Most Mississippi Republican politicians quickly took to social media this week to defend Donald Trump and to attack the New York justice system after the former president was convicted of 34 felony charges. The former president was found guilty of charges related to falsifying business records to conceal that just before the 2016 election he paid off porn actress Stormy Daniels to conceal a sexual encounter. Mississippi politicians, claiming the guilty verdict was politically motivated to harm Trump’s election chances, echoed some of the same attacks they used in 2020 after they falsely claim ..read more

Rick Cleveland, a columnist and correspondent for Mississippi Today, will be inducted into the Mississippi Press Hall of Fame during the 158th Annual Meeting on June 28 in Biloxi,. Cleveland, an award-winning journalist who has spent decades chronicling sports in Mississippi, is the first sports journalist to be inducted. He has been recognized 13 times as Mississippi Sports Writer of the Year.  “Rick is one of Mississippi’s most treasured storytellers,” said Mary Margaret White, Mississippi Today CEO and executive director. “We are so proud to see his years of s ..read more

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MAY 31, 1921 Buildings were destroyed during the Tulsa Race Massacre when a white mob attacked the Greenwood neighborhood, a prosperous Black community in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 1921. Eyewitnesses recalled men carrying torches through the streets to set fire to homes and businesses. Credit: Library of Congress The Tulsa race massacre began after a white mob gathered at a jail where a Black teen had been arrested on false charges of “attacking” a white girl in an elevator.  In reality, he may have tripped or bumped into her. Although authorities exonerated him, that didn’t stop the mob.  ..read more

A year after an 11-year-old Indianola boy survived being shot in the chest, the boy’s mother is pursuing a state lawsuit against the sergeant and police department.  In the early morning of May 20, 2023, Nakala Murry called the police to help with a former partner and the father of one of her children, concerned for the safety of her son, daughter and nephew who were home. Sgt. Greg Capers arrived with his gun drawn expecting to encounter the man, but as he stood in the dark doorway, he fired at Murry’s son, Aderrien, as he entered the room.  “This incident underscores the urgent ne ..read more

New federal funding announced in April will help bolster Mississippi’s efforts to track down potential orphan wells, the State Oil & Gas Board says. Orphan wells, most of which were used for oil or gas production, are wells no longer in use but have no record of ownership or the company that dug them no longer exists. In an effort to ensure those wells have no oil or methane leaks, the federal government is spending $4.7 billion through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The U.S. Department of Interior announced $6.8 million for Mississippi on April 24, which is on top of $5 million the s ..read more

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Mississippi State and Southern Miss Friday begin their post-season quest to do what State’s Bulldogs did in 2021. Here, Chris Lemonis lifts the NCAA championship trophy after winning the College World Series 9-0 against Vanderbilt in the deciding Game 3 Wednesday, June 30, 2021, in Omaha, Neb. (AP Photo/John Peterson) Can Mississippi State and Southern Miss baseball teams win tough regional tournaments on the road this weekend and advance to the NCAA Super Regionals? Glad you asked. Answer: Of course, they can. But it will not be easy, especially where Southern Miss is concerned. Rick Clevelan ..read more

Jason White hopes to learn from the ambitious 2022 plan of his predecessor – former Mississippi House Speaker Philip Gunn – to reduce the state’s tax on groceries and eliminate the personal income tax. White recently announced his intention to form a select committee of House members to look at the state’s tax structure in advance of the 2025 legislative session. White hopes as a result of the study to: Cut the state’s 7% tax on groceries in half. Phase out the personal income tax. Develop an additional stream of revenue for state transportation needs. The Mississippi Department of Transport ..read more

RAYMOND — For the hundred or so Raymond residents who came to Tuesday’s Hinds County Planning Commission meeting about a proposed solar array, being able to see or hear what was going on was a luxury. The dozens of those who couldn’t fit into the packed, stuffy library room resigned to either peaking their heads in from the hallway or waiting outside in the 90 degree heat. The focus of the meeting centered around a small group of representatives from the Virginia-based company Apex Clean Energy. The group, sweating in their collared shirts, stood before the Planning Commission to pitch what t ..read more