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Jamie Scott Hospitalized
Less than three weeks after her release from prison, Jamie Scott has been hospitalized. Activist Nancy Lockhart, who worked for more than five years to free Jamie and her sister, …
Aerospace Alliance Draws Fire From Unions
Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour's support for an aerospace jobs initiative among Gulf Coast states puts him at odds, with a familiar opponent: labor unions. On Oct. 26, Barbour joined his …
State Budget in Limbo
Mississippi lawmakers are still deadlocked on a budget agreement for the upcoming fiscal year after spending last week in fruitless negotiations. With state revenues down $350 million to $400 million …
Schools Short on Pay Roll?
The latest round of state budget cuts has many Mississippi school districts facing difficult budgetary decisions. Gov. Haley Barbour announced $85 million in cuts to K-12 education last Wednesday, $76 …
Today is D-Day for Controversial Bills
The Mississippi Legislature has one of its busiest days today as committees scramble to pass most general bills. State lawmakers have until midnight tonight to get committee approval for any …
Dim Prospects for House Plan to Restore Cuts
The Mississippi House of Representatives approved a plan yesterday to restore recent state budget cuts, but the proposal is unlikely to gain much traction in the state Senate or the …
University Mergers Loom?
Rumors of university consolidation gave way to outright threats Monday when Gov. Haley Barbour released his executive budget recommendations for the 2011 fiscal year. Painting a dismal picture of the …
Barbour Names Commission on School Consolidation
Gov. Haley Barbour announced yesterday the formation of an advisory panel on school consolidation, one of the more controversial suggestions from his November budget recommendations. Composed of state and local …
Solar Panel Plant To Open; New Downtown Cafe
A California solar panel company plans to build a new production facility in Hattiesburg, Gov. Haley Barbour announced today. The company, Stion, produces high-efficiency thin-film solar panels at its headquarters …
Money Games
Mississippi leaders experienced a rare moment of agreement last month on the frequently rancorous topic of education funding.
Advocates Criticize Consolidation Process
Next month, a panel appointed by Gov. Haley Barbour will deliver a report on the possibility of consolidating some of Mississippi's 152 school districts. Barbour tasked the Commission on Education …
Barbour Taps Leslie King for Supreme Court
Leslie King, a veteran state Court of Appeals judge, will take departing Justice James Graves' place on the Mississippi Supreme Court. Gov. Haley Barbour announced yesterday that he would appoint …
GO Zone Deadlines Coming and Going
Local governments in southern and central Mississippi must begin using federal funds for disaster recovery by the end of the year, according to Gov. Haley Barbour. Barbour recently sent a …
Undisclosed Funders Pay for Consolidation Study
Gov. Haley Barbour's Commission on Education Structure will use funds from an undisclosed private source to pay for a study of school consolidation. At its first meeting yesterday, the Commission …
UPDATED: Hosemann Releases Revised Ballot
After losing a legal battle to put a U.S. Senate special election on the bottom of the November ballot, Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann released a revised sample ballot (PDF, …
Voter ID Bill Clears Senate Panel
The Senate Elections Committee passed a bill today that would require all Mississippi voters to present a form of identification at the polling place. The bill, SB 2548, is sponsored …
Now Comes the Hard Part, Again
Mississippi's lawmakers may have approved $20 million in bonds for a state civil-rights museum last week, but the project still has major hurdles to clear before becoming a reality. Chief …
Bonds, Boards and the School for the Blind
Ah, spring—the season when a state lawmaker's mind turns to money. The Mississippi Legislature spent most of last week considering appropriations bills; lawmakers had until Friday to concur or invite …
Medicaid Shortfall Filled?
Mississippi's Medicaid shortfall is solved for the moment, according to a statement released today by Gov. Haley Barbour. Thanks to a refund of approximately $58.9 million from the federal Center …
