About Hinds County, MS

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 pleasant afternoon.

The Jackson Zoo is open daily until 5:00 p.m. and discount packages are available. For more information, visit http://www.jacksonzoo.org/index.html

Written by Pat Starnes, McIntosh and Associates http://PatStarnes.com

Garaywa is Clinton, Mississippi's best kept secret. Even as you step through the gates, you'll find yourself immersed in tranquility. Spanish moss draped trees sway in the wind and wooden park benches hold the promise of relaxation, rest, or pray. Camp Garaywa truly completes the community of Clinton. It spreads out over 50 acres that's connected to the Countrywood subdivision and is owned by the Women's Missionary Union of Mississippi.

Even though Camp Garaywa sits in the midst of the city and doesn't look like much from the outside, it's a like stepping into another world, once you pass through the gates. Many campers that utilize the camp are Southern Baptists, but the camp is open to all dominations which you will find throughout the area.

The camp started out as a dream of Edwina Robinson. At the time, the area was nothing more than cow pasture land, owned by Mississippi College. Edwina traveled around the state speaking to several Baptist churches about her dream. In turn, they would donate some lumber or a box of nails. Soon, with much help from volunteers, her dream became a reality when it opened in May 1947.

The name Garaywa came from a youth group leader from Blue Mountain, the winner of the camp naming contest. The group leader combined the initials of the of the groups the camp was going to serve. GA for Girls Auxiliary, RA for Royal Ambassadors and YMA for Young Women's Auxiliary. And you have it - GARAYWA.

Camp facilities include 20 cabins, a dining hall, an activities building, a lodge with 30 hotel rooms, an auditorium, a guest house with 6 rooms and 28 beds, the Patterson Place, a conference room with kitchen, a prayer garden, crafts pavilions, picnic areas, a gazebo, swimming pools, nature trails and rope courses.

During the summer, the camp is used as a Girls Auxiliary camp for ages 4-6. The rest of the year, the camp is open to everyone. So, next time you're in Clinton, Mississippi, be sure to visit Camp Carawya for an experience you'll never forget.

Calendar of Events

Metro Jackson, MS

September 2008

September 15-21 - Viking Classic

Mississippi's PGA Tour, happening NOW at Annandale Golf Club, Madison, MS. Check the leader board and get other info at http://www.pgatour.com/tournaments Annual attendance totals over 50,000.

September 26-28 - Fall for Clinton

Visit downtown Clinton for a weekend of family fun, arts, and activities. Visit http://www.clintonms.org/

September 28 - Celebrate Choctaw Day

See talented artisans of the MS Band of Choctaw Indians perform traditional dances and weave baskets and make jewelry. 12p.m.-5p.m. Mississippi Craft Center, 950 Rice Rd., Ridgeland, MS Visit http://www.mscrafts.org/

September 27 - WellsFest

This annual festival will be held at Jamie Fowler Boyll Park, next to Smith-Wills Stadium on Lakeland Drive (Highway 25), Jackson. Lots of games and activities for the entire family. Visit http://www.wellschurch.org

October 4 - Kidney Wellness Walk fundraiser 9:00 a.m.

The National Kidney Foundation of Mississippi will hold it's fourth annual Kidney Walk in the Fondren/Woodland Hills (Jackson) neighborhood. http://www.kidneyms.org Ten lucky walkers will receive $100 each.

Written and Published by Pat Starnes, Broker Associate, McIntosh and Associates, LLC 434 Katherine Drive, Flowood, MS. 601-278-4513 (cell) Info deemed to be accurate at time of printing.

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 County residents. This goes to show that Hinds County is still a great place to call home.

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 vacant since 1965. The total investment to revitalize downtown Jackson is 2.3 billion (with a B) dollars, with a majority of the funds coming from out of state.

Mr. Allen mentioned some statistics, stating 90% of people want to live in the suburbs, which is where most Realtors spend their greatest efforts. But that leaves 10% of the population who prefer the urban lifestyle. He made an interesting observation, especially to me, by mentioning my hometown of Columbus, MS. Some 20 years ago, no-one, and I mean no-one, wanted anything to do with downtown Columbus. Buildings were dilapidated, crumbling, and vacant. Fast-forward 20 years later, and downtown Columbus is one of the most charming areas I've seen throughout the southeast. The storefront facades resemble cute little cottages, there are quality restaurant choices within walking distance of office and retail, and there are loft apartments above the retail and office spaces.

Mr. Allen gave a very informative, enthusiastic talk which was a pre-cursor to an October 15th meeting, where we Realtors will be giving an in-depth presentation of the numerous happenings in our downtown area. It's important for Realtors to be knowledgable about the growth and changes in their market area, so you can bet I'll be at the next meeting to see what Jackson is building!