Progress is being made on Mississippi County's new promotional website, according to county economic developer Clif Chitwood.
Chitwood said around three dozen county residents have been interviewed for video clips which will be used on the site.
"We've primarily talked to young mothers and families, I'm looking for the response of 'I'm raising my family here and I like it here, it's a good place to live and my kids are getting a good education,'" he said. "In the county, we have seven school districts and 14 communities. You ought to be able to find a place to be happy. Our location has been good in that it's brought a lot of heavy industry and thousands of jobs for people, but the trouble is that now we have to compete with Jonesboro and Marion for where people live, places that have more of the ameneties which people in our present day find important."
The interviews focus on the positive aspects of small community life, as well as families' satisfaction with their homes and school districts.
The website will also have a jobs page and links to all of the county's school districts, real estate listings, recreational opportunities and apartment availabilities.
"Hopefully someone can find a job, a community, a place to live, and do all of that from, say, North Dakota, where their fracking company has just shut down," said Chitwood. "We're planning to advertise the site nationally in areas where people may be looking for jobs and willing to move."
Chitwood also added that he has several smaller economic development projects in the works -- both existing companies who are considering expansions and a few smaller industries looking to locate in Blytheville.
sspears@blythevillecourier.com