Mississippi
Attorneys argue over whether Mississippi legislative maps dilute Black voting power
Democrats push to energize Black voters ahead of South Carolina primary
Volunteers, lawmakers and local leaders discuss efforts to get more Black voters to the polls ahead of South Carolina’s Democratic primary on Feb. 3.
JACKSON, Miss. — Mississippi legislators diluted the power of Black voters by drawing too few majority-Black state House and Senate districts after the most recent Census, an attorney representing the NAACP and several residents told three federal judges Monday.
But during opening arguments in a trial of the redistricting case, an attorney representing state officials told the judges that race was not a predominant factor in how legislators drew the state’s 52 Senate districts and 122 House districts in 2022.
Legislative and congressional districts are updated after each Census to reflect population changes from the previous decade. Mississippi’s new legislative districts were used when all of the state House and Senate seats were on the ballot in 2023.
The lawsuit, which was filed in late 2022, says legislators could have drawn four additional majority-Black districts in the Senate and three additional ones in the House.
“This case is ultimately about Black Mississippians not having an equal opportunity to participate in the political process,” said Jennifer Nwachukwu of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, one of the attorneys for the plaintiffs.
Tommie Cardin, one of the attorneys for state officials, said Mississippi cannot ignore its history of racial division, but: “The days of voter suppression and intimidation are, thankfully, behind us.”
Cardin said voter behavior in Mississippi now is driven by party affiliation, not race.
Three judges are hearing the case without a jury. The trial is expected to last about two weeks, though it’s not clear when the judges might rule.
Mississippi’s population is about 59% white and 38% Black, according to the Census Bureau.
In the redistricting plan adopted in 2022, 15 of the 52 Senate districts and 42 of the 122 House districts are majority-Black. Those make up 29% of the Senate districts and 34% of the House districts.
Historical voting patterns in Mississippi show districts with higher populations of white residents tend to lean toward Republicans and districts with higher populations of Black residents tend to lean toward Democrats.
The lawsuit does not challenge Mississippi’s four U.S. House districts. Although legislators adjusted those district lines to reflect population changes, three of those districts remained majority-white and one remained majority-Black.
Lawsuits in several states have challenged the composition of congressional or state legislative districts drawn after the 2020 Census.
Louisiana legislators, for example, redrew the state’s six U.S. House districts in January to create two majority-Black districts rather than one, after a federal judge ruled that the state’s previous plan diluted the voting power of Black residents who make up about one-third of the state’s population. Some non-Black residents filed a lawsuit to challenge the new plan.
And, a federal judge ruled in early February that the Louisiana legislators diluted Black voting strength with the state House and Senate districts they redrew in 2022.
In December, a federal judge accepted new Georgia congressional and legislative districts that protect Republican partisan advantages. The judge said the creation of new majority-Black districts solved the illegal minority vote dilution that led him to order maps to be redrawn.
JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – Millions of Americans live with post-traumatic stress disorder, and this June, mental health experts at the Jackson VA Hospital are urging Mississippi veterans not to wait to get help.
June is PTSD Awareness Month, a nationwide effort to combat stigma and connect those struggling with trauma to available resources. At the Jackson VA Hospital, counselors say the disorder is far more common than most people realize, and it rarely looks the way Hollywood portrays it.
“What we typically see is individuals who are trying their best to manage with an insurmountable amount of negative emotions, anger, fear, shame, guilt, sadness, regret,” said Alex Rakhshan, manager of the PTSD Residential Program at the Jackson VA Hospital. “And they’ve done their best. They’ve done the best they can to manage through.”
Rakhshan, a licensed psychologist with nearly 10 years of experience, says one of the biggest barriers to treatment is avoidance, and it doesn’t always look the way people expect.
“Avoidance takes many forms, such as working really hard, doing a lot of work in the community, volunteering, staying really focused on the needs of other people,” Rakhshan said. “And while that is laudable, ultimately it serves as a way to stay away from and push away some of those challenging beliefs.”
Rakhshan says PTSD affects all ages and walks of life, not just combat veterans. Natural disasters, car accidents, childhood abuse and neglect can all be triggers. However, veterans face a higher prevalence of the disorder due to the elevated dangers of military service.
Treatment at the VA has changed dramatically over the last decade. Veterans can now receive therapy from the comfort of their own homes through video health technology. Shorter treatment options, like written exposure therapy, a five-session program, are also now widely available, lowering the barrier for veterans hesitant to commit to a full course of treatment.
Iraq War veteran Mike Watkins knows that barrier well. Watkins served as a medic, deploying to Iraq in October 2003 and returning in November 2004. He was stationed in Balad, Taji, Fallujah, Samarra and Mosul. After coming home, he spent years managing hypervigilance, avoiding crowds and struggling to readjust to civilian life before seeking treatment.
“Whether you got a performance car or you’re just trying to take care of your body or you’re cleaning up your house, maintenance is key,” Watkins said. “The way you create muscles is by ripping and regrowing new ones. That’s a metaphor for what you’re doing emotionally.”
Rakhshan says the first step doesn’t have to be intimidating. “They can just give us a call. We don’t lock you in. You don’t need a signature on a form guaranteeing you’re going to show up. We’re here to serve,” Rakhshan said.
The Jackson VA Hospital offers a range of PTSD treatment options, from in-person counseling to medication to video therapy from home. Veterans and their caregivers are encouraged to contact the Jackson VA Hospital to learn more. No appointment is needed to make that first call.
PTSD affects an estimated 12 million Americans in any given year, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
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Mississippi
Post-Tropical Storm Arthur unleashes High Risk Level 4 flood threat to Mississippi | Latest Weather Clips | FOX Weather
Post-Tropical Storm Arthur unleashes High Risk Level 4 flood threat to Mississippi
The Mississippi coastline is under a rare Level 4 out of 4 High Risk flood threat as remnants of Post-Tropical Storm Arthur continue fueling hazards through late week. FOX Weather Correspondent Brandy Campbell brings us the latest live from Biloxi, Mississippi, where rain is already falling:
Odds of winning the Powerball and Mega Millions are NOT in your favor
Odds of hitting the jackpot in Mega Millions or Powerball are around 1-in-292 million. Here are things that you’re more likely to land than big bucks.
The Mississippi Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at June 17, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mississippi Match 5 numbers from June 17 drawing
03-06-10-13-24
Check Mississippi Match 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 3 numbers from June 17 drawing
Midday: 6-1-7, FB: 4
Evening: 6-4-0, FB: 5
Check Cash 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 4 numbers from June 17 drawing
Midday: 9-8-4-1, FB: 4
Evening: 9-1-2-3, FB: 5
Check Cash 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from June 17 drawing
Midday: 09
Evening: 11
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Story continues below gallery.
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
Winnings of $599 or less can be claimed at any authorized Mississippi Lottery retailer.
Prizes between $600 and $99,999, may be claimed at the Mississippi Lottery Headquarters or by mail. Mississippi Lottery Winner Claim form, proper identification (ID) and the original ticket must be provided for all claims of $600 or more. If mailing, send required documentation to:
Mississippi Lottery Corporation
P.O. Box 321462
Flowood, MS
39232
If your prize is $100,000 or more, the claim must be made in person at the Mississippi Lottery headquarters. Please bring identification, such as a government-issued photo ID and a Social Security card to verify your identity. Winners of large prizes may also have the option of setting up electronic funds transfer (EFT) for direct deposits into a bank account.
Mississippi Lottery Headquarters
1080 River Oaks Drive, Bldg. B-100
Flowood, MS
39232
Mississippi Lottery prizes must be claimed within 180 days of the drawing date. For detailed instructions and necessary forms, please visit the Mississippi Lottery claim page.
When are the Mississippi Lottery drawings held?
- Cash 3: Daily at 2:30 p.m. (Midday) and 9:30 p.m. (Evening).
- Cash 4: Daily at 2:30 p.m. (Midday) and 9:30 p.m. (Evening).
- Match 5: Daily at 9:30 p.m. CT.
- Cash Pop: Daily at 2:30 p.m. (Midday) and 9:30 p.m. (Evening).
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Mississippi editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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