Corrections and Mental Health Departments Team Up To Reduce Recidivism
Mississippi received a $647,461 federal grant aimed at reducing recidivism by addressing untreated co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders in offenders under community supervision. The Departments of Corrections and Mental Health will partner up to administer the program. The Second Chance Act Reentry Program for Adults with Co-Occurring Substance ...
Christopher Freeze Named Special Agent in Charge of Jackson Division
Verbatim Statement: FBI Director James B. Comey has named Christopher Freeze as the Special Agent in Charge of the Jackson Division. Mr. Freeze most recently served as a Section Chief of the Foreign Terrorist Tracking Task Force in the Counterterrorism Division at FBI Headquarters. Current Jackson Division Special Agent in ...
DOJ: Jackson Police Officer Indicted on Bribery Charges
Jackson Police Officer Melvin Williams was arrested today after a federal grand jury returned a one-count indictment against him for soliciting, demanding and accepting a bribe, U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis and FBI Special Agent in Charge Donald Alway said in a press release today. The indictment alleges that from ...
Council to Consider Cutting Constituent Services from Mayor's Office
The Jackson City Council is set to consider "removing Constituent Services and associated funding from the Mayor's Office," during a special meeting for Thursday, Sept. 29. The proposal comes after a week of questions about how the council might maneuver to replenish funds to the Greater Jackson Arts Council, GJAC, ...
Mississippi Craft Brewers and Mississippi Beer Distributors Agree on On-Premises Sales Bill
Jackson, Mississippi – On June 22, 2016, the Mississippi Brewers Guild and the Mississippi Beer Distributors Association held a joint meeting to discuss the state of the craft beer industry in Mississippi and agree on an on-premises sales bill for the 2017 Mississippi Legislative Session.
MDOC Plans to Use Walnut Grove Site for Alternative or Re-Entry Programs
The Mississippi Department of Corrections plans to use the former Walnut Grove Correctional Facility site for other purposes, like alternative or re-entry programs, a press release from the department says. Commissioner Marshall Fisher has mentioned the mental health of inmates as a pressing concern in his department at government working ...
MS Dept. of Mental Health Releases State Suicide Prevention Plan
The Mississippi Department of Mental Health released its first state plan for suicide prevention today; a workgroup composed of state agency workers and other advocates formed in April to help finalize the two-year prevention plan. In Mississippi, suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people ages 10-24 ...
Debra Gibbs Wins District 72 Runoff Election, Will Take Seat in January
Jackson-based attorney Debra Gibbs will replace former Rep. Kimberly Campbell in the Mississippi House of Representatives in January. Gibbs won the run-off in the special election on Sept. 13 for the District 72 House seat. She defeated Synarus Green by a vote of 921-897. Green is the current director of ...
Attorney Appeals State Flag Lawsuit to 5th Circuit
Grenada-based attorney Carlos Moore, who sued Gov. Phil Bryant alleging that the Mississippi state flag is not constitutional, has appealed his case to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. Last week U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves dismissed Moore's lawsuit but left the door open to potential legal action in the ...
U.S. Reps Introduce Bi-Partisan Juvenile Justice Bill in House
On Thursday, Republican and Democratic U.S. representatives introduced the "Supporting Youth Opportunity and Preventing Delinquency Act," in the U.S. House of Representatives. House Bill 5963 would update the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, adding new language to encourage states, cities and reservations to utilize evidence-based programs that ...
Poll: Mississippi a 'Tossup State' for Presidential Election
A new poll paints Mississippi purple, calculating Trump's lead over Hillary Clinton in the state to be only three points, in a four-candidate race. The online-only survey had over 800 respondents from Mississippi, who are registered voters, and over 74,000 voters in the country. The results put Mississippi in the "tossup" category—not a red state.
Jackson Councilwoman Barrett-Simon Endorses Synarus Green
Jackson Councilwoman Margaret Barrett-Simon has endorsed Synarus Green in the District 72 special election run-off, which will be held on September 13. Barrett-Simon has served on the city council for over 30 years and credited Green for helping the city of Jackson get $16.5 million from the Mississippi Department of ...
Magnolia Health to Offer Statewide Obamacare Coverage in 2017
The Mississippi Department of Insurance announced today that Ambetter from Magnolia Health has been cleared to offer individual health insurance plans through the federal health marketplace. Magnolia serves 50 counties in the state currently, but will extend its coverage to all 82 counties beginning in January 1, 2017. Insurance Commissioner ...