Big News for Teachers from the Mississippi Senate Today
Today, February 5th, 2020, Senator Debar, Chairman of the Senate Education Committee, brought SB 2001 to the floor. This is the bill that would include a teacher pay raise bringing the teacher salary to $37,000 while also increasing teacher assistant salaries as well. The Senate voted 52-0 to pass this bill and move it on to the House. This is a big step for educators throughout the state. “I think that the education bill today is an example of what can happen when we as legislators put the people first,” Senator Chad McMahan member of the Senate Education Committee said. “I think that Mississippi is at a tipping point and this is not the Mississippi from 50 or 100 years ago. This is the modern hospitality state. Senator Dennis Debar, Chairman of the Senate education committee said while on the floor today that this will cost around $52 million and is definitely a step in the right direction for educators. As the bill was unanimously passed on the Senate floor, all senators asked to be co-authors on the bill, too. This passing also led to a standing ovation by all of the Senate members. “We just have to believe in each other and trust each other and this today was a unanimous vote to invest in our education and our teachers,” McMahan also said. “I want to say to educators across Mississippi, we care about you, we believe in you.” The post Big News for Teachers from the Mississippi Senate Today appeared first on News Mississippi.
Officials warn of possible hepatitis A exposure at Laurel restaurant
Health officials are warning the public of possible hepatitis A exposure at a restaurant in Laurel. According to the Mississippi State Department of Health, an employee of the Huddle House on Chantilly Street in Laurel has been diagnosed with hepatitis A. While infectious, the employee worked at the restaurant on January 26th through January 29th. Customers who ate at the restaurant during that time may have been exposed to hepatitis A and should get a hepatitis A vaccination if they have not been previously vaccinated. State Epidemiologist Dr. Paul Byers explained that while the risk of infection is low, the vaccine is recommended. “It is unlikely that hepatitis A was transmitted to any customers from this particular case, but as a precaution, we do recommend the hep A vaccine for anyone who ate at the Huddle House from January 26 through January 29 if they have not already been vaccinated,” said MSDH State Epidemiologist Dr. Paul Byers. “The management and staff of this restaurant are fully cooperating with our investigation in order to prevent illnesses as a result of this exposure.” Those who think they may have been exposed to this case can receive a hepatitis A vaccination free of charge from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, February 6th and Friday, February 7th at the Jones County Health Department, 5168 Old Highway 11 in Ellisville. Hepatitis A is a contagious liver disease that causes fever, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes), abdominal pain and dark-colored urine. Hepatitis A usually spreads when a person unknowingly ingests the virus from objects, food or drinks contaminated by small, undetected amounts of stool (feces) from an infected person. If you think you have symptoms of hepatitis A, you should contact your healthcare provider. Everyone can prevent the spread of hepatitis A by carefully washing hands with soap and water, including under the fingernails, after using the bathroom or changing diapers, and before preparing or eating food. This becomes the second ongoing investigation into possible hepatitis A exposure in Mississippi. Last week, health officials alerted the public to an investigation of the Gumbo Pot, a restaurant in Vicksburg. Anyone who ate at the restaurant on January 17th, 18th or the 22nd may have been exposed. The MSDH wants to remind you that there is an ongoing hepatitis A outbreak in Mississippi and surrounding states affecting those who use drugs, those who are in jail or were recently in jail, those with unstable housing or who are homeless, and men who have sex with men. The MSDH continues to recommend hepatitis A vaccination for those specific groups as well. The post Officials warn of possible hepatitis A exposure at Laurel restaurant appeared first on News Mississippi.
Mississippi delegation responds to President Trump’s State of the Union address
President Donald J. Trump delivered his third State of the Union address Tuesday night. Mississippi’s delegation in Washington issued the following statements: Senator Roger Wicker President Trump presented a strong message of growth and opportunity for Americans. Over the past three years, we’ve supported American workers by cutting taxes and creating new jobs. We’re investing in the future workforce, and promoting development in areas that need it. We’ve unleashed America’s energy production potential and rolled back scores of unnecessary regulations. Unemployment rates are near record lows and wages continue to grow. Just last week, I was at the White House when the President signed the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. This signature accomplishment promises to boost trade with our largest trading partners and support billions of dollars in economic growth. It is a signal of better trade deals yet to come. And let’s not forget that we are rebuilding our military and we’ve transformed our nation’s courts for a generation. It’s time to move on and get back to work for the American people. Congressman Michael Guest President Trump delivered an historic address of optimism. Our country is experiencing a rising tide of prosperity, lifting hard-working Americans of all backgrounds into new realms of economic wellbeing. We heard from a president who has kept his promises to the people of the United States. Under his leadership, we have rebuilt our military, made great strides towards securing our southern border and prioritized affordable healthcare without sacrificing innovation. Under the common sense, forward-looking leadership of President Donald Trump, Americans have once again turned their eyes to a bright future for generations to come. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith I applaud President Trump for remaining optimistic despite these contentious times. He reminds us that there is more work to do to continue the great American comeback. The President’s strong America-first, pro-growth agenda is succeeding. We have millions of new jobs, record-low unemployment rates, manufacturing growth, new trade agreements, and a soaring stock market. Families in Mississippi and across the nation are reaping the benefit of a nation that is secure and enjoying a strong economy. We need to work together to build on those successes to benefit more working families and lift more Americans out of poverty. We need to come together on major challenges like investing in our infrastructure and lowering the cost of health care and prescription drugs. I will continue to work with the President and my colleagues to protect our nation and to promote greater opportunities for families to prosper in this great nation. Congressman Steven Palazzo Since his inauguration, President Trump has delivered real results for the American people. Tonight, we reflected on several major accomplishments from the last three years including the blue collar boom for American workers, a thriving economy, a more secure border, and a stronger national defense. Our President has shown he is committed to investing in America, whether its growing wages, creating jobs, bringing companies back to America, or letting workers keep more of their paychecks, he has been successful in delivering on the promises he made to the American people. Tomorrow, we will put the impeachment hoax behind us so that we can continue working with the President to address the most pressing issues facing our country. Alongside the President, I will work to continue securing our border, lowering the cost of health care, and creating better futures for working families. We will work relentlessly to fulfill the President’s common sense vision for a greater America. Congressman Bennie Thompson Congressman Thompson issued the following statement via Facebook: “Once again, Trump stood before the American people and lied with over the top dramatization.” The post Mississippi delegation responds to President Trump’s State of the Union address appeared first on News Mississippi.
NSD 2020: Rebels, Bulldogs, USM look to complete classes
National signing day has arrived in college football and Ole Miss, Mississippi State & Southern Miss are all looking to complete their 2020 recruiting classes. While Mississippi State inked a majority of their class during the early signing period in December, new head coach Mike Leach has added a few new pieces since his arrival. The biggest addition of them all came on Monday with the news that grad transfer QB KJ Costello will be on his way to Starkville for his final year of eligibility. Ole Miss enters the day with some work to do as Lane Kiffin had just arrived on campus ahead of the early signing period. Since then, a couple of 4-star commits, including DE Demon Clowney and RB Henry Parrish, have bolstered the Rebels class. Southern Miss’ class currently ranks 4th in C-USA after a strong early signing period that included RB Frank Gore Jr., the son of NFL great Frank Gore. Related: Early Signing Day: Bulldogs, Rebels and Golden Eagles build 2020 classes Below, you can follow along as LOIs come in from across the country. (Star Ratings according to 24/7 Sports) Mississippi State: LB Jamari Stewart – 3-Star – Port Saint Lucie, FL Welcome to #StarkVegas, Jamari Stewart @1wayjaay » https://t.co/2oiNOFRSP1#HailState pic.twitter.com/nv0TNBwTAs — Mississippi State Football (@HailStateFB) February 5, 2020 WR Rufus Harvey – 3-Star – Starkville, MS Official. Welcome to the Family, Rufus Harvey. @R_Harvey6 » https://t.co/dnBTQLFOYU#HailState pic.twitter.com/Kx9aY9joit — Mississippi State Football (@HailStateFB) February 5, 2020 DB Kyle Cass – 3-Star – MS Delta C.C. Kyle Cass is officially a Bulldog. Can’t wait to get this guy back to campus. @K_cass8 » https://t.co/yyjulCz1L5#HailState pic.twitter.com/NXtJwnvQgo — Mississippi State Football (@HailStateFB) February 5, 2020 QB KJ Costello – Grad Transfer/Stanford LET’S. GO. K.J. Costello is now a DAWG.@kj_costello » https://t.co/ETrUCgP1sv#HailState pic.twitter.com/QlE8p06szd — Mississippi State Football (@HailStateFB) February 5, 2020 Ole Miss: OL Cedric Melton – 3-Star- Houston, TX OFFICIAL | @iamcedricmelton is #AllAboard#HottyToddy |#NSD20 https://t.co/oAPksprbVw pic.twitter.com/0t3cWtp1Dy — Ole Miss Football (@OleMissFB) February 5, 2020 Southern Miss: First one of the day is @dayday_2122 Welcome to The Sip. #SMTTT pic.twitter.com/NKvEY4pNoL — Southern Miss FB (@SouthernMissFB) February 5, 2020 Arkansas Southern Miss Welcome , @graysongunter#SMTTT | #NSD pic.twitter.com/uxOd1jep26 — Southern Miss FB (@SouthernMissFB) February 5, 2020 The Nasty Bunch got a good one Welcome to the ‘Sip, Vinson #SMTTT | #NSD pic.twitter.com/bnYZFkNZZl — Southern Miss FB (@SouthernMissFB) February 5, 2020 They’re rolling in Welcome to the ‘Sip, Mitchell #SMTTT | #NSD pic.twitter.com/kiwnI7iWwh — Southern Miss FB (@SouthernMissFB) February 5, 2020 The post NSD 2020: Rebels, Bulldogs, USM look to complete classes appeared first on News Mississippi.
State Auditor reveals results of MDOT efficiency study
State Auditor Shad White’s office recently completed an efficiency study of the Mississippi Department of Transportation, and his report outlines where MDOT is performing well along with suggestions for cost-saving measures. Below, you can read through the results of the study. (Courtesy of State Auditor Shad White’s Office) MDOT is operating at a level comparable to other state transportation departments across the nation, but they could save millions of dollars by streamlining operations. This finding, along with the ways MDOT could save taxpayer money, is published in a study of MDOT released by State Auditor Shad White today. “My hope is that the new MDOT leadership will be able to use this report to make MDOT as efficient as it can be for the taxpayers,” said White. “The quality of our roads and bridges is important to Mississippi families, so we need to maximize the impact of every dollar we spend.” The State Auditor’s office was given the responsibility to oversee a performance audit of MDOT as part of the infrastructure legislation passed during the 2018 special session of the Mississippi Legislature. After a formal competitive bidding process, the Auditor’s office selected a team of national experts from the firm HKA in Philadelphia, PA, to lead the audit. “The Auditor’s office brought in national experts who had done studies on departments of transportation around the country for this project,” said White. “Working with those experts, we found MDOT is meeting many industry standards and best practices. But in any agency with a billion-dollar budget, there will be ways to save money.” The performance audit identified the following areas, among others, as ways to save money: Eliminating under-utilized vehicles could save $13 million. Not replacing under-utilized commuting vehicles could save $895,000. Eliminating unnecessary staff in fleet maintenance could save $600,000 annually. Eliminating under-utilized rest areas and managing project schedules better. The consulting firm also suggested MDOT might be able to save by recruiting more vendors to participate in project bids, because a lack of competition in the bidding process has been proven to increase MDOT project costs. The audit revealed several functions the department of transportation already does well. Consultant engineers are regularly monitored, and MDOT ensures they deliver the products they are hired to produce. Additionally, the GPS tracking system the department uses in each of its vehicles likely saves the state hundreds of thousands of dollars in fuel costs and other vehicle costs. The entire report can be found online at the Auditor’s website. The post State Auditor reveals results of MDOT efficiency study appeared first on News Mississippi.
Could you use $168-million? How about $50-million?
You still have time to purchase your Mega Millions® ticket for tonight’s drawing. The estimated current jackpot is $168-million! Drawings for Mega Millions® occur on Tuesdays and Fridays at 10:00 p.m. CST. Tomorrow night will be the 2nd time Mississippians can participate in the Powerball®. The estimated current jackpot is $50-million. Drawings for Powerball® occur on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 9:59 p.m. As of Saturday, February 1st, according to the Mississippi Lottery Corporation (MLC), Powerball® and Mega Millions® combined sales were $516,986. MLC President Tom Shaheen said, “This is slightly over double of what we expected for jackpots at the current levels.” The excitement has been building since the state launched sales of scratch-off tickets on November 25th with more than 1,500 approved retailers. On Friday, four new games were introduced: $1—Love Y’all: Approximate overall odds are: 1:4.75. Win up to $2,500! (8 $2,500 prizes) $2—Easy Money: Approximate overall odds are: 1:4.35. Win up to $15,000! (4 $15,000 prizes) $5—Break the Bank: Approximate overall odds are: 1:3.97. Win up to $100,000! (4 $100,000) $10—Mega Ca$h: Approximate overall odds are: 1:3.61. Win up to $200,000! (4 $200,000) On January 17th, in accordance with the Alyce G. Clarke Lottery Law, the Mississippi Lottery Corporation (MLC) made its first transfer of $7,621,232.37 in net proceeds to the Lottery Proceeds Fund in the Mississippi State Treasury. The post Could you use $168-million? How about $50-million? appeared first on News Mississippi.
Senator Wicker outlines case against impeachment on Senate floor
Tomorrow, the Senate will vote to either acquit or convict President Trump on two articles of impeachment. It’s widely believed that the Republican-controlled chamber will vote to acquit the President, falling short of the 2/3 threshold needed to remove him from office. Ahead of tomorrow’s vote, Senators are debating the President’s impeachment on the chamber floor. Among those speaking this morning was Mississippi Senator Roger Wicker, who reiterated that he will vote to acquit the President. Watch Senator Wicker’s full remarks below: House Democrats voted to impeach President Trump in December on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. This morning, Wicker said the allegations were not proven, nor does he believe that the “articles allege conduct that may be used for grounds of removal.” The Mississippi Senator also accused Democrats of using impeachment as a partisan ploy ahead of November’s election while outlining the reasoning behind his vote. “As I consider the high bar of impeachment, tomorrow, I will vote not to convict. I will do so because, there is not overwhelming evidence, because no high crimes are shown, because there is not a broad consensus among my countrymen, only articles passed on a narrowly partisan basis. And because removing President Trump on these charges, at this time, would set a dangerous precedent.” Wicker and Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith voted on Friday to block a motion to allow additional witnesses to testify before the Senate. In a news release following the vote, Wicker explained that Senators had received more than 28,000 pages of documents from the House investigation, seen 192 video clips of 13 different witnesses, heard 48 hours of arguments, and questioned the House managers and the President’s defense attorneys for 16 hours. The post Senator Wicker outlines case against impeachment on Senate floor appeared first on News Mississippi.
Mississippi State lands Stanford grad transfer QB KJ Costello
Story by SportsTalk Mississippi MSU Beat Reporter Brian Hadad Stanford’s KJ Costello makes the move from Pac-12 to SEC football Mississippi State dipped back into the transfer portal for a quarterback on Monday, landing one of the most coveted targets in the country in Stanford’s KJ Costello. Costello made the announcement official via his Twitter and Instagram feeds Monday afternoon. Thank you Stanford Dreams do become reality. Excited for what is next #HailState pic.twitter.com/LibimJIsBR — LilKev (@kj_costello) February 3, 2020 Costello leaves Stanford following a spectacular career, completing 62.6% of his passes for 6151 yards, striking for 49 touchdowns against 18 interceptions. Costello led the Cardinal to back to back nine-win seasons as a freshman and sophomore, with his second year being his best, throwing for 3540 yards, 29 touchdowns, and completing 65.1% of his passes. Rated as the nation’s #3 pro-style quarterback out of high school, Costello picked Stanford over offers from Alabama, Michigan, Southern Cal, and Florida. Costello enters Mississippi State at a time where the offense is making the biggest shift in philosophy in modern history, as Mike Leach will shift the Bulldogs away from the power running attack featured since the program’s beginnings to his famous Air Raid offense. Leach’s Washington State team threw for 5673 yards and 50 touchdowns in 2019, and he’s registered a top 3 passing offense in each of the last five seasons. Costello’s arrival puts him in a quarterback room with three players recruited more to run a read-option system, junior Keytaon Thompson, redshirt sophomore Jalen Mayden, and sophomore Garrett Shrader. True freshman Will Rogers might be the most “Leach-friendly” quarterback on the roster. Costello will not arrive in Starkville until summer, meaning those four will battle through the spring to try and gain some sort of advantage going into fall camp. Mississippi State begins the 2020 season with New Mexico on September 5. The post Mississippi State lands Stanford grad transfer QB KJ Costello appeared first on News Mississippi.
PSC warns of new Facebook car sale scam
Courtesy of PSC Brandon Presley’s Office Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley is alerting the public of a scam affecting businesses in the Northern District involving car sales on Facebook. The scammers are creating Facebook pages and posing as real local businesses, often showing some of the same inventory as being available from them. The scammer collects a sum of money, usually a down payment, and leaves the buyer to collect an automobile from the legitimate business. The legitimate business, in turn, has received no money from the buyer and is unaware of the scam until the buyer shows up to collect the automobile they believe they purchased legitimately. Here are a few things to look at to help determine if a Facebook page is possibly a scam page: The business page’s name may be slightly different. For instance, instead of John Doe Auto, it could be JD Auto or Jon Doe Cars. Information to contact the business could be suspicious. For instance, a local dealer providing a different number than that listed on their website or a personal or private email address that is not listed on the dealership’s website. The prices of vehicles offered are far lower than the current market value. Is the page itself suspicious? Is it a newly created page? Are there multiple pages found similar to the real one? Check to see if people have left reviews of the business on the page. Are people listing they are satisfied with the business? “If a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is—no matter if it’s in-person, over the internet, or otherwise,” said Commissioner Presley. “With new ways to search for deals and sales online and through Facebook and other social media, there is an opportunity to connect people in communities about what neighbors and others around the area have for sale. But it also presents the prime opportunity for scams and scammers to prey on folks just trying to get a good deal.” Commissioner Presley continued: “I recommend doing a Google search and verifying the information matches search results, like the dealership’s website or other legitimate websites. And as we regularly advise on all scams, never give personal information over the phone, through Facebook, or on suspicious websites. And if they’re asking for money to be sent over the phone, through social media, or on the internet, that’s also another sign it could be a scam activity. Be alert and vigilant.” If you have been a victim of this scam with a monetary loss, please report it to your local authorities or to Commissioner Presley’s office. To report a scam to Commissioner Presley’s office, please call 1-800-637-7722. The post PSC warns of new Facebook car sale scam appeared first on News Mississippi.
Ole Miss pitcher Doug Nikhazy charged with DUI
An Ole Miss baseball player was arrested on a DUI charge early Monday morning. Sophomore pitcher Doug Nikhazy was arrested in the early morning hours of Monday. In an emailed statement from Ole Miss Athletics, head coach Mike Bianco said: “We are aware of the situation, and we will handle it appropriately and internally.” Nikhazy is expected to be a staple in the Rebel rotation in 2020 after setting an Ole Miss freshman record with 86 strikeouts in 2019. Ole Miss opens its 2020 season against #1 Louisville on February 14th. It’s unclear at this time if Nikhazy will face any suspension following his arrest. The post Ole Miss pitcher Doug Nikhazy charged with DUI appeared first on News Mississippi.