Revamping the VA: A Slow Process
Darryl Brady, Jackson's regional benefit office director for the Veterans Administration, said his office is doing everything they can to reach out to military vets in all 82 counties in Mississippi.
District 72 Special Election Today: Meet Candidates, Vote Until 7 p.m.
Residents in Hinds and Madison counties that live in District 72 have the opportunity to elect a new representative to the Mississippi House of Representatives today.
Jackson Teens Can Treat Substance Abuse, Learn to Set Goals in Jackson
Mississippi Children's Home Services has launched a substance-abuse program for young people age 12 to 17 in the Jackson metro area.
Kennedy: ‘Caring, Capable, Committed’ to District 72
Theresa G. Kennedy can't go far for long before coming home to Mississippi. She has never lived out of the state for more than a year, on purpose, she says.
Beyond Detention: Exploring Smarter, Cheaper Alternatives to Locking Kids Up
"He's out on the street. He comes home sometimes. He has that little anklet, he doesn't care. It makes no difference to him. He's afraid of nothing." The mother of a Jackson teenage boy told her story to BOTEC Analysis researchers in 2015 as part of a state-funded study on Jackson crime.
Dak Prescott
If Dak Prescott was nervous last Saturday, he certainly didn't let it show. The former Mississippi State University quarterback and NFL rookie threw for two touchdowns and 139 yards in the Dallas Cowboys' preseason opener against the L.A. Rams.
Feds Sue Mississippi for 'Repeated, Prolonged and Unnecessary Institutionalization'
The U.S. Department of Justice sued the State of Mississippi last week for unnecessarily institutionalizing adults with mental illness at a higher rate than providing community-based mental health-care services.
Dak Prescott on NFL Debut, Coach Garrett, Poise and That DUI Charge
In a few short months, Dak Prescott went from a hopeful National Football League draft pick to rookie quarterback with the Dallas Cowboys, with a strong possibility of seeing playing time in their preseason opener Saturday night.
Conservative Legal Group Enters the Charter School Lawsuit Fray
A conservative legal group is intervening in the Southern Poverty Law Center's lawsuit challenging the state's charter-school law.
Debra Gibbs: ‘I’ve Been a Leader’
The oldest of five, Debra Gibbs says she has always been an independent woman. She was born and raised in Gulfport but moved to Jackson on her own after graduating from the University of Southern Mississippi with her bachelor's degree in accounting. Gibbs says she was good with numbers even in high school.
State Agency Budget Groups: ‘Not a Witch Hunt,’ Yet
State leaders are continuing their march toward "fiscal responsibility," including the elimination of government spending of one-time money and implementing performance-based budgeting, as well as a serious look at state agency spending.
State Auditor Recovers $1.9 Million, But Not Epps Scandal Cash
State Auditor Stacey Pickering and his office has recovered $1.93 million in fiscal-year 2016, a higher number than the State recouped in fiscal-years 2014 and 2015. The new exceptions report shows, however, that the State has not recovered more than $4 million allegedly lost in the recent Department of Corrections bribery scandal.
Lawmakers Recognized for Passing Juvenile Licensing Act
Rep. Deborah Dixon, D-Raymond, was named a "Most Distinguished Legislator for Juvenile Justice Causes" on Thursday at the 40th Justice for all Youth symposium in Biloxi.
Mississippi’s Mid-Term Exam: Grading the Neshoba County Fair
The Neshoba County Fair is a lot like a mid-term exam: a time for students, or in our case politicians, to show how much they learned about the content of the course of the legislative session or fiscal-year 2016 and prove it in a kind of oral exam or test.
Buchanon-Williams: 'Plan, Prioritize and Execute'
A woman of many trades A. Shae Buchanon-William is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, mother and business owner. Buchanon-Williams works with communities in Jackson and around the state through her multiple business ventures including tax, reinvestment and construction businesses.
Bryant on State Flag: 'I'm Sorry We Don't Have It on the Ballot'
Talk of changing the Mississippi flag was non-existent on the Neshoba County Fair stage last week, but speaking to reporters afterward, Gov. Phil Bryant said Mississippians missed "a really good opportunity" to vote on changing the state flag this November.
Sen. Wicker at Neshoba: Trump Will De-fund Planned Parenthood, Repeal Obamacare
U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., who spoke at the Neshoba County Fair on Thursday, called on fair-goers to elect Republicans back to the Senate, and to support Donald Trump in November.
Neshoba Day 1: 'Social Issues' Front and Center as Reeves, Hood Square Off
The state of Mississippi's political climate and economy are either staggering under the weight of lawsuits or having a really positive year, depending on whom you ask. Attorney General Jim Hood and Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves proved that Wednesday at the Neshoba County Fair.
What the ‘Bryant Documents’ Say About HB 1523, Its Future
Despite U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves' 60-page preliminary injunction blocking House Bill 1523 from becoming law, the legal battles could just be heating up.
Fighting the Lethal Injection
Immediately before a July 2015 hearing on the prisoners' challenge to Mississippi's use of pentobarbital, the Mississippi Department of Corrections changed its policy to include more drugs on its list of possible drug "#1s" (the sedatives) in its three-drug injection.
HB 1523 in the 5th Circuit's Hands
Gov. Phil Bryant and John Davis, the executive director of the Mississippi Department of Human Services, have asked the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to stay the lower court's preliminary injunction that blocked House Bill 1523 from becoming law on June 30.
UPDATED: ADF to Defend Bryant in HB 1523 Appeal, Emails Reveal Outside Groups' Influence
In a court filing Wednesday, Roberta Kaplan, one of the lawyers representing plaintiffs in the case that made the "Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act" unconstitutional, revealed numerous emails that show the Alliance Defending Freedom's influence on House Bill 1523.
'Demon Chipmunk' Case Goes Before Mississippi High Court
The Mississippi Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday on a petition Rep. Jay Hughes, D-Oxford, filed during the 2016 legislative session, alleging that speed-reading bills in the House of Representatives violates the state's constitutional provision that allows bills to be read.
Synarus Green: I’m ‘Ready to Serve’ District 72
Synarus Green is no stranger to politics. He has worked government jobs in Jackson, Hattiesburg and Washington, D.C., and has decided to run for the now-vacant District 72 seat in the Mississippi House of Representatives.
State Leaders Promise Budget, Tax Reform
State leaders made good on their promise to form working groups to study not only the state's tax structure but also investigate state-agency spending last week.
GOP Convention Features Haley Barbour, Roger Wicker Speeches Today
U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker and former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour are set to speak today at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio.
Civil Rights, History Museums Worth $17 Million to Capital City's Economy
The Museum of Mississippi History and the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum could bring $17 million a year into the city and state's economy, a spokeswoman for the museums said Wednesday.
The Mystery of a $56-million Mistake
Mississippi's fiscal-year 2017 budget could be $120 million short if Attorney General Jim Hood's calculations are correct, and that budget just took effect on July 1.
Working to ‘Do Something Different’
Mississippi was ranked 50th in overall child welfare this year, and while that rank could be linked to several systemic issues, poverty is an underlying factor, state experts say.
Gov. Bryant Alone Appeals HB 1523, Wants 'Special Protections and Accommodations'
Gov. Phil Bryant has appealed to the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, asking them to reverse U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves' decision to block House Bill 1523 from becoming law last week.
Mississippi to Receive 'Help Me Grow' Hotline
Mississippi Families for Kids, a community service organization that works with adoptive and foster-care families as well as children with mental-health challenges, received an $850,000 grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to start a Help Me Grow program in Mississippi, a hotline to help connect families to services in their area for children.
Abortion in Mississippi: ‘The Fight’s Not Over’
Derenda Hancock and two other Pink House Defenders were sitting anxiously outside the Jackson Women's Health Organization with donuts and coffee the morning of June 27, all checking their phones for the news. Hancock saw it first on SCOTUS Blog.
Special Session: Gov. Phil Bryant Asked for 'Unlimited Spending Authority'
For as long as some experienced lawmakers can remember, this week's special session was momentous.
Continental Tire to Open with 100 Jobs by 2018
Continental Tire is set to begin work on its Mississippi tire plant, which will start with clearing the 900-acre site just outside Clinton. While it won't be hiring any actual employees until October 2018, contracting work is available in the coming months for Mississippi businesses.
Establishment Clause Front, Center in HB 1523 Courtroom
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...." How those words affect the language in House Bill 1523 could lead to a historic Establishment Clause ruling this week when U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves decides whether or not to issue a preliminary injunction to keep HB 1523 from becoming law on July 1.
Judge on HB 1523: Clerks Can’t Recuse Selves from Marriage Licenses
On Monday, U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves blocked the part of House Bill 1523 that says circuit clerks can recuse themselves from issuing same-sex marriage licenses due to a “sincerely held religious belief or moral conviction.”
Mississippi's Children Make Gains But Still Land in Last Place
Child well-being in Mississippi is improving, but largely due to poverty, the state finished 50th in the Annie E. Casey Foundation's 2016 Kids Count data.
The State of Mental Health in Mississippi
Mississippi's mental-health system is mainly run through the Mississippi Department of Health, which certifies private and public mental health-care providers, rapid-response teams of mental health-care professionals and public community mental-health centers around the state.
Mississippi, Your ALEC is Showing
From laws that allow tax breaks for out-of-state businesses to the state's special-education voucher program, the Mississippi state Legislature has picked up and written into law model policy language from a national and controversial conservative organization, the American Legislative Exchange Council, or ALEC for short.
HB 1523 in the Courthouse: Roberta Kaplan Makes Her Case
House Bill 1523 was destined to go down Congress Street, a straight shot from the Capitol to the federal courthouse, where U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves heard the first arguments challenging the "Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act" on Monday.
School Choice Group Names Lt. Gov. Reeves 'Education Reformer of the Year'
Empower Mississippi, an education "choice" nonprofit organization, named Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves the "Education Reformer of the Year" for his work on several education bills in the past legislative session.
WalletHub Study: Mississippi Has 'Worst State Economy,' ALEC Says Economic Outlook Hopeful
Few people are moving to Mississippi—at least not enough to make a significant dent in a bar graph. The latest issue of "Mississippi's Business" says that in 2015, the state's population increased at a significantly lower rate than neighboring states and the U.S. as a whole.
When a Priest Files a Lawsuit Against HB 1523
Rev. Susan Hrostowski is familiar with fighting for her and her family's rights, even if that means going to court. She was one of the plaintiffs in the case that struck down Mississippi's ban on same-sex adoption on March 31.
Reducing Rape, Violence with ‘Engaged Bystanders’
The Mississippi Department of Health is working to bring domestic violence numbers down by implementing Green Dot training across the state to get communities to reconsider their role in preventing violence.
Attorney: Walnut Grove Prison Invested in 'Wrong Things,' State Punishes 'Unjustly'
An attorney for the organization that helped get juveniles out of the Walnut Grove prison is happy that it is closing, and wants the State of Mississippi to invest in smarter and more equitable responses to crime.
Local LGBT Vigil In Orlando's Wake: 'We Shouldn't Have to Be Afraid'
A chorus of more than 100 voices rose outside JC's, one of Jackson's longest-standing gay bars, Sunday night in vigil for victims in the Orlando mass shooting that left 49 people dead early Sunday morning, when a man entered a gay club in Orlando with an assault rifle and started shooting.
State Health Officer: Cuts Mean 'Sending People Home'
The Legislative Black Caucus policy committee held budget hearings on Wednesday to see how cuts to agencies' budgets will affect services and employment at the state's health and mental-health agencies.
HB 1523: Bad for the Business Sector
Roy Decker felt the financial consequences of House Bill 1523. Decker, a Jackson developer and architect, says a potential investor pulled out of a project earlier this year, largely because of the new Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination law.
'1523 Demonizes People': Pastors, Community Leaders File Third Legal Challenge
Mississippi pastors, community leaders, activists and a Hattiesburg church have filed a federal lawsuit challenging House Bill 1523, the third legal challenge to the "Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act."
Gov. Bryant Receives Religious Freedom Award After HB1523
Last week, the Family Research Council awarded Gov. Phil Bryant the first ever "Samuel Adams Religious Freedom Award."