Mississippi Edition

Lawmakers hear policy recommendations on how to improve the state's youth court system.Then, public health officials are seeking to reduce the number of stillbirths and fetal deaths in the state.Plus, a lawsuit filed by the National Republican Party challenges the state's absentee ballot mail-in process. The defendant in the case shares his thoughts.

Voting day is coming soon in Mississippi. We speak with Secretary of State Michael Watson about what Mississippians need to know.Then, workers along several major ports in the Gulf of Mexico are on strike. In Mississippi, workers remain on the job but are expressing solidarity with fellow longshoremen.Plus, a new book follows the history of reconstruction and how white supremacists pushed back against changes.

The latest Kids Count Report from the Annie E Casey Foundation paints a picture of what life is like for children in Mississippi.Then, blood donations are in high demand in the wake of Hurricane Helene.Plus, States in the South are not enforcing new Title IX changes from the Biden Administration that would have increased LGBTQ+ protections in schools. Advocates are pushing back.

Mississippi lawmakers are hearing from the Mississippi Department of Medicaid about the agency's financial needs.Then, a scathing report by the US Department of Justice has emboldened calls to reform policing in the City of Lexington.Plus, a campaign to engage young voters is ongoing at Jackson State University and other HBCUs.

The US Department of Justice unveils a report documenting civil rights violations by police in Lexington, Mississippi.Then, lawmakers are meeting in Jackson for the first round of budget discussions heading into the 2025 legislative session.Plus, kidney donors are preparing for a 444 mile trek across Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee to raise awareness for living organ donations.

The U.S. Attorney General meets with Mississippi law enforcement leaders about allegations of civil rights abuses by the Rankin County Sheriff's Department.Then, A federal judge dismisses a lawsuit that sought to improve protections for dolphins along the state's Coast.Plus, Birmingham made national headlines this week after a mass shooting left four people dead and over a dozen injured. City officials say they need help finding the shooter.

Congressional leaders are trying to understand Mississippi's welfare scandal happened, and safeguards that could be put in place to prevent misspending of welfare dollars. Among the people testifying to the body is Brett Farve and the director of the ACLU of Mississippi.Then, conservative state lawmakers are meeting in Flowood to discuss tax reform; a top priority for the Governor.Plus, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals hears arguments over the state's absentee ballot process.

Mayors from three Mississippi port cities are joining others along the Mississippi River calling for federal policy changes to protect the River's economic value.Then, Alabama is set to perform the nation's second nitrogen gas execution and a lot of people are speaking out against it.Plus, it's Prostate Cancer Awareness month and Health experts are encouraging men in the state to get screened. 

Mothers in Mississippi experience the highest rates of birth outcomes in the country. What are medical professionals doing to overcome these alarming statistics?  Then, A new billboard campaign is launching in Mississippi to raise awareness about sexually transmitted infections among adults 55 and over.Plus, Mississippi lawmakers are asking how the state can better invest in mental health for youth.