A rose to the Golden Triangle Development LINK and TVA, which announced Friday plans for a new 1,144-acre megasite. The Infinity Megasite, located west of GTR Regional Airport is the newest addition to the Golden Triangle Industrial Aerospace Park. The Megasite is the third in Lowndes County, which is also home to the Lowndes County Megasite (Steel Dynamic, Inc.) and the Crossroads Megasite (PACCAR). Clay County is home to another LINK-developed megasite — the Prairie Belt Megasite, which hosts Yokohama.
The latest megasite comes with access to 100 megawatts of electricity and features two million gallons of elevated tank storage for water with a 7.20-million-gallon-per day pumping capacity. The site has waste water treatment capacity of 1.2 million gallons a day with expansion funded to 3.2 million gallons a day. In the competitive world of economic development, sites that have such infrastructure are essential to attracting big industry and the jobs they produce.
We applaud this proactive move by the LINK and look forward to the prospects of a new company in our community.
A rose to high school football, which returned Friday as teams throughout the Golden Triangle kicked off the 2016 season. Football Fridays are a unique community celebration, and the hard work of the past month that preceded the games is not confined to the football players and coaches. Indeed, marching bands and cheerleaders have committed the hard work and sweat of a sultry summer in anticipation of the opening game. Our young people should be applauded for that work and we urge residents to show that appreciation by attending the games and supporting our young people and their efforts.
A rose to the Starkville Board of Aldermen, who put aside personal differences to work together to resolve a long simmering dispute. This week, aldermen approved a $4.48-million renovation of the former City Hall to serve as the new Starkville Police Department. The SPD should move into the renovated building in May. Although the original plan was to keep the SPD in the city hall after city departments moved into the new city hall, aldermen debated whether to stick to that plan or look for other options.
Ultimately, the aldermen stayed with the original plan, the wisest, most affordable option. We applaud those who were opposed to that plan for reconsidering their position and voting for the renovations.
A rose to Silicon Ranch and its partners for its success in bringing renewable energy production to Lowndes County. Silicon Ranch, based in Nashville, Tennessee, began production at its two “solar farms” near the industrial park in January. Combined, the farms generate 1.6 megawatts of electricity, enough to provide power for 200 homes.
The farms are supported by 4-County Electric, which collects the electricity that is sold to TVA. Unfortunately, state law limits a solar farm to 1 megawatt in production, which means the true benefits of solar power are artificially limited (unlike other sources of power).
Until that changes, the transformational impact of solar power will not be realized in our state. Even so, we believe what Silicon Ranch is doing on a small scale is the future of energy in our nation and world.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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