"I don't think I could have been born at a better time or in a better place than the Delta in order to provide valuable life lessons for the 21st Century." So says Clifton Taulbert, best-selling author, businessman, and speaker, who, through his Tulsa, OK-based Building Community Institute, is exporting the Mississippi Delta to the world. Once introduced by Oklahoma Governor Frank Keating as the "Benjamin Franklin of our day", Taulbert has regaled audiences throughout the world with what he calls the "Eight Habits of the Heart."

The recently published Delta Council Economic Progress Report paints a picture of the Mississippi Delta region making steady gains in key economic indicators while weathering a depressed farm income picture. "I think this edition of the Economic Progress Report clearly indicates that the Delta is achieving progress by balancing our historical strengths in agriculture with an emerging manufacturing, service, and tourism economy," says Griffin Norquist of Yazoo City, chairman of Delta Council's Development Department.

Schools blame parents and parents blame schools when a child is not properly educated. Sadly, both are right. Solving that dilemma will require a tectonic shift in our way of thinking about the roles of parents and schools. There is, however, an intermediate step that can be taken to ease the tension. The foundational truth that our society has nearly abandoned is this: Parents are ultimately responsible for ensuring the proper education and upbringing of their children.

 In just 14 months since opening it's doors, Coopwood Communications, a full-service advertising, marketing, and public relations firm based in Cleveland, received numerous Addy Awards and Citations of Excellence at the Ninth Annual Mississippi Delta Advertising Federation Addy program at The Greenville Country Club on February 24. The annual award ceremony honors excellence in Delta advertising in the categories of print, radio and television. "We were very honored, especially since this was our first year in business," says Coopwood.

Delta Council leaders and Northern District Highway Commissioner, Zack Stewart, visited with Mississippi Congressional leaders recently to place increased emphasis on the need for completing the four-laning of Highway 304 between Hernando and Highway 61. "The growth of the gaming industry in Tunica County has already outpaced the capacity of U.S. Highway 61 to carry the volume of traffic which is currently coming to Tunica from the north. If the current schedule for four-laning MS Highway 304 between I-55 and U.S. 61 is not accelerated, the growth in state revenues which has been experienced in the past due to Tunica's gaming industry will be stifled," stated Kenneth Hood, the president of Delta Council..

The radical shifts in energy costs in the U.S. will reduce the competitiveness of Delta manufacturing and farming operations in 2001 and it is likely that the added cost of diesel fuel, electricity, natural gas, and other forms of energy will cause the loss of Delta jobs and reduce profit potential of Delta farming operations and manufacturers. "On the manufacturing side, we have companies operating in the Delta that have already laid off highly-qualified and long-term employees due to the impact of energy prices that have driven their profit potential to the ground," states Griffin Norquist, chairman of Delta Council's Industrial and Community Development Department.

  Paul Alexander is now at the helm of the Panola Partnership as its chief executive as of January. He replaces interim director, State Representative Leonard Morris, who replaced Scott Luth, who resigned last summer for a similar position in Cleveland. When a person walks into the office of new CEO Alexander, the original impression may be that the man has no life outside of the office. Multiple binders of computer disks are stacked on or around his desk, each one containing hundreds of files from past projects, or ideas for his future endeavors here in the friendly confines of Panola County.

According to many producers, cotton may be heavily planted this year. And for the most part, soybeans are out of favor. But farming woes__including the three factors farmers have no control over: insects, price, and the weather__extend further than row crops in 2001. Even though Delta farmers have been plagued with drought conditions and unfavorable market pricing in the last two years__a trend experts expect to continue in 2001__increased energy costs have concerned farmers.

Mississippi Chemical Corporation (NYSE: GRO) has reported results for the second fiscal quarter ended Dec. 31, 2000. Net sales increased 27 percent to $136.3 million from $107.3 million in the prior-year period. For the quarter, the company reported a net loss of $9.2 million, or 35 cents per diluted share, compared to a net loss of $10.0 million, or 38 cents per diluted share, in the prior-year quarter. Operating loss was $9.0 million for the quarter compared to a loss of $10.6 in the second quarter of fiscal 2000.

Jackson, Mississippi has continued in its growth and stature as a major telecommunications, financial, health care, and, yes, even cultural center. In a recent edition of Inc. Magazine, in fact, Jackson ranked 20th in the small metro area category of the issue's "Best Cities to Start and Grow a Company Now." The city was recognized for its efforts in encouraging and supporting new business start-ups.

  Things are somewhat slow in the construction industry right now. It's a fact readily admitted by those in the field, though nobody's panicking. In fact, most experts agree that there is no reason to panic because the slowness is seen as only a temporary phase brought about by fears of recession, a new administration, and inclement weather.

Like the proverbial bad penny, Bill Clinton just keeps turning up. I want him to go away and let us alone for awhile. But the combination of his unfailing ability to walk a tightrope between legal and illegal activities and his monumental ego need for the spotlight seems to make this an impossiBILLity.

Sometimes there is just so much going on that it is impossible to focus on a single topic for this column. Spring is just around the corner, the fish will start to rise and, well, you get the picture. Always with the spring comes change and change is never in a short supply here in the Delta in regard to most anything.