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November Election: Party Lines Drawn Early
Education funding, job creation and fighting corruption are at the top of many Mississippi statewide candidates' lists heading into the November election.
‘Unborn Child Protection’ Law Prohibits Rare Procedure
Mississippi lawmakers' ban on Medicaid reimbursements for the state's only Planned Parenthood clinic stalled in federal court last year, but another anti-abortion bill did become state law last summer despite …
Medicaid Meltdown?
Medicaid is arguably one of the more disliked state agencies in the Republican supermajority Legislature—constantly berated for eating up almost a sixth of the state's $6-billion budget in the last …
15-Week Abortion Ban Moves Ahead
Abortion would be illegal after 15 weeks in Mississippi if a bill the House of Representatives passed late Friday becomes law.
UPDATED: The Fallout of the Ayers Settlement
Three of Mississippi's historically black colleges and universities—Alcorn State, Jackson State and Mississippi Valley State—had a lot to gain back in 1975 when Jake Ayers filed a lawsuit against the …
Medicaid Fraud Solutions: Two Ways
State Auditor Stacey Pickering is driving a bi-partisan approach to Medicaid fraud that stands in stark contrast to legislation the Republican supermajority in the Mississippi Legislature passed this past session.
Some Parents Left Behind on Child Care
Deloris Suel knows and works with employed parents who can no longer receive financial support for child care due to clerical reasons like not having the same address on their …
Lawmakers Take on Capitol Complexity, ‘Amazon’ Sales Tax and Craft Breweries
The City of Jackson could receive financial support for its infrastructure this year, but how that will work varies on both ends of the statehouse. The Senate and House versions …
The Comeback: Adult Education on the Rise
Former famed attorney Richard "Dickie" Scruggs says he found purpose in prison by helping educate his fellow inmates. In federal prisons, any inmate without a high-school equivalency diploma is required …
Negotiations Over in Troupe v. Barbour
Mississippi's short-term inpatient care and special-treatment facilities served about 542 adolescents in fiscal-year 2015, Mississippi Department of Mental Health data show.
A GOP Supermajority, Slavery and an Embattled Flag
Ray Shores, who lives in Yazoo County and is a member of the Dixie Alliance, said he and flag supporters have challenged House Speaker Philip Gunn, R-Clinton, to a debate …
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.
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 …
Developer Expanding Farish District Housing
Clusters of affordable housing units line the blocks directly west of Greenwood Cemetery, in the heart of the Farish Street Historic District. Their Easter-egg hues stand out starkly in contrast …
Funding a Lifeline for Homeless Youth
Stewpot Community Services is one of several programs that serve homeless youth in the Jackson area. More than 3,000 students in Jackson Public Schools are homeless.
The Problems with a Supermajority
The 2016 session marked a turning point in the political landscape of the state. After a contested election resulted in the removal of former Rep. Bo Eaton, a Democrat from …
Reforming Criminal Justice: Is Mississippi Making Progress?
The Mississippi Reentry Council has been working to make it easier for inmates to find jobs and re-acclimate to life free from bars. U.S. District Judge Keith Starrett says the …
‘I’m So Scared’: Saving Kids from Suicide
In 2016, 385 Mississippians committed suicide, statistics from the Mississippi Department of Health show, which means more than one person per day took his or her own life in the …
Infrastructure Funding Could Include Tax Increases
Mississippi senators met in Jackson last week to explore ways to raise more money for the state's deteriorating infrastructure, The move seemed to contradict their leader, Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves, …
D.C.-based PAC, Outside Money Funded Initiative 42’s Demise
Post-election campaign filings are revealing that opponents of Initiative 42, mostly from outside the state, spent much more money to defeat it than they were required to report before the …