Mississippi
Why Mississippi’s 3.6 percent unemployment rate isn’t the full picture of what businesses are facing – The Dispatch
![Why Mississippi’s 3.6 percent unemployment rate isn’t the full picture of what businesses are facing – The Dispatch Why Mississippi’s 3.6 percent unemployment rate isn’t the full picture of what businesses are facing – The Dispatch](https://cdispatch.com/wp-content/themes/commercial_dispatch/img/newsletter-fig.jpg)
PASCAGOULA — When Ingalls Shipbuilding introduced plans this summer season to rent greater than 2,000 staff, they put perks up entrance: day-one advantages, 12 paid holidays, aggressive pay.
And don’t neglect the on-site Chick-Fil-A. The corporate says it has invested practically $1 billion in its native facility.
“Attracting expert staff is a prime precedence for Ingalls,” stated spokesperson Kimberly Aguillard. “We’re dedicated to discovering and coaching the expertise we have to construct high quality ships for our clients.”
Mississippi companies are studying they’ve to tug out all of the stops in the event that they wish to appeal to and retain staff. Financial uncertainty is looming overhead, inflation has pushed up prices and companies from eating places to shipbuilders and enterprise providers are struggling to fill all their wanted positions.
“Workforce is the only largest situation we face within the state of Mississippi as an entire,” stated Ashley Edwards, the president of the Gulf Coast Enterprise Council. “That’s actually echoed in enterprise leaders throughout the Coast. They’re very involved about, and really targeted on, workforce questions and workforce challenges.”
Mississippi gained again the majority of jobs it misplaced in the course of the pandemic however these beneficial properties stalled out over the previous few months. The state continues to be about 2,000 jobs wanting the place it was earlier than the pandemic started, in line with knowledge from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The Mississippi employment market has remained comparatively flat over the past six months, with none main losses or beneficial properties.
“Our financial system has positively slowed down together with the U.S.,” stated state economist Corey Miller, referring to Mississippi. “However I don’t suppose we’re in a recession at current, nevertheless it’s nonetheless 50/50 if we might be in a single throughout the subsequent 12 months.”
That uncertainty has companies on edge as they battle to rent new staff. Miller stated for each one individual employed in a job, there’s nonetheless 1.5 openings — a statistic he stated is true in each Mississippi and nationwide.
The state’s unemployment fee — now about 3.6 p.c — has fallen to historic lows, however that’s not a full image of what Mississippi companies are going through. Economists say they nonetheless don’t have an important understanding of why folks haven’t come again to the labor power completely.
“The labor power continues to be smaller than it was earlier than the pandemic,” Miller stated. “A few of these people who find themselves now not unemployed usually are not within the labor power and that’s a phenomenon now we have seen throughout the nation.”
Mississippi’s labor participation fee — the share of Mississippians working or in search of work — is about 55 p.c, in line with BLS knowledge. That’s about the place it was earlier than the pandemic started. Nevertheless it’s a lot decrease than the nationwide common of about 62 p.c.
“We wish to dig into that extra,” stated Ryan Miller, the director of workforce improvement workplace Speed up Mississippi. “Job charges are getting again to pre-COVID ranges and but we see labor participation fee, on the floor, could possibly be higher. We wish to perceive why and the way we are able to transfer the needle.”
Speed up Mississippi plans to fee a examine to higher perceive the gaps between unemployment and the labor participation fee.
Ryan Miller — no relation to the state economist — stated one other factor his workplace is tackling is the boundaries which may be preserving folks from coming into the normal workforce, comparable to youngster care.
“What are the components within the lives of Mississippains which are preserving them from participating within the workforce?” he posed. “For particular inhabitants sectors, one among them being single moms, they’d in all probability like to take part in coaching (for a greater job) however they will’t get the childcare and don’t have the latitude to take part.”
Speed up Mississippi is trying into how new programming may assist, like creating non-traditional youngster care choices for when staff are in coaching lessons for in-demand expert work.
Specialists largely agree the difficulty is extra complicated than the folks merely don’t wish to work anymore.
“There are in all probability of us who would quite not work,” stated Miller, whose focus is getting extra Missisippians in good-paying jobs to boost the state’s common wages. “However I feel there are extra Mississippians who if given the chance to the pathway to … have a possibility to develop a ability, an opportunity for development, they’d take that.”
Jobs in lodging and meals providers are slowly constructing again to pre-pandemic numbers, however eating places usually are not solely coping with the shortcoming to search out staff however elevated prices from inflation. The Mississippi Hospitality and Restaurant Affiliation says 55 p.c of operators surveyed reported their companies are understaffed and they don’t not have sufficient staff to assist demand.
The identical survey discovered 79 p.c of Mississippi eating places say they’re much less worthwhile now than they had been in 2019.
The shortages have pushed up some pay for staff. However when wages Mississippi-wide, the state economist predicts most beneficial properties might be a wash as a consequence of inflation.
Edwards, with the Gulf Coast Enterprise Council, stated enterprise leaders are focusing their consideration on recruitment efforts. These wants will solely be amplified as extra child boomers exit the workforce, Edwards stated.
The pandemic spurred what many name “the Nice Resignation,” the place break day from work made many understand they needed to start out new careers, discover a higher work-life steadiness, or retire.
“Companies are nonetheless coming to phrases with the shift,” Edwards stated.
High quality, in-depth journalism is important to a wholesome group. The Dispatch brings you probably the most full reporting and insightful commentary within the Golden Triangle, however we want your assist to proceed our efforts. Please take into account subscribing to our web site for less than $2.30 per week to assist assist native journalism and our group.
![](https://newspub.live/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/np-logo.png)
Mississippi
MPCA testing the entirety of the Mississippi River within Minnesota
![MPCA testing the entirety of the Mississippi River within Minnesota MPCA testing the entirety of the Mississippi River within Minnesota](https://assets1.cbsnewsstatic.com/hub/i/r/2024/09/02/0564de83-90fa-4d81-9619-84022c30819e/thumbnail/1200x630/e98078edb78f4dec2ccc9e494c22c33c/4p-pkg-river-testing-wcco61yp.jpg?v=25685eaa472b1a5dbb5bd46ae506d232)
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. —It winds 650 miles, rushing past the cities, industries and landscapes that make up Minnesota.
However, the Mississippi River has never gotten this type of attention from water quality professionals.
For the first time ever, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is testing the entirety of the river, from Itasca to Iowa, in a single year.
The governor’s office wants the river to be swimmable and fishable, but right now, parts of the river are polluted.
The MPCA says the upper Mississippi is largely healthy up north, but quality drops south of St. Cloud where metro development and tributaries from agriculture muddy the waters. The National Park Service says stretches of the river exceed water quality standards for things like mercury, bacteria and sediment.
Think of the testing like a checkup for one of our state’s most valuable and powerful resources. Researchers will check temperature, transparency and levels of pollutants like phosphorus, nitrogen and ammonia.
Crews also check fish for those contaminants and collect insects to test in a lab to identify any concerning trends.
“If we find the fish community is suffering — maybe the water is too warm and maybe there’s a thermal pollution source upstream or maybe it’s too much runoff — that sort of stuff. Temperature is an important indicator especially for sensitive species,” Isaac Martin with the MPCA said.
Also for the first time, the agency is looking for PFAS contamination with money from an Environmental Protection Agency grant to identify and stop the forever chemicals from streaming into the Mississippi.
PFAS are a group of manufactured chemicals for industry and consumer products that don’t break down in the environment. While research is ongoing, the EPA says exposure to the chemicals can cause human health issues. It’s why the federal agency just lowered the amount allowed in drinking water.
“They go to parts per trillion, which is incredibly sensitive. You get that low, you’re talking drops in an Olympic swimming pool,” Martin said. “Part of the reason why it was chosen is because it’s a primary drinking source or potentially could be a primary drinking source. We’re just finding them in places we never expected to find them. We’re finding them almost everywhere and being that it is new, there’s just a lot of ‘I don’t know’ that goes with it.”
It’s too early to know what this complete snapshot will reveal, but we know this powerful river is part of our community, economy and health.
“Maybe you don’t use the resource yourself, but maybe you know someone who does or future generations of your own will,” Martin said. “In Minnesota, we’re just trying to be the best stewards we can be.”
The data from this testing will be available early next year. Researchers will use that data and compare it to 10-year pollution averages to determine which parts of the river are improved or impaired.
A full report will be released in 2026.
Mississippi
Who should be SBLive’s Mississippi high school player of the week? (Aug. 25-31)
![Who should be SBLive’s Mississippi high school player of the week? (Aug. 25-31) Who should be SBLive’s Mississippi high school player of the week? (Aug. 25-31)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_1280,h_720,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/high_school/01j5m63arexrvt6r9tmr.jpg)
Here are the candidates for SBLive’s Mississippi high school Athlete of the Week for August25-31. Read through the nominees and cast your vote. The poll will close Sunday at 11:59 p.m. If you would like to make a nomination in a future week, email Tyler@scorebooklive.com. For questions/issues with he poll, email athleteoftheweek@scorebooklive.com.
Editor’s note: Our Athlete of the Week feature and corresponding poll is intended to be fun, and we do not set limits on how many times a fan can vote during the competition. However, we do not allow votes that are generated by script, macro or other automated means. Athletes that receive votes generated by script, macro or other automated means will be disqualified.
Kohl Bradley, DB, George County: Racked up 17 tackles and returned an interception 80 yards for a touchdown in a 33-7 win over East Central.
DaJuan Colbert, DB, Natchez: Recorded 15 tackles, forced one fumble and returned another one 75 yards for a touchdown in a 58-50 win over Hancock.
Garrison Davis, QB, Holmes County Central: Completed 14 of his 21 pass attempts for 375 yards and three touchdowns in a 20-6 win over Vicksburg.
Xzavion Gainwell, DB, Yazoo County: Recorded nine tackles, an interception and an 80-yard interception return for a touchdown in the Panthers’ 20-16 win over South Delta.
Elijah Jones, RB, West Jones: Had 24 carries 226 yards and four touchdowns in a 34-6 win over Laurel.
Kingi McNair, WR, Pearl: Caught four passes for 160 yards and two touchdowns in a 26-20 win over Neshoba Central.
Ashton Nichols, DB, Clinton: Recorded six tackles to go with two big pass breakups, a blocked punt and a return for a touchdown in a 26-20 win over Warren Central.
Ethan Prater, RB, Pisgah: Rushed for 132 yards on 27 carries with three scores and caught a 60-yard touchdown pass in a 33-32 win over North Forrest.
Glen Singleton, RB, Madison Central: Rushed for 174 yards on 18 carries with all four touchdowns in a 27-20 win over Ocean Springs.
Damarius Yates, RB, Kemper County: Rushed for 193 yards on 17 carries and returned a kickoff 75 yards for a touchdown in a 38-15 win over Kosciusko.
Mississippi
‘If they cannot play Thalia Hall, they cannot play in Mississippi at all’: Broadway in Jackson speaks out about possible show cancellations
![‘If they cannot play Thalia Hall, they cannot play in Mississippi at all’: Broadway in Jackson speaks out about possible show cancellations ‘If they cannot play Thalia Hall, they cannot play in Mississippi at all’: Broadway in Jackson speaks out about possible show cancellations](https://gray-wlbt-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/3KMJQZPKGBHNRCT7NENQ3O72YY.png?auth=8e7e3183f489f41a63616389bdae4dd45efc187856d208138265c67183c736b4&width=1200&height=600&smart=true)
JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – It’s been one month since Thalia Mara Hall closed its doors due to a mold outbreak.
Innovation Arts and Entertainment is the company responsible for bringing Broadway productions to Jackson.
Representatives from the company visited Jackson after hearing the building had been closed.
CEO Adam Epstein says the City of Jackson did not inform them of the news.
“We did not find out from anybody within the city. We found out by reading news clippings forwarded to us by other people in Jackson,” Epstein said.
Certified Industrial Hygienic Testing reported visible dirt, debris, and suspected mold growth on many surfaces.
Epstein fears this could change the possibility of bigger shows coming to the capital city.
“They’re going to skip over us because of this mess. We need to show as a community that Jackson cares about this valuable asset and that we demand our elected leaders to support and treat this really, incredibly valuable asset with the TLC it deserves,” he said.
Thalia Mara Hall is the only venue in the state that can host a Broadway production due to the technical needs and accommodations required.
“Touring theatrical shows. If they cannot play Thalia Hall, they cannot play in Mississippi at all,” he said.
Broadway in Jackson is not only a great source of entertainment in the city, but it’s also beneficial economically.
“Those other businesses don’t benefit. The city doesn’t earn tax revenue from events that we present. They don’t earn rental income from the events we present. They don’t earn facility fees from the events we present. This is a real tragedy. It’s unacceptable.”
The well-being of the potential audience is the company’s main priority.
“I will not risk our ticket buyers’ health and safety and comfort. Our shows can and will cancel before we’d ever put somebody in jeopardy. We’ve issued a 100% guarantee of a full refund if the venue is not given a clean bill of health,” Epstein said.
All shows will be canceled on a case-to-case basis.
Want more WLBT news in your inbox? Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
See a spelling or grammar error in our story? Please click here to report it and include the headline of the story in your email.
Copyright 2024 WLBT. All rights reserved.
-
Connecticut1 week ago
Oxford church provides sanctuary during Sunday's damaging storm
-
Politics1 week ago
Why won't Pennsylvania voters have results on Election Night?
-
Politics1 week ago
With 13 days until voting starts, 'election season' kicks off sooner than you think
-
World1 week ago
Solingen stabbing: Three killed in attack at Germany festival
-
Politics1 week ago
2024 showdown: What happens next in the Kamala Harris-Donald Trump face-off
-
World1 week ago
French police officer injured in synagogue arson attack
-
World1 week ago
Portugal coast hit by 5.3 magnitude earthquake
-
Politics1 week ago
Trump sets intense pace with campaign events as questions swirl about Harris' policy positions