Monday, February 28
Mississippi Senate Passes Income Tax Cut Slashing $446 Million in Revenue
The Mississippi Senate approved legislation to reduce the state income tax by hundreds of millions of dollars Wednesday, despite caution from opponents who questioned the wisdom of doing so while education, roads and other public infrastructure remain critically underfunded.
Analysis: Legislative Deadline Will Whittle List of Issues
Mississippi legislators completed two big items several weeks ago when they adopted a congressional redistricting plan and enacted a medical marijuana law.
Friday, February 25
Mississippi Commemorates Wade-Ins That Integrated Beaches
A Mississippi historical marker provides information about the wade-ins of 1959, 1960 and 1963, which led to opening the beaches to all people.
Danny Lynch
The University of Southern Mississippi has been picked as the preseason favorite to win the baseball crown in Conference USA. The league coaches gave the Golden Eagles six first-place votes, by far the most of any team.
Thursday, February 24
'My Baby is Dead,' Mom Says in Call for End to Violence
A Mississippi woman says local officials need to take immediate steps end senseless violence like the drive-by shooting that killed her 6-year-old son while he was playing with friends at a city park in McComb.
City of Jackson To Resume Community Cleanup Program
Jackson’s Community Cleanup Program—meant to help support residents in clearing trash from their neighborhoods—is set to resume on the first weekend of March, after city officials put the program on hiatus last November.
Wednesday, February 23
Mississippi Senate Panel: Reduce Income Tax, Don't Erase It
“If lawmakers truly want Mississippi to be a place where people want to start families, small businesses, and where national corporations want to expand, it needs to prioritize investments that benefit all Mississippians over tax cuts that only benefit the wealthy."
Gangs Control Who Eats at Mississippi Jail, Monitor Says
Elizabeth Simpson testified Tuesday that staffing shortages are so severe at Hinds County's Raymond Detention Center that gangs and “inmate committees” control certain aspects of life, including whether some inmates get to eat.
USM Economic Outlook Forum, Grants and Online Degree Program at MSU
The University of Southern Mississippi is set to host its annual Economic Outlook Forum on Thursday, March 3, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Thad Cochran Center Grand Ballroom on the university’s Hattiesburg campus.
Tuesday, February 22
Mississippi HBCU Gets $10M from Netflix CEO and Wife
Tougaloo College, a private, historically Black college in Mississippi, is getting $10 million from the head of Netflix and his wife, a film producer.
Mississippi Senate Committee OKs Bill to Cut Some Taxes
A Mississippi Senate committee on Tuesday passed a bill that would phase out part of the state income tax and reduce the sales tax on groceries.
‘Fear the Virus, Not the Vaccine’: Leadership Urges Vaccinations for Pregnant Women
The current wave of COVID-19 is on the decline in Mississippi, but state health leadership is urging residents—especially vulnerable populations like pregnant women—to get vaccinated, and to keep up with booster shots.
Monday, February 21
‘I Was Shocked’: Ridgeland Aldermen Proposing New Library Contract After Raucous Meeting
Amid pleas against censorship and claims of pornographic “filth,” a Ridgeland Board of Aldermen meeting scheduled to address the city’s library contract quickly morphed into a raucous referendum on LGBTQ+ books and the actions of Mayor Gene McGee.
Income-Tax Phaseout Up for Debate in Long-Poor Mississippi
Mississippi is accustomed to being first in worsts: It's one of the poorest, unhealthiest states in the nation, with public schools that are chronically underfunded. Some Republican leaders say a good way to boost the state's fortunes would be to phase out its income tax.
Media Training Program Will Focus on HBCU Students
A company is creating a media training program focused on students at historically black colleges and universities in Mississippi.
Friday, February 18
Janus, Former Mississippi Lawmaker, Dies of Cancer at 55
Funeral services are Monday for former Mississippi state Rep. Michael Janus, who died Tuesday. He was 55.
Mississippi Legislators Push 1st Round of Budget Proposals
Mississippi legislators are working on proposals to fund state government for the year that begins July 1.
Mayor Lumumba Declares Local Emergency Amid Garbage Quarrel
Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba issued an emergency contract with Richard’s Disposal as a temporary measure to fix the City of Jackson’s garbage-distribution woes.
Thursday, February 17
Abortion Rights Funds Brace for Impact Ahead of Court Ruling
Texas has tightened abortion restrictions over the past two decades, leading women there to increasingly seek out-of-state abortions.
Wednesday, February 16
‘No, I Can’t Lose’: Mississippi Rappers Pass Mic, Change Narrative at Jackson Indie Music Week
Jackson rapper Navihon was the first artist to hit the stage at “The Culture Rap Concert,” part of the seventh-annual Jackson Indie Music Week held at Hal and Mal’s.
JSU Women’s Business Center and FedEx Program, MSU COVID-19 Pandemic Funding
Jackson State University recently hosted an official grand opening for its new Women’s Business Center located in the College of Business Rotunda.
Mississippi Capital City Replacing Faulty Water Meters
Mississippi's capital city is installing new meters to try to correct one problem with its water system.
Interior Secretary Tours Civil Rights Sites in Mississippi
Interior Secretary Deb Haaland toured Mississippi civil rights sites Tuesday, seeing the crumbling rural store that's part of the history of the 1955 lynching of Black teenager Emmett Till and touring the home where state NAACP leader Medgar Evers was assassinated in 1963.
Escapee Captured, Some Mississippi Prison Staff Suspended
A Mississippi inmate who escaped from prison over the weekend was captured Tuesday in a county where he had been convicted of murder, and about a dozen prison employees were suspended because the staff waited more than a day to tell the state Department of Corrections he was missing, department officials said.
Tuesday, February 15
Mississippi City Dedicates Statue of Apollo 13 Astronaut
The City of Biloxi has unveiled a statute to honor Fred Haise Jr., an Apollo 13 astronaut who grew up there.
Justice Attorney: 'Ongoing danger' in Mississippi Jail
The failure of Mississippi's largest county to follow federal orders to improve jail conditions has “caused people to die, suffer injuries and live in ongoing danger," a Justice Department attorney told a federal judge Monday.
MSDH Implores Use of Oral COVID-19 Antiviral Pills amid Monoclonal Antibody Shortage
The Mississippi State Department of Health warned that the state’s allocation of COVID-19 antiviral pills are being under-utilized, while previously relied-upon monoclonal antibody treatments are in short supply.
Monday, February 14
Joshua A. Cable Day Honors Hinds County Farmers for Community Service
This year, Joshua Cable partnered with the Best of Mississippi awards to present certificates of honor to local farmers during a ceremony at the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum in Jackson.
Mississippi Could Rethink a Medicaid Managed Care Contract
The Mississippi House has voted to make the state's Medicaid program end a contract with health care giant Centene, although that plan could change later as lawmakers continue to debate issues.
Hearing Set Over Who Controls Troubled Hinds County Jail
Officials from Hinds County and the federal government are set to go before a Mississippi federal judge Monday to argue over who will control the county's troubled jail.
Unvaccinated Medical Workers Turn to Religious Exemptions
Religious exemptions are increasingly becoming a workaround for unvaccinated hospital and nursing home workers who want to keep their jobs in the face of federal mandates that are going into effect nationwide this week.
Friday, February 11
Super Bowl LVI Preview and Prediction
Both teams playing in Super Bowl LVI haven’t fared too well in big games past. The Cincinnati Bengals are 0-2 in the Super Bowl and the Los Angeles Rams are 1-3 moving from two different cities.
Mississippi Investing Nearly $25M in Site Development
Mississippi is investing nearly $25 million in site development projects statewide, Gov. Tate Reeves said Thursday.
Hate Crime Probe Sought in Mississippi Attempted Shooting
Attorneys for a Black delivery driver are calling for a federal hate crimes probe of the attempted shooting of the driver in Mississippi, saying it's another example of Black Americans facing danger simply for going about their daily activities.
Cannabis Facility Under Construction in Hinds County
A cannabis production facility is under construction in Hinds County, company officials told WJTV. Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves on Feb. 2 signed a law making medical marijuana legal for several health conditions.
Thursday, February 10
First ‘Stealth’ Omicron Subvariant Detected In Mississippi
A new “stealth” subvariant of the omicron COVID-19 variant, designated as BA.2 whereas the original omicron variant was named BA.1, has arrived in Mississippi. The new subvariant lacks a mutation that lets scientists determine which variant the virus belongs to, making detection more difficult.
Statue of Racist Mississippi Ex-Gov. Bilbo Stashed in Closet
Mystery solved: The top administrator in the Mississippi House says he unilaterally made the decision to take a statue of a racist former Gov. Theodore Bilbo off public display and put it into storage.
Non-Profit Giving Away 200 Free Prom Dresses in Jackson Area
Prom season is just around the corner and most parents know the expenses surrounding getting a daughter ready for the special night can be astronomical. But it doesn’t have to be.
Wednesday, February 9
Federal Judge Finds Hinds County in Contempt for Ongoing Jail Conditions
A federal judge has declared Hinds County in contempt of court, setting the path for receivership proceedings after the county, in a Jan. 21, 2022, motion, sought to end the consent decree at the Hinds County Detention Center in Raymond.
Morgan Freeman Stars in Movie Filming in Mississippi
Morgan Freeman stars as a small-town sheriff in a movie that began filming Tuesday in Mississippi. Cole Hauser and Jaimie Alexander also are stars in the comedic noir thriller “The Minute You Wake Up Dead.”
Mississippi Could Revive a Form of Initiative Process
Mississippi legislators are working to set a new way for people to petition to put issues on statewide ballots, months after the state Supreme Court tossed out the state's old initiative process.
Tuesday, February 8
State Healthcare System ‘Essentially Broken,’ MSDH Leadership Says
Mississippi’s healthcare infrastructure may take years to recover from the continuing strain of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, leadership from the Mississippi State Department of Health said in a press briefing last Friday.
Black Colleges Alarmed by Bomb Threats, but Undeterred
From her office in Birmingham, Alabama, DeJuana Thompson looks across the street and sees a daily reminder of terror. Her window overlooks the 16th Street Baptist Church, where a bomb in 1963 killed four young Black girls.
Judge Issues Contempt Order Over County Jail in Mississippi
A federal judge has issued a civil contempt order against Mississippi's largest county, saying officials have failed to fix more than two dozen problems in a jail plagued by violence and lax security.
Monday, February 7
Retired Librarian Creates and Preserves Black Milestones
In her lifetime, Anita Walton Moore has been both a documentarian of and participant in the Mississippi’s civil rights movement. She’s stood alongside groups like the Council of Federated Organizations and the NAACP, and has witnessed firsthand the expansion of Black rights in the state.
Analysis: Mississippi Considers College Aid for Foster Youth
Most states already offer scholarships or tuition waivers for young people who have spent time in the foster care system. Mississippi could join that list this year.
Mississippi Medical Marijuana Licensing Set to Start by June
Days after Mississippi became the 37th state to legalize medical marijuana, the state Health Department said Friday it is working to develop its part of the program.
Mississippi: Donor Funds Fannie Lou Hamer Scholarship
An anonymous donor is giving the University of Mississippi $100,000 to pay for a scholarship named after civil rights pioneer Fannie Lou Hamer, according to a news release from the university.
‘God Selected This Case’: The Christian Dominionist War On Abortion, Part II
Days before the 2020 presidential election, then-President Donald Trump celebrated the confirmation of Justice Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court, achieving a top priority of many Christian dominionist leaders who supported him.
Friday, February 4
Mississippi Connections in Super Bowl LVI
A handful of players in Super Bowl LVI have ties to the Magnolia State. Most played college football in Mississippi and a couple left the state after successful high-school careers to play during college.
Man Involved in Fatal Kidnapping of Child Released on Parole
A parole board has released one of three men convicted in the kidnapping and 2017 death of a 6-year-old boy who was asleep in the backseat of a car that was stolen from a grocery store parking lot.
Statue of Racist Ex-Gov. Bilbo Quietly Moved in Mississippi
A statue of white supremacist former Mississippi Gov. Theodore Bilbo has quietly been moved out of sight in the state Capitol — a move praised by Black lawmakers who say he never deserved a place of prominence.
‘To Rule History With God’: The Christian Dominionist War On Abortion, Part I
In hopes of triggering a U.S. Supreme Court case, the Alliance Defending Freedom drafted the 15-week abortion ban that the Mississippi Legislature passed in 2018.
Thursday, February 3
Fifteen Months After Initiative Passes, Gov. Reeves Signs Medical Marijuana Into Law
Gov. Tate Reeves gave a reluctant nod to the “will of the people” yesterday, signing Senate Bill 2095 into law. Mississippi now has a fully legalized medical-marijuana program, 15 months after voters passed a ballot initiative backing the program and more than eight months since the State Supreme Court tossed out that initiative.
EXPLAINER: Blood Supplies Run Short, Affecting Patient Care
After the holidays, it’s normal for the nationwide supply of life-saving blood to dwindle at hospitals and blood banks as donations slow. This year, with fears about COVID-19 and the omicron variant keeping donors away or making them sick, blood centers say the shortage is worse than usual.
Longtime Circuit Judge in Mississippi Retiring at Year's End
A longtime Mississippi judge announced Wednesday that she plans to retire Dec. 31. Hinds County Circuit Judge Tomie T. Green of Jackson will have served 24 years by the time she steps down.
Wednesday, February 2
10th Child Dies as Mississippi Encounters Likely Omicron Peak, Hospitals Still Over Capacity
Mississippi may have arrived at the peak of the omicron wave, with cases and hospitalizations pausing a dizzying climb that began with the new year.
Blues Music’s Spell Hits a Resonant Note in New Stage Play in Jackson
Austin Hohnke and Mark G. Henderson star in New Stage Theatre’s production of “I Just Stopped by to See the Man” as English rocker Karl and blues musician Jesse “The Man” Davidson, respectively. It runs Feb. 2-13, 2022.
Despite Deaths Behind Bars, Hinds County Wants Out of Consent Decree
Hinds County Sheriff Tyree Jones said that his office had fired two detention officers for violating various jail policies at Hinds County Detention Center concerning the death of pre-trial detainee Michael Richardson, on Oct. 18, 2021.
Mississippi Senate Unveils Proposal to Reduce Some Taxes
Mississippi Senate leaders unveiled a tax cut proposal Tuesday that they described as a sustainable way to reduce what people pay to the government while maintaining enough money to pay for schools and other services.
Mississippi Governor Noncommittal on Medical Marijuana Bill
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said Tuesday that he has not decided whether he will sign a bill to legalize marijuana for people with debilitating medical conditions such as cancer, AIDS and sickle cell disease.
Best of Jackson 2022: Urban Living
Goods and services make up the building blocks of commerce. The Best of Jackson’s Urban Living section functions as a guidebook to many of the metro’s spots to shop and other local staples.
Tuesday, February 1
Best of Jackson 2022: Nightlife
Whether unwinding entails having a stiff drink, dancing to the latest hits, engaging in some friendly competition, or even a combination thereof, the metro has enough locally owned businesses to provide.
Lumumba Pushes Back Against EPA Order as Water Issues Plague South Jackson
Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba pushed back against the Environmental Protection Agency’s latest notice of non-compliance in his weekly press briefing, citing supply-chain issues beyond his control.
Wicker: Black Woman Supreme Court Nominee Would be 'Quota'
One of Mississippi's Republican U.S. senators said that if President Joe Biden nominates a Black woman to the U.S. Supreme Court, that nominee would be the beneficiary of a “quota.”
Minority Women Most Affected if Abortion is Banned, Limited
If the U.S. Supreme Court allows states to further restrict or even ban abortions, minority women will bear the brunt of it, according to statistics analyzed by The Associated Press.
Best of Jackson 2022: Community & Culture
The sheer number of nonprofit entities, locally owned businesses, annual festivities and other attractions that welcome Jackson Metro residents and visitors exemplifies the levels of support Jacksonians are willing to demonstrate for art, history, good causes and beyond.