Newton. Mississippi. first IMPRESSIONS MISSISSIPPI STATE COMMUNITY ACTION TEAM

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1 Newton Mississippi first IMPRESSIONS MISSISSIPPI STATE COMMUNITY ACTION TEAM

2 TEAM MEMBERS Julie Jordan Mississippi State Community Action Team Latonya Hardin Greater Starkville Development Partnership Jan Miller Mississippi Main Street Association Stephanie Deshazer MSU Senior Industrial Engineering Student

3 first IMPRESSIONS A Community Assessment for Newton, Mississippi Site visit conducted June 6, 2007 First Impressions is a program designed to capture the thoughts and feelings of visitors as they observe for the first time the characteristics of a community. Following a very structured visitation program, a team of individuals with diverse backgrounds document their perceptions of both positive assets and challenges to social and economic growth in a community. Information contained in this report is a compilation of observations by a team assembled by the Mississippi State Community Action Team (MSCAT). This report is not intended as a recommendation for any specific future action or support for any one course of action already being implemented in a community. To maintain this sense of neutrality, the question/answer format used by the team members to make their assessments is rigidly followed in presenting the team s overall assessment.

4 How easy was it to get information on the community that you were visiting? When we did a Google search with the keywords Newton, Mississippi, we found the local newspaper, and the Newton County Historical and Genealogical Society. We knew there was a fairly active chamber and searched for the site. The chamber site is This site is high on the Google search list when the keywords used are Newton, MS, but not found in our first search. We suggest that the author put the phase Newton, Mississippi on the home page in key places to improve the likelihood of a visitor locating the chamber site with either phrase. The chamber site provides basic information and exhibits a positive image of the community. However, some of the pages were blank when we reviewed the site. At first glance, the newspaper site appeared to be current, but the breaking news was about six weeks old. We visited the site on June 4, 2007, and the news date was April 18, The photo on the home page was of the high school football spring practice, which was likely in April and not June. So, we are confused about this Web site. The Newton County Historical and Genealogical Society, site, seemed current. Someone is compiling wonderful stories about the history of Newton County at this site. The stories are told by a variety of writers and there are stories about families, churches, the cemeteries, historic buildings, and more. Kudos to these authors.

5 Did it accurately reflect what you saw? No. The town is really neat. It has a lot of redevelopment and seems to be doing some good things. More of the revitalization of downtown could be included. Somewhat. There were some things that should be included on the Web site to help you really understand all that is happening in Newton. Yet, there are some things that you can only see once you get to the town and talk to the right person at the right time. Did you have difficulties obtaining information on the community through a Web search? No, it was fairly simple to get information online, but as discussed above, we recommend adjusting some of the keywords on the chamber Web site to improve search results.

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7 The Five Minute Impression After taking a five-minute drive through the community, without stopping, the following reactions were noted: Newton was a very neat and clean town. The welcome signs at all entrances were consistent. Downtown appeared to be busy because of many parked cars and a fair amount of traffic. There was landscaping on every corner and the flowers were blooming, even with the drought. There were directional signs and nice street signs located throughout the downtown. As we entered town we saw beautiful houses and well-manicured lawns. Entering town on Highway 15 was nice compared to some other community entrances. There were a couple of for sale signs on properties, and a couple of unattractive buildings, but overall, the image was very favorable. Once we turned on Highway 80, the streetscape was very nicely landscaped. Then after turning onto Decatur Street, it was obvious that Newton is not a poor town. There were very few houses, if any, that we observed along our initial route that were unattractive. There were a few lawns, though, that with a little landscaping would enhance the image entering on Decatur Street. First Impressions ~ June 2007

8 We noticed really nice landscaping for a retail area as we made the turn from Highway 15 onto Highway 80 headed toward downtown. We commented on the minimal number of billboards cluttering the view. And, we commented that the major retail signs seemed shorter than normal and made for a less cluttered, more attractive view as well. One team member did notice two billboards on Highway 80 that are torn and faded. Basically, driving around town, in-and-out of the downtown area and back-and-forth along Highways 80 and 15, we remarked that this town was really doing some things right. We had very favorable first impressions and knew that we would have to really look for things to write in our report as suggestions to help Newton look even better. Newton, Mississippi

9 Community Entrances The following observations were noted when entering the community from major entrances (notice signs, streetscapes, buildings, etc.). In general, the signs at the city limits were nice, consistent and wellmanicured. They aren t anything really fancy, but clearly noticeable and inviting. Entering from the east on Highway 80, we first came to the historical brown sign directing visitors to the depot along Decatur Street and we did not think there was a sign indicating downtown. Later, we found the downtown sign a little farther along Highway 80 and it directed visitors into the downtown area along Scanlan Street. We actually preferred entering along Decatur Street. Approached from Highway 15 North It was very nice, other than the typical auto-body shop that sits at the entrance of most towns. This is the growth area. There was good retail growth at the intersection of Highway 15 and Interstate-20 influenced by Wal-Mart and many name-brand restaurants sitting just off of the interstate (KFC, Taco Bell, McDonald s, etc.) The only thing we noticed was that the Newton City Limits sign is leaning forward a bit. It was also clear that Newton had annexed along the highway to incorporate the industrial park area. In most situations, this is a positive move for the tax base and economic development within a community. Approached from Highway 15 South It was nothing special, mostly residential and nothing to really attract attention other than the interesting First Impressions ~ June 2007

10 hedgerow spelling of NEWTON on the hillside. There is much less commercial development on this end of town. There was good use of signage to direct drivers into the town. Approached from Highway 80 East Entering from this direction provides the worst impression of any of the four major thoroughfares. It was very bad compared to the others. There are rundown and burned-down buildings that are unattractive. Luckily there is only a very short stretch of highway within the city limits before getting to the intersection of Highways 15 and 80 where the image improves significantly. Approached from Highway 80 West It was OK with nothing to catch a visitor s attention one way or the other until you reach the Central Mississippi Residential Center. One comment about entering from this direction is that the road splits (a major Y in the highway) shortly before the city limits sign. We all but missed seeing the sign directing travelers to take the right turn at the Y to go into downtown Newton and we continued along Highway 80 until the intersection at Scanlan Street. At this point, there is no sign directing a visitor to downtown. If you want visitors to enter town along Church Street from this direction, we suggest some other type of directional signage. Newton, Mississippi

11 Downtown Business Area Observations about the general appearance of the downtown area: It was very clean, but did have some weeds growing in some sidewalk cracks and some flower beds. Throughout downtown it looked like they had taken old parking meters down but left the poles. We suggest cutting down the poles. Overall, there is an appearance of a well-kept downtown. They have obvious pride in their town. There were trash cans conveniently located throughout downtown and we noticed some of the sidewalks have recently been reworked. Some sidewalks had rails and some did not and we felt in those areas where the sidewalks are several feet above street level, the city should install more railings for safety reasons. There are many murals, some inside buildings and many outside. The murals are done in good taste, are attractive and fun. They did not detract from the overall appeal of the downtown architecture or retail activities. The murals are a unique feature of Newton that we enjoyed. We learned the murals are the work of an art teacher in the area who gets her students involved. This is another clear demonstration of community pride. While downtown Newton has some vacant lots and some empty buildings, the community has done an excellent job of hiding empty buildings with window art and vacant lots with attractive, inexpensive facades. We encourage Newton to extend the efforts taken along the main street to hide unattractive locations to some of the side streets closer to the railroad tracks. First Impressions ~ June 2007

12 It was a bit surprising to find a light industrial area downtown. Some of the industrial area is thriving, but part is vacant. It is unique to see such a large industry as La-Z-Boy so close to a downtown, but this should be an advantage to downtown retail businesses. The team felt that some of the vacant industrial buildings hold lots of potential. General appearance of buildings, displays, signage: Several of the buildings were under construction during our visit. We were able to talk to one of the tenants and actually go into the building being remodeled. This owner had great plans for mixed-use that will restore a rather large building and attract people downtown. Some of the buildings were being used for storage while others were empty. Many of the buildings were local businesses and well-maintained. We suggest working with building owners to remove slipcovers and awnings to return the buildings to the original facades. Very few buildings had professional signage. The photography studio was the jewel in the town. It had great signage, benches out front and wonderful inside décor. The studio was very inviting with wonderful photographs of the community and more. We noticed the sign that was painted with the slogan A Great Small Town. However, we did see several underutilized buildings in prime areas. The brick streets are a real asset, but the buildings in that area and in the Newton, Mississippi

13 whole block between downtown and the Chicken Basket appeared vacant. We commented in particular that the old cheese factory along the brick street would be a wonderful if restored with nice boutiques, maybe a restaurant, and even apartments to attract local residents and visitors. One team member commented that the electrical poles downtown needed to be moved to the back of the buildings or buried underground. The poles block the store fronts and distracts from the beauty of the town. How would you rate the variety and quality of merchandise? There was limited variety. There was a nice hardware store with a good selection of merchandise. The drugstore looked like it came out of a 50s movie. It was in great shape and when you walked in you felt like you had gone back in time. It had a good selection and had a special treat--handdipped ice cream. We saw one gift shop and it doubled as a coffee/sandwich shop. It was fun. It had local art and great displays and cute exterior. In addition, we noted two banks, a theatre, the post office, city hall, a Mexican restaurant, a frame shop, and a photography studio that we mentioned already. We saw only one small dress shop. There were a few more places, even a building being used as a factory, but not a lot of variety. The most memorable store to one team member was the photography studio. She commented, It was so nice to see this high-quality studio highlighting the community and the local First Impressions ~ June 2007

14 attractions. There were even postcards for visitors and guests. I was very impressed. What kind of customer service did you receive when you entered the retail businesses? The folks in the drugstore are great ambassadors for Newton, Mississippi. They were clearly involved in the community and you could tell they loved their town. The lady knew all the places to eat and go see. She told us all about the community and about her store. We were impressed with them never saying a negative thing. We continued down the street to a florist that had a little coffee shop inside. After visiting with the owner in this shop, one team member commented that the place to visit is the drugstore. We had lunch in the Mexican restaurant and had good food and good service. Judging by the number of people in the restaurant, we had found a popular local lunch spot. We heard from the chamber director that the owners were community minded and for the last two years had worked to host an annual Cinco de Mayo festival. It seems the festival is becoming a major event for Newton. Were there governmental or nonprofit organizational activities that might serve as magnets for the shopping district? We didn t see much in this area. City hall is downtown. We didn t see any nonprofit or governmental activities in the immediate downtown area. However, the Central Mississippi Residential Center, which is near downtown, would bring visitors and workers into the downtown area. This center Newton, Mississippi

15 is a facility of the Mississippi Department of Mental Health and is a large campus facility that used to be Clark College. Were there the following public amenities: drinking fountains, benches, public restrooms? There were a few benches around the downtown area. We did not see any drinking fountains or anywhere that could be deemed a public restroom. The chamber office is conveniently located, but while visitors are certainly welcome to use the restrooms there, it really isn t a public restroom area. There is a small park with a gazebo behind the chamber office that provides visitors a nice place to rest. Comment on appealing landscaping and the streetscapes in general. Great looking landscaping and streetscapes. Everything looks maintained and when we asked, we found out that the city was responsible for maintaining the streetscapes and landscapes in downtown. There was very beautiful landscaping, especially on the Highway 80 retail strip entering town. One team member remarked that Newton is probably one of the most landscaped communities I have seen. The lighting is nothing really unique, but is appropriate. Did you have any difficulty finding parking? Could you access multiple services from where you parked? We had no problem finding parking and at first thought there were a lot of people downtown, based on the number of cars, but learned that many of the merchants and employees park in front of their own business. It made the town look busy but was not good for the customers trying to park. One could easily park in one location and walk anywhere downtown. The chamber of commerce parking lot was also a good spot to park and still be close to all that downtown has to offer. First Impressions ~ June 2007

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17 Other retail shopping areas (big box retailers/shopping malls)? General appearance of buildings, displays, signage: On Highway 15 near the Interstate 20 exit, there are several fairly new retail developments with high visibility. Stores in this area included Wal-Mart, Hardee s, Subway, McDonald s, new gas stations, and more. On Highway 80, the shopping centers were nice and included Fred s, Sonic, Dollar General, and more. One team member commented that if you were entering town from the interstate you would feel safe and rather impressed by the nice, clean, landscaped streetscapes and tidy shopping centers. How would you rate the variety and quality of merchandise? They did not have a very big variety in this area, but it is typical for small Mississippi towns and actually more than expected. Did you have any difficulty finding parking? Could you access multiple services from where you parked? Looking from the road as we were passing through, it appeared there was plenty of parking at these shopping centers. They seemed to have enough parking for busy days and we would have had no trouble finding parking. First Impressions ~ June 2007

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19 Industrial parks/commercial areas Is there a defined area where manufacturing industries could easily locate/expand? Yes. The industrial park was easy to find along Highway 15 just north of town. The largest manufacturer and employer is La-Z-Boy with two locations, one downtown that we mentioned earlier and one in the industrial park. We believe the second largest employer is Esco, also located in the industrial park. There appeared to be room for some expansion within the industrial park area and an empty building available. There is vacant land adjacent to the area that might be used for expansion of the industrial park, as well. As discussed earlier, there is a section of light industrial development along the railroad in the downtown area. Much of this was vacant and with the proximity to downtown, perhaps some brainstorming and planning with developers, property owners, and community leaders about the highest-andbest-use of these properties would spur development. First Impressions ~ June 2007

20 What did you find attractive about the potential locations for manufacturing/commercial businesses? The obvious new growth area seems to be along Highway 15 around the intersection of Interstate 20. The industrial park, a ballpark, and the hospital occupy a fair amount of the frontage along the highway within the city limits just north of Interstate 20. There is room for more development, but hopefully, some thought and planning are taking place as to the type of development. Is this going to be retail, more industrial, any planned residential areas, government, etc.? What works best for Newton as this area continues to grow? Newton, Mississippi

21 Health care services Comment on the availability and apparent quality of hospitals and emergency medical services. The relatively new hospital, easily accessible and highly visible along Highway 15 enhances first impressions. It is a county hospital, and from what we heard, provides quality care for the area. We observed emergency medical services adjacent to the fire station on Scanlan Street. We saw four ambulances and this seemed sufficient. The old county hospital is downtown just across from the depot/chamber and is presently vacant and not particularly attractive. It is the historic site of a Confederate hospital where soldiers were taken by train during the siege at Vicksburg. We heard that perhaps a company was considering purchasing the building for use as some type of assisted living facility. This could be a really good use of this building and bring more people to the downtown area. If this building sits vacant too much longer it might become an eyesore right across from the wonderful, historic train depot. First Impressions ~ June 2007

22 Comment on the availability and condition of facilities for physician, dental, optometrist, and other medical care. Compared to other small towns we ve visited lately, we saw abundant health care facilities, including dentists, optometrists, and doctors. We observed clinics, individual doctor s offices, and public facilities--all in nice buildings. Then, as mentioned earlier, the Mississippi Department of Mental Health s Central Mississippi Residential Center occupies a small college campus. From what is visible from the road, it is a beautiful, well-maintained campus. What long-term care, assisted living, or nursing facilities exist in the community? We saw two or three assisted living-type facilities during our time there, and the question was asked among the team members as to why Newton was not a certified retirement community. In summary, as a first impression, we observed nothing but positive images of the medical care available in Newton.

23 Housing How would you evaluate the existing mix of housing inventory? Does the local housing market appeal to all income ranges? We saw a good variety of homes as we drove around. The lawns were neat and tidy almost everywhere we drove. There were several different housing areas that we visited and most of them were very nice. The neighborhoods we visited were all south of Highway 80. There did appear to be homes appropriate for all income levels. And, just about everything we saw appeared well-kept. There was nothing we observed that really bothered us and nothing that really wowed us either. We did not see any really bad or rundown neighborhoods where we would have felt uneasy or unsafe passing through. Were there any indications that the housing market was depressed? Were there any signs that it would be difficult to find acceptable housing? The market appeared healthy. We didn t see a lot of homes for sale, but we wouldn t have expected to in a town this size. So, not unlike moving to any small Mississippi town, moving to Newton and finding a new home might be challenging. We did hear of some new neighborhood developments in the area, so we suspect that new homes are available, but outside of the city. First Impressions ~ June 2007

24 Are there sufficient rental properties for persons interested in building or simply living in the community prior to buying housing? Not really. Where we traveled, we saw one apartment complex out on Church Street and a small public housing complex just off Highway 80 entering town. Our first impression indicated a very small rental property market and limited availability. Newton, Mississippi

25 Schools Do the schools appear to be adequate in size or do you see the use of temporary class rooms? Are they well-maintained? Newton has a city school district with about 1,100 students, according to data from the Mississippi Department of Education. The elementary and high schools are in the same neighborhood, while the middle school is on East Church Street. From the outside, the buildings were nice and in good repair. We asked about the schools and learned about the city district, a county district, and a private school. We didn t really hear anything in conversations about the quality of the schools. Higher education (community college, technical college, university): East Central Community College is in nearby Decatur, Mississippi. Meridian is home to Meridian Community College and a campus of Mississippi State University. And, just about 60 miles away, there are several options for higher education in Jackson. Access to higher education for this community should be no problem. Were you able to find print information in the community that helped assess the quality of the educational system? We didn t find any in the community, but there is an abundance of data online at the Mississippi Department of Education s Web site. First Impressions ~ June 2007

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27 Faith/Religion Comment on the number of denominations and physical appearance of the churches represented in the community: We saw Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, and Episcopalian. The Episcopal church was a bit unusual, but the other three were the typical large Southern church buildings. Are there any signs of church-sponsored community services? We really didn t see anything obvious, but with the general pride of the citizens we did meet, one would expect strong community outreach from the churches. Are there any facilities or statements that some would view as intrusive or that would make someone feel uncomfortable if they were not of a particular faith? We didn t think so. First Impressions ~ June 2007

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29 Civic Does it appear as though there are a variety of nonprofit organizations and clubs within the community? There is a Lion s Club sign on all of the Newton welcome signs entering town. We observed Relay-for-Life signs around town when we were visiting. The chamber has a project called CAN or Climb Aboard Newton. This is a group of volunteers that does a variety of community service projects, including painting vacant buildings for owners to improve the image of downtown. Other organizations we heard or read about include the Newton County Historical and Genealogical Society, 4-H Club, United Givers Fund, and Friends of the Depot. First Impressions ~ June 2007

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31 Residents In what ways did you find (or not find) people helpful? Almost everyone we met was helpful and seemed glad to meet us. This is especially true for the chamber director. She went out of her way to show us around town and share with us everything that was happening in Newton. She is an EXCELLENT ambassador for Newton. Every community should be so lucky to have someone as dedicated to developing and promoting her community. How did the people talk about their community? What were their attitudes about their schools, public leaders, and community services? We met only one person who came across as sarcastic and a bit negative. Everyone else was excited and proud of their town. Were community members knowledgeable about their community or able to refer you to people who were? Yes. The lady and her son in the drugstore wanted to know if we wanted to talk to the president of the historical Society. The owner of the photography studio opened his shop for us to show us around and share his wonderful photos of Newton. He even has a small area, almost like a minitheater, for visitors to view a slide show about Newton and hear stories about the county s history. First Impressions ~ June 2007

32 Did residents reflect the diversity that is represented in the rest of the country? We felt like everyone would feel comfortable and welcome in this community. Newton, Mississippi

33 Public infrastructure Comment in general on the streets, street signage, sidewalks, parking, lighting, parks, landscape, and streetscapes in areas other than downtown. In general, we saw great streetscapes and landscaping throughout the town. The crepe myrtles lining the entrance from Interstate 20 along Highways 15 and 80 were really nice and welcoming. Some of the flower beds on the corners were full of weeds and some needed water, of course. The team commented that perhaps there are some options for flowers and landscaping in these beds that would require less maintenance and still look really nice. Land-Use Planning: We commented earlier about land-use planning for the obvious growth area north of I-20 along Highway 15. We also commented about the light industrial sections downtown that need some planning as redevelopment and revitalization occurs. The retail area along Highways 15 and 80 seems appropriately mixed with commercial retail and professional offices. City or Town Hall: The city hall was a wonderful building and there is a very interesting story of how the building went from being a church to a city hall. The restored post office is a real surprise and almost a work-of-art itself inside. First Impressions ~ June 2007

34 Police/Fire Protection/Emergency Medical Services Facilities: The police station did not look very inviting, but the fire station looked nice. Both were in convenient locations downtown. The emergency medical services were next door to the fire station. Library: The library was on Church Street and very accessible to downtown and the rest of the community. It looked like a fairly new building. We did not remember seeing any signs pointing us in the direction to get there, but it was hard to miss once downtown. Newton, Mississippi

35 Recreation/Tourism Is the community well known for any particular attraction or event? Do they have a community slogan that capitalizes on that asset? The slogan of A Great Small Town along with the picture of the train seems to be fairly well branded in Newton and a consistent theme. It is the banner on the chamber Web site and on printed materials about town available at the chamber. The Climb Aboard Newton program carries the same train type theme, as well as the Loose Caboose Festival. However, the sign downtown near the railroad on Church Street has the slogan but with pictures of flowers instead of the train. Did you see any indication of significant events taking place in the community that would be of interest to both visitors and residents? There is a festival, the Loose Caboose Festival, in March every year that is a well-known county event. As noted earlier, the owner of the Mexican restaurant has initiated a Cinco de Mayo festival that will likely grow and become another significant downtown event. The Roxy Theater is another great asset and everyone we met talked about the community group and the plays. First Impressions ~ June 2007

36 One of the most interesting things that one team member felt could be an attraction is the depot ghost. The chamber director convincingly tells stories about the ghostly occurrences she has witnessed working in the depot. Ghost stories can attract visitors. Are there any significant natural features that have the potential of drawing people to the community? We really didn t see evidence or remember any comments about natural features such as a large lake or state park. Are there any significant manmade attractions? The Civil War cemetery, site of a Civil War hospital, and the rich history about the railroad depot are certainly attractions of historical significance. The city of Newton is also a partner with the other communities in Newton County as a promoter of historical sites throughout the county. These other sites include the Arabian horse farm and a Christmas tree plantation. Is there an obvious visitor s center, chamber of commerce office, main street office, or other facility that serves the needs of visitors? Please comment on the staff, facilities, signage, visibility, etc. There is a chamber and Angie Burks, the director, is a great ambassador for Newton. She was helpful when we came in and knew everything about her community and had a ton of things to share with us. She even skipped a meeting to spend time with us. She showed brochures, maps, walked with us around town, introduced us to folks, and gave us a tour of the train depot. She even told about her special friend, the ghost in the depot. She is a great motivator and asset for Newton. The team commented that every town should have an Angie. Newton, Mississippi

37 The chamber is in a very visible location once you are downtown, however, there were no signs directing us to the chamber from the edge of town. There are signs indicating an historic train depot, but there was no indication that this was also the chamber building. We suggest finding some way to let visitors know the depot is also the chamber. Are there any restaurants, specialty shops or attractions that would bring you back to this community in the near future? McBeath s Drug Store that we ve mentioned several times is a must see for visitors. Not only is it a neat shop and has great ice cream, the owners are such wonderful ambassadors for the community. Also, the gift shop already mentioned, Dezignz by Nikki, is home to special gifts for pets and treats for their owners. This is a really unique shop. One team member commented that she would love to try the steakhouse on Highway 15. The festivals are great events to attract visitors, as well as the Doolittle Civil War cemetery. First Impressions ~ June 2007

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39 Using Your Senses What did the community taste like? Was there any specialty food item, bakery, restaurant, or candy store that you will remember? Ice cream at the drugstore and chicken salad at Nikki s gift shop. We ate at a Mexican restaurant, which was OK but not on my must visit again list. What did the community smell like? There were no bad smells. The town smelled clean. What sounds did you hear? The trains coming through the town. It is a quiet town. Very quiet town, all I heard was the sound of traffic. Did you have any experiences that impacted the way the community feels? One team member summed it up by commenting that the stories the chamber director told us about the history of buildings, the plans for more revitalization, and her enthusiasm for her town were very enlightening and encouraging. I would love to participate in one of their tours. Another team member said, Newton has it going on. First Impressions ~ June 2007

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41 Wrap-up What are the five most positive things that you observed about the community? Number one most positive thing was the chamber and the director Landscape of downtown Beautiful neighborhoods Community pride Local families moving back and buying buildings and revitalizing downtown Good street signage Lots of medical facilities La-Z-Boy located in the town and seems to be a big supporter Clean downtown area Brick streets New incoming businesses Nice houses Roxy Theater and Doolittle Cemetery and the story of the history They seem to really love the arts. People were friendly. They know there town. Really nice entrance from I-20 into downtown The murals Opportunity for continued growth and development First Impressions ~ June 2007

42 What are the five biggest obstacles/challenges facing this community? Getting people into Newton off the interstate Need more retail shops downtown Need to have signs in downtown done more professionally Better signage coming into the town where to turn to get downtown Try to get empty buildings filled Decide who you are as a community and what you want to look like as a community 20 years from now Empty buildings with LOTS of potential Hotel space for visitors Lack of apartments or rental properties Need more diversity in shopping and restaurants Decide what to do with the vacant industrial areas downtown How to capitalize on the Civil War heritage What will you remember most about this community six months from now (positive or negative)? Positive: How much restoration and revitalization that has been done and how great the town looks overall. The drugstore. Negative: Hand painted signs downtown and the electric poles blocking building fronts. The attractions Roxy Theater, Train Depot, and Doolittle Cemetery How overall impressed I was with my first impression compared to many other small communities in Mississippi We didn t hear much about the schools, so it makes me wonder about the quality. The area of light industrial use downtown I really didn t expect for the town to look as nice as it did. Newton, Mississippi

43 Describe ONE idea that you will borrow for use in your own business/ community and describe how you will start to implement it within the next 72 hours! Getting a group of volunteers to help with sprucing up the community like the Climb Aboard Newton group. Hiding vacant lots with painted fences and empty buildings with murals inside the windows. First Impressions ~ June 2007

44 first IMPRESSIONS MISSISSIPPI STATE COMMUNITY ACTION TEAM Discrimination based upon race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or veteran s status is a violation of federal and state law and MSU policy and will not be tolerated. Discrimination based upon sexual orientation or group affiliation is a violation of MSU policy and will not be tolerated.