Mississippi
Leaders throughout Mississippi remember JSU’s Elayne Hayes-Anthony
Jackson State football coach TC Taylor addresses fans at signing day event
Jackson State football coach T.C. Taylor addresses fans at JSU’s recruit reveal event on Feb. 4.
Mississippi leaders and educators are remembering Dr. Elayne Hayes-Anthony as a trailblazing journalist, educator and public servant following news of her death Thursday, March 5.
Hayes-Anthony, a longtime professor and chair of the Department of Journalism and Media Studies at Jackson State University and former acting president of the university, spent decades mentoring students and shaping communications education throughout Mississippi.
Jackson State University officials announced her passing in a statement Thursday morning. She was 72. A cause of death was not provided.
Hayes-Anthony served as interim president for eight months in 2023, between former President Thomas Hudson and Marcus Thompson. She became the first Black woman to work as an anchor, producer and reporter at WJTV in Jackson and later spent 17 years as chair of the communications department at Belhaven University. Hayes-Anthony also served as assistant superintendent of communications for Jackson Public Schools and served as the first Black woman and journalism educator to become president of the Mississippi Association of Broadcasters.
Jackson Mayor John Horhn praised Hayes-Anthony in a statement as a “proud daughter of Jackson and a distinguished graduate of Jackson State University who returned home to pour her knowledge back into this community.” Horhn also extended condolences to Hayes-Anthony’s husband, family, colleagues and former students.
“Our city mourns the loss of a trailblazer whose life’s work helped shape generations of communicators, educators, and leaders,” Horhn said in a statement. “As a pioneering journalist and the first African American woman to serve as anchor, producer, and reporter at WJTV-12, she broke barriers in Mississippi media and opened doors for countless Black journalists. Her leadership at Jackson State, from the classroom to the president’s office, reflected her commitment to excellence. Jackson is better because she chose to live, work, and lead here. We honor her legacy, celebrate her remarkable life, and pray for comfort and strength for all who are grieving this tremendous loss.”
Ward 4 Councilman and Jackson City Council President Brian Grizzell, a long time educator and alumnus of JSU, said he remembered Hayes-Anthony from several points in her life and career.
“I remember Dr. Elayne Hayes-Anthony from several stages of her remarkable journey,” Grizzell said. “I first knew her as a student in Jackson Public Schools, later as a student at Jackson State University, and we reconnected years later during her time serving as acting president of Jackson State University.”
Grizzell called Hayes-Anthony a pioneer in education whose work helped shape the lives of many students across the community.
Longtime Mississippi Congressman Bennie Thompson, also a JSU alum, honored Hayes-Anthony as a “a trailblazer in every sense of the word.”
See his post on Facebook below:
Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves also offered condolences Thursday via X, formerly known as Twitter.
U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker also shared the following statement on Hayes-Anthony passing:
“Mississippi has lost a leader and pioneer, my friend Dr. Elayne Anthony. Jackson State benefited from her steady hand during a time of transition. She was revered by its students. The Mississippi Association of Broadcasters recognized her leadership by electing her chair. Elayne’s legacy of kindness, servant-leadership, and community service will impact generations to come.”
Investigative journalist Jerry Mitchell reflected on Hayes-Anthony’s impact on journalism in Mississippi.
“What a loss. Dr. Anthony was truly a champion for journalism. Her work produced so many talented journalists we have today in Mississippi and beyond,” Mitchell said.
State Rep. Zakiya Summers and Sen. David Blount, both of whom represent parts of Jackson in the Mississippi Legislature, also paid tribute to Hayes-Anthony.
Officials with the Mississippi State Department of Health and the Mississippi State Board of Health also shared condolences, noting Hayes-Anthony served on the Board of Health for nearly two decades.
“I personally grieve the loss of a very important Mississippian who cared deeply about education at all levels, public health, and very importantly the need for the health of our population to improve,” said Dan Edney, state health officer and executive director of the Mississippi State Department of Health. “She was a strong supporter of MSDH and for my work as State Health Officer and was one of our greatest cheerleaders. Her passing is a loss to public health and higher education leadership, but her service has helped to make our state a better place.”
Lucius Lampton, chairman of the Board of Health, said Hayes-Anthony’s service on the board began in 2007.
“Dr. Elayne Anthony’s long service on the Board of Health, which began in 2007, was exceptional and benefited the public’s health in countless ways. She led always with intellect, creativity and integrity. The Board of Health and our agency will so miss her gracious presence. I also will miss her dear friendship.”
Charlie Drape is the Jackson beat reporter. You can contact him at cdrape@gannett.com.
Mississippi
When will you get your April 2026 SSI check in MS? See payment schedule
Think tank proposes capping Social Security benefits at $100,000
A Washington think tank proposed capping annual Social Security benefits at $100,000 for couples as a way to shrink a looming deficit in the retirement trust fund.
People who get Supplemental Security Income checks will get paid on Wednesday, April 1.
The payments sometimes go out early. It happens when the first falls on a weekend or a holiday. Checks get sent on the last weekday before the normal send date.
Social Security recipients also will get their regular checks as scheduled in April. Benefits are typically disbursed to almost 74 million people on Wednesdays later in the month. Your payment date depends on the day of the month you were born.
Here’s what you should know about the April payment schedule, when the next time SSI checks will go out early and where to find a Social Security Office near you in Mississippi.
March 2026 Social Security payment schedule
The Social Security Administration’s 2026 payment schedules are online to help beneficiaries plan their budgets.
Regular Social Security retirement benefits will be issued according to the SSA’s standard payment schedule in March:
- March 11: Birthdates between the first and 10th of the month
- March 18: Birthdates between the 11th and the 20th of the month
- March 25: Birthdates between the 21st and the 31st of the month
When will SSI checks be sent early in 2026?
The next time checks will be sent early is Friday, July 31. August 1 is a Saturday this year.
SSI checks also will be sent out early for November because the first is over a weekend.
And the first check of the new year always gets sent on New Year’s Eve because of the holiday conflict.
SSI payment schedule for 2026
Supplemental Security Income checks will be sent out on the following dates in 2026, according to the SSA calendar.
It’s usually sent on the first of the month, but they are disbursed early if the first falls on a weekend or holiday.
- Wednesday, April 1 (check for April)
- Friday, May 1 (check for May)
- Monday, June 1 (check for June)
- Wednesday, July 1 (check for July)
- Friday, July 31 (check for August)
- Tuesday, Sept. 1 (check for September)
- Thursday, Oct. 1 (check for October)
- Friday, Oct. 30 (check for November)
- Tuesday, Dec. 1 (check for December)
- Thursday, Dec. 31 (check for January 2027)
➤ Most Americans think Social Security won’t be there for them. Are they right?
Why will some people get paid 3 times in certain months?
People who get both SSI and regular Social Security will be paid three times in October and December.
The regular SSI payment will come on the first. The Social Security check will be paid on its usual date. Then the SSI funds for the following month will be sent near the end of the month because the next SSI disbursement date falls on a weekend or holiday.
See the full 2026 Social Security Payment schedule
Social Security offices in Mississippi
There are almost two dozen Social Security offices in Mississippi. To find the one nearest you, visit ssa.gov/locator.
- Brookhaven
- Clarksdale
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Corinth
- Forest
- Greenville
- Greenwood
- Grenada
- Gulfport
- Hattiesburg
- Hernando
- Jackson
- Kosciusko
- Laurel
- McComb
- Meridian
- Moss Point
- Natchez
- Philadelphia
- Starkville
- Tupelo
- Vicksburg
Contributing: Mike Snider and Laura Daniella Sepulveda
Bonnie Bolden covers money issues that matter to people in Mississippi for USA TODAY Network. Email her at bbolden@gannett.com.
Mississippi
Lawmakers signal K-12 teachers will get $2,000 raise, first pay increase since 2022 – SuperTalk Mississippi
A back-and-forth affair over teacher pay raises inside the Mississippi capitol – a debate that technically died before being revived – is expected to end with K-12 educators statewide receiving a $2,000 bump to their salaries.
The Senate on Sunday unanimously voted to fund the pay increase for teachers in the state’s public school system while conversations in the House affirmed the chamber will follow suit. Special education teachers, assistant teachers, speech therapists, and school psychologists will receive the same pay increase.
Notably, lawmakers are also working to budget for a $5,000 raise for school attendance officers and funding to hire nine more. The plan would ensure one attendance officer for every 4,000 students statewide. Attendance officers are responsible for investigating unexcused absences, making home visits, and coordinating with families and courts to improve dropout rates.
The anticipated investment comes as Mississippi continues to grapple with chronic absenteeism. According to an October report from the Mississippi Department of Education, more than a quarter of public-school students missed over 10% of the 2024-25 school year.
The raises will be immediate if a conference report approved by both chambers goes into law. It is expected to be passed by both chambers as early as Monday with Republican Speaker Jason White telling the House he expects the session to end “no later than Thursday.”
The deal to give teachers a $2,000 raise follows months of different numbers bouncing around the capitol. The Senate initially proposed a $2,000 immediate raise, while the House pushed for a $5,000 immediate raise. After missing a key deadline earlier this month, both chambers found alternative routes to revive the measures. The House maintained its $5,000 proposal, while the Senate advanced a plan to phase in a $6,000 raise over three years.
Despite recent academic gains that have drawn national praise – including a No. 16 national ranking after decades at the bottom – Mississippi teachers remain among the lowest paid in the country. A 2025 report from the National Education Association found the state’s starting salary of $41,500 ranks near the bottom nationwide, even when accounting for cost of living.
Sunday’s budgeting work is part of a broader education appropriation expected to round out at approximately $3.3 billion. If the numbers stand, it will make way for the first teacher pay raise since 2022.
Sen. Dennis DeBar, a Republican from Leakesville and chair of the Senate Education Committee, said lawmakers settled on the $2,000 figure due to competing budget demands, including Medicaid and the Public Employees’ Retirement System. The state’s total budget for Fiscal Year 2027 is expected to be around $7.4 billion.
“There’s nothing that says we can’t do a (teacher) pay raise again next year,” DeBar said. “However, we didn’t want to lock ourselves in somewhere we couldn’t pay.”
Mississippi
How Mississippi State’s Tomas Valincius dominated third straight SEC team vs Ole Miss
OXFORD — Tomas Valincius struck out top Ole Miss baseball batter Tristan Bissetta looking on his last pitch of the game.
There was no emotion from the Mississippi State starting pitcher as he walked back to the dugout after Bissetta was the fourth straight Ole Miss batter to strike out.
It was another instance of Valincius, the left-handed Virginia transfer, showing a trait that’s made him such a dominant pitcher for the No. 4 Bulldogs. The longer Valincius pitches, the better he gets.
The sophomore pitched another five shutout innings as MSU (23-4, 5-2 SEC) took down No. 18 Ole Miss, 6-1, at Swayze Field on March 28 to win the series.
“It’s all mental,” Valincius said. “Just going out there and just kind of trusting yourself and all the work you put in throughout the week. And even when you don’t have your stuff, it’s still a war between every battle in every inning. It’s kind of like finding a way to do what you can do with what you got.”
The win clinched the Bulldogs’ ninth series against the Rebels (19-9, 3-5) in the last 10 meetings. Another win March 29 (3 p.m., SEC Network) would make Brian O’Connor the third straight first-year MSU coach to sweep Ole Miss.
Valincius (6-0) hasn’t allowed an earned run in 19 SEC innings and his season ERA dropped to 0.91.
Against the Rebels, one game after striking out a career-high 14 batters against Vanderbilt, Valincius recorded nine strikeouts with three hits, two walks and one hit by pitch in 90 pitches.
“He buckled down when runners were in scoring position,” O’Connor said. “He’s always best in his middle innings. You see him just rise his game up.”
Why Tomas Valincius could’ve done even better against Ole Miss
While the Ole Miss game was Valincius’ third SEC start without allowing an earned run, it was his shortest outing of the three. The other two against Arkansas and Vanderbilt both lasted seven innings.
Valincius stranded six Ole Miss batters on base in his five innings.
“Early on, I didn’t really feel like I had anything going,” Valincius said. “I was kind of just finding a way to win. That was kind of my whole approach throughout the whole game. I couldn’t really figure out the slider and fastball command. It wasn’t working a lot. I just found a way to win.”
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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