2020 Sample Ballot for November 3rd General Election
Secretary of State Michael Watson has released a preview of what you can expect to see on the 2020 General Election ballot. It is important to note there are three measures that appear on the ballot. The first deals with medical marijuana. The second measure deals with House Concurrent Resolution 47 which determines how statewide elected officials are selected. The third gives you an opportunity to vote on whether or not you support the new state flag approved by the Mississippi Flag Commission last week. The post 2020 Sample Ballot for November 3rd General Election appeared first on News Mississippi.
MSDH confirms 426 new COVID-19 cases, 39 additional deaths
The Mississippi State Department of Health is reporting 426 new cases of COVID-19. Today’s report brings the state’s total number of cases up to 87,805. While no new deaths were reported on Tuesday, today’s report includes *39 additional deaths. 2,623 Mississippians have now passed away from the virus. MSDH Note: 12 confirmed COVID-19 related deaths between July 14 and August 28, identified from death certificate reports. Hospital data has not been updated on the MSDH website since Sept. 4th. As of Monday, the MSDH is able to estimate that 74,098 Mississippians have recovered from COVID-19. The post MSDH confirms 426 new COVID-19 cases, 39 additional deaths appeared first on News Mississippi.
Inmate’s escape short-lived thanks to multiple law enforcement agencies
Pictured is escapee, state inmate Richard Willis, with Community Corrections Associate Director Marc McClure, who also is the commander of the Mississippi Department of Corrections’ Special Response Team, immediately after Willis’ capture in Pope late Monday night. County, state, and federal officers worked together during the holiday weekend to capture state inmate 34-year-old Richard Willis after he escaped the Union County Jail in New Albany late Friday night. Willis was found late Monday night hiding in a small room near the rear of a building in Pope, which is at least 75 miles from the county jail, in Panola County. He was handed over to a Mississippi Department of Corrections’ investigator and returned to prison early Tuesday morning. “If one of our inmates escapes, we will work with all law enforcement and won’t stop until he is caught,” Commissioner Burl Cain said. “Hopefully, this inmate now has gotten that message.” Commissioner Cain said he appreciates the work of all the agencies involved in the search and capture of Willis. Members of the MDOC’s Special Response Team and Corrections Investigation Division linked with the U.S. Marshals Service, the Panola County Sheriff’s Office, and the Mississippi Highway Patrol. Union and Tallahatchie counties also assisted. Willis is back at the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility. He was moved from the Rankin County prison earlier this year to the Union County Jail to participate in the County/State Work Program. He is facing several charges that, upon conviction, likely will add more time to his current eight years for residential burglary in Tallahatchie County. He also received five years’ probation for possession of methamphetamine in Yalobusha County to run concurrently with the burglary conviction. The post Inmate’s escape short-lived thanks to multiple law enforcement agencies appeared first on News Mississippi.
Grant awarded to ensure return of tribal ancestor remains to present-day Tribes
The National Park Service has awarded $88,822 to the Mississippi Department of Archives and History (MDAH) to support efforts to return the Native American human remains in its archaeological collections to present-day Tribes. The funding will be used to hire a new collections manager, provide paid internships for Tribal partners, purchase equipment, and provide staff training. According to MDAH, the Chickasaw Nation and the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma supported the grant and will provide guidance as MDAH staff document the human remains and ceremonial objects from graves in northeast Mississippi. The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) requires consultation with Tribes whose ancestors lived on the land where graves were located. “One of the department’s highest priorities is the proper care of its significant archaeological collection,” said MDAH director Katie Blount. “In keeping with our standards of excellence, we are embarking on this project with renewed dedication to collaborating with the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and Chickasaw Nation while becoming fully compliant with NAGPRA.” MDAH sought the grant after discovering that some of its collection had not been appropriately inventoried. “With this funding, we will properly catalog NAGPRA collections while strengthening our relationships with Tribal partners through a transparent dialogue,” said Meg Cook, director of MDAH archaeology collections. “The project allows us to honor and best care for these individuals through the purchase of culturally appropriate curation material. We do not lose sight of the fact that we are working with people—mothers, fathers, and children.” “The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Historic Preservation Department congratulates the Mississippi Department of Archives and History as NAGPRA grant recipients,” said Deanna Byrd, NAGPRA liaison for the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. “Our THPO and NAGPRA liaison look forward to working with all of our Tribal partners and MDAH’s compassionate professionals to help facilitate the return of our ancestors. We are committed to supporting MDAH in this collaborative process and know it will be rewarding. Our ancestors will finally know the peace we envisioned for them.” The post Grant awarded to ensure return of tribal ancestor remains to present-day Tribes appeared first on News Mississippi.
Register now for the Mid-South Drive-Thru Job Fair on Tuesday the 29th
The Mid-South Drive-Thru Job Fair in Southaven, MS is set for 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday, September 29. The Job Fair, hosted in part by the Mississippi Department of Employment Security, in partnership with the Southaven Chamber of Commerce, will be held in the South East lot of Landers Center off Pepperchase Dr. and I-55 in DeSoto County. The annual Governor’s Job Fair is free to the public and provides participants the opportunity to meet with employers and discuss potential job opportunities. “This is a great chance to provide support for Mississippians who want to work during these difficult times. Opportunity is out there, and we want to unlock it for the people of this great state,” said Governor Tate Reeves. Adam Todd, director of the Governor’s Job Fair Network stated, “We have been working with our community partners on this event for a while now. The Southaven Chamber of Commerce reached out to us about putting this event on and we are excited to partner with them on this innovative way to help connect Mississippians with jobs.” Important information about the job fair: Dress for success Be prepared for on-site interviews Bring plenty of resumes (Copiers/scanners will NOT be available at the Job Fair) Review the list of participating employers and have a game plan Please bring your own Masks. They will be required while interacting with businesses or event staff Attendees will NOT be allowed to leave their vehicles Pre-registration is highly encouraged. Print your registration confirmation and provide it at the check-in station on the day of the job fair. “On-the-spot hires occur frequently at our job fairs, so please be patient with us during this event. We will get you through as quickly and efficiently as possible,” said Todd. Events like the Mid-South Drive-thru Job Fair, which connect Mississippi’s talented workers with employers looking to hire, are a critical part of our efforts to strengthen our innovation in today’s economy. “We’re excited to host this unique job fair event as it allows us to keep everyone safe and meet new candidates who are looking for meaningful employment,” said Todd. Click here for a list of registered employers. The post Register now for the Mid-South Drive-Thru Job Fair on Tuesday the 29th appeared first on News Mississippi.
Cotton crop in Mississippi looks promising
Cotton field in Webster County, Mississippi, Sept. 3, 2020. (Photo by Kevin Hudson with the MSU Extension Service) One of my favorite times of year is almost here. There will be an unusual earthy smell lingering in the air. You’ll be able to hear the big trucks rolling down the highway carrying their loads to the local gin. And soon, you’ll see a dusting of cotton on the side of the road resembling an early snow. I was literally raised on a turn row, so as fall approaches and the harvest nears, I get a little giddy because it brings back memories of home. According to the Mississippi State University Extension Service, this year’s cotton crop in Mississippi looks promising, but acreage is down 520-thousand acres due to a rainy planting season and unfavorable market conditions. On August 31st, the USDA estimated 65% of the state’s crop to be in good or excellent condition. The rest is considered fair, with just 8% in poor condition. State growers planted 680,000 acres of cotton in 2019, 26% more than this year’s acreage. MSU Cotton Specialist, Dr. Brian Pieralisi said much of the state’s cotton is loaded with bolls. “This year, we were able to get most of our acres in on time, and then we entered a weather pattern of a lot of rain before it got dry again,” Pieralisi said. “This pattern allowed a really good root system to develop in a lot of places and allowed growers to address most weed issues.” Pieralisi said, “Thrips were unusually bad in many places, and there were hot spots of significant bollworm and plant bug activity, but these pest problems were manageable when detected and treated on time.” “Mississippi has experienced favorable growing conditions this year. Fruit retention has been really high and this is evident when you walk through the fields and you can feel the bolls actually slapping your shins. This is a good sign and I hope for a dry fall so we can get our crops out,” said Pieralisi. The post Cotton crop in Mississippi looks promising appeared first on News Mississippi.
DPS launches ‘Skip the Line’ program at driver’s license stations
New conveniences are coming to driver’s license stations across the state of Mississippi. During today’s press briefing, Governor Tate Reeves and Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell announced the new “Skip the Line” program, which will allow Mississippians to make appointments online and will move renewal applications for firearm permits to a mail-in-only system. The appointment program will go through a soft launch of sorts at two locations before going statewide on October 1st. Since early July, you’ve only been able to go to a station on the day of the week that corresponded with the first letter of your last name. On October 1st, that will come to an end. A detailed description of the program can be seen below: Online Appointment System: Effective September 14, 2020, customers can schedule an appointment at the location of their choice in the Troop K (Gulf Coast) and Troop C (Jackson Metro) Regions. This feature will be available statewide on October 1, 2020. All appointments will be given priority service over walk-in customers. Skip the Line Cam: Customers can view the lines at all major Driver’s License stations prior to arriving by visiting https://www.driverservicebureau.dps.ms.gov/live-feeds. This feature will be available at all troop locations on October 1, 2020. Online/Mail-In Firearm Renewal: Effective immediately, all firearm permit renewal applications will be mail-in only. Firearm permit renewal applications are available online at https://www.driverservicebureau.dps.ms.gov/Firearms/Home. This program will eliminate the need to renew in person and the requirement that customers be fingerprinted for a firearm permit renewal. Removal of Alphabet Schedule: Effective October 1, 2020, all services (including processing of new firearm permits) will be available every day of the week. Speaking on the current status of driver’s license stations in Mississippi, Governor Tate Reeves said, “It just didn’t work right for the people of Mississippi. It was frustrating, confusing, and slow. Today, we’re announcing some new efforts to change that. It will help Mississippians to skip the line and get in-and-out quickly. That helps with COVID-19 safety. It’s also just better. It treats the people of Mississippi the way they deserve to be treated–with respect for your time and wise use of your tax dollars.” Governor Reeves credited new DPS Commissioner Sean Tindell with the program’s inception. “We are committed to reducing the lines at our Driver Service Bureaus. Shortly after taking office, we identified several redundancies in our processes related to renewals of driver’s licenses and firearm permits. We have worked diligently to remove these redundancies, resulting in reduced processing times for customers,” Tindell said. To learn more about the program, click here. The post DPS launches ‘Skip the Line’ program at driver’s license stations appeared first on News Mississippi.
Charges against Ole Miss LB Sam Williams dropped, rejoins team
A returning starter has rejoined the Ole Miss football team after the charges that led to his suspension were dropped. With less than 20 days until the season opener, the sexual battery charges against Ole Miss OLB Sam Williams have been dropped and he has been cleared to rejoin the team. “With no pending charges, Sam Williams has returned to football activities. We defer to his legal counsel on questions regarding his case,” Ole Miss Athletics said in a brief statement. Williams was suspended indefinitely back in July as an investigation into his arrest continued. In 2019, his first season with the Rebels as a JUCO transfer from Northeast Mississippi Community College, Williams led the team with six sacks and added 9.5 tackles for a loss — second behind only Benito Jones. The post Charges against Ole Miss LB Sam Williams dropped, rejoins team appeared first on News Mississippi.
Navistar Defense expansion brings 500 new jobs to Golden Triangle
Hundreds of new jobs are coming to the Golden Triangle. Navistar Defense LLC, a military vehicle manufacturer, is expanding in West Point with the $8 million move creating 500 new jobs to be filled by the end of 2024. “Navistar Defense’s decision to add hundreds of new jobs for the people of Clay County is a strong testament to our state’s business climate and our dedicated, skilled manufacturing workforce,” Governor Tate Reeves said. “Our national government relies on Mississippians to keep our military and allies safe. I know these 500 Mississippians will work hard to maintain Navistar Defense’s high profile within the vehicle manufacturing and defense industries, while continuing its long-standing tradition of quality workmanship in West Point.” Navistar Defense manufactures and maintains tactical wheeled and commercial military vehicles for the U.S. government and NATO allies. “Navistar Defense is demonstrating its commitment to the Golden Triangle region through this investment in our West Point Assembly Plant,” Navistar Defense CEO Ted Wright said. “Enhancing our manufacturing capability and growing our workforce is part of our strategic plan to grow the company. The plant’s large capacity enables us to build on our core military vehicle business and offers the potential to manufacture a variety of additional products.” Additionally, the Mississippi Development Authority is providing assistance for building improvements. Navistar Defense also qualifies for the ‘Advantage Jobs Rebate Program,’ which provides a rebate to eligible businesses that create new jobs that exceed the average annual wage of the state or county in which the company locates or expands. Navistar Defense has operated in West Point since 2005. The post Navistar Defense expansion brings 500 new jobs to Golden Triangle appeared first on News Mississippi.
Kanye West to be on 2020 Mississippi ballot
It’s official. You will be seeing Kanye West’s name on the Mississippi ballot this November. The famous rapper and fashion designer announced his intention to run for President of the United States back on July 4, and today, the State Board of Election Commissioner approved West as a qualified candidate. We must now realize the promise of America by trusting God, unifying our vision and building our future. I am running for president of the United States ! #2020VISION — ye (@kanyewest) July 5, 2020 Even though he missed the window of opportunity to sign up as an Independent in some states such as Wisconsin and Ohio, West has qualified in several other states, including Arkansas, Idaho, Iowa, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Utah. West, who was once an avid Donald Trump supporter, told Forbes that he’s “taking the red hat off.” In the same interview, he also outlined an overview of his political beliefs. A couple of the more surprising moments in the interview came when West described vaccines as “the mark of the beast,” which is a biblical reference relating to the Beast of Revelation, and when he voiced his theory that Planned Parenthood Clinics were created by white supremacists as a module for “the Devil’s Work.” The 43-year-old West also revealed in the interview that he’s never voted in his life. On November 3, Mississippians will have a chance to vote between incumbent Donald Trump (R), Former Vice President Joe Biden (D), and West (I). The post Kanye West to be on 2020 Mississippi ballot appeared first on News Mississippi.