All articles tagged with #mississippi delta
The FBI is seeking public help to identify four suspects in a mass shooting in Leland, Mississippi, that left six dead and over a dozen injured, marking the 14th mass killing in the U.S. this year, amid multiple other shootings across Mississippi during homecoming weekend.
The Mississippi town of Clarksdale, known for its rich blues history, gained national attention through the success of the film Sinners, which was inspired by the town's culture. After losing its only cinema in 2003, Clarksdale hosted six free screenings of the movie, which depicts life in 1930s Mississippi and highlights the town's musical heritage. The film's portrayal has brought increased tourism and pride to the community, celebrating its historical significance and musical roots.
Amazon is backing a utility-scale wind farm project in Tunica County, Mississippi, which is expected to generate enough electricity to power over 80,000 homes. The project, owned by AES, aims to bring clean energy and hundreds of construction jobs to the impoverished region. However, there are concerns about the limited number of permanent jobs it will create and the tax breaks granted to AES. Despite the debate, the project reflects the growing green energy sector in Mississippi and the potential for economic development in a region that has faced significant challenges.
The Mississippi Delta, already plagued by disinvestment and decline, was further devastated by a tornado in March, leaving residents to decide whether to rebuild or move on. The tornado destroyed homes and disrupted lives, exacerbating the existing challenges faced by the community. While some see the tornado as an opportunity for investment and revitalization, others are skeptical, citing the lack of government assistance and the long-standing issues of poverty, neglected infrastructure, and population decline. Many residents are considering leaving Rolling Fork in search of better opportunities elsewhere.
The tornado that hit Rolling Fork, Mississippi, left many families living in mobile homes with no safe place to go. There is no public tornado shelter in Sharkey County, where about a quarter of residences are mobile homes. Only six counties in the 15 surrounding Sharkey County have at least one shelter built to FEMA's guidelines. Tornado shelters can cost millions of dollars to build, which puts them out of reach of the Mississippi Delta’s poorest communities. FEMA has spent more than $158.5 million on 98 community safe rooms in 44 of Mississippi’s 82 counties since 2008.