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Mississippi Godd*mn

When it comes to the erosion of the rights of LGBT people in places like Mississippi, we can't afford to be patient.

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Politicians for Sale? The Funders of the House Leadership’s 2015 Campaigns

The Republican supermajority in the House has changed its dynamics this term, and the Democrats chose Rep. David Baria, D-Bay St. Louis, to be their minority whip leader.

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Governor Signs HB1523, ‘Unconstitutional’ Abortion Bill Heads to His Desk

An anti-abortion bill that has already been ruled unconstitutional by courts in Kansas and Oklahoma is on its way to Gov. Phil Bryant.

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The Panic Party Plan

If Widespread Panic's two-night residence in Jackson wasn't enough cause for celebration, show promoter Arden Barnett and crew at Ardenland have created a full schedule of events around the band's …

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Jumping the Line: Caught in the Crossfire of Ridgeland's Demographic Struggles

Many parents in urban areas, met with the spatial and academic barrier of their zip codes, have no choice but to send their children to the public school available to …

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Experts on Police Pursuits: Another Way

Police pursuits take nearly one life a day in the United States, data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows. Of these, one out of every three deaths is …

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Phil Bryant and Mississippi GOP: Bad for Business

Gov. Phil Bryant's decision is wrong. It's bad for people, and it's bad for business.

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LGBT

GOP's Social, Fiscal Conservatives at Odds Over Gay Rights

Republican lawmakers upset about the Supreme Court decision legalizing gay marriage have advanced measures in about a dozen states this year that could strengthen protections for those who refuse on …

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BREAKING: City of Jackson Shocked by Low Water-Sewer Revenue, Litigation Ahead?

The City of Jackson is almost 12 percent behind projected revenue for water and sewer for this fiscal year, and the administration is considering potential litigation involving one of the …

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April 5, 2016

Connecticut Goes For History Tonight

By bryanflynn

Right now, the most dominant team in sports is the University of Connecticut women’s basketball team. The Huskies are on a 74-game winning streak, and with a win tonight in the national championship game, they will claim their fourth straight title.

A fourth consecutive championship would be a record in women’s basketball and would only trail the University of California, Los Angeles men’s seven titles from 1967 to 1973. Those great John Wooden-led Bruins teams won 10 titles in 12 seasons overall.

The Huskies’ dominance doesn’t sit well with some people. Dan Shaughnessy of The Boston Globe thinks Connecticut’s program is bad for women’s basketball.

Shaughnessy tweeted: “UConn Women beat Miss St 98-38 in NCAA Tourney. Hate to punish them for being great, but they are killing women’s game. Watch? No Thanks.”

The Boston Globe scribe doesn’t want to punish the Huskies for being great but then goes on to say he doesn’t want to watch said greatness? How is that not punishing UConn for being great?

Did UCLA men’s basketball dominance kill the men’s game? Did Pennsylvania State University women’s volleyball team, who won four straight titles from 2007 to 2010, kill women’s volleyball?

Did Penn State men’s wrestling winning five of the last six national titles ruin men’s wrestling? Did the Green Bay Packers ruin professional football by winning three straight titles, including the first two Super Bowls?

Has the New York Yankees’ dominance of baseball killed the sport following their five of six title wins from 1936 to 1943, their five titles from 1949 to 1953, or their four of five titles from 1996 to 2000?

The Boston Celtics didn’t ruin the NBA when they won eight championships in a row from 1959 to 1966. Even the WNBA is still standing after the Houston Comets captured four straight titles from 1997 to 2000.

Every sport at some time or another has seen a single team dominate the sport. Other teams had winning streaks and championship streaks like UConn .

They Huskies aren’t different from any of those. UConn might be winning by a larger margin, but in the end, winning is winning.

If it is boring or “killing” a sport to see the same team win over and over again, then at some point, everyone should have stopped watching sports. But we still watch.

Fans hold UCLA’s streak of titles in high esteem now, and when history looks back at the Huskies, their streak will be equally revered. There are only so many times in your life when you get to see greatness, and it should be enjoyed, not put down.

If Syracuse University defeats UConn tonight, the Orange should be celebrated as champions, and the Huskies should be celebrated for what they accomplished, as well. But it won’t end the sport if the Huskies win.

Connecticut’s level is what every team should strive to reach in men’s and women’s sports. The very idea that greatness …

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April 5, 2016

'Idol' at the End

By micah_smith

As TV singing competition "American Idol" wraps its 15th and final season, we look at the contestants representing Mississippi in the final three.

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'Total Infringement': Governor Signs HB 1523 Over Protests of Business Leaders, Citizens

Gov. Phil Bryant signed House Bill 1523 into law today, which will allow businesses, circuit clerks and medical professionals to recuse themselves from offering services based on a religious belief …

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UPDATE: Council Approves Trilogy for Water Corrosion Study; Emergency Loan to Fund It

Mayor Tony Yarber introduced a $291,989 contract with Trilogy Engineering for a corrosion-control study to the Jackson City Council yesterday during its work session, with the means to pay for …

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Feed JXN, Campbell's Madison, Hancock Fabrics and M7 Coffee House

Carlyn Hicks of the group Jackson Foodies, Chef Nick Wallace of the Mississippi Museum of Art, Mangia Bene co-owner Jeff Good and other Jackson locals are teaming up to organize …

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Ann Saunders

The three front galleries of the Arts Center of Mississippi are covered in creations from Jackson-based artist Ann Saunders.

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World

China Restricts Trade with North Korea Over Nuclear Tests

China on Tuesday banned most imports of North Korean coal and iron ore, the country's main exports, in a significant increase in pressure on the North under U.N. sanctions against …

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National

Trump Proposes Funding Wall by Cutting Off Remittances

Donald Trump would force Mexico to pay for a border wall by threatening to cut off billions of dollars in remittances sent by immigrants living in the U.S., according to …

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City & County

Two Arrested After Dragging Jackson Police Officer With Car

Two men have been arrested after police say an officer was dragged by a car in Jackson.

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#ConfederateHeritageMonth: Your Essential Primer to How It Blew Up in Mississippi

This month, as I'd hoped would happen when I broke the story, many people around the country—especially historians—are using the hashtag #ConfederateHistoryMonth to share facts about the Confederacy.

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City of Jackson Unveils New Data Portal, Part of Transparency Initiative

Mayor Tony Yarber's favorite part of the new data portal opened to the public this morning is the live tracking of infrastructure construction projects, including pothole repair.