New Boost for Minority Businesses in Underserved CommunitiesSmall minority-owned businesses have often struggled to gain access to capital and other tools to grow, a challenge made more daunting by the economic upheaval of the coronavirus pandemic. But a new effort announced Tuesday aims to address those disparities …
No COVID-19 Variant Cases Found Yet in MississippiHealth officials have not yet identified any cases of the new and highly contagious U.K. coronavirus variant in Mississippi, even as the variant has appeared in neighboring states, State Epidemiologist Dr. Paul Byers said Friday.
Azia's Picks 2-5-21I challenge us all to take our learning and including Black history to a deeper level this year. Do some private research into the rich history of Mississippi and maybe find a new Black hero or shero to learn more …
Lumumba Issues Civil Emergency, Curfew Order for Jackson YouthIn response to the recent uptick in violent crime within the City of Jackson, Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba issued both a Mayoral Proclamation of Civil Emergency and a Mayoral Curfew Order for minors under the age of eighteen.
Mississippi Board Sets Timeline to Start Medical MarijuanaRegulations for a medical marijuana program in Mississippi will be in place by a July 1 deadline, members of the state Board of Health said Wednesday. But they cautioned that it's unclear how soon marijuana might be available to patients.
Mississippi Considers Longer Postpartum Medicaid CoverageMississippi legislators are trying to improve the health of new mothers and their babies by allowing women who are enrolled in Medicaid to keep that coverage for up to a year after giving birth—an increase from the current limit of …
Mississippi Proposes Fixing Problem With Initiative ProcessMississippi could try to clear up a problem with its initiative process. The state constitution says people can petition to get issues on the ballot by collecting an equal number of signatures from each of five congressional districts.
Public Shooting, Doing ‘Donuts’ Could Become Felonies with Full Jackson City Council SupportConcerns about indiscriminate shootings spurred the Jackson City Council to support House Bill 854, which proposes increased penalties against the practice. At its Jan. 27 meeting, the council voted unanimously for a resolution to support Rep. Debra Gibbs’ proposed legislation.
Court Date Set for Medical Marijuana Initiative DisputeThe Mississippi Supreme Court has set oral arguments for a lawsuit that questions the state initiative process and seeks to block development of a medical marijuana program.
Lottery Money Used to Repave State Highways in MississippiNew funds from the Mississippi Lottery are helping to lower a backlog in the state's road maintenance projects and have aided in the repaving of more than 250 miles of highway across the state, the Mississippi Department of Transportation said.