February 2021

Building on a month of strong results, the Biden-Harris Administration and the U.S. Small Business Administration are taking steps with the Paycheck Protection Program to further promote equitable relief for America’s mom-and-pop businesses. The latest round of Paycheck Protection Program funding opened one month ago and already the Biden Administration has succeeded in making major

Mississippi State has received formal approval to build the Northern Gulf Aquatic Food Research Center, a multi-million-dollar facility in Ocean Springs and the first of its kind on the Mississippi Coast. The Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning, Jackson County Board of Supervisors, and Jackson County Port Authority have formally approved siting the center on four

Electronic components manufacturing company East Systems is expanding in Columbus to accommodate an increase in demand. The project is an $890,100 corporate investment and will create a dozen jobs. “Mississippi’s small businesses, such as East Systems, are the backbone of our state’s economy. When they add new, good-paying jobs, it is a testament to the

Healthcare laundry company Westport Linen Services is locating operations in Greenville. The project is a $5.8 million corporate investment and will create 75 new jobs and retain 75 existing jobs. “This year has gotten off to a great start in terms of job creation, and I am proud to announce even more jobs heading to

Mississippi’s businesses and industries are continuing to focus on providing a safe and productive workplace. Efficient distribution of the COVID-19 vaccines will play a significant role in keeping employees safe and our state’s economy strong. MEC, along with the Mississippi Manufacturers Association, has compiled a list of frequently asked questions to assist you in scheduling

Governor Tate Reeves has announced the decision to extend Executive Order 1535 and Executive Order 1536 until Wednesday, March 3, 2021, at 5:00 PM. Under E.O.1536, the following counties are currently under a countywide mask mandate after meeting certain requirements in relation to COVID-19: Alcorn, Amite, Attala, Benton, Bolivar, Calhoun, Carroll, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Claiborne, Clarke,

As part of ongoing transparency of economic aid programs, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) recently released data summarizing Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan approvals made through Jan. 31, 2021. The SBA re-opened the PPP Jan. 11 with $284 billion appropriated through the Economic Aid Act. So far in this round of funding, 7,467 PPP