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Wrapping Around the Most Vulnerable
Terry Thigpen had been to four residential acute-treatment facilities before he was 10 years old, until his mother, Shavonne, discovered the Wraparound Initiative. It was an alternative to sending Terry …
UPDATED: Race Tension Roils Legislature, Majority Votes to End 'Privilege'
House members were previously allowed to ask questions about their rights, reputation and the conduct of House members—"personal privilege"—but the House voted in favor of striking those rights from the …
Lawsuit to Change Mississippi Flag An ‘Uphill Battle,’ But Could Work
A black Mississippi lawyer suing Gov. Phil Bryant for flying the state flag could be successful if he can prove that the state's original intent for putting the Confederate battle …
Trafficking, Anti-Terrorism Bills Still Alive; LGBT Rights Under Fire, Again
Mississippi has a human-trafficking problem that gets far too little law-enforcement and medical attention, but a bill is still alive in the Mississippi Legislature that would provide more resources to …
SCOTUS Ruled on Marriage—Not Discrimination
While the U.S. Supreme Court's same-sex marriage ruling was monumental in American legal history and a cause for celebration by LGBT citizens, the reality is that the court ruled on …
The Next Fight: LGBT Workplace Rights
Lavell Brown filed a discrimination lawsuit in federal court after the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued him a right-to-sue notice in February.
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 …