A new I.O. Metro furniture store in Ridgeland, MS opens to the public Friday.

The store will be located in mixed-use development Renaissance at Colony Park on Highland Colony Parkway in Ridgeland MS.

Self-described as "not your typical furniture store," I.O. Metro offers eclectic import furniture, home accessories, art, lighting and more.

The Ridgeland, MS store is I.O. Metro's first entry into Mississippi. Arkansas-based I.O. Metro, LLC has 11 stores nationwide, concentrated in the Midwest and the South.

Renaissance is an open-air development, which includes 60 retail stores, several upscale restaurants, a gourmet grocery, a hotel and multiple office buildings.

About half of Renaissance's retail stores have opened. Retailers opening soon included Mint Restaurant, Maggie Moo's ice cream, Lucky Brand Jeans, Sleepstore by Miskelly, Bath Junkie, Red Square Clothing, Wine Bistro, Wine Market, a salon and day spa and Hyatt Place Hotel, said Renaissance spokeswoman Jan Mattiace.

Ready to make your next move?  We have several Homes for Sale in Madison MS, Brandon MS, and Ridgeland MS.  Search the local MLS for 1000's of homes in the Jackson, MS  Metro area.

If you're Relocating to Brandon MS or live in this area and would like to view some of the homes currently listed on the market call Herrington Realty Co. today at 601-977-1114.

Looking for a home on the Reservoir? You will find everything you want in the Brandon MS area. The City of Brandon MS is a great place to live and is served by the Rankin County School District.

The 10th annual A Kid's World will be held Saturday Aug.16, at the Mississippi Trade Mart in Jackson, MS.

A Kid's World, presented by Clear Channel Radio, is an interactive entertainment event for children and their parents offering opportunities to shop, play and sample products. Other features include multiple space jumps, inflatable obstacle courses, face painting, costumed characters, a petting zoo, magicians, clowns, two 18- foot slides and a rock-climbing wall ... all under one air-conditioned roof!

This year Kids World is "Going Green" and Medicaid of Mississippi presents Marvel Superheroes Spiderman, Iron Man and Captain America teaching kids how to conserve energy and resources while saving the Earth. They will perform two shows at 11:30 a.m. and 2:15 p.m. There will also be an autograph session following each show.

Inky the Clown will do two live shows on the main stage. The show includes juggling balls, clubs, rings, axes, fire and the crowd's favorite bowling balls; hilarious magic tricks, balancing plates on sticks and balloon animals. Inky is a local favorite and definitely a Kid's World favorite.

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Hyatt Place Hotel, located in mixed-use development Renaissance at Colony Park in Ridgeland,  MS is expected to open in late September, said Shawna Brown, spokeswoman for InterMountain Management, LLC, the company that will own and operate the hotel.

The $16 million, six-story hotel will feature spacious guestrooms and an indoor pool among other amenities.

The hotel is housed on the 75-acre Renaissance property on Highland Colony Parkway I Ridgeland MS among retail stores, restaurants, a gourmet grocery store and office buildings.

While many Ridgeland, MS residents are excited about the hotel's opening, some have expressed concern about the building's height.

Ridgeland, MS buildings may have a maximum of four stories, according to the city's zoning ordinances.

Hyatt Place was granted a special exception and conditional use permit by the Board of Aldermen earlier this year, which allows the additional levels.

The building was first approved in 2006, but aldermen revolted on the design plans this year because there was no public notice for the 2006 public hearing held for the building

Ready to make your next move?  We have several Homes for Sale in Madison MS, Brandon MS, and Ridgeland MS.  Search the local MLS for 1000's of homes in the Jackson, MS  Metro area.

If you're Relocating to Brandon MS or live in this area and would like to view some of the homes currently listed on the market call Herrington Realty Co. today at 601-977-1114.

Looking for a home on the Reservoir? You will find everything you want in the Brandon MS area. The City of Brandon MS is a great place to live and is served by the Rankin County School District.

Preparations are under way for the annual Hilton Bowl Tailgate Party to be held Tuesday, Aug. 19 at Jackson, MS Hilton.  To kickoff the Mississippi football season, the Jackson MS Metro area Chambers of Commerce and the Hilton Jackson host The Hilton Bowl Tailgate 2008 from 5 to 7 p.m. Aug. 19 at the hotel, 1001 E. County Line Road Jackson, MS. The event will feature live entertainment, giveaways, and plenty of food and discounted beverages.

Around this time each year, Hilton Jackson Hotel invites local chambers of commerce as well as the public to come out and celebrate the start of Mississippi's football season with them with a big bang.

This year's tailgate extravaganza will go down Aug. 19 at the hotel, located at the intersection of County Line and Ridgewood Roads.

"It's so much fun," said Vassallo, an alum of Texas Christian University but also a fan of Ole Miss because her husband, Steve, went there.

"This has become such a great annual event. It's like a tradition."

Held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m, the party features free grub, fight songs, networking opportunities and door prizes, said Janna Hughes, a Hilton Jackson spokeswoman.

"You can sign up for door prizes that correspond with the school you're going for," Hughes said.

The hotel will be decked out with the colors, flags and other memorabilia from the state's major schools: Ole Miss, Mississippi State, the University of Southern Mississippi and Jackson State. Each school will have its own tailgating tent.

"They do a beautiful job of decorating," Vassallo said. "When you walk in, you think you're outside (because) they've got tents and cars. But you're inside."

Hughes said the chambers of commerce in Madison MS, Ridgeland MS, Madison County, MS, Jackson MS and Rankin County MS will be coming out to represent their chambers and root for their favorite teams.

Ridgeland, MS chamber executive director Linda Bynum said she's looking forward to doing some networking at the event.

"It's always fun as well as beneficial to network and meet business and community leaders who are members of other area chambers," she said.

"The Hilton's Tailgate Bowl gives everyone an opportunity to make new friends, reacquaint with old friends and enjoy great refreshments and door prizes."

Hughes said the annual tailgate party is their "thank you" to the local chambers.

"It's the Hilton's way to thank the chambers for everything they do. They do so much to support the businesses and to help promote the businesses.

"We just want to show the chambers support."   There's no cost to attend the party.

Ready to make your next move?  We have several Homes for Sale in Madison MS, Brandon MS, and Ridgeland MS.  Search the local MLS for 1000's of homes in the Jackson, MS  Metro area.

If you're Relocating to Brandon MS or live in this area and would like to view some of the homes currently listed on the market call Herrington Realty Co. today at 601-977-1114.

Looking for a home on the Reservoir? You will find everything you want in the Brandon MS area. The City of Brandon MS is a great place to live and is served by the Rankin County School District.

Tonight, people across America and folks right here in Madison County, MS will flick on their porch lights and invite the neighbors over as part of the 25th annual National Night Out, known as "America's Night Out Against Crime."

Several Madison County, MS neighborhood associations and watch groups are participating in the national one-night event, while a Ridgeland, MS business has decided to get involved in the event for the first time.

The brainchild of the National Association of Town Watch, National Night Out gives neighbors a chance to meet and greet each other with the goal of preventing crime.

"It's a wonderful opportunity for communities nationwide to promote police-community partnerships, crime prevention and neighborhood camaraderie," said NATW Executive Director Matt Peskin, on the NATW Web site.

Neighbors are encouraged to participate in the event by holding a front porch vigil - a tradition of National Night Out - or hosting a block party, cookout, ice cream social or other gathering to help get to know each other better.

Traditionally, local law enforcement officials and city officials make their rounds to the various neighborhood events to introduce themselves.

Five Ridgeland, MS neighborhoods are participating this year, said Ridgeland Crime Prevention Officer Mike Raffield, who has been instrumental in organizing National Night Out in Ridgeland, MS Assistant Canton, MS Police Chief Bracy Coleman said three Canton neighborhoods are registered to hold events tonight.

For the first time, a Ridgeland, MS business has gotten involved, Raffield said.

"We have never had a business get involved with this event. We are hoping that some other businesses will get involved next year."

The business, Centerpoint Energy, has agreed to host National Night Out at its office for all the Commerce Park "neighbors."

"My boss Tina Lakey thought that would be a good fit for us with us being in the industrial park," said Centerpoint Senior Marketing Consultant Cheryl Mitchell.

"We would like to involve everyone in the industrial park and get to know our neighbors."

Mitchell said Centerpoint plans on having a speaker, ice cold watermelon, ice cold bottled water and door prizes.

While Mitchell sees National Night Out as a fun social event, she said there's a higher purpose - to be able to watch out for each other once offices close for the day.

"There's not very many people here after hours."

Coleman said police officials, Mayor Fred Esco and members of The Board of Aldermen will be visiting the East Academy Neighborhood Association, new subdivision Northgate and the Guardian Angels group near Nichols Middle.

"We will be coming through the neighborhoods observing what they have done for National Night Out," Coleman said.

"They can talk about what they've been doing in their neighborhood, and they can talk about some of the things they would like to see done in their neighborhood."

Bill Cook, Montrachet Homeowners Association president, has been participating in National Night Out for many years.

He predicts 60 to 70 people will make it to the Ridgeland MS neighborhood's cookout.

"We usually have a big crowd up here," Cook said.

Cook said building police-community partnerships is a sure-fire way to quell crime.

"They (police) come through here three or four times a day. I know all of them. They're real instrumental in taking care of problems if there is a problem.

"We've only had one house break-in in five years, and they caught them the same day."

Last year, more than 35 million people nationwide participated in National Night Out.

The inaugural event was held in 1984 with 2.5 million people participating.

Contact The Herrington Realty Company today for all of your real esate needs.  We have a Team of Experts waiting to assist you with your next move.  If you need to sell your home we can help with that too.  Contact us today to start the process.

Ready to make your next move?  We have several Homes for Sale in Madison MS, Brandon MS, and Ridgeland MS.  Search the local MLS for 1000's of homes in the Jackson, MS  Metro area.

If you're relocating to the Jackson MS Metro Area or live in this area and would liketo view some of the homes currently listed on the market call Herrington Realty Co. today at 601-977-1114.

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