From the Wire

Business is Mushrooming at Potts Camp FarmLooking more like a doctor in a medical science lab than a farmer, Ben Dickey, of Dickey Mushroom Farms, explains that growing mushrooms is more science than gardening.
Fragile Economy, Other Global Woes Dominated DavosMore than 2,500 of the best and brightest in business, government, academia and civic life gathered for the five-day World Economic Forum at Davos, Switzerland.
Aging America: Elder Abuse Can Take Many FormsAs many as 2 million older Americans are abused in various ways each year, experts estimate.
Deadly Smoke, Lone Blocked Exit: 230 Die in BrazilA fast-moving fire roared through a crowded, windowless nightclub in southern Brazil early Sunday, filling the air in seconds with flames and a thick, toxic smoke that killed more than 230 panicked partygoers, many of whom were caught in a …
Washington Casts Wary Eye at Muslim BrotherhoodPresident Barack Obama begins his second term straining to maintain a good relationship with Egypt, an important U.S. ally whose president is a conservative Islamist walking a fine line between acting as a moderate peace broker and keeping his Muslim …
Barge Hits Miss. River Bridge; Oil Cleanup OngoingCrews skimmed oily water from the Mississippi River after a barge with more than 80,000 gallons of oil struck a railroad bridge near Vicksburg.
Kemper Settlement Could Mean 21 Percent Rate JumpA settlement between the Public Service Commission and Mississippi Power Co. could raise rates more than 21 percent.
Bill Filed in Miss. Seeks to Nullify Federal LawsMississippi defied the union during the Civil War and civil rights era, and at least two lawmakers think it is time to do so again.
Dickie Scruggs Hearing Before New Orleans CourtAttorneys for Richard F. "Dickie" Scruggs, a noted plaintiff's lawyer before being snared in a corruption investigation, will argue his innocence March 4 before a federal appeals court.
Politicians Returning MDMR Foundation MoneyCampaigns for governor, Congress, the state Legislature and other offices received checks from the foundation headed by recently fired Department of Marine Resources Executive Director Bill Walker.
Jindal: GOP Must Stop Being 'Stupid Party'Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal called on the Republican Party to "stop being the stupid party" on Thursday as GOP leaders promised fundamental changes to help stave off future losses.
Will Smart Machines Create a World Without Work?An Associated Press analysis of employment data from 20 countries found that millions of midskill, midpay jobs already have disappeared over the past five years, and they are the jobs that form the backbone of the middle class in developed …
Schools Must Provide Sports for Disabled, U.S. SaysStudents with disabilities must be given a fair shot to play on a traditional sports team or have their own leagues, the Education Department says.
Obama Picks Foreign Policy Aide as Chief of StaffPresident Barack Obama has chosen longtime trusted adviser and national security expert Denis McDonough as his fifth chief of staff.
Maze of Gun Laws in U.S. Hurts Gun Control EffortsThere is a legal avenue to try to get any gun you want somewhere in the U.S., thanks to the maze of gun statutes across the country and the lack of certain federal laws.