News

Mississippi Bill Sets Religious Exemption on COVID Vaccine

Mississippi government entities could not withhold services or refuse jobs to people who choose not to get vaccinated against COVID-19 under a bill that passed the Republican-controlled state House on Thursday.

Reeve’s State of The State Touts Accomplishments Amid Troubles

Gov. Tate Reeves gave his annual State of the State speech this Tuesday, outlining his administration’s accomplishments over the last year and establishing his priorities for 2022.

Ridgeland Mayor Demands LGBTQ+ Book Purge, Threatens Library Funding

Ridgeland Mayor Gene McGee is withholding $110,000 of funding from the Madison County Library System allegedly on the basis of his personal religious beliefs, with library officials stating that he has demanded that the system initiate a purge of LGBTQ+ books before his office releases the money.

Medical Marijuana Bill Passes, Heads to Mississipi Governor

Mississippi lawmakers are sending their governor a bill that would create a medical marijuana program for people with serious medical conditions.

Mississippi Capital City Struggles With Aging Water System

The unreliable water system in Mississippi's capital city causes problems several times a year at Styles of Essence hair salon, where water service can suddenly get cut off as workers repair broken pipes nearby.

‘Nobody Should be Under the Gun’: Jackson Council Rejects Third Garbage Contract

Only 10 weeks to the end of the City of Jackson’s emergency garbage-disposal contract with Waste Management Inc., the Jackson City Council rejected Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba’s request to approve Richard’s Disposal as the capital-city vendor this week.

Mississippi Close to Final Vote on Medical Marijuana Bill

Mississippi lawmakers are poised to take final votes Wednesday on creating a medical marijuana program for people with serious medical conditions, negotiators said Tuesday.

EPA Acts on Environmental Justice in 3 Gulf Coast States

The Environmental Protection Agency announced a series of enforcement actions Wednesday to address air pollution, unsafe drinking water and other problems afflicting minority communities in three Gulf Coast states, following a “Journey to Justice” tour by Administrator Michael Regan last fall.

Getty Images and MDE Grants at JSU and USM Spring 2022 University Forum

Jackson State University recently announced that it is one of four recipients of the inaugural Getty Images Photo Archive Grant for Historically Black Colleges and Universities, an initiative aimed at preserving and amplifying the visual history of historically Black colleges and universities.

Josiah Sampson III

Jackson State University President Thomas Hudson recently appointed Josiah Sampson III as the university's new vice president for Enrollment Management, effective Jan. 18.

CDC Study Examines Potential Link Between COVID-19 and Pediatric Diabetes, As Experts Warned

Dr. Jessica Lilley and other experts worry that long-term damage from COVID-19 in children may be entirely at odds with popular perception of the virus as “mild.” Now, it seems the Centers for Disease Control and other medical experts are finally catching up.

JPS Forced Into Virtual Classes Amid City Water Woes

Water pressure issues stemming from recent cold weather mean that numerous Jackson Public School locations had to switch to all-virtual learning today, another issue in a long line of problems plaguing the city due to an aging water infrastructure.

Mississippi Working on Plans for Pandemic Relief Money

Mississippi senators are taking the first steps toward spending some of the $1.8 billion the state is receiving from the federal government for pandemic relief.

Highball Lanes, LaCour Kitchen and Bar and BGCCM Youth Basketball League

Highball Lanes, a combination creole restaurant and 10-lane bowling alley with an attached bar in Jackson's Fondren neighborhood, opened for business with limited hours on Wednesday, Jan. 19.

‘He Was a Good Son’: COVID-19 Amplified Jackson Violence, Inequities for Black Families

Tramaine Green, 26, was the oldest of six siblings, and his mother describes him as very protective of anyone he cared about.

Black Mississippi Senators Protest Vote on Race Theory Bill

Black lawmakers walked out in protest Friday and withheld their votes as the Mississippi Senate passed a bill that would ban schools from teaching critical race theory.

Mississippi Governor Signs Bill for Congressional Remap

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves on Monday signed a bill that redraws the boundaries of the state's four congressional districts to account for changes in population.

Mental Health Experts: Raise Age of Children Locked in Hinds Juvenile Justice Center

Children at the Henley-Young Juvenile Justice Center were abused, a lawsuit filed in 2011 alleged, which led to a federal consent decree forcing Hinds County to make changes to its operations.

USM Merit Health Partnership, JSU Carnegie Classification and MSU "Old Main" Documentary

The University of Southern Mississippi’s College of Nursing and Health Professions is partnering with Merit Health Wesley in Hattiesburg to add two of the hospital’s nurses to the University’s clinical teaching faculty during the spring 2022 semester.

Mississippi: Online and In-Person Class OK Amid Virus Surge

Mississippi schools are allowed to use a combination of in-person and online classes to try to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Mississippi House OKs Bill on Equal Pay for Women and Men

Mississippi employers would be required to pay women and men the same amount of money for the same work, under a bill that passed the state House on Thursday.

Bill Banning Critical Race Theory Goes to Mississippi Senate

A Mississippi Senate committee on Thursday advanced a bill that would ban schools from teaching critical race theory, even though the state superintendent of education has said the theory is not being taught in schools and legislators have offered no evidence to show it is.

More Restrictive Medical Marijuana Program Passes House

Mississippi’s beleaguered medical marijuana program moved closer to completion this week, after the Mississippi House of Representatives voted 104-14 to pass a revision of the state Senate’s more restrictive version of the program.

Tameshia Shelton Is Serving Life for a Murder, But Could the Death Have Been Suicide?

A hearing continues Tuesday to determine if a Clay County woman named Tameshia Shelton, serving a life sentence for the death of her sister’s boyfriend, will get a new trial.

Makai Polk Enters 2022 NFL Draft

Mississippi State University is losing its record breaking wide receiver after just one season with the program. Redshirt sophomore wide out Makai Polk has announced he will enter the 2022 NFL Draft.

Mississippi City Names Street for Blues Artist Bobby Rush

Mississippi's capital is renaming Ellis Avenue to Bobby Rush Boulevard in honor of a Grammy-winning blues singer who lives in the city.

Ignite the Night, Junior League Jumble, and Mississippi Gem and Mineral Show

The Mississippi Children's Museum will host its annual "Ignite the Night" fundraiser from 7 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 12.

Lost in the ‘Dead Zone’: Thousands Languish in Mississippi Jail Without Lawyers

A jury rendered a not-guilty verdict for Duane Lake, 35, for a capital-murder allegation against him in November 2021. He had been in jail since 2015 and got his freedom after the verdict. The MacArthur Justice Center at the University of Mississippi School of Law says his story highlights Mississippi inmates' plight in county jails without legal representation.

COVID-19 Cases Continue to Climb as Healthcare Infrastructure Suffers

Mississippi continues to witness climbing COVID-19 numbers into the new year, with the Mississippi State Department of Health reporting another set of record-breaking case reports at 22,456 infections over this weekend alone.

‘We Back Laughing’: RaDeazy Herrin Drive Brings Comedy to Picayune

After a three-month hiatus, Herrin Drive Entertainment of Picayune, Miss., will host the “We Back Laughing” comedy show on Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022, as a means of celebrating the new year and healing through laughter.

Ellington