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cover art for ME 10/22/19 - Rural Internet | StoryCorps | Muppets Face Parental Addiction

Mississippi Edition

ME 10/22/19 - Rural Internet | StoryCorps | Muppets Face Parental Addiction

Mississippi Edition for Tuesday, October 22:

Leaders are comparing notes on how to expand broadband internet access to rural Mississippians. And after a Mississippi StoryCorps, learn how an online resource from Sesame Street is helping students, teachers and parents learn about addiction. Plus, we'll talk with Muppets Karli, and Abby Cadabby.

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01:11 - Segment 1:

Rural Mississippians are one step closer to receiving high speed internet. Businesses and regional agencies are taking part in a Mississippi Rural Broadband Summit sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. John Roundsaville is with USDA. He says they're educating businesses and non-profits about federal grants and loans to provide broadband to rural areas. Roundsaville spoke with MPB's Desare Frazier.

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07:45 - Segment 2: Mississippi StoryCorps - Teresa Hickman, Chemistry

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13:14 - Segment 3: 

As more American adults experience addiction issues, the number of drug-related deaths continues to rise as well. And while a person is fighting a battle against drugs, alcohol or some other addiction, children in the household may not know how to process what's going on. An online service from the makers of Sesame Street is working to provide kids, teachers and parents with tools to help have tough conversations about parental addiction. Jeanette Betancourt is a vice president with Sesame Workshop. She joins us to talk about an online resource called Sesame Street In Communities.

We've been talking about the story of a new Muppet named Karli, who is in foster care as her mother receives treatment for addiction. We're joined now by Karli and her friend, Abby Cadabby. Karli talks about how she felt when her mother went away.

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Photo Credit: Sesame Street

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