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Trafficking: An Ugly Reality in Mississippi
Human trafficking, a form of slavery, doesn't just happen overseas in prostitution rings or on television. It's a nasty, ugly reality—and it happens right here in Mississippi.
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Human Trafficking: Unseen and Unaddressed
Victims of human trafficking need a place to go in Mississippi. The Center for Violence Prevention in Pearl has an emergency shelter for victims of domestic violence, and Executive Director …
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JRA Selects EDT Proposal, Nixes Deal with Comer Capital
The Jackson Redevelopment Authority moved forward last Wednesday to develop a deal to build a new hotel downtown near the Jackson Convention Complex by notifying the City of Jackson of …
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Mississippi Governor: 'Secular' World Angry Over LGBT Law
Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant says the "secular, progressive world" vented at him for signing a bill that would let clerks cite religious beliefs to recuse themselves from issuing marriage licenses …
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Mohammad Alefrai
Three years ago, Mohammad Alefrai sat alone on a plane, somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean, on a nearly 13-hour flight from Jordan, leaving everything and everyone he knew behind to …
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Women Misrepresented in Media, Business
Recently, I watched the documentary "Miss Representation" by Jennifer Siebel Newsom. The 2011 film focuses on the misrepresentation of women in mainstream society and the pressures we face because of …
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Lending a Helping Hand
United Healthcare Community Plan of Mississippi and the Alcorn State University Extension Program collaborated once again this year to offer people in the community farm-fresh produce to show Mississippians the …
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MAC Construction Files Lawsuit Against Siemens
MAC Construction LLC, one of the principal subcontractors for the City of Jackson’s notorious $90-million contract with Siemens, filed a suit against the large company for damages
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Ole Miss' Freeze 'Owning Mistakes,' Denies Paying Players
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Capitol Nutrition, Jackson Culinary Concierge and LurnyD's Grille
Jackson couples Adam and Katherine Martin, and Matthew and Lacey Buck partnered together two weeks ago to open Capitol Nutrition in the Regions Plaza in downtown Jackson.
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UPDATED: Kishia Powell: Did Not Come to Jackson 'to Be a Figurehead,' New Atlanta Watershed Director
After almost two years on the job, Jackson's Director of Public Works Kishia Powell tendered her resignation to Mayor Tony Yarber's office this weekend, but the specific reasons are still …
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Alex Eaton of Manship Wood Fired Kitchen will represent Mississippi and Blake Phillips of Sage will represent Louisiana in the Great American Seafood Cook-Off on Aug. 6 in New Orleans.
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Mississippi Attorney: Don't Block Religious Objections Law
Mississippi government attorneys are opposing two legal challenges to a new state law that will let circuit clerks cite religious objections to recuse themselves from issuing marriage licenses to same-sex …
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On Saturday, May 28, Veterans of the Mississippi Civil Rights Movement will pay tribute to Willie Wazir Peacock, a civil-rights veteran who died at the Creekside Health Care Center in …
Entry
E-sports Are Growing
By bryanflynnTomorrow night on the TBS network, the world of e-sports comes into everyone’s living room. There might not be faster-growing sport organizations in the world than competitive video-game leagues.
In Asia, the players are already treated like rock stars. In 2014, more than 205 million people watched e-sports online, which has allowed for rapid growth in the industry. TV might be the last medium that e-sports has yet to take over.
TBS will broadcast “ELeague” on Friday, May 27, at 9 p.m. in an attempt to cash in on the big money associated with e-sports.
While most e-sports players are men, growing numbers of women are coming into leagues. Youth is another staple of e-sports. While that doesn’t mean that all players are young, there is a smaller chance of seeing a bunch of 35-year olds batting it out.
The “League of Legends” Championship is one of the biggest events in e-sports. “League of Legends” itself is a popular multiplayer online battle arena, or MOBA, and real-time strategy video game from Riot Games. In 2013, the tournament took place at the Staples Center, home of the LA Lakers and Clippers, and the venue sold out in a short amount of time.
Not only are people watching online, but they are also watching live in arenas and stadiums around the world. In the United States, the Super Bowl is the only sporting event that more people watch than the “League of Legends” Championship.
The prizes and salaries for top tournaments and players are also growing. In 2014, Chinese e-sports club NewBee won $5.03 million for winning the title for “Dota 2,” a MOBA from developer Valve.
Some top players earn salaries of about $65,000, not including bonuses or endorsements, though most teams do not disclose salaries.
ESPN has an e-sports page for the latest news in the industry, and colleges are even starting to get involved in e-sports, as well.
The Pac-12 is the first major college conference to jump on the e-sports bandwagon. Geographically, the Pac-12 makes perfect sense to be the first major conference in eSports.
Robert Morris University was the first American institution to offer scholarships for e-sports back in 2014. Miami University in Ohio started a varsity e-sports program this year. The Big 10 is starting to take steps into the e-sports world, as well.
It is not crazy for TBS to try to jump into a nontraditional sport. ESPN has done well with the World Series of Poker over the years. The “Worldwide Leader in Sports” has also televised the national spelling bee.
TBS might start a boom in e-sports, much like ESPN started a boom in poker during the early 2000s, as nearly every station tried to create its own poker program. The boom made several poker stars well known across the nation.
If TBS plays its cards right, the network could be at the front of next …
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City & County
Stokes to Circulate Police-chase Petition in Response to DOJ Letter
During a community meeting at Cornerstone Baptist Church Wednesday night, Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes and citizens decided to circulate a petition in response to a letter from the U.S. …
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LGBT
'Love!' Against Legislation
For Cody Cox, owner of Jackson record label Elegant Trainwreck, it began with a feeling of helplessness and just a little bit of amazement.
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Trump Reaches the Magic Number to Clinch Nomination
Donald Trump on Thursday reached the number of delegates needed to clinch the Republican nomination for president, completing an unlikely rise that has upended the political landscape and sets the …
