Gov. Tate Reeves announced Wednesday that grants applications will now be accepted. “It plunged our country into the greatest job losses we’ve seen since the Great Depression.” The grant program will go live Thursday, with applications and information available at the website backtobusinessms.org. The state is continuing to reduce checks of $2,000 for coronavirus relief to small business and had sent close to $22 million in checks as of Wednesday. These programs are part a $300 million small-business relief act that the Legislature passed in May. It is funded by $1.25 billion Mississippi will receive under the federal CARES Act. The $60 million that lawmakers allocated for $2,000 checks to the 29,000 small businesses that were closed as a result of the governor’s stay at home orders has been used by lawmakers. This relief is available without a request. The Legislature provided $240 million to cover reimbursement grants up to $25,000 for 50-person companies. These grants will go to Mississippi-owned or controlled companies. Priority will be given for those who have not been paid money through the federal coronavirus Paycheck Protection Program. These grants can be used to pay for expenses like mortgages, rents, payroll, utilities, and pandemic-related costs. The grant cannot be used to replace lost revenue as per the CARES Act. The grant applications are handled by the Mississippi Development Authority. The Legislature and Reeves had a brief power battle over spending the federal CARES Act money. Legislative leaders claimed they have the purse strings, while Reeves said he has the federal disaster funds for an emergency. The Legislature prevailed and passed small business relief last month. Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann stated that Mississippi was the first state to provide money for small businesses through the CARES Act. House Speaker Philip Gunn stated Wednesday that he was happy to learn that grant applications are going live on Thursday and that $2,000 checks have been sent out. Gunn stated, “I wrote MDA two weeks ago and urged them to act quickly.” “Last Wednesday, I met with them, and they stated that they were close to having the portal ready… It seems they are on track with what they promised to do.” Reeves suggested that the next step for state leaders to help small businesses was to use $500 million of CARES Act money to refill the state’s unemployment trust funds, which is currently at 15 percent. Reeves stated that Mississippi businesses would be subject to huge tax increases if they didn’t do so. Reeves held a press conference in downtown Jackson on Wednesday. On Wednesday night, bar and nightclub workers, musicians, and others rallied to call for Reeves’ lifting of the 10 p.m. curfew. Melissa Kirksey of BB’s Live in Brandon was one of the more than two dozen protestors. She stated that businesses that rely on live entertainment have been destroyed. “We would love to know why we can’t go back to work as everyone else.” Reeves said that he didn’t know the identity of the protesters and announced the lifting of the curfew. Reeves issued a new executive directive requiring all employees of the state, municipal and local governments to return to work by July 1. Reeves also issued a new executive order requiring all state, local and municipal government employees to return to work by July 1.