Year: 2021

Boil water notice issued for 174 Scott County customers Skip to content ✕ × Close Ad

JACKSON, Miss. (Mississippi Today) – The 14-member Legislative Budget Committee, with Gov. Tate Reeves breaking tradition and not attending, adopted a revenue estimate Wednesday for the coming fiscal year of $6.49 billion — a $566 million increase over the projection used to develop the budget for the current fiscal year.
State law requires the governor and budget committee to agree on a revenue estimate to begin the task of developing a budget for the new fiscal year, which begins July 1, 2022. […]

299 new coronavirus cases, 4 additional deaths in Mississippi Skip to content ✕ × Close Ad

Pike County deputies work to solve two 2021 homicides Skip to content ✕ × Close Ad

Pike County deputies need help solving 2020 deadly hit-and-run case Skip to content ✕ × Close Ad

One of the biggest advantages a state can have in attracting jobs and economic development today is a significant amount of renewable power. In fact, states that cannot provide ample renewable energy are typically eliminated from site searches by companies looking to locate or expand.
To meet that demand and increase Mississippi’s competitiveness, Entergy Mississippi is making its largest-ever commitment to renewable resources. The company plans to replace some aging natural gas plants with 1,000 megawatts of renewable energy, such as solar, over the next five years. Called EDGE for “Economic Development with Green Energy”, the strategy is two-fold: give Mississippi an edge in recruiting industry while simultaneously giving Entergy customers an effective hedge against volatile natural gas prices.
“The EDGE plan will provide major benefits to the customers and communities we serve,” said Haley Fisackerly, Entergy Mississippi president and CEO. “Having significant renewable power is as important to large companies as a state’s tax and incentive structure, site availability and labor force.
“Adding more renewable energy will put Mississippi communities in a better position for industrial recruitment, while also diversifying our power generation portfolio at a time of rising natural gas prices,” he added. “Along with the nuclear power provided by Grand Gulf, this would give our customers diverse, sustainable, reliable, clean and affordable power for years to come.”
Under the EDGE plan, Entergy Mississippi would add 500 MW of renewable power to its portfolio by 2025 and another 500 MW by 2027. This would increase renewable power as a percentage of the company’s total power generation portfolio from less than 1% to 17% in three years and almost one-third in only five years. This increase would give Entergy Mississippi the fastest-growing renewable power portfolio in the state and one of the fastest-growing in the country. Currently, natural gas makes up the majority of the company’s power generation portfolio. Communities will also see the benefits of new construction jobs and new tax revenue as a result of these renewable power plants all being built locally.
“Entergy’s EDGE plan will help Mississippi in its efforts to become energy independent, and increase the already wide range of energy options available to customers,” said Gov. Tate Reeves. “Entergy’s new power generation plan will help put Mississippi in an even better position to recruit job creators and contribute to our state’s economic growth.”
Mississippi’s public service commissioners also support the effort to bring more renewable power to Mississippians.
“It’s clear that economic development across the nation is moving faster by the day toward states that harness and develop clean, renewable energy,” said Northern District Commissioner Brandon Presley. “The fact is we can’t expect to compete in the modern economy without a strategy for providing the business community with clean, renewable power. I applaud Entergy’s efforts to develop this major project and look forward to the successes it will bring.”
Central District Commissioner Brent Bailey also noted the desire by companies for more renewable energy and pledged to work with the company.
“The national transition to a cleaner, more diversified energy generation portfolio is undeniable,” Bailey said.  “Many factors are driving this change, including the desire by private and public sector customers to access renewable energy resources.  My office will work with Entergy Mississippi to ensure these new energy resources are responsibly considered in a timely manner and in a way that enhances reliability and affordability.”
Chairman Dane Maxwell of the Southern District applauded the plan as well.
“With my business and economic development background, I am always looking for projects and programs that bring jobs and economic benefits to our Mississippi communities,” Maxwell said. “I’d like to commend Entergy Mississippi for their effort in providing additional renewable energy options for consumers through their EDGE plan.”
Entergy Mississippi will begin issuing requests for proposals for multiple renewable projects in early 2022. The company would then take the finalized plans to the Mississippi Public Service Commission for review and potential approval later in the year.
“We look forward to working with the Mississippi Public Service Commission and Mississippi Public Utilities Staff to implement this plan, and with the Governor and the Mississippi Development Authority to spread the word to business leaders around the globe that this renewable power will soon be available in Mississippi,” said Fisackerly.
Entergy Mississippi is already in the process of replacing some of the energy produced by recently-retired natural gas plants with renewable energy. The company’s partner, Recurrent Energy, broke ground in August on a 100-megawatt solar facility in Sunflower County that will power approximately 16,000 homes when it goes in service next year.
Entergy Mississippi’s EDGE plan is another significant milestone in Entergy Corporation’s continued transformation of its power generation portfolio, meeting customers’ needs with clean, efficient and diversified sources of electricity while maintaining some of the lowest retail rates in the country. Entergy’s investments in its generation portfolio transformation have resulted in substantial reductions in the company’s greenhouse gas emissions and provided significant savings to customers from lower fuel costs. Learn more about Entergy’s growth in renewable energy generation at entergy.com/renewable-energy. […]

Natchez police arrest man for armed robbery, kidnapping Skip to content ✕ × Close Ad

In honor of their service and sacrifice, active duty military personnel and veterans can enjoy a free meal at Bok Homa Casino in Philadelphia.  Lucky’s Restaurant will offer a Blue Plate Special – hamburger steak with onions, bell peppers, brown gravy over rice, a roll, and a drink for Veterans Day, Thursday, November 11th from 11am until 3pm.
To receive the free meal, active duty personnel and veterans who are members of the Bok Homa Rewards Club can visit the Cage on November 11th for a meal voucher.  Simply show proof of military service (i.e. Military ID card, DD214, Veterans Affairs department card).  If you are not a Bok Homa Rewards Club member, signing up is quick, easy, and free.
COVID-19 safety protocols remain in place at Bok Homa Casino.   All guests of Bok Homa Casino will be temperature screened before entering.  Limited dine-in seating is available at Lucky’s.
For more information call 1.866.447.3275. […]

The Office of Special Counsel (OSC) issued a report Tuesday, which found that former Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official Chad Wolf violated the Hatch Act by presiding over a naturalization ceremony that was shown during the 2020 Republican National Convention.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​The Hatch Act, a federal law passed in 1939, limits certain political activities of federal employees, as well as some state, D.C., and local government employees who work in connection with federally funded programs. ​The law’s purposes are to ensure that federal programs are administered in a nonpartisan fashion, to protect federal employees from political coercion in the workplace, and to ensure that federal employees are advanced based on merit and not based on political affiliation.​​​​ ​​
Mississippi Congressman Bennie Thompson, Chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, sent a letter to OSC on August 26, 2020, calling for an investigation. Thompson released the following statement on the OSC’s findings.
“Mr. Wolf, who was illegally appointed to the position of Secretary of Homeland Security, had a pattern of politicizing the Department’s non-partisan, national security mission, and this unprecedented politicization of a naturalization ceremony was no different. I am pleased that OSC concurred that Mr. Wolf violated the Hatch Act by engaging in political activity while acting in an official capacity.
“OSC’s report also highlighted several challenges that substantially affected its ability to enforce compliance with the Hatch Act by Mr. Wolf and several other senior Trump Administration officials. I look forward to working with my colleagues in Congress to address these issues so political appointees cannot completely disregard the requirements of the Hatch Act as occurred under the last administration.”
Click here to read the full report. […]

Jackson leaders host summit to discuss crime in Ward 4 Skip to content ✕ × Close Ad