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Mississippi Free Press

@mississippifreepress.org

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Women-run nonprofit/nonpartisan newsroom reporting causes, solutions, context since 3/20. Mantra: "Do the right thing and wait." Give: mfp.ms/donate Props: mfp.ms/impact

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Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 6m

The Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning reached a settlement with former Jackson State University Vice President Debra Mays-Jackson for $330,000 over a sex discrimination lawsuit, making it the second sex discrimination settlement reached by IHL this summer. buff.ly/J1tEwri

IHL Settles With Former Jackson State Vice President in Sex Discrimination Lawsuit

Mississippi’s IHL reached a settlement in a sex discrimination lawsuit brought by former Jackson State University administrator Debra Mays-Jackson.

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 20m

The analysis focused on the One Big Beautiful Bill that slashed funding for clean energy tax credits, environmental rollbacks, the loosening of fuel economy standards and federal actions to stop wind, solar and hydrogen projects. buff.ly/7tKf5r4

Mississippians Will Pay Higher Energy Rates Due to Trump’s Policy Changes, Think Tank Says

Households in the contiguous United States will pay thousands of dollars more for energy through 2040, a nonpartisan think tank said Friday.

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 25m

Mississippi voters in the 1st Congressional District will choose one of three candidates to represent them in Congress in the general election on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. Use this guide to learn about candidates’ backgrounds and policy views. buff.ly/EdoRcAV

Meet the Candidates for Mississippi’s First Congressional District in the Nov. 3 Elections

Mississippi voters in the 1st Congressional District will choose a U.S. representative to represent them in Congress in the general election on Nov. 3.

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 45m

It is unclear if the Mississippi Supreme Court will be accepting Shad White’s interlocutory appeal at this time, attorney Rob McDuff said. If the court sides with White, the case can be thrown out; if it sides with James Thomas, the case will return to Hinds County for trial, he explained.

Shad White Asks Mississippi Supreme Court to Toss UM Professor’s Defamation Lawsuit

Shad White is asking the Mississippi Supreme Court to intervene and dismiss UM professor James Thomas’ defamation lawsuit against him

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 2h

“What matters to us is that people feel comfortable with what we do, that they feel at home, that they can say, ‘At least I went somewhere, I felt good, I had a good time, and I felt that connection’” Vilmarie Méndez said. buff.ly/lZcwCKw

Zona Libre Shares Puerto Rican Music With Mississippi Gulf Coast’s Latin Community

Pascagoula residents Reinaldo Conzález and Vilmarie Méndez founded Zona Libre as a way to bring Puerto Rican music to the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 4h

Jackson City Councilman Kenneth Stokes questioned the legality of demonstrations by armed protesters who came to Jackson to protest Tasia Fortune's death and the deaths of other Black people over the past year. But Police Chief RaShall Brackney said the protesters followed the law.

Armed Demonstrators Protesting Tasia Fortune’s Murder Were Peaceful, Jackson Police Chief Says

Jackson Police Chief RaShall Brackney told the Jackson City Council that recent demonstrations by armed protesters were peaceful.

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 5h

OPINION: "If you think your energy costs are high now, the situation may be about to get a whole lot worse," Joshua Busby and Greg Pollock write. buff.ly/ycLRNun

Mississippians Ask Michael Watson to Fix Voter Registration Tool

Voters and advocates are asking the Mississippi secretary of state’s office to fix Y’all Vote, the voter registration confirmation tool.

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 6h

OPINION: "Many of these facilities are in rural communities where federal funding cuts have hollowed out social services, from healthcare to food stamps, leaving them desperate for economic relief," Ella Siegrist writes. buff.ly/KLIHsk2

Opinion | Immigration Enforcement Is Supplying an Economic Market for Prisoners

Ella Siegrist writes about how several states are using immigration enforcement and detention as a revenue stream.

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 7h

Poplarville resident Benjamin Neff attended Pearl River County Board of Supervisors meetings after learning about the proposed cameras. “I do not feel like we’ve been given enough information on how the system will work,” Neff said. buff.ly/4JazOG6

Pearl River County Moves Ahead With Flock Cameras Amid Privacy Concerns

Pearl River County is working to install license plate readers along Interstate 59 and other highways amid questions about privacy.

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 7h

OPINION: "This is why, yet again, I ask men to consider that y’all’s liberation is bound up in ours. The same things that will free us women and gender minorities of our chains will free you of yours as well," Laura Norton-Cruz writes. buff.ly/8wCRYEx

Opinion | That Sydney Sweeney Novig Ad: What Harms Women Is Bad for Men, Too

Laura Norton-Cruz writes about Sydney Sweeney’s gambling advertisement for Novig and the harm it represents to both women and men.

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 7h

Farish Street vendors like William “Peanut Man” Shoulders create their own shade with umbrellas and canopies to handle the Mississippi heat. The Farish Street Green installs trees and natural cooling to the district. buff.ly/aPa8Pxo

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 8h

Mississippi has the highest percentage of Black residents out of any state in the country and U.S. Census data reports over 36% of Mississippi residents identify as Black. Despite this, three of Mississippi’s four congressional districts are majority-white. buff.ly/oxAULFs

Mississippians Condemn Redistricting Efforts During Gulfport Hearing

Mississippians on the Gulf Coast were mostly negative on any redistricting proposals that may come from the Mississippi Legislature.

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 8h

“Let me be clear: I am against any redistricting. … Mississippi has not changed because there is no constitutional recourse for this. There’s only one reason that we are discussing redistricting, and you all know what it is. It’s been trumped up," Tredrick Johnson said. buff.ly/iJDg0Eb

Shad White Says Mississippi Delta ‘Deserves Better’ Than Bennie Thompson

Mississippi State Auditor Shad White said at the Jackson redistricting hearing that the Mississippi Delta “deserves better” than Bennie Thompson.

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 8h

"Rarely do we receive a problematic call from a voter who uses it correctly, so I don't see the need to fix a tool that isn't broken," Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson told Scott Crawford in an email response after Crawford asked about issues with the state's Y'all Vote tool.

Mississippians Ask Michael Watson to Fix Voter Registration Tool

Voters and advocates are asking the Mississippi secretary of state’s office to fix Y’all Vote, the voter registration confirmation tool.

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 9h

Today is the last day for Mississippians to register to vote in order to cast a ballot in the Nov. 3 midterm elections. Registered voters also have until Monday to confirm their registration status. buff.ly/EBFM2bu

Mississippi Voter Registration Deadline for 2026 Election Is Oct. 5

Mississippians who want to vote in November’s general election have until Oct. 5 to register to vote or confirm their registration status.

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 04/10/2026

The county’s specific policies for data retention, officer access, searches and auditing were not available in the records obtained by RHCJC News. buff.ly/4JazOG6

Pearl River County Moves Ahead With Flock Cameras Amid Privacy Concerns

Pearl River County is working to install license plate readers along Interstate 59 and other highways amid questions about privacy.

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 04/10/2026

Ben Crump’s Sept. 24 press conference focused on the forensic examination of Nolan Wells’ phone, which has been scrutinized in an attempt to recreate Wells’ whereabouts during the last hours of his life. buff.ly/9FOaRrl

Expert Who Examined Nolan Wells' Phone Clarifies 'Misinterpreted' Claims About 'Deleted' Messages

Andrew Garrett, a digital forensics expert, said no one physically accessed or deleted data directly from Nolan Wells’ phone.

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 04/10/2026

OPINION: "Corporations that want to exploit men—at whatever cost to these men—make them willing participants in their own exploitation, using sexism (and racism) to fool them into feeling like they’re in charge, like they hold the power," Laura Norton-Cruz writes. buff.ly/8wCRYEx

Opinion | That Sydney Sweeney Novig Ad: What Harms Women Is Bad for Men, Too

Laura Norton-Cruz writes about Sydney Sweeney’s gambling advertisement for Novig and the harm it represents to both women and men.

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 04/10/2026

Janilyah Khadaran said of the Mississippi redistricting committee, "We have one woman. We have someone who may be somewhere near my age and the rest of you look like you guys have been retired for years. No one here represents me.” buff.ly/oxAULFs

Mississippians Condemn Redistricting Efforts During Gulfport Hearing

Mississippians on the Gulf Coast were mostly negative on any redistricting proposals that may come from the Mississippi Legislature.

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 04/10/2026

Electricity bills are already rising faster than inflation in much of the U.S., which is being blamed in some areas on demand from data centers. The Iran war has sent oil and gasoline prices sharply higher, too. buff.ly/7tKf5r4

Mississippians Will Pay Higher Energy Rates Due to Trump’s Policy Changes, Think Tank Says

Households in the contiguous United States will pay thousands of dollars more for energy through 2040, a nonpartisan think tank said Friday.

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 04/10/2026

A heat study of the Farish Street District in Jackson, Mississippi, found it was one of the hottest areas in the city. “It was hard to really bring people back into the community with no shade, nowhere to really hang out,” resident Dorothy Davis said. buff.ly/aPa8Pxo

Farish Street Green Marks Resolve to Revitalize Historic Jackson Neighborhood

The Farish Street Green opens on Monday, Oct. 5, bringing green infrastructure and cooling to Jackson’s historic Black district.

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 04/10/2026

“For those of us who live far from our countries of origin, hearing our music can become a bridge back to our roots," Kismeth Meléndez, entertainment and marketing director for the 2021 Mobile Latin Fest, said. buff.ly/lZcwCKw

Zona Libre Shares Puerto Rican Music With Mississippi Gulf Coast’s Latin Community

Pascagoula residents Reinaldo Conzález and Vilmarie Méndez founded Zona Libre as a way to bring Puerto Rican music to the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 04/10/2026

What would you ask a journalist to look into about Mississippi elections? That’s exactly the kind of thing we want to hear. Join our last virtual Trusted Elections Solutions Circle on Oct. 13 from 6–7:30 p.m. Come talk. We’re listening. Register today: buff.ly/vimYyaB

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 04/10/2026

Shad White and Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves are among several lawmakers who have made clear their hopes to redraw Mississippi's 2nd Congressional District, Mississippi's only majority-Black congressional district and home to the state's only Black congressman, Bennie Thompson. buff.ly/iJDg0Eb

Shad White Says Mississippi Delta ‘Deserves Better’ Than Bennie Thompson

Mississippi State Auditor Shad White said at the Jackson redistricting hearing that the Mississippi Delta “deserves better” than Bennie Thompson.

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 04/10/2026

“Any barrier, including one where it’s difficult to check your voter registration status, is just another reason that could lend itself to people not showing up to the polls,” Harya Tarekegn of the Mississippi Center for Justice said. buff.ly/ycLRNun

Mississippians Ask Michael Watson to Fix Voter Registration Tool

Voters and advocates are asking the Mississippi secretary of state’s office to fix Y’all Vote, the voter registration confirmation tool.

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 04/10/2026

Police interviewed 15 people and did hundreds of hours of investigative work between Tasia Fortune’s death and the arrest of their first suspect, Jackson Police Chief RaShall Brackney said on Sept. 11. buff.ly/9EFO23F

Armed Demonstrators Protesting Tasia Fortune’s Murder Were Peaceful, Jackson Police Chief Says

Jackson Police Chief RaShall Brackney told the Jackson City Council that recent demonstrations by armed protesters were peaceful.

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 04/10/2026

Hinds County Circuit Judge Faye Peterson declined Mississippi State Auditor Shad White's attempt to have James Thomas' defamation lawsuit dismissed, ruling that several of White's statements were defamatory and he is not protected by qualified immunity. buff.ly/8w6Rhsh

Shad White Asks Mississippi Supreme Court to Toss UM Professor’s Defamation Lawsuit

Shad White is asking the Mississippi Supreme Court to intervene and dismiss UM professor James Thomas’ defamation lawsuit against him

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 04/10/2026

October 5 is the last day for Mississippians to register to vote in order to cast a ballot in the Nov. 3 midterm elections. Registered voters also have until Monday to confirm their registration status. buff.ly/EBFM2bu

Mississippi Voter Registration Deadline for 2026 Election Is Oct. 5

Mississippians who want to vote in November’s general election have until Oct. 5 to register to vote or confirm their registration status.

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 04/10/2026

OPINION: "The White House called the change an expansion of access for “new media,” and a broader press corps can be healthy. But a room that admits only the voices political aides select is not open," Van Abbott writes. buff.ly/BnPVvMn

Opinion | Trump Continues to Weaken Independent Journalism

Van Abbott writes about President Donald Trump’s assault on independent journalism through banning several news outlets from the White House.

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 04/10/2026

OPINION: "Rural communities have often vied for prisons, just as they lobbied for federal prisoners in the 1800s. These rural areas seek new prisons for the infusion of money and jobs into the local economy," Ella Siegrist writes. buff.ly/KLIHsk2

Opinion | Immigration Enforcement Is Supplying an Economic Market for Prisoners

Ella Siegrist writes about how several states are using immigration enforcement and detention as a revenue stream.

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 04/10/2026

The special election for the Mississippi Senate District 34 has been set for Dec. 22. The qualifying deadline is Oct. 8. buff.ly/Wht8hHE

Mississippi Governor Sets Special Election After State Senator Retires

Forest, Jasper and Jones county voters will have a special election on Dec. 22 to fill a vacancy in Mississippi Senate District 34.

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 04/10/2026

OPINION: "[J]ail stays are booming, especially in rural and suburban places. Lengthy pretrial periods and resource shortages account for much of that growth. So does the rental of jail beds to outside entities," Ella Siegrist writes.

Opinion | Immigration Enforcement Is Supplying an Economic Market for Prisoners

Ella Siegrist writes about how several states are using immigration enforcement and detention as a revenue stream.

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 04/10/2026

Households in the contiguous United States will pay thousands of dollars more for energy through 2040 because of federal policy changes since President Donald Trump returned to office, according to modeling released Friday by a nonpartisan think tank. buff.ly/7tKf5r4

Mississippians Will Pay Higher Energy Rates Due to Trump’s Policy Changes, Think Tank Says

Households in the contiguous United States will pay thousands of dollars more for energy through 2040, a nonpartisan think tank said Friday.

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 04/10/2026

Harya Tarekegn of the Mississippi Center for Justice has been receiving an error message from the Mississippi secretary of state office’s Y’all Vote tool every time she attempts to check her voter registration, even though she inputs the exact information in which it asks. buff.ly/ycLRNun

Mississippians Ask Michael Watson to Fix Voter Registration Tool

Voters and advocates are asking the Mississippi secretary of state’s office to fix Y’all Vote, the voter registration confirmation tool.

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 04/10/2026

Mississippians should also ensure their county election officials have not purged them from the county’s voting rolls due to inactivity. Mississippi law requires purging voters who are declared inactive and do not respond to notices asking them to correct issues. buff.ly/EBFM2bu

Mississippi Voter Registration Deadline for 2026 Election Is Oct. 5

Mississippians who want to vote in November’s general election have until Oct. 5 to register to vote or confirm their registration status.

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 03/10/2026

In the time following the Sept. 11 protests, three men have been arrested in connection with Tasia Fortune’s death. The first was Jarques Ratliff, 51, on Sept. 11, who entered a not guilty plea. Arrests of 25-year-old Earnest Lloyd Jr. and 45-year-old Eric Clark followed. buff.ly/9EFO23F

Armed Demonstrators Protesting Tasia Fortune’s Murder Were Peaceful, Jackson Police Chief Says

Jackson Police Chief RaShall Brackney told the Jackson City Council that recent demonstrations by armed protesters were peaceful.

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 03/10/2026

"The Delta has been at the bottom of far too many rankings for far too long, and the Delta deserves better leadership than Bennie Thompson. It just does," Mississippi State Auditor Shad White said at the Jackson redistricting hearing on Oct. 1. buff.ly/iJDg0Eb

Shad White Says Mississippi Delta ‘Deserves Better’ Than Bennie Thompson

Mississippi State Auditor Shad White said at the Jackson redistricting hearing that the Mississippi Delta “deserves better” than Bennie Thompson.

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 03/10/2026

James A. Bobo, an attorney at the Mississippi State Auditor’s Office, argued James Thomas’ alleged damages do not meet the legal threshold for “special harm” required in defamation lawsuits because he did not suffer any specific financial damages as a result of Shad White’s statements.

Shad White Asks Mississippi Supreme Court to Toss UM Professor’s Defamation Lawsuit

Shad White is asking the Mississippi Supreme Court to intervene and dismiss UM professor James Thomas’ defamation lawsuit against him

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 03/10/2026

“Black Mississippians are nearly 40% of this state, and yet only one congressional district represents them,” Noelle Nolan-Ryder said at the Sept. 22 redistricting hearing in Gulfport. “So I object to mid-decade redistricting as a Mississippian.” buff.ly/oxAULFs

Mississippians Condemn Redistricting Efforts During Gulfport Hearing

Mississippians on the Gulf Coast were mostly negative on any redistricting proposals that may come from the Mississippi Legislature.

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 03/10/2026

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves has announced a special election for Senate District 34 on Dec. 22 to fill the vacancy left by former Sen. Juan Barnett, who resigned from the Senate and retired on Aug. 31. District 34 includes Forest, Jasper and Jones counties. buff.ly/Wht8hHE

Mississippi Governor Sets Special Election After State Senator Retires

Forest, Jasper and Jones county voters will have a special election on Dec. 22 to fill a vacancy in Mississippi Senate District 34.

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 03/10/2026

“Farish Street was the Mecca for Jackson, especially for the Black community,” Jackson resident Dorothy Davis said. “This is where all your Black millionaires used to live and had their practices and businesses, and the poor people, too. And so it was a one-stop.” buff.ly/aPa8Pxo

Farish Street Green Marks Resolve to Revitalize Historic Jackson Neighborhood

The Farish Street Green opens on Monday, Oct. 5, bringing green infrastructure and cooling to Jackson’s historic Black district.

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 03/10/2026

OPINION: "The truth is the first casualty of war, and President Donald Trump’s White House is determined to make independent journalism the second," Van Abbott writes. buff.ly/BnPVvMn

Opinion | Trump Continues to Weaken Independent Journalism

Van Abbott writes about President Donald Trump’s assault on independent journalism through banning several news outlets from the White House.

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 03/10/2026

OPINION: "Why? Because it’s an ad for sports betting. And who goes bankrupt from sports betting? Who loses their families because of sports betting? Who dies by suicide at higher rates, driven by debt and shame? Men do," Laura Norton-Cruz writes. buff.ly/8wCRYEx

Opinion | That Sydney Sweeney Novig Ad: What Harms Women Is Bad for Men, Too

Laura Norton-Cruz writes about Sydney Sweeney’s gambling advertisement for Novig and the harm it represents to both women and men.

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 03/10/2026

The new rules for gasoline-powered vehicles were released shortly after President Donald Trump rejected an Iranian proposal to open the Strait of Hormuz, sending oil prices soaring. buff.ly/ayFdrZR

Trump Administration Lowers Fuel Economy Standards, Critics Say at an Environmental Cost

The Trump administration on Monday released new fuel economy standards that relax requirements for automakers to control pollution.

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 03/10/2026

“We wanted every person, through music, to be transported to their nationality and say, ‘Look, at least we can hear something from our own culture here on the Mississippi Gulf Coast,’” Vilmarie Méndez said. buff.ly/lZcwCKw

Zona Libre Shares Puerto Rican Music With Mississippi Gulf Coast’s Latin Community

Pascagoula residents Reinaldo Conzález and Vilmarie Méndez founded Zona Libre as a way to bring Puerto Rican music to the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 03/10/2026

Civil rights attorney Ben Crump’s own digital expert in the Nolan Wells case has refuted the suggestion that Wells’ phone was accessed and had data deleted from it after Wells last locked the phone before his death. He also clarified a misinterpretation surrounding claims of “deleted” messages.

Expert Who Examined Nolan Wells' Phone Clarifies 'Misinterpreted' Claims About 'Deleted' Messages

Andrew Garrett, a digital forensics expert, said no one physically accessed or deleted data directly from Nolan Wells’ phone.

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 03/10/2026

Missed the last two? Don’t miss the last one. Join our final virtual Trusted Elections Solutions Circle on Oct. 13. Bring your questions, concerns and experiences with Mississippi elections. We’re here to listen. Register: buff.ly/57GWUKG

Graphic promoting the final virtual Trusted Elections Solutions Circle. A photo at the top shows Mississippians participating in a community conversation. Text reads: “Solutions Circle: Trusted Elections. Your Voice. Your Concerns. Our Elections.” The virtual, participant-led conversation about election issues is Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Logos for Mississippi Free Press and partner organizations appear along the bottom.

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 03/10/2026

“It’s an investigative tool, and I think it can be very useful and help the Sheriff’s (Office) solve crimes,” Adrian Lumpkin said. “We recovered a vehicle not too long ago in Louisiana through the use of ALPR that was stolen from Pearl River County.” buff.ly/4JazOG6

Pearl River County Moves Ahead With Flock Cameras Amid Privacy Concerns

Pearl River County is working to install license plate readers along Interstate 59 and other highways amid questions about privacy.

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 03/10/2026

Most comments at the Sept. 22 redistricting hearing in Gulfport, Mississippi, were negative on redistricting. “We are asking you plainly—leave our maps alone,” Sonya Williams-Barnes said. “Wait until the next system and follow the regular redistricting process.” buff.ly/oxAULFs

Mississippians Condemn Redistricting Efforts During Gulfport Hearing

Mississippians on the Gulf Coast were mostly negative on any redistricting proposals that may come from the Mississippi Legislature.

Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 03/10/2026

Without these standards, in 2035, cars could produce 22,111 more tons of carbon dioxide per year than under the Biden-era rules. It also translates to an extra 90 tons a year of deadly soot particles and 4,870 additional tons a year of smog components. buff.ly/ayFdrZR

Trump Administration Lowers Fuel Economy Standards, Critics Say at an Environmental Cost

The Trump administration on Monday released new fuel economy standards that relax requirements for automakers to control pollution.