I have read and seen movies about Mississippi. I have heard of poor diet, poor education, poor medical, etc. I imagine no state is perfect nor are conditions uniform across the state.
I have learned that the major city of Memphis is right beside the border of Tennessee and Mississippi. So, places like Horn Lake, Mississippi are literally right next to a very urban place. The main intersection of I55 in Horn Lake, like the most developed intersection of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, is a good example of commercial presence of every major chain that consumers and travelers might look for. On a Saturday night, the Horn Lake intersection of many lanes of traffic of dinner seekers make for way more traffic than I am used to. We found 50 minute wait times at both the Red Lobster and the Olive Garden. We were told things were slow that night and usually there is a 90 minute wait.
Further south, in McComb, MS, we stayed in our second brand new, perfectly outfitted hotel for a very low and accommodating price. Good service and friendly people are sharply revising my image of the state of Mississippi.
