TheDeltaDirt.com

New Blog in Town: Greenwood City Hall

2010-06-04T11:26:00.003-05:00

Click here to jump to Greenwood City Hall, the city's new blog.

In anticipation of its forthcoming new Web site, the City of Greenwood has started a blog in an effort to keep its citizens up-to-date on the goings-on at City Hall. Entitled Greenwood City Hall, the blog will feature local news, special events, policy items, projects, and other city-related information. Return to Greenwood City Hall often for Greenwood's latest news.

Hello Delta! by Kallie Dreher

2010-03-10T17:32:00.002-06:00

Click on the photo above to visit the Web site of Kallie Dreher, a transplant to the Mississippi Delta who sees her new digs through foreign eyes. Her photos are both haunting and breathtaking, and capture the majesty and mystique of this great flat land we call home. Kallie also has a photo blog that you should visit. Should you forget how to find her, I have added her to the Blogroll on the right sidebar. Welcome to the Delta, Kallie!

Family Art Exhibit at Gallery Point Leflore

2010-02-25T16:47:00.012-06:00

"Landscape Askew: Delta Dog Trot" by William Dunlap hangs in the lobby of the Alluvian Hotel in downtown Greenwood.

The Dunlap-Burgess-Dunlap art show opened March 1 at Gallery Point Leflore in downtown Greenwood and ends April 3.

The show will hang through April 3 and features the works of William Dunlap, Linda Burgess and Maggie Dunlap. This is their first show as a family in the Delta. The gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m and is located at 214 Howard Street. Contact the gallery at 662-455-0040 for more information.

Delta Haze: Photos Taken on a Hazy Sunday

2009-12-14T22:26:00.007-06:00

View the Delta Haze photo album at www.facebook.com/thedeltadirt.

Official Delta Dirt Merchandise Now Available

2009-12-01T20:19:00.004-06:00

Just in time for the holiday season, The Delta Dirt is launching its first and only Delta Dirt online store! Featuring an original watercolor by Co-Editor Amy McCullough, these exclusive items are the perfect selection for that hard-to-buy-for person in your family. T-shirts, Caps, Aprons, Hoodies, Totes, Kitty Bowls, Coffee Mugs, Etc. You can get everything you need in various shades of earth tones (naturally). For an extra earthy feel, try one of the organic tees for yourself or someone you care about.

Visit us on the Web: The Delta Dirt Online Store

Lucious Spiller at Ground Zero Saturday

2009-11-25T17:30:00.003-06:00

Guitarist Lucious Spiller (sans Blues Band) playin' and singin' the blues.

Lucious Spiller will perform at Ground Zero Blues Club in Clarksdale this Saturday.

Legendary Arkansas Bluesman, Lucious Spiller and his Blues Band will be playing at Ground Zero Blues Club in Clarksdale on Saturday, Nov. 28. Lucious recently played at the Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival and the Cat Head Mini Blues Festival (acoustic). Lucious has opened for the Dazz Band, Bobby Blue Bland, Bo Diddley and many, many others. Check out the show! You can listen to some of his tunes on his MySpace page.

Ground Zero Blues Club was opened in May 2001 by Clarksdale native and Oscar winner Morgan Freeman and a couple other guys. It's a great place to catch some music and grab a Voodoo Burger or Fried Catfish BLT. Take a marker; you can write on the walls.

Thanks to faithful Delta Dirt blog reader Cliff Jones of Batesville, Arkansas for this story.

$300 Million & 500 Jobs for the Delta -- What Could It Be?

2009-10-21T14:20:00.002-05:00

The Mississippi Economic Council held its annually Hobnob event this morning in Jackson. Gov. Haley Barbour said a $300 million facility which would create 500 jobs would be coming to the Delta, but he didn't give further details.

Read Mississippi Business Journal writer Clay Chandler's Magnolia Marketplace blog for more info.

Tutwiler: Mississippi's Boomtown?

2009-10-21T14:12:00.003-05:00

By Amy McCullough
Courtesy of the Mississippi Business Journal.

TUTWILER — Tutwiler’s beer, pork rinds or plate lunches must be going like hot cakes, because the Sept. 2009 sales tax revenue of more than $6,000 is double what it was for the town last year. Tutwiler’s main businesses are two gas stations with convenience stores, a restaurant and a juke joint.

Maybe the state Legislature could learn a lesson from this Delta town with a population of 1,364 in the 2000 census. It’s one of a handful of state towns that has seen a financial positive in the current recession.

Mayor Genether Spurlock did not answer cell phone calls at press time and was therefore unable to speculate about drinking, dancing, driving or fried food consumption being the cause for the economic upturn.

Owner of Big Poppa’s restaurant, Henry Gipson, said business is “so bad I’m about to close my door.” Gipson said the Double Quick on Highway 49 replaced the Shell station about five months ago and has taken 70 percent of his business. Gipson believes the Double Quick is getting everybody’s in-town and highway business.

Double Quick manager Clarence Hudson said he does not know why the town’s sales tax revenue would have increased. “Business has slowed down,” he said.

Chris Jackson, an employee at Double Dy Express, which sells gas and lunches, said the business also has not increased, and there have been no special events in town that would have provided tourism dollars.

Total Tutwiler sales tax revenue for fiscal year 2009, which includes the months of July through September, was more than $13,000. For the same period in 2008, total collection was more than $9,000.

'Ink' Delta Art

2009-09-23T17:12:00.001-05:00

Because it's never too early to start thinking about Christmas or birthdays or anniversaries for your favorite Delta person!

"Cotton Row Club with Power Lines"

The Cotton Row Club has been the unofficial fraternity house of numerous Greenwood gentlemen for years. Located on Ramcat Alley near Cotton Row, this famous venue featured an old bed, a Viking Range, a Coke machine with one button labeled “beer” and a bookie.

Hand-painted print measures approximately 14″ X 11″. Watercolor and gouache on watercolor paper.

$125 unframed

"Ramcat Alley"

The Greenwood, Miss. alley home to the Cotton Row Club.

Hand-painted print measures approximately 14″ X 18″. Mixed media on watercolor paper.

$125 unframed

Visit inkoriginalart.com. Or visit the gallery at The Mississippi Gift Company in Greenwood at 300 Howard St.

Half the Dirt is Gone

2009-09-22T09:02:00.005-05:00

Dear Loyal Readers,

I want to thank you for your support of The Delta Dirt and let you know I probably won't be posting too frequently anymore due to the fact that I have moved to Jackson, MS to write for the Mississippi Business Journal.

I also wanted to tell you Facebookers that you should definitely become fans of the MBJ.

Also, I've recently become a twit who Twitters: http://twitter.com/mcculloughwrite

If you'd like a guaranteed source of humor, check out Clarion-Ledger cartoonist Marshall Ramsey's Twitter page: http://twitter.com/MarshallRamsey

Cheers!

Amy

River to the Rails 2009: A Delta Good Time

2009-09-17T22:38:00.010-05:00

GREENWOOD -- Join Main Street Greenwood for a weekend street party featuring good food, great music, and dancing under the Delta stars at the 5th annual River to the Rails festival Friday-Saturday, September 18-19, 2009. Although the forecast calls for rain, we all know that a little inclement weather never kept a Delta resident from having a good time.

As in years past, this year's musical entertainment showcases an all star lineup of regional and national acts. Friday night features a no holds barred jam session with musicians from the Tangents and Curb Service while national recording artist Denise LaSalle will light up the stage on Saturday night.

Music coordinator Andy Hackleman is especially proud of the entertainment lineup for this admission-free event.

"We really pulled out the stops this year in organizing a variety of entertainment to please just about any musical preference," Hackleman said. "We've got blues, gospel, and rock and roll, among others. If you can't be happy with this lineup, then there's a techno club in New York City with your name on it," he said.

In addition to all the entertainment, River to the Rails is back with a few of its most popular events. All dogs are called to this year's Paws Parade, said organizer Aubrey Whittington of the Human Society of Leflore County. Entrants are encouraged to dress dogs as their favorite costumes. Trophies will be awarded following the parade, with an original painting by Charles Chapin given for the best costume.

Main Street Greenwood director Lise Foy said 30 to 40 pets strutted their stuff at last year's festival. "Some people dress in costume to match their dogs. It's just cute," Foy said.

Entrants will register for the 9 a.m. parade at 8:30 a.m. on the corner of Howard and Washington streets. The entry fee of $15 per pet benefits the Humane Society.

The Artist Village on Saturday afternoon will feature works for sale by local painters, potters, photographers, woodworkers and others and has even more artists signed up this year, said artist coordinator John Beard. River to the Rails is still taking booth applications.

In addition to the special edition of the Greenwood Farmer's Market, which will take place on Howard Street this Saturday, festival-goers can curb their hunger at the Food Court starting at 5 p.m. Saturday with barbecue, chicken on a stick, catfish, crawfish, hamburgers, hot dogs and pizza or get a sugar rush from ice cream, cotton candy, funnel cakes or deep-fried Twinkies. Cokes and beer are also available.

As always, the River to the Rails festival is brought to you by Main Street Greenwood, the Greenwood-Leflore County Chamber of Commerce and the Greenwood CVB. For more information, visit www.rivertotherails.net.

Music Lineup

Friday

Ole Skool Revue - A student band from DSU's Delta Music Institute
The Tangents' Reunion Show - The House Band of Mississippi
Curb Service Rock and Roll Band - Featuring the Curvettes

Saturday

Money Road - Local blues and rock band
The Banks 4's Michael Jackson Tribute - A group of four Greenwood musicians
Big T and the Family Band - Down home Clarksdale Blues
Denise LaSalle - A Sidon native and Queen of Delta Blues and Soul

Pimento Cheese Contest Winner: Marsh Pickett, Jr.

2009-09-09T22:28:00.010-05:00

Marsh Pickett, Jr. with his prize-winning pimento cheese spread. Recipe below.

A history major by degree, Marsh Pickett, Jr. has been managing restaurants for most of his life, dabbling in the creation of what he calls "Southern comfort" foods. Although he didn't realize that the culinary arts would play such an important role in his life while a college student at Delta State University, Pickett would be the first to tell you that life has a way of steering you in the right direction.

Not one to back down from adversity, Pickett had to fight for his life in 2004 and 2005 by beating cancer and staph infection. Prior to this, he dabbled in cooking but once he regained his health, something clicked, causing him to pursue the culinary arts with a vengeance. "I learned mostly from watching the late Justin Wilson's cooking shows and the Food Network," Pickett said.

Speaking of the Food Network, Pickett readily admits that his favorite celebrity chef is Bobby Flay and confesses to watching Diners Drive-Ins and Dives religiously. "I literally take notes when I see something interesting," he states.

Although the comfort foods are perhaps his specialty, Pickett's truest love is good ol' bar-be-que.

Pickett recalls, "My father, Marsh Pickett, Sr., and my late uncle Billy Pickett hooked me on bar-be-que many years ago during our Fouth of July family outings--ribs and pork chops cooked on an open pit." He continues, "Daddy and Uncle Bill started before dawn, Daddy mopping one side while Uncle Bill mopped the other. I guess my bar-be-que love is genetic. I smoke my meats and even have a recipe for smoked meatloaf. I work for others while I continually refine my recipes and search for something new and exciting."

Pickett has been married to Deidre Nations Pickett for many years and together they have two daughters, Zola Kathryn Pickett and Haley Marsh Pickett. Although his dream is to one day own his own diner, he has put it on hold until his children graduate from college, another dream of his.

On his artistry, Pickett states simply, "What artist is ever satisfied? Some sing, some dance, some use a canvas. My art sits on a plate and I don't think I'll ever be fully satisfied. I'm always wondering, 'How can I make it better?'"

Delta Boy Pimento Cheese

3 cups grated mild cheddar
2 cups grated Monterrey Jack cheese
2 jars sliced pimento with liquid
4 slices crisp bacon crumbled
2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. granulated garlic
3 tbsp. dill mustard

Mix well. This melts nicely on burgers or hot dogs. Grill your pimento cheese sandwich in butter or on a sandwich press.

Greenwood Farmer's Market Promotes Healthy Lifestyle

2009-09-01T11:30:00.004-05:00

Hal Fiore of "Three Guys Who Grow" sells a cornucopia of fresh vegetables at the Downtown Greenwood Farmer's Market. Courtesy photo.

GREENWOOD -- The Greenwood Farmer's Market continues to be a success for Greenwood-area residents who value freshness and quality at their kitchen table. Now in its second year, the Farmer's Market, which was spearheaded by Main Street Greenwood, Inc., will continue to be held every Saturday from 7:30 a.m. until noon through October 31. The market takes place near the Columbus and Greenville Railroad at the intersection of Johnson and Main Streets.

The market was formed in the winter of 2007 by a small group of Greenwood citizens who liked the idea of a local market where area farmers could sell the fruits of their labor (pun intended). Assisted by grants from Blue Cross, MAC, and USDA, the market was able to open for business in Summer 2008. Tents and tables were purchased and the event was advertised across the Delta with these funds. In addition, there have been several fundraisers that have benefited the Greenwood Farmer's Market, including the Alluvian Harvest Ball last October, and a Viking Farm to Table dinner to be held this fall.

The Greenwood Farmer's Market would not have been the success that it is without the support of the community. "Greenwood is lucky to be home to many people who are passionate about the local food movement that is sweeping the nation," Main Street Executive Director Lise Foy said. She continued, "With Mississippi's high incidence of diabetes, obesity, and other health issues, our project offers a unique solution that not only encourages people to eat healthier, but supports local growers. It really is a win-win situation for the entire community."

The objective of the Farmer's Market is to create a community meeting place where every can come together to promote healthy lifestyles, provide farmers and back yard gardeners with a profitable location to sell their produce, plants, and other food items, and to build community pride in the downtown area. In those terms, the market has met its objective, but still seeks to expand their scope. The market averaged ten vendors per week the first year, and has increased to host as many as thirteen vendors each week in their second year.

Some of the vendors are regulars, including Hallie Streater, who brings peas, tomatoes, squash, and fresh eggs each week, and Bubba Fraiser, who sells fresh Gulf shrimp by the ounce or by the pound. Donald Bender supplies the market with his signature Mockingbird Bakery artisan breads and the Lay Sisters with their canned jellies and pickles. 3 Guys consists of Mike McClellan, Jamie Kornegay, and Hal Fiore, regularly ply the market with heirloom vegetables and fresh lettuce and Benny Blaylock is known for his great melons. Others offer products and services such as gardening tips, free range chicken to order, and homemade dog biscuits, all with an emphasis on sustainability.

Although your senses of smell and taste are the once most likely to be stimulated at the Greenwood Farmer's Market, you might find something pleasing to the ears if you decide to visit one Saturday morning. Each week, the Greenwood Farmer's Market plays host to some of the Delta's best local musicians as entertainment for the selective shopper. Musicians such as Cecil Ables, the Dillionaires, and bits and pieces of Curb Service, have all played on the makeshift stage in the parking lot behind Mallette Furniture. Each week offers up a different style of music, from blues and jazz, to rock and roll and acoustic guitar. "We have a lot of great musicians that play at the [Greenwood Farmer's] Market each week, which really transforms downtown into a fun place for families to spend their Saturday," Foy said.

And if that's not enough to bring you downtown on a Saturday morning, the market also offers plenty of activities for the kids, including the occasional face painting by Kelly and Jon Rayeski. In addition, the market offers the opportunity for young farmers to make a bit of spending money, as kids have set up shop selling sweet tea, lemonade, homemade brownies, and smoothies. So kids, if you are no longer entertained by cartoon marathons on your Saturday mornings, bring your best entrepreneurial spirit and tell those parents of yours that they can no longer use your allowance as bribery for making up your bed each morning.

With all that is going on at the Greenwood Farmer's Market, there are constantly opportunities for improvement. In the short run, the market hopes to increase the number of regular growers that sell their wares at the market and reach more shoppers and entice them to spend their grocery money locally, rather than at Walmart or some other grocery chain. Long term planning has focused on building a permanent structure for the market and to increase access to underprivileged segments of the population by expanding the Mississippi Farmer's Market Nutrition Program, which provides vouchers for people enrolled in the Senior Nutrition Program, providing a means for a health lifestyle, as well as additional sales for vendors.

With all that is occurring at the Greenwood Farmer's Market each week, it is no wonder that Main Street Greenwood takes pride in the project. "We are encouraged by what we have seen thus far and are looking forward to what this might become in the future, Foy stated. "With some time and increased support, the Greenwood Farmer's Market will become a fixture in downtown Greenwood, providing healthy options for Greenwood families for years to come."

For more information or to volunteer, call the offices of Main Street Greenwood at 662-453-7625 or online at http://www.mainstreetgreenwood.com/.

Greenville's Brown Water/Holiday Inn Express Make the Washington Post!

2009-08-27T09:20:00.011-05:00

Then-presidential candidate Barack Obama and front desk agent Brian Credeur at the Holiday Inn Express of Greenville March 10, 2008.

President Barack Obama's alarm at Greenville's brown water during his campaign trail stay at a Holiday Inn Express and Mayor Heather McTeer Hudson's attempt to get stimulus money to fix the problem was the focus of an Aug. 24 Washington Post article.

The Delta Dirt was present at Obama's March 10 visit. Read our version here. The Washinton Post's story begins:

"GREENVILLE, Miss. -- In the blur of his campaign, it was just another overnight stop: a Holiday Inn Express in Greenville, dead in the heart of this forsaken land called the Delta.

In the lobby, atop the front desk, a card in a plastic frame greeted guests. It served as an alert, a quaint warning of sorts: "You may be wondering why our water is brown -- it's the cypress tree roots, in the springs underground. Y'all can drink our water and bathe without fear. For no one lives longer than the folks around here."

Barack Obama passed the card on the way to his room. There, the bathroom sink and shower offered exactly what the card predicted: a stream of yellowish-brown water, to be found in every room. It came from a Greenville city well, which pumped the same alarming-looking water into all the homes and businesses in the area. City leaders and hotel employees emphasized that although it looked bad, the brown water met all federal and state safety standards, and that residents commonly drank it and bathed in it."

In a car ride with Obama, the mayor explained that "She hoped to get rid of the color with a filtration system that several American and foreign cities had used to take care of their own brown-water problems. But struggling Greenville had no money to pay for such a system, another complication in an array of infrastructure quandaries for which Hudson was hoping to obtain federal assistance."

The article goes on to tell of Hudson's frustration that government stimulus funds have yet to materialize for her city's wish list. There is nothing new here: Empty government promises matched by a desire for money that at any price could never be quenched.

Busy Day in the Delta

2009-08-21T11:43:00.017-05:00

Thursday night was DJ night at Po' Monkey's juke joint in Merigold.

English journalist Julia Buckley and Tallahatchie Flats manager Les Shanks exited Po' Monkey's in Merigold after a fun Thursday night visit. (Monkey's, as Julia pointed out, is indeed spelled "Poor" Monkey's.)

From left - Larry Grimes, "Joel Schumacher", Julia Buckley and Les Shanks.

The levitating match stick trick.

Monkey's gets the Best Decorated Ceiling Ever Award.

London journalist Julia Buckley had quite the eventful day yesterday. Greenwood was a stop on her road trip from Los Angeles, which will end in New York City. She is writing a freelance article for The Sunday Times' travel magazine on Delta music.

Julia said she would not mind me telling you that her full-time gig has been as a features writer for a "free daily paper" in London that is distributed mainly to commuters. I say "has been" because she received a text message yesterday morning saying she had been "sacked" -- a delightful British term meaning, "You're fired." (Note: The text expressed the situation a bit more delicately and did not actually use the word "sacked." However, for the purposes of this blog, we will definitely use that term, because it is awesome.)

Julia quickly got over it and decided she didn't care, as she hated her job and did not want to return anyway. When a friend of her's recently committed suicide, her bosses instructed her to immediately go and do a story on the situation. Then they refused to let her off to attend the funeral.

How many things are wrong with this picture?

After that lovely start to her day, Miss Buckley spent most of the afternoon on air at WGRM radio station.

She then took a trip into Greenwood's historic Baptist Town neighborhood for a Back in the Day Blues Museum tour with tour guide Sylvester Hoover to see the sites where blues legend Robert Johnson played (before his untimely demise and subsequent burial at Little Zion Missionary Baptist Church off Money Road). While at Hoover's Grocery, Buckley was greeted by a host of friendly locals: "Hey, White Girl," and "Come here, Snowflake." She said she felt like retorting, "Hello, black person," but declined.

One gentlemen said, "Give me a hug, Snowflake!" and then proceeded to rub himself up against her. After learning she was a touring guest of the Hoovers, the man apologized: "Oh, I'm sorry! She's one of yours? I thought she was just some white girl." He asked for her hand upon her departure -- only to proceed to hold it and then lick her arm.

After being licked in Baptist Town, Julia returned to the peaceful Tallahatchie Flats to rest up before beginning her excursion to Po' Monkey's juke joint in Cleveland/Merigold -- led by Flats' manager Les Shanks and accompanied by myself.

An hour and a half later, after a couple wrong turns and the obligatory ask-some-people-at-a-random-gas-station experience, we finally turned left into the appropriate field off Highway 61, veered left onto the appropriate gravel road and made it to Said Financially Challenged Monkey.

The Monkey's crowd was extremely welcoming and kind. We enjoyed it thoroughly. Cover was only $5, the beers were cheap, the DJ delightful and the dancers wonderful. A pool table provided additional entertainment, as did patron Larry Grimes, who said he had been coming to Monkey's for about 33 years now. Julia enjoyed Grimes' magic tricks with coins and levitating match sticks. He informed us that Monkey's is decorated with some 225 stuffed animal monkeys, most of which hang from the ceiling and look super cool. I first wondered if I could guess Mr. Monkey's age, maybe he'd let me step right up and take one home with me.

Another hospitable patron, Vincent Giannini, introduced himself to us and was eager to assist Julia with her article. Giannini said his Italian immigrant family had lived in the Delta for quite some time and also informed her that he had directed the movie "A Time to Kill." The Delta Dirt plans to inform imdb.com that it needs to correct its information to reflect Giannini as the film's director. But until then, we will refer to Giannini as "Joel Schumacher."

On the way back I really had to pee, which reminded me that no Delta road trip was complete until someone got out and peed on a gravel road. I explained this to Julia, along with the squat-on-the-back-of-the-car-bumper trick if you're a chick. I later put it into practice.

A good time was had by all.

Daytime Monkey's

2009-08-21T07:45:00.002-05:00

Po' Monkey's is an official stop on the Mississippi Blues Trail.

Willie "Po' Monkey" Seaberry, the operator of Po' Monkey's, drives a ginormous tractor during the day at Pimble Farms.

Pimento Cheese Contest: A Battle of the Recipes

2009-08-19T11:51:00.006-05:00

In follow up to our original pimento cheese post, we thought it prudent to have The Delta Dirt's very first recipe contest. It will be a virtual Iron Chef of sorts for Delta cooks.

So, you think your pimento cheese recipe is the best? Post your recipe on the Facebook Fan page as a new wall post and the one that receives the most "Likes" by this Sunday, August 23 at midnight will receive their own post on TheDeltaDirt.com.

That will give you plenty of time to test a few of the recipes and eat a few sandwiches containing the cheesy goodness. Bon appétit!

Delta Dining: NOLA in Indianola, Miss.

2009-08-04T08:00:00.003-05:00

NOLA restaurant in Indianola.

The Delta. It's the best and worst of everything. I think sometimes the words "quaint" and "charming" double for "ignorant" and "lacking customer service skills," but whatever. People love the Delta for the people, who -- while they may move at their own speed -- are nothing if not friendly and eager to lend a helping hand. They also serve really good food, if you can get it.

Two weekends ago I journeyed 30 minutes away to Indianola to eat at Lost Dog Pizza Co. This was my third attempt to eat the famed pizza of this establishment. And again, my attempt was thwarted, but this time not due to my own poor planning. At 7:30 p.m. on a Friday night: It was closed. The sign on the door said, "On vacation until Tuesday"!

Small town businesses are just really not afraid to close at completely inappropriate times whenever the proprietors feel like vacationing -- or hunting, for that matter. I will never understand this. Sorry, Lost Dog! You'll get none of my dinero. Which is sad, because I've heard your pizza is awesome.

We headed on over to NOLA in Indianola's downtown, not far from the B.B King Museum & Delta Interpretive Center. NOLA has not served a disappointing dish yet. My fave is the Tuna Provencal, a seared tuna steak with crawfish tails, mushrooms, artichokes and ample amounts of garlic sauteed and served on top. My favorite booth has a "Gone With the Wind" poster.

NOLA was again a tasty experience, despite the fact they forgot our salads and brought them out after our entrees. Friendly smiles cover a multitude of foibles.

And we got free entertainment! A barber shop quartet -- the same talented gentlemen seen in the recent Indianola community theater presentation of "The Music Man" -- arrived to surprise a friend on her birthday and serenaded the restaurant with 50s tune for about half an hour.

But exactly what do you do when one's boyfriend's high school girlfriend's parents come over for a friendly visit to your table and show you pictures of the ex-girlfriend's kids while you try to eat said tasty tuna? The Delta has struck again. Still haven't quite processed that one ...

Pimento Cheese...With Bacon

2009-07-28T08:00:00.002-05:00

"The Nemo" at What's Cookin' in Greenwood.

The "Southern Burger" at Webster's Food & Drink, also in Greenwood.

Pimento cheese, a Southern favorite. Redneck or high-class, no Delta social occasion is complete without this concoction of grated cheeses mixed with mayonnaise, pepper and a sprinkling of Tobasco sauce or cayenne pepper.

I grew up not thinking of the pimento as an organic food item. I'm not sure what I thought they were. Or if they were singular or plural. They were just these chopped up red things that came as green olive inserts. The only other thing they were useful for was being mixed in the "pimento cheese" that my mother made occasionally, since she was the only member of our household who would touch it. After I moved backed to Mississippi and became a Delta resident, I realized there was no escaping little finger sandwiches with the crusts cut off containing the stuff. I started to eat it. Now when I see it on an hors d'oeuvres table, I attack it. I have since learned the pimento is a specific kind of pepper similar to the red bell pepper, but with a sweeter skin.

At least two Greenwood restaurants have found a way to take this old favorite and rachet it up a notch, making it even more heart-attack friendly. Have some pimento cheese with bacon -- you'll never go back.

1. "The Nemo" at What's Cookin', 123 Park Ave. Hours: 9:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Dine-in lunch or carry out.

Named after someone's dog, this jalapeno pimento cheese sandwich is grilled with bacon and complimented with a fresh slice of sweet Mississippi tomato. Need we say more?

2. The "Southern Burger" is available on any Monday night -- recently named Burger Night -- at Webster's Food & Drink, 216 W. Claiborne Ave. Kitchen Hours: 4 - 9 p.m.

A juicy Webster's burger with a half pound of lean ground beef well-done, but never over-done, with pimento cheese, bacon and your favorite trimmings. Mmm...

Fellow Flatlander: Lisa Cookston

2009-07-27T09:33:00.007-05:00

Lisa Cookston was born December 13, 1968, to Shirley and Bill Curtis of Greenwood and is married to lawyer Steven Cookston. Together they have Lucy, 9, and Cavitt, 7. In addition to serving on the City Council, Lisa is a part-time English Composition instructor at Mississippi Delta Community College and a free-lance writer. She has a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Mississippi.

1. First car: 1981 Cutless Supreme
2. Favorite music album: That's way too hard to narrow down. Can I answer by decade? Early 70's: Captain and Tenille's album, "Love Will Keep Us Together" was a huge hit in my house and one I sang often into my hairbrush, as well as the "Grease" soundtrack in the latter part of the 70s. In the 80s, my favorites were Prince's "Purple Rain", R.E.M., "Reckoning" and the Pretty in Pink soundtrack. In the 90s, Nivana's "Nevermind" was very influential. These days I listen to singles. I'm liking Chromeo, MGMT, and I'm going back to early eighties R&B like The Gap Band, Cameo, and Midnight Star.
3. Favorite book: A Confederacy of Dunces
4. Worst movie you've ever seen: Rambo II
5. Any competitive sport(s) played: Tennis
6. Scariest experience: I was in the middle of a shootout at a gas station in Magee, MS on a sunny Monday morning.
7. Favorite beverage: I do love a mojito but Greenwood's tap water is the best!
8. Childhood nickname: Depends on who you talk to.
9. Church: First Presbyterian Church
10. Hobbies: Reading, deluding myself into thinking I will ever run in 300 Oaks, rationalizing everything.
11. Best road trip: A self-guided tour from the Las Vegas strip to Death Valley, CA with my husband.
12. Pet(s): A deranged mutt named Biscuit and a very cool, pampered cat named Grey Grey.
13. Average night's sleep: 6 hours
14. Favorite Halloween costume: I was Mother Nature when I was 11.
15. Favorite thing about Greenwood: The crazy fools that live here and our downtown.

Additional Questions:

Delta Dirt: How do you like City Council so far?
Lisa Cookston: I don't like the controversey that is happening right now with the city attorney appointment. I wish very much to get past this and work to bring about positive, progressive change to our fair city.

DD: How do you think you are unique -- what do you bring to the table that no other council members can?
LC: I think that as the lone female, I automatically bring a different perspective and attitude to the council. I hope that I am seen as fair, intelligent, and forward-thinking.

DD: What would you most like to accomplish/see happen?
LC: First, I want somehow to get beyond every decision or motive of the council being racially charged. I want Greenwoodians to have confidence that Greenwood will not only thrive but prevail (to steal a line from Faulkner). I want us to plan carefully for how our town should look as it grows (when that opportunity arises). I want to see sidewalks, bike paths, great parks. I would love for Greenwood to embrace the arts and nurture home-grown entrepreneurs in our schools. I want more industry that pays decent wages. I want excellent public schools that are a Level 5. If I am living and raising my family here, I want the best for each and everyone of us. I know those lines sound like Miss America wishing for world peace, but I sincerely think we can do much better as a town with some progressive thought. Let's look at what other small towns are doing right and try model their successes.

Andy Hackleman and Jeff Crow to Entertain Tonight

2009-07-23T09:36:00.005-05:00

Long time friends and music collaborators, guitarist/vocalist Andy Hackleman and pianist Jeff Crow, unite for one night only at Webster's Food and Drink in Greenwood. Show begins on the Gnemi McStewart (or is it Stewart McGnemi?) patio at 9:30 p.m. tonight. Don't miss it!

The Harvard Guys: Baptist Town's First Effective City Planners?

2009-07-22T07:58:00.003-05:00

Harvard public policy students Babak Mostaghimi (left) and Ololade Olakanmi July 14 at Delta Bistro, after attending the Baptist Town Blues Marker unveiling.

Ololade Olakanmi described his first visit to Greenwood's Baptist Town neighborhood in January as "quite shocking." Originally from Iowa City, Iowa, "Olo" had done his homework on the area but was still surprised to see the poor living conditions in the Baptist Town community in person. Baptist town is bordered by Walker Street to the north, the Columbus and Greenville Railroad to the south, Avenue A to the east, and McCain Street to the west. His colleague Babak Mostaghimi, although a Minnesota guy, knew what to expect. He had taught previously in Shelby, Miss. with Teach for America.

Olo and Babak are Harvard students from the Kennedy School of Government. They and eight other students first came to Greenwood at the start of the year to begin the Baptist Town Community Development Project, which they organized on their own, of their own volition and are funding through several grants. It is a project combining students from public policy, business and other disciplines to work on city and neighborhood planning. City planning by definition is an interdisciplinary field of study whereby policy, public participation, and implementation strategies combine to help city residents shape the future of the communities in which they live.

They are not the first group to take on such a project for Baptist Town. Several similar groups have come and gone in past years. For example, a fairly recent study was sponsored by Viking Range Corp. and conducted by the College of Architecture, Art and Design's Carl Small Town Center at Mississippi State University. The Delta Dirt is currently unsure how much wasted grant money was used to create this lengthy document, which wound up sitting on an office floor until a certain Thomas Gregory (who recently obtained his master's degree in city and regional planning from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) requested that a copy be sent to him. This plan details that a number of things be done to Baptist Town -- like adding lighting to the neighborhood, appropriate embellishments to homes, landscaping, building a community computer center. Not one of these suggestions has been implemented.

Babak and Olo summed up traditional city planning technique: Go to a place, assess what you think it needs, write a report and host a town hall meeting where you tell people who have never laid eyes on you what they ought to do with their neighborhood.

This group of students took a more modern approach. Olo, Babak and crew spent their first two weeks in Greenwood walking door to door through the neighborhood getting to know the residents and soliciting opinions on the area and changes residents would like to see. They call their approach "realistic" and starting from the "grass roots level." They interviewed 50-60 households.

"From the outside, you think these are apathetic people who don't give a crap," Babak said. But "on the ground," as he says, Babak and Olo found different information. A family might have an old couch in the front yard, he said, but they can't get rid of it because they have no car. The city won't pick it up for them. And furthermore, they didn't put it there in the first place -- someone dumped it. This area of town is often used as a trash depository by non-residents, he said.

Babak found a "treasure trove of skills" among residents and a bartering system. Car work is traded for a hair cuts and so on.

Babak and Olo said residents might have been suspicious of them at first, but became comfortable with them after being acquainted. Babak said he felt his Iranian heritage helped him in interviews, as people saw him not as black or white but neutral.

In the past six months, Babak and Olo said they have already seen changes in the neighborhood. It looks cleaner, and residents are talking to each other more, they said. Two neighborhood churches, McKinney chapel and New Zion, have been tremendously helpful. McKinney has donated facilities and food for workshops, and New Zion is working on starting an after-school program.

The Harvard students chose the Greenwood area for their project per the suggestion of Cyd McKenna, an MIT student and former 2008 planning intern for Mayor Sheriel Perkins, because it "had all the pieces to be successful," Babak said. Tourism, industry, nearby Mississippi Valley State University and Mississippi Delta Community College, close proximity to Interstate 55 and rich civil rights and blues heritage are pieces that can be used in a puzzle for success. "People here across the board recognize this is time for change," he said.

Olo and Babak plan to come back to continue their work in August and October. Once their plan is released, it will go to the hands of the City and Baptist Town residents to make the changes that they recommend for the future development of this historic Greenwood neighborhood.

We look forward to seeing the contents of this report, which will hopefully contain viable suggestions and quotes from Baptist Town residents on realistic goals that are actually being implemented, in addition to being outlined.

Addendum: Olo tells me that their project has used $12,000 in grant money thus far, which has funded their three trips to Greenwood -- the first of which involved eight people. By grant standards they are indeed being frugal and are on a tight budget. Published 7.22.09 at 10:17 p.m.

Greenwood's Alan Ellis Brings Home Trustmark Title

2009-07-20T15:02:00.007-05:00

Amateur golfer and Greenwood native Alan Ellis demonstrates his golf swing at the Hattiesburg Country Club in April. Photo credit: Jimmy Hughes.

Greenwood's own Alan Ellis took home the winners trophy Sunday at the Mississippi PGA Trustmark Invitational at Dancing Rabbit Golf Club in Philadelphia, Miss. For more information, read Clarion Ledger reporter Ross Dellenger's story here. From all of us at The Delta Dirt, congratulations Alan!

Blues Marker Unveiled in Baptist Town

2009-07-20T10:40:00.005-05:00

Dr. Moses, Dr. Marvin Haire, Rev. Frank Willis, Mr. Harvey Cook, Ms. Paige Hunt, and Mr. Sylvester Hoover admire the newly dedicated Mississippi Blues Trail marker in Greenwood's Baptist Town neighborhood. Photo by Lise Foy.

Another Greenwood location has been added to the Mississippi Blues Trail. Baptist Town, one of Greenwood's oldest African American neighborhoods, joins the likes of Robert Johnson's grave, the birthplace of Hubert Sumlin, the old WGRM studio, and the Elk's Lodge as a local point of interest and influence in the history of blues music and culture. The Baptist Town neighborhood was established in the 1800s in tandem with the growth of the local cotton industry.

The neighborhood is best known in blues lore through blues singer David “Honeyboy” Edwards, who identified it as the final residence of the legendary "king of the Delta blues singers," Robert Johnson. Johnson, who died just outside Greenwood in 1938, and Edwards stayed in houses on Young Street. Baptist Town also once was the home of Oscar-winning actor Morgan Freeman and blues musicians Harvie Cook, John William "Man" Hurt and others.

The marker also honors musicians and singers from other communities in and around Greenwood, including Tommy McClennan, Robert "Dr. Feelgood" Potts, Sheba Potts-Wright, Willie Cobbs, Guitar Slim, Furry Lewis and Betty Everett. The marker has been placed near the McKinney Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, the community’s anchor for more than 100 years.

Paige Hunt with the Greenwood Convention and Visitors Bureau opened the dedication ceremony with welcoming remarks to the gathered crowd. Reverend Frank Willis, a current and long time resident, shared memories of growing up in the Baptist Town community and noted to light laughter that, "it used to be that if you didn’t live in Baptist Town, you had no business being there after dark; this included the police."

Next, Mr. Harvey Cook, who is pictured on the marker, spoke briefly about his 71 years as a bluesman. He traveled from Indiana to be at the dedication. Sylvester Hoover, owner of Delta Blues Legend Tours, gave a few remarks of welcome to the crowd along with Dr. Marvin Haire from MVSU. Finally, Leigh Portwood with the Mississippi Development Authority Heritage Trails program recognized and thanked partners of the Blues Trail marker program.

For more information on the Blues Trail, visit www.msbluestrail.org.

Special thanks to Lise Foy, Executive Director of Main Street Greenwood, Inc., who attended the ceremony and contributed extensively to this report.

The Delta Dirt Tops 1,000 Fans on Facebook

2009-07-17T16:52:00.003-05:00

Just a week since the founding of The Delta Dirt's Fan page on Facebook, over 1,200 members have indicated their affection for this site. To me, that is amazing. The ability to network with people that have likely never heard of this website is an opportunity that did not exist just a few short years ago.

Now, people all over the nation have signed up for the Dirt's Fan page and are discussing Dirt-related topics such as agriculture and uploading their own photos of Delta scenery. We too have uploaded photos to the Fan page, since Facebook makes it easy to upload photos to an album. Last week, I uploaded photos of an old fire engine and Delta water towers. More Delta shots will be uploaded soon.

To all our Fans out there, we say thank you! If you like the blog and are looking for another way to experience The Delta Dirt and interact with others who either follow the site or like the concept of alluvial soil, check out our Facebook Fan page at www.facebook.com/thedeltadirt and become a Fan today!

A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall

2009-07-16T23:13:00.005-05:00

Raindrops glisten on a window screen in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

During summers in the Delta, rain means everything. Too much, and crops suffer. Not enough, and crops dry out. Just enough, and crops flourish, grass grows green, farmers rejoice, and temperatures cool. Tonight's rain comes at just the right time for summer cotton and corn, yards full of St. Augustine and Bermuda, and temperatures in the 90s. With tonight's rain, the Delta dirt turns into Delta mud. Thank God.

Delta Photos: Old Indianola Fire Engine

2009-07-10T10:59:00.005-05:00

This is just one of a few photos I took of an old Indianola Fire Engine while it was parked in Doddsville. The rest can be seen on The Delta Dirt's Facebook Fan page by clicking here.

Unsolved Mystery: Luck-e You Ad Campaign

2009-07-10T10:30:00.001-05:00

The "luck-e you" ad in the July/August issue of Delta Magazine.

The "luck-e you" billboard rises above the Waffle House in Greenwood.

What is with mysterious ad campaigns? I mean, you can't successfully advertise a product or service if the person viewing the ad doesn't know what it is you are advertising. With that, I am at a loss trying to figure out what the "luck-e you" campaign I have been seeing around the Delta is advertising. They have posted billboards and were in this month's Delta Magazine. If anyone has any idea what this might be, or would like to make a random and/or absurd guess, leave it in the comments below.

Mississippi is Fat. Blame the Cooks!

2009-07-10T10:20:00.007-05:00

Pulled pork and hushpuppies from a pig pickin' in Asheboro, North Carolina.

In a recent article, TIME Magazine's Claire Suddath asked the question, "Why Are Southerners So Fat?" The answer is part socio-economic, part cultural, part historical, and of course, part fried chicken. Although the article pins down the root causes of a widespread problem in the southern U.S., it doesn't assuage appetites. About halfway through the article, it lists all the foods which make people fat, including "fried chicken, fried steak, fried onions, fried green tomatoes, fried pickles and fried corn bread." After reading that, all I could think about was making reservations at the Crystal Grill. Bon appétit!

Lucious Spiller at Clarksdale's Ground Zero Friday

2009-07-09T17:04:00.009-05:00

Guitarist Lucious Spiller (sans Blues Band) playin' and singin' the blues.

Lucious Spiller will perform at Ground Zero Blues Club in Clarksdale this Friday.

Legendary Arkansas Bluesman, Lucious Spiller and his Blues Band will be playing at Ground Zero Blues Club in Clarksdale on Friday night, July 10th at 9 p.m. Lucious recently placed 1st in the St. Louis Blues Society Competition and will be a headliner at the 2009 Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival in October. He will also be playing the Cat Head Mini Blues Festival (acoustic). Lucious has opened for the Dazz Band, Bobby Blue Bland, Bo Diddley and many, many others. Check out the show! You can listen to some of his tunes on his MySpace page.

Ground Zero Blues Club was opened in May 2001 by Clarksdale native and Oscar winner Morgan Freeman and a couple other guys. It's a great place to catch some music and grab a Voodoo Burger or Fried Catfish BLT. Take a marker; you can write on the walls.

Thanks to faithful Delta Dirt blog reader Cliff Jones of Batesville, Arkansas for this story.

The World's Most Bleached-Out Stop Sign Ever

2009-07-09T16:58:00.004-05:00

Even though it isn't technically in the Delta, I thought this "white sign" in the It-Used-to-Have-a-Kroger Shopping Center in Grenada today was too funny to pass up. Wow.

'The Monastery' Arrives at Tallahatchie Flats

2009-07-08T19:24:00.006-05:00

Tallahatchie Tavern at its final destination, Tallahatchie Flats.

A lot has been said about the Tallahatchie Tavern, also known as the Eastland Commissary, formerly known as the "Monastery," on The Delta Dirt in the past few days. In fact, it seems as though we could not get away from the old building. You will remember that I first encountered the "Monastery" yesterday, and Amy unintentionally ran into it today. So when I got a call from Les Shanks today announcing that it had arrived safely at its final resting place, I had to check it out.

The commissary, which was purchased from Eastland Plantation in Doddsville, has been on the move for the better part of the past two years. Although the actual transportation of the commissary from its original site to the new one only took a few months, there was a lot of work that occurred on the front end in order to ensure it arrived safely and in one (or two) pieces. All the planning and hard work paid off today.

The Eastland Commissary, more commonly known as Tallahatchie Tavern, joins six other buildings at the Tallahatchie Flats complex on Money Road near bluesman Robert Johnson's final resting place at Little Zion Missionary Baptist Church. Although the original plan was for the Tavern to open in time for the 2009 Rhythm on the River music festival at the Tallahatchie Flats, its opening was postponed by complications in the moving process and several months of rainy weather.

Once reconstruction is complete, the Tavern will be home to weekend parties and music events. There is still work to be done, however. Everything from the roof, the floor, and the walls must be completely restored. In addition, modern amenities such as plumbing and electricity must be installed. Finally, a wraparound deck will be built onto the front and side of the original building which will allow for outdoor events to be held at the Tavern.

Slated to be finished in the coming months, Tallahatchie Tavern will be another addition to the historic sites and destinations in Greenwood and Leflore County. It will not only serve as a fun place to hang out and listen to the best of Delta music, it will also serve as the anchor for a place that gives residents and tourists a glimpse into what life was like at the turn of the twentieth century.

Interior photos of Tallahatchie Tavern can be found on our Facebook page (become a Fan today!) by clicking here. For more information, visit the Tallahatchie Flats website at www.tallahatchieflats.com.

Barack Obama Spotted Near Floyce Street in Ruleville

2009-07-08T18:10:00.005-05:00

Unintentionally Stalking the 'Monastery'

2009-07-08T15:03:00.008-05:00

The 'Monastery' stopping traffic again, this time on Highway 49 North.

I was driving along to Cleveland from Greenwood this morning on Highway 49 E North. (I don't really understand how a highway going North is named East, but we'll let that go here, as Ft. Worth, TX has similar problems.) I came to a stretch where I saw a ginormous dilapidated-looking house thing pull out in front of me that said "Oversize Load." That's an understatement.

The thing took the entirety of both lanes and there was no way around it. Just as I was calling my work contacts to tell them I'd be six hours late to Cleveland, a guy in a red pickup backed up and politely informed me the oversized thing would be turning off the road in just a mile.

Funny, I thought. It kinda looks like that part of that Tallahatchie Tavern thing... After reading Thomas' post from yesterday and talking with the Lester Shanks I discovered that it was indeed the Monastery! How weird. Look at the Dirt being accidentally on top of all the Delta's breaking news!

Moving Midway: A Southern Plantation in Transit

2009-07-07T15:16:00.006-05:00

Midway Plantation on the move as seen in Moving Midway, a film by Godfrey Cheshire. A First Run Features release. Photo Credit: Steven Crell.

Watching the Tallahatchie Tavern making its way down the road reminded me of a documentary I watched last year about the process of moving an old plantation house from one location to another in North Carolina. Moving Midway is not just a film about house moving, but also about family, race relations, and the history of the American South.

Moving Midway is a beautiful film filled with a cast of true Southern "characters." It not only details the painstaking process that occurs when a house of this size is lifted from its foundation and moved several miles. It also tells of the family that called Midway home and uncovers the blood relation between the white plantation-owning family and the descendants of the black slaves that once worked there. It is a truly fascinating tale of family history and Southern heritage.

Although I am no Roger Ebert, I would highly recommend adding Moving Midway to your Netflix queue.

Tavern Headed to Tallahatchie Flats

2009-07-07T13:26:00.013-05:00

Part of the soon-to-be Tallahatchie Tavern en route to Tallahatchie Flats.

Tallahatchie Tavern stopping traffic on Highway 442 near Schlater.

The man who stopped me on Highway 442 as I was headed to Mound Bayou for a public hearing today looked like a serial killer. Long unkempt hair, acid wash blue jeans, a few teeth short of a full smile, and an accent that would make your grandmother cringe. To boot, he was driving the stereotypical windowless kidnapper van with an aftermarket red blinking light stuck to the top. All signs pointed to scary.

Having watched the movie Fargo last night, I should have known better. In the true crime Fargo, two hit-men go on a killing spree in the Upper Midwest leaving nothing but a trail of blood and trouble in their wake. With this reminder that there are killers among us, I should have disregarded his tattered red signal flag and cruised on past him to Doddsville, as I was running late.

But I stopped for some reason.

The man, who must have had a double-first name such as Billy Ray or Freddie Earl, motioned for me to roll down my window. At this point, it was too late to make my run for the border. So I complied. Coming to a stop, I rolled down my driver side window and listened as Billy Ray told me what was going on.

"They's moving a monastery down this here highway to the Tallahatchie Flats," he said. "'Bout forty feet wide and seventeen feet tall."

"A monastery?" I thought. I was picturing a truckload of monks in a flatbed trailer. Monastery. That just didn't make sense. Then I realized what he meant.

Having recently talked to Les Shanks, general manager of Tallahatchie Flats, I knew of their plans to bring a commissary on site for parties, events, and random get-togethers. I passed the opportunity to correct Freddie Earl and explain the error of his word choice. It would have taken too long. So I asked if I could continue and just get out of the way when I saw it. He said it was fine.

A few miles down the road, sure enough, I encountered the commissary. As I pulled off the road, I snapped a few pictures and headed on to Mound Bayou. On my way back, I found it in much the same place as a I left it in my rearview mirror an hour earlier. Closer to Tallahatchie Flats, yes. Much closer, no. At the rate they are going, it should reach its destination around this time next year.

Tallahatchie Flats, as you probably already know, is a gathering of old shotgun shacks and plantation outbuildings on Money Road near Little Zion Missionary Baptist Church. Designed in the same vein as the Shack Up Inn in Clarksdale, the Flats promises an authentic place for blues enthusiasts and bargain travelers to lay their head for the night. With the opening of the Tallahatchie Tavern, the Flats will become Greenwood's only no-star resort.

Stay tuned for more information on the grand opening of the Tallahatchie Tavern at Tallahatchie Flats. Word has it that the Tavern will be up and running for the 2009 Rhythm on the River music festival on August 1. This gives Billy Earl and the house moving company less than one month to get the Tavern to its final resting place. We'll keep you posted.

Downtown Greenwood Burns to the Ground (Almost)

2009-07-03T14:09:00.006-05:00

Shortly after Carolyn McAdams was sworn in as Mayor, downtown Greenwood caught on fire. The cause of the fire is unknown.

The City of Greenwood's Public Works Department began hauling the burned buildings away in dump trucks the very next day.

Mayoral Election Good Times

2009-07-03T13:05:00.001-05:00

The following is the account of my attempt to vote in the Greenwood mayoral election June 2, 2009:

I went to the Legion Hut today to vote, where I've voted like eight times in the past two-and-a-half years that I've lived here, and the little old mean ladies tell me that I'm not on the roll. And they say, "Where do you live?" And I say, "Harris Street." And they say, "Well let me check." And they look at their separate list of streets and say, "Harris Street is in Ward 1. You need to vote at the fire station." And I say, "I've voted here in Ward 2 ever since I've lived here. I voted just three weeks ago in the Ward 2 City Council election."

And one woman says to me, "Well it's different in county and city. They trade places. You probably voted here last time in a county election."

And I just say, "OK" and nod and attempt to smile and walk off, 'cause that made sense.

Then I go to my car and call a friend and ask if I'm crazy today and make sure that I live in Ward 2, right? He says, "Yes, you live in Ward 2."

And so I go talk to Phil Wolfe who is outside and am very annoyed. I explain my situation to him while using less-than-couth language, because I am THAT annoyed. I'm not just annoyed at the cranky, old ladies who are giving me hell and acting like they're personally offended and inconvenienced over me trying to exercise my Constitutional right. I'm annoyed because WE DON'T HAVE VOTER ID. And I know that there are numerous other people in various precincts voting that very hour as various different dead people, and nobody is questioning them. I'm trying to simply vote one time as one legal, alive, tax-paying person at my own precinct, and they're telling me I don't where I live!

Phil says I can vote by affadavit ballot. So I do. I go back in there and ask the cranky little old ladies where can I get an affadavit ballot. And they direct me to another poll worker, who looks very disaffected and uninterested, at another table. And I fill out my ballot. (And all the time I know they're quietly going off on this young whipper-snapper of a voter who dares question their Voterly Omniscience and dares to think she knows where she lives – when THEY know better – and shooting me dagger-of-death looks the entire time.) I ignore them.

And then the Disaffected Affadavit Ballot Worker says, "Here, take this and read it when you go," and hands me a sheet of paper. No, "Thanks for voting," or, "Sorry you had trouble," or "Have a nice day." Just hands me a paper that has instructions about "Curbside Voting" for the elderly or people who can't make it into the polling station. It contains instructions for the poll workers on how they should write "Curbside" on the outside of the sealed, completed affadavit ballot.

I have no idea how this applies to me. Because it doesn't.

I in no way wish to deride the citizens who graciously volunteer their time to serve in our (be it unfair) Great Electoral Process. I appreciate their selfless efforts. But there are some issues here.

Last time I voted (in WARD 2), a woman almost bit my head off because I picked up the pen and went for the book to sign my name before she had gotten finished looking me up. "Wait! You can't sign before we look you up!" she snapped. I apologized. Ouch.

The situation is just so much more exasperating, because people are taking a process so seriously that is faulty to begin with. You have to show a driver's license to check out a movie at Blockbuster, but you can walk up to any voting precinct, rattle off a name and an address that exists on the rolls and get a plastic card and vote.

Why didn't I just come back in and say that I was Bobbie Sue on Smith Street and vote as her? Theoretically, an "Amy McCullough" could have come in and voted ahead of me that day, and nobody would be the wiser for it -- except, of course, she would have had to have voted in Ward 1 because her street no longer exists in Ward 2. Then, I guess, I wouldn't have been able to vote as me. Whatever.

Ridiculous.

New Leadership at Greenwood City Hall

2009-07-02T17:43:00.010-05:00

Carolyn McAdams takes the oath of office to become the newest Mayor of Greenwood.

The new Greenwood City Council is sworn in at a ceremony at Greenwood City Hall.

GREENWOOD -- A new day has come for the City of Greenwood with the swearing in of Mayor Carolyn McAdams at City Hall this afternoon. Effective at 4 p.m. CST, Mayor McAdams becomes only the second female to lead the City of Greenwood, population 18,000. McAdams, an independent, won a hard fought race for the mayorship against former Mayor Sheriel Perkins, a democrat.

Although the election of McAdams came with its fair share of baseless accusations and unfounded allegations from the opposition, she remarked, "I am looking forward to working with the entire City Council and the citizens of Greenwood to move this city forward." She continued, "The only agenda will be to run this city for the benefit of our citizens."

The Council was sworn in immediately following the swearing in of Mayor McAdams. Lisa Cookston and Carl Palmer were the two new members of the Council and each spent time introducing themselves to the community and their fellow councilpersons. After the Councilpersons took the oath of office, Mayor McAdams took the time to congratulate each newly-installed councilperson with a handshake.

McAdams, a former employee of Delta Correctional Facility, won her election on a platform of racial reconciliation and bipartisanship. She becomes only the second female to lead the City of Greenwood as mayor.

Can It Be True? The Delta Dirt Returns.

2009-07-02T12:58:00.003-05:00

Marking what has become a Delta Dirt tradition, your favorite blog is returning from a 6 month hiatus. Although the back-and-forth doesn't necessarily bode well for a steady readership, the Co-Editors have recuperated thanks to an extended vacation and are ready to write once again.

The Delta Dirt first went on leave back in September 2006, only to return six months later in February 2007. The most recent halt in publication happened in December 2008. Now, another six months later, the Dirt returns in July 2009. I know you must be thinking, "What a glorious occasion!" We couldn't agree more.

The Dirt returns on the very same day that Carolyn McAdams takes office as the new mayor of the fair City of Greenwood. Expect us to follow her first 100 days as well as other summer happenings in Greenwood. We hope to still bring you "What's Great About Greenwood" from time to time, as well as various and sundry "Delta Roadtrips."

Other random happenings, occasions, absurdities, and must-sees and -dos will also be covered. Don't expect regular posts such as WGITW to return, though, as this puts the type pressure on the authors that made us stop posting in the first (or second) place. Just enjoy the posts when they happen and allow us to write on our terms.

To the five people that remained loyal during this half-year siesta, thanks for your patronage. To any new followers that stumble onto the Dirt, welcome! We look forward to entertaining you once again.

The Delta Dirt on Indefinite Hiatus

2008-12-09T23:17:00.004-06:00

Here's a shocker: The Dirt's going on an indefinite hiatus.

I know, I know. This is a huge blow to you, what with us throwing up 200 posts a minute these days -- but think how much time this will free in your schedule!

Management has accepted the fact it has no time for remotely regular blogging now or in the foreseeable future. (Not that any future is really foreseeable -- unless of course you have a good crystal ball or can find one at a pawn shop, which I do not and have not.)

We hope to publish on an extremely unreliable schedule in the future posts consisting of somewhat entertaining diatribes and stories on Delta life. No more attempts at fairly regular What's Good in the 'Woods or other informational blurbs.

Sorry. We'll buy you a box of Kleenex later.

What's Good in the 'Wood: 12/4-12/6

2008-12-04T17:09:00.003-06:00

Thursday: Courthouse Lighting at 5 p.m.; Alluvian Happy Hour with Jamie Isonhood from 5 to 7 p.m.

Friday: Greenwood Christmas Parade followed by fireworks on the levee starting at 3 p.m.; Live music at Turnrow with songwriter Tricia Walker & Davis Raines at 6:30 p.m.; Jazz Trio at The Blue Parrot at 7:30 p.m.; Dave Dunavent Band at Webster's Food and Drink at 9 p.m.

Saturday: Signing for photography book of duck hunting camps: "First Shooting Light" from 3 to 5 p.m.; John Boat & the Trolling Motors at Webster's Food and Drink at 9 p.m.

NOTE: * Tickets are on sale now for New Year's Eve at The Alluvian. Hotel packages for your friends with 'round-the-clock transportation to and from downtown are available at the Hampton and the Holiday Inn Express.

What's Good in the 'Wood: 11/27-11/29

2008-11-26T15:42:00.003-06:00

Thursday: Thanksgiving! Thank God for the people who founded this great nation and the principles upon which it was built, which are eroding weekly with each government bail-out. Then crawl underneath your coffee table to watch football while sinking into a food coma.

Friday: Veronica's Bakery/The Blue Parrot Cafe invites you to watch the Egg Bowl and enjoy beer and munchies throughout the afternoon starting at 11:30 p.m.; Bluesman Terry "Harmonica" Bean at Webster's Food and Drink at 9 p.m.

Saturday: Singer/pianist Eden Brent at The Blue Parrot; Enjoy singer/songwriter Tim Willis at Webster's at 9 p.m., along with its new patio bar (and heaters).

Egg Bowl on Friday?

2008-11-25T08:51:00.001-06:00

Who's going to the Egg Bowl on Friday? I'll be there...

What's Good in the 'Wood: 11/20-11/22

2008-11-19T16:58:00.005-06:00

Thursday: Wine Tasting and music by Bryan Ledford at The Alluvian Happy Hour from 5 to 7 p.m.; Music by Joe Nanny at Webster's at 9 p.m.

Friday: Blues Apparatus at Webster's Food and Drink at 9 p.m.

Saturday: No scheduled entertainment in the 'Wood.

Main Street Greenwood Launches Website

2008-11-03T21:59:00.002-06:00

Main Street Greenwood, Inc., under the direction of Lise Foy and with the design skills of Tracy McGarrh, has launched a great new website. It features information about Main Street events, the 4-Point Approach of the National Main Street organization, as well as contact information and useful literature for supporters of Main Street Greenwood. Check it out here.

Holiday Open House!

2008-11-03T18:09:00.006-06:00

To revive you after complete exhaustion with Presidential Election 2008, Greenwood brings you its city-wide Holiday Open House from 4-8 p.m. with YuleTide Trolley Ride!

Trolley Rides begin at 5 p.m. in downtown Greenwood and will be make a continuous loop around the city until 8 p.m. It will be stopping at the various merchants participating in the open house. Wear a coat - the trolley windows will be open! The Curvettes will provide live trolley entertainment. Park and shop all evening to kick off the commercial Christmas season. Open house includes 25 merchants and local restaurants providing food samples at various venues.

There will also be five $100 shopping spree give-aways. Don't miss out!

Sponsored by the Greenwood-Leflore Chamber of Commerce.

Three Weeks = No Post

2008-10-27T22:18:00.006-05:00

Whoa, it's been like three weeks since our last post here on the Dirt. No wonder we are averaging only 30 hits a day. I can't speak for Amy, but I have been a little tied up with school lately. I hope that I will be able to come up for air sometime soon and write a post or two (as if anyone would notice).

In the meantime I'll just post a link to an interesting piece the Clarion-Ledger did on Greenwood as part of their "7 Cities in 7 Days" tour of Mississippi. It is entitled, "Greenwood, Viking Bound Together." Make sure to view the video on the top right of the page and check out the photo gallery of pictures taken around Greenwood.

Fascinating Possible Election Scenarios

2008-10-06T09:52:00.003-05:00

While I have zero desire to discuss politics, I did find a fascinating article online today and couldn't resist. Check this from Reuters.

The article says its possible that McCain and Obama could end up in a tie.

"If that happens, the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives would pick the president but it's unclear whether Democrats would have enough votes to send Obama to the White House."

Other scenarios, according to Northwestern University law professor Robert Bennett:

* Before the House meets, the Obama and McCain campaigns could try to convince the Electoral College voters who actually cast each state's electoral votes to switch their support. This has happened occasionally in past elections but has never affected the outcome of an election. Electors in roughly half of the states are bound by law to honor the popular vote.

* While the House picks a president, the Senate picks the vice president in the event of a tie. The Democratic-controlled chamber could pick Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden even if McCain wins the House vote.

* The newly minted vice president could become acting president if the House doesn't reach a resolution by the time President George W. Bush leaves the White House on January 20.

* House Speaker Nancy Pelosi would become acting president if neither chamber could settle on a president or vice president but she would have to resign her post."

That is hilarious. I would almost like to see chaos ensue for entertainment purposes.

What's Good in the 'Wood: 10/2-10/4

2008-10-02T14:11:00.002-05:00

Thursday: Jason Ballard at The Alluvian Happy Hour

Friday: Ben Shaw at The Alluvian Happy Hour; Thomas Jackson Orchestra at Webster's; The Drake Band from Cleveland at Joe's

Saturday: The Drake Band from Cleveland at Joe's

Gypsies Invade Northeast Greenwood

2008-09-29T20:11:00.013-05:00

The North Greenwood Band of Carpet Cleaning Gypsies practice their distracting dance in an undisclosed location.

Apparently a family of carpet cleaning gypsies has moved into the Greenwood area. Just a few days ago, I received an email from a friend of the family (or maybe it was simply a family member - I can't recall). Anyway, the email warned of a nomadic band of gypsies and foretold of their carpet cleaning charade that was intended as a "cover" for their less-than-noble deeds.

The following is based on a true story and is told in first-person narrative exactly as written and experienced by my family member, er - family friend. Only the victims' names have been changed to protect the innocent:

By RHONDA McGREGOR
Special to the Delta Dirt

It all started when I was sitting on the floor going over a few things for an interview I have tomorrow and my oh-so-dramatic mother, Lerleen, comes running across the house screaming, "Rhonda! Rhonda! Are all the doors locked? Are all our cars locked?"

Frankly, I couldn't remember a moment in time when our doors weren't locked. So naturally, I said, "Yes, why? Why are you freaking out, mom?"

At this, she appeared in my doorway like a bolt of greased lightening and said, "I just talked to Callie (her best friend), and there are GYPSIES in town who are going into peoples' homes and stealing things!"

I couldn't believe what she was saying.

Clearly upset, she continued, "Callie was standing at her kitchen window when she saw a little girl dancing a jig all over her driveway. When she went to the door, Callie said the little girl asked if she needed her carpets cleaned. She said when she looked behind the little girl she saw a red van being driven by two mysterious-looking people."

The insanity didn't stop there.

Lerleen went on to say, "Callie said her neighbors had the same thing happen to them and that their cars were ransacked just ten days ago. When Callie walked across the street to ask the neighbors if the same thing had happened to them, they said yes. Having heard about Callie's episode, the neighbor got in his car to look for the gypsies because they called the cops and the cops, of course, never came."

Having heard this, I started dying out laughing because all I could do was picture this little girl dancing around and asking Callie if she could clean her carpets. I have no idea what real gypsies look like, but I was picturing some pirate-looking Johnny Depp-ish person with lots of jewelry, a long skirt, drinking rum.

Needless to say, we had seen no trace of any so-called gypsies. But my mother was still freaking out.

At that point, all I could think of to say was, "Well mother, you better get our cats inside in case the gypsies come. That way, the gypsies won't steal them or at the very least, ask to steam clean them."

She got mad and said I was on my own if the gypsies ever came to our door.

The next night, we were eating supper and I got up to answer my phone. When I came back, I heard Lerleen talking to someone at the front door.

She was saying, and I quote: "Let me just stop you right there. My daughter has moved all of her belongings here while she looks for a job and my entire house is just packed with things and there is no way you could get in to clean the carpets."

As I heard this, I thought to myself, "I MUST see what this "gypsy" looks like." I was expecting, as I said, Johnny Depp in Pirates of the Caribbean. As I peered over my mother's shoulder, there he was...the "gypsy." He was a small, clean cut, cute little boy in his early twenties with gel in his hair and a suit and tie on.

As my mother was giving him all the ammunition he needed by telling him just how much stuff we have packed into our house, the small Backstreet Boy-looking fellow said, "Well I can work around all of the stuff in the rooms. We do that all the time. We could even just Scotch Guard the furniture."

Lerleen wasn't having any of it. She interjected, "I'm going to give this brochure back to you right now because there is just no way you can clean around all the stuff in this house." In response, the "gypsy" said, in a small, defeated voice, "Thank you ma'am and you have a nice night."

So if this little N'Sync 98 Degrees Backstreet Boy is, in fact, a "gypsy," then he will certainly be back with his posse because he now knows that he can get two houses for the price of one, since all my furniture and belongings are here too. I have stocked the pantry with Bacardi rum and am ready for the party to begin.

Editorial: As Predicted, McCain Falls in the Polls

2008-09-18T17:07:00.008-05:00

This two-minute campaign ad clearly states Barack Obama's plan to reenergize our economy. Thank God someone is addressing this issue.

In an opinion editorial previously published this week, I predicted that the roller coaster ride the economy has been on this week would cause Republican presidential candidate John McCain to fall in the polls.

"My prediction: By the end of the week, McCain's stance on the economy will cause his Palin bump in the polls to all but disappear."

According to Real Clear Politics, "one of America’s premier independent political web sites," my prediction came true. Currently, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is ahead in the polls by 1.9%, approximately the level by which he was ahead leading into the Democratic and Republican conventions. The Palin bump that McCain joined is now completely gone.

This reversal of fortune is due, in part, to Obama's strength on the issue of the economy and the popularity of his economic policy recommendations. It doesn't help McCain that his stance on the economy is ideologically similar to that of President George W. Bush, one of the parties responsible for this mess we're currently in.

The economy is something that we can all relate to. I am fortunate that I don't have any money in the stock market and that my bank is FDIC insured, but for many Americans, the tumble in the market has hit uncomfortably close to home. It is my opinion that the economy will be the deciding factor in this election. If that is true, Obama should sail to victory.

What's Good in the 'Wood: 9/18-9/21

2008-09-16T16:41:00.004-05:00

Thursday: Art Alfresco at 5 p.m. Peruse art and other items while enjoying munchies and beverages at this free downtown Greenwood open house; Turnrow Book Co. hosts Delta landscape painter Gary Walters and his new book "Delta Dreamin'" as well as Hayden Hooper and his new children's book "Gabriel's Garden" at 5 p.m.; Virgil Brawley at Webster's at 9 p.m.

Friday: Turnrow Book Co. hosts Elizabeth Hartley Winthrop and her new book "December" at 5:30 p.m.

Saturday: And They're Off! at the 300 Oaks Race on Grand Boulevard; Watch the Mississippi State Bulldogs at 11 a.m. at the Blue Parrot on Howard Street while enjoying a beer and a Mexican burger. The new home of ESPN Game Plan.

All Eyes on the Mississippi Presidential Debate

2008-09-15T23:01:00.004-05:00

Click on the above logo for Ole Miss' 2008 presidential debate website.

The University of Mississippi is the next stop on the 2008 presidential campaign trail for Senators John McCain and Barack Obama. As of now, the polls show McCain with a small lead over Obama, the result of both his highly successful convention and his much discussed pick of Sarah Palin as his vice-presidential running mate.

Although they are in a statistical stalemate, the first debate should shake things up. It will be the first time in this campaign that the two presidential candidates meet face-to-face. As a result, Mississippi will be ground zero for thousands of media reporters and self-described politicos. In effect, on the evening of September 26th, all eyes will be on Oxford.

I hate that I will not be able to attend this event. I will admit that I have been glued to all things presidential over the past few months. If I were still in Greenwood, I would drive to Oxford, camp out on the City Grocery balcony, drink a mint julep, and watch the mayhem that is sure to ensue on Oxford square. It will be unlike any Double Decker that Oxford has ever seen.

In the meantime, though, my only hope is that the news media doesn't portray Mississippi in the same dismal light that the film industry does.

Editorial: Is John McCain Serious?

2008-09-15T19:02:00.009-05:00

I couldn't believe it when I read this article today. Apparently, John McCain is the only person in America that thinks that our economy is strong. I realize that he was talking about the "fundamentals" of our economy (whatever that means), but this is certainly not the message the American people need or want to hear right now.

These comments came on the very same day that Lehman Brothers declared bankruptcy (the largest investment bank to file Chapter 11 in the history of the world) , the stock price for AIG (the biggest American insurer by assets) slid into the gutter, and WaMu (the biggest U.S. savings and loan) had its credit rating cut to junk by S&P. Not to mention the Dow fell more than 500 points, the largest drop since September 11, 2001.

Pile on top of the events that happened just today the rising price of gas and food, the falling price of homes, record home foreclosures, the recent federal government bailout of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and the slipping price of the U.S. dollar in the world market, and anyone who is not in denial can clearly see that there aren't many fundamentals left in our economy.

If John McCain is going to maintain his lead over Barack Obama and win this election, he is going to have to face the music and start talking about how he is going to fix this broken economy. The fundamentals of our economy aren't strong; they are as weak as they have been in years. He needs to first admit his ignorance, second take back his statement, and third make policy recommendations that will give Americans some confidence.

My prediction: By the end of the week, McCain's stance on the economy will cause his Palin bump in the polls to all but disappear. Comment below.

Poll: Readers Like the New Delta Dirt

2008-09-15T18:52:00.003-05:00

I promise that this is the last Delta Dirt poll for a while. I just wanted to gauge how well your received our new design and format. From the looks of things, you, our beloved readers, generally approve of things.

A grand total of 33 of our regular readers voted in our utterly non-scientific poll, the majority of which agreed that they liked what they saw. 43% of you "love it", 30% of you "like it", and another 27% of you straight-up "don't care." I appreciate your honesty.

This just goes to show that we are doing something right by our readers. We changed things around really to appease ourselves, but in the meantime, we appeased you as well. Thanks for your input! Until next poll...

B.B. King Museum Saturday!

2008-09-12T16:46:00.003-05:00

Click on picture to enlarge.

What's Good in the 'Wood: 9/12-9/13

2008-09-12T16:38:00.007-05:00

Friday: Thomas Jackson Orchestra at Webster's Food and Drink at 9 p.m.; Trademark at Joe's (a personal favorite of sometimes Dirt contributor L. Williams) from late until late.

Saturday: B.B. King Museum Grand Opening in Indianola at 10 a.m.; Canadian recording artist Linda McRae at Webster's Food and Drink at 9 p.m.; Encore performance by Trademark at Joe's.

Poll: The New Look of The Dirt

2008-09-04T17:19:00.004-05:00

Our next poll is to find out what our readers think of The Delta Dirt's new look and focus. Two weeks ago, I posted about the Dirt's new look, tagline, and focus. We want to know what you think about it all.

Readers have more than a week to answer our quick question, with the poll closing on Sunday, September 14th at midnight. We want to know if we're doing good, so please take a moment to vote in the poll in the sidebar at right.

What's Good in the 'Wood: 9/4-9/6

2008-09-04T16:58:00.002-05:00

Thursday: Brandy Ward of Drew at the Alluvian Happy Hour from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

Friday: Jason Ballard and John Andy of Back 40 at the Alluvian Happy Hour from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

Saturday: Greenwood Farmers Market on Johnson Street from 8 a.m. 'til noon; the Dave Dunavent Band at Webster's Food and Drink at 9 p.m.; Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. Southeastern Louisiana in Starkville at 6 p.m.

Poll: The Wood is Good (Sort Of)

2008-09-04T15:06:00.000-05:00

In our most recent completely nonscientific poll, we at The Delta Dirt received confirmation that our weekly "What's Good in the 'Wood" feature is still somewhat relevant. We asked the question, "How much do you rely on The Dirt's "What's Good in the 'Wood" feature when planning your weekend activities?" The analysis of our skilled team of statistical analysts is as follows:

35 of you answered our call and most of you were marginally or completely dependent on it for making your precious weekend plans. 34% of you said that it was your lifeline and that you checked it every week without exception. 46% of you said that you sometimes check it when you have nothing better to do. 17% of you said that it was completely worthless and another 3% of you said that you didn't live in Greenwood so it wasn't relevant.

After a long editorial meeting with top Dirt executives, we have reached an important conclusion. With about 80% of voters in our poll still reading WGITW, we will continue to provide you with your much-anticipated weekend itinerary. For now...

Art Alfresco: Thursday, September 18 from 5 to 8 p.m.

2008-09-03T23:52:00.011-05:00

Art Alfresco, the Delta's premier showcase of local artisans, returns to historic downtown Greenwood on Thursday, September 18 from 5 to 8 p.m. Sponsored by Main Street Greenwood, this annual event is lauded by locals and visitors alike. For more information, contact Lise Foy, Executive Director of Main Street Greenwood, at 662-453-0365 or mainstreetgreenwood@gmail.com.

What's Great About Greenwood: Historic Preservation

2008-08-27T16:41:00.008-05:00

With a look at the world-renown Alluvian Hotel from Howard and Church, I continue my quest to remind us all what is great about Greenwood.

Look along Howard Street and all over downtown Greenwood and you will get a glimpse of what life was like in Greenwood decades ago. Yes, many of the buildings have been modernized somewhat, but the vast majority of the building facades appear as pristine and historically accurate as they did the day they were built.

Viking Range has played a major role in the redevelopment of downtown, pumping millions of dollars of private funds into the downtown historic district. Their preservation efforts began with the assemblage and conversion of the former cotton offices along Front Street and historic Cotton Row (including the former home of T.R. Gregory Cotton Co.) into their corporate headquarters.

In addition, the Viking Hospitality Group has made their biggest mark along Howard Street. Look at the Alluvian Hotel, the Viking Cooking School and Alluvian Spa, Mississippi Gifts and Turnrow Books, and you will see the historical remnants of the former Hotel Irving, J.C. Penney, and the Fountain Department Store, among others.

In the same vein, Main Street Greenwood, Inc., under the direction of Lise Foy, has expanded in scope and effectiveness over the past few years. Since 1995, their facade grant program has been used to restore 52 facades in the downtown area. Currently, their Johnson Street facade grant program is working to restore storefronts along Johnson Street and Carrollton Avenue.

However, Main Street's efforts have not been limited to the provision of funding for facade improvements. They have been involved in the active rehabilitation of historic buildings and in the promotion of downtown's historic loft apartments. For example, their headquarters are now located in the newly renovated Greyhound Bus Station, now dubbed Main Street Station, appropriately located on Main Street.

Main Street's marketing efforts have also made a huge impact on downtown Greenwood. Their Upstairs Downtown fundraiser showcased Greenwood's premier apartments and lofts, while raising money for downtown Greenwood's streetscape improvement program. In addition, their promotion of the Greenwood Farmer's Market has provided yet another incentive for people to visit Greenwood's historic downtown.

Other private entities have contributed to the revitalization of Greenwood's downtown. The Three Deuces building houses the Blue Parrot Cafe and the Greenwood Blues and Heritage Museum. Also, Staplcotn recently won an award for the detailed restoration of their corporate headquarters on Market Street. Private efforts (aside from Viking's) have played an important role in the preservation of downtown over the years.

I could lecture on the merits of historic preservation for hours (I am specializing in preservation up here at UNC), but I will spare you the bulk of it. The only two points that I will make is that the preservation of existing buildings is the most sustainable form of development, period. Secondly, people are drawn to old building and historic spaces, which is part of the reason Greenwood has experienced a surge in tourism in recent years.

Greenwood is lucky to have a team of public, private, and nonprofit organizations working together to restore our past. The City of Greenwood has been largely pro-preservation in recent years, providing tax incentives to major players, and annually budgeting funds for the highly-important Main Street program. With effective leadership and a respect for our past, historic preservation is another thing that is great about Greenwood.

Delta Roadtrip: Bristol Motor Speedway

2008-08-25T18:55:00.016-05:00

The pastoral scene at the edge of our camp site in Bristol, Tennesse.

Well I guess it doesn't "technically" count as a Delta roadtrip, since my journey didn't originate in the Delta, but for old times' sake, that's what I am calling it.

This past weekend, I traveled with three classmates through the Blue Ridge Mountains to Bristol, Tennessee, home of the Bristol Motor Speedway and the Sharpie 500. We arrived at the camp site on Friday afternoon and immediately started the party. The family we were camping with had already set up their Beer Pong table and we jumped right in. Re-rack!

The "good folks up the hill" that hosted karaoke on Friday night.

By nightfall, the good folks up the hill from us had cranked up their karaoke machine and we indulged the crowd with some selections from George Strait, the Doobie Brothers, and Alabama. It was either our outstanding performances or the constant flow of Miller High Life through the audience, but one way or the other, the crowd was pleased.

Saturday we woke up bright and early and hung around the camp site. By 3 p.m., we were back in the game, getting geared up for the night race. To get to the race, we hiked about a mile to the bus stop, where the blue-fingernailed purple school bus driver took us to the base of Bristol Motor Speedway.

Paratroopers bring the American flag into the Bristol Motor Speedway.

Once inside the stadium, I joined 150,000 of my closest friends in the singing of the National Anthem as paratroopers landed inside the track with the American flag in tow. Fireworks were set off, patriotic music was played, and we heard those legendary four words, "Gentlemen, start your engines!" The race was off...

2008 Sharpie 500 winner Carl Edwards (#99) behind the white pace car.

We had great seats - third row from the track and about twenty feet from the flag stand. The only problem with our position was that the cars were LOUD and the fumes from the cars made us all a little woozy. Kyle Busch held the #1 spot for the vast majority of the race, but Carl Edwards took the top spot with a risky move toward the end of the race that put him over the finish line first.

Sporting my headphones and a 5 o'clock shadow from the third row.

This was Carl Edwards' second win in a row at Bristol and he performed his trademark "victory flip" from his driver side window. As my Uncle Mike - a life long NASCAR fan - always says, "If you go to a NASCAR race, you will be hooked for life." While I don't consider myself a tried and true NASCAR fan yet, it was definitely a fun weekend!

Web Site Redesign: Greenwood CVB

2008-08-22T11:58:00.007-05:00

The Greenwood Convention and Visitor's Bureau just completed a redesign of their Web site. Click on the above image to check it out, sign up for their weekly e-newsletter, and bask in the glory that is Greenwood, Mississippi.

Poll: What's Good in the 'Wood?

2008-08-21T15:09:00.004-05:00

"What's Good in the 'Wood" has been a mainstay on The Delta Dirt since it's inception in April 2006. I am just curious as to what percentage of you actually use it to make your weekend plans.

There are many email lists that people can subscribe to in order to get the information we post on Thursdays (Webster's, the Alluvian, the Blue Parrot, Turnrow, etc.). Do you rely on our WGITW to make your weekend plans?

Let us know by voting in the online poll that is located in the sidebar on the right side of the page. Polling closes next Sunday, August 31 at midnight. Thanks in advance for your participation!

What's Good in the 'Wood: 8/21-8/23

2008-08-21T15:00:00.001-05:00

Thursday: Cosmopolitan martinis and Danny Abraham at the Alluvian Happy Hour at from 5 - 7:30 p.m.

Friday: Delta pianist Charles Buchanan at the Alluvian Happy Hour from 5 - 7:30 p.m.; Greenwoodian Michael Taylor at the Blue Parrot at 7 p.m.; Will "Freaky" Freeman and Kel Kellum at Webster's Food and Drink at 9 p.m.; Robyn Jones' Birthday Extravaganza also at Webster's.

Saturday: Greenwood Farmer's Market at Howard and Johnson streets from 8 a.m. until noon; Jacksonian Ben Wiley Payton at the Blue Parrot at 7 p.m.

New Look. New Tagline. New Focus.

2008-08-20T23:40:00.009-05:00

As you should be able to discern, The Delta Dirt has an entirely new look. Gone are the archaic brown blocks of yore with simple lettering. Gone is the familiar tagline plagiarized from the pages of the New York Times. Gone are the days of struggling to be your one-stop-shop for social information and juicy gossip.

A new day has arrived in the Mississippi Delta!

With readership waning and the co-editors of this fine publication constantly under pressure to provide the "lowdown about town," we have decided to take a more journalistic approach to the internet phenomenon that is The Delta Dirt. That means you will start to see a few changes around here.

First, we are going to let the good folks at the Greenwood Commonwealth keep their jobs. They already do a fine enough job keeping you up-to-date on the latest newsworthy items in our fair city. There is no need for us to compete with that. I know Tim Kalich just breathed a big sigh of relief.

Second, our posts will be less newsy-ish, and more editorial-ish. We intend to continue coverage of local, state, and national issues. Only now will we be focusing our efforts on our opinion of the respective matters instead of the actual factual information that can be found from any news media.

Third, you just may start to see some creative writing return to The Dirt. Many moons ago I tried my hand at writing funny stories that happened in and around the Delta. Try if you can to remember the legend of the Black Bullet, the saga that was Pearl River Resort, and other tales from the flatland. Now envision more of the same.

Fourth, you will probably see me continue to write about local issues from a planning perspective. It finally dawned on me that I am getting a two-year professional degree in the field of planning and I might as well put my vast amount of wisdom (sarcasm intended) to good use. Race relations, historic preservation, community and economic development are all fair game.

Fifth, postings may become more sporadic. From now on, our mantra will be quality over quantity. No more checking every five minutes for the latest updates. You can read them when we post them. And we will write them when we feel inspired. After all, the good stuff takes divine inspiration.

Yes, we will probably still post the "What's Good in the 'Wood" feature that has been a mainstay since this blog's inception. And we will definitely still let you know when especially cool events come your way. Just don't expect the exact same story that the Commonwealth is reporting.

After much debate and deliberation, we think this is the best direction we can take things from here. It may not be the same ol' Dirt that you are used to, but I assure you that The Delta Dirt 3.0 will be new and improved!

Thanks for reading and let us know what you think...

Poll: Negative Discussion of Race Hurting Greenwood

2008-08-20T21:58:00.008-05:00

It only took about three weeks for our skilled team of statisticians to process the results of our most recent non-scientific poll that asked how you felt about the negative undertone of race-related discussions in and around town.

We asked the question, "Is the current debate about race relations in Greenwood helping or hurting us as a community?"

A total of 28 votes were cast over the course of a week and a whopping 89% of you said that the negative discussions were actually hurting race relations in Greenwood. Surprise, surprise. In contrast, another 7% of the voters thought that the discussion, no matter how negative, was actually a good thing, thus helping race relations in Greenwood. The remaining 4% of you didn't have a clue one way or the other.

This poll was a referendum on the treatment that the Greenwood Commonwealth has given to race-sensitive issues in their news coverage of late and on the back-and-forth struggle for power that is taking place within the walls of City Hall. In a previous editorial on The Delta Dirt, I made the following observation:

"Greenwood is trying its best to move forward with regard to race relations. In order for Greenwood, or any town with an equivalent history of racial tensions, to move forward as a community, it will have to not only face its past, but also confront its current problems in an open discussion between the two sides. An issue as big as this is not one that can be swept under the rug in hopes that it will be forgotten."

My hope is that we can all take a step back from all that has happened in recent months and see the silver lining in all of this. The issue of race is still on the table. In fact, it has been on the table for the entirety of Greenwood's history. But it is now the year 2008 and we as a people are now at a crossroads.

We can choose to stay on our current path of self-destruction by saying and thinking the words and thoughts that will continue to keep us in our current state of racial decay. Or we can take the high road and examine our faults, air our dirty laundry, talk about our current conditions, and make an honest attempt to move on from the old ways of doing things.

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference."

From "The Road Not Taken," by Robert Frost.

A Note to Tourists

2008-08-02T13:20:00.004-05:00

Can anyone tell me where there are camp grounds in or around Greenwood, Miss.? I'd like to know for future reference.

The Hampton Inn and Holiday Inn Express hosted the Pre-Ride Party for Bikes, Blues & Bayous last night. There were a couple of last-minute riders who showed up and wanted to know if they could pitch their tents somewhere around the hotel. We decided the back lot behind the properties would be OK if they wanted to go there.

Somehow there was a miscommunication, though, because I later noticed that our camping tourist friends had pitched two tents on the 5-foot strip of grass separating the parking lots of the hotel complex.

Someone politely told them to move. No, really, guys - you have to buy a room.

Greenwood's First Biking Event is Upon Us!

2008-07-31T10:31:00.005-05:00

No, folks, this is not for Harley Davidson enthusiasts. This is biking for the men (and women) who like to wear tiny spandex shorts and hit the road for miles of exercise. It's Greenwood's first-ever Bikes, Blues & Bayous, and 160 riders have registered! Not bad for a first year!

Participants will take off at 8:30 a.m. tomorrow morning from downtown's Front Street, led by the Money Road Cycling Club pictured above, for either a 62- or 22-mile loop around the Delta's finest back roads. Kind of like the locals -- only they won't be drinking while driving, or stopping periodically to climb grain bins and urinate. Shout out to McLeod Meek for the sleeveless shirt.

The Pre-Ride Party kicks off tonight at 6 p.m. at the Hampton Inn. Registration pick up and a pasta and salad dinner catered by Viking Hospitality Group. $5 for non-riders.

Visit the event website at www.bikesbluesbayous.com.

What's Good in the 'Wood: 7/31-8/2

2008-07-31T10:24:00.007-05:00

Friday: Brandi Ward at the Alluvian Happy Hour from 5 to 7:30 p.m.; Pre-Ride Party for Bikes, Blues & Bayous at Hampton Inn catered by Viking Hospitality Group; Back 40 at Webster's Food and Drink at 9 p.m.

Saturday: Bikes Blues & Bayous starts at 8:30 a.m.; Greenwood Farmers Market from 8 a.m. 'til noon at Howard and Main with music by Duff Dorough; City Sidewalk Sale downtown from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Turnrow Book Co. hosts award-winning photographer Sylvia Plachy, who has been in the Mississippi Delta shooting photos for the past week; Bill Perry at Blue Parrot Cafe at 7 p.m.

What's Good in the 'Wood: 7/24-7/26

2008-07-23T21:48:00.003-05:00

Thursday: Guitar Duo Andy & Steven at Webster's at 9 p.m.

Friday: Reception for Mississippi author Elizabeth Spencer at Turnrow Book Co. at 5 p.m.; Ben Shaw at the Blue Parrot Cafe at 7 p.m.; Memphis jam sensation Dova Grova at Webster's at 9 p.m.

Saturday: Downtown Greenwood Farmer's Market from 8 a.m. til 12 noon at Howard and Johnson Streets.

Good Advice: Share the Road

2008-07-21T19:19:00.003-05:00

The Greenwood Commonwealth published a great editorial regarding bicycle safety in the wake of two minor injuries sustained by cyclists on Money Road. Having nothing to add to the thorough piece, I repost it here with the intention of helping spread the message.

Bikes, cars can share roads safely
Originally published: Friday, July 18, 2008

In the aftermath of the accident on Money Road earlier this week between a vehicle and a couple of cyclists, we have been asked to help educate the public about the laws and the etiquette involved when motorists and cyclists share the road.

Given the rising popularity of cycling in this community and the lack of designated cycling areas that are common in larger cities and college towns, there are going to be more and more occasions for cyclists and motorists to interact and for someone (read cyclists) to get hurt if the laws and common courtesies aren't followed.

Wednesday's accident was a wake-up call and a forgiving one at that, since no one was seriously hurt.

First off, it must be stressed that cyclists, under Mississippi law, enjoy the same rights and duties as any motorist. They have as much right to peddle along Money Road or any other public road in this community as do those who drive a car or ride a motorcycle.

They are required to follow the same rules as motorists, obeying traffic control devices and using hand signals to indicate stops and turns.

They are supposed to ride on the right, in the same direction as traffic. That is different than some older residents may remember, who may have been taught to ride their bicycles facing oncoming traffic, so they could see what was coming ahead of them.

There are practical reasons, though, for riding with traffic. If cyclists are on the wrong side of the road, they're more likely to miss traffic control devices. And, if, heaven forbid, there is a collision with a motor vehicle, the chance of serious injury is less if the cyclist is clipped from behind instead of being hit head on.

If cyclists are traveling in a group, they are, under the law, to ride no more than two abreast. In low light conditions, cyclists are required to equip their bikes with a white lamp on the front and a red reflector or lamp on the back.

Now as far as etiquette, since even the fastest-peddling cyclists move slower than cars, they should stay on the right side of the furthermost right lane. They should wear brightly colored clothing so that they are more easily visible.

When motorists encounter a bike, they should initially reduce speed and then pass with care, leaving at least four feet between them and the cyclist. Motorists should not blast their horn at the cyclist. Even if they intend it only as a warning, it's likely to startle the cyclist and could cause the cyclist to lose control.

All in all, the rules are pretty basic. If both the motorist and cyclist use care and are courteous to one another, everyone will arrive at their destination safely.

Fellow Flatlander: Dan Landers

2008-07-12T10:44:00.004-05:00

Dan Landers and friend Rita Horne at The Alluvian for New Year's 2008.

Dan Landers is Greenwood's biggest Willie Nelson fan -- and sometimes look-a-like -- and one its most faithful socializers. Dan's laid-back presence can frequently be seen on the weekend Alluvian/Blue Parrot/Webster's circuit, stopping to drink approximately one to two Miller Lite's at each from his own zip-up coozie. He's always good for a friendly smile and a nice conversation.

(1) Where are you from originally? Greenwood.
(2) How long have you lived in Greenwood? All my life.
(3) Who is your family? Daughter, Amy Landers, in Welaka, Fla. Son, Jim; daughter-in-law, Erin; grandson, Jackson Douglas.
(4) What do you do during the year? Retired.
(5) What did you used to do? Owned Lander's Machine Works.
(6) What do you do for a summer job? Office manager, Aviation Services in Schlater.
(7) List any schools you attended and anything you studied: Greenwood High, Auburn University -- Architecture
(8) First car: Pontiac
(9) Favorite late night food: Turkey dog
(10) Who cuts your hair? Sissy Smith at Hairway Express
(11) Top 3 favorite albums:
-- Willie Nelson, "Red Headed Stranger"
-- John Fogerty, "The Long Road Home"
-- Janis Joplin's Greatest Hits
(12) Favorite book: "R.E. Lee: A Biography" by Douglas S. Freeman
(13) Favorite beverage: Miller Lite
(14) Favorite hang-out spot: Webster's
(15) Favorite road trip (where to?): Texas Hill Country
(16) Estimate how many times you've seen Willie Nelson in concert: Over 100 times, 15 of Willie's 4th of July Picnics (including this year's)
(17) Nickname: None
(18) Average night's sleep: 8 hours
(19) Hobbies: Stamp collecting and reading history books

What's Good in the 'Wood: 7/3-7/5

2008-07-03T09:03:00.004-05:00

Thursday: I assume there is Alluvian Happy Hour; Wayne & Haggard at Webster's about 9 p.m.

Friday: Alluvian Happy Hour?; Your own personal 4th of July party; Blue Parrot is closed; Webster's is closed

Saturday: Brantley Catlette at the Blue Parrot Cafe around 7 p.m.

Celebrate Fourth of July Early!

2008-06-27T08:00:00.004-05:00

Come join the Greenwood community for Stars and Stripes in the Park!

Schedule of events for tonight at Whittington Park:

5 p.m. - Greenwood Community Concert Band
5:45 p.m. - The West Singers
6:30 p.m. - Children's Parade and Patriotic Program
7 p.m.- The Curb Service Band featuring the Curvettes
9 p.m. - Giant Fireworks Show

Food vendors include hamburgers, hot dogs, nachos, popcorn, snow cones, barbecue chicken and ribs, fish and much more, or bring your own picnic basket!

Admission is FREE to the public. Whittington Park Opens at 5 p.m.

What's Good in the 'Wood: 6/26-6/29

2008-06-26T17:12:00.003-05:00

Thursday: Jimmy Jarratt at The Alluvian Happy Hour from 5 - 7 p.m.

Friday: Virgil Brawley at The Alluvian Happy Hour at 5 p.m. and then later at Webster's Food and Drink; Greenwood singer-songwriter Randy Weeks at The Blue Parrot Cafe at 7 p.m.

Saturday: Nashville blues-funk band, No Shoe Groove, at Webster's Food and Drink at 9 p.m.

What's Great About Greenwood: Waffle House

2008-06-24T21:34:00.008-05:00

Get excited: 24 hours a day of tasty breakfast goodness will soon be yours!

Okay, okay. I know. It hasn't actually happened yet, but rumor has it that Waffle House is about to make landfall on Highway 82 in Greenwood.

Now, normally I don't get too excited about chain restaurants. Under normal circumstances, I would argue that the one thing we don't need is another Mickey D's, Krystal Burger, Captain D's, etc. in a town that is already littered with generic, pre-fab, obesity-inspiring dining options. But we are, after all, talking about Waffle House, people.

The fact is that I have all but given up hope for quality development on the Highway 82 corridor. It seems like every day there is yet another tin-walled shed being built on 82 to house the next Advance Auto Parts or Cellular South operation. As a matter of fact, I still can't figure out why Cell South abandoned their perfectly good real estate by Scott's ~~carnival~~ gas station in favor of their new barn across from Wal-Mart. But I digress.

Highway 82 as we know it is and will always be the home of the chain retail store and restaurant. It is an optimal location for business models who prey on passers-through. And with Highway 82 being the major east-west corridor in central Mississippi, this will be a perfect location for a Waffle House. If you want locally-owned businesses and restaurants, unique character, and historic architecture, go downtown. If you want waffles, hit the bypass.

My excitement for Waffle House is driven by two things: 1. my personal affinity for waffles, and 2. the fact that they never close. Ever.

This means that any time of the day or night Greenwood residents will be able to eat a made-to-order waffle, along with hashbrowns that are scattered, smothered, covered, chunked, topped, diced, and/or peppered. Being run out of Webster's but don't want to go home? Waffle House to the rescue! Plus, it will be located much closer to home than Krystal, which will help some of you keep those pesky DUIs at bay.

Regardless, any kind of new development in Greenwood is good, whether their building will be of any quality or not. Greenwood needs jobs, and as reported by the Greenwood Commonwealth, the opening of the new Waffle House will create approximately 20 new jobs. Construction should start in September and will be complete by December 2008. This will be just in time for my return visit for Christmas vacation. Coincidence? I think not!

So, if you are like me and love a waffle any hour of the day, this will be another example of something that is great about Greenwood!

What's Great About Greenwood: Farmers Market

2008-06-20T18:28:00.009-05:00

The Greenwood Farmer's Market takes place every Saturday from 8 a.m. till noon at Howard and Johnson Streets in historic downtown Greenwood.

The recent establishment of a farmers market is a progressive move by Main Street Greenwood, Turnrow Book Co., and the Viking Hospitality Group, among others, that will bring the community together. Located along the former Columbus and Greenville Railway at Johnson Street in downtown Greenwood, the Farmer's Market provides affordable access to healthy and sustainable food for all the citizens of Greenwood, regardless of socioeconomic status.

As a planning student, one of the many topics we discuss is equitable access to healthy food for low income and underpriviliged populations. Farmers markets bring locally grown and farm-raised food and produce to the people. Limited transportation options and a lack of education keeps these minority groups from quality produce that is readily available to the upper-middle class.

After all, many of the citizens of Greenwood don't own a vehicle that would allow them to shop at Greenwood Market Place on a regular basis. This limits those populations to fast foods and processed staples that are only available at the corner convenience store. The value of the location of Greenwood's farmers market within walking distance of Greenwood's lower income neighborhoods will be key to its success and should not be overlooked.

This past Saturday, the Greenwood Farmers Market opened its doors with enough success to build on. Hopefully as time goes on, more growers, volunteers and shoppers will attend the market and create an event that will be in itself self-sustaining. This will allow Greenwood to not only continue to provide its citizens with access to healthy food systems, but will provide jobs for small farmers across the region.

The Greenwood Farmers Market is just one example of what is great about Greenwood. The volunteer spirit and progressive thought of our community leaders has long been what has kept Greenwood from falling to the ill fate of so many other Delta towns. My praise goes out to these organizers for helping make Greenwood a great place to call home.

What's Good in the 'Wood: 6/19-6/21

2008-06-20T11:14:00.003-05:00

For some reason, no one sent out update e-mails this week, except for Blue Parrot Cafe, where Jerry Fair and Galean Jones will entertain will blues and soul this Saturday evening.

What's Good in the 'Wood: 6/12-6/14

2008-06-09T16:26:00.006-05:00

Thursday: Danny Abraham at The Alluvian Happy Hour from 5 - 7 p.m.; Andy, Stephen & Will at Webster's Food and Drink at 9 p.m.

Friday: Ben Shaw at The Alluvian Happy Hour from 5 - 7 p.m.; N.M. Kelby signs "Murder at the Bad Girl's Bar & Grill" at Turnrow Book Co. at 5:30 p.m.; Acoustic guitarist Andy Cohen at the Blue Parrot Cafe from 7 - 10 p.m.; Thomas Jackson at Webster's Food and Drink at 9 p.m.

Saturday: Young Life Camp Car Wash at O'Reilly's Auto Parts on Park Ave. starting at 8 a.m. Suggested donation: $10; Downtown Farmer's Market from 8 a.m. till noon at Howard and Johnson streets behind Goldberg's. Call Main Street Greenwood at 453-0365 or 466-3833 if you want to volunteer or sell your stuff.; The Delta Photo Road Show from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Blue Parrot Cafe.

Delta Photo Road Show at Blue Parrot

2008-06-09T16:01:00.002-05:00

The Delta Photo Road Show will take place today from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Blue Parrot Cafe and Delta Blues and Heritage Museum at 222 Howard Street in downtown Greenwood. The event is being conducted by the Delta State University Archives and Museum in association with the Delta Center for Culture and Learning.

Greenwood area residents are invited to bring historic photographs of family, friends, places and events and share the stories behind them. Photo documentarians, archivists, local historians and oral historians will be on hand to review the photographs and will be offering preservation advice on how to best care for your images.

Your images will be digitally scanned while you wait and your original images will be returned to you. For more information, contact the DSU Archives at 662.846.4670.

What's Good in the 'Wood: 6/5-6/7

2008-06-04T09:00:00.007-05:00

Thursday: Russell-Thomas Antiques' grand opening, 319 Howard St. from 4 - 7 p.m.; Business After Hours at Beard + Riser Design's new office at 201 Main St. from 5 - 7 p.m. Sorry, RSVP was required.; Cary Hudson of Blue Mountain at the Alluvian Happy Hour from 5 - 7:30 p.m.; Jazz artist Richard Johnson, former member of the Lincoln Center for Jazz, in the Alluvian lobby from 7:30 - 10 p.m.; Cary Hudson at Webster's Food and Drink at 10 p.m.

Friday: Everyone's favorite rockabilly blues band Guitar Charlie at Webster's Food and Drink at 9 p.m.

Saturday: An introduction to Hatha Yoga at the Alluvian Spa. Cost $5. All proceeds benefit the new Downtown Farmers' Market. Call 662.451.6700 for reservations; Leif Enger signs "So Brave, Young and Handsome" at 5:30 p.m. at Turnrow Book Co.; Itta Bena's Jazz Trio at the Blue Parrot Cafe from 7 - 10 p.m.

What's Good in the 'Wood: 5/29-5/31

2008-05-29T13:10:00.006-05:00

Thursday: Brian Ledford at The Alluvian Happy Hour.

Friday: Jamie Isonhood at The Alluvian Happy Hour; Jerry Fair at the Blue Parrot Cafe.

Saturday: Check out Will and Linda Pleasants at Carroll County Market.

A Different Horizon Line

2008-05-29T13:06:00.007-05:00

The Mississippi Delta, April 2008.

Sunrise over the Caribbean, May 2008.

I like this vacation concept. While I find driving past endless turnrows soothing at times, a change of scene is nice every once in awhile.

Greenwood Bike Race: Bikes, Blues & Bayous

2008-05-15T15:25:00.008-05:00

Check out the website, bikesbluesbayous.com.

What's Good in the 'Wood: 5/15-5/17

2008-05-15T12:45:00.003-05:00

Thursday: Ben Shaw at The Alluvian Happy Hour from 5 - 7:30 p.m.; National Book Award Winner Ellen Gilchrist's reception for "A Dangerous Age" at Turnrow Book Co. at 5:30 p.m.; Andy Hackleman at Webster's Food and Drink at 9 p.m.

Friday: Reception for Pulitzer Prize Winner Rick Bragg and signing of Prince of Frogtown at Turnrow Book Co. at noon; Saxophonist Alphonso Sanders at The Alluvian Happy Hour from 5 - 7:30 p.m. Guitar Charlie at Webster's Food and Drink at 9 p.m.

Saturday: Create your own fun or go climb a grain bin.

Post from Thursday

2008-05-12T11:21:00.005-05:00

Well, I guess this is what I get for posting "rumors" -- not that what I posted was actually rumor. Now my name has gotten throw into the Greenwood rumor mill. My post from Thursday, which was taken down, per Thomas's request:

"Rumor Has It ... So apparently a white Greenwood City Council member has sent an e-mail to several people in town calling another City Council member an "N word." Oh dear. We've all been set back 20 years."

I posted this because I was completely disgusted and saddened at what I had heard and had had confirmed by several people. I had also heard the issue was scheduled to make the newspaper Sunday. I have yet to read the e-mail myself and do not care to. I am not the one who forwarded it to the Greenwood Commonwealth.

This is a very unfortunate incident, and I hope everyone can get past it. Although I confess I'm not too optimistic about that. I believe Tim's editorial in Sunday's paper was very level-headed and made appropriate points.

I wish very much, like many others, that this issue could have been discussed by Lee and Jordan, resolved between the two of them and not brought to the public attention. It is horrible press for Greenwood. It's amazing that one slip of the tongue or pen can do so much damage and give credibility to what is so often negative hot air.

But on a lighter note, what I see on a daily basis in my own life in Greenwood is, more often than not, positive. Life away from the political realm is rosier.

Addendum: That was actually Friday of last week. Pardon me, as it sometimes all runs together.

Good-bye, Jonathan Slade!

2008-05-11T23:08:00.003-05:00

Jonathan Slade, a grill engineer for Viking while in Greenwood, set sail Sunday for the coast. Our favorite Gulfport native is returning home to be with his father who has recently become ill. Slade starts work soon as a mechanical engineer for a yacht company. We wish him the best! Slade will be missed, and we look forward to his future visits back to the 'Wood.

The Greenwood Amateur Bowling League Roundup

2008-05-10T21:00:00.002-05:00

The Drunk Plumbers are (back, from left) Taylor "The Cheese" Calhoun, Mike "Moe Szyslak" Ewing, Cannon "Red" Burgess, Sam "Pig" Pigott, (from front left) Lee "Devil" Hodges, Channing "Pipe Layer" Upchurch and Lee "Crazy Legs" Pruett. Palmer Brock is not pictured, and I have been told he sucks.

The sponsors.

Ricky "Rico" Robertson, sporting this season's Average Joes shirt.

The back.

High fives were common.

The "leg shake," not so much.

James Funderburk of the Trustmark team had the pleasure of playing the Plumbers Thursday.

Jimmy Horne and his son Kevin.

Drunk Plumber Mike Ewing said his team has a fantastic bowling season. "We kicked the Average Joes asses," he said. "They're the reason we joined the league. Our motto is, 'I don't care if we finish next to last just so long as they finish last.'"

Average Joe Kevin Horne, on the other hand, was upset about his lack of publication in "Leflore Illustrated" and waxed passionately about the merits of Greenwood bowling. "Its part of the community," he said. "And it's blossoming."

The Lebowski-Inspired

2008-05-08T23:30:00.009-05:00

Wade Litton gets his bowl on at Leflore Lanes.

The Average Joes enjoyed an inside joke last August while posing for a "Leflore Illustrated" article that never came to fruition. Members are, from left, Kevin Horne, Charlie Swayze, Jimmy Horne, Drew Pinkston, Ryan Robertson and Litton. Not pictured: Alan Ellis and new member Ricky Robertson.

Swayze in fine form going for a strike.

Walter the Bowling Ball in all his radiant glory.

The Greenwood Amateur Bowling League wrapped up a fun season Thursday night at Leflore Lanes. At least three teams inspired by their own cool bowling shirts were in attendance. The Delta Dirt pays tribute to them by publishing The Article That Almost Was about The Joes from August 2007.

______________________________________________________

As bowling has recently gained popularity in Greenwood, one league team stands out as being particularly enthusiastic about the sport. The seven members of The Average Joes arrive on Thursday nights at Leflore Lanes in their distinctive, above-average shirts to – as team member Wade Litton put it -- “drink beer and have a good time.”

But don't let their laid-back attitude fool you. The Average Joes finished second in the city tournament in March.

In addition to Litton, 27, team members are: Kevin Horne, 26, Jimmy Horne, 53, Charlie Swayze, 26, Drew Pinkston, 30, Ryan Robertson, 27, and Alan Ellis, 24.

The team has a picture of character Walter Sobchak from the Coen brothers' cult classic, “The Big Lebowski,” emblazoned on the backs of its shirts with the line, “Mark it zero, dude!” The quote is taken from a scene in the film in which the unstable Vietnam veteran (John Goodman) threatens to shoot a competitor for not canceling out his frame after accidentally bowling with a toe over the line. The film chronicles a few days in the life of a California slacker called “The Dude” (Jeff Bridges) who enjoys drinking White Russians and league bowling.

Forming The Average Joes was Swayze's idea when he moved back to Greenwood from Jackson. "It's something to do in Greenwood in the winter time when there's not a lot to do,” he said.

Kevin Horne just enjoys the fellowship. "It's all about the camaraderie,” he said.

Robertson appreciates the diversity. "It crosses age barriers," he said. Litton even received a bowling ball as a gift from an older, more experienced player.

"They're the most enthusiastic team in the league," said Melanie Everett, who has managed Leflore Lanes for 17 years. Everett has bowled since she was seven years old. “It's the only sport my parents introduced me to,” she said. “I promote it as being a family sport.”

Everett said The Average Joes stand out from other teams. “People come in with team shirts with sponsors -- Trustmark, Heartland Catfish -- but these guys have a theme," she said.

The Joes are even thinking about new shirts for the upcoming season. One team member suggested a “Miami Vice” theme of baby blue with hot pink collars.

The Greenwood league currently has 11 teams and completes September through mid-May yearly on Wednesday or Thursday nights.

Greenwoodian Michael Mosley, 35, has been a regular Wednesday night bowler at Leflore Lanes for about six months. He did not bowl prior to moving to Greenwood from San Francisco more than two years ago.

Mosley said he likes the sport because it consists of “10 pins, 10 frames, one man, one ball.” He owns his own camouflage bowling ball, which he named Walter after the movie character. “Unlike most residents of the Delta, I did not own anything that was camo, so I thought a camo bowling ball would fulfill my quota. Being a huge fan of 'The Big Lebowski,' it just had to be named Walter,” he said.
_____________________________________________

SIDEBAR:
Bowling Facts from Leflore Lanes:

* Bowling is the No. 1 participant sport in the United States, with 68 million people bowling
* The rules are the same for young, old, male or female
* Bowling is the No. 1 choice for birthday parties for children 12 and under
* The youngest person to bowl a perfect 300 was only 10 years old
* Bowlers use 134 muscles during the basic four-step approach
* The life span of a bowling pin is 12 to 18 months
* Bowling is the fastest growing high school varsity sport
* An average bowler swings 864 pounds full circle in a three game series
* Bowling three games is equivalent to walking one mile
* The average adult bowler burns 240 calories per hour

What's Good in the 'Wood: 5/8-5/10

2008-05-08T11:49:00.005-05:00

Thursday: Merigold Marketplace from 5:30 - 10 p.m. Come see the art of Greenwoodians Neil and Stephen Pillow and Lacy Barger at this cool show in the Pemble Building next door to McCarty Pottery in downtown Merigold, Miss.; Virgil Brawley at Webster's Food and Drink at 9 p.m.

Friday: Merigold Marketplace in downtown Merigold from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Poet Beth Ann Fennelly reads "Unmentionables" at Turnrow Book Co. at 5:30 p.m.; Wine 101 at Cottonlandia Museum on May 9 at 7 p.m. Call 453-0925 to reserve tickets. $20 per person; Thomas Jackson Orchestra at Webster's Food and Drink at 9 p.m.

Saturday: Merigold Marketplace from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.; The Delta's Jazz Trio at Blue Parrot Cafe at 7 p.m.; Crawfish Festival at the Agri-Center.

A Wisconsinite's Visit to Greenwood

2008-05-07T12:18:00.005-05:00

Photo of John Statz courtesy of his blog (linked below).

Singer/songwriter John Statz played this past weekend and Webster's and has reviewed his Greenwood experience on his blog.

Always interesting to get an outsider's perspective. Some of it's good, some of it's not so great, but he sounds pretty honest about it overall. I dub him a Not-Overly-Critical Yankee.

What's Good in the 'Wood: 5/1-5/4

2008-04-30T15:35:00.007-05:00

Thursday: National Day of Prayer Service at noon; on the steps of the Leflore County Courthouse; Paintings and Pearls exhibit at The Alluvian from 4 - 8 p.m. Works by Delta painter Pryor Buford Graeber and freshwater pearl jewelry maker Tana Graham on display; Signing by Martha Foose of her "Screen Doors and Sweet Tea" accompanied by munchies from the new cookbook at Turnrow Book Co. at 5:30 p.m.; Screen Doors and Sweet Tea After Party at The Alluvian with music by Jimbo Mathus of the Squirrel Nut Zippers at 7:30 p.m.

Friday: Release Party for blues pianist Eden Brent's "Mississippi Number One" at Blue Parrot Cafe at 7 p.m.; Southern rock, country, blues and funk from Delta Rain at Webster's Food and Drink at 9 p.m.

Saturday: One-man acoustic band John Statz at Webster's Food and Drink at 9 p.m.

Sunday: Come check out the exhibit at the New Artists Reception at Cottonlandia Museum from 2 - 4 p.m.

Martha Foose's Delta Food Party

2008-04-29T11:21:00.004-05:00

What's Good in the 'Wood: 4/24-426

2008-04-25T15:32:00.004-05:00

Thursday: Brian Ledford at The Alluvian Happy Hour.

Friday: Barry Bays and Kristian Dambrino at the Alluvian Happy Hour; the blues/indie/Americana blend of the Thomas Jackson Orchestra at Webster's Food and Drink.

Saturday: Jazz and show tunes from pianist Morris Hubbard at the Blue Parrot Cafe.

River to the Rails 2008 Recap

2008-04-20T23:37:00.008-05:00

This will be my memory of River to the Rails 2008: A shot of the gathering crowd from atop the main stage before Crossin Dixon performed Saturday night, April 12. There were people as far as I could see down Howard Street. The Greenwood Convention and Visitors Bureau estimates 5,000 attended the weekend event -- up 2,000 from last year.

Crossin Dixon in action. Although not a country music fan, I much enjoyed them, although I really could have done without the Kid Rock cover.

The Bobby Rush crowd Friday night was also fantastic, and all very much amused by the infamous BR dancers. "Baby Got Back" did not begin to describe these women, whose amazing backsides seemed to possess special muscles and operate as separate entities, possibly with their own zipcodes.

River to the Railer Award 2008

2008-04-19T23:24:00.002-05:00

I am long overdue in posting this picture from last weekend's hugely successful River to the Rails Festival.

The Delta Dirt would like to salute the classy festival-goer above who arrived early for Crossin Dixon Saturday and was one of my first beer buyers at the 4 - 6 p.m. beverage tent shift. He definitely gets the Best Mullet Award and possibly the Best T-Shirt Award for: "Roofers do it better on top."

Thanks for letting us know. I'll take your word for it.

What's Good in the 'Wood: 4/17-4/19

2008-04-17T14:06:00.002-05:00

Thursday: Danny Abraham at The Alluvian Happy Hour

Friday: Charles Buchanan at The Alluvian Happy Hour; Ben Shaw at the Blue Parrot Cafe; Guitar Charlie at Webster's

Saturday: Crawfish at 3 p.m. and Gunboat at Webster's