Business beat

By Staff
Rowland earns national certified counseling
Scot L. Rowland of Marion has attained certification as a national certified counselor through the National Board for Certified Counselors.
Currently employed with the Mississippi State Department of Education as a school attendance officer in Lauderdale County, Rowland joins more than 30,000 counselors certified through the NBCC.
Rowland, who is also a licensed professional counselor, is married to Michelle Whobrey Rowland and has two daughters, AnnaKatharine Bonet and Alexandria Jolie.
He is currently working on a doctorate degree in metaphysics and expects to pursue private practice in the near future.
The NBCC in Greensboro, N.C., is the largest national counselor credentialing organization in the United States. National certification promotes profession accountability and ensures that consumer's rights are protected through the NBCC Code of Ethics.
Certification requirements include a graduate degree in counseling from a regionally accredited institution; supervised post-master's counseling experience; and a passing score on the National Counselor Examination for Licensure and Certification.
Newton's Wal-Mart SuperCenter hosts grand opening Wednesday
Thousands of shoppers are expected to head for Newton's new Wal-Mart SuperCenter, which will celebrate its grand opening at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday.
The new Wal-Mart is at 231 Eastside Drive, just south of Interstate 20.
In addition to announcing community grants and introducing the store manager, the grand opening ceremony will feature the national anthem performed by Randy Cuchens of First Baptist Church.
National Guardsmen will present the colors, Newton County High School cheerleaders will lead the Wal-Mart cheer and a NASCAR simulator will be on site.
Mayor Hamp Beatty, Miss Mississippi Allison Kellogg, Newton County Junior Miss Misty Mayes and Choctaw Indian Princess also will be on hand for the ceremony.
The new Wal-Mart will have more than 107,356 square feet of retail space and employ more than 225 people. It will offer customers a full line of groceries and general merchandise under one roof.
The Newton Wal-Mart SuperCenter will be open from 6 a.m.-11 p.m. seven days a week.
A number of specialty shops will be housed in the store, including a deli cafe, an eat-in diner, a one-hour photo-processing lab, a mobile phone kiosk and a pharmacy. The SuperCenter also will feature four self-checkout lanes.