3 Inspired People – Summer 2015
Columbus teen actress Avani Poindexter uses career to inspire her peers. Scott Reed uses the arts to unify the West Point community. Dr. Roy Ruby retired from MSU but still comes to work every day.
Volvo keeps Alabama Motor Express rolling
By Carmen K. Sisson | Randall-Reilly/Volvo ASHFORD, Ala. — When trucks aren’t rolling, companies lose revenue, and no one knows that better than Taylor White, vice president of Alabama Motor Express in Ashford, Alabama. The family-owned business Alabama Motor Express started off with only a few trucks, but the company…
Selma’s long march, 50 years later
Selma is a reflection, both good and bad, of life in Alabama’s rural Black Belt, where poverty remains entrenched. Selma has both been lifted by and bears the burden of its history. As one of the main cities in this agricultural area, many expect it to forge a renaissance and lead some of the South’s poorest counties back to prosperity while providing a glimmer of hope to an increasingly racially polarized nation.
3 Inspired People – Spring 2015
Tim Brinkley fights crime in West Point with a level head, a steady hand, and a Bible. MSU super fan Ron Caulfield brings happiness to Starkville. Humane Society director Karen Johnwick continues a lifelong commitment to animal rescue.
Mack’s mDRIVE transmission wins fans
Highway Transport has always been a big user of Mack Trucks, Edwards says, and the fleet operates 70 percent Mack. He likes the Mack brand for its heavy-duty strength and durability, but there was one catch: As other haulers moved to automated transmissions, Highway Transport balked, worried about specs and driver response.
In Nashville, steel guitars mix with silicon start-ups
Modern Nashville, Tenn., exudes both a trendy and traditional ethos. It has a relaxed, yet professional atmosphere that appeals to young people. The cost of living is lower here than in many cities. By day, Millennials can make their own rules and create their own business start-up culture. At night, they can enjoy the city’s cultural and culinary offerings.
3 Inspired People — Winter 2014
Pastor Larnzy Carpenter Jr. inspires Starkville with love. Community activist Frances Hairston works to heal Crawford race relations. And history teacher Chuck Yarborough uses the past to improve the future in Columbus.
J.B. Hunt adds new Freightliner Cascadia Evolution to fleet
Alexander “Grey” Feaster has all the symptoms of a man in love. He can’t stop talking about the new lady in his life — her soft voice, her gentle ways, her natural beauty. Feaster, 39, just received the 2015 Freightliner Cascadia Evolution, the newest member of the J.B. Hunt Transport Services fleet.
Book Review: “The Water is Wide,” Pat Conroy
By Carmen K. Sisson | Planet Weekly | GoodReads.com This is hands-down the best book I have read by Pat Conroy, remarkable considering it is his second book, published in 1972 when he was 27. The Water is Wide is a memoir, like most Conroy novels, and it is based on…
Heroes among us: J.B. Hunt reaches out to veterans
Anthony Harris keeps his dog tags hanging inside his truck. Brent Stoufer and Joshua Matson wear camouflage ball caps while on their routes. All three have something in common: They are military veterans and are among the first drivers to participate in Hunt’s Heroes, a new program officially launched in April by J.B. Hunt Transport Services.
3 Inspired People: Fall 2014
Gospel-gabbing used car salesman Allen Jones gives cars to seniors in Caledonia. Music teacher Angie Riffell creates a unique homeschool opportunity in Columbus. And Dorothy Ryland gives West Point residents the keys to the American Dream.
J.B. Hunt owner operator: “You’re charting your destiny …”
“I spoke with my wife and said, ‘Baby, we’re working and making everybody else rich, but we can live real good if we put ourselves out there,” says J.B. Hunt owner operator Anthony Branch. By leasing on as an owner operator, he is able to run his company without having his job run his life.