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Politics
GOP, Dems Marking Territory
Even before adopting temporary rules, Democrats in the Mississippi House of Representatives tried to flex their muscle to show the party is an underdog not to be messed with, even …
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Bryan's Rant
Mississippians Advance, Impress in the NFL Playoffs
Just eight teams with a chance to reach this year's Super Bowl remain. All the top ones play this weekend after coming off their bye last week. While the playoffs …
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Despite Lotto Frenzy, Adoption Seems Unlikely in Mississippi
Mississippi appears no closer today to getting a lottery than it was then, even as residents stream across the borders of the Magnolia State to buy lottery tickets elsewhere.
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State
Gov. Phil Bryant's Inaugural Speech: Full Text
The following is the text of Gov. Phil Bryant's inaugural speech, as prepared for delivery Tuesday:
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Politics
High-Speed Chases, Airport Takeover on Council Agenda Tonight
In the past two weeks, a number of people have made political hay out of Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes' remark about throwing bottles and bricks at suburban cop cars …
Story
Text of Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant's Inauguration Speech
The following is the text of Gov. Phil Bryant's inaugural speech, as prepared for delivery Tuesday.
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Biz Roundup
Seafood, Running, Mixed-Use and More
Mickey Paduda, owner of Jackson Proper LLC, hopes to expand Fondren's business community with the development of The Precinct, a mixed-use building so named because it once housed Jackson's Police …
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Person of the Day
Ketara Chapel
Ketara Chapel scored a career-high 19 points on Sunday, Dominique Dillingham added 16 and No. 7 Mississippi State pulled away to beat Arkansas 80-55.
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Report: Mississippi Foster Care System 'Well Beyond Crisis'
By adreherA report in the Olivia Y case, filed on Jan. 6, found that an infant died within five days after entering the state's foster care system. The report found that the state had not inspected the home where the baby died before the baby was placed there. Judith Meltzer, from the Center for Study of Social Policy, found that the baby's death was a result of poor documentation and failure to "properly collect and document information significant to the licensing process" and "record information in the case record."
Mississippi's foster care system has actually gotten worst, the report found. Only 2 percent of children entering the foster care system received a health exam within 30 days, and 2 percent of foster parents received all the relevant medical information on a foster child within 15 days of placement.
The Olivia Y case has been ongoing since 2004, since the state was sued by A Better Childhood, a national nonprofit advocacy organization, on the state's foster care children's behalf. On Dec. 22, 2015 the federal court issued an order requiring that the state create the Division of Family and Children's Services--separate from the Department of Human Services. Gov. Phil Bryant selected former Mississippi Supreme Court Judge David Chandler to be the executive director of the new division on Dec. 29, 2015.
The court order also requires increased compensation and technology for caseworkers as well as an increase in foster homes in the state. Executive director of A Better Childhood, Marcia Robinson Lowry said there are far too few foster homes and workers in the state, in a press release. "The facts could not be more clear," she said in the release. "The foster care system in Mississippi is well beyond crisis."
Place
River Hills Club
The vision of a tennis and sports facility that would be among the finest in the country became reality in the mid-60's when W.E. "Slew" Hester, a Jackson native and USTA president, became the key founder and charter member of …
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Justice
No Charges Against White Officer for Jonathan Sanders' Death
A Clarke County grand jury declined to indict white Stonewall police officer Kevin Herrington for the death of an African American man named Jonathan Sanders in July 2015.
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Music
David Bowie
David Bowie died Sunday, Jan. 10, about 18 months after learning he had liver cancer. The world best knew the British pop-culture icon as a genre-spanning singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. …
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Gov. Phil Bryant's critics acknowledge his political acumen but question whether his goal has been …
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Health Care
Feds Funding Effort to Tie Medical Services to Social Needs
The federal government has announced a $157 million project to help hospitals and doctors link Medicare and Medicaid patients to needed social services that sometimes have a bigger impact on …
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Politics
Gov. Phil Bryant Promises 'More of the Same' in Next Term
Phil Bryant was at the front of the room Thursday before the Mississippi Economic Council, relishing being governor again.
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Analysis: Mississippi Legislators Ease into New 4-Year Term
Ambitious new lawmakers who want to zip into the Mississippi Capitol and rapidly change public policy are getting their first tough lesson: Nothing happens quickly at the beginning of a …
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City & County
10 Local Stories of the Week
There's never a slow news week in Jackson, Miss., and last week was no exception. Here are the local stories JFP reporters brought you in case you missed them.
