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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.