THE BASIS OF MISSISSIPPI'S RECOVERY:

Hispanics ride storm surge to Mississippi (Bob Dart, May 13, 2006, COX NEWS SERVICE)

Lucio's Mundo Latino Grocery opened recently between the oyster po' boy place and the barbecue shack on U.S. 90.

In a state where the Census Bureau said only 1.7 percent of the populace was Hispanic in 2004, the new store with shelves full of Spanish-labeled foodstuffs is another sign of how the worst storm in Mississippi history has changed the coastal culture, perhaps forever.

"I saw all these Hispanic workers coming here to do construction after Katrina" struck in August, said owner Mario Cano, who lost his Mexican restaurant and house in nearby Pass Christian.

"I kept waiting for the [Small Business Administration, Federal Emergency Management Agency], all these agencies to help me rebuild. But nothing was coming through," he said. "I've got bills to pay, a family to support."

He saw a new market niche and jumped in.

"I stocked Latin products -- the kinds of foods they couldn't find in Wal-Mart," Mr. Cano explained. "I'm building a kitchen in the backroom to prepare hot food to go."

No state needs such an influx mnore than the most backwards.

Posted by Orrin Judd at May 13, 2006 9:52 AM