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Community colleges get $1.4 million grant to train more lineworkers from Accelerate Mississippi

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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 fill jobs needed by 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. 

โ€œThis is a quality program to train, equip and deploy utility lineworkers throughout their region,โ€ said Accelerate Mississippi executive director Ryan Miller. โ€œThey provide an incredible service. In our minds, they’re first responders.โ€

Accelerate Mississippi oversees tens of millions of dollars, a $25 million pot collected via an unemployment insurance tax on businesses called workforce enhancement โ€“ or โ€œWETโ€ โ€“ funds.

Last year, the office awarded nearly $1 million to Mississippi 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 โ€œone of the nation’s most economically distressed regionsโ€ because of layoffs and business closures. They identified advanced manufacturing, care, and energy work as 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. 

โ€œThis was two community college colleges combining forces to apply for WET funds,โ€ said Miller. โ€œIt’s exactly what we hope to see: let’s coordinate on resources to meet and address a need that is out there.โ€ 

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 the program with the skills needed to perform electrical work both high on poles and underground. 

The bulk of the is going to pay for the equipment โ€“ from a bucket truck to a mini excavator โ€“ needed to train more students.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Mississippi News

Dollar General vehicle theft leads to two arrests in Tupelo

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www.wcbi.com – Aundrea Self – 2024-11-04 16:10:00

SUMMARY: In , Mississippi, 19-year-old Joshua James and a juvenile face charges related to a pursuit and the of a police car. James is charged with Directing a Felony to Be Committed by a Person Under Seventeen, Grand Larceny, and Felony Fleeing, with a bond set at $100,000. The incident began on November 1 when police responded to a of a stolen vehicle. After a chase that ended when the stolen truck crashed south of Verona, James was apprehended, while his juvenile passenger fled in a police car, which was later found wrecked. The juvenile’s case will be handled in Youth Court.

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Categories: Crime, Local News


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Mississippi News

Lowndes Co. Supervisors talk storm safety for certain areas

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www.wcbi.com – Marcus Hunter – 2024-11-04 15:59:00

SUMMARY: The Lowndes County Board of Supervisors has secured to construct storm shelters in Crawford, Artesia, and Plum Grove, lacking local shelter during severe weather. Each community will four FEMA-funded shelters, accommodating up to 20 people each, on property at a total cost of $103,692, with FEMA contributing $93,000. The supervisors anticipate these shelters will significantly enhance safety for during storms. Vice President Jeff Smith highlighted their importance, expressing relief for community members who have long awaited a secure refuge. While installation timelines remain unclear, the is expected to proceed soon.

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News anchor dropped after social media post telling Trump-haters supporting Harris: ‘Stay home, donโ€™t vote’

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www.foxnews.com – – 2024-11-04 11:51:00

SUMMARY: David “Dave” Elliott, a local anchor for in for nearly 40 years, was fired after expressing political views on social . He revealed on Facebook that his termination was due to his political opinions, specifically mentioning a where he advised people not to vote out of hatred for Donald Trump. Elliott characterized his social media posts as satire, distinguishing them from his professional work. He noted that the discussion with his station’s general about his dismissal was brief, and the topic of social media was raised. WLOX’s management declined to comment on the matter.

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