Mississippi

Statewide Grade-Level Reading Initiative

Mississippi Department of Education officials announce they will launch a statewide campaign for grade-level reading initiative to encourage non-profits, business leaders, and schools to work together to support students reading on grade level by the end of third grade. The…

United In Blue Preview

Today, law enforcement agencies from the Mississippi Gulf Coast united to extend a special welcome to the families of the police officers killed and injured in Baton Rouge this July. News 25's Hank Davis brings us the story. Blue lights…

Compete To Complete Degree Completion Program

Starting today, Governor Phil Bryant has announced the state of Mississippi is trying to do its part to reach out to former college students and help them complete their degrees. "Compete to Complete" is an initiative meant to encourage Mississippi…

Public Input On School Funding

Today, state lawmakers are set to hear from residents as they work to examine Mississippi's School Funding Formula. The legislature is working with non-profit "Ed-build" to look at Mississippi’s Adequate Education Program. The firm is set to make recommendations as…

Gov. Bryant Meets With Trump Transition Team

Governor Phil Bryant meets with a leader of president-elect Donald Trump's transition team. According to a post on the governor's Facebook page, the meeting happened yesterday in Washington D.C. Bryant has said he is not actively seeking an appointment in…

Mississippi Taps Trump

Mississippi is staying in the Republican column for the 10th straight presidential election, giving Donald Trump a comfortable win and the state's six electoral votes for president. The state's voters were choosing Trump by a broader margin than they chose…

Burn Ban Continues Statewide

As drought conditions persist statewide, this morning the Mississippi Forestry Commission continues to enforce burn bans across the state of Mississippi. As of yesterday, 66 of the 82 counties in Mississippi were under some type of burn ban. Not included…

Mississippi School Districts Graded

The Mississippi Department of Education released letter grades for school districts across the state. The accountability system is based on an "A" through "F" system. For the 2015-2016 school years, district grades include 14 "A" districts, 39 "B" districts, 36…

BP Town Hall Meeting Diamondhead

Lieutenant Governor Tate Reeves hosted a public meeting regarding BP oil spill settlement money. This is the second of three town hall meetings hosted by Reeves meant to get public input on how the money should be spent. Seven hundred…

Trial set for Burning Death Case in Panola County

A trial date has been set for the man accused of burning a Mississippi teenager to death back in 2014. Twenty-eight year-old Quinton Tellis will stand trial on June 19th. He's charged with capital murder accused of setting 19-year-old Jessica…

Palazzo Confirms Trump Endorsement

Congressman Steven Palazzo confirms his support and endorsement of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. Earlier this week Palazzo's opponent in Mississippi’s Fourth Congressional race, Democratic Mark Gladney called on Palazzo to revoke his endorsement of Trump. This in the wake…

Legislators Continue Meetings

Discussion about Mississippi state taxes and spending continue between state lawmakers, but the two sides don't exactly see eye to eye. During meetings in Jackson, a group made up mostly of republicans looked for ways to trim the budget. On…

State To Examine Use Of Retired Workers

Mississippi legislators are questioning how state agencies use retired state employees as contract workers. During a hearing Tuesday house speaker Philip Gunn said many people see the practice as double dipping. Some workers retire from state government, draw a pension,…

Firm Hired To Study Education Funding

Mississippi's republican legislative leaders want to re-write the state's education funding formula saying they want to put more money into the classroom and less into administrative expenses. On Tuesday, legislative committees hired a private firm out of New Jersey called…

Mississippi Lawmaker Arrested

A first-term Mississippi lawmaker has been arrested on a misdemeanor charge of domestic violence. Lowndes County jail records show 43 year old state representative Kabir Karriem of Columbus was arrested Tuesday. He was released on his own recognizance, and is…

Mississippi Sending Help East

With the Carolinas bracing for hurricane Matthew, MEMA is sending two staff members to North Carolina. Those two Mississippi emergency management agency staff members are MEMA's office of preparedness director "Susan Perkins" and the operations officer "Tina Reed". Both women…

Gulfport Named Best City To Live In Ms According To Money Magazine

Time's Money Magazine names Gulfport the best place to live in Mississippi. The publication cites the city's attractions including the sportsplex and the Gulf Islands Water Parks. The magazine looked at communities nationwide with at least 50-thousand residents. Gulfport city…

Trump Headquarters In Jackson County

Jackson County has its own Trump headquarters and local Trump campaign leaders are looking for more volunteers to get involved. The headquarters is located in Gautier. It's your source of information for all things trump campaign related. They have information…

Former State Senator To Plead Guilty

Former State Senator "Irb Benjamin" is expected to become the sixth person to plead guilty in Mississippi's Prison Contract Bribery Scandal. Benjamin has filed notice he plans to plead guilty on October 18. He's accused paying bribes to former Corrections…

Northern Legislators Fight For Money

South Mississippi Legislators along with Lieutenant Governor Tate Reeves want to make sure BP Oil spill settlement funds are mostly spent on the gulf coast, but North East Mississippi Legislators are saying not so fast. Representative William Tracy Arnold a…

Town Hall Meetings

The state of Mississippi is set to receive 750 million dollars over the next 15 years from the BP Oil Disaster and you can tell your lawmakers exactly how you want them to spend the Deepwater Horizon Oil Disaster Money.…

Accused Nun Killer Confesses

The man accused of killing two Mississippi nuns confesses this according to a state investigator. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation officer testified Friday during a preliminary hearing for 46 year old Rodney Earl Sanders. According to the officer, Sanders confessed…

The Fight For Photos At Inmate Visits

Mississippi Prisons do not allow photos to be taken during an inmate's visitation hours and one local woman is trying to change that. A Photoshop picture is the closest thing to picayune resident Jennifer Bynum’s has to a real photograph…

New School Grading System

There will be a new way the state board of education assign grades to schools and school districts. The board voted to approve the new scoring level system Thursday. Last month the board discussed a potential plan to assign A's…