We love what Jackson State University is doing for the environment and want to share it with you in our blog.  When you see the new addition to Jackson State University, you will see sleek, silver accents, large glass windows and modern furniture.  It looks like something more fitting for an upscale office park, rather than a public college. The new $21 million addition was actually built with the environment in mind.  It is Mississippi's first State-funded LEED certified project.  The new addition of the 90,000-square foot building is just one of many examples of the state university's ways of "going green." The building did cost more than the average building.  However, that was a one-time cost and was meant to save in the long run.  The building was built using recycled building mate... 02/23/2009

It seems like there is always something going on in Jackson, Mississippi.  And February is no exception.  There will be several events for the whole family to take advantage of.  Therefore, we have compiled this list of what's going on in Jackson this month. ·         Dixie National Rodeo & Live Stock Show - February 5th - 11th at the Mississippi State Fairground (1207 Mississippi Street).  Come see world champion cowboys ride the best rodeo stock in the largest livestock show east of the Mississippi River.  For more information, call (601) 355-5252. ·         Grandma's Hands: Celebrating the Underground Railroad Quilt Codes - Now through February 28th at the Smith Robertson Museum & Cultural Center (528 Bloom Street).  The exhibit celebrates the underground railroad quilt codes. ·     ... 02/09/2009

Even during the winter, many people look for fun outdoor places to visit.  Therefore, Jackson, Mississippi has continued to add several outdoor locations for its residents and visitors to have fun.  The city offers 54 wonderful parks and facilities.  That adds up to around 2,300 acres of outdoor fun.  These parks include playgrounds, ball fields, tennis courts, golf courses, picnic areas and walking and jogging paths.  The city also offers special facilities which include community centers, Mynelle Gardens, Smith Wills Stadium, the Jackson Zoo and the city's botanical gardens.  Community centers can be rented out for special occasions.  And, the city does a great job at providing security by Park Rangers. There are a wide variety of recreational programs for youth and adults including f... 01/05/2009

The holiday season is the best time of the year for gift giving and holiday events.  Jackson , Mississippi has many holiday events this year for everyone to take advantage of. ·         Now - December 21st - New Stage Theater: A Christmas Carol.  For times and tickets call 601-948-3531. ·         December 19th - December 21st - Ballet Magnificat's A Christmas Dream. One of the nation's foremost ballet companies will present its annual Christmas concert at Thalia Mara Hall.  You will experience the true meaning of Christmas with over 150 dancers, stunning sets and beautiful costumes. December 19th and 20th at 7:00 pm. And December 21st at 2:00 pm.  For tickets call 601-977-1001. ·         Now - December 23rd - Christmas at the Governor's Mansion. Visit a historic section of the Governor'... 12/15/2008

As colors are changing and leaves are falling, we all know that Old Man Winter is just around the corner.  Winter begins on December 21st this year.  If you live in Jackson , Mississippi , now is a good time to start preparing your home for the rain, sleet, snow and ice that come with it.  And I thought I would share some useful tips for winterizing your home. Winterizing your home before winter arrives is very important.  Winterizing your home at the right time will help prevent the damage that a harsh winter can cause. Winterizing your home tips: ~  Seal Doors and Windows - Check your weather stripping around your doors and windows.  If there is damage to the stripping, replace it with new stripping.  Also, caulk any areas around doors and windows to prevent heat from escaping.  This ... 12/01/2008

Many Investors in Jackson, Mississippi will be looking to find good deals on rehab properties for quick re-sales.  But many real estate investors will find that today's market rules are really different from those rules of a few years ago.  So, I want to give all investors a heads-up.  There is one thing you need to be cautious about on today's real estate market and that is over-improving the property.  Several real estate investors have recently found that over-improving the property has caused them to lose money because the property takes a longer time to sell. So, gone are the days of fancy fix-ups.  Investors should look to spend less on kitchens and bathrooms.  It was just a few years ago that investors were spending an extra $35,000 or more to install granite counters and cherry ... 11/24/2008

Many buyers will ask me which is better: buying a new home or an older home, buying in the city or in the suburb, what's the latest real estate trends?  Well, not everyone is the same.  What might work for one family may not be as great for another family.    I can tell you that any property in the city will cost you more.  The question is: "Are you willing to pay more to be close to work, nightlife, shopping and hundreds of restaurants?"  Up until last month, many buyers were looking to buy in the city because of high gas prices, but even those are falling.  Now people are buying in the city because it's trendy and convenient.   Property prices vary in Jackson, Mississippi, but you can find condos or town homes that top off around $300,000.  Some buyers may think this is a hefty price ... 11/17/2008

Mistletoe Marketplace 2008               DON'T MISS THIS SHOPPING EVENT OF THE YEAR November 6-8, 2008 It's that time of year again and The Junior League of Jackson, MS is looking forward to Mistletoe Marketplace 2008!! Mark your calendars for November 6-8, 2008. The three-day marketplace includes an array of special events, dining opportunities, live entertainment and cooking demonstrations from the Junior League's nationally recognized cookbooks. Over 35,000 shoppers from across the Southeast enjoy more than 165 merchants from across the United States offering unique gifts and holiday trends in a festive, family-friendly atmosphere. Proceeds from Mistletoe Marketplace support the Junior League's many community projects. Mistletoe Marketplace has been chosen by the American Bus Associ... 10/30/2008

The Legacy of Timbuktu : Wonders of the Written Word art collection has been brought to Jackson , Mississippi to the International Museum of Muslim Cultures Mississippi Museum, and will be here until October 31st. Within the last millennium a very important world legacy was discovered - the literate culture of Africa . It symbolizes unique riches and historical manuscripts that have survived for centuries.   The found manuscripts are evidence that beginning in the 14th century, a very sophisticated culture once lived and flourished in the city of Timbuktu on the outskirts of the Sahara Desert . The manuscripts show that Timbuktu was a crossroads for international commerce and book trade. It was also a well known center for learning, bringing in thousands of teachers, students and schola... 10/27/2008

Mistletoe Marketplace 2008               DON'T MISS THIS SHOPPING EVENT OF THE YEAR November 6-8, 2008 It's that time of year again and The Junior League of Jackson, MS is looking forward to Mistletoe Marketplace 2008!! Mark your calendars for November 6-8, 2008. The three-day marketplace includes an array of special events, dining opportunities, live entertainment and cooking demonstrations from the Junior League's nationally recognized cookbooks. Over 35,000 shoppers from across the Southeast enjoy more than 165 merchants from across the United States offering unique gifts and holiday trends in a festive, family-friendly atmosphere. Proceeds from Mistletoe Marketplace support the Junior League's many community projects. Mistletoe Marketplace has been chosen by the American Bus Associ... 10/24/2008

Regardless of where you live, you've likely heard the benefits of walking. Many people walk to lose weight, but there are many advantages to walking; it lowers cholesterol and blood pressure, improves your stamina, and elevates your mood. That's a good reason in and of itself. But for each hour spent walking, you add two hours to your life. Now that is an incentive! The Let's Go Walkin' Mississippi campaign is sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi, and First Lady Marsha Barbour, wife of Gov. Haley Barbour, is the spokeswoman. Most Mississippians have seen the public service announcements encouraging walking to get people out from in front of their television sets and outdoors. There are numerous parks, lakes, and walking trails throughout our state where people can get outd... 10/21/2008

Yes, that's right it's your time to put up or shut up Jackson, Ms! Boom or Bust! Yesterday I attended a session at the new Telcom Center on the development and progress of the downtown area.  This event was sponsored by our local Jackson Association of Realtors and "DJP" Downtown Jackson Partners.  DJP is working very hard on restoring old Jackson to what it needs to be for a downtown area that thrives not only from 9 - 4 but 24 hrs. a day!   How are they trying to do this you say?  Well, they have put together a team of local economic development agencies, area property owners and existing building management companies to retain and expand Downtown businesses, as well as, to attract new ones. This totals over 1 Billion Dollars of development flowing into Jackson! Downtown Jackson is be... 10/20/2008

Last week I attended an informative presentation about all the growth and renovation throughout the entire downtown Jackson area. I wanted to see for myself what the buzz was about. There are currently 16 projects, large ones, in "the works", and several already in progress. A few days later I took a walk through the Historic Fondren District and took the following photos along Duling Avenue.               These two photos depict the newly constructed Fondren Place, set to open in mid-November. The building will house BankPlus and have other office spaces, some retailers, and a restaurant. There are also loft apartments and rooftop decks.    The newly refurbished Duling School, which is adjacent to the new Fondren Place building, is set to open as a mixed-use property. The School will c... 10/19/2008

   Yesterday was a beautiful, crisp fall day in the Jackson Metro area, a perfect day for visiting the historic Fondren district. We loaded up the "little girls" and took them to the downtown area so they could play and the "big girls" could shop. St. Luke's Fundraiser was for the benefit of both St. Luke's Church and the Methodist Children Home.   There is a lot to see and do in the Fondren area. Good food, including Walker's Drive Inn, Rooster's Restaurant, Basil's, quaint shops, multiple area churches, and a community grocery store to name a few. Take some time and take a leisurely stroll through the area and enjoy some good local cuisine. We did!       Written and Published by Pat Starnes, McIntosh and Assoc., LLC                 10/19/2008

The Mississippi state fair is back in town, in Jackson, Mississippi. And, this year's state fair has over 60 rides to choose from, which may seem overwhelming for many eager fair lovers. So, North American Midway Entertainment has listed some of the most popular and fun rides that you may want to visit first. The Crazy Mouse Spinning Roller Coaster made the top of the list. This fun roller coaster is made up of 1,200 feet of track that turns and dips in ways that make riders want to come back for more. You actually get to spin on this roller coaster. You will find that the Mega Drop is the tallest ride at the fair, a 130 foot vertical drop. This ride is definitely not for the faint of heart. Some call it the tower of power. The ride lifts you 130 feet in the air, and hovers you high in... 10/06/2008

So, you want to gather with friends after work or dine out after an especially challenging day? One of my favorite places to go in the Jackson Metro area is Char, which is located off I-55 at Northside Drive in Highland Village.   Char is well-known for their mouthwatering steaks and seafood. While the food at Char is scrumptious, my favorite spot is in the Piano Bar, where patrons can listen to smooth jazz by talented musicians. The décor is rich wood, high top tables, and a beautiful Steinway baby grand. The atmosphere is cozy, relaxing, and the service is superb. Listening to jazz and socializing with friends is a fantastic way to spend the evening. Char offers an authentic New Orleans Jazz Brunch on Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. They also have private dining rooms suitable f... 10/01/2008

 If you are looking for something fun and educational to do with your family, why not take an afternoon and spend it at the neighborhood zoo? This weekend my best friend and I loaded up the grandkids, four girls under the age of nine, and headed for the Jackson Zoo. The weather was nearly perfect, a little on the warm side for late September. Fortunately there were enough trees to offer some welcome shade along the way.         We saw the usual lions, tigers, and bears (oh, my!) along with giraffes, zebras, elephants, turtles, poisonous frogs, a plethora of snakes, peacocks, and a flock of flamingos! At the Jackson Zoo, there is a playground, a carousel, and a concession stand with plenty of seating if you need to take a break and cool off. The girls were fascinated and everyone had a p... 09/29/2008

While many large cities and counties around the country are lowering their proposed 2009 budget, Hinds County is raising theirs. The current budget is $51.5 million. The new budget will be $56.7 million. This is really good news for many residents in Hinds County. The proposed budget will include a $300 a month raise for over 280 county employees, and $1.7 million in raises for over 470 Sheriff's Department employees. The proposed budget will also include a $1.85 million dollar tax rate decrease. One million is equal to $1 in taxes for every $1,000 of assessed property value. Property owners are expected to pay more this year since property values have increased. Many cities around the nation are still seeing low property values. So, increased property values are good news for Hinds Cou... 09/15/2008

Have you ever driven downtown (any city, USA), looked at vacant buildings and thought, gee, it would be nice to renovate that old building? Maybe even construct a loft apartment so you could live & work in the same place? I have, but maybe that's just me.The Jackson Association of Realtors (MS) had their monthly meeting today. Our special guest was Ben Allen of Downtown Jackson Partners, who shared with us several proposed revitalization projects in the downtown area. The projects include the King Edward Hotel, Standard Life Building, and the Farish Street project, to name a few. Mr. Allen said the Farish Street project was one of the most frustrating projects the city has ever endured, but that it was only 5% of the total project. It is noteworthy that the King Edward Hotel has been va... 09/09/2008

Condominium development, sales and rentals are on the rise in Jackson, Mississippi. Most of the nation's home foreclosures were from single family homes, and it is becoming a trend to buy or rent condominiums. This year's nationwide condominium and other multi-family developments, will surpass the 2007 development by 56,000 units, totaling over 250,000 new units. That's the highest level of condominium development in three years. Many cities around the Nation are aiming at urban renewal programs with new multi-family housing construction, in hopes to revitalize downtown regions. Jackson, Mississippi is seeing an increase in condominium and other multi-family developments lately, so don't miss out on buying a new condo or town home, they'll go fast. 09/08/2008