What better news to buoy us into balloon race weekend than a new business locating in downtown Natchez.

After months of wooing, the Kinard Group has made it official &045;&045; it will bring a 25-job call center to the city, the first expansion from its Jackson base.

While we realize that 25 jobs cannot replace that hundreds lost in manufacturing plant closures over the past few years, the Kinard deal represents the kind of economic development that experts tout: a small company that can help diversify the economy, bringing us closer to our employment goals.

Twenty-five to 30 jobs &045;&045; even 50 jobs &045;&045; may not seem like a lot compared to an International Paper mill, but imagine several small companies with a variety of positions and skills locating here.

Together their impact is greater, and if one closes, we don’t feel the brunt of a major factory closing.

This is the kind of shot in the arm our economic development effort needs &045;&045; it may be a smaller company, but Kinard is the first major positive announcement of new jobs at a new company we have had in some time.

The Kinard Group’s choice to put a call center in Natchez also emphasizes the hard work done by our EDA and local officials, who have worked for many months to lure the company here.

Other communities in Mississippi lobbied for the expansion, but Natchez, this time, came out the winner.

Kodi Kinard said it was that hard work on the part of the EDA and other officials that helped seal the deal. And it didn’t hurt that Natchez, she said, &uot;felt like home.&uot;

So to the Kinards, we offer not just a welcome, but a welcome home.