All results / Entries / adreher
Lieutenant Governor Tourism Meet-Up
Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves met with Louisiana Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser, both Republicans, in Cleveland, Miss., today to talk tourism. The lieutenant governors met with members of the Mississippi Tourism Association to discuss tourism possibilities in the area and between the two states. The Delta Regional Authority is working with …
Ronnie Crudup Jr. Announces Mayoral Candidacy
Local nonprofit executive director and community activist Ronnie Crudup Jr. has announced his candidacy for mayor of the city of Jackson. The Jackson native is set to make a formal announcement tomorrow morning. In a press release, Crudup Jr. said he is running to bring hope back to the city. …
States and Feds Reach Settlement With Ashley Madison Owner
Mississippi will receive over $52,000 after state and federal officials settled with Ashley Madison, an online dating website that caters primarily to married men, after a July 2015 data breach that led to leaks of users who had accounts on the site in 13 different states. In a press release, …
State Supe Releases Annual Report
State superintendent Dr. Carey Wright released her annual report today, which includes how and where school districts spend their state, federal and local dollars. Data included in that report show that school districts use state funds to operate at least half of their budgets on average, while local and federal …
Mississippi Religious Leadership Conference: 'We Will Not Be Silent' About Hate Crimes
Below is an open letter from the Mississippi Religious Leadership Conference reproduced in full: An Open Letter to All Mississippians and Our Leaders We, the undersigned religious leaders, educators, community leaders, and citizens of Mississippi, hereby express our alarm at the increase in hate crimes and acts of abuse against …
Mississippi Wins 'Development Deal' Award for Continental Tire Plant
Gov. Phil Bryant announced at MEC Capital Day on Thursday that Mississippi won the Business Facilities’ 2016 Economic Development Deal of the Year for sealing the deal with Continental Tire, which is set to open a tire plant outside of Clinton in Hinds County. “To be chosen as the top …
Gov. Bryant Orders State Employees to Take Sexual Harassment Awareness Training
Gov. Phil Bryant signed Executive Order 1392 which requires state employees to complete online sexual harassment awareness training. "This should be a low-cost alternative to expensive seminars and provide a standard of prevention in this litigious society," Gov. Bryant said in his Facebook post announcing the order. "Everyone deserves a …
Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves: DeVos Will Bring 'Sense of Urgency' to Public Ed
Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves wrote the chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions a letter this week, to put his support for Trump's Secretary of Education nominee Betsy DeVos in writing. In his Jan. 10 letter, Reeves wrote to Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) that DeVos represents …
House Passes Bill to Curb AG Hood's Power
The House passed House Bill 555, which previously failed and was held on a motion to reconsider, which would require Attorney General Jim Hood to get the governor, lieutenant governor and secretary of state's permission before pursuing litigation that costs more than $250,000. The bill caused some debate, and some …
Ed Funding Formula "Dummy" Bills Survive Deadline Day
On deadline day, both the House and the Senate passed their respective versions of "dummy" education funding formula bills out of committee that bring up code sections regarding the Mississippi Adequate Education Program. The bills mark both House Speaker Philip Gunn and Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves' commitment to at least …
Tax Foundation Honors Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves and House Speaker Philip Gunn for Tax Reforms
The Tax Foundation honored Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves and House Speaker Philip Gunn with its Outstanding Achievement in State Tax Reform award this week. "Reeves and Gunn led the effort to begin phasing out the state’s archaic franchise tax, a tax on investment and capital formation in a state that …
Four Mississippi Firms Awarded Continental Contracts
Continental Tire awarded four Mississippi-based firms contracts to work on the construction of the Hinds County tire plant and training center, which will be located off of Interstate-20 just outside of Clinton. Three firms, Jackson-based McCarty Architects, Clinton-based WGK Engineers and Tupelo-based Corbett Legge & Associates Engineering, were awarded 30 …
Ward 7 Councilwoman Margaret Barrett-Simon Will Not Seek Re-Election
Ward 7 Jackson Councilwoman Margaret Barrett-Simon has announced that she will not seek re-election this spring for her council seat, which she's held for 32 years. Barrett-Simon released the statement below, regarding her decision: "Fellow Jacksonians, It has been my deepest honor and blessing to serve Ward 7 as your …
Congressman Thompson Releases Statement in Support of Daniela Vargas
Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), released a statement in support of Daniela Vargas today. Thompson is a ranking member on the U.S. House Homeland Security Committee, and represents parts of the city of Jackson in the U.S. House. His statement is below: "Our country must have immigration policies that are …
JSU Interim President Praises Trump's HBCU Executive Order, While Other Presidents Cast Doubts
Jackson State University's interim President Dr. Rod Paige applauded President Donald Trump's executive order in support of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) across the country. Trump's order creates a board of advisors on HBCUs that reports to him as well as effectively moves HBCU programs to the executive office …
Mississippi House Passes Domestic Abuse Divorce Amendment
The Mississippi House of Representatives voted to add domestic abuse as grounds for divorce this afternoon when Rep. Andy Gipson, R-Braxton, brought out an amendment to Senate Bill 2680, which clarifies that abused and neglected children can be placed with their relatives when they are removed from their homes. Gipson's …
Gov. Bryant: We Don't Want 'Obamacare Lite'
Gov. Phil Bryant called out Congress today, saying that the American Health Care Act resembles Obamacare too closely. In a Facebook post, Bryant cited the Heritage Foundation's concerns on the new American Health Care Act, which support his stance that the new plan is "Obamacare Lite." (The Heritage Foundation gave …
City of Jackson Repairs Water Line, Issues Boil Water Notice
The City of Jackson announced repairs to a 24-inch water line at Larson and Moody Streets today, and they have issued a boil water notice for the following areas: [1200-1399] High Street; 39202 [600-199] Monroe Street; 39202 [1200-1399] Harding Street; 39202 Larson Street; 39202 Vine …
Congressman Thompson Asks Dept. of Homeland Security to Free Daniela Vargas
Congressman Bennie Thompson (D-MS) sent a letter to Secretary of the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security John Kelly today regarding Daniela Vargas, the 22-year old undocumented immigrant detained in Jackson last week. Thompson's letter asks Sec. Kelly to ensure that his department "exercises available discretion and looks upon her case …
Gov. Bryant Cuts State Budget, The Fourth Time in Current Fiscal Year
Gov. Phil Bryant announced his fourth budget cut to the current fiscal-year budget this afternoon. He will cut over $20 million from the state's budget, meaning a less than half percent cut for each state agency. He also pulled $39 million from the state's rainy day fund to plug budget …