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Growing with ThyssenKrupp It was a big day Friday, the state's top elected officials joined with ThyssenKrupp executives from Germany to break ground for the new $3.7 billion steel mill at Calvert. The project had already started, with tree removal and site work underway but now it will gear up fast. Plans are for the mill to be up and running by early 2010. Between now and then, 29,000 construction workers are expected to move through the evolving plant. Satellite operations will be put in for the construction phase and we expect a lot of service-oriented businesses once the plant starts operating. The mill will employ 2,700 full-time workers. Calvert and the surrounding area- up Highway 43 to Jackson, we hope- will see growth. That new traffic signal in Calvert (did you ever think you would see one there!) is only a sign of bigger things to come. We must work on infrastructure needs to accommodate our growth- roads, water systems, sewerage systems and more. Housing is critical and temporary as well as permanent needs must be addressed. At a recent meeting in McIntosh a proposed sewerage system to serve the area was discussed. It is needed. Think of the numerous RV parks that are springing up along Highway 43 from Jackson to Calvert. Are there adequate water supplies to serve even these modest additions? What about the sewer waste? Where is it going? Gov. Bob Riley, asked about how the growth and the accompanying problems would be handled at a press conference following the groundbreaking. He said, "What happens and how it happens is never choreographed." He said he was confident that the area could meet the needs and grow as the small towns of Vance has done from Mercedes and Lincoln has done from Honda. "This isn't our first rodeo. We have done this all over the state," he added. We're glad the governor is such a confident rodeo rider. We, too, are confident and optimistic that our area will meet the challenges head on but it won't be done without a lot of work and more than a little money. Jim Cox
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