MHP reports seven fatalities following Labor Day enforcement period
The Mississippi Highway Patrol has concluded its 2020 Labor Day Enforcement Period. Throughout the duration of the enforcement period, which began on Friday and ended on Monday, the MHP issued 9,426 citations — including 184 DUI arrests, 519 seatbelt citations and 110 child restraint citations. Speeding tickets also accounted for a large portion of the issued citations. The MHP responded to 121 crashes on state & federal highways and interstates. Seven fatalities were tragically reported as a result of the crashes along with 47 injuries. “We are disappointed in the increase of fatalities during this Labor Day period compared to the 2019 period,” Colonel Randy Ginn, Director of MHP, said. “These statistics reminds us that we have to continue to educate the public on how speeding, not wearing seatbelts, and impaired & distracted driving play a huge role in traffic fatalities.” While the total number of crashes was down from a year ago, there were just three fatalities reported in 2019. The MHP released the following information on each of the crashes involving a fatality: On Friday, September 4, 2020 at approximately 6:55 a.m., the Mississippi Highway Patrol responded to a fatal traffic crash on MS39 in Kemper County. A 2018 Jeep Wrangler driven by Braxton J. Willie, 27, of Shuqualak, MS was traveling northbound on MS39. A 2006 Chevrolet passenger car driven by Janan L. Rush, 35, of De Kalb, MS was traveling southbound on MS39 and entered into the northbound lane colliding head-on with the Jeep Wrangler. Braxton J. Willie was transported to a local hospital due to injuries sustained in the crash. Janan L. Rush received fatal injuries from the crash and was pronounced dead on scene. On Saturday, September 5, 2020 at approximately 2:00 a.m., the Mississippi Highway Patrol responded to a fatal traffic crash on US72 in Alcorn County. A pedestrian, Gregory W. Jones, 44, of Walnut, MS was walking in the westbound lanes of US72. A 2006 Kawasaki Motorcycle operated by Coy L. Barnes, 34, of Byhalia, MS was traveling westbound on US72 and collided with the pedestrian. Gregory W. Jones received fatal injuries from the crash and was pronounced dead on scene. On Saturday, September 5, 2020 at approximately 5:00 a.m., the Mississippi Highway Patrol responded to a fatal traffic crash at the intersection of US49 and MS12 in Humphreys County. A 2006 Pontiac G6 driven by Shawn D. Hodges, 43, of Inverness, MS was traveling westbound on MS12 and failed to stop at the intersection of MS12 and US49. The vehicle continued across US49 and collided with a ditch. A passenger in the vehicle, Andrew Page, 41, of Inverness, MS received fatal injuries from the crash and was pronounced dead on scene. On Saturday, September 5, 2020 at approximately 12:03 p.m., the Mississippi Highway Patrol responded to a fatal traffic crash at the intersection of MS17 and US82 in Carroll County. A 1984 Honda motorcycle operated by Walter Mitchell, 73, of Bristol, TN was traveling westbound on US82. A 2014 GMC pickup driven by James McClain, 32, of Carrollton, MS was traveling northbound on MS17 and was stopped at the intersection MS17 and US82. The GMC attempted to enter US82 and failed to yield right of way. The Honda motorcycle collided with the GMC pickup. Walter Mitchell received fatal injuries from the crash and was pronounced dead on scene. On Saturday, September 5, 2020 at approximately 3:49 a.m., the Mississippi Highway Patrol responded to a fatal traffic crash on MS27 in Lawrence County. A 2002 Ford pickup driven by Charles R. McCoskey, 56, of Monticello, MS was traveling northbound on MS27. The vehicle left the roadway and collided with tree. Charles R. McCoskey received fatal injuries from the crash and was pronounced dead on scene. On Monday, September 7, 2020 at approximately 10:20 p.m., the Mississippi Highway Patrol responded to a fatal traffic crash on I-22 in Marshall County. A sport utility vehicle was traveling eastbound on I-22 when the driver lost control of the vehicle. The sport utility vehicle overturned several times ejecting the driver. The driver, who has not been identified, received fatal injuries from the crash and was pronounced dead on scene. On Monday, September 7, 2020 at approximately 11:30 p.m., the Mississippi Highway Patrol responded to a fatal traffic crash on MS42 in Perry County. A 1989 GMC pickup driven by Conner R. Landrum, 21, of Ovett, MS was traveling eastbound on MS42. The vehicle left the roadway and collided with an embankment. Conner R. Landrum received fatal injuries from the crash and was pronounced dead on scene. The post MHP reports seven fatalities following Labor Day enforcement period appeared first on News Mississippi.
How did your Legislator rank in the 2020 “Business & Jobs” report card?
BIPEC (Business and Industry Political Education Committee) has released its Legislator “Business & Jobs” Report Card for the 2020 legislative session. The report card recognizes “Business & Jobs Champions” for their work supporting economic growth, job development, and business-related issues for the legislative session. “BIPEC recognizes and appreciates the efforts of these Business & Jobs Champion Legislators,” said Derek Easley, BIPEC President & CEO. “For the members and supporters of BIPEC, the Report Card is a resource for the business community. It is a tool to see our legislators’ measured performance and their support for the growth of jobs and economic development in Mississippi.” Click here to view Senate scores. Click here to view House scores. Click here for the list of bill descriptions included in the report card. The post How did your Legislator rank in the 2020 “Business & Jobs” report card? appeared first on News Mississippi.
Initiative 65 v. Initiative 65A: What you need to know
This fall, Mississippi will have a chance to become the 34th state to legalize the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes, however, it won’t be easy as the November ballot will now contain not one but two medical marijuana options vying for your vote. Initiative 65, which is an initiative spurring from the Medical Marijuana 2020 (MM2020) campaign, easily gained over 228,000 signatures to find itself on the ballot, while Alternative 65A was recently created by the Mississippi State Legislature in opposition to Initiative 65. So…what’s the point of having two different medical marijuana options on the ballot? Well, before we can truly dive into that answer, let’s take a moment to look at this chart summarizing the differences between the two measures: Provision Initiative 65 Alternative 65A Number of qualifying conditions 22 specified; more may be established at a later date none specified Possession limits 2.5 ounces at once none specified Ability to smoke marijuana prohibited in public places restricted to terminally ill patients Taxes on marijuana sales taxed at state sales tax rate (7% as of 2020) no tax rate specified Cost for medical marijuana patient ID cards capped at $50 no cost specified Administrating agency Mississippi Department of Health not specified Deadline for medical marijuana cards to be issued August 15, 2021 no date specified Now, we can return to the question at hand. As always with two different options, you are going to have two different answers. If you ask Jamie Grantham of MM2020, the legislature passed HCR 39, ultimately creating Alternative 65A, as a way to sway the votes and keep medical marijuana illegal in Mississippi. “Alternative 65A was put on the ballot, which thereby created a convoluted, two-step voting process, in an attempt to confuse voters and deny them a fair, up-or-down vote at the polls on November 3rd,” Grantham said. If you ask Representative Trey Lamar of Mississippi’s eighth district, the language within Initiative 65 was purposefully designed to infiltrate the market, thus forcing an environment of recreational use. “There’s just a lot of flaws in the way in the way the Initiative 65 constitutional language was drafted,” Lamar, who authored HCR 39, said. “It really just screams with an intent to flood the market.” When asked what part of Initiative 65 gives him the allusion that the measure is a gateway for fraud, Lamar used a hypothetical example to explain his problem with the people’s initiative. “They were going to be entitled to 300 marijuana cigarettes. That was absolutely astonishing to me,” he explained. “At the end of those 30 days, I mean [someone] has only smoked two joints a day for those 30 days, so they’ve got 240 joints left…and they become a dope house.” Section 8 of Initiative 65 does state that “medical marijuana treatment centers shall not provide to a qualified patient, during any one 14-day period, an amount that exceeds 2.5 ounces by weight.” According to Grantham, who serves as MM2020’s communications director, 2.5 ounces, or 70 grams, is not only the standard amount of marijuana prescribed to patients suffering from debilitating conditions, but it’s the number provided by the University of Mississippi’s marijuana research program—the only federally contracted research program in the United States. “As far as the 2.5 ounces, that is a standard amount across all states that have regulated medical marijuana programs,” she said. “Furthermore, that came specifically from our government program at Ole Miss.” Currently, 33 states have legalized the use of medical marijuana, and of those 33, 14 have set their possession limit at 2.5 ounces per every 14-day period. Besides the amount of marijuana patients would be receiving through the program created by Initiative 65, Representative Lamar was vocal about his belief that the initiative’s plan is to bypass governmental control. “[HCR 39] would allow the legislature to appropriately tax the program and appropriately administer the program, which are things the initiative completely forbids,” Lamar said. “The legislature could not go in and make provisions (under Initiative 65) as technology changes, as the science changes, as we learn more about the drug.” Grantham does not take issue with the idea of legislation management, but in regard to this specific topic, she believes the window for the option to be fully closed as lawmakers have failed to pass a medical marijuana bill up until this point. “In the last decade or so, the Mississippi Legislature has had more than 20 bills proposed to pass medical marijuana legislatively, and they’ve blocked every, single one of them,” she recalled. “Then, Initiative 65 qualified per the initiative and referendum law, and as soon as that happened, state politicians literally threw together HCR 39 and rammed it through (the legislative process).” Grantham continued to point out that if Lamar had been truly concerned with the language of Initiative 65, which was introduced in July of 2018, he could have been a part of the initiative’s steering committee. “If he was really concerned about all of that, he could have joined the steering committee back when it was first being formed in 2018. Before the initiative was ever finalized, that steering committee reviewed every, single draft. They all had input. Doctors had input. Everybody had input. He was invited to be on that steering committee, and he declined.” It is also worth noting that Representative Lamar, amongst other legislators, has been outspoken about his preference to carry out a medical marijuana bill, foregoing both ballot measures, when the legislature reconvenes in October. “What I would prefer us to do is pass a regular law through statutory enactment,” he admitted. “I do not believe we need marijuana in our constitution, but if it comes down to voting between being forced to vote on Initiative 65 versus that alternate we passed, I’m definitely voting in support of the alternate.” While it does not appear Lamar is standing strongly behind Alternative 65A and instead would prefer for the legislature to take utter control of the situation, Grantham is staying optimistic regarding Initiative 65’s chances at the
No new deaths included in today’s COVID-19 report from MSDH
For the first time since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, today’s report from the Mississippi State Department of Health includes no new deaths. Today’s report does include 249 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the state’s total number of cases up to 87,379. To date, 2,585 Mississippians have passed away from the virus. The number of active outbreaks in Mississippi long-term care facilities has now dropped to 150 — down from 158 at the beginning of the month. Hospitalization data and estimated recoveries have not yet been updated in today’s report. However, over the weekend, State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs posted some encouraging news showing the effects of masks and social distancing. Masks and Social Distancing have helped MS push COVID rates down – with earlier orders concentrating on counties with the highest numbers (and the majority of cases). Stay focused – we want to keep our state healthy and our kids in school.#MaskUpMS pic.twitter.com/3MVUOdm0Sn — thomas dobbs (@TCBPubHealth) September 6, 2020 Additionally, Governor Tate Reeves explained that Mississippi’s ‘R-naught’ number (virus’ reproduction rate) is the lowest in the country. Today, Mississippi has the lowest rate of Coronavirus reproduction in the country. It is because of your hard work and dedication. Thank you for what you are doing. pic.twitter.com/7gVLCehJgz — Tate Reeves (@tatereeves) September 6, 2020 The post No new deaths included in today’s COVID-19 report from MSDH appeared first on News Mississippi.
Jay Hopson resigns as head coach at Southern Miss
Image courtesy of the Southern Miss Athletics Just days after a dud of a season-opener, Southern Miss head coach Jay Hopson has stepped down. The university has now confirmed the reports that began to surface as early as Sunday night with Athletics Director Jeremy McClain explaining that the two sides mutually agreed to part ways. “Coach Hopson came to me after last Thursday’s game to discuss what was on his heart and after much discussion over the weekend, he and I agreed that new leadership for our football program is needed,” McClain said in a statement. “Coach Hopson has been a part of our program for 10 years. I appreciate his commitment to Southern Miss and wish Jay and his family nothing but the best.” The 32-21 loss to South Alabama last Thursday kicked off Hopson’s fifth season as the leader of the Golden Eagles after leading USM to four straight winning seasons and three bowl appearances during his tenure in Hattiesburg. “After heartfelt discussion with Jeremy, we have come to a mutual agreement for me to step down as head coach. I am in total agreement with this change in leadership and truly believe it is in the best interest of the players, coaches and this entire program,” Hopson said. “I cannot thank Dr. Bennett and our administration enough for the opportunity that they gave me. I wish Southern Miss nothing but the best and am thankful for all that they have done for me and my family.” The Vicksburg native ends his head coaching stint with USM with an overall record of 28-23. Co-offensive coordinator/WR coach Scotty Walden will step in to serve as the interim head coach. At a mere 26 years old, Walden served as the head coach of D-III East Texas Baptist in 2016 prior to joining to staff at USM. In 2019, he named a ‘Top 35 coach under 35’ by the American Football Coaches Association. The Golden Eagles have some time to get things in order as they enter a bye week before facing Louisiana Tech on September 19th. The post Jay Hopson resigns as head coach at Southern Miss appeared first on News Mississippi.
Ole Miss announces cardboard cutout program for fans
With college football stadiums operating at 25% capacity due to an executive order from the governor, you can still be in the stands for every Ole Miss sporting event, including football, this fall…sort of. Ole Miss Athletics announced Friday that, for $55, fans can purchase a cutout to be placed inside Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, the Gillom Athletics Performance Center and the Ole Miss Soccer Stadium. Similar cutouts have been seen since the beginning of the Major League Baseball season. You can secure your spot by going to cutouts.olemissgameday.com. You’ll then upload a high-resolution photo of yourself, a spouse, child, and/or a pet. According to a news release, photos of fans will be required to feature Ole Miss attire. Additionally, commercial advertising, political logos/statements, offensive or negative comments on photos will not be approved. The first 500 orders will be placed in “high-visible locations” behind the field goal posts inside the football stadium with the remaining cutouts being placed throughout the lower bowl. In order to make sure cutouts are in the stands by game time, fans are asked to purchase and upload by the following deadlines: Football – Friday, Sept. 18 by 5 p.m. CT Soccer – Monday, Sept. 14 by 5 p.m. CT Volleyball – Friday, Oct. 9 by 5 p.m. CT Select fans who purchase cutouts will also have the chance to have their cutout signed by Lane Kiffin, Matt Mott and Kayla Banwarth at the conclusion of each sport’s home season. Fans will also be able to pick up their cutouts at the end of the fall season. The post Ole Miss announces cardboard cutout program for fans appeared first on News Mississippi.
Young commercial drivers could get a break
Federal law currently prohibits commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers under the age of 21 from driving across state borders. On Friday, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced a proposed pilot program that could possibly change that. The pilot program would expand the operation of commercial motor vehicles in interstate commerce to individuals 18 to 20 years of age and Congressman Michael Guest (MS-03) applauds the move. Guest is a cosponsor of H.R. 1374, the DRIVE-Safe Act, on which the pilot program is modeled. Guest says he is a strong proponent of expanding opportunities to young workers by reducing burdensome regulations. “By lifting this burdensome regulation, the FMCSA would provide new opportunities for young people to enter the labor force as we work to recreate the booming economy we saw before the COVID-19 outbreak.” “Industries and businesses across the district have voiced their support for this change, and I appreciate the Administration’s actions to implement the proposed legislation through this pilot program,” said Guest. FMCSA Deputy Administrator Wiley Deck said, “This action will allow the Agency to carefully examine the safety, feasibility, and possible economic benefits of allowing 18 to 20-year-old drivers to operate in interstate commerce. Safety is always FMCSA’s top priority, so we encourage drivers, motor carriers, and interested citizens to review this proposed new pilot program and share their thoughts and opinions.” Click here for more information on the proposed pilot program. The post Young commercial drivers could get a break appeared first on News Mississippi.
Multiple child exploitation sentences in less than a month
A Rankin County man is going to prison, making this the fourth child exploitation prosecution in less than a month. Attorney General Lynn Fitch says this case originated after investigators gathered intelligence of an internet user seeking files on the dark web known to be associated with child exploitation images. Using cybercrime investigation techniques, investigators sought a warrant to inspect any devices located at the defendant’s address. After the execution of the search warrant, child exploitation images were located on the hard drive of a computer that belonged to 62-year-old Vernon Williams of Rankin County. Williams pled guilty to one count of child exploitation and was sentenced on Monday, August 31st to 30 years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections, serving 10 years with the remaining time suspended. He will be subject to 5 years post-release supervision. Williams was also ordered to pay a $1,000 assessment to the Mississippi Children’s Trust Fund, $1,000 to the Mississippi Crime Victim’s Compensation Fund, and all court costs. He must register as a sex offender and will be required to serve his sentence day-for-day without the possibility of parole. “My office will not stop until every perpetrator of child exploitation is held accountable,” said Attorney General Lynn Fitch. “I am grateful we were able to secure justice, and I thank the court for its decision in this case.” At the end of August, two men from Forrest County and one from Lowndes County were also sentenced on child exploitation charges. All cases were prosecuted by the Cyber Crime and Public Integrity Divisions of the Attorney General’s Office. The post Multiple child exploitation sentences in less than a month appeared first on News Mississippi.
General Atomics’ expansion to bring 125 new jobs to Lee County
New jobs are coming to North Mississippi. With a nearly $40 million corporate investment, General Atomics Electromagnetic Systems’ expansion in Shannon will create 125 new jobs to be filled by the end of 2025. According to the Mississippi Development Authority, the expansion will help the company to accommodate the addition of three national security components/technologies manufacturing projects for the U.S. Dept. of Defense. “This is an exciting day for Lee County and the state of Mississippi. The addition of these critical manufacturing operations at General Atomics’ Shannon location demonstrates the fact that Mississippi’s skilled workforce is leading the nation, as our military relies heavily on the products made there to ensure their ability to protect our country and every single American,” Governor Tate Reeves said. “This new expansion will create 125 new, good-paying jobs, enabling dozens of Mississippians to provide for themselves and their families. We are grateful to General Atomics for its continued growth and investment in Northeast Mississippi and look forward to growing our partnership to bring more jobs and investment to our great state.” General Atomics’s expansion, the 12th in 15 years, enables the company to increase its high-tech manufacturing capabilities in the U.S. The project includes the addition of 100,000 square feet of highly specialized manufacturing capabilities dedicated to supporting critical DoD programs. “This expansion is a significant part of our ongoing efforts to create the most comprehensive Manufacturing Center of Excellence and Innovation in this region, where concepts and advanced technologies take shape and form the platforms integral to protecting our national security,” stated Scott Forney, president of GA-EMS. “We’ve installed the additional infrastructure, equipment, machining and production protocols and completed the critical security certifications necessary to accommodate the most sensitive and specialized manufacturing requirements. And we have an extremely skilled and experienced workforce to draw upon to ensure the components and systems we deliver to our warfighters are the highest quality and most reliable to meet their mission objectives now and into the future.” The Mississippi Development Authority is providing assistance for workforce training and the installation of cranes at the Shannon facility. Lee County and TVA also are providing assistance. General Atomics currently has 300 employees in Lee County. The post General Atomics’ expansion to bring 125 new jobs to Lee County appeared first on News Mississippi.
Mississippi High School Football Scores – Week One
After a two week delay, the MHSAA season has begun and there was a full slate of high school football games in Mississippi tonight. Below, you can check out scores from across the state. Brought to you by Mississippi Farm Bureau Insurance Company. Go to FaveRates.com for local agents, competitive rates and fast, friendly service The post Mississippi High School Football Scores – Week One appeared first on News Mississippi.