The Only Constant is Chuck’s by Rory Doyle

Private Story

The Only Constant is Chuck’s

Updated Dec 2021

For nearly six months in 2019, the lower Mississippi Delta flooded due to monumental rainfall and a historically high Mississippi River — combined with the key factor of drainage pumps blocked by the Environmental Protection Agency out of fear of destroying a neighboring wetland forest. Roughly 500,000 acres of land remained under stagnant water that had nowhere to go without the pumps.

Agriculture is the regional lifeblood, and the changing climate has presented immense challenges to local farmers and businesses. With COVID-19 presenting additional trials to one of Mississippi’s poorest regions, survival is a real struggle.

The one constant is Chuck’s Dairy Bar in Rolling Fork, Mississippi. Chuck’s is an iconic eatery that has been a mainstay for generations, feeding farming families and serving as a meeting place where locals stay connected. It’s a rare enduring fixture in an area where the economy and population are dwindling.

Rory Doyle

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On Assignment