Brothers Brian and Dann Battistone of Las Vegas, Nevada join with several of America’s and the world’s top tennis players competing in the USTA Men’s professional Fitz Challenger tournament this week, bringing with them one of the sport’s newest and most innovative tools. The Battistones, who are competing in singles and doubles play, are official representatives for Natural Tennis, the company that has designed, the “Natural Power Grip” racquet, featuring an amazing double handle. The racquet is approved for professional play.

Tunica National Golf and Tennis Center began hosting the United States Tennis Association (USTA) Pro Circuit “Fitz Challenger” tennis tournament last week, welcoming some of the top men’s professional tennis players in the world to the Delta and Tunica County.

The Fitz Challenger is one of only two USTA Challengers held on clay courts in 2008 and TNGT has hosted this event since 2005, when the current world ranked number 8 player James Blake took top honors. This year’s tournament will run through Saturday, May 10, 2008.

Several U.S. players ranked within the Top 100 worldwide will be making up the top seeds in Tunica this year, including John Isner, listed at 82; Donald Young at 73; and Bobby Reynolds, listed at 77 worldwide.

Eighteen year old Young is entered as a wild card player and the number one seed in the tournament, having become the youngest player to reach the Top 100, the leading money winner, and winner of three doubles titles as well as the Junior Wimbledon title in 2007. [more]

With the help of “Professor Popcorn,” local Extension Service Food and Nutrition Education Program Agent Renita Wooten explains to local first grade students the importance of eating balanced meals. She also discussed how agricultural products, many grown right here in Tunica County, make up a large portion of what humans consume each and every day. Wooten travels to local classrooms each month to speak with students about nutrition.

“The kids think this is wonderful,” said Tunica Academy first grade teacher Kay Hill during the Tunica County Soil and Water Conservation District’s annual Farm Day. “This is a great trip for the kids to learn about what they see every day in this area, the different farm crops and the livestock animals. They see it and now they know what it is used for. They learn so much. I learn a lot too. I learned things today about the cows that I didn’t know.”

The most recent Farm Day event marked the fifth straight year representatives from TCSWCD, Tunica County Extension Service, and the Farm Service Agency have hosted the event. Each year, Farm Day brings first grade and kindergarten students from all schools in Tunica County together at Paul Battle Arena to find out why farming is one of the most important jobs on the planet. [more]