Mississippi
Helping Mississippi’s Working Poor Get Healthcare is Economic Development in Action
- Columnist Sid Salter says the Mississippi Legislature should finish the job and expand Medicaid.
In recent decades, Mississippi has defied the odds in economic development. Landing first Nissan and then Toyota automobile manufacturing plants, Steel Dynamics and Aluminum Dynamics flat-roll operations, and recently Amazon Web Services in Madison County and EVE Energy battery plant in Marshall County, Mississippi is, as Gov. Tate Reeves often repeats, “open for business.”
Those job victories are in addition to the $8.8 billion in agricultural production value led by Mississippi’s poultry and timber industries.
To keep Mississippi “open for business” it is incumbent on our state’s leadership to make sure current and future employers can invest in our state with a reasonable assurance of quality public schools, a well-maintained system of transportation infrastructure, green spaces and amenities that offer a reliably good quality of life, and an accessible, affordable and effective healthcare system.
Mississippi is finally taking steps toward reclaiming a portion of the federal tax dollars Mississippians have been paying to provide public healthcare for the working poor in 40 other states but not in our state where healthcare disparities are achingly real and politically inarguable.
The Mississippi House of Representatives has by a margin of 98 to 20 passed legislation that would expand Medicaid benefits to individuals aged 19 to 64 who earn no more than 138% of the federal poverty level. The bill contains a work requirement – which the feds are likely to disapprove – but even so, the bill would expand Medicaid coverage in Mississippi for four years before a legislative repealer kicks in.
The bill now awaits the action of the Mississippi State Senate, where Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann has been a champion of providing healthcare for Mississippi’s working poor along the general lines of the House proposal. If the Legislature can agree on a plan, that plan would then go to Reeves’ desk for his signature, veto, or decision to allow the bill to become law without his signature.
Opponents of any form of Medicaid expansion in Mississippi and the other 10 states across the country that have not expanded coverage make three primary arguments – the state can’t afford the state share of the costs, expanding Medicaid will discourage finding work, and states should not increase enrollment in a “broken program.”
But a scholarly article from the Journal of American Medicine in 2020 entitled “The Benefits of Medicaid Expansion” argues that Medicaid expansion impacts the state’s economy in three tangible ways: “1) Helps low-income families’ health and financial well-being, especially those in which someone has lost a job; 2) Expanding Medicaid reduces hospitals’ uncompensated care…uninsured patients will still be cared for, as hospitals on the front line have demonstrated every day throughout the coronavirus pandemic; and 3) Medicaid expansion creates or protects jobs.”
The academic study, first published in 2019 by the National Bureau of Economic Research, was written by University of Michigan scholars Thomas C. Buchmueller and Helen G. Levy, and Betsy Q. Cliff of the School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago.
The trio of scholars found: “Comparing trends in states that implemented the Medicaid expansion to those that did not, we find that the ACA Medicaid expansion substantially increased insurance coverage and improved access to health care among unemployed workers. We then test whether this strengthening of the safety net affected transitions from unemployment to employment or out of the labor force. We find no meaningful statistical evidence in support of moral hazard effects that reduce job finding or labor force attachment.”
The House version takes advantage of the fiscal realities of expanding Medicaid with a work requirement. The repealer gives state government a chance to review and assess the program after four years. And it provides a revenue source for Mississippi’s beleaguered rural hospitals.
Let me repeat this because it bears repeating. Mississippians who pay federal taxes are already paying for expanded Medicaid that benefits the working poor in other states. They were paying for it under Presidents Obama, Trump and Biden. The catch is, that none of your fellow Mississippians who are working but can’t afford health insurance can access that care.
The Mississippi Legislature should finish the job and change that irrational fact. Working poor Mississippians deserve the same medical care available to 80 percent of their American cousins.
MUNCIE, IN — A Muncie man accused of shooting two local residents was arrested by U.S. marshals on the early morning of Wednesday, May 13, in Jackson, Mississippi.
De Vonte Marquise Williams, 32, is charged with two counts of attempted murder, a Level 1 felony carrying up to 40 years in prison, in the April 26 shootings at a home in the 1600 block of East Second Street.
One victim, a man, was shot in the “shoulder/back area,” according to an affidavit.
The other victim, a woman, had a gunshot wound in her buttocks, the document said.
According to Melissa Criswell, deputy chief for the Muncie Police Department, Williams on Wednesday afternoon was being held in Mississippi, awaiting extradition proceedings.
Criswell said the arrest was the result of a joint effort involving the MPD and other agencies, including the U.S. Marshal’s Service, Indiana State Police and the Delaware County Sheriff’s Department.
According to court records, Williams has been convicted of crimes including possession of cocaine, carrying a handgun without a license and leaving the scene of an accident.
Douglas Walker is a news reporter at The Star Press. Contact him at 765-213-5851 or at dwalker@muncie.gannett.com.
STARKVILLE — Vaida Valincius estimates she used to drive about 60,000 miles per year to watch her two sons, Tomas and Vytas, play baseball.
The Valinicius family is from Lockport, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, but the brothers have played all over the United States.
Vytas and Tomas are three years apart, so they very rarely played on the same team. Vaida did her best to be there, whether it was in California, Arizona, Tennessee, South Carolina, Virginia or greater Illinois.
“I put down like three cars I think,” Vaida told The Clarion Ledger.
But finally, after years of countless hours in the car to watch her sons play baseball, it all came full circle at Mississippi State.
Vytas, an outfielder and the older brother, and Tomas, a starting pitcher, both transferred to Mississippi State for the 2026 season but from different schools. It was a perfect reunion for Vytas’ final year of eligibility.
The brothers live together in a house and got a dog named Sergei. They get along well but, like typical competitive brothers, still banter over small things. Like who wins in a wrestling battle, or if Vytas batted closer to .500 or .100 against Tomas in fall scrimmages.
And making it even more special is that Vaida has been living with her sons in Starkville this season. She said there was “no question” she would be doing it, and the boys were welcoming.
The No. 12 Bulldogs (38-14, 15-12 SEC) begin a three-game series at No. 10 Texas A&M (37-12, 16-10) starting May 14 (6 p.m., SEC Network+) to conclude the regular season.
Vaida’s drive for home games at Dudy Noble Field has been just a few miles.
“It’s been great,” Vytas said in a joint interview with Tomas. “She cooks, cleans and does stuff for us. It makes our life easier.”
Valincius brothers had unusual path to baseball through immigrant parents
Vaida grew up in Lithuania, which at the time was controlled by the Soviet Union. At 7 years old, she was taken from her parents to train to be an Olympic cyclist until the Soviet Union fell in 1991.
In 1999, she immigrated to the United States.
“I had no English, no money and no friends,” Vaida said.
Vaida eventually settled in Chicago where she met her husband, Jozef Wolyniec, also a Lithuanian immigrant who was a speed skater growing up.
So, they each had athletic backgrounds, but knew nothing about baseball. They mostly spoke Lithuanian at home and learned baseball through the kids. Their introduction to baseball came in strange ways.
One day, 5-year-old Vytas was playing Wiffle ball with the neighbors. Vytas hit a home run, and the neighbor told him to go home.
Vytas didn’t understand what that meant. So instead of running the bases, Vytas ran to his house.
“I’m watching through the window, and my English was not good at the time,” Vaida said. “I go to the neighbor like, ‘What’s the problem? Why are you saying that?’”
Tomas is a left-handed pitcher, and one time Vaida bought him the wrong glove.
“Tomas was like, ‘Mom, I don’t feel right. I don’t feel right throwing the ball,’” Vaida said. “I was like ‘I don’t care. Throw the ball.’ I had no clue that they had gloves for the lefties too.”
Valincius brothers transfer to Mississippi State included missed flight
Tomas and Vytas both played high school baseball at the Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tennessee, but not at the same time.
Vytas is on his fourth college team, playing at South Carolina in 2022, John A. Logan Community College in 2023, then Illinois in 2024 and 2025. He was an All-Big Ten second-team selection last season, leading the Illini with a .348 batting average.
Tomas played at Virginia as a freshman in 2025, posting a 4.59 ERA and 6-1 record in 13 appearances and 12 starts to make the All-ACC Freshman Team.
The first domino to get the brothers to Mississippi State fell when MSU coach Chris Lemonis was fired on April 28, 2025.
The Bulldogs hired Virginia’s Brian O’Connor as the new coach on June 1, about one hour after the season ended in the Tallahassee Regional final.
“I think it was quick,” Tomas said. “I didn’t even know it was a possibility that this could happen just because of our age gap and I didn’t really know any of the rules or anything. It kind of all just worked out as it did with Coach O’Connor coming here.”
The transfer portal opened June 2. O’Connor had his public introduction on June 5 at Dudy Noble Field. The brothers and their mom were in attendance but arrived just minutes before it started. They missed a connecting flight in Atlanta because they didn’t realize they were sitting at the wrong gate.
The brothers, their mom, three other players and a parent rented a car and frantically drove from Atlanta to Starkville.
“We rented a car and were like who’s driving?” Vaida said. “Then Tomas goes, ‘Well, if we want to make it, let my mom drive.’ I’m like, ‘OK, boys, we’re not stopping.’”
Tomas and Vytas committed to MSU on June 6, with Vytas receiving an extra year of eligibility.
How Valincius brothers are impacting Mississippi State with their mom
Vaida moved in with the boys in February, not long before opening day.
She helps them around the house and takes care of the dog. She makes sure dinner is ready for them at home after every game. The dog even accompanies her in the car for road games.
“It’s fun to watch them going through this,” Vaida said. “It would be a different story if I was at home and just came for the games. That would be, not an outsider, but I wouldn’t be used to it because I’m always with them. It’s a blessing for sure.”
Tomas has been one of the top starting pitchers in the SEC. He has an 8-2 record and ranks third in the SEC with a 2.52 ERA and second with 105 strikeouts. Tomas didn’t allow an earned run in his first 19 innings of conference play.
“For me, it’s nerve-wracking,” Vytas said about watching Tomas pitch. “I enjoy when he does good, but when there’s like runners on (base) I really stress out a lot for him. I don’t know. It’s my little brother.”
Vytas is batting .371 with two home runs, 16 RBIs and 15 runs in 28 games and 19 starts.
He hit his first home run of the season against Georgia on April 4. Tomas was one of the first players out of the dugout waiting to celebrate with Vytas after he rounded the bases.
“That was the first home run I think I’ve seen him hit since, I don’t know, him playing in high school, which was like sophomore year,” Tomas said. “So that was fun. I was hyped up. I was screaming and yelling.”
Vaida said her favorite moments of the season are whenever Vytas and Tomas are in the lineup together. That’s only happened three times this season.
The most recent one, May 7 against Auburn, was the best though. Tomas pitched 6⅔ innings with three runs allowed on 13 strikeouts and 112 pitches. Vytas hit three singles and drove in a run in a 10-3 MSU win.
Tomas has one more season until he’s eligible for the 2027 MLB Draft, where Baseball America recently ranked him as the No. 3 college prospect.
Vaida said she hasn’t made any decisions yet if she’ll live with Tomas next season.
“As a mom, it’s just been a pleasure to be around them and watch how they grow in every way,” Vaida said.
Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for The Clarion Ledger. Email him at ssklar@usatodayco.com and follow him on X @sklarsam_.
STARKVILLE — Mississippi State baseball remains on the bubble for hosting an NCAA Tournament regional.
However, the latest bracket projections still have the No. 12 Bulldogs (38-14, 15-12 SEC) forecast to host a regional at Dudy Noble Field for the first time since 2021.
MSU has lost its last two series against Texas and Auburn. The Bulldogs start a series at No. 10 Texas A&M (37-12, 16-10) on May 14 (6 p.m., SEC Network+).
Here is a look at the updated NCAA Tournament projections for Mississippi State entering the Texas A&M series.
Mississippi State baseball NCAA Tournament projections
Aria Gerson of The Tennessean has Mississippi State hosting as the No. 12 national seed. Kansas is in the regional as a No. 2 seed with No. 3 Louisiana and No. 4 Indiana State.
D1Baseball also projects MSU as the No. 12 seed. Included in the regional would be No. 2 seed Oklahoma State, No. 3 NC State and No. 4 Southeastern Louisiana.
Baseball America projects Mississippi State as the No. 13 national seed. In that Starkville Regional would be No. 2 seed Wake Forest, No. 3 TCU and No. 4 Bethune-Cookman.
Mississippi State NCAA Tournament resume
Mississippi State baseball has an RPI at No. 12 as of May 12. That’s down three spots from the previous week.
The Bulldogs are 9-11 in Quad 1 games, 5-3 in Quad 2 games and 24-0 in Quads 3 and 4. Four of those Quad 1 wins are against Ole Miss. MSU’s strength of schedule is ranked No. 8.
The Texas A&M series will be three more Quad 1 games.
Mississippi State’s SEC series wins against Ole Miss, Vanderbilt, LSU and South Carolina are all against teams in the bottom half of the conference standings.
Mississippi State baseball NCAA Tournament history under Brian O’Connor
Brian O’Connor is a first-year coach at Mississippi State, so it hasn’t played in the NCAA Tournament with him. MSU won the 2021 national championship under coach Chris Lemonis, but he was fired during the 2025 season.
Mississippi State has made the NCAA Tournament in the last two seasons as No. 2 seeds, losing in the Charlottesville Regional final and the Tallahassee Regional final.
O’Connor was the Virginia coach for 22 seasons, reaching 18 NCAA Tournaments, nine super regionals, seven College World Series and winning the 2015 national championship.
Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for The Clarion Ledger. Email him at ssklar@usatodayco.com and follow him on X @sklarsam_.
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