State sends drone site proposal to FAA

JACKSON — Mississippi is bidding for one of six sites nationwide to test unmanned aerial vehicles. A Mississippi Development Authority spokeswoman says the state submitted its proposal to the Federal Aviation Administration on Monday. State officials say the FAA should choose Mississippi because it has three manufacturers of unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as a…

• NVision expands through new agreement with QinetiQ
• The Accelerator adds three new tenants, including GE Aviation
• Newspaper recognizes tech company for excellent workplace
• New plant means more active partnership with university
• Senator quizzes NASA administrator about test stand
• Economic developer: 4G network will boost county

Bank earns five stars for 94th consecutive quarter

GULFPORT — BauerFinancial Inc. has awarded Hancock Bank a 5-Star Superior rating for the quarter ending Dec. 31, 2012. Hancock Bank has received BauerFinancial recommendations (4-Star or 5-Star ratings) for 94 consecutive quarters — or more than 23 years. “By making common-sense business decisions, proactively managing risk, and understanding how people prefer to do business,…

• Deadline approaching for post-tornado loans from SBA
• Bank opens new Texas office, expands Houston footprint
• Check-cashing firm buys 10 more stores across Miss.
• Bank prices initial public offering at $24 per share

First students in maritime training academy expected this summer

PASCAGOULA — Officials say classes should be underway inside Ingalls Shipbuilding’s Haley Reeves Barbour Maritime Training Academy by the end of summer. President Irwin Edenzon tells The Mississippi Press the academy, funded through a Hurricane Katrina community development block grant, is meant to provide a skilled workforce and will help Ingalls expand its two- to…

• Study says Nissan subsidies total $1.33B; MDA says overestimated
• Shipbuilder gets massive floating dock as part of expansion
• Meat-slicing facility laying off 100 workers
• Manufacturer unveils $11M expansion; adding jobs

Mississippi Power CEO’s departure due to withholding Kemper information from regulators

Mississippi Power Co. has made an abrupt change at the top. Southern Co.’s board of directors voted Monday to name G. Edison “Ed” Holland the utility’s new leader. Holland replaces Ed Day, who has been CEO since 2010. Day has spent a total of 30 years with Southern Co. >>READ MORE in today’s Magnolia Marketplace…

• Senator claims Obama has cost TVA hundreds of millions of dollars
• Panel rejects appeal in global warming/Katrina lawsuit
• Senator: Is federal bioenergy program undercutting foresters?
• Biotech group sends letter to Cochran urging mandatory funding

Tenn. company makes unspecified offer to lease hospital

STARKVILLE — A Tennessee company has offered to lease OCH Regional Medical Center. Capella Healthcare vice president for acquisitions Doug Johnson confirmed to The Commercial Dispatch that the for-profit firm seeks a 50-year lease of the hospital. Johnson says Capella sought the lease in an April 23 letter to the Oktibbeha County Board of Supervisors.…

• Court rules in clinic dispute involving St. Dominic, HMA
• Budget writer: Medicaid taking away from education funding
• Abortion clinic fighting closure; urging patients to help
• WCU, Tradition unveil health care zone plans

Defunct casino to be moved; cost could rise depending on ‘crud’

VICKSBURG — By late August, Vicksburg’s downtown City Front will be without a floating casino for the first time since 1993 if the winning bidder at an auction April 25 for the former Grand Station Casino follows through on a bankruptcy court-ordered sale of the vessel. What happens to the spot beyond late summer is…

• Casinos on the watch for thieves, cheats and scams
• Browse through the May 10th digital edition
• Social media marketing allows casinos to give – and take
• Southern Gaming Summit: Tribal gaming growing in the South

Commission eyeing unauthorized changes to historic structures

GREENVILLE — Historic preservationists are trying to figure out how to keep the owners of historic buildings in Greenville from making unauthorized changes. The discussion was sparked by the unauthorized removal of the stucco facade of a downtown building earlier this month, the Delta Democat Times reports. Owners didn’t get a city permit or consult…

• FNC index: Housing sees 13th consecutive price increase
• City, state to hold second sale of tax-forfeited property
• Commission wants home to be national landmark
• Real estate company paying $1M for compromising wetlands

First students in maritime training academy expected this summer

PASCAGOULA — Officials say classes should be underway inside Ingalls Shipbuilding’s Haley Reeves Barbour Maritime Training Academy by the end of summer. President Irwin Edenzon tells The Mississippi Press the academy, funded through a Hurricane Katrina community development block grant, is meant to provide a skilled workforce and will help Ingalls expand its two- to…

• With no interim, board begins hunt for MVSU president
• Board could name state education superintendent by fall
• Board to ask lawmakers for additional $30M for 2015 budget
• Another community college raising its tuition next year

Bill exempting small farms from fuel storage regs passes Senate

WASHINGTON — Legislation to exempt small farms from Environmental Protection Agency fuel storage requirements has been incorporated into the Senate-passed Water Resources Development Act of 2013 (WRDA), according to a release from U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.). The Senate passed WRDA legislation (S.601), and with it also approved all the provisions included in the Farmers…

• Ag officials say late planting reaching historical proportions
• Undersecretary: ‘I understand the frustration’ over catfish inspections
• Federation president praises lawmakers for Farm Bill effort
• Port lets dredging contract, clearing way for wood pellets