On June 5, Laurel Express/Main Street celebrated a Ribbon-cutting Ceremony for its new office in downtown Laurel. The ceremony included a string quartet performing on the
sidewalk and tables set up in the street. The newly opened office is
located on 326 Magnolia Street. Jackie Lee serves as Program Manager
for Laurel Express/Main Street.
Rails to Trails magazine features Laurel, Miss. in its Summer 2008 issue. The following is an excerpt from the article:
"In Laurel, Miss., about 90 miles southeast of Jackson, a short section of unused Kansas City Southern tracks is being brought back to shimmering life. The city is retooling the 600-foot rail-trail project as a series of sidewalk connectors flanked by public art.
Randy Meador, an engineer with the local firm Neel-Schaffer, says the plan is to build a pedestrian and cycling corridor linking downtown green spaces.
"'What we're doing is all about connectivity,'" he says. "'There's a series of parks, and then there's a major thoroughfare that separates them from the Laurel train depot.'" Completing this pathway over Teresa Street will bridge the gap and give the town's 30,000 residents open access to the downtown area."
For more information in Laurel's rail-trail project and Ghost Train, contact Randy Meador at 601.649.1840. To learn more about Bike Walk Mississippi, visit www.bikewalkmississippi.org or cal 601.582.2453.
To read more, click here.
On May 29, Biloxi Main Street District and Biloxi Chamber of Commerce hosted the Biloxi Preservation Awards. Individuals, businesses and organizations were honored for helping preserve and protect Biloxi’s history and Culture since Hurricane Katrina.
The awards were presented by Mayor A.J. Holloway at City Hall followed by a ribbon cutting and reception at the newly restored Bond-Grant House.
The Bond-Grant House was built between 1904 and 1909 by William K.M. Dukate for his daughter Vera for a wedding gift 
when she married B.A. Bond. She later married R. Hart Chinn, former Mayor of Biloxi (1933-35, 1951). Vera Dukate Bond Chinn only lived in the house until 1921 when it was purchased by W. J. Grant family.
It belonged to the Grant family until 1964 when the house was sold to First Baptist Church of Biloxi. The house was donated to Biloxi Main Street from the Beau Rivage Casino in January 2006.
It was moved across the street and the restoration process began in March, 2006 and was completed in 2008. The house style is Queen Anne; the character is neoclassical.
The Bond-Grant House is located at 932 Howard Ave. in Biloxi. Photographs depict the before and after phases of the house’s restoration.
"It has a long history and it's
certainly a part of the heart and soul of this community," said
Charlie Cornelius with the Waveland Community Coalition. The coalition is just one organization pushing to get residents involved in rebuilding the downtown district. It's an effort that now includes the Mississippi Main Street Association. "Main
Street is all about a community working together and taking ownership
of the process together, so we wanted everyone involved from the very
beginning," said Stacey Pair, President of Mississippi Main Street. The association will
help the city finalize plans for Coleman Avenue. It will also open
doors for more funding and a team of expert design professionals who
will preserve the uniqueness of Coleman Avenue. It's something that long-time resident and business owner Kathy Pinn can appreciate. "We're
not the pretty little perfect little town. The buildings are gone, some
of the people are gone and the vision has gotten blurred, but maybe
through the Mississippi Main Street process we can come up again with
our vision of what Coleman Avenue will be," Pinn said. Mayor
Tommy Longo says the city is now waiting on CDBG funds and money from
the Department of Transportation, which could be here as early as this
week. Then it won't be long before the people of Waveland start seeing
a new, yet familiar downtown district. 
WAVELAND
(WLOX) -- One South Mississippi city is getting the help of a statewide
organization in its downtown rebuilding efforts. The city of Waveland
is teaming up with the Mississippi Main Street Association to
rebuild Coleman Avenue. 
"Government
is doing the best that it can. Citizens also have the ability to
leverage themselves into this effort, and this is the vehicle by which
we can do it," Cornelius said.
Picayune Main Street had another successful Egg Drop. This year 10,000 plastic eggs were dropped from planes at Picayune Airport. A great example of a Mississippi Main Street event! To view the video, click here. To read the full article, click here.
The Picayune Spring Street Fair, sponsored by Picayune Main Street, Inc., will be held this Saturday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. in downtown Picayune. 
The street fair has been held bi-annually on the first weekend of April and November since it began in 1997, said Picayune Main Street Manager Reeba Beebe.
More than 250 vendors will be on hand this weekend to sell their goods, including antiques, collectibles, arts, crafts, jewelry, unique t-shirts and various other items for people of all ages. There will be numerous food and beverage booths serving various cuisine, including Cajun, Greek, barbecue and seafood.
There will be many activities for the family, including a train ride, bungee jumping, a rock wall climb and pony rides.
On Saturday, the Boulevard Cruisers will hold a car show for everyone's enjoyment. Also at 9 a.m. Saturday, the Third Annual Tung Blossom 5K Run/Walk and 1 Mile Fun Run will be held at Jack Read Park.
In addition to the rides and race, entertainment will be provided. Saturday performers include Spinner Bait, the Piney Woods Cloggers, the Rockin' Robinsons, Southern Vibe Cloggers, Dusty Rainer, Pistols and Petticoats, Jennifer Farmer, Todd Smith and Ryan Foulon. Sunday performers include The Rockin' Robinsons, Oriental Martial Arts, Pistols and Petticoats, Caruso's Academy of Performing Arts, Eddie Young and Cornerstone.
For more information about the Picayune Street Fair, contact Picayune Main Street at 601-799-3070.
Attending a meeting at the State Capitol in Jackson to further implement plans for the Tourism Center to be built on Highway 61 near Woodville are from left to right:
Mary Beth Wilkerson, Mississippi Development Authority Tourism Division; Diane C Peranich, Chairman, Legislative Committee for Tourism; Larry L. “Butch” Brown, Executive Director, Mississippi Department of Transportation; State Representative Angela Cockerham; David Smith, Alderman Town of Woodville, Woodville/Wilkinson County Main Street Board member; Janet Sullivan, Assistant to Commissioner Wayne Brown, Mississippi Department of Transportation; Polly Rosenblatt, Woodville/Wilkinson County Main Street Association Manager; Jody Bradley, Woodville/ Wilkinson County Main Street Board member; Donnie Bell, Vice- Chairman, Legislative Committee for Transportation; State Senator Kelvin Butler; Darrell Broome, District Engineer, MDOT; Warner McBride, Chairman, Legislative Committee for Transportation. Also attending but not pictured were State Senator Robert Johnson; Trisha Webber, MDA Field Representative for Wilkinson County, and Speaker of the House William J. McCoy who took an active leadership role in the initial stages of the meeting.
The group, composed of representatives from appropriate departments, legislative committees and state agencies as well as local Woodville representatives, met to work on the plans for the Tourism Center on Highway 61 near Woodville. Check out Woodville, MS Main Street's featured town for April, in the photo album in the weblog's sidebar.
The following news was shared by Polly Rosenblatt, manager of the Woodville/Wilkinson County Main Street Associaton:
Woodville is so happy to have been declared a Certified Cultural Corner Community by MDA's Tourism! We hope the Governor will come down to announce it and deliver the check!
Also, Woodville/Wilkinson County Main Street is hosting a Legislative Reception on February 28th from 12:00 to 2:00 for our legislators to showcase our town and county, and to promote the Tourism Center on Highway 61 at Woodville. We are so very happy that this dream may become a reality!
Recently, our Wilkinson County Industrial Development Authority significantly increased its monthly stipend to us. They see what we are doing to improve our community, and did not hesitate to give us what we asked for.
This week, we launched the first Facade Grant Program for businesses in downtown Woodville. We know that this financial incentive will enable property owners to improve the looks of their buildings.
NOTE: The following story was published in The Natchez Democrat, 2/5/08
NATCHEZ — At the corner of Main and Canal streets an aspect of time is being renewed with the antique grace it was first given.
Scattered about in a 50 foot scaffold on the of Canal Street side of
the Molasses Flats building, three brick masons have been working
diligently for the past couple of months digging between the 200-plus
year old bricks, inspecting them for cracks, flipping them to expose
the fresh side if needed and discarding those which can no longer take
the stresses of the Mississippi climate and replacing them with new
ones, or tuck pointing as it is known. For
the full story, 
click here.
Picayune Main Street grants to better the county
Picayune Item -
Picayune,MS,USA
By Jeremy Pittari PICAYUNE — Pearl River County will benefit from a number of
grants gained through the efforts of Picayune Main
Street’s manager. ...
