Mississippi News
Community colleges get $1.4 million grant to train more lineworkers from Accelerate Mississippi
Community colleges get $1.4 million grant to train more lineworkers from Accelerate Mississippi
Mississippi's year-old workforce office, Accelerate Mississippi, has given an $1.4 million grant to a pair of community colleges grow their utility lineworker program.
The grant will fund Meridian Community College and East Central Community College's efforts to double the number of lineworkers they train and help fill jobs needed by Mississippi Power and the East Mississippi Electric Power Association. The colleges, which are about 30 miles apart, serve six rural counties: Lauderdale, Leake, Neshoba, Newton, Scott and Winston.
“This is a quality program to train, equip and deploy utility lineworkers throughout their region,” said Accelerate Mississippi executive director Ryan Miller. “They provide an incredible service. In our minds, they're first responders.”
Accelerate Mississippi oversees tens of millions of dollars, including a $25 million pot collected via an unemployment insurance tax on businesses called workforce enhancement training – or “WET” – funds.
Last year, the office awarded nearly $1 million to Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College to fund a diesel technician program, another field with high demands for workers.
Mississippi Power and the East Mississippi Electric Power Association had expressed a demand to the colleges already for skilled workers, especially for underground linemen, to install broadband cables as the state works to extend internet access to rural areas.
The colleges wrote in their application to the workforce office that a number of jobs had been lost in “one of the nation's most economically distressed regions” because of layoffs and business closures. They identified advanced manufacturing, health care, and energy work as having the most potential employment opportunities for their part of the state.
But there is a gap between the region's demand for certain jobs and the skills of their population.
“This was two community college colleges combining forces to apply for WET funds,” said Miller. “It's exactly what we hope to see: let's coordinate on resources to meet and address a need that is out there.”
The colleges expect to train up to 48 new utility workers over each 16-week session. Trainees can find jobs with wages between $21.75 and $31.56 an hour, according to data from the state employment security office.
Students will leave the program with the skills needed to perform electrical work both high on poles and underground.
The bulk of the funding is going to pay for the equipment – from a bucket truck to a mini excavator – needed to train more students.
This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
Mississippi News
Houston police search for park vandals
SUMMARY: The Joe Brigance Memorial Park in Houston was vandalized by at least two individuals with the nicknames “Spooky” and “Draco.” The Houston Police Department is looking for the culprits responsible for tagging most of the playground equipment with a paint marker. The park is located across from Houston High School and authorities are urging anyone with information to contact them. The police want those responsible to clean up their mess and are seeking community assistance in identifying the vandals. Images of the vandalism were shared on social media in hopes of generating leads.
The post Houston police search for park vandals appeared first on www.wcbi.com
Mississippi News
Mississippi lawmakers running out of time to pass Medicaid expansion
SUMMARY: Lawmakers in Mississippi did not hold a vote on Medicaid expansion and instead decided to continue negotiations on the compromise measure. House Democrats opposed the plan privately, fearing the inclusion of a work requirement. They argue that a work requirement would not be effective and could jeopardize Medicaid expansion efforts. Lawmakers have until Thursday to reach an agreement on the issue. Failure to do so could mean Medicaid expansion will not move forward. Rep. Robert Johnson III expressed concerns about the work requirement and its impact on the Medicaid expansion proposal.
The post Mississippi lawmakers running out of time to pass Medicaid expansion appeared first on www.wjtv.com
Mississippi News
Jackson man accused of killing mother in shooting
SUMMARY: Michael Grayer, 43, has been arrested and charged with the murder of his mother, Charlean Grayer, in Jackson. The body of Charlean Grayer, 68, was found with a single gunshot wound inside their home on Stokes Robertson Road. Initially, Michael Grayer claimed to have found his mother's body, but evidence led to his arrest. He was charged with murder after investigators recovered a single shell casing at the scene. The incident occurred on Tuesday, January 23, and Michael Grayer was arrested on Wednesday, May 1.
The post Jackson man accused of killing mother in shooting appeared first on www.wjtv.com
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