Mississippi

Amazon jobs in Madison MS will be more than announced

Published

2 years ago

April 11, 2024

Amazon jobs in Madison MS will be more than announced

Amazon Web Services Economic Development Director Roger Wehner told a collection of students, faculty and staff at Millsaps College on Wednesday that previously announced investment figures for two new hyperscale development center campuses will be just the tip of the iceberg.

Wehner made those comments as part of the Millsaps’ Tech Week programs.

Amazon Web Services made big news in January when it announced it will occupy two Madison County locations for the historic buildout for hyperscale development centers.

Mississippi lawmakers completed a $259 million incentive package for the Amazon Web Services $10 billion project in Canton and Madison County.

Gov. Tate Reeves said the project represents the single largest corporate capital investment in state history. Amazon Web Services will build two sites, one a 927-acre site and the other a 786-acre site for two hyperscale data centers.

However, Wehner said Amazon expects to invest much more when all is said and done.

“We were lucky to find Mississippi,” Wehner told the audience at Millsaps. “Let me make one thing clear, all of the news articles say we are going to invest $10 billion dollars. That’s actually not true. That is our minimum public commitment. We are going to invest far more than $10 billion. Rest assured it will be tens of billions of dollars.”

More ahead: Expert: Data center announcement could spur more technology development in Mississippi

What is a hyperscale data center? What is a hyperscale data center? How much energy does it take? Is Madison ready? We answer

Wehner also said the 1,000 jobs announced with the project in January is also a false number.

“There will be far more than 1,000 jobs,” he said. “That’s just a number we cannot fall below based on our negotiations. There will be a lot more than 1,000 jobs.”

He said that construction in Madison County will go on for the next 5-to-7 years.

“There won’t be this flurry of manufacturing and then construction jobs go away,” Wehner said. “We will build on both sites simultaneously as needed as we go along. That means we are continuously under construction. So, the thousands of construction jobs. There will be thousands of construction jobs and billions of dollars that will be invested in your community is the No. 1 benefit of us going to a community. We literally will drive a big segment of the economy. … This money will ripple through the local economy.”

In January, Reeves said that once open, the centers will hire 1,000 employees making an average annual salary of about $60,000 per year.

Wehner said that average annual salary for people working at AWS Mississippi will begin at around $80,000.

As for the state incentive package, the legislature approved appropriating $44 million, $32 million of which will go to training grants and educational opportunities, and the rest will go to site development assistance.

The three bills also approved loaning Madison County $215.1 million to assist with infrastructure, including road work, water and sewer lines and also $13 million for a new fire station near the plants. That loan will be paid back through fee-in-lieu agreements with Amazon.

The project also received sales-and-use tax emptions for equipment, 10-year corporate income tax exemptions, among others. However, if the company fails to meet certain hiring or investment benchmarks, the state could take back sales and use tax, as well as corporate income tax breaks.

Madison County Schools

While there are tax breaks for AWS in the deal with the State of Mississippi, Wehner was quick to point out that Amazon is not a company relaying on corporate welfare from the government.

“Let me be clear about this, we are the largest tax payer in every jurisdiction we are in. That’s a fact,” Wehner said. “In fact, our modeling currently predicts that for the school systems in Madison County, we will double their revenues in the first year. So, whatever the current budget is for Madison County schools, there will be a two-x factor in a year and a half or two years.”

He said that in Loudoun County and Prince William County in northern Virginia, two of the wealthiest counties in America, AWS provides 51% of their tax revenues for their schools systems.

“They have the highest-paid teachers in America, and we are providing the tax base for that,” Wehner said. “We take very seriously our partnership in the communities that we serve. We want our communities to grow from an educational perspective and from a workforce development perspective.”

Why Mississippi?

Since January’s announcement of AWS commitment to Mississippi and Madison County, Wehner has been bombarded with questions as to why the company would locate there.

“There were other states that couldn’t believe what little Mississippi did,” Wehner said. “What Mississippi did that beat out everybody else … In Mississippi, there was complete alignment between Entergy Mississippi, the legislature, the governor and regulators.”

He said it also helped that Madison County Economic Development Authority has done its homework over the last several years and were prepared when the opportunity arose.

“They all worked together and were able to remove the bureaucratic inefficiencies,” he said. “If they had not done that, Mississippi would not have won. But Mississippi did and Mississippi won. There are states out there that don’t want to do it and don’t have the will to do it and couldn’t get all the pieces put in place to do it. In Mississippi, it was a joint effort.”

He said Mississippi proved to be “nimble.”

“It was about about speed to market and Mississippi did a ton of things that others did not and they struck an incredibly sound deal,” Wehner said. “They did everything that needed to be done, protected the rate payers, made the right decisions. They just took the slowness out of it. That was incredibly important.”

Education outside Madison County

While the project is in Madison County, Wehner said the plan is to provide educational opportunities throughout the Metro area, specifically in Jackson.

“We are going to do the same educational programs outside of Madison County that we do in Madison,” he said. “Our goal is to push out farther. We know that the more people we empower with the knowledge of how to work at AWS, the better everyone is, including us. We know that the drive time in Mississippi is around 60 minutes. So, we want to expand to Jackson and even farther.”

Ross Reily can be reached by email at rreily@gannett.com or 601-573-2952. You can follow him on Twitter @GreenOkra1.

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Mississippi

East Mississippi running back Gavin Griffin selected to 2025 NJCAA All-America First Team – Meridian Star

Published

8 hours ago

December 23, 2025

Press Room

East Mississippi running back Gavin Griffin selected to 2025 NJCAA All-America First Team

Published 12:08 pm Tuesday, December 23, 2025

East Mississippi Community College running back Gavin Griffin has added to his list of 2025 season accomplishments by being named to this year’s NJCAA Division I Football All-America First Team. The National Junior College Athletic Association announced the organization’s first-team, second-team and honorable-mention football selections on Dec. 20.

As an NJCAA All-Region 23 honoree as well as being the MACCC North Division’s Offensive Player of the Year recipient this season, Griffin’s most recent honor gives East Mississippi’s football program a total of 36 NJCAA All-America selections during the past 18 seasons under the guidance of NJCAA Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame head coach Buddy Stephens. Dating back to the 2008 season, the EMCC Lions have had at least one NJCAA All-American in football during 13 of the past 18 years.

In becoming EMCC’s 15th first-team NJCAA All-American dating back to 2008, Griffin helped lead the Lions to a 7-3 overall record and 5-1 MACCC North Division mark while earning the program’s 12th division crown and 15th conference playoff appearance during the Stephens coaching era.

A Troy University signee, Griffin was twice selected as the NJCAA and MACCC Offensive Player of the Week this season while topping the NJCAA Division I statistical leaders with 22 rushing touchdowns and ranking second nationally with 1,168 rushing yards. With six 100-yard rushing outings on the year, Griffin’s top performances on the ground included a career-high 220 rushing yards and four touchdowns in 22 attempts during EMCC’s 49-27 home win over Pearl River. He also had 189 rushing yards and three scores in 23 carries during the Lions’ 34-28 road victory at Northwest Mississippi.

With at least one rushing touchdown in all 10 games this past season, Griffin had seven contests with multiple scoring runs, including an additional four-touchdown effort in EMCC’s 50-39 home win over Holmes. During the Stephens coaching era at EMCC, Griffin’s 134 total points scored and 22 touchdown runs this season rank second behind Tyrell Price’s NJCAA-leading 24 rushing touchdowns and 150 points scored during the Lions’ 2017 national championship season.

On EMCC’s single-season statistical leaders list during the Stephens era, Griffin’s 1,168 rushing yards in 10 games played rank third behind 2025 EMCC Sports Hall of Fame inductee Rod Moore (1,303 in 2011) and Lakenderic Thomas (1,334 in 2013), who both had the advantage of playing two additional games during EMCC’s respective national championship seasons. Griffin’s 207 rushing attempts this season are the most by an EMCC player during the Stephens era, breaking the mark of 200 carries previously held by second-team NJCAA All-American Deon McIntosh during the Lions’ 2018 national championship season.

For his two EMCC seasons, Griffin’s 1,722 career rushing yards rank third behind Thomas (1,724) and Moore (2,211), while his 30 career rushing touchdowns tie Price for the most during the Stephens era. Along with the 66 points that Griffin scored (8 rush TDs and 3 TD catches) as an EMCC freshman in 2024, the 2023 MHSAA Class 1A Mr. Football out of Velma Jackson High School became just the second EMCC player of the Stephens era to reach 200 career points scored.

EMCC’s 35 NJCAA All-America players under Stephens’ leadership are divided among 18 offensive performers, 15 defensive honorees and two special teams players. Leading the way positionally for EMCC dating back to 2008, the Lions have had 10 All-America quarterback selections, including NJCAA Offensive Player of the Year recipients Ty Keyes (2023) and Bo Wallace (2011) as well as two-time All-America signal-caller Randall Mackey (2008 & 2009). On the defensive side of the football during the Stephens coaching era, the Lions have featured eight All-America defensive linemen, headlined by 12-year NFL veteran Denico Autry (2011) of the Houston Texans and recently retired 11-year NFL standout Za’Darius Smith (2012).

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Mississippi Lottery Mississippi Match 5, Cash 3 results for Dec. 22, 2025

Published

20 hours ago

December 23, 2025

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Mississippi Lottery Mississippi Match 5, Cash 3 results for Dec. 22, 2025

The Mississippi Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Dec. 22, 2025, results for each game:

Winning Mississippi Match 5 numbers from Dec. 22 drawing

20-21-22-24-25

Check Mississippi Match 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash 3 numbers from Dec. 22 drawing

Midday: 1-8-7, FB: 3

Evening: 9-1-4, FB: 1

Check Cash 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash 4 numbers from Dec. 22 drawing

Midday: 0-6-1-7, FB: 3

Evening: 1-2-4-0, FB: 1

Check Cash 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash Pop numbers from Dec. 22 drawing

Midday: 13

Evening: 11

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Story continues below gallery.

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

Winnings of $599 or less can be claimed at any authorized Mississippi Lottery retailer.

Prizes between $600 and $99,999, may be claimed at the Mississippi Lottery Headquarters or by mail. Mississippi Lottery Winner Claim form, proper identification (ID) and the original ticket must be provided for all claims of $600 or more. If mailing, send required documentation to:

Mississippi Lottery Corporation

P.O. Box 321462

Flowood, MS

39232

If your prize is $100,000 or more, the claim must be made in person at the Mississippi Lottery headquarters. Please bring identification, such as a government-issued photo ID and a Social Security card to verify your identity. Winners of large prizes may also have the option of setting up electronic funds transfer (EFT) for direct deposits into a bank account.

Mississippi Lottery Headquarters

1080 River Oaks Drive, Bldg. B-100

Flowood, MS

39232

Mississippi Lottery prizes must be claimed within 180 days of the drawing date. For detailed instructions and necessary forms, please visit the Mississippi Lottery claim page.

When are the Mississippi Lottery drawings held?

Cash 3: Daily at 2:30 p.m. (Midday) and 9:30 p.m. (Evening).
Cash 4: Daily at 2:30 p.m. (Midday) and 9:30 p.m. (Evening).
Match 5: Daily at 9:30 p.m. CT.
Cash Pop: Daily at 2:30 p.m. (Midday) and 9:30 p.m. (Evening).

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Mississippi editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Mississippi

No snow in a Mississippi Christmas – Meridian Star

Published

1 day ago

December 22, 2025

Press Room

No snow in a Mississippi Christmas

Published 11:11 am Monday, December 22, 2025

From the looks of the weather forecast, it appears I am going to be disappointed again this year: no White Christmas, no one-horse open sleigh ride, and no chestnuts roasting on an open fire.

Our songs and traditions this time of year sure paint a pretty picture! Unfortunately, almost every Christmas season I’ve ever experienced in Mississippi has found me wearing shorts on Christmas Day. I think the forecast calls for a high of 74 degrees on Christmas Eve, 73 on Christmas Day, and 75 the day after.

Even though the weather disappoints me, I love my Christmas traditions. As silly as it sounds for a grown man, I love Christmas socks and wear them throughout the year. I grew up with a mom who made fresh eggnog. I haven’t had any homemade in years, but I purchase some every season.

In true Clark Griswold fashion, no Christmas would be complete without proper outdoor Christmas illumination. To make it even funnier, you can’t see my lights unless you come up our very rural driveway. Yes, the lights are just for me.

Speaking of Clark and company, my sweet indulgent wife always watches Christmas Vacation at least once each season with me. And then there are my other favorite Christmas shows and movies: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Charlie Brown’s Christmas, the Grinch, and Home Alone. (Also, I vote that Die Hard is a Christmas movie.)

And because my wife indulges me, I’ve been known to indulge her by sleeping through, er, I mean watching a Hallmark Christmas movie or two. She’s just blessed like that. What a guy I am!

But moving on from praising myself, when my oldest son got married, his wife brought us a new Christmas tradition: the Christmas Pickle ornament. You hide it on the tree, and whoever finds it gets to open the first present. I’m not sure that one has much of a future. Nevertheless, I unabashedly love Christmas.

Here’s my Christmas rule: “If you quit believing in Santa Claus, you get clothes for Christmas.” Not this guy. I’m all in it for the toys. (You may be familiar with the adage that the only difference between a man and a boy is the price of his toys—I resemble that remark.)

And in case you are wondering what to get me, my sizes are .45, 9mm, .233, .22, .380, and 12 gauge. Smile! It’s all in good fun.

In the immortal words of Clark Griswold, “Where do you think you’re going? Nobody’s leaving. Nobody’s walking out on this fun, old-fashioned family Christmas. No, no. We’re all in this together.”

And we are. May your blessings be great, and your opportunities and abilities to bless others be even greater.

Merry Christmas!

“Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people he favors!”

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