Clarion-Ledger from Jackson, Mississippi • Page 10

CLARIONLEDGER.COM 10A THE CLARION-LEDGER THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 201 1 Toyota: 'An air of enthusiasm, sense of official says reason," he said. To comment on this story, call Jeff Ayres at handle any significant growth, he said. In a town with fairly few money sources, a millage increase may be the only firm way to pay for infrastructure upgrades, Boland said, although no formal proposal has been presented. He said some Blue Springs residents are thrilled with Toyota setting up shop in their town, while others say the plant will forever alter the peace and quiet they're used to. "Most people who live out there, they live out there for a of plant closings at the worst of the recession.

But Boland acknowledges it's still hard to say how much his town itself will grow as the plant establishes itself. He says construction of homes, convenience stores and other smaller businesses that could benefit from the plant has been muted so far, perhaps because people are waiting for the plant to achieve success before committing to moving to or opening a business in the town. And the city will need its own watersewer system to Dr. Magolia Castilla is associate professor and director of pediatric emergency medicine at Blair E. Batson Children's Hospital in Jackson.

Her first name was misspelled in an article in Wednesday's edition. From 1A will service the plant. "It's a tremendous opportunity to be paired with a world-class company," Rum-barger said. "There is an air of enthusiasm, a sense of anticipation. It will open doors for us here.

It already has." Toyota is drawing on 39 counties for its Mississippi workforce, including 12 people from Hinds, Madison and Rankin counties. The company received more than 41,000 applications for Toyota jobs, including one each from Hawaii, Maine and Puerto Rico, as well as from all 82 Mississippi counties, according to the state Department of Employment Security. The plant was originally scheduled to open in 2009, but an economic downturn that incentives to build in the state with maintaining a good dialogue with the automaker as uncertainty loomed. He says the plant is a potent reminder that Mississippi is ready to land the higher-paying, higher-skill manufacturing jobs a 21st century economy demands. General production-employee pay starts at $15 per hour, while jobs requiring higher, more specific skills have starting pay of $20.33 per hour, says Toyota spokesman Victor Vanov.

Each set of workers also will earn an extra 65 cents per hour while on night shifts. Moon said the plant marks a significant step in the turnaround of the state's manufacturing industry, which saw hundreds of layoffs and a host was devastating to the auto industry halted development from December 2008 to June 2010. Toyota also made several changes to what would be built there. The Highlander SUV was scrapped for the Prius hybrid. Company officials then switched to the Corolla, traditionally Toyota's second-best-selling vehicle, behind the Camry.

Rumbarger said he never lost hope the plant eventually would open. "We had too much contact with them (Toyota) too much (employee) training," he said. Jay Moon, presidentCEO of the Mississippi Manufacturers Association, praised Gov. Haley Barbour and state lawmakers who provided Toyota NEW FOR FALL COME VIEW THOUSANDS OF NEW RUGS DESIGNS! TOTAL INVENTORY OF ORIENTAL RUG HOME FURNISHINGS LIQUIDATION SALE ACT NOW! i i Wmm4 I Ii ik 1 Years Est. 1976 Limited Time Only! Si VT1 mm Jackson Oxford fi www.buffalopeak.net I 2 OUR SPECTACULAR RUG SAL 11 I c.

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