Negative stories have swarmed about the city of Fayette in recent years, with a spotlight as big as the CBS &uot;60 Minutes&uot; television program shining on a town that had grown a reputation for giving plaintiff lawyers what they sought &045;&045; multi-million-dollar settlements in class-action lawsuits.

High unemployment, diminishing productivity, empty buildings, loss of population and other problems associated with a small rural town on its last leg were conditions that have threatened to put the last nail in the coffin.

Enter two Fayette natives who said, &uot;Whoa, wait just a minute&uot; and set about in 1995 to set the stage for positive changes.

&uot;Other communities have come back from these problems,&uot; said Walter Huston, who, with his partner Volley Davis, founded and operates the Phoenix Project Community Development Agency in Fayette.

&uot;We used the name Phoenix to refer to the mythical bird that rose from the ashes. In Jefferson County, there is a lot of hopelessness. We want to change that. It’s not totally hopeless here.&uot;

The two men are passionate in the pursuit of a new attitude for Fayette residents and of a pride that can come with changes such as jobs and home ownership. The challenge is huge, they acknowledged.

&uot;A majority of us have not sued anybody,&uot; Huston said. &uot;And we haven’t gotten huge windfalls from a lawsuit.&uot; Further, latest surveys show a decline in those types of lawsuits in the county since the surge of publicity in 2003.

Elected officials are doing the best they can, Huston said. But they are constrained in ways that a private foundation is not. &uot;It’s hard with what they have to go up against, too,

with the national press calling Jefferson County a judicial hell hole,&uot; he said. &uot;Of course it’s tough to attract business, industry or new residents. But just because it’s tough doesn’t mean it’s impossible.&uot;

With his certification in economic development from the prestigious

University of Oklahoma program only one session from completion, Huston, a former city planner and county planner, spends most of his time encouraging entrepreneurs and young leaders.

Davis focuses on education, working with school children to capture their youthful enthusiasm and plant seeds of hope for a future in their hometown, he said.

&uot;We are moving in a positive way. It’s not big. But we’re not dead. We’re still struggling, but positive things are happening.&uot;

Davis pointed to the main commercial block of Main Street, where for the past three years, empty buildings have become home to new businesses.

The Phoenix partners do not take credit for the revival on Main Street, but they believe a change in attitude is emerging. &uot;The building fronts have been renovated, and there are businesses inside all the buildings,&uot; Davis said. &uot;We have a new bakery, an auto parts store, a book store, a print shop and a tailor shop that are new.&uot;

At the south end of Main Street is a new agency, Helping Hand, an organization that helps people in times of disaster or dire need.

Huston went away to college, received a bachelor’s degree in history and criminal justice and spent some time in military service.

&uot;I spent four years in the service, and I saw how other places were. I know what we can do in Jefferson County, and I am passionate about trying to do it. It’s what makes me get up every morning.&uot;

Volley, too, went away to college, attending Jackson State University to receive a bachelor’s degree in special education and then a master’s degree in special education from Alcorn State University.

&uot;Coming up during a nation-changing time we call the Civil Rights Era, I decided I could bring something to my community,&uot; he said. &uot;I work with a lot of education agencies, such as Head Start and the public schools. We did a mentor program for three years in the elementary schools.&uot;

Getting the young people involved is a major goal. &uot;My theory is that we will begin to see more of a change when we can get our youth involved in leadership training,&uot; Davis said.

Both Huston and Davis participated in an adult leadership program sponsored by Mississippi State University. They developed a close relationship with Dr. Albert Myles of the MSU Cooperative Extension Program, who continues to advise them.

&uot;We’re now doing an out-shopping survey to see what’s going out of the community so we can try to provide those services in this community right here,&uot; Huston said.

The Phoenix Project assists entrepreneurs with business plans and financial plans. &uot;Our organization is here to assist. We’d like to be a resource. If we don’t have something someone needs, we know how to find it,&uot; Davis said.

They have written grants for technical training preparation for the Jefferson County Vocational School and have applied for funds to help low-income families make down payments on homes. &uot;Our nonprofit is certified by the Mississippi Development Authority as a housing authority for Jefferson County,&uot; Huston said. &uot;We’re always looking for sources to help the people &045;&045; government or private foundation.&uot;

Many of their successes have been intangible. However, the partners are certain their efforts will continue to bear fruit. &uot;And we have what I call a hard-headed mentality,&uot; Huston said.