WJTV – State lottery board select president, lottery expected November 1st
Wicker leads effort to maintain Jones Act
I organized this meeting today with President @realDonaldTrump and am very pleased with the result. The President’s decision to maintain the #JonesAct is a victory for American jobs and national security. https://t.co/Rw1VwyEeEP
— Senator Roger Wicker (@SenatorWicker) May 1, 2019
WDAM – MDE updating teacher pay raise total
The Mississippi Department of Education announced Wednesday that it is working with school districts in the state to verify the number of MAEP-funded teachers and teacher assistants to update the cost of the teacher pay raise.
Once completed, MDE expects to provide the information to lawmakers and work to obtain more money for the pay increase.
“Let me be clear, all teachers and teacher assistants will receive their well-deserved pay raise,” said Dr. Carey Wright, state superintendent of education. “State-funded teachers will receive their raise with state funds. Federally funded teachers will receive their raise with their district’s federal funds.”
MHP graduates 44
Today I was honored to speak at the MHP Class 63 Graduation Ceremony. 44 Cadets took the oath to protect our state. Thank you for giving back to Mississippi by serving in law enforcement and working to make our state the safest place to live. pic.twitter.com/LlcFzPEV9K
— Phil Bryant (@PhilBryantMS) May 1, 2019
WTOK – Tate Reeves tours Delta flooded areas and speaks to Holly Bluff Farmers
Congressman Thompson doesn’t want more funds for border control
WH ask for $4.5 billion in emergency funds for border is already getting pushback on the Hill. @BennieGThompson in a statement: “…we will not appropriate more funds that will add to the chaos and make the problem worse.”
— Priscilla Alvarez (@priscialva) May 1, 2019
“But this crisis is one largely of the Trump Administration’s own making, and we will not appropriate more funds that will add to the chaos and make the problem worse.”
Chairman @BennieGThompson on President Trump’s emergency supplemental request for $4.5B toward border efforts: pic.twitter.com/E93Zbe6hIm
— House Homeland Security Committee (@HomelandDems) May 1, 2019
SUNHERALD – Millions in BP money is headed to South Mississippi. Who’s in charge of it?
A citizens advisory board prepared Wednesday to dig through South Mississippi applications for $57 million in BP economic damage funds the state will receive each year through 2033 because of the 2010 oil spill catastrophe.
Members of the Gulf Coast Restoration Advisory Board questioned how much authority they will really have in selecting projects to fund. Applications will be accepted from the public, nonprofit and private sectors. The Legislature pick projects to be funded based on two layers of advice: what GCRAB recommends to the Mississippi Development Authority, followed by MDA’s recommendations to the Legislature.
MDA Deputy Director Jamie Miller agreed the board will receive applications at the same time they flow into MDA from a web portal. Miller also outlined a tentative time frame for the process:
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- Begin accepting applications June 1.
- Application review begins Aug. 1.
- MDA completes scoring applications by Aug. 31.
- MDA, with input from the committee, finalizes its list of recommended projects by mid-November.
- MDA submits the list to the Legislature on Dec. 1.
Wicker, Coons reintroduce Maritime SAFE Act
Today I reintroduced the #MaritimeSAFEAct w/ @SenCoonsOffice. Our bill would help combat illegal fishing that threatens the safety of our global seafood supply chain and funds illicit activities such as weapons, drugs, and human trafficking. https://t.co/kp3hsgJ9wk
— Senator Roger Wicker (@SenatorWicker) May 1, 2019
Ingalls awarded $931 million contract
More great news for South Mississippi and shipbuilding. https://t.co/34St2l9IHK
— U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (@SenHydeSmith) May 1, 2019
WLOX – Mississippi utility company faces federal investigation over failed power plant
The Southern Co. says it was informed Monday that the U.S. Department of Justice has started a civil investigation into the plant that subsidiary Mississippi Power Co. was building.
Southern said Wednesday that it’s negotiating with the U.S. Department of Energy to resolve and dispose of property at its $7.5 billion Kemper County plant. The Department of Energy gave $387 million to build a first-of-its kind plant turning soft coal into a gas and burning it to generate power, while removing carbon dioxide and other pollutants. Mississippi Power lost $6.4 billion when it decided to operate only part of the plant burning natural gas conventionally.