Jackson Free Press

BP may seem like a strange benefactor for Gulf Coast businesses in light of the damaging oil spill still fresh in Mississippi memories, but BP America has announced a partnership with the Mississippi Main Street Association's communities on the Gulf Coast.

In a press release, the association said BP will give funding to existing Main Street towns and will help bring in two new communities to the program. Next week, a Main Street resource team will visit Moss Point to talk about planning, design, marketing, branding and other economic development topics. BP's funding will bring in additional experts and allow the team to stay an extra day.

The association will hold a Town Input Meeting at 6 p.m. Oct. 10 at Pelican Landing in Moss Point, and a public presentation at Moss Point City Hall at 6 p.m. Oct. 13.

AMR headquarters relocating

American Medical Response will officially open its new Central Mississippi headquarters at 600 Melvin Bender Drive Thursday. The new headquarters will serve Hinds and surrounding counties.

The new headquarters is across the street from AMR's previous location and has a drive-through re-stocking area, which will shorten the time it takes to return vehicles to service, officials said in a statement. The facility also has a larger maintenance shop with more space to repair ambulances.

State to lease building downtown?

Gov. Haley Barbour is asking the Legislature to lease the Landmark Center in downtown Jackson as the new site for the Department of Revenue. In a letter to the Legislature dated Sept. 20, the governor said that leasing the building at 175 E. Capitol St. will cost $14 to $16 million less than building a new facility on a state-owned site.

In the letter, Barbour said the Legislature directed the Department of Finance and Administration to find a site on state-owned property for DOR's new headquarters, but Barbour asked DFA to look for any site in Hinds County.

Baptist Physical Therapy and Sportscare re-opening

Baptist Health Systems held an open house for a new Physical Therapy and Sportscare location this morning at 6250 Old Canton Road.

The facility reopened in June after renovations to the pool and some walls plus a new paint job. Ken Causey, director of rehab services, said the facility staff waited a while to hold an open house to make sure they got all the bugs out and are now getting the word out to doctors and patients about their renovated facility.

The location offers outpatient rehab services and includes a therapeutic exercise pool. Call 601-956-7280 for more information.

Belhaven's ASPIRE gets a new building

Belhaven University's ASPIRE Program has a new location at the Lefleur's Bluff Tower (4780 Interstate 55 North). Belhaven will hold a grand opening ribbon-cutting ceremony at 4:30 p.m. Thursday with Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr.

ASPIRE is a program for adult students to earn undergraduate and graduate degrees in business administration, business management, health administration and social services. The program's new facilities include 17 classrooms, offices and a bookstore. It will serve 800 students.