Share
Mississippi Edition
ME 2/28/29 - Coronavirus Preparations | New ESA Bill | 2020 Poetry Out Loud Champion
With new documented cases of the coronavirus emerging in the United States, Mississippi officials make preparations.
Then, a bill to renew the Education Scholarship account gets debated in the Senate.
Plus, the 2020 Poetry Out Loud State Champion.
Segment 1:
Health officials in Mississippi are preparing for an outbreak of COVID-19: the disease caused by the new coronavirus. Currently there are no known cases of the coronavirus in Mississippi. MPB's Kobee Vance talks with State Epidemiologist Dr. Paul Byers and Dr. Bhagyashri Navekele, the Medical Director of the Office of Infection Prevention at UMMC.
Segment 2:
Mississippi lawmakers are in the first stages of rewriting the states special needs voucher program. Educational Scholarship Accounts or ESAs provide about $6,500 to help students with private schools tuition or services. A state oversight agency found there was little accountability. Republican Senator Dennis DeBar of Leakesville chairs the Education Committee. He shares some of the new bill's revisions with MPB's Desare Frazier, and we hear from Chief of Government Relations and Communication Pete Smith.
Segment 3:
Morgan Love left her home school of Murrah in Jackson to attend the Mississippi School of the Arts in Brookhaven. This week she returned to the capital city for the state Poetry Out Loud Finals, and walked away a champion. She shares her experience with MPB's Michael Guidry.
More episodes
View all episodes
04/26/2024: Medicaid Discussions Stall | Speaker Responds | Health and Gospel Fair
23:10Lawmakers are running out of time to expand Medicaid benefits to the working poor as the session nears a close.But Mississippi's Speaker of the House Jason White says he's still confident the state can pass a bill for Medicaid.Plus, health officials are seeking new methods to reach under-served communities.
04/25/2024: Business Leaders for Medicaid Expansion | Organ Donor Month | "Outliving the White Lie" author
21:31Mississippi business leaders are calling for Medicaid expansion, but lawmakers remain deadlocked.Then, how registering to be an organ donor can save lives.Plus, Mississippi's dark history often gets a cleaner slate than it should. A new book seeks to clear the air.
04/24/2024: Medicaid Meeting | Air Pollution | History is Lunch
23:46Mississippi legislators are trying to reach an agreement over Medicaid expansion as the session nears an end. Then, Nearly four in ten people, in the U.S. live in counties that have unhealthy levels of air pollution. How do counties in Mississippi stack up?Plus, A former Mississippi politician is sharing stories of his experience in the state legislature through a short film.
04/23/2024: Disenfranchisement Bills | Gang Crack-down in Jackson | Crop Prices
23:53Almost 3 dozen people convicted of felony crimes in Mississippi could soon have their voting rights restored. Then, Law enforcement officials in Jackson say a federal program meant to address gangs and other violent crimes in the capital city -is set to begin soon. Plus, fluctuating crop prices have caused major shifts in what's being planted this year.
04/19/2024: Healthcare Disparities Report | Forestry Aid | Record Store Day
23:53A newly released report shows racial and ethnic health disparities are persistent across the U.S., especially in the deep south. Mississippi Tree farmers who lost forest land during last year's extreme drought are now eligible to receive federal assistance for their losses. Plus, tomorrow is National Record Store Day. Audiophiles and vinyl collectors will be in search of that one-of-a-kind item.
04/18/2024: Felony Disenfranchisement | Medicaid Rally | Award Winning Author
23:36Civil rights advocates are seeking a way to restore voting rights to people who have served their time for convictions on certain felonies. Then, for the second day in a row, a coalition of activists rally at the state Capitol for full Medicaid expansion in Mississippi. Plus, a Native American author is honored for her contributions in children's literature.
04/17/2024: Medicaid Rally | Federal Marijuana Regulations | Petition to oust Rankin County Sheriff
19:08A coalition of religious and nonprofit groups is rallying for full Medicaid expansion in Mississippi, calling it a moral imperative. Then from the Gulf States Newsroom: a former New Orleans police chief is pushing for changes to federal marijuana rules.Plus, civil rights activists are gathering signatures to oust the Sheriff of Rankin County for his lack of oversight over the 'Goon Squad.'
04/16/2024: Lawsuit against School | Micro-preemies | "Exvangelicals" Book
24:02Attorneys claim a 15 year old student from Canton was physically assaulted by her school's resource officer.Then, healthcare experts say getting pregnancy health screenings can greatly increase the survivability of very premature births.Plus, a new book shares the experience of an NPR journalist who left the evangelical church.
04/15/2024: State Insurance Exchange | Crawfish Prices | Tax Deadline Day
24:01Some Mississippi lawmakers want to replace the federal health insurance exchange with a state-based one.From the Gulf States Newsroom, crawfish prices skyrocketed this season. Farmers and fishermen are struggling as they try to sell the little crawfish they’ve been able to catch.Plus, the deadline to file taxes is midnight on Monday, April 15th.