Mississippi
5 reasons lawmakers might not want to restore the ballot initiative
![5 reasons lawmakers might not want to restore the ballot initiative 5 reasons lawmakers might not want to restore the ballot initiative](https://i0.wp.com/mississippitoday.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/AP_16313761389123-e1520297351833.jpg?fit=4078,2119&ssl=1)
Mississippi is the one state within the trendy period to rescind its initiative course of that allowed voters to bypass the Legislature and place points immediately on the poll.
In 2021 the Mississippi Supreme Court docket dominated unconstitutional the signature-gathering course of as spelled out within the Structure to position points on the poll. The ruling resulted in a medical marijuana initiative accepted by voters in November 2020 and your entire initiative course of being discovered to be invalid.
The Legislature couldn’t agree in the course of the 2022 session on language to revive the initiative course of.
If the Legislature did restore the initiative, there can be at the very least 5 points that might be the topic of initiative efforts. These 5 points, all opposed by most of the state’s political leaders, is perhaps the explanation legislators are reluctant to revive the initiative.
These 5 initiatives would:
- Broaden Medicaid.
- Enable early voting.
- Approve leisure marijuana.
- Restore abortion rights.
- Enable folks convicted of felonies to regain their voting rights sooner or later after they full their sentence.
Little doubt, there are different points that probably can be the topic of initiative efforts if the method was restored. Usually, initiatives are undertaken when legislators refuse to behave on points, reminiscent of on medical marijuana just lately and on voter identification in 2011.
Medical marijuana was being rejected by the Legislature as a complete. In 2011, one chamber of the Legislature – the Democratic-controlled Home – was blocking the enactment of a voter ID requirement.
Identical to with medical marijuana and voter ID, the 5 points cited above are presently being blocked by key legislators.
Medicaid enlargement
Mississippi is one among 12 states that haven’t expanded Medicaid to offer medical health insurance for primarily the working poor. The 2 greatest obstacles to Medicaid enlargement have been Home Speaker Philip Gunn and Gov. Tate Reeves, who argue the state can not afford to cowl Mississippi’s share of the prices. Numerous research have concluded that the enlargement would really be a boon to state coffers for the reason that federal authorities would pay the majority of the prices.
Numerous various teams starting from the Mississippi Hospital Affiliation to the Delta Council have endorsed enlargement.
Early voting
Regardless of the rhetoric of former President Donald Trump and lots of of his supporters bemoaning the evils of early voting, 46 states enable no excuse early voting and 27 allow voting by mail. And most states had been permitting the assorted types of early voting lengthy earlier than the 2020 election and the COVID-19 pandemic.
And fact be identified, early voting has lengthy been fashionable. Nonetheless, Reeves and different Mississippi politicians proudly proclaim they are going to block any effort to position Mississippi throughout the mainstream of states by enacting no excuse early voting.
Leisure marijuana
Like with early voting and Medicaid enlargement, there was a leisure marijuana initiative being thought of when the Mississippi Supreme Court docket shut down the initiative course of.
And granted, it is perhaps a protracted shot that Mississippi voters would approve leisure marijuana. However marijuana supporters in Arkansas garnered considerably extra signatures than wanted to position the problem on the November poll.
If Arkansans approve or come near approving leisure marijuana in November, that might be an indication that Mississippians are also prepared to contemplate the problem.
Felony suffrage
Mississippi is one of some states (lower than 10) that don’t restore voting rights to folks convicted of felonies sooner or later after they full their sentence. The felony suffrage provision was integrated into the 1890 Structure by these making an attempt to stop African People from voting.
Voters in Florida just lately voted through poll initiative to revive voting rights to folks convicted of felonies.
Abortion rights
Granted, it has lengthy been perceived that Mississippians as a complete are staunchly anti-abortion. However after the June ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court docket within the Mississippi resolution – Dobbs v. Jackson Girls’s Well being Group – overturning Roe v. Wade and rescinding a nationwide proper to an abortion, there was a hue and cry by some to let Mississippians vote on the problem. In any case, individuals who assist abortion rights determine they don’t have anything to lose since present Mississippi legal guidelines ban most abortions.
And there are just a few causes to provide abortion rights supporters hope. As an illustration, in Kansas, a conservative state like Mississippi, voters just lately rejected an anti-abortion proposal on the poll field.
As well as, when Mississippians voted on abortion in 2011, they overwhelmingly defeated the “Personhood” initiative that outlined life as starting at conception. Plus, current polling signifies {that a} vote on abortion in Mississippi is perhaps shut.
However until the Legislature restores the initiative, we might by no means understand how Mississippians really feel about these points and others.
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Mississippi
Who should be SBLive’s Mississippi high school player of the week? (Aug. 25-31)
![Who should be SBLive’s Mississippi high school player of the week? (Aug. 25-31) Who should be SBLive’s Mississippi high school player of the week? (Aug. 25-31)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_1280,h_720,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/high_school/01j5m63arexrvt6r9tmr.jpg)
Here are the candidates for SBLive’s Mississippi high school Athlete of the Week for August25-31. Read through the nominees and cast your vote. The poll will close Sunday at 11:59 p.m. If you would like to make a nomination in a future week, email Tyler@scorebooklive.com. For questions/issues with he poll, email athleteoftheweek@scorebooklive.com.
Editor’s note: Our Athlete of the Week feature and corresponding poll is intended to be fun, and we do not set limits on how many times a fan can vote during the competition. However, we do not allow votes that are generated by script, macro or other automated means. Athletes that receive votes generated by script, macro or other automated means will be disqualified.
Kohl Bradley, DB, George County: Racked up 17 tackles and returned an interception 80 yards for a touchdown in a 33-7 win over East Central.
DaJuan Colbert, DB, Natchez: Recorded 15 tackles, forced one fumble and returned another one 75 yards for a touchdown in a 58-50 win over Hancock.
Garrison Davis, QB, Holmes County Central: Completed 14 of his 21 pass attempts for 375 yards and three touchdowns in a 20-6 win over Vicksburg.
Xzavion Gainwell, DB, Yazoo County: Recorded nine tackles, an interception and an 80-yard interception return for a touchdown in the Panthers’ 20-16 win over South Delta.
Elijah Jones, RB, West Jones: Had 24 carries 226 yards and four touchdowns in a 34-6 win over Laurel.
Kingi McNair, WR, Pearl: Caught four passes for 160 yards and two touchdowns in a 26-20 win over Neshoba Central.
Ashton Nichols, DB, Clinton: Recorded six tackles to go with two big pass breakups, a blocked punt and a return for a touchdown in a 26-20 win over Warren Central.
Ethan Prater, RB, Pisgah: Rushed for 132 yards on 27 carries with three scores and caught a 60-yard touchdown pass in a 33-32 win over North Forrest.
Glen Singleton, RB, Madison Central: Rushed for 174 yards on 18 carries with all four touchdowns in a 27-20 win over Ocean Springs.
Damarius Yates, RB, Kemper County: Rushed for 193 yards on 17 carries and returned a kickoff 75 yards for a touchdown in a 38-15 win over Kosciusko.
Mississippi
‘If they cannot play Thalia Hall, they cannot play in Mississippi at all’: Broadway in Jackson speaks out about possible show cancellations
![‘If they cannot play Thalia Hall, they cannot play in Mississippi at all’: Broadway in Jackson speaks out about possible show cancellations ‘If they cannot play Thalia Hall, they cannot play in Mississippi at all’: Broadway in Jackson speaks out about possible show cancellations](https://gray-wlbt-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/3KMJQZPKGBHNRCT7NENQ3O72YY.png?auth=8e7e3183f489f41a63616389bdae4dd45efc187856d208138265c67183c736b4&width=1200&height=600&smart=true)
JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – It’s been one month since Thalia Mara Hall closed its doors due to a mold outbreak.
Innovation Arts and Entertainment is the company responsible for bringing Broadway productions to Jackson.
Representatives from the company visited Jackson after hearing the building had been closed.
CEO Adam Epstein says the City of Jackson did not inform them of the news.
“We did not find out from anybody within the city. We found out by reading news clippings forwarded to us by other people in Jackson,” Epstein said.
Certified Industrial Hygienic Testing reported visible dirt, debris, and suspected mold growth on many surfaces.
Epstein fears this could change the possibility of bigger shows coming to the capital city.
“They’re going to skip over us because of this mess. We need to show as a community that Jackson cares about this valuable asset and that we demand our elected leaders to support and treat this really, incredibly valuable asset with the TLC it deserves,” he said.
Thalia Mara Hall is the only venue in the state that can host a Broadway production due to the technical needs and accommodations required.
“Touring theatrical shows. If they cannot play Thalia Hall, they cannot play in Mississippi at all,” he said.
Broadway in Jackson is not only a great source of entertainment in the city, but it’s also beneficial economically.
“Those other businesses don’t benefit. The city doesn’t earn tax revenue from events that we present. They don’t earn rental income from the events we present. They don’t earn facility fees from the events we present. This is a real tragedy. It’s unacceptable.”
The well-being of the potential audience is the company’s main priority.
“I will not risk our ticket buyers’ health and safety and comfort. Our shows can and will cancel before we’d ever put somebody in jeopardy. We’ve issued a 100% guarantee of a full refund if the venue is not given a clean bill of health,” Epstein said.
All shows will be canceled on a case-to-case basis.
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Mississippi
Tire failure suspected in deadly Mississippi bus crash, NTSB says
![Tire failure suspected in deadly Mississippi bus crash, NTSB says Tire failure suspected in deadly Mississippi bus crash, NTSB says](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2021/07/11/USAT/9631b18b-dce5-449d-a448-47f4b71a9b44-MS-01.png?auto=webp&crop=3954,2224,x823,y443&format=pjpg&width=1200)
Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board are conducting a probe into Saturday’s crash that killed seven and injured 36 people.
The deadly bus crash in Mississippi that killed seven people and injured dozens of others early Saturday occurred after the vehicle experienced a tire failure, causing it to run off the road and overturn, officials and authorities said.
Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board, in coordination with the Mississippi Highway Patrol, are conducting a probe into Saturday’s crash that left seven people dead and another 36 people injured. The collision occurred at about 12:40 a.m. on Interstate 20 near Vicksburg, Mississippi, when the bus left the roadway and overturned.
The bus, which authorities described as a 2018 Volvo commercial passenger bus, traveled westbound when its left front tire failed, NTSB member Todd Inman said at a news conference Sunday. The bus then moved onto an embankment and rolled over on its left side.
Inman added that investigators will be at the scene for at least another week and are looking into several factors of the crash, including the vehicle’s mechanical condition, motor carrier safety, the condition and experience of the driver, and environmental factors.
According to U.S. Department of Transportation records, the bus was operated by Autobuses Regiomontanos. Records show that in the 24 months before Saturday, the transit company’s vehicles were involved in one fatal crash, two injury collisions, and a crash requiring a tow truck.
The transit company has over 20 years of experience and provides trips between more than 100 destinations throughout Mexico and the United States, according to Autobuses Regiomontanos’ website.
“Everyone at the NTSB sends their expressions of sorrow for everything that the survivors and victims of this crash went through,” Inman said.
7 killed, 36 injured in bus crash
The bus carried a total of 41 passengers and two drivers, according to authorities. It was traveling from Atlanta to Dallas when the incident occurred.
No other vehicles were involved in the crash, according to Master Sergeant Kervin K. Stewart with the Mississippi Highway Patrol. Six people were pronounced dead at the scene and another person died later at a hospital, Stewart said.
Another 36 people were transported to area hospitals.
Warren County Coroner Doug Huskey said two victims killed in the crash were identified by their mother as a 16-year-old girl and an 8-year-old boy, according to The New York Times. Authorities were working to identify the other victims.
Contributing: Jeanine Santucci, USA TODAY
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