Press Release from Dux D’Lux

PRESS RELEASE

Contact: Haley Montgomery, Art Director
Dux D’Lux Advertising
301 C.C. Clark Rd
Starkville, MS 39759
Phone: 662-323-1503
Email: haley.montgomery@duxdlux.com???For Immediate Release

DUX D’LUX ADVERTISING TO HOST ONLINE ?WOMEN IN BUSINESS FORUM
Starkville, MS – March 8, 2010
Dux D’Lux Advertising, a Starkville-based full service advertising agency will host an online Women in Business Forum, March 15 – 26, 2010. The Forum is a creative collaboration between Dux D’Lux and the Paducah, KY-based coaching and consulting company, Her Executive Coach. The Women in Business Forum will be hosted exclusively on the social networking website, Facebook, with discussions featured on the “fan pages” of both companies.
Targeting women entrepreneurs, business professionals and small business owners, the Women in Business Forum aims to provide opportunities for learning, interacting and networking in a unique venue.
“Social networking websites such as Facebook offer unprecedented opportunities for finding resources and sharing expertise. We felt that the collaboration between our two companies on Facebook “fan pages” provided the perfect vehicle for bringing professional women together in a format that was convenient for time-conscious entrepreneurs and small business owners and would also allow for maximum networking opportunities,” said Haley Montgomery, Art Director of Dux D’Lux.
The first week of the Forum event will be hosted at the Her Executive Coach fan page. Jennifer Wyatt, owner and resident business coach for Her Executive Coach will facilitate discussions on small business coaching topics such as assessing current business practices and strengths, shifting or updating business priorities and re-focusing business strategies.
Dux D’Lux Advertising will host the second Forum week on its Facebook page. Haley Montgomery, one of the design and marketing specialists with Dux D’Lux will facilitate discussions on small business marketing including an outline of marketing essentials for small businesses, budget-friendly marketing strategies and ways to market through new media such as social networks and blogs.
“Jennifer Wyatt has collaborated with our staff for more than 8 years in helping to promote and market a number of small business start-ups. When we came up with the idea of an online information-sharing forum, Her Executive Coach was the obvious choice for a partnership,” Montgomery said.
Women in Business Forum online participants are invited to “become a fan” of each company’s Facebook profile before or during the March 15-26 event. Facebook ?“fans “ may view and participate in the ongoing discussions that will be posted throughout the two-week period, as well as download available topic materials. In addition, two “real-time” mentoring sessions are scheduled with Debra Shafer, owner of Dux D’Lux. Debra will field questions and share her perspectives on being a woman entrepreneur and a successful 30-year small business owner.

For more information about the online Women in Business Forum, please visit http://facebook.duxdlux.com

CD: Arsenal of history: Starkville man turns Civil War collection into museum

TIM PRATT

The building sits just off Troy Lane in the Sunset subdivision west of Starkville.

From the outside, it has no distinct features. The brown metal, coupled with white bay doors, gives the 2,200-square-foot structure the appearance of a storage unit. It doesn’t even have an address.

But a step inside takes visitors back to the 1860s.

It’s the Starkville Civil War Arsenal and it opened recently under the auspices of curator Duffy Neubauer, a seasoned battle re-enactor and Civil War artifact collector who has called Starkville home since the early 1970s.

Neubauer, who spends his days as operations coordinator at Mississippi State University’s Humphrey Coliseum, became interested in cannons and other military ordnance when he was growing up in Wisconsin. He became a full-fledged collector 35 years ago and only recently put those items on display at the Starkville Civil War Arsenal.

When visitors enter the Arsenal, they encounter Neubauer dressed in Civil War garb. After a short presentation, visitors can tour the collection of rolling stock and carriages which made up Union and Confederate battery during the Civil War.

Among the collection sits three cannons that were used in the war. One dates back to 1861, another to 1862 and the third was constructed in 1863, though Neubauer built each of the carriages on which they rest. The cannons still fire. Neubauer also put two replica cannons on display.

About two dozen authentic Civil War projectiles, from 3-pound shots to a 100-pound shell, also are featured, along with 150 to 200 period tools, photographs and other items.

Read complete article at Commercial Dispatch.

CD: Woman tries to put out fire, suffers smoke inhalation

TIM PRATT

STARKVILLE — A Starkville woman was treated for minor smoke inhalation this weekend after fire broke out in her home on Highway 25 South and she tried to extinguish the blaze herself.

The Starkville Fire Department was dispatched just before noon Saturday to a duplex at 1429 Highway 25 S., in the Conner Heights subdivision, for a report of a residential fire. The resident, Carlene Ware, had arrived home to find a small fire in the kitchen/laundry area, SFD Chief Rodger Mann said.

Ware attempted to put out the blaze with two fire extinguishers and suffered minor smoke inhalation, Mann said. Starkville firefighters arrived at the scene and extinguished the blaze; Ware was transported to Oktibbeha County Hospital, where she was treated and released, Mann said.

“A small fire can still produce a lot of smoke,” Mann said.

Mann described the damage to Ware’s apartment as “light to moderate,” but said it is now uninhabitable.

Ware and her son, who was not home at the time of the blaze and was not identified by fire officials, were displaced due to the damage, though it is unclear where they are staying now. The Oktibbeha County Red Cross was unaware of the fire when contacted Monday.

Read complete article at Commercial Dispatch.

CD: MSU students arrested for stealing beer

TIM PRATT

The Starkville Police Department arrested two Mississippi State University students Sunday morning for breaking into a convenience store on Highway 182 and stealing several 12-packs of beer.

Officers on patrol responded to an alarm at Sprint Mart, at the corner of Highway 182 and Jackson Street, Sunday between 5 a.m. and 5:30 a.m., SPD Sgt. Chadd Garnett said. When officers arrived at the store, they found one of the front windows busted out with what appeared to be a chunk of concrete, Garnett said.

Read complete article at Commercial Dispatch.

CD: Foster homes needed for Starkville puppies

SPECIAL TO THE DISPATCH

STARKVILLE — Six puppies from the Oktibbeha County Humane Society need temporary foster homes for the next two weeks before being transported to New England where their forever homes await them.

Foster families provide a much-needed service to OCHS as they provide a temporary home where the puppies can experience living in a home setting, socialize with other people and animals, and be observed for any medical or behavioral issues. Foster homes are needed from March 5th until the transport on March 20th. Foster families receive food and supplies to care for the animal(s) they take in. All animals are up-to-date on shots and spayed/neutered.

Read complete article at Commercial Dispatch.

CD: Police still searching for suspects in computer, identity theft cases

TIM PRATT

STARKVILLE — The Starkville Police Department is still searching for two suspects wanted for stealing four touch-screen computers from Wal-Mart over the past three months, and a woman suspected of illegally using another woman’s debit card to purchase items from the same store.

Starkville police last week released security camera photos of two suspects wanted in the computer theft case and have since interviewed one person, but the man had a valid alibi and was not charged with the crime, SPD Detective Landon Stamps said Wednesday.

Police also stopped a car matching the description of a vehicle seen at Wal-Mart during all three computer theft incidents — a white, older-model, box-style Cadillac or Lincoln — but the traffic stop yielded no suspects, Stamps said.

“We have no (additional) leads as of yet …” Stamps said. “At this time, I’ve got a blurry (security camera) picture and that’s about it.”

The latest computer theft took place the evening of Feb. 19, when a black male put two Hewlett Packard touch-screen desktop units in a cart and walked out of the store without paying, despite a greeter’s attempt to stop him, Stamps said. The man is described as middle-aged, between 5 feet 10 inches and 6 feet tall, with a slender build.

It was the second such incident in February.

On Feb. 11, a different man, whom Stamps described as black, about 5-foot-5 to 5-foot-8, and younger than the suspect in the Feb. 19 theft, also attempted to leave Wal-Mart with two HP touch screen computers, but a greeter at the door stepped in front of the cart and put her hand on it to stop him, Stamps said. The suspect then left his cart and ran from the store.

Read complete article at Commercial Dispatch.

CD: Starkville OKs new animal rules, considers bicycle helmet ordinance

TIM PRATT

The Starkville Board of Aldermen on Tuesday approved amendments to the city’s animal control ordinance aimed at improving living conditions for pets.

One of the most prominent amendments limits the amount of time domesticated animals can be chained or tethered to a permanent fixture outdoors. Under the revised ordinance, animals such as dogs can only be bound to a permanent fixture for three hours over any given 24-hour time span.

Another amendment requires pet owners to allow animals to have access to a shelter or climate-controlled area when the National Weather Service issues a cold, winter weather, or heat advisory for the city. The amendments passed unanimously.

Several citizens voiced their opinions on the amendments during a public comment period.

The father and son duo of Dennis and Patrik Nordin both spoke in favor of the ordinance amendments.

“The best way to turn a nice dog into a mean dog is to tether the dog,” Dennis Nordin said. “Dogs are not meant to be tethered. They’re free in nature and they should be free, period.”

“Tethered dogs are dangerous dogs,” he added later.

Ward 7 resident Alvin Turner, however, spoke out against the amendments because he believed it would lead to more dogs running wild in the streets, which, in turn, would create a dangerous situation for city residents.

“If you try to please some, you make enemies with others,” Turner said.

But Patrik Nordin, who spoke immediately after Turner, said Turner’s interpretation is not correct because the city still has a leash law and it would be illegal to let dogs run free. Nordin urged aldermen to approve the amendments.

Read complete article at Commercial Dispatch.

CD: City schools to address policy at forum tonight

BONNIE COBLENTZ

Ten people are on the agenda to speak to the Starkville school board about uniforms, an issue that is hotly contested and on the agenda for a board decision tonight.

In January, the board suddenly took up the issue of uniforms and on a 3-2 vote, directed the superintendent to draw up a school uniform policy. After public outcry, the board voted 3-2 to table the matter until they could hear from the public. Board president Walter Taylor cast the swing vote in both instances, with the sides being otherwise drawn up by Eddie Myles and Pickett Wilson voting in favor of uniforms and Keith Coble and Bill Weeks voting opposed.

The board held a public forum Feb. 11 to allow people on both sides of the issue to state their opinions. The event had a high public turnout despite the time conflicting with a in-conference, Mississippi State University home basketball game.

At the Feb. 16 meeting, the board recognized a first reading of the proposed policy, but took no action. This is their custom when handling the first reading of any proposed policy.

Read complete article at Commercial Dispatch.

CD: Monday Profile: ‘No one day is the same’

TIM PRATT

STARKVILLE — Karen Wenz has worked in hair salons across the Golden Triangle, from Blade’s Hair Styling in Columbus to Tokros in Starkville.

Now, she finally has her own business and it’s located in the heart of Starkville’s Cotton District.

Wenz recently opened Wenz Hair Salon, at the corner of University Drive and Maxwell Street, in the space previously occupied by Boardwalk Beauty Salon.

As Wenz put highlights in the hair of Mississippi State University graduate student Abby Werth Friday afternoon, she talked excitedly about her plans for the shop. She will soon rename it Si Belle, which translates to “So Beautiful” in French. She also plans to redecorate the inside of the shop with her own personal touch.

So how did you get in to the hairstyling business?

I actually graduated from (Mississippi University for Women) in 2000 with a degree in Elementary Education and I realized during my student teaching that it wasn’t my calling in life. I had always been interested in hair and makeup. I had done hair and makeup for two of the plays while I was at MUW, so I took a summer off after I graduated and it started there.

So talk about what you’re doing here.

Well, the opportunity presented itself to buy my own salon, which I’ve always wanted to do, so this is it.

What is it about working at a salon that appealed to you?

You get to meet so many people every day. You are in constant contact with people. There’s that social element. And when you do people’s hair, you make them feel pretty. You kind of make them feel good about themselves and you boost their ego. I’m really just drawn to it. It’s a job that I’m very happy to have and I don’t mind getting out of bed for it in the morning.

Do you have any specialties?

Well, I love to do color, and cut. I will do a perm, but I hate it.

Do you have mostly female customers or do you have males, as well?

Oh, no. I do guys, girls, kids. I have whole families that come to me.

What are some of the difficulties you face as a stylist?

You just have to accept the fact that you’re not going to please everybody. Somebody told me a long time ago, “You can’t take it personally. If one person could do everyone’s hair, there wouldn’t be a need for so many stylists.” So, I always try to follow that motto.

Read complete article at Commercial Dispatch.

CD: Police: No leads in tire vandalism

TIM PRATT

STARKVILLE — The Starkville Police Department is still searching for a suspect or suspects who slashed tires on a half-dozen vehicles last weekend.

The incidents occurred late Saturday night or early Sunday morning, SPD Sgt. Chadd Garnett said.

The suspect or suspects slashed the front and rear passenger-side tires of a vehicle parked along Lampkin Street, Garnett said. Tires on five other vehicles parked near the intersection of South Nash Street and Lummus Street in the Cotton District also were slashed, Garnett said. One vehicle on Nash Street had both rear tires slashed, while the remaining four vehicles each had only one tire slashed, Garnett said.

Police believe a flathead screwdriver or knife with a small blade was used in the crimes. Six different vehicle owners reported the incidents to the Starkville Police Department Sunday between 11:51 a.m. and 12:36 p.m.

Read complete article at Commercial Dispatch.

Next Page »