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1 week ago
House Speaker Jason White has vowed to end the college-student-who-put-off-writing-a-paper method of setting most of a multi-billion dollar state budget late on a Saturday night.
Most sane people who have witnessed the way the Mississippi Legislature sets a final state budget – all willy-nilly in a flurry of last minute haggling late of a Saturday night – have come away thinking there has to be a better way.
By Geoff Pender - Mississippi Today on
1 week ago
The Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School has selected the Mississippi Today and New York Times investigation on abuse of power as one of six finalists for the 2026 Goldsmith Prize for Investigative Reporting.
“Abuse of Power: Beyond the Goon Squad” was reported and written by Mukta Joshi, Jerry Mitchell, Brian Howey, Nate Rosenfeld, Steph Quinn and Sarah Cohen in collaboration with The Times’ Local Investigative Reporting desk.
By Mississippi Today Staff on
1 week ago
The Mississippi Board of Education discusses a District of Innovation at its meeting on March 19, 2026, at the state Education Department's headquarters in downtown Jackson. Credit: Devna Bose | Mississippi Today
The number of school districts missing annual financial audits is going down, falling to 32 from 47 since the Mississippi Department of Education has drawn attention to this issue, according to Paula Vanderford, the agency’s chief accountability officer.
She told the state Board of Education Thursday that 19 districts are behind on the most recent year’s audit, and another 13 are missing audits for both fiscal years 2024 and 2023. Most have a plan in place to become compliant, Vanderford said.
By Devna Bose - Mississippi Today on
1 week ago
Freeman, an Academy Award-winning actor and Mississippi native, will narrate the immersive experience, which weaves song and story in a cinematic journey through the origin and evolution of Blues music.
For the first time in his home state, Morgan Freeman’s Symphonic Blues Experience will be presented on Friday, March 27. The show is scheduled for 7:30pm at Thalia Mara Hall, located at 255 E. Pascagoula Street in downtown Jackson.
By Susan Marquez - Magnolia Tribune on
1 week ago
Jolly was appointed to the federal bench in 1982 by former President Ronald Reagan. He went on to serve for 35 years.
Former U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge E. Grady Jolly has died at the age of 88.
Jolly was appointed to the federal bench in 1982 by former President Ronald Reagan. He succeeded the late Judge James Coleman.
By Frank Corder - Magnolia Tribune on
1 week ago
Below is a political opinion column by Russ Latino:
Eight separate stalwart Republican donors told Magnolia Tribune they were rethinking their political giving after what one called a “dismal” legislative session.
By Russ Latino - Magnolia Tribune on
1 week ago
The jury deliberated for nearly four hours before handing down the verdict.
Former pro wrestler Ted DiBiase, Jr. has been found not guilty on all 13 counts for his alleged role in the state’s largest-ever public welfare embezzlement scheme using Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or TANF, funds totaling upwards of $77 million.
The jury deliberated for nearly four hours before handing down the verdict.
By Frank Corder - Magnolia Tribune on
1 week ago
“Attacking and accusing a Senate staffer of committing a criminal act in a Veto message is malicious, unnecessary and false,” the Lt. Governor said Tuesday morning.
Governor Tate Reeves (R) vetoed SB 2632 on Monday, sending a strongly worded veto message back to lawmakers, claiming material changes to the legislation were made after it had already been presented to his office. He said such action would violate the state Constitution and may rise to criminal conduct.
By Frank Corder, Jeremy Pittari & Daniel Tyson - Magnolia Tribune on
1 week ago
The new Districts of Innovation include Newton County, Union Public School District, and Western Line School District.
The State Board of Education renewed and approved new Districts and Schools of Innovation across Mississippi last week.
By Jeremy Pittari - Magnolia Tribune on
1 week ago
The State Board of Education was told last week that 32 school districts have not filed audits from Fiscal Year 2023 and/or Fiscal Year 2024.
A revised version of the Mississippi Public School Accountability Standards by the State Board of Education on Thursday is expected to assist school districts catch up on late audits.
By Jeremy Pittari - Magnolia Tribune on
1 week ago
Reeves’ veto message of SB 2632 called out Senator Hob Bryan and Representative Clay Deweese for allegedly making material changes to the bill after it had already been sent to the Governor for his signature.
By Russ Latino - Magnolia Tribune on
1 week 1 day ago
Below is a religion column by Matt Friedeman:
People all over the world flocked to Jackson to learn effective ministry from him and his organizations.
John Perkins was sui generis. Incomparable. Unique. One of a kind.
By Matt Friedeman - Magnolia Tribune on
1 week 1 day ago
Robert St. John says his restaurant business and travel business aren’t two businesses. They’re the same business. It’s all hospitality.
There’s a moment — right before the northern lights appear — when the sky looks like it’s deciding whether, or not, to show you something. Then it does, and you understand why you traveled 4,000 miles. Twenty-five Americans stood beside me in the snow. Nobody spoke. The northern lights don’t require commentary.
By Robert St. John on
1 week 1 day ago
“Election day means election day, not election week, not election month, not election season,” Mississippi Republican Party chairman and RNC General Counsel Mike Hurst contends.
The Republican National Committee and the Mississippi Republican Party will make their case before the U.S. Supreme Court Monday morning in the lawsuit filed to overturn a COVID-era state law that allowed for ballots to be received and counted up to five days after an election.
By Frank Corder - Magnolia Tribune on
1 week 1 day ago
The bill’s author, State Rep. Shanda Yates, described the bill as a “great piece of legislation.” She said landlords not paying utility bills when part of a person’s rent is an issue across the Magnolia State.
Legislation to ensure utilities are paid that are included in a person’s rent or lease has cleared its final hurdle in the Mississippi Legislature and is now on its way to the governor’s desk.
The measure seeks to hold landlords criminally responsible for collecting utility fees but not paying the bill.
By Daniel Tyson - Magnolia Tribune on
1 week 1 day ago
Important state and national stories, market and business news, sports and entertainment, delivered in quick-hit fashion
By Magnolia Tribune Staff on
1 week 2 days ago
Photo by Photo special to The Times/Conservative, © 2026 Emmerich Newspapers, Inc.
Even in this super-colorful Springtime, let’s slow down to appreciate a handful of peculiar, often underappreciated oddities that adorn other landscape plants.
By Felder Rushing - Columnist on
1 week 2 days ago
Photo by Photo special to The Times/Conservative, © 2026 Emmerich Newspapers, Inc.
Were you raised to be independent?
Taught to think for yourself? Taught to take care of your own problems and solve them?
I sure was.
But there have been times when I have faced the overwhelming feeling of utter helplessness. Notice I said, “feeling.” Being a feeling, the helplessness was no less real to me at the time.
If you stop and think about it, what can you really control? What can you do in many instances that rear up to threaten you and yours?
By Connie Bunch - Columnist on
1 week 2 days ago
Photo by Photo special to The Times/Conservative, © 2026 Emmerich Newspapers, Inc.
I am astonished at how fast this spring has happened here on Circle S.
It seems just like last week Roy, and I were sitting in our keeping room bundled in multi-layers of blankets as our electricity was down and so was our generator. Now we are sitting on our back porch listening to the birds sing and watching the cattle graze on the bright green grass that is growing in the pasturelands.
It somehow sneaks up on me every year but this time it was spontaneous as it was freezing one day and the next short sleeve weather. Instantaneous!
By Peggy Sims - Columnist on
1 week 2 days ago
JACKSON, Miss. – Cancer advocates are celebrating after Gov. Tate Reeves signed “Jill’s Law” House Bill 565 Monday night, paving the way for increased access to biomarker testing for Mississippians with state-regulated health insurance plans. Biomarker testing is a key tool used by physicians to identify the most effective treatments for cancer and other diseases. Jill’s Law ensures insurance coverage of biomarker testing keeps up with the latest science.
By Press Release - American Cancer Society Cancer Society Network on
