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Derrick Z. Jackson, fellow | March 16, 2021, 1:15 pm EDT This post is a part of a series on
The gusto of Reopening 2.0 already has epidemiologists bracing for a fourth gale of coronavirus. Instead of gritting teeth for another couple of months before a solid majority of adults are vaccinated, governors and mayors are relaxing or ending restrictions on businesses and public gatherings from Massachusetts to Texas, from California to Mississippi, from Michigan to Utah, from South Carolina to Nevada, from Maryland to Washington, and from New York to Arizona.
Instead of legislatures scrambling for a few more weeks of financial relief to keep businesses and families afloat, we are seeing a mass reopening of business offices, restaurants, sports arenas and stadiums, concert halls, movie theaters, amusement parks, casinos, gyms, bowling alleys, hair salons, barbe
Hattiesburg metro area unemployment rate approaching pre-pandemic level
Hattiesburg area unemployment rate approaching pre-pandemic level By Caroline Wood | March 1, 2021 at 9:53 PM CST - Updated March 1 at 10:11 PM
HATTIESBURG, Miss. (WDAM) - Itâs been 11 months since unemployment rates skyrocketed in the Hattiesburg Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Now, officials say the latest numbers reveal the unemployment rate sits closer to the rate it was prior to COVID-19.
âWhat is most exciting is that we ended out 2020 with an unemployment rate that is down back to around 5.2%,â said Todd Jackson, executive vice president of the Hattiesburg Area Development Partnership.
Though itâs not as low as the 4.2% rate the area saw pre-pandemic, itâs better than it was in April of 2020.
Hattiesburg mayor announces bid for 2nd term Hattiesburg Mayor Toby Barker announced Monday morning that he intends to seek a second term. (Source: Facebook) By Tim Doherty | January 25, 2021 at 11:10 AM CST - Updated January 25 at 11:10 AM
HATTIESBURG, Miss. (WDAM) - After three and a half years in office, Hattiesburg Mayor Toby Barker has announced he will be seeking a second term.
Barker declared his candidacy in a video posted to social media on Monday.
With COVID-19 precautions in mind, Barker pledged to be deliberate in sharing his campaign message with citizens in a safe and responsible way.
“Critical times require serious and steadfast leadership,” Barker said in a news release. “Our first priority is to continue leading our community through this pandemic