Congressman: Stimulus dollars for rural areas, too

The Clarion-Ledger, 3/17/9

Hundreds of people packed into the community meeting room at the Jackson Medical Mall to learn more about the $787 billion federal stimulus package on Monday.

As the federal government begins to dole out funds through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, some state and local officials are still unsure about what they qualify for and how long it will take to get it.

The open forum, led by 2nd District Rep. Bennie Thompson, had people overflowing into the Medical Mall corridor, vying to hear what they need to do to get their hands on a piece of the recovery pie.

Many were community leaders. Others were small business owners, school officials and residents.