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Bill to protect women’s spaces moves forward in Mississippi

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Bill to protect women’s spaces moves forward in Mississippi


  • The SAFER Act seeks to define sex-based terms by biological sex while providing protections for women’s spaces such as bathrooms and locker rooms.

Mississippi Republican lawmakers continue to seek protections for women in the most vulnerable of spaces by advancing the SAFER Act, authored by State Senator Josh Harkins.

SB 2753 passed the Senate by a vote of 40-12 in mid-March.

The legislation was then amended in the House, passing on the floor by a vote of 80-31 on Wednesday after a robust challenge from Democrats opposing the bill, claiming it was nothing more than playing politics.

One Democratic lawmaker, State Rep. Zakiya Summers, said the bill would cause transgender people and their supporters not to move to the state while another Democrat, State Rep. Jeffrey Harness, warned of lawsuits should the bill become law.

The SAFER Act seeks to define sex-based terms such as woman, female, man, and male on biological sex instead of following trends in blue states that are using gender identify, or how a male or female view themselves, as the defining factor.

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The SAFER Act also aims to protect women’s safe spaces, such as in bathrooms, locker rooms, and changing rooms.

The legislation builds on the Mississippi Fairness Act, passed into law in 2021, which prevents males from competing in girls and women sports. Language that would have protected single-sex spaces was not in the final version of that bill, meaning for those seeking to protect those spaces for women additional legislation is needed. 

Opponents of the legislation claim it’s an anti-transgender bill targeting an extreme minority. Yet, supporters point to recent polling of registered voters in Mississippi from the Independent Women’s Voice that shows 95% of respondents believe it is important that Mississippi law protect private spaces for women.

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According to a 2022 report from UCLA’s Williams Institute, state-level estimates of person who identify as transgender in Mississippi is 9,600 over 18 years old and another 2,400 between the ages of 13 and 17.

The legislation now heads back to the Senate where lawmakers could concur and send it on to the Governor for his signature, invite conference to work out any differences, or let it die. Given the overwhelming support for the bill from the supermajority Republican chamber, the bill has a good chance of finding its way to Governor Tate Reeves’ desk.

Senator Harkins told Magnolia Tribune that he is glad to see that the Senate and the House of Representatives have now demonstrated that they support legislation defining sex according to biology and protecting safe public spaces for women and girls.

“I look forward to working with my colleagues to get the SAFER Act on Governor Reeve’s desk to be signed into law,” Harkins said.

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Mississippi

Mississippi State’s Season Comes to an End at NCAA Regional Tournament

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Mississippi State’s Season Comes to an End at NCAA Regional Tournament


STANFORD, Calif. –  A series of weird and unlucky events put an end to Mississippi State’s season late Saturday night at the hands of Cal State Fullerton.

Facing elimination after losing 2-1 to Stanford earlier Saturday, the Bulldogs had to wait until just before 10 p.m. in Starkville for their fight to stay alive in the Stanford Regional of the NCAA Softball Tournament. Unfortunately for their fans, the Bulldogs lost that fight against Cal State Fullerton 7-0 in a game that ended after midnight in Mississippi.

A little more than 24 hours before Saturday’s game, MSU defeated Cal State Fullerton 1-0 to open the NCAA Regional. It seemed the elimination game would be a repeat of that game. MSU’s Josey Marron and Cal State Fullerton’s Haley Rainey had allowed just five total hits and struck out eight batters prior to the bottom of the fifth inning.

That’s when Cal State Fullerton turned a series of lucky hits and a successful challenge into a seven-run inning.

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KK Christie led off for Cal State Fullerton with a ground out to third base, but Megan Delgadillo slap-hit a blooper single to shallow left field, just out of reach of MSU shortstop Kylie Edwards and outfielder Brylie St. Clair.

The next batter, Bailey Wallace, appeared to reach base on bunt, but was called back to the batter’s box. On the very next pitch, Delgadillo was initially called out on a steal attempt, but a coach’s challenge overturned the call. After the challenge, Wallace was hit by a pitch, putting runners at first and second base.

Cal State Fullerton loaded the bases on a hard hit ground ball to Edwards and a scored the game’s first run on another hard hit ground ball to third baseman Nadia Barbary, who kept the ball in front of her but wasn’t able to record an out.

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With the momentum fully on its side, Cal State Fullerton’s offense came to life. Peyton Toto drove in a pair of runs with a single through the left side of MSU’s defense. Aspen Wesley, who had pitched 10 innings in the Stanford Regional already, came in to relive Marron and gave up a single to her first batter, which loaded the bases once again.

Colby McClinton took full advantage of the situation for the Lady Titans and smashed a grand slam home run to left field that put her team up 7-0.

The Bulldogs had their own bases-loaded opportunity in the sixth inning, but it ended on Ella Wesolowski’s first-pitch double play ground out.

Cal State Fullerton advances to face Stanford in the NCAA Regional final at 4 p.m. Sunday.





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Mississippi Wing of the Commemorative Air Force’s Aviation Open House honored veterans and brought education

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Mississippi Wing of the Commemorative Air Force’s Aviation Open House honored veterans and brought education


MADISON, Miss. (WLBT) – History on full display is what you experienced on Saturday if you went to the annual aviation open house hosted by the Mississippi Wing of the Commemorative Air Force.

This event continues its efforts in honoring veterans and bringing more education to the youth.

People made their way to the Bruce Campbell Airfield to see different airplanes throughout history.

Pilots even brought in different World War II war birds, allowing people to learn more about these aircrafts.

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Frank Garletts, the Wing Leader of the Mississippi Wing of the Commemorative Air Force, believes this is what aviation open houses are all about.

“We try to educate, I mean, that’s one of our big things is to educate. We do a lot of educational programs. We meet here [on] the third Saturday of every month, and we, like, you know, it’s open to people to come,” he said. “We try to have a program or event like you’re seeing here today, and we’re just out here to share our knowledge and other people’s knowledge of what’s going on in the World War II events.”

Other educational opportunities included a flight simulator for kids to test their skills, plane rides, and multiple World War II veteran speakers.

This allowed those in attendance to honor these veterans, which F4U Corsair owner and pilot Frank Kimmel loved to see.

Kimmel, who has brought his plane to events like this before, recalls one memory that makes these events so special.

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“Every time I’m at an event like this, it seems to mean a great amount, a great deal to these veterans. I had the opportunity to meet the family of a veteran who I never got to meet who actually flew Corsairs in this squadron in Korea, but I did get the honor to meet his children [and] his grandchildren. They were able to get into the airplane and sit where their father and grandfather sat, and it was an emotional event for me. It was real cathartic to be able to give that back to that family.”

Their next event will be a car and aviation show on September 7.

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Coleman signs with Mississippi College – Vicksburg Daily News

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Coleman signs with Mississippi College – Vicksburg Daily News


Donovan Coleman: Photo by Alvin Coleman

Clinton High School football player Donovan Coleman has signed with Mississippi College.

Coleman, a standout defensive back, announced it on social media on Friday. He chose MC over other universities, including Alabama A&M.

As a junior in 2022, Coleman helped the Arrows to a 7-5 season.

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