BY molly matthews
Contributing Writer, Delta Business Journal

    Unemployment rates have decreased significantly in the Mississippi Delta, according to the Mississippi Employment Security Commission.
    The unemployment rate in Greenville dropped from 9.6% in June to 8.3% in July. In the same time period, Washington County's unemployment rate decreased from 9.8% to 8.4%, Greenwood and Leflore County dipped slightly from 9.1% to 8.9%, and Vicksburg posted a decrease from 6.3% to 5.1%.
    Overall, North Delta dropped from 5.0% to 4.7%, and South Delta dipped from 9.75 to 8.4% during the summer.
"From Leflore County's perspective, we believe our recent trend of declining unemployment rates could be attributed to growth not only in the industrial sector, but to gains in the retail sector as well," said Cliff Brumfield, executive director of Greenwood-Leflore Industrial Board and Economic Development Foundation. "We have enjoyed numerous expansions in local industry as well as retail growth that has in turn provided greater employment opportunities for our residents."
Greenwood Leflore Industrial Park recently added 600 acres and several million dollars in infrastructure, Brumfield said.
"We've experienced no less than four major industrial expansions this year and anticipate two or three for next year," he said. "Several new retail developments have been opened - national chains such as Blockbuster Video and Krystal's. We've seen growth in the banking industry as well as tremendous gains in Greenwood Leflore Hospital, which is fast becoming one of the finest medical centers in the state of Mississippi. However, we do realize we have a lot more ground to cover."
Mark Manning, director of development for the Delta Council and manager of the Mississippi Delta Developers Association, said it's gratifying to see the overall unemployment rate in the Delta decrease over the last five years.
    "Unemployment has decreased significantly in many cases," Manning said. "In fact, it's decreased to the point that some employers would say their available pool of labor is not as large. That's good. Yet at the same time, many of our smaller, rural communities have not shared in that at this point in time. As economic developers and local elected officials move forward, it is unbelievably important that we try to find ways to extend this trend into our very small, rural communities, particularly at a time when our agricultural economy is being bombarded with low prices."
    The formation of the Mississippi Delta Developers Association in 1986 has played a tremendous role in the reduction of unemployment. By pooling resources and working together, more industry has been brought to the Mississippi Delta as a result, Manning said.
    "The bottom line is that our ratio of wins and losses has completely reversed itself," he said. "Dollar General could have located in a number of communities outside the Delta, but they chose Indianola."
Dollar General Corporation's $38 million, 775,000 square foot distribution center on 250 acres in Indianola employs nearly 400 workers. The company's on-site trucking provider employs another 125 people. Since Dollar General opened in Indianola last year, the Delta city will soon have a new $4 million high-tech training center operated by Mississippi Delta Community College. Dollar General donated the land to the city. In turn, the city donated the land for the center, said James Hutcherson, mayor since 1994.
    Community efforts, such as the first annual Mid Delta Regional Job Fair, held last May in Greenville, attracted more than 1,000 applicants and almost 50 businesses.  Another job fair is slated for next May.