Publisher:

In the July issue of the Delta Business Journal, I read with great interest the article "Miracle on the Mississippi" about riverboat gambling. As on any coin there are always two sides to every story. Ms. Powell painted a pretty picture of the gambling issue (yes, I did say gambling, not gaming since some folks would have you to believe it’s a game) she wrote on the upside of the subject. How about the other side? Ask any of the locally-owned "Mom and Pop" stores in the Delta who have paid taxes to the state for years and helped to build the state in the early years, about the effect the industry has had on them.

Wholesalers and retailers in the Memphis area report everyday that sales are down. I recently had a traveling salesman call me from New Orleans to tell me that he is going to travel North Mississippi only once a year because, as he told his sales manager, his business is off in the Delta and it will not pay him to travel here. That’s also money motels, restaurants and gas stations will miss because traveling men and women won’t be frequenting the Delta as often.

I could take up many pages of the DBJ on this subject but the bottom line is many businesses, mostly small, family-owned, tax-paying ones are getting "hammered" by big money competitors "floating" money out of small town circulation. My personal feeling is that it is about time that our representatives start representing those that put them in office and quit "politicking" like politicians.

The Delta needs a strong voice for its people. I believe Delta Business Journal will report all news as it should be stated. Keep up the good work!

Murray B. Kornfeld

A Concerned Delta Merchant

Greenwood

Publisher:

I have just read Nancy Hirst’s column in the June issue of the Delta Business Journal and I want to thank you for speaking up on the tobacco issue. Our attorney general ought to be ashamed to have started this whole mess. Lately, everything has been for the "children" or the "poor" and in the end all they get is the short end of the stick.

Keep up the pressure on these opportunists!

Van Coney

Ruleville

Publisher:

On May 20, dozens of flood victims from the poorest region of this entire country gathered to tell our side of the story to ABC News reporters from New York City who had told us that they were coming to our area to get "both sides of a story" about a federal project aimed at relieving our number one economic problem - flooding. We left our jobs to meet at a neighbor’s property to talk to them, even though we realized that these national reporters were probably running a story against our project.

Two hours before we were supposed to meet with these two New York City "hotshots", John Martin and Bob Keating, they sent word that they didn’t have time to meet with us and, in fact, after spending two days with people who don’t even live in the area impacted by floods, they refused to meet with us at all. These big city free speech reporters made no attempt to give us the freedom to speak. However, they spent hours badgering the federal agency who is planning our public works project and they reportedly had plenty of criticism for U.S. Senator Thad Cochran from our state, who is trying to help us save the economy of our small region.

There are two points that we would like to leave with readers about a trend in television journalism, or at least ABC News, which we have now experienced firsthand:

1) Elected officials, such as Senator Cochran, earn the trust and respect of people because they do not forget even the smallest and least affluent parts of the society they are elected to represent. They are willing to help us, even if we don’t have enough influence to be on ABC News and reach 50 million people.

2) It is an irony that every time that there is a public outcry for action by the Congress to stop the runaway sensationalism of TV journalists, people like ABC News holler for their First Amendment rights. The fact is, a major network flatly denied us the freedom to speak about our story of economic desperation. What about our rights?

It may not be a violation of our freedom that this slanted, one-sided story was not balanced with the views of those of us affected by the flooding which this project is aimed at relieving, but ABC News must be aware that we are not alone in the growing view across this country that this type of journalism is unethical, expedient, and without conscience.

Clifton Porter

Rolling Fork

Publisher:

I just wanted to tell you how great it is to finally see a publication that is dedicated solely to business news in the Mississippi Delta. How timely such a publication is, as we see increased business, industrial, and commercial activity in this region of the state.

I believe that your publication can, and will help foster economic activity here by disseminating information to not only those people who live and work in the Delta, but to those in other areas of the country who will be able to see what is taking place in this region by reading your publication.

Your first two issues have provided insightful, informative and pertinent information to the business community in a format that is well thought out, well written, and visually easy to follow. I wish you great success in this new and exciting venture. Keep up the good work! DBJ

Keith King, CPA

Dillard & Company, Inc., CFO

Key Solutions, Inc., Director

Leland

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