Mississippi / Public News Service

Mississippi's education ranking continues to improve. It ranked 16th in the Nation in the 2025 Kids Count Data Book. However, it ranks 50th in child and teen death rates and the percentage of low-birthweight Babies. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, June 9, 2025

New report shows mixed outcomes for MS children

Mississippi's education system has made remarkable strides, climbing from 48th to 16th in national rankings over the past decade, according to the 202…

An aerial view shows the Mississippi River as it snakes through farmlands in Louisiana. The group American Rivers has just named it the nation's

Mississippi River tops 'most endangered' list amid FEMA uncertainty

The Mississippi River tops a new list of America's most endangered rivers, in part because federal officials propose shifting flood disaster costs to …

Screening represents Mississippi's most severe failing in national rankings, as the state missed all six benchmarks for identifying maternal mental health needs, mirroring national struggles. (Pixabay/TC Torres)

Report: MS gets failing grade for maternal mental-health support

Mississippi ranks among the worst states for maternal mental health care, receiving an 'F' on a new national report card, far below the national …

U.S. retail egg prices fell in April from the record-high prices they hit earlier this year, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (Pixabay)

Corporate practices jack up Mississippi’s egg prices

By Grey Moran for Sentient.Broadcast version by Trimmel Gomes for Mississippi News Connection reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collabora…

Studies show Mississippi is the state most affected by sexually transmitted infections. (Adobe Stock)

HIV testing, outreach falter in MS amid federal funding cuts

By Amy Maxmen for KFF Health News.Broadcast version by Trimmel Gomes for Mississippi News Connection reporting for the KFF Health News-Public News Ser…

Mississippi advocacy groups are joining the ACLU to expand police accountability efforts through the

Civil rights groups step up as DOJ reduces police oversight in MS

After President Donald Trump's decision to dismiss lawsuits and drop federal accountability agreements with several police departments, Mississippi …

In Mississippi, a person generally needs to wait five years after completing all terms of their sentence before applying for expungement of a felony conviction. (Adobe Stock)

Reformers: Outdated expungement laws block second chances in MS

In Mississippi, advocates said thousands of people are stuck in limbo, unable to move forward because their criminal records remain publicly …

Mississippi charges incarcerated people a $6 medical copay per visit, among the highest rates in the nation, while paying prison workers 20 to 90 cents per hour, with exemptions, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. (Adobe Stock)

$6 medical copays block health-care access in Mississippi prisons

Medical copays in prison could be keeping people who are incarcerated from seeking the health care they need. The latest review showed Mississippi …

In 2024, Mississippi lawmakers approved a new school funding formula to replace the long-standing Mississippi Adequate Education program. (Pixabay)

MS teacher shortage threatens education gains, expert says

Mississippi's education improvements could unravel unless the state addresses its teacher compensation crisis. Toren Ballard, a former teacher and …

Climate change is causing significant degradation to the Mississippi River ecosystem, according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Office of Great Waters. (mellz1995/Pixabay)

Does climate change 'perception gap' silence action in Mississippi?

New research suggests Mississippians may be experiencing the same climate-change perception gap found across the globe - when people underestimate how…

Research by economist Raj Chetty and colleagues at Harvard shows Black men's outcomes disproportionately determine economic mobility, with the racial wealth gap linked more to male than female trajectories. (Adobe Stock)

Howard University program addresses Black male enrollment crisis

As historically Black colleges and universities grapple with declining Black male enrollment, Howard University's "Kings of Campus" initiative is …

After collaborating with dozens of sexual assault survivors and various professionals handling rape kits, the End the Backlog organization developed six pillars intended to guide states toward policies to enact meaningful and feasible change. (Adobe Stock)

Mississippi rape kit tests reveal serial offender patterns as backlog persists

New data show a 27% increase in rape kit testing across Mississippi since the state implemented a 2023 law requiring all new sexual assault evidence t…

Unlike Federal Express or United Parcel Service, the U.S. Postal Service must serve all Americans at uniform rates, delivering to remote areas private carriers often avoid. (Pixabay)<br />

MS could face steep postal privatization costs under Trump-Musk plan

President Donald Trump and Elon Musk have proposed privatizing the United States Postal Service by selling it off to a corporation, such as Federal …

Soybeans provide more protein per acre than any other major crop, producing about seven times more protein than beef cattle grazing on the same land area, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. (Pixabay)

MS soybean trials test varieties despite trade uncertainty

Mississippi State University Extension launched its annual soybean variety trials last week. It is a way to evaluate crop performance as farmers …

Mississippi rose from last to 21st in national reading scores since 2013, while serving one of America's highest-poverty student populations, marking the nation's fastest improvement on NAEP assessments. (Yan Krukau/Pexels)

MS literacy gains offer blueprint for education reform, experts say

Mississippi's decade-long focus on early literacy has transformed the state. According to the Mississippi Department of Education, the state's …

Technical violations accounted for nearly two-thirds of Mississippi's probation/parole revocations in 2023, according to a 2024 Mississippi Department of Corrections task force report. (Pixabay)

MS parole, probation system called 'booby trap' fueling reincarceration

Criminal-justice experts say Mississippi's parole and probation systems, designed as alternatives to incarceration, are instead functioning as …

With 22 million Americans lacking broadband access, according to the Federal Communications Commission, the Social Security Administration's reversal maintains a critical lifeline for seniors, particularly in states such as Mississippi, where 40% of rural households lack high-speed internet service. (Pixabay)

MS residents' outcry prompts Social Security Admin to reverse course on phone service cuts

The Social Security Administration has reversed its controversial plan to eliminate phone services for benefit claims, a move that would have forced …

Bumblebee colonies have annual life cycles, according to the ZYWang Lab at the University of Washington, where researchers study natural social behavior changes in aging bees. Current research examines how isolation affects these patterns, with implications for understanding solitary confinement's effects. (Pixabay/iira116)

New research exposes devastating effects of solitary confinement

Imagine being locked in a cell for 23 hours a day, under constant artificial light, with no human contact for months or even years. It is the reality …

In 2025, Mississippi's incarceration rate remains high, with more than 19,000 people incarcerated; a significant portion of them are Black, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. (Pixabay)

Mississippi urged to invest in jobs, not jails, to cut prison costs

As Mississippi grapples with one of the nation's highest incarceration rates, a new national campaign highlights the economic and social toll of …

Nearly one in eight Mississippi residents relies on the food assistance program, which faces $230 billion in proposed federal cuts. (Pixabay)

Proposed SNAP cuts would hit Mississippi especially hard

For nearly one in eight Mississippians, monthly SNAP benefits provide a critical lifeline, one now at risk as congressional Republicans propose $230 …

Mississippi's three-year recidivism rate reached 40% in 2023, according to state task force data - among the highest in the United States. (Pixabay)

MS aims to expand Fresh Start Act to cut recidivism

For thousands of Mississippians leaving prison each year, a single question looms large: Who will hire me? State lawmakers could remove some of the …

Mississippi wholesale eggs at $1.98 per dozen in March were 90% more expensive than in 2020, according to the USDA. (RENATOK/Pixabay)

MS egg prices stay high amid industry consolidation

By Nina B. Elkadi for Sentient.Broadcast version by Trimmel Gomes for Mississippi News Connection reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service …

The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, established by the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020, provides free, confidential support to individuals in mental health crises. (Pixabay)

MS urged to reform mental health system to reduce jail overcrowding

As Mississippi grapples with a growing mental health crisis, state and local leaders are being urged to prioritize diversion programs and crisis care …

The U.S. Postal Service is a self-funded independent agency, delivering mail to nearly every address in the nation. (Adobe Stock) The U.S. Postal Service is a self-funded independent agency that delivers mail to nearly every address in the nation. (Adobe Stock)

MS postal workers set to rally against privatization on national day of action

Postal workers and supporters across Mississippi are preparing to join a National Day of Action on Thursday to oppose what they see as the growing thr…

Almost one-half million Americans are jailed each year while awaiting trial. Many are there because they cannot post a cash bond to guarantee their appearance in court. (Adobe Stock/AI)

Report: Incarceration rates rise in MS, U.S. despite efforts at reform

The incarceration rate for Americans is rising, according to a new report, and at the same time, the U.S. crime rate is falling to historic lows…

Farmers unions and other ag-related advocacy groups are urging Congress to get the U.S. Department of Agriculture to release all frozen funds immediately. (Adobe Stock)

Mid-South farmers grapple with uncertainty of USDA funding freeze, layoffs

Mississippi farmers face mounting uncertainty as a federal funding freeze and layoffs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture have disrupted some of …

The Mississippi Legislature, where Republicans hold a supermajority in both chambers, has been allowed to keep caucus meetings closed under a recent court ruling. Critics argued the decision undermines transparency in policymaking. (Adobe Stock)

Court rules MS Legislature not a 'public body,' allows closed-door meetings

A Mississippi judge has ruled the State Legislature is not a "public body" under the state's Open Meetings Act, a decision allowing lawmakers to hold …

MS groups fight to curb corporate control in agriculture

Advocates for family farms in Mississippi are sounding alarms about the increasing dominance of large corporations in the state's agricultural sector…

A 2023 study by the Pew Charitable Trusts found states with retirement savings programs for private-sector workers saw increased participation rates and higher savings balances among low- and moderate-income workers. (Adobe Stock)

MS workers face retirement gap as state considers savings plan

For many Mississippians, saving for retirement feels out of reach. Nearly 48% of private-sector workers in the state lack access to employer-…

In 2024, the Justice Department found conditions at three Mississippi Department of Corrections facilities - Central Mississippi Correctional Facility, South Mississippi Correctional Institution, and Wilkinson County Correctional Facility - violated the 8th and 14th amendments to the U.S. Constitution. (Adobe Stock)

Faith leaders call out inhumane heat conditions in U.S. prisons

As spring approaches, faith leaders and advocates are raising alarms about inhumane heat conditions in U.S. prisons, especially in southern states …

President Joe Biden used the authority granted by the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to withdraw specific offshore areas from oil and gas leasing. (wasi1370/Pixabay)

Trump administration sued over offshore drilling policy

A coalition has filed a federal lawsuit against the Trump administration after it revoked protections for 625 million acres of federal waters…

Mississippi's prison system has been under federal investigation for unsafe conditions. A 2024 U.S. Department of Justice report found that

New research offers solutions to address violence in Mississippi prisons

As Mississippi grapples with chronic violence and unconstitutional conditions in its prisons, new research provides a roadmap for reducing harm and …

The USDA has a long history of refusing to process loans from Black farmers, and approving smaller loans compared to white farmers. (Brittany Bell Surratt)

Small MS family farms battle inequities, climate change

For generations, small family farms have worked to feed Mississippi communities but small-scale operations, particularly those run by Black farmers…

The Trump administration has halted all pending environmental litigation in the U.S. Department of Justice. (Pixabay)

Closure of EPA branch predicted to affect MS environment

The Trump administration has begun to dismantle the Environmental Protection Agency's office dealing with reducing environmental harms to minority and…

Experts say a lack of sunlight - a natural Vitamin D source and key to regulating sleep cycles - is a major culprit behind the winter blues. (Adobe Stock)

Chasing away the winter blues: MS experts offer mental health boosters

As winter lingers, many Mississippians struggle with seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a form of depression linked to shorter days and reduced …

According to Save the Children, poverty in rural America impacts more than one in five children. In 39 states, rural children are more likely to grow up in poverty than non-rural kids.(masterstudio/Pixabay)

Mississippi communities find local solutions to rural education challenges

In rural Mississippi, where education disparities run deep, community leaders are stepping up to fill the gaps left by limited resources and …

Avian influenza is caused by the same type of virus that causes seasonal influenza in humans. <br />(Pexels)

MS farmers question federal poultry subsidies amid avian flu

By Grey Moran for Sentient.Broadcast version by Trimmel Gomes for Mississippi News Connection reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collabora…

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service, Mississippi has the highest rates of food insecurity in the nation. (Katerina Holmes/Pexels)

MS families face hardship as state rejects federal summer food aid again

Mississippi families struggling with food insecurity are bracing for another difficult summer after state officials declined millions in federal fundi…

In 1974, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the U.S. Constitution generally permits states to strip people convicted of felonies of their right to vote. (Pexels)

MS advocates fight on after Supreme Court upholds voting ban

Mississippi voting rights advocates said their fight is not over, even after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a case challenging the state's …

Provider organizations in the state, including the Mississippi State Medical Association and Mississippi Hospital Association, have been supporters of Medicaid expansion. (Pixabay)

Path to Medicaid expansion in MS remains uncertain

As Mississippi lawmakers move forward with a potential Medicaid expansion, advocates said the state cannot afford further delays while thousands …

The 2023 Exposing Agricultural Trade Suppression (EATS) Act (H.R. 4999/S. 2619), sponsored by Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., and Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, was a revised version of the 2021 bill, which also failed to pass. (Pixabay)

EATS Act's future uncertain; advocates warn of continued threat to MS ag

The Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression Act would have prevented states from enforcing their own agricultural regulations, but has failed to …

The Women's Foundation of the South focuses on tackling policies and programs that marginalize women of color and create barriers to opportunity. It provides multiyear general operating support and leadership development grants to empower organizations working toward equity. (Pixabay)

Southern nonprofit supports Mississippi organizations led by women of color

As many nonprofit organizations see a decrease in funding and donations, one charity is stepping up to ensure organizations run by women of color do …

The Victims of Crime Act of 1984 is a federal law helping people who have survived crime, through compensation and other services. (Pixabay)

MS gets $7M grant for supports to help crime victims heal

For crime survivors in Mississippi, the healing journey often begins with finding resources that can feel out of reach. A $7 million grant from the …

Jackson, Mississippi, was listed as America's murder capital two years running. (Pixabay)

Jackson’s office of violence prevention aims to revive communities, reduce crime

In Mississippi's capital, once dubbed "America's Deadliest City," a new initiative in Jackson seeks to turn the tide on violence through …

One-fifth of people in the United States live in areas that are classified as non-urban, according to Georgetown University Center for Children and Families. (Pixabay)

Medicaid cuts could devastate rural MS, where nearly half rely on coverage

Mississippi's rural communities, home to nearly half the state's population, depend heavily on Medicaid to ensure access to health care and maintain …

Gov. Tate Reeves's executive order requires artificial intelligence technologies to be carefully deployed in Mississippi, to mitigate potential risks and harms. (Adobe Stock)

AI leader praises MS governor’s push for responsible tech

Mississippi is embracing the future of artificial intelligence with Gov. Tate Reeves' executive order establishing a framework for its responsible …

A recent report from the U.S. Department of Justice reveals Mississippi has the highest incarceration rate in the US. (Adobe Stock)

Report: MS faces alarming racial disparities in life sentences

In Mississippi, where thousands of people are serving life sentences, the impact of long-term imprisonment falls disproportionately on Black …

Congress recently passed a one-year extension of the Farm Bill, allocating $20 billion for federal farm programs and an additional $10 billion in direct economic relief aimed at helping farmers. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Small farmers in Mississippi seek greater support amid rising costs

Small farmers across Mississippi are calling for more government support to help navigate rising costs and industry challenges. Robbie Pollard…

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