Building Bridges in the Delta

In the heart of the Mississippi Delta lies Jonestown, a small town in Coahoma County where deep history meets deep challenges. Surrounded by flat farmland and long shadowed by poverty, Jonestown is turning a corner — led by the recent election of the youngest mayor in Mississippi’s history: 24-year-old Columbus Russell Jr.

Russell officially took office on July 1, ushering in a new era of leadership rooted in optimism and urgency. His vision is clear — revive infrastructure, beautify the town, support the elderly, and give local youth a reason to believe in their future.

“This is my hometown,” he said. “I was born here — it’s a big part of who I am. I know if we can make Jonestown better, it’ll help me, my family, and the entire community. That’s the goal. I want the people in Jonestown to live a good life. I know this town can be better, and that’s why I ran for mayor.”

Columbus Russell Jr., 24, is currently the youngest mayor in Mississippi. He took office in Jonestown on July 1

It’s a tall order in a place where rundown houses, limited business options, and a lack of essential services — from grocery stores to internet access — have made daily life harder for residents. But Russell is determined to bridge the gap between Jonestown and the opportunities that lie beyond its borders.

One of the most promising tools in that effort? Broadband.

Like many Delta towns, Jonestown has long struggled with limited internet access. Only two providers serve the area — AT&T and Uplink — and affordability remains a major barrier. For Russell, expanding broadband access isn’t just about connection — it’s about transformation.

“I feel like the word ‘rural’ says it all,” he said. “We’re already off to the side, out here in the Delta. Just to get to us, you’ve got to turn off the highway and drive 10 or 15 minutes down a road. So at the very least, if we can’t leave, we should be able to connect to the world — whether that’s other towns or across the globe.”

That’s where Communities Unlimited (CU) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) step in.

Through its Community Infrastructure Team, CU has worked alongside Jonestown for more than a decade, helping the town strengthen infrastructure, utility policies, and emergency planning. That foundation paved the way for something bigger: digital access. In 2024, USDA’s Rural e-Connectivity (ReConnect) Program funded a broadband expansion that included Jonestown. In 2025, CU is building on that progress through a USDA Broadband Technical Assistance grant aimed at closing the digital divide in Jonestown and across Coahoma County.

“When USDA was opened by President Lincoln in 1864, he directed us to be ‘the People’s Department’,” said Ken Wiseman, a Management and Program Analyst for USDA broadband programs. “We continue to live up to that directive today.”

A broadband kickoff event hosted by CU on July 9 brought residents, community leaders, and USDA representatives together to shape a shared vision for connectivity. The meeting took place inside the very community center USDA helped fund back in 2008 — a reminder of the agency’s long-term investment in rural places.

From left to right: CU's Broadband Team — Ali Milligan, Jacque Carter Houston, Katy Parish, Mark Pearson, Kaylan Harris, and Catherine Krantz

CU's Area Director of Broadband, Catherine Krantz, speaks to a Mississippi Delta community during the Broadband Team's kickoff meetings in July, part of the USDA Technical Assistance Program

USDA’s Ken Wiseman speaks to a Mississippi Delta community in July as part of the agency’s Technical Assistance Program

Pictured is CU’s Broadband Team discussing broadband issues with a Mississippi Delta community member in July

Roundtable discussion with a local Mississippi Delta Internet Service Provider (ISP), alongside representatives from Communities Unlimited and USDA

Pictured are CU’s Area Director of Broadband, Catherine Krantz, and USDA’s Ken Wiseman speaking with members of a Mississippi Delta community in July

Pictured is CU’s Area Director of Broadband, Catherine Krantz, speaking with members of a Mississippi Delta community in July

Ali Milligan and Katy Parish from CU’s Broadband Team at Force 3 radio station in Helena-West Helena, AR, discussing rural broadband and how the organization’s Technical Assistance Program empowers community members

CU's Interstate Coordinator, Mark Pearson, speaks to a Mississippi Delta community during the Broadband Team's kickoff meetings in July, part of the USDA Technical Assistance Program

CU’s Broadband Team engages in a meaningful discussion with Mississippi Delta community members in July

“When rural America needs help, USDA shows up — and we keep showing up,” Wiseman said. “We believe that your ZIP code should never limit your future, and when rural America succeeds, all of America succeeds.”

CU’s Area Director of Broadband, Catherine Krantz, echoed that message:

“There is a renaissance coming to rural America if we can just get you connected in an affordable, reliable way.”

— Catherine Krantz, CU’s Area Director of Broadband

That kind of momentum is exactly what Russell hopes to build on.

“I can’t do this by myself. I can’t do it with just hope or just faith — I need help. So for them to come in and support us like that, that’s a blessing.”

— Columbus Russell Jr., Mayor of Jonestown

CU’s Broadband Team continued its outreach with kickoff meetings in other Coahoma County communities, as well as in Bolivar County and Phillips County, Arkansas. These gatherings mark the next step in a coordinated effort to build lasting broadband solutions across the Delta.

At just 24, Russell knows he represents more than a changing of the guard — he represents possibility.

“I just hope that me being mayor inspires other young people to get out and help their communities too,” he said. “We’ve got to be the change.”

With leaders like Russell stepping up — and partners like CU and USDA delivering on long-term commitments — the future is looking brighter for Jonestown and for rural communities across the Delta.