David Plazas is the director of opinion and engagement for the USA TODAY Network Tennessee.
The City of Ripley in Lauderdale County is more than 150 miles west of the state capital Nashville.
The two communities are distinct in many ways.
Ripley is a rural city of about 8,000 people in West Tennessee, while nearly 700,000 denizens reside in Nashville, from its urban core to its suburbs to its rural areas, in Middle Tennessee.
Whereas 63.3% of Lauderdale County voters preferred Donald Trump in the 2020 election, 64.5% of Nashville-Davidson County voters favored Joe Biden.
The man who is mayor of Ripley is the former Democratic leader of the Tennessee House of Representatives and one of the last Democratic lawmakers from rural Tennessee, which has become increasingly red over the last decade.
Pine Belt airports receive federal dollars for improvements Hattiesburg-Laurel Regional Airport will receive more than $1.1 million to construct and improve safety areas and security enhancements. (Source: WDAM) By Tim Doherty | May 14, 2021 at 2:22 PM CDT - Updated May 14 at 2:22 PM
WASHINGTON, D.C. (WDAM) – Three Pine Belt airports were among the 10 in Mississippi to be awarded Federal Aviation Administration grants for improvements and upgrades.
The Hattiesburg-Laurel Regional Airport received the third-largest outlay, awarded more than $1.1 million “to construct and improve safety areas and security enhancements”.
“Mississippi’s airports keep passengers and commerce moving across our state,” said United States Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.). “This latest round of grants from the FAA will help airports make upgrades that improve service, safety, and security.”
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Plans moving forward for Fourth of July and Chocolate Festival
Suzette Lowe
Reporter
The Events Committee for the City of Ripley is doing just what the name implies. The group is already making plans for the Fourth of July and the annual Chocolate Festival.
Mayor Carolyn Rader shared with City Council the basic plan that the committee, which consists of Rader, Bobbi Ferrell, Matt Anderson, and Mike Ruben, has been discussing.
“This year the Fourth of July falls on a Sunday,” she said. “Our suggestion is to hold the parade and fireworks on Saturday. This gives us a little leeway for the fireworks in case there’s rain.”