Mississippi Business Journal » Top 10 Stories of 2009

Toyota keeps everyone waiting and watching

Clay Chandler — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 06:01:56 +0000

Car company mulls its options while riding out the poor conditions of the automotive industry For the better part of a year, the state has waited while Toyota mulled its options regarding the plant in Blue Springs. Late last year, the company announced that it was delaying the start of production at the facility — [...]

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Barbour cuts more than $200 million from state’s budget

Clay Chandler — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 06:01:55 +0000

One of the biggest storylines in state politics in 2009 is likely to be at or near the top of the list in 2010. State revenues have failed for 15 consecutive months to meet estimates. The budget for fiscal year 2010 has already been cut twice and it is a guarantee it will have to [...]

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Rained out

Wally Northway — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 06:01:51 +0000

Farmers still scrambling after worst year in nearly half a century As the year 2009 dawned, the state’s agriculture community was looking for a bounce-back year. Input costs were down, commodity prices were up and many were forecasting a record yield. Then, the rains came – and stayed. New record rainfall totals were set across [...]

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GreenTech, really?

Clay Chandler — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 06:01:41 +0000

Group breaks ground on multi-billion dollar auto plant but needs financing In early October in Tunica, a Chinese businessman made the biggest economic development announcement in Mississippi since Nissan and Toyota, and the ceremony was notable for who wasn’t there more than who was. Gov. Haley Barbour and the executive director of the Mississippi Development [...]

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Joining forces

Clay Chandler — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 06:01:40 +0000

Four-state alliance tries to garner contract; bring tens of thousands of jobs to region Gaining consensus in politics within one state’s borders is difficult. Pulling agreement out of four states is nearly impossible. But that’s what happened in October when Mississippi joined Louisiana, Alabama and the Panhandle region of Florida to form the Aerospace Alliance, [...]

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Evans embroiled in alleged fraud

Amy McCullough — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 06:01:32 +0000

Jackson area businessmen allegedly involved in $41 million insurance fraud Two Jackson metro area brothers were sued by a Madison title insurance company in Chancery Court in September for allegedly perpetrating $41 million worth of commercial real estate and title insurance fraud in Mississippi. Proceedings to deal with the aftermath of the alleged mortgage-stacking scheme [...]

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Recession dominates headlines but true measure is in job losses

Wally Northway — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 06:01:29 +0000

As the year 2009 got underway, the top business headline was the recession, though for much of 2008 the state seemed to dodge the hardest blows of the shrinking economy. However, December 2008′s tax revenues were down 9 percent from forecasts, and leaders were looking for more of the same in 2009. “I think December [...]

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Education faces challenges

Nash Nunnery — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 06:01:28 +0000

Slumping economy forces all levels of Mississippi education to re-evaluate normal business The slumping economy has made this perhaps one of the most difficult years ever in the annals of higher education in Mississippi. Nearly every size and type of public institution has been affected in some way by the lingering financial crisis. Aside [...]

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Stanford crisis affected many

Amy McCullough — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 06:01:13 +0000

Mississippians had a total of $391 million invested with Stanford offices in the state The state Capitol was packed in October for testimonies of four victims and two former brokers involved in the Stanford Financial Group fraud scheme. The hearing was organized by the Secretary of State, and a report has since been released with [...]

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There was some good news

MBJ Staff — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 06:01:03 +0000

By Stephen McDill and Amy McCullough ONE: ‘Tutwiler: Mississippi’s boomtown?’ Oct. 21, 2009 Despite the economic downturn, Tutwiler’s sales tax revenues doubled, thanks to a new Double Quick that replaced the town’s Shell station. The Delta town with a population of 1,364, according to the 2000 census, is one of a handful of Mississippi communities [...]

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