are our leaders’ hearts exhibiting a gious zealot.

Gandhi spent two decades of welcoming spirit and nurturing love for his early life in South Africa be- our demonstrating citizens who think fore he returned to India. It was differently? Are our leaders telling there campaigning for the op- demonstrators their lives have value? pressed that he began to formu- Well, besides those who automatically late his non-violent approach to label them animals, terrorists, agitators, change. South African History and lowlifes.

Gandhi said, “It is better in prayer to Online writes that Gandhi, “harboured no hatred in his heart” and was always ready have a heart without words than words to help people in distress. “It was this rare without a heart.”

Regrettably, the heartless are among us, too. combination of readiness to resist wrong “Be patient, bearing with one another in and capacity to love his opponent which baffled his enemies and compelled their love” – Ephesians 4:2. admiration.”

Hmmm. » BILL CRAWFORD is a syndicated columnist from Jackson.

» Analysis

R

first months not what Reeves expected as governor

epublican Tate Reeves has made clear that his first six months as Mississippi governor didn’t shape up the way he expected.

Reeves took office in January after eight years as lieutenant governor and eight before that as state treasurer.

A pandemic wasn’t expected when Reeves campaigned last year, and responding to the new coronavirus has occupied most of his time as governor.

“In 2020, things aren’t like they were in 2019,” Reeves said Friday. “2019, I was running a political campaign, working 20 hours a day, seven days a week, and I never thought I would long for those days. But I can assure you that I long for those days rather than dealing with this virus.”

The new coronavirus was first detected in Mississippi in early March, weeks after the first U.S. cases were reported.

Reeves closed schools that month and set a statewide stay-at-home order that remained in place a few weeks. He gradually eased restrictions on hair salons, restaurants EMILY WAGSTER PETTUS and other types of businesses. He has set some new restrictions lately, including a mask mandate in some counties.

Several weeks ago, Reeves lost a power struggle with the Legislature over who controls $1.25 billion in pandemic relief money that See FIRST MONTHS, Page 10

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Aug. 7 - Aug. 20, 2020 | Volume 43, Number 5

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House market is hot but select the right selling agent

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ow may be a good time to sell your home. Residential real estate prices are on the rise in spite of the economy being in a recession.

In some really hot areas, real estate agents place a sign in the yard phil hardwick stating that the listing is coming soon.

The property is not even on the market yet. In some cities there are bidding wars for residential real estate. In the northeast, people are moving out of big cities to smaller towns. Selecting an agent has always been an important decision, but perhaps no more important than now for homeowners who want to maximize their experience.

So how do you select the right agent?

All real estate is local, and what is happening in your neighborhood might not be the same as the national averages. Nevertheless, the news could be important to you if you are about to place your home on the market.

Thus, if you are about to list your home, selecting the right agent is critical. Let us look at two cases of how NOT to select an agent.

Tom is active in his church and believes that doing business with fellow church members is a good thing. Before having his car repaired, buying insurance or making an investment he always checks to see if anybody in his church is in that particular business or would recommend someone.

Not long ago Tom and his wife decided to sell their house for a smaller one because they were now empty-nesters.

One Sunday Tom put out the word about what he was going to do. A fellow Sunday school member recommended a friend. Tom listed with the friend only to find out later that she had a pending complaint with the state licensing agency, operated primarily in another part of town and was a parttime agent. The house stayed on the market a few months, and Tom listed with someone else when his listing expired.

Judy listed her house with her next door neighbor who has just received her real estate salesperson’s license. Her new agent worked extremely hard to sell the home, but in the end lost the most promising sale because follow-up

details were not done with the mortgage company to get That can be a big mistake. It does you little good to have someone qualified who had made an offer. your property overpriced because it will just sit on the The two cases could have been avoided if the owners market without any prospective buyers. A property that had followed these steps in listing their homes: sells for a high percent of its listing price is an indicator that the agent has priced it properly to begin with.

1. Identify agents who are familiar with your neighborhood; If you have done these things, and each agent seems 2. Invite three of those agents to make a listing presentation; and well-qualifi ed and knowledgeable about the market, your 3. Select the agent who had the best record of sales. decision will be based on which agent has the best chemistry In step number one, take the opportunity to drive with you. Note that this is the last factor in your decision, around your neighborhood and determine which agents not the first. Your home has sentimental value to you and have the most listings. Look at the yard signs and identify that counts for a lot, but in the final analysis this is a businot only the company, but the sales agent whose name you ness decision and should be approached in that fashion. see most often. Next, take a look at advertisements in local newspapers, real estate publications and other marketing, » PHIL HARDWICK is a regular Mississippi Business Journal such as billboards. It won’t take long for you to see who is columnist. His email is phil@philhardwick.com. doing business in your part of town.

Next, invite at least three of those agents to your » RICKy NOBLE home to make separate listing presentations. Each will make a preliminary visit to your home and then return with recent sales in the neighborhood, commentary on the features of your home, a recommended listing price and a marketing strategy.

Finally, select an agent.

Generally, you will want to select the one who has sold several homes in the area and who has the best sales to listing price ratio.

Some homeowners go through the above process and select the agent who recommends the highest listing price thinking that they will get more money.

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» spin cycle

The 7 deadly sins of public relations

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s we continue to navigate our coronavirus world, and grapple with Leaking Info racial injustice and police brutalSharing confidential information with ity across the nation, us PR practitioners the media does not bode well for those and brand champions have had a lot of looking to move up the ladder in PR. “I’d material to work with. have to say leaking confidential informaThere are many best practices on comtion would be one that tops the list – even if municating in this important chapter, but by accident,” said Meredith L. Eaton, director todd smith we rarely acknowledge mistakes that can of North America at Red Lorry Yellow Lorry. make or break a brand.

“After all, PR pros are also secret keepers. We are let PRNews recently surveyed the public relations com- into the innermost circles of our clients’ businesses and are munity to develop a list of the seven deadly sins of PR. often among the first to know sensitive information, so we Committing one or many of these atrocities could end can help create crisis plans or craft comms for whatever sita career or at the very least, take it in an undesirable di- uation unfolds. As the old motto goes, loose lips sink ships! rection. Humility, honesty and trust remain some of the And, as PR pros, we need to keep a lid on it or risk ruining most basic, but essential tenets of ethical PR. not only our own careers, but potentially others’ as well.”

Here’s a handy list – a “7 Deadly Sins” of PR if you will – to keep top of mind as we navigate today’s chalBreaching Trust lenging times: This action can take many forms: exceeding authority of those you represent, lying or other sorts of ethical mishaps.

Lying Another deadly sin of PR and client service is “leveraging Developing a reputation for bending the truth can put any kind of confidential client information for personal you on the wrong side of the PR law. Successful com- gain,” said Anne Green, principal, managing director, G&S municators continually promote the best in their clients, Business Communications. “This should go without sayserving with transparency and openness. Whether it ing, given the ethical and potentially legal implications. comes down to facts about a client provided for a story, But it is critical to be vigilant on this front and ensure all or the specifics of your accomplishments as a PR pro, it’s professionals coming into the field understand what apimportant to stay truthful. Vince Galloro, founder and propriate use of client information is, and what is not.” principal of Sunrise Health Communications, sees lying as a top PR sin. “Claiming to have done something on the Mistreating Reporters client’s behalf but not actually having done it,” breaches Communicators need to remember that journalists and the client’s trust, he said.

PR pros are on the same team. You catch more flies with

2.

3.

1.

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honey and ultimately reporters’ work benefits you and your clients. “This is particularly relevant for crisis communications but a good rule of thumb regardless: reporters are doing their jobs,” said Andrew Friedman, SVP of crisis management at Berlin Rosen. “Whether or not you like a story that a reporter is working on (or perhaps, passes on), attacking the reporter is almost always a waste of time and often will make a situation worse. Respecting journalism and those who practice it is generally in the best interest of your clients.” Therese Van Ryne, global PR director of Zebra Technologies, added the importance of de-prioritizing deadlines. “It’s important to meet reporters’ deadlines if you want to maintain positive relationships with them,” Van Ryne said. “One way to dampen, if not ruin, a PR career is to allow other distractions to get in the way of meeting or, better yet, beating reporter deadlines. The more responsive you are to reporters, the more they will rely on you as a valued resource.”

5.

Ignoring the Details

The little things can add up to big problems if you don’t remain detail-oriented and aware. Kim Sample, president of the PR Council, reminds communicators to always edit their work, and refrain from asking the Pepsi client for a Diet Coke. “Remember to demonstrate preference for your client’s brand,” Sample said. “Don’t stay at a Marriott-branded hotel if you’re pitching Hilton. Don’t pull out your See PUBLIC RELATIONS, Page 9

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HP laptop at a Lenovo meeting. Don’t use your Amex card to pay for a meal with the Visa client. A colleague at lunch with a PepsiCo client could order a Diet Coke and be asked to leave the team.” Spelling errors are “unforgivable,” according to Sample, especially if it is the name of a brand or a person’s name. “Pay particular attention to acronyms because they can be easily transposed. Be sure everyone involved knows what the acronym stands for. I recall a very painful story about a new business meeting in which the team didn’t know what the acronym stood for and endured some embarrassing moments,” she shared.

6.

Lack of Transparency

Tina McCorkindale, president and CEO for the Institute of Public Relations, said there’s an issue with withholding important information from stakeholders.

“Whether dealing with clients or employees, public relations professionals have a responsibility to provide information to both internal and external stakeholders that helps them make key decisions that affect peoples’ lives, even when the information may not reflect the organization positively,” McCorkindale said. “Failure to be transparent negatively impacts your reputation as a professional and how much people trust that you have their best interest in mind.”

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Panelists include:

MOLLY BRASFIELD

University of Mississippi Medical Center

Picking the Wrong Spokespeople

Sure, not everyone is great at public speaking. However, determining the wrong spokesperson for a client or brand can have terrible consequences.

“It’s critical to train your spokespeople on the do’s and don’ts of speaking to the media and track their progress in doing so to best represent your brand,” Van Ryne said. “Picking the wrong spokespeople could interrupt your longevity in this industry.” In sum, “ensuring your spokespeople know the rules of the road and stick to them benefits PR pros and the companies they represent.”

LINDSAY THOMAS DOWDLE Jones Walker LLP

CAROL HARRIS

Mississippi Development Authority

And:

Date: August 25, 2020 Location: Virtual

ANNA WOLFE

Time: 11:30am-12:30pm

Mississippi Today

To purchase tickets or sponsorships, or for more information, please visit https://bit.ly/2NnWAa0

BONUS:

Inflating Numbers

Along with lying, falsifying metrics is a huge sin. To investigators they say “follow the money”; when applied to metrics, it’s relatively easy to follow the numbers and see where a PR pro is off. “One of the worst career moves I’ve seen is PR professionals inflating media impression numbers to make their programs or campaigns appear more successful to clients,” said Sa-

brina Browne, account director, corporate, BCW Global. “Not only does this break client trust, it brings your entire agency’s measurement capabilities and credibility into question. Inflating impression numbers in end-of-year reports or recap decks will not help your success in the industry but hinder it.” Specifically, Browne said, “clients will no longer view you in the same manner and raise questions around your

ability to measure future communication programs.” To avoid this mistake, Browne advised PR pros to “develop a performance media strategy that generates results for clients beyond impressions. This approach allows you to leverage real-time data and analytics to deliver stories at-scale and drive measurable performance in today’s business landscape.”

» TODD SMITH is co-founder, president and chief executive officer of Deane | Smith, a full-service branding, PR, marketing and advertising firm with offices in Jackson.

The firm – based in Nashville, Tenn. – is also affiliated with Mad Genius. Contact him at todd@deanesmithpartners. com, follow him @spinsurgeon and like the ageny on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/deanesmithpartners, and join us on LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/ company/deane-smith-&-partners.

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» tourism

Lyric Hotel opening pushed back a month

By JACK WEATHERLY jack.weatherly@msbusiness.com

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multiple entertainment outlets including two full-service restaurants.

It was to be first Scion hotel in a chain operated by the Trump Organization and run by President Donald Trump’s sons, Donald Jr. and Eric, though the Trumps announced in January 2019 the projected

he opening date for the Lyric Hotel in Cleveland has been pushed back a month.

The luxury hotel had been scheduled to open on Tuesday, Aug. 4, as the hub of the 17-acre West End District.

It will start having a “soft rolling opening” starting Aug. 14, but “we're not going to have an opening to the general public till Sept. 1,” owner-operator Dinesh Chawla said Tuesday.

The extra month will serve as a “shakedown cruise,” Chawla said.

The opening to the general public had been set for July 27.

The $20 million District at West End will include approximately 100 rooms, suites and extended-stay accommodations; a 6,000-squarefoot spa and fitness center; a 5,000-square-foot event hall; two acres of outdoor festival space and » Lyric Hotel in the West End District of Cleveland.

FIRST MONTHS

Trustmark: 2Q Earnings Snapshot

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rustmark Corp. on Tuesday reported second-quarter net income of $32.2 million.

The bank, based in Jackson, Mississippi, said it had earnings of 51 cents per share.

The results topped Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of four analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 25 cents per share.

The holding company for Trustmark National Bank posted revenue of $187.2 million in the period. Its revenue net of interest expense was $177.5 million, also topping Street forecasts. Four analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $160.3 million.

Trustmark shares have declined 34 percent since the beginning of the year. In the final minutes of trading on Tuesday, shares hit $22.63, a fall of 35 percent in the last 12 months.

chain was going to be abandoned, while they praised the Chawlas.

The Trump Organization was to manage the chain and handle the branding, while the Chawlas, Dinesh and brother Suresh, took care of the financing.

The First Bancshares: 2Q Earnings Snapshot

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he First Bancshares Inc. on Monday reported second-quarter net income of $16.9 million.

The Hattiesburg, Mississippi-based bank said it had earnings of 79 cents per share. Earnings, adjusted for non-recurring gains, were 52 cents per share.

The results beat Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of three analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 44 cents per share.

The bank holding company posted revenue of $61.5 million in the period. Its revenue net of interest expense was $54.9 million, also exceeding Street forecasts.

The First Bancshares shares have declined 43 percent since the beginning of the year. In the final minutes of trading on Monday, shares hit $20.07, a decline of 38 percent in the last 12 months.

Photo by William Powell

Continued from Page 6

Mississippi is receiving from the federal government.

The Mississippi Constitution created a strong legislative branch and a weak executive. When Reeves presided over the Senate as lieutenant governor, he wielded power over many decisions, including budget writing.

As governor, Reeves argued that because he is the state’s chief executive, he should make decisions about the federal money.

The House and Senate asserted control, making the long-established case that setting budgets is a legislative responsibility.

The on-again, off-again legislative session still isn’t over because budgets for education and the Department of Marine Resources remain unresolved. It’s unclear when legislators will return to Jackson because at least 31 of them — and possibly more — are still recovering from a coronavirus outbreak that

» Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, left, listens as State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs, discusses the state's efforts to reduce and limit transmission from the COVID-19 virus, Monday, July 20, 2020, during a press briefing in Jackson. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

occurred after people in the Capitol widely disregarded safety precautions during June.

The session included landmark votes by the House and Senate to retire the 126-year-old Mississippi flag that was the last state banner in the U.S. to include the Confederate battle emblem.

Critics have long condemned the rebel flag as racist. People who voted in a 2001 statewide election chose to keep the design.

Legislative leaders — including Reeves, as lieutenant governor — said for years that there was no consensus in the House and Senate to change the flag.

As a candidate and during his first months as governor, Reeves had a consistent answer to flag questions: If the design were to be reconsidered, it should be done in another statewide vote.

Momentum for change grew quickly during June, as widespread protests focused attention on racial injustice. When it became clear that legislators had a two-thirds majority needed to suspend normal deadlines and file a bill to change the flag, Reeves conceded that he would sign a bill if they passed one. Not coincidentally, two-thirds is the same margin needed to override a governor’s veto.

During a small ceremony at the Governor’s Mansion on June 30, Reeves did something he probably did not envision at the beginning of 2020: He signed the bill retiring the old flag. A commission will design a new one without the rebel symbol and with the phrase, “In God We Trust.”

The lone design will be on the Nov. 3 ballot. If voters accept it, that will become the new flag. If they reject it, the commission will draw a new design and that will be on the ballot later — still without the old flag as an option. » EMILY WAGSTER PETTUS has covered Mississippi government and politics since 1994. Follow her on Twitter: http://twitter.com/EWagsterPettus.

PA I D A DV E RT I S E M E N T

Health Care and the Pandemic

By Christine O’Brien, Executive Director UnitedHealthcare of Louisiana and Mississippi As the country and Mississippi continue to navigate the deep impacts of COVID-19, one thing seems certain — the pandemic has changed the way many of us have traditionally viewed and engaged with the health care system.

The emergence of COVID-19 has helped to change how many people access care and navigate the health system, placing a greater importance on technology and remote care resources. UnitedHealthcare has for years encouraged the use of telehealth resources to help our members access care options that may be more affordable and convenient, with COVID-19 increasing the adoption of this technology. In fact, we have seen telehealth visits triple this year, enabling more people to connect with health care providers via a digital device from the comfort of their home or office.

In response to COVID-19, UnitedHealthcare temporarily provided cost savings benefits to eligible members by offering $0 copays for virtual visits available 24/7 for adults and children, and $0 copay for telehealth services to “see” their local provider (telehealth visits with local primary care physicians is based on provider’s availability and does not apply to all UnitedHealthcare health plans).

Ultimately, our mission is to help people live healthier lives and make the health system work better for everyone – and that continues now more than ever as we pull together as an industry, as a state and as a nation to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic.

Managing Costs UnitedHealthcare believes that curbing health care costs is about helping facilitate access to the right care, at the right time and in the right setting. To help accomplish that, we are focused on incentivizing health care professionals to provide quality care for members to help encourage health and well-being – and ultimately to help more effectively manage overall health care costs.

Our goal is to help members save time and money by knowing where to go for medical care – whether it’s via telehealth resources, their primary care physician, an urgent care facility, or the emergency room. We may help achieve that in part by making available quality and cost transparency resources, which enable our members to comparison shop for care the way they might shop for other products and services.

During this health crisis, we also accelerated nearly $2 billion of payments to care providers to help them deliver needed liquidity for the health system. We continue to waive all member cost sharing for COVID-19 diagnosis and treatment and offer telehealth visits at $0 copays to eligible members.

Preparing for a “New Normal” In this “new normal,” UnitedHealthcare has been remains committed to helping our employers UnitedHealthcare developed a “Return to Work” toolkit outlining priorities to encourage a safer, healthier return to the worksite. The goal of this toolkit is to help ensure employers have a plan to evaluate how prepared their community is to return to work, and once they have returned, how to begin the process and monitor the progress.

Technology may continue to play a major part in our service offerings moving forward. From telehealth and wearables, to the way we communicate with providers and the sharing of critical health data to encourage continuity of care, technology is helping to improve the way we do business.

Some health plans are taking additional steps to help make health care more affordable. Many UnitedHealthcare customers saw premium credits in July due to a lower volume of medical care being delivered than was anticipated because of COVID-19.

health care August 7 - August 20, 2020 • Mississippi Business Journal • www.msbusiness.com

health care front line workers

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» Nurses and staff are high priority for state's hospitals

By LYNN LOFTON mbj@msbusiness.com

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uring these unprecedented times for health care, the spotlight shines on physicians and nurses on the front line of care. But are there other front line workers, and are they receiving any additional compensation from CARES Act funds?

Eric McVey, M.D. and chief medical officer of St. Dominic Hospital, explains that the use of CARES Act funding is subject to terms and conditions set by the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. “St. Dominic’s is using these funds, aligned with these terms, to cover increased healthcare-related expenses and for lost revenue attributable to COVID-19.”

Donna Pritchard, chief nursing executive, North Mississippi Medical Center-Tupelo, says that facility supports staff in a variety of ways in addition to the existing incentives offered to all nurses. “That includes loan buy back, tuition reimbursement and advanced clinical ladder. We have temporarily adjusted pay for programs that are active for COVID-19 units, such as special hourly incentive pay for nursing, in-house contracts and memorandum of understanding,” she said. “We also recently provided our COVID-19 nursing staff an extra stipend in addition to their paycheck to assist in purchasing new tennis shoes, because of a shortage of shoe covers and our inability to get them.”

The hospitals interviewed are facing the challenge of nursing staffing in different ways. “As the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise in our area, St. Dominic’s has taken steps to increase our available beds for both ICU and medical surgical patients. Staffing these additional patient beds is among our biggest challenges,” McVey said.

“As volumes have increased and we continue to see more COVID-19+ and suspected patients, we continue to seek more experienced nurses to join our team,” Pritchard said. “We are currently hiring nurses for inhouse contracts on both COVID-19 and Medical/Surgical floors. We have connected with critical care nurses who have served in our organization within the past five years and brought them back on board to help us care for patients, offered reassignment for nurses serving in areas with low census, and engaged staffing vendors to help recruit outside contract and/or travel nurses.”

Sarah Duffey, spokeswoman for Singing River Health Care System, said, “Our main focus throughout the pandemic is to utilize current employees, sometimes working in areas that are not their standard home department to avoid furloughs and pay cuts.”

Duffey voices a concern that is shared by the other hospitals interviewed. “Trying to convince community members to take COVID-19 seriously. When people test positive, reality sets in and they act differently. They take it more to heart and reduce the spread by isolating better, as everyone should. Also, making sure we are communicating the right information through multiple channels and keeping the public working together versus being divided on various topics.”

Pritchard said, “I believe the main challenge we continue to face is simply uncertainty. Needs for care change on a daily if not even more frequent basis, and forecasting those needs has certainly been challenging during this time.”

Sondra Davis, chief human resources officer with North Mississippi Health Services, believes the health care industry as a whole is facing incredible challenges both clinically and financially. “For our organization, it is and has been wrapping our hearts and minds around what we see and feel happening around us. Our team has adapted to what we have referred to as our 'next normal' so many times.”

Dr. McVey says that while personal protective equipment (PPE) supply chain challenges have impacted St. Dominic’s, their materials management team, in collaboration with ministry partners across the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, has worked tirelessly to secure the needed supplies to keep team members safe as they care for patients. “Utilizing innovative resources such as Battelle Critical Care Decontamination that allows disinfection and reuse of N95 masks up to 20 times has made a big difference in our ability to meet the needs of our patient care teams,” he added.

Singing River Health Care System says all employees —100 percent— are considered essential front line workers. “Some examples of positions other than doctors and nurses are: respiratory therapists; diversified technicians (nursing assistants); phlebotomists (lab technicians); environmental services (housekeeping); registrars - those who check patients into our clinics, emergency rooms and hospitals; food services; supplies/ materials; and receivers and couriers,” says spokeswoman Sarah Duffey.

“Front line jobs are not just the providers, nurses, and technical staff who provide direct patient care, but also the staff that supports them,” says Janet Stuart of Memorial Hospital at Gulfport. “Physician to housekeeper and all those in between; including environmental services, food and nutrition services, and all the people who support patient care. It takes all of us.”

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Routine medical visits during pandemic require scrupulous precautions

By LYNN LOFTON mbj@msbusiness.com

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s the coronavirus pandemic rages on and the number of cases tick up in Mississippi, it's time to ask if people are avoiding routine medical visits and non-essential surgeries. Also, what precautions are being taken? The executive directors of two of the state's health care associations and a leading ophthalmologist answer affirmatively.

Rainna Bahadur, M.D., with Eye Associates of the South in Biloxi, said, “My patients have been keeping their office visits. During the strict shutdown, we postponed any routine visits and only saw emergencies. In my line of work, an emergency can lead to a sight threatening situation, so we did see those. Presently, we are definitely seeing patients keep office visits. They are even thanking me for being open and taking care of them.”

The majority of hospitals have seen their surgical volume return to 80-85 percent of normal, according to Tim

Moore, executive director of the Mississippi Hospital Association. “It's important to remember that hospitals experience seasonal increases and decreases in patient volume every year,” he said. “Periodically during any given year, critical care beds may be in short supply, which requires coordination between the surgery staff and critical care staff to manage both the beds and surgery schedule.

Hospitals are accustomed to managing beds, and this scenario has become more common in areas across the state due to increased COVID-19 admissions.”

Dr. Claude Brunson, executive director of the Mississippi State Medical Association, says people seem more comfortable with in-person visits now than they were a few months ago. “Our physicians have seen an increase in their clinics compared to the patient counts they were seeing at the onset of the pandemic and subsequent lockdown.”

However, he adds that in recent weeks, with the increased number of COVID-19 cases, clinics are seeing more televisits. “For follow-up visits this is actually a great option for patients to avoid missing their regularly sched-

uled appointments and continue receiving their needed medical care,” he said.

Safety precautions —while always important— are being scrupulously maintained. Brunson says a lot of issues earlier stemmed from a lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) available for clinics and smaller practices. “Much of that has been relieved due to increased manufacturing,” he said. “The Mississippi Legislature also passed funding allowing physicians to apply for assistance with the additional PPE, which should help offset some of those costs.

However, with the surprising increase in cases over the last few weeks, there is a concern that we may find ourselves in a crunch again with PPE in the fall.”

Dr. Bahadur's practice has spacing and a limited number of patients in the waiting room, or patients can wait in their cars if desired. “Also, we're limiting who can come back with patients and in general following all the protocols of the CDC and state,” she said. “We all wore masks and had each patient wear them from the beginning of this pandemic.”

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As for safety at hospitals, Moore says hospitals treat infectious diseases every day and safety precautions are a part of life in that setting. “Due to the rapid contagious nature of this virus, additional precaution is used to make our hospitals safe for patients and staff alike,” he said. “Precaution in the hospital goes much further than personal protective equipment and hand sanitization. Limiting traffic in hospitals is crucial.

“Hospitals and the State Department of Health have limited visitation and personal care givers allowed in the facility at one time. It's difficult for family members to understand these restrictions if it's end-oflife care or welcoming a new family member into the world.”

Moore stresses that these precautions are in place to protect patients, visitors, and staff. “COVID-19 patients are cared for in negative pressure rooms, specialty rooms with negative pressure air flow. Air is actually pulled out of the room and filtered, creating a safer environment.”

He says the most limiting resource hospitals face is trained professionals. “Many of our hospitals have implemented cross training programs to better prepare staff to work in multiple areas of the hospital, including critical care.”

At this time only facilities that have less than 10 percent capacity available to accept COVID-19 patients have restrictions on elective surgeries. “It's important for everyone to understand what is included in elective surgeries for a hospital,” Moore points out. “Elective surgical cases are medical issues that need to be treated but are not life threatening at the time.

“These are cases that have progressed to the point of surgery and the time to have the procedure is elective or the choice of the patient. Many of these cases can become urgent if not treated in a reasonable time frame.”

Moore also says it's important to remember that Mississippi has the worse health rankings in the country. “Because of the pandemic, hospitals have not and cannot stop providing care to patients with other medical needs. Mississippi hospitals continue to stand strong and ready to serve all in need across our state.”

Currently, Dr. Bahadur continues to perform cataract surgeries and other eye surgeries that do not require overnight hospitalization, as mandated by the state. “Some patients have put off cataract surgery because of the pandemic. I totally understand and don't push them. Every patient has to do what they're comfortable with during these uncertain times,” she said. “For those who need my help immediately, I'm here for them.”

A Message to Mississippians from Claude Brunson, M.D., executive director of the Mississippi State Medical Association This pandemic is one that I hope we will only see once in our lifetimes. As a physician, I never imagined I would witness this firsthand, but here it is. In Mississippi, our daily case count is rising, our percentage positive rate is the highest in the nation, and our healthcare system is stretched to surge capacity.

Our health care teams are logging long hours to keep moving forward day in and day out. Yet the people of Mississippi refuse to do the small things to help combat this virus. People have been asked to do three simple, small tasks: (1) wear a mask in public, (2) practice social distancing, and (3) wash their hands frequently.

It is baffling and perplexing to hear some of the arguments against these simple preventative measures. Chiefly among those include that it's ‘taking away our freedom,’ ‘this is just the flu,' and 'this is a hoax.’ A new conspiracy theory manifests almost daily.

The moment someone announces there is a cure through ‘this drug’ or ‘this regimen,’ people are ripe to believe in the hope that someone has

found a magic cure. Everybody wants a cure. However, just because someone says it on TV or social media does not mean it's true, and it's dangerous to act upon it.

The best strategy to win against this virus is to attack the one enemy that impacts all—and that is controlling the spread. Science tells us over and over again that the best way to control the spread is to wear a mask, do not gather in groups, and to wash our hands often.

Wearing a mask is not about taking away your freedom. It's about giving your freedom back to you. The sooner we can get this under control, the more likely we are to being able to return to some sense of normalcy.

These seem to be conflicting messages right now. A few short months ago we were told to shelter in place, putting all of the emphasis on taking care of number one. Now, we are asking

you to return to community-based thinking and protect your neighbors. Mississippi is known for being one of the most generous states. The time is now for us to revisit our truest nature and find generosity of spirit in placing our communities first by wearing masks and practicing preventative measures.

Trust your doctors. You have trusted them to take care of you and your family for years and that should not change now. You need your healthcare providers more now than ever, and we need your help. #MaskUpMississippi

An Update on the State's Hospitals by Tim Moore, executive director of the Mississippi Hospital Association If there continues to be a surge in the number of positive COVID-19 cases, capacity will become more challenging each day. From a state perspective volume is high, but because the COVID admissions continue to be regional, hospitals have worked together to transfer and receive patients.

Transfers occur when a facility is on diversion, meaning that facility does not have the resources at the time to care for that patient. There have been times when Mississippi patients have been transferred to facilities outside the state, and there are examples of patients from other states being transferred to facilities in

Mississippi. States in the southeastern region have common issues regarding limited resources.

All hospitals have made the dynamic shift from a model dominated by in-patient care to the current out-patient model. Health care has been on a consistent migration as payors have shifted the payment model to require more out-patient care. This created a need for most facilities to decrease their investment and resource allocation from in-patient services to out-patient services.

You cannot treat a pandemic without the controlled environment of in-patient

care. It is imperative, that we all work together to provide for those in need, now more than ever before. The “all” in that statement is intended to be all inclusive: facilities, states, individuals—all helping each other is the only way this war will be won.

In the public we have seen an increase in mask utilization, coupled with social distancing, and hand washing. These simple preventions will go a long way in preventing the increase in cases and the overrun of our healthcare system.

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HEALTH CARE

Cancer Care Centers Mississippi Business Journal

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Aug. 7 - Aug. 20, 2020

cancer care centers Cancer Care Centers Rank

Name & address

Director & hospital affiliation

Telephone

North Mississippi Medical Center Cancer Care Domingo Valpuesta 662-377-3000 North Mississippi Medical Center 830 S. Gloster St., Tupelo, MS 38801 Memorial Cancer Center Matthew R. Walker 2 228-575-1234 Memorial Hospital at Gulfport 1340 Broad Ave., Gulfport, MS 39501 St. Dominic's Cancer Center Mechale B. Mayfield 3 601-200-3070 St. Dominic-Jackson Memorial Hospital 2969 N. Curran Drive, Jackson, MS 39216 Anderson Regional Cancer Center Robert Guasco 4 601-485-5081 Anderson Regional Medical Center 1704 23rd Ave., Meridian, MS 39301 Baptist Cancer Center (Starkville & Columbus, MS) Sherrie Jones 5 662-244-4673 Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle 2520 5th Street N., Columbus, MS 39705 Children's of Mississippi Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders Anderson Collier 6 601-984-2700 Batson Children's Hospital 2500 N. State Street, Jackson, MS 39216 Baptist Cancer Center-Oxford Daniel Lenard 7 662-636-4444 Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi 504 Azalea Drive, Oxford, MS 38655 Singing River Cancer Center Chip Ginn 8 228-809-5251 Singing River Health System 2809 Denny Ave., Pascagoula, MS 39581 Baptist Cancer Center (Southaven & DeSoto) Patricia Wyatt, Mindy Merkel 9 901-722-3627 Baptist Memorial Hospital-DeSoto 3 locations: Southcrest Parkway & Airways Blvd, Southaven, MS 38671 Baptist Cancer Center Deniece Ponder 10 601-968-1049 Mississippi Baptist Medical Center 1225 N. State St., Jackson, MS 39202 Forrest General Cancer Center Joe Marcello 11 601-288-1700 Forrest General Hospital 301 South 28th Ave, Hattiesburg, MS 39401 The Mississippi Cancer Institute Chastity Burnette 12 601-249-5510 Southwest Mississippi Regional Medical Center 1501 Aston Ave, McComb, MS 39648 UMMC Cancer Center and Research Institute John Ruckdeschel 13 601-815-6802 University Hospitals, Children's Hospital 2500 N. State St., Jackson, MS 39216 South Central Cancer Center Lisa Bond 14 601-518-7054 South Central Regional Medical Center 1203 Jefferson St., Laurel, MS 39440 Alliance Cancer Center Greenville 15 Gregg A Dickerson 662-332-6150 1514 E. Union St, Greenville, MS 38703 Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center 16 Gregory W. Cotter 601-442-1285 133 Jefferson Davis Blvd., Natchez, MS 39120 Cancer Center at Greenwood Leflore Hospital Roderick C Givens 17 662-459-7133 Greenwood Leflore Hospital 1401 River Road, Greenwood, MS 38930 Merit Health Cancer Center Tara Howington 601-376-2072 Merit Health Central 1850 Chadwick Dr., Jackson, MS 39204 Alliance Cancer Center Clarksdale Gregg A Dickerson 19 662-624-8731 None 581 Medical Drive, Clarksdale, MS 38614 Information was provided by company representatives and MBJ research. Direct questions to frank.brown@msbusiness.com.

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goldentriangle.baptistonline.org

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ummchealth.com/childrenscancer

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baptistonline.org/northmiss

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singingriverhealthsystem.com

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baptistonline.org/desoto

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alliance-greenville.com

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merithealthcentral.com/medical-services/ cancer-care-center

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Architects & Engineers August 7 - August 20, 2020 • Mississippi Business Journal • www.msbusiness.com

top of class » MSU's Bagley College of Engineering maintains high ranking

By NASH NUNNERY mbj@msbusiness.com

H

elping advance Mississippi State University’s College of Engineering into the 21st century was a priority for James Bagley. An MSU engineering alumnus and chairman and CEO of California-based Lam Research, he wanted the enhanced recognition of a named college and the proper resources to accomplish change.

Bagley put his money where his mouth was – the Vicksburg native gave his alma mater an unprecedented $25 million endowment in 2002.

Today, MSU’s James Worth Bagley College of Engineering is at the forefront of education and research and is one of approximately 40 named engineering colleges in the nation. BCoE offers degree programs in eight different engineering departments and various certificate programs. U.S. News and World Report ranks the college’s undergraduate and graduate programs in the Top 100 nationwide.

BCoE publications manager Philip Allison said the college currently has plenty of research projects going on simultaneously.

“For instance, one of our professors is part of a nationwide research team that got Department of Energy funding to study ways to store solar energy,” he said. “We have a variety of automotive-related research projects at the Center for Advanced Vehicular Systems (CAVS). And, there’s some very cool research in the field of Athlete

Engineering, specifically around the sensors that athletes wear to collect data about their performance.

“That’s just a small sampling.”

When the COVID-19 pandemic started in March, a team of MSU engineers and researchers quickly launched a movement to make face shields combining 3-D printed headbands and plastic sheets for medical personnel. Led

by Dr. Linkan Bian, the team printed about 2,000 face shields for medical facilities across the state and approximately 350 more for use within the BCOE, according to Allison.

Online, or distance, learning at U.S. colleges and universities is on the upswing for the 17th consecutive year, according to a survey by the Babson Research Group.

The same holds true at MSU, although the » Bagley Engineering building at BCoE does not offer Mississippi State University. undergraduate courses online. However, nine

master’s and eight doctorate programs are offered by the college.

Tamra Swann, BCoE’s distance learning coordinator, said just like students attending traditional classrooms on the Starkville campus, distance learners enjoy the same experience. The college’s new Online Advancement Fund supports online instruction through items such as new cameras, tablets or specialized software. It can also be used to hire an expert as adjunct faculty member.

“Classes differ more professor-to-professor but our distance students receive the same lectures and materials as the students that attend classes on campus,” she said.

“For the most part, online students can go online, take notes, view Power Points, links and articles and get the same advantages of a BCoE education.”

Eight of Bagley’s online master’s degree programs, including computer science, are ranked among the nation’s top 10 most affordable by comprehensive e-database OnlineU for 2020.

Swann, who has served in her position since 2014, said the college takes great pains to understand the needs of students, especially distance learners seeking post-graduate work.

“Our undergraduate students are highly sought after in the job market and then find out they want to further their education in their field while working and having a family,” Swann said. “Online education will continue to grow. Changes are already going on in society – the convenience of taking classes while living and working in your home area is very attractive to students.”

Dr. Angie Verdell has served as the BCoE’s director of diversity programs for the past 11 years. Her job is to get students that are unrepresented in the engineering field See TOP OF CLASS, Page 18

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Mississippi Business Journal

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ARCHITECTS & ENGINEERS

Aug. 7 - Aug. 20, 2020

» MSU student relaxing in front of McCain Hall.

TOP OF CLASS

Continued from Page 17

interested in the profession. Improving diversity in the field is a priority, Verdell says.

“We’ve got to figure out ways to more of those students,” she said. “We’re starting at the middle school level here in Mississippi to reach out to those students and grow a pipeline to the industry.”

African Americans comprise 5 percent of all engineering bachelor’s degrees achieved, with the same percentage of career holders in the work force.

According to a recent report from the Congressional Joint Economic Committee, female engineers represent about 14 percent of the total engineering workforce.

“Last year, we achieved our goal of 25 percent women students,” Verdell said. “Our goal for African Americans was 20 percent but currently we’re at 11.4 percent, and Hispanic students represent three percent of our population. But we had 40 middle school girls in our “I Am Girl” program this past school year and I’m excited about the future for minorities in engineering.”

Enrollment continues to climb at Bagley, Mississippi’s third largest col-

lege, rising from 4,105 students in 2015 to 4,900 last year.

Its most popular major? Mechanical engineering.

Under the shadow of the pandemic, Allison said it’s hard to predict anticipated enrollment this fall.

“We usually get official enrollment numbers in late September or early October,” he said. “I don’t know if that will change this year, given the coronavirus.”

ARCHITECTS & ENGINEERS

Aug. 7 - Aug. 20, 2020

Largest Engineering Firms

Largest Engineering Firms Largest Engineering Firms

n

Mississippi Business Journal

Rank

Company & Address

Telephone

Website

Founded

Top officers

1 2 3 5

Neel-Schaffer, Inc., 125 S. Congress St., Ste. 1100, Jackson, MS 39201 Thompson Engineering, 599 North Park Dr, Suite A, Ridgeland , MS 39157 Terracon Consultants Inc., 859 Pear Orchard Rd., Ridgeland, MS 39157 Waggoner Engineering Inc., 143-A LeFleurs Square, Jackson, MS 39211 IMS Engineers, Inc., 126 E. Amite St., Jackson, MS 39201

601-948.3071 601-899-9252 601-956-4467 601-355-9526 601-968-9194

neel-schaffer.com thompsonengineering.com terracon.com waggonereng.com imsengineers.com

1983 1991 1965 1976 1996

6

Dungan Engineering, P.A., 1574 Hwy. 98 E., Columbia, MS 39429

601-731-2600

dunganeng.com

1993

Pickering Firm, Inc., 2001 Airport Rd., Ste. 201, Flowood, MS 39232

601-956-3663

pickeringfirm.com

1981

8

Burns Cooley Dennis Inc., 551 Sunnybrook Rd., Ridgeland, MS 39157

601-856-9911

bcdgeo.com

1985

9

Cook Coggin Engineers, Inc., 703 Crossover Rd., Tupelo, MS 38802-1526

662-842-7381

cookcoggin.com

1946

10

Garver , 1076 Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland, MS 39157 Michael Baker International, Inc., 310 New Pointe Dr., Ridgeland, MS 39157

601.825.3633 601-607-8700

garverusa.com mbakerintl.com

1998 1972

12

Machado | Patano, PLLC , 918 Howard Ave, Biloxi, MS 39530

228-388-1950

mpeng.us

2007

The Johnson-McAdams Firm, 108 W. Market St., Greenwood, MS 38935

662-455-4943

jmcfirm.com

1978

14

FC&E Engineering, LLC, 917 Marquette Road, Brandon, MS 39042 Stantec Consulting Services, 200 N. Congress St., #600, Jackson, MS 39201

601-824-1860 601-354-0696

fce-engineering.com stantec.com

2004 1954

16

Engineering Service, P.O. Box 180429, Richland, MS 39218

601-939-8737

engservice.com

1946

17

Brown, Mitchell & Alexander Inc., 401 Cowan Road Suite A, Gulfport, MS 39507

228-864-7612

bmaengineers.com

1967

WGK Inc. Engineers & Surveyors, 204 W. Leake St., Clinton, MS 39056

601-925-4444

wgkengineers.com

1991

W. Hibbett Neel Bobby Moseley, Thad Hopper, Richard Sheffield Richard M. Simon, Ryan P. Steiner Joe A. Waggoner, Emad Al-Turk John D. Calhoun, Rod L. Hill, Tommy Avant H. Les Dungan, Jeff J. Dungan, J. Lee Mock, Brooks R. Wallace, Ryan A. Holmes Nat Whitten, Curt Craig, Rick Ferguson, Dan Townsend, Jonathan Johnson, Blake Collins, Andy Phelan Eddie Templeton, Randy Ahlrich, Tommy Dunlap, Allen Cooley, Brad Campbell, Marcos Rodrigues, Robert Varner Kenneth P. Geno, Jack Daniel Farmer, William Jess Wiygul, John Mark Weeden, James Matthew Estes Nick Altobelli, Wayne Black Ray Balentine David J. Machado, Brad P. Patano, Gerrod W. Kilpatrick David R Leard, Tom Tollison, Robin Henry, Becky Palmer Ken Faulkner John E. McKee Charles S. Parker, Richard A Scott, C. Tim Parker, Christopher S Bass Dax Alexander, Ben Smith Greg Gearhart, Bill Owen, Mike McKenzie, Josh Broome R. Neal Rich

ASSET Engineering, 153 E. Center Street, Canton, MS 39046 601-351-3270 assetcompany.com 2000 EarthCon Consultants, 401 Fontaine Place, Suite 102, Ridgeland, MS 39157 601-853-2134 earthcon.com 1998 Precision Engineering Corporation, 276 C.R. 101, Oxford, MS 38655 662-234-8539 pecorpms.com 1976 W.L. Burle Engineers, P.A., 111 S. Walnut St., Greenville, MS 38701 662-332-2619 wlburle.com 1991 Information provided by company representatives and MBJ research. Direct questions to frank.brown@msbusiness.com.

19

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Mississippi Business Journal

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June 27 - July 10, 2020

» LAW ELEVATED

NLRB returns to more employerfriendly standard addressing employee discipline for offensive behavior

I

n a recent decision, the NaObviously, these employee-fortional Labor Relations Board giving standards were often (NLRB) returned to a 40in conflict with and adverse year old standard that is more to the federal anti-discrimfavorable to employers when ination laws which are inconsidering the appropriatetended to protect workers ness of discipline issued to an from offensive behavior/ employee for offensive behavior conduct in the workplace. regardless of the circumstances in Fortunately, with the NLtim lindsay which the behavior occurred.

RB’s return to the Wright-Line General Motors LLC, 369 NLRB 127 standard, an employer’s disciplinary action (2020). The NLRB’s decision makes it against an employee for offensive behaveasier for employers to discipline employ- ior will not be considered an unfair labor ees guilty of offensive behavior – such as practice, even if the employee is purportprofane, racist and/or sexually unacceptable edly engaged in protected activity, without remarks – even though the employee may proof that the employee’s protected activity be engaged in protected concerted activity was “a motivating factor” in the employer’s at the time. discipline – regardless of the circumstancFor years, the NLRB utilized a test es in which the behavior/conduct occurred. known as the Wright-Line standard in de- Even if this burden is met, the employer can termining whether an employer violated still defeat the unfair labor practice charge an employee’s rights under Section 7 of the under Wright-Line if it shows that it would National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) fol- have taken the same action or made the lowing termination or other discipline of an same decision in the absence of the employemployee for offensive behavior/comments ee’s protected activity. while the employee was engaged in protectWith the General Motors decision, emed activity. ployers should feel comfortable revamping The Wright-Line standard was applied their workplace policies and conduct rules regardless of the circumstances or setting and make certain that those policies/rules in which the employee’s conduct occurred. are consistently and equally enforced in However, decisions from the NLRB during the workplace. Nevertheless, an employthe Obama administration moved away er should not take lightly the protections from the straight-forward standard of provided employees under Section 7 of Wright-Line and, instead, focused more on the NLRA and the prohibition against resetting-specific standards and a variety of taliatory actions by employers. However, tests depending on the circumstances. Such maintaining accurate records that reflect varying tests would look at whether the of- the employer’s consistent enforcement of fensive conduct occurred (1) during a con- workplace policies and conduct rules will frontation with management, (2) during greatly enhance its likelihood of success in exchanges with co-workers and postings on defeating an unfair labor practice charge in social media, or (3) during an employee’s the future. participation on a picket line. Under these varying standards, employees were provid- » TIMOTHY W. LINDSAY has practiced exclusively ed much more protection for their actions/ in the area of labor and employment law since 1987 and comments and often had their discipline or has extensive experience in defending public and private termination overturned as an unfair labor employers against claims involving a wide variety of state practice based on these varying standards. and federal labor and employment laws.

Natchez Trace Parkway current conditions The National Park Service (NPS) is working servicewide with federal, state, and local public health authorities to closely monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and using a phased approach to increase access on a park-by-park basis. Based on guidance from the White House, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state and local public health authorities, access to the park is as follows: Open: • Outdoor spaces such as roadways, trails, pullouts, and roadside exhibits • Parkway Visitor Center (mp 266) in Tupelo, MS with limited access to restrooms and park information • Rocky Springs (mp 54.8) and Jeff Busby (mp 193.1) campgrounds for self-contained camping only • All bicycle-only campgrounds with no potable water access • Both Comfort Stations at Colbert Ferry (mp 327.3) • Comfort Station nearest the motor road at the Meriwether Lewis Site (385.9) Closed: • All remaining comfort stations and drinking fountains along the Parkway • Meriwether Lewis Campground and Contact Station (mp 385.9) • Parkway Information Cabin (mp 102.4) in Ridgeland, MS • Mount Locust (mp 15.5) While the listed areas are accessible for visitors to enjoy, a return to full operations will continue to be phased, and services may be limited. When recreating, please follow local area health orders, practice Leave No Trace principles, and avoid crowding and high-risk outdoor activities.

The CDC has offered guidance to help people recreating in parks and open spaces prevent the spread of infectious diseases. We will continue to monitor all park functions to ensure that visitors adhere to CDC guidance for mitigating risks associated with the transmission of COVID-19 and take any additional steps necessary to protect public health.

Pullout and Trail Closures Some pullouts and trails are closed due to storm damage and/or unsafe conditions.

• Rocky Springs Trail - Partial Closure Milepost 55 to Milepost 59 Part of the Rocky Springs section of the Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail is closed from Rocky Springs Campground to Fisher Ferry Road. This section of trail is closed to pedestrian and equestrian traffic due to unsafe conditions caused by trail erosion and bridge deficiencies.

• Yockanookany Trail - Partial Closure • Milepost 108 to Milepost 131 • The Yockanookany section of the Natchez Trace National Scenic Trail is closed to equestrian use due to safety concerns with bridges and boardwalks. The trail remains open to pedestrians.

• Cypress Swamp Milepost 122 Closed due to storm damage sustained in 2020.

• River Bend Milepost 122.6 Closed due to storm damage sustained in 2020.

• Myrick Creek Milepost 145.1 Closed due to storm damage sustained in 2020.

• Blackland Prairie Trail - Partial Closure Milepost 260.8 to Milepost 261.8 The Blackland Prairie section of the Natchez Trace Scenic Trail from West Jackson Street to Chickasaw Village Site is closed to pedestrian and equestrian use due to storm damage sustained in 2020. Pedestrians may access the trail from milepost 261.8 to milepost 266. The entire trail is closed to equestrian use due to lack of horse trailer parking availability.

• Cave Spring Milepost 308.4 Closed due to storm damage sustained in 2020. » NATIONAL PARK SERVICE www.nps.gov/natr/planyourvisit/conditions

Aug. 7 - Aug. 20, 2020

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Mississippi Business Journal

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Mississippi rates in Top 10 on PPP loan success

B

ased on data provided by the U.S. Small Businesses Administration (SBA) this week about Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, Mississippi is tied with three other states as the 10th most efficient state in allocating PPP loans to small businesses. Georgia, Nevada, and Kentucky also ranked 10th. The data disclosure provides information about the 4.9 million PPP loans that have been made nationwide since the program launched in April.

Through the 45,817 PPP loans approved by the SBA in the state, Mississippi banks covered 86 percent of the state’s eligible small business payroll, supporting 400,000 Mississippi jobs during the first few months of the pandemic. The vast majority of the nearly $3.2 billion in PPP loans made in the state were originated by banks headquartered in Mississippi.

“By passing the CARES Act, Congress and the Trump administration wisely placed banks squarely in the middle of the nation’s economic response to COVID-19.

Mississippi’s banks worked hard to originate loans for all sorts of local businesses, and that shows through in the new data – Mississippi was one of the most successful states at distributing PPP loans in the country. Banks are working with customers now to help borrowers understand loan forgiveness,” said Andy Anderson, president and

CEO, Bank of Anguilla, and 2020-2021 Mississippi Bankers Association Chair of the Board of Directors.

In releasing the June 30 data, the SBA reported borrower and lender details for all loans greater than $150,000. Of those $150k or greater loans, 3,890 were made in Mississippi; 41,927 PPP loans in the state were under $150k. More than 90% of PPP loans made in Mississippi were less $150k.

The average PPP loan amount in Mississippi stands at $69,088, the lowest average loan amount in the country. This average shows that Mississippi banks made a lot of loans to self-employed and truly small employers. The average loan amount in the

Electric co-ops get broadband grants

By JACK WEATHERLY jack.weatherly@msbusiness.com

P

ublic Service Commissioner Brandon Presley announced on Tuesday that 13 north Mississippi electric cooperatives have received $65 million in funding from the Mississippi Electric Cooperatives Broadband COVID-19 grant program established in July by the Mississippi Legislature to increase expansion of high-speed Internet service to areas with little to no service.

The grant program will enable awardees to begin construction in some of Mississippi’s most isolated and dis-

connected areas. The cooperatives must match grants with private funds. The portion of each project funded by the grant program must be operational by Dec. 30.

These grants will enable the construction of 2,765 miles of fiber optic cable by the end of 2020 with an additional 1,980 miles of construction by the end of 2021.

The following electric power associations received grant funds: Alcorn County; Four County; Tombigbee; Natchez Trace; Northcentral; Tallahatchie Valley; Delta; East Mississippi; Prentiss County; Tippah; NorthEast, Monroe County, and Tishomingo County.

country is $107,000.

The sudden shock of temporary closures and other safety measures taken to “flatten the curve” affected businesses of all sizes and industries. The new data shows that Mississippi businesses with 500 employees all the way down to self-employed individuals benefited from PPP loans.

Almost every industry in Mississippi appears on the SBA’s PPP report: medical offices and hospitals, nursing homes, law firms, construction companies, furniture manufacturers, retailers, restaurants, religious organizations, childcare facilities, non-profits, car dealerships, educational institutions of every level, agriculture related companies, farms, and more.

“You can’t have national security without food security. As an owner of a farming and trucking business, we have to get the crop planted each year. Prior to the COVID pandemic, we were already operating with tight margins due to commodity prices and weather patterns.

We’re thankful for the PPP loan. Since March, we have had crew members quarantine because of COVID exposure or a positive COVID test. Having a truck or tractor sit for two weeks straight while a driver is recuperating and quarantining has a big impact on our profitability. This loan has given us some peace of mind as we continue to navigate these tough times,” said Jeremy Jack, Silent Shade Planting Company, Belzoni The success of the PPP program in Mississippi is a great example of the important role that local banks play in supporting their communities. 93 percent of PPP loans disclosed by the SBA were originated by MBA member banks, which includes nearly all banks that have branches in the state.

“It speaks highly of our state’s banking industry that more than 90 percent of PPP loans were made by local banks with branches in Mississippi communities – not out of state fintechs or banks that do not have branches in Mississippi. PPP is a great example of how local banks like the banks we have here in Mississippi are committed to supporting their communities,” said M. Ray “Hoppy” Cole, president and CEO of The First, A National Banking Association, Hattiesburg, and 2020-2021 MBA Vice Chair.

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Aug. 7 - Aug. 20, 2020

Fondren Homewood Suites opens for business

By JACK WEATHERLY jack.weatherly@msbusiness.com

H

omewood Suites was open for business Monday morning.

Fifteen of the 125 guestrooms were booked for the first day, but check-in time was not to start till 3 p.m.

The six-story Hilton brand property, built by Ridgeland-based Wealth Hospitality, was the first of several hotels that had been announced in recent years for the Fondren district in Jackson.

But the Homewood Suites, announced in August 2017, is the only one yet to be built.

“It’s truly custom-built to this area, said Victoria Hopkins, director of sales.

Fondren lends itself to motif in the lodging, whether subtly as the color of Fondren Corner in the checked wing chairs in the lobby, or, less subtly, in the artwork on the walls of the halls and rooms.

The area is dominated by the University of Mississippi Medical Center, St. Dominic Hospital and Baptist Hospital.

As an extended-care hotel lends itself to expansive periods, Hopkins said.

“We’ve got people who are going to stay with us a year already,” she said.

“Off-season” rates now range from $119 to $140 a day, she said. They can be competitive with an apartment because cleaning, cable TV, breakfast, social hour (Monday Photos by Jack Weatherly through Wednesday) and each room has a » Victoria Hopkins and Christopher Thomas full kitchnette.

Plus, contracts can be signed and are nego- unfurl a Now Open banner tiable depending on length of stay and “stay patterns,” such as weekends only, she said.

The 1,259-square-foot meeting space was Next for the hotel comes the 3,200-square- occupied Monday morning with some of the foot retail space, most likely to be a restaurant 19 employees undergoing training. There operated by a Mississippi-based company, ac- will be 25 to 30 at full staffing, Thomas said. cording to Christopher Thomas, director of operations for Homewood.

Ann Taylor and Loft parent files for Chapter 11; Justice stores closing

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he parent company of Ann Taylor and Loft, Ascena Retail Group, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Thursday and said it would close some 1,600 stores.

According to CNBC, “Ascena was once the biggest clothing retailer for women in the country, having amassed a portfolio of well-known brands for various sizes and age groups.”

Ascena also is in the process of shutting down Catherines and is shutting down 600 of its Justice stores.

Justice stores in Tupelo, Biloxi, Hatties-

burg, Meridian, Ridgeland and Southaven will be closed.

The company said in a press release that its restructuring agreement is supported by more than 68% of its secured term lenders, and it plans to close a number of stores for good and sell the rights to one of its brands.

The Mahwah, New Jersey-based company said it expects to reduce its debts by about $1 billion in its pre-arranged restructuring, providing Ascena with increased financial flexibility to reach profitability.

“The meaningful progress we have made driving sustainable growth, improving our

operating margins and strengthening our financial foundation has been severely disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic,” interim Executive Chair Carrie Teffner said in a statement.

In total, Ascena has 2,800 stores across the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico, many of them in shopping malls and outlet centers.

Ascena said Thursday it plans to permanently close a “significant” number of Justice stores, along with certain Ann Taylor, Loft, Lane Bryant and Lou & Grey stores during its restructuring. It added that it will be permanently closing all of its stores, across brands, in Canada, Puerto Rico and Mexico.

The company is shutting down its plussize brand Catherines entirely and plans to

Amazon buys 69 acres at Madison County Mega Site

By JACK WEATHERLY jack.weatherly@msbusiness.com Amazon has purchased 69 acres in Madison County, according to a published report.

The acreage purchase follows two expansions by the giant distributor in the past two years in Mississippi.

On Wednesday, July 29, Amazon was already doing site preparation, according to The Madison County Journal, which broke the story.

Madison County Economic Development Authority Executive Director Joseph Deason told The Journal on Monday that he had no comment.

Owen Torres, a spokesperson for Amazon, released a statement to The Journal that said: “Amazon is a dynamic business and we are constantly exploring new locations and weighing a variety of factors when deciding where to develop future sites to best serve customers, however, we have a policy of not commenting on our future roadmap. This land purchase in Madison County, MS provides us with the flexibility to quickly respond to our future network needs. Stay tuned for more information.”

An email sent to Lopez by The Mississippi Business Journal on Thursday did not immediately draw a response.

The other two Amazon sites in Mississippi are in the Memphis metro area.

In December 2018, Amazon announced it was locating a fulfillment center in Marshall County, creating 850 jobs over three years.

Amazon said in November that it was locating its second Mississippi fulfillment center in north Mississippi. It will create 500 new full-time jobs at the facility in Olive Branch.

The Mega Site is located at Highway 22 and Nissan Parkway.

Prior to the Amazon purchase, MCEDA owned 325 acres with an option to buy another 600 acres, according to The Journal.

sell those intellectual property assets to a stalking-horse bidder, City Chic Collective Limited. That is still subject to better offers, it said, not disclosing the amount City Chic is looking to pay.

Last year, in a bid to cut costs, Ascena winded down its Dressbarn business, shuttering more than 600 stores. It also sold off its Maurices brand.

– MBJ Staff

NEWSMAKERS Vicksburg district announces annual engineer awards

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Vicksburg District hosted its annual Engineer’s Day awards ceremony at the district’s headquarters building in Vicksburg, Mississippi, June 25.

Employees were recognized with a variety of honorary individual and team awards, and the ceremony was broadcast to the district’s teleworking personnel via YouTube Live in order to maintain safe social distancing measures.

The following employees were recognized with individual awards: Charles Allred, Jr., Operations Division, received the STEM Employee of the Year Award for his pattern of high achievement, excellence and leadership in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math for USACE. Vance Austin, Operations Division, received the Park Ranger Award for his professionalism and superb communication skills while performing his duties.

Robin Blake, Engineering and Construction Division, received the Emergency Management Award for her initiative, commitment and leadership in performing and completing specialized emergency mission assignments.

Sarah Breaux, Programs and Project Management Division, was the recipient of the Engineer Award for her dedication and expertise in the engineering field.

Matthew Christy, Operations Division, received the Wage Grade Leadership Award for his pattern of excellence as a supervisor, serving as a role model for other wage-system employees and leading his team to accomplish quality, productive and safe work.

Steven Finch, Office of Counsel, received the Employee of the Year Award for his extraordinary accomplishments and excellence in contributing to the district’s mission, his outstanding demonstration of Army and USACE values and his leadership and mentorship.

Dalton Hanley, Engineering and Construction Division, and David Sanders, Operations Division, each received the Student of the Year Award for their outstanding demonstration of initiative, commitment, competence and leadership while performing duties as students for their respective offices.

Lauren Harbin, Engineering and Construction Division, was the recipient of the Administrator Award for her exceptional administrative support to the district.

Paul McMaster, Operations Division, received the Paddle Wheel Award, which recognizes an employee for excellence in specific craft and trade skills, for his outstanding performance of duties and significant support to the district’s mission and goals.

Ellen McWhirter, Operations Division, was the recipient of the Volunteer Leadership Award her dedicated leadership in planning and coordinating successful projects for the district.

Eli Polzer, Operations Division, received the Scientist Award for her outstanding performance and dedication to the USACE and district mission.

Nicholas Pritchett, Office of Counsel, was the recipient of the Professional Award for his outstanding performance of duties and dedication to the USACE and district mission.

Aug. 7 - Aug. 20, 2020

Drew Smith, Engineering and Construction Division, received the Gregory C. Raimondo Public Affairs Award for his outstanding achievement in high-profile public service, including community relations and command information and media relations that enhance USACE’s image among partners, stakeholders and the public.

Robert Winders, Engineering and Construction, received the Commander’s Award for Outstanding Achievement in Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO).

Winders received this award for his significant contribution to the EEO program, assuring full opportunity in employment for all persons regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age and physical or mental disability.

The following teams were recognized with awards for outstanding performance: The Arkabutla Lake Wage Grade Staff, Operations Division, received the Wage Grade Team Award.

Lock and Dam personnel of the Ouachita-Black River Navigation Project, Operations Division, represented by Matthew Christy, received the Team Safety Award. The Vicksburg District Supplemental Program Project Delivery Team, Programs and Project Management Division, represented by Dylan Jenkins, received the Team Award.

Leadership Gulf Coast announces board

The Mississippi Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce, Inc. has announced the 2020-2021 Board of Trustees for its Leadership Gulf Coast (LGC) program.

Kris Norton, of IP Casino Resort & Spa, will lead the Board of Trustees as its chair, with Andrew Ratcliffe of 1108th TASMG, serving as chair-elect.

Also serving on the board are: •Mark Alexander, Balch and Bingham, PLLC •Tiffany Bell, Women’s Resource Center Norton •Dr. Racheal Butler, Coastal Family Health Center •Carrie Cole, Coldwell Banker Alfonso Realty •Shundral Cole, U.S. Attorney’s Office •Kay Daneault, Mental Health Association of South Mississippi •Andy Davis, Treasure Bay Casino •Brent Fairley, Hancock Whitney •Jenifer Freridge, William Carey University •Matt Grice, Mississippi Power •Dr. Alesia Haynes, William Carey University •Leslie Kelley, Community Bank •Stephanie Mathes, The Corps Network •Pam Moeller, University of Southern Mississippi •LeAnna Morgan Saucier, United Way of South Mississippi •Jakavious Pickett, Praise Temple of Biloxi •Michael Pocchiari, Garden Park Medical Center •Rives Pringle, Hancock Whitney Bank •Annette Rand, Doubletree by Hilton •Chris Ryle, Gulfport Police Department •Lauren SantaCruz, Memorial Hospital at Gulfport •Angela Wolfe, Benjamin F. Edwards •Dr. Russell Young, The First, A National Banking Association

For full versions of Newsmakers visit www.msbusiness.com

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Mississippi Business Journal

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» Lawrence (Larry) Leader, DO, recently returned from a two-month deployment to a field hospital in New York City, where he and other health care professionals from around the country treated COVID-19 patients. Upon his return, he was presented a framed copy of Forrest General’s Facebook post announcing his deployment, and thanking him for his service and dedication, which went viral.

Forrest General doctor serves on frontlines of COVID-19 in New York City Photos of an empty Times Square and the Lincoln Tunnel void of any cars, are just a couple of the photos cardiologist Lawrence (Larry) Leader, DO, has on his cell phone from his recent Naval deployment to New York City. His memories are just as vivid of the happy faces of COVID-19 patients using his cell phone to call or Facetime family members they were not able to see in person.

Leader recently returned to his job at Forrest General Hospital and Hattiesburg Clinic after working for two months in a field hospital in New York City. Leader is commander of Pensacola Detachment B in Gulfport, the state’s Seabee base, where he trains once a month. He was among medical specialists from across the nation and all branches of the military who were deployed to New York during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Given two days’ notice, Leader didn’t know where he was going until the night before he left. His destination was the Big Apple and what he saw firsthand was overwhelming. For two months, Leader worked in an ICU unit set up at the Javits Center, a 760,000-square-foot facility that was established as a field hospital to potentially hold 2,000 patients. “They changed it from a convention center to a mobile hospital,” he said of the facility where he worked 12-hour shifts and didn’t see his first day off until two or three weeks into his deployment.

The center, which was outfitted with essential equipment, handled the overload from New York City hospitals which were overflowing with sick patients. Leader said when he arrived he wasn’t expecting to find the scene that met him. “I was expecting it to be less severe,” he said. “The homeless and mentally ill, practically everyone,

was off the streets. We only started seeing cars on the streets when we were leaving. There was a tremendous transition in just a month’s time. I wouldn’t have believed it had I not seen it with my own eyes.”

Leader likened the scene to that of Hurricane Katrina. “You see photos and say, ‘Oh, that’s bad,’ but you get there, and it’s another experience,” he said, noting the process of dealing with patients, learning protocols and a routine, how to treat COVID patients and how doing things differently can affect you. “That’s what it looks like when a major city gets overwhelmed. That was another experience.”

“Although there has been an increase in numbers, we haven’t been overwhelmed (in Hattiesburg) like New York,” he said of the situation there involving two and three patients per room, patient beds lining the halls or other situations which were less than ideal.

During his stay, Leader did pick up on some ideas he brought back which could potentially be used on the local level. At home, Leader practices as a cardiologist, but in the Big Apple, he was able to use some of the skills he learned while serving his internal medicine residency; however, other healthcare professionals came to him to look at EKGs and help deal with cardiology issues.

While free time was rare, Leader said when going out his group always traveled as a unit.

“You never ventured out alone, but with a buddy,” he said. And they did have a perimeter they had to stay within. Leader didn’t mind the work.

“One thing about working is you don’t think too much; you think about what you’re doing. When you sit back and think back to all you’ve seen, you can get overwhelmed.”

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FOCUSED onYour Health We are Mississippi Health Partners Quality healthcare is about focus and attention to detail.

For nearly 30 years, Mississippi Health Partners has put businesses and their employees at the center of a network of Mississippi’s most respected doctors and hospitals – each committed to providing the services and value you’ve come to expect. With 700 physicians as part of our team of more than 1,000 healthcare professionals; and 13 hospitals, including Baptist Medical Center and St. Dominic Hospital, we make sure that your healthcare needs are met every day.

Mississippi owned and managed, our reputation is built on placing you at the forefront of an organization with an eye toward offering the finest care. Focused on quality, Dedicated to earning your trust. Mississippi Health Partners.

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