It is with some pride that I seem to be the first to write about this change of ownership and management. The fact that the Tunica Times has shut it’s doors has made that feat quite a bit easier.
Now for our more distant readers let me take a minute to explain that “Cutoff” is a term which describes loops of the Mississippi River which the Army Corps of Engineers “cut off” as they dredged straighter channels in Ole Man River for easier navigation by barges and ships. The Army Corps of Engineers did this in 13 places along the length of the Mississippi and in each place left behind an oxbow lake for the locals of these regions to fish, hunt and enjoy. One Cutoff in LA has even become Cut Off, Louisiana with it’s own zip code and area code, but we can say with pride that Cut Off, Louisiana does not have our Levee Commissary
Now before anyone starts to panic over these changes, both Tracy and Tara have assured me they don’t plan on changing anything the Levee Commissary has been doing up til now. Propane will still be available, the dinners and lunch specials will remain, bait will still be available, and so far as we know, the night time entertainment will also remain the same with Karaoke, Trivia and Dart Nights. Pool tables and dart boards will remain, as will the Deli, and the Convenience Store in the front will still carry beer and groceries to save us the 7 mile drive into town. And, I am told, that milk will still be available as well. This is wonderful news because the milk from the Levee Commissary always tastes better than the milk from town. I believe this has a lot to do with it being the cheapest milk in Tunica, but I may be wrong and it may be the shorter drive instead.
For those who aren’t local, or who don’t know them, Tracy and Tara Mallet have been our neighbors at Nel-Win camp, but Tara has also been the head of the Nel-Win Homeowners Association. Tracy, her husband, is not only a local Contractor but is a great guy and has been very helpful to those of us who live on the Cutoff, including myself. We locals wish them all the luck in the world and will be more than happy to help them, when and if they need it.
Tara and Tracy tell me that starting in April the Levee Commissary will be open seven days a week. As someone who worked in bars for many years, in various capacities, I truly hope they can manage this without letting it wear them out. I know from experience that as much fun as I had in the bars I worked, those days off were always wonderful and usually never lasted quite long enough. Still. 7 days a week would be very nice indeed.
Perhaps we have saved the best news for last, because we hear that Miss Linda and the ladies who have been doing the cooking for us will still be part of the family. I know I tip every time I go there, whether I buy dinner, deli stuff or just a gallon of milk. I know how hard these folks work. I remember it well. I am much too old for these sort of shenanigans anymore.
One More Change
Up until now, when the fl**d waters (we have escaped these for two years now, I dare not spell it out for fear of creating a jinx) came in the past we, in campers, would move to the Battle Arena, which is named after Paul Battle who operates the Catfish Ponds in the area. In the photo below you can see the camper parking at the top left.
Generally, fl**ds and Arena events have come at different times of the year. Tunica County would allow us to pay a rather reduced rate, when compared to Memphis rates. And if the fl**d was declared as a disaster, Tunica County would refund all our rent – it was rather like going to one of the Casinos in that way. Now, the folks in Nel-Win have homes, on very tall supports, but they still have to provide for electricity with generators, and they must boat from the levee to their homes. At the RV camps – of which Bordeaux Point RV Park is now the only public one remaining – those of us in campers would skedaddle until the water dropped sufficiently.
However, the Battle Arena, lately operated by the County of Tunica, has now closed it’s doors. I am informed that though they stayed open to finish up scheduled events, they are no longer booking events and they are now officially closed. COVID hit Tunica County hard, financially, because of the lengthy closing of the Tunica County casinos and the loss of county revenue during that time.
The Battle Arena’s closing means that in times of fl**d those of us in campers will be skedaddling to one of the local casinos instead, for a slightly higher rate. The noise shouldn’t be much worse than the adjustment required at the Arena, even so, we hope this skedaddling will be held to the absolute minimum since we love staying put on our lake. Those of you in the Ohio, Missouri and Mississippi Valleys can help us out greatly each and every year by sending all your snow East or West, away from Ole Man River. We will thank you when you come to visit.
Bill Frankell
Webmaster
