Mississippi

A Mississippi Confederate monument covered for 4 years is moved

Published

2 months ago

September 18, 2024

A Mississippi Confederate monument covered for 4 years is moved

GRENADA, Miss. (AP) — A Mississippi town has taken down a Confederate monument that stood on the courthouse square since 1910 — a figure that was tightly wrapped in tarps the past four years, symbolizing the community’s enduring division over how to commemorate the past.

Grenada’s first Black mayor in two decades seems determined to follow through on the city’s plans to relocate the monument to other public land. A concrete slab has already been poured behind a fire station about 3.5 miles (5.6 kilometers) from the square.

But a new fight might be developing. A Republican lawmaker from another part of Mississippi wrote to Grenada officials saying she believes the city is violating a state law that restricts the relocation of war memorials or monuments.

The Grenada City Council voted to move the monument in 2020, weeks after police killed George Floyd in Minneapolis. The vote seemed timely: Mississippi legislators had just retired the last state flag in the U.S. that prominently featured the Confederate battle emblem.

The tarps went up soon after the vote, shrouding the Confederate soldier and the pedestal he stood on. But even as people complained about the eyesore, the move was delayed by tight budgets, state bureaucracy or political foot-dragging. Explanations vary, depending on who’s asked.

A new mayor and city council took office in May, prepared to take action. On Sept. 11, with little advance notice, police blocked traffic and a work crew disassembled and removed the 20-foot (6.1-meter) stone structure.

“I’m glad to see it move to a different location,” said Robin Whitfield, an artist with a studio just off Grenada’s historic square. “This represents that something has changed.”

Still, Whitfield, who is white, said she wishes Grenada leaders had invited the community to engage in dialogue about the symbol, to bridge the gap between those who think moving it is erasing history and those who see it as a daily reminder of white supremacy. She was among the few people watching as a crane lifted parts of the monument onto a flatbed truck.

“No one ever talked about it, other than yelling on Facebook,” Whitfield said.

Mayor Charles Latham said the monument has been “quite a divisive figure” in the town of 12,300, where about 57% of residents are Black and 40% are white.

“I understand people had family and stuff to fight and die in that war, and they should be proud of their family,” Latham said. “But you’ve got to understand that there were those who were oppressed by this, by the Confederate flag on there. There’s been a lot of hate and violence perpetrated against people of color, under the color of that flag.”

The city received permission from the Mississippi Department of Archives and History to move the Confederate monument, as required. But Rep. Stacey Hobgood-Wilkes of Picayune said the fire station site is inappropriate.

“We are prepared to pursue such avenues that may be necessary to ensure that the statue is relocated to a more suitable and appropriate location,” she wrote, suggesting a Confederate cemetery closer to the courthouse square as an alternative. She said the Ladies Cemetery Association is willing to deed a parcel to the city to make it happen.

The Confederate monument in Grenada is one of hundreds in the South, most of which were dedicated during the early 20th century when groups such as the United Daughters of the Confederacy sought to shape the historical narrative by valorizing the Lost Cause mythology of the Civil War.

The monuments, many of them outside courthouses, came under fresh scrutiny after an avowed white supremacist who had posed with Confederate flags in photos posted online killed nine Black people inside the historic Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, in 2015.

Grenada’s monument includes images of Confederate president Jefferson Davis and a Confederate battle flag. It was engraved with praise for “the noble men who marched neath the flag of the Stars and Bars” and “the noble women of the South,” who “gave their loved ones to our country to conquer or to die for truth and right.”

A half-century after it was dedicated, the monument’s symbolism figured in a voting rights march. When the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights leaders held a mass rally in downtown Grenada in June 1966, Robert Green of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference scrambled up the pedestal and planted a U.S. flag above the image of Davis.

The cemetery is a spot Latham himself had previously advocated as a new site for the monument, but he said it’s too late to change now, after the city already budgeted $60,000 for the move.

“So, who’s going to pay the city back for the $30,000 we’ve already expended to relocate this?” he said. “You should’ve showed up a year and a half ago, two years ago, before the city gets to this point.”

A few other Confederate monuments in Mississippi have been relocated. In July 2020, a Confederate soldier statue was moved from a prominent spot at the University of Mississippi to a Civil War cemetery in a secluded part of the Oxford campus. In May 2021, a Confederate monument featuring three soldiers was moved from outside the Lowndes County Courthouse in Columbus to another cemetery with Confederate soldiers.

Lori Chavis, a Grenada City Council member, said that since the monument was covered by tarps, “it’s caused nothing but more divide in our city.”

She said she supports relocating the monument but worries about a lawsuit. She acknowledged that people probably didn’t know until recently exactly where it would reappear.

“It’s tucked back in the woods, and it’s not visible from even pulling behind the fire station,” Chavis said. “And I think that’s what got some of the citizens upset.”

Source link

Click to comment

Mississippi

This week in politics: Reeves uses budget meeting to urge on tax reform

Published

1 hour ago

November 17, 2024

Press Room

This week in politics: Reeves uses budget meeting to urge on tax reform

Updates on Medicaid policy, former Medicaid director and US Sen. Roger Wicker

State leaders are again looking toward the 2025 Mississippi Legislative Session now that most elections are over and the money they will have to set the new state budget.

Members of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, consisting of Republicans Gov. Tate Reeves; Speaker of the House Jason White of West; and Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann and others, agreed Thursday to set the state’s Fiscal Year 2026 revenue estimate at $7.62 billion.

In the spring, they will vote to set a more concrete estimate, which is used to determine the actual state budget.

The current figure is less than $30 million above what was estimated for Fiscal Year 2025, which began in July.

During the meeting, Reeves said about $600 million of unspent tax dollars remains in this year’s budget and suggested the committee members, made up of House and Senate lawmakers, to give that money “back to the taxpayers.”

Both Hosemann and White are eyeing major tax cuts in the 2025 Session. Hosemann has publicly advocated for a cut of the state’s 7% grocery tax, while White is looking to take an axe to the state’s personal income tax.

Reeves has been on record for years saying the income tax should be cut, which is currently being phased down to 4% by FY 2026.

“There are lots of crosshairs on that $600 million that you speak of,” White said, jokingly, in response to Reeves’ suggestion.

State Economist Corey Miller told the committee sales tax revenues are growing at a slower pace than in the previous three years, while income tax revenues despite the phasedown, are up.

Former Medicaid director is now leading up a healthcare lobbying group

Former Mississippi Division of Medicaid Executive Director Drew Snyder appears to have found a new job, albeit not very far from his last one.

On Tuesday, Capitol Resources, a powerful lobbying group in Mississippi and beyond, announced Snyder will lead Health Resources LLC, its latest division aimed at healthcare policy.

“Health Resources is a health policy consulting and strategic advisory firm whose primary focus is advancing sound healthcare policy and providing impactful solutions for clients in the healthcare sector,” a press release states.

When asking if Snyder would be in violation of any state ethics guidelines by working in the same sector as his previous vocation, the Clarion Ledger was provided an ethics opinion on the Mississippi Ethics Commission website. Ethics commission questions are posted with those who asked for the opinion listed anonymously.

The commission ruled if a former state agency head does not work directly with their new company’s clients that do work with that state agency, there shouldn’t be an issue.

“I could not be more excited to be part of Health Resources and contribute to a mission that aligns with my passion to enhance operational efficiency and deliver cost-efficient, high-quality care,” Snyder said in the press release.

Gov. Reeves ‘open to discussions’ about Medicaid

Speaking of Medicaid. Reeves said he is hoping that Trump will allocate Medicaid funding in a block grant to the state rather than the current funding model.

Each year, Mississippi currently receives approximately $6.5 billion federal funds for Medicaid. Reeves said during a meeting Wednesday he thinks that money has too many federal restrictions.

Reeves has for years been an opponent of Medicaid expansion. During the 2024 Session, the Clarion Ledger reported his unwavering opposition to Medicaid expansion at every juncture.

Medicaid expansion was considered for the first time in a decade in the Legislature this year, but Senate and House lawmakers could not come to an agreement on expansion specifics by a legislative deadline to do so.

Both Hosemann and White have vowed to return Medicaid expansion to the forefront of state politics in 2025.

With US Senate GOP majority, Wicker now reps Mississippi in a powerful position

As Republican U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker makes his way back to Washington, D.C., for the next four years, he will be walking into a position of high regard.

As the most senior member of the now-majority party on the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee, Wicker is tapped as its chairman, sources close to the senator confirmed and according to Senate procedure.

With Wicker in the driver’s seat of the committee, he will have serious sway on any conflict-related policy and spending. It will certainly be interesting to see how he moves on policy in the near future.

Grant McLaughlin covers the Legislature and state government for the Clarion Ledger. He can be reached at gmclaughlin@gannett.com or 972-571-2335.

Source link

Mississippi

Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. Utah Utes live stream, TV channel, start time, odds | November 17, 2024

Published

9 hours ago

November 17, 2024

Press Room

The Mississippi State Bulldogs (3-0) bring a three-game win streak into a home matchup with the Utah Utes (3-0), winners of three straight as well. It begins at 4:00 PM ET (on ESPN2) on Sunday, November 17, 2024.

In its most recent game, Mississippi State defeated SE Louisiana 80-59 at home, with Josh Hubbard (23 PTS, 5 AST, 57.14 FG%, 4-8 from 3PT) and Kanye Clary (12 PTS, 2 STL, 33.33 FG%) the standout performers.

In its previous game, Utah was a winner at home over Queens 96-65, with Gabe Madsen (24 PTS, 2 STL, 46.67 FG%, 5-12 from 3PT) and Mike Sharavjamts (19 PTS, 7 REB, 5 AST, 72.73 FG%, 3-4 from 3PT) leading the way.

Here’s what you need to get ready for Sunday’s college hoops matchup.

Check out: USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll

Watch college basketball on Fubo!

Mississippi State Bulldogs vs. Utah Utes

Game day: Sunday, November 17, 2024
Game time: 4:00 PM ET
TV: ESPN2
Live stream: Fubo (Watch for free – Regional restrictions may apply)

NCAA Basketball Odds and Betting Lines

Spread: Mississippi State -6.5
Total: 151.5

College basketball odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. Odds updated Sunday at 4:00 AM ET. For a full list of sports betting odds, access USA TODAY Sports Betting Scores Odds Hub.

Watch college basketball on Fubo!

Follow the latest college sports coverage at College Sports Wire.

Gannett may earn revenue from sports betting operators for audience referrals to betting services. Sports betting operators have no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. Terms apply, see operator site for Terms and Conditions. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the National Council on Problem Gambling 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, OH), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN). Must be 21 or older to gamble. Sports betting and gambling are not legal in all locations. Be sure to comply with laws applicable where you reside.

We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. FTW operates independently, though, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.

Source link

Mississippi

FAMU football’s 23-home game winning streak snapped by winless Mississippi Valley State | recap

Published

17 hours ago

November 16, 2024

Press Room

FAMU football’s 23-home game winning streak snapped by winless Mississippi Valley State | recap

This story will be updated.

Florida A&M football hosts Mississippi Valley State for a Week 12 Southwestern Athletic Conference game at Bragg Memorial Stadium. Keep scrolling for updates, and refresh the page for the latest information.

The Rattlers (5-4, 3-2 in SWAC), fresh off a 31-12 loss at Prairie View A&M, look to return to the win column. Additionally, FAMU aims to extend its second-longest home winning streak in the Football Championship Subdivision to 24 games.

MVSU (0-10, 0-6 in SWAC) is still searching for its first win after faltering at Jackson State 51-14 last Saturday. Today is the Rattlers’ third-to-last game with matchups versus Bethune-Cookman (Nov. 23) and Alabama A&M (Nov. 29). FAMU likely won’t be granted postseason play with two SWAC losses.

FAMU vs Mississippi Valley State score updates

FAMU football highlights vs MVSU

FAMUs winning streak at Bragg Memorial Stadium has snapped, and it handed Mississippi Valley State its first win of the season.

It is also the first time in program history that the Delta Devils have beaten the Rattlers. The Rattlers had a lot of momentum in the second half after shutting MSVU out and scoring 11 unanswered points.

A wasted timeout and a fumble loss on the snap cost the Rattlers. The Rattlers fall to 5-5 for the first time since 2018. Daniel Richardson completed 18 for 24 passes for 259 yards and a touchdown.

The FAMU Rattlers have shown life.

A tunnel screen pass to Jamari Gossett led to the first touchdown score in the second half, cutting MSVU’s lead to three points as the Rattlers trail 24-21 with 7:14 left in the fourth quarter.

FAMU has scored 11 unanswered points. The defense has shut down the Delta Devils’ offense the entire second half.

FAMU has been playing better, especially defensively, as they kept the MSVU scoreless in the third quarter.

However, the Rattlers are still behind 24-13 entering the fourth quarter. The Seminoles need a spark on offense to make it at least a one-possession game.

FAMU’s kicker Cameron Gillis nails a 45-yard field goal for the Rattlers to add more points on the board.

However, the Rattlers are still trailing by two scores, 24-13 with nine minutes left to play in the third quarter.

This could be the worst FAMU has looked in the first half as it trails 24-10 at halftime.

It started with poor special teams play and miscues, which led Mississippi Valley State to capitalize on the Rattlers. The Delta Blue Devils scored two touchdowns after a FAMU turnover.

FAMU quarterback Daniel Richardson has completed 8 of his 10 passes for 116 yards and was sacked twice. FAMU has been running the ball effectively led by Bo Sommersett as he rushed for 80 yards and a touchdown.

MSVU’s quarterback, La’Jarian Williams, has completed 13 of his 17 passes for 176 yards and two touchdowns.

Nathan Rembert has been Williams’ primary target as he recorded 113 receiving yards on six catches.

MSVU decided to take a shot downfield. QB Ty’Jarian Williams threw a deep-ball 60-yard pass to Nathan Rembert for a touchdown.

FAMU trails big 21-10 with under six minutes left to play in the second quarter. The Rattlers allowed two touchdowns after a turnover.

FAMU’s offense was about to respond after running back Bo Sommersett’s 51-yard run that put the Rattlers inside the one.

Sommersett would cough the ball up on the next play and the Delt Devils recovered the fumble.

It was a no-score for the Rattlers, leaving another missed opportunity to put up points. The Delta Devils got the ball back and still up 14-10 with 7:08 left to play in the second quarter.

Special teams miscues continue to hurt the Rattlers, and the winless Delta Devils are taking advantage of it.

After Gregory Martin returned a 71-yard kickoff, MSVU’s quarterback Ty’Jarian Williams connected with Cameron Nelson on a four-yard slant.

The Delta Devils captured their first lead of the day, 14-10, with 10:48 left in the second quarter.

FAMU kicker Cameron Gillis redeemed himself with a 45-yard field goal for fAMU to regain the lead, 10-7, at the start of the second quarter

Daniel Richardson has been efficient so far for the Rattlers, as he completed all seven passes for 106 yards.

Special teams error became an issue for FAMU.

A muffed punt set up a rushing touchdown for Mississippi Valley State, and the Rattlers’ kicker, Cameron Gillis, missed a 36-yard field goal to regain the lead.

Special teams continue to be a problem for the Rattlers early. After going three and out, Cameron Gillis missed a 36-yard field goal. It remains 7-7 with 3:08 left in the first quarter.

Mississippi Valley even the score with a two-yard rushing touchdown by running back Jakobe Thomas.

MSVU scored following a fumble by punter Gunnar Trout, putting the Delta Devils inside the 20. The game is tied at seven with less than five minutes left to play in the first quarter.

After a three and out from FAMU’s offense, a special teams error went to puter Gunnar Trout. The freshman fumbled on the punt and was recovered by the Delta Devils inside the 20.

Daniel Richardson got the green light and didn’t waste any time. In just three plays, the Rattlers are on the board.

Richardson set up a 44-yard pass to receiver Marquez Bell, which would set up a rushing touchdown by running back Bo Summersett. FAMU takes the first lead 7-0 in the first quarter.

FAMU uniform jersey combination

FAMU is wearing all orange uniforms with white helmets.

FAMU quarterback Daniel Richardson is in full uniform and has been doing pregame warmups with the Rattlers.

It is still unclear if he will start against Mississippi Valley State, but he is active for Saturday’s game.

Richardson suffered a concussion in last week’s loss to Praire View A&M. Junior Muratovic is the backup quarterback.

Wide receiver Jamarri Gassett and running back Kelvin Dean Jr are also available to play.

FAMU vs Mississippi Valley State start time today

Date: Saturday, November 16
Time: 1 p.m. ET
Location: Bragg Memorial Stadium (Tallahassee, Florida)

What channel is FAMU vs Mississippi Valley State game on today?

Florida A&M vs. Mississippi Valley State will broadcast on TheGrio TV in Week 12 of the 2024 college football season. The game will stream exclusively on HBCU Go.

The 2024 Rattlers are led by quarterback Daniel Richardson, a grad student who transferred from Florida Atlantic who is second in the SWAC with 2,030 passing yards and first with 19 touchdowns. FAMU has seven preseason All-SWAC selections: offensive lineman Ashton Grable, defensive backs Kendall Bohler and Deco Wilson and kicker Cameron Gillis on the first team, and running back Kelvin Dean, receiver Jamari Gassett and defensive lineman Allen Smith on the second team.

The 2024 Delta Devils are led by quarterback Ty’Jarian Williams, who has 1,177 yards and seven touchdowns passing while also leading the team with 273 yards and five TDs rushing. Wide receiver Nathan Rembert is second in the SWAC with 801 receiving yards.

FAMU vs Mississippi Valley State history

Series record: FAMU leads, 6-0
FAMU’s last win: September 30, 2023 (31-7)

Gerald Thomas III, Tallahassee Democrat: FAMU 27, MVSU 10

“FAMU hasn’t lost consecutive conference games since 2018. Nor have the Rattlers lost a home game since 2018. So, expect both to stay the same Saturday. And though the Rattlers are vulnerable right now with vanished postseason hopes and a banged-up roster, they can still defeat the Delta Devils if the execution is there.”

FAMU vs Mississippi Valley State betting odds

As of Friday, there were no game lines or odds from BetMGM.

FAMU vs Mississippi Valley State injury updates

Florida A&M quarterback Daniel Richardson left last week’s game with a concussion. Running back Kelvin Dean Jr. also was injured vs. Prairie View A&M. Wide receiver Jamari Gassett is also battling injuries.

FAMU vs Mississippi Valley State weather updates

Weather.com predicts 72 degrees with sunny skies at kickoff in Tallahassee. Winds are expected to blow out of the northeast at 5 mph. There is a near 0% chance of rain throughout the day.

FAMU football schedule 2024

*- SWAC game

Mississippi Valley State football schedule 2024

August 31: at Tennessee State (L 41-21)
September 7: at Lamar (L 28-14)
September 14: at Murray State (L 59-8)
September 21: at Nicholls (L 66-0)
September 28: vs. Alcorn State* (L 42-21)
October 5: Open
October 12: at Alabama State* (L 54-17)
October 19: vs. Bethune-Cookman* (L 20-10)
October 26: at Arkansas-Pine Bluff* (L 35-21)
November 2: vs. Prairie View A&M* (L 17-16)
November 9: at Jackson State* (L 51-14)
November 16: at Florida A&M*, 1 p.m.
November 23: vs. Alabama A&M*, 1 p.m.
Record: 0-10 (0-6 in SWAC)

*- SWAC game

We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.

Source link