Mississippi
MDOT updates improvement projects in central Mississippi
![MDOT updates improvement projects in central Mississippi MDOT updates improvement projects in central Mississippi](https://gray-wtok-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/9wox3d45WCIMWTgLLeuRVsGcsWY=/1200x600/smart/filters:quality(85)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/gray/DEBLMHJJ7JPW7IRZYTVCHD2M2U.jpg)
Crews have accomplished visitors shifts on the sixty fifth Avenue web site and the SR 19/39 bridge web site. Pile driving efforts are full and crews proceed pouring concrete at every location. The Knight Parker Street bridges have been changed with roadway fill, and widening of the shoulders on the sixty fifth Avenue bridge and SR 19/39 websites is underway. The reducing of SR 19/39 has been accomplished apart from the ultimate carry of asphalt.
“These enhancements are essential and lengthy overdue for Lauderdale County,” stated Simmons. “The design-build side of the venture expedites the flexibility to get the design accomplished as quickly as doable, and every a part of this venture will additional improve security and effectivity for motorists and business visitors in Meridian.”
The $24.4 million design-build venture was awarded to Key Building Firm of Madison with an anticipated completion date of summer season 2023.
Freeway 19 enlargement venture in Neshoba County
The enlargement of Freeway 19 from two to 4 lanes from Tucker to Philadelphia continues in Neshoba County. Asphalt paving operations have begun, and momentary development signage has been put in. Different work underway consists of clearing and grubbing, topsoil removing, the set up of abrasion management objects, excavation, field bridge development and pipe set up.
Site visitors has steadily elevated alongside the SR 19 hall. Since 2017, the common annual day by day visitors alongside this stretch of roadway has elevated from 5,600 to six,600 and continues to be rising. Along with increasing to 4 lanes, the brand new grading will provide smoother driving situations, exhibiting important progress all through the realm.
A number of native roads will probably be realigned to tie into the brand new 4 lane roadway, making it a safer and extra handy journey expertise. North Tucker Street was lately reopened to visitors after crews accomplished new alignment onto SR 19. The $36 million contract was awarded to W.G. Yates and Sons Building of Philadelphia. The venture is anticipated to wrap up in 2024.
Slide repairs on Interstate 20 and Interstate 220 in Hinds County
A venture to restore two landslides on I-20 east of the Large Black River and one landslide on I-220 on the U.S. 80 interchange in Hinds County is underway. Filth work is underway on the primary web site, and pile driving in any respect three websites has been accomplished.
Crews anticipate finishing this restore summer season 2023. The $955,000 venture was awarded to Joe McGee Building Firm, Inc. of Lake.
Mill and overlay of State Route 468 in Rankin County
A venture calling for the mill and overlay of 11 miles of State Route 468 from Deeb Road to U.S. 80 continues in Rankin County. This consists of the mill and overlay of 0.4 miles of U.S. 80 from SR 468 to Louis Wilson Drive. Different work objects embody repairing failed areas, upgrading visitors sign detection to radar, and upgrading guardrail.
Failed space repairs are full. Milling and paving operations are at present underway. The almost $8 million contract was awarded to Superior Asphalt of Byram.
Freeway 487 bridge replacements proceed in Leake County
The substitute of three bridges on State Route 487 between Tuscola and State Route 35 in Leake County stays underway. The northernmost of the three bridges is full and has been opened to visitors.
On the second bridge, crews are at present working to drive piles and pour bridge caps. Earthwork and clearing operations are ongoing on the remaining two websites.
The $9.6 million venture was awarded to L&A Contracting Firm of Hattiesburg. Work is anticipated to be accomplished by early 2024.
Mill and overlay of State Route 463 in Madison County
A venture to mill and overlay 1.5 miles of SR 463 from the tip of the two-lane part to east of Foremost Road in Madison County is underway. Different work consists of upgrading the present visitors sign programs to radar detection and concrete sidewalk repairs.
Building indicators have been put in, and visitors sign detection has been upgraded. Sidewalk repairs and ADA ramps are full, and the restore of failed areas has been accomplished. Milling and paving operations are almost full, apart from re-paving the driveway and facet highway connections remaining.
The $5.1 million venture was awarded to Dickerson & Bowen of Jackson. Remaining work is anticipated to be accomplished this winter.
Mill and overlay of Freeway 35 in Scott County
A mill and overlay of roughly 8 miles of State Route 35 in Scott County from the Smith County line to I-20 is underway. All paving is full. Remaining work consists of putting shoulder gravel and thermoplastic stripe alongside the venture.
The $6.4 million contract was awarded to APAC, Mississippi. The venture is anticipated to be full by the tip of 2022.
Lottery funded mill and overlay of Freeway 18 underway in Copiah County
A lottery funded mill and overlay of 18 miles of State Route 18 from the tip of the Copiah County line to the start of the four-lane part close to Raymond is underway. The scope consists of repairing failed areas, repairing and changing cross drainpipes and widening parts of the roadway.
The almost $8 million venture was awarded to Superior Asphalt, Inc. of Byram. The estimated completion date is summer season 2023.
Bridge preservation venture on Freeway Route 145 in Noxubee County
A bridge preservation venture on State Route 145 over Horse Hunters Creek in Noxubee County is underway. Work consists of portray the substructure, repairing beam ends, epoxy repairs of failed areas, undersealing, putting rip rap stabilization and cleansing bridge caps.
The $646,000 venture was awarded to Century Building Group of Ridgeland. The venture is anticipated to wrap up summer season 2023.
Lottery funded mill and overlay on Freeway 22 in Madison County
A mill and overlay of three miles of State Route 22 from the start of the five-lane part to U.S. 51 in underway in Madison County. Building indicators have been put in. All sidewalk repairs and ADA ramp set up is full.
Remaining work is anticipated to wrap up summer season 2023. The $3.8 million contract was awarded to AJ Building, Inc. of Jackson.
Sign upgrades on Freeway 25 in Hinds County
A venture to improve the present sign detection gear to radar detection on SR 25 from I-55 to State Route 475 is underway. The contractor has accomplished work on a brand new sign pole and is awaiting remaining supplies.
The $398,000 venture was awarded to Lewis Electrical Inc. of Flowood. Work is anticipated to be accomplished this winter.
Preconstruction actions are underway for Freeway 25 widening in Rankin County
MDOT was allotted $4 million by the Mississippi Legislature to help in preconstruction actions on a venture to widen State Route 25 from Grant’s Ferry Street to State Route 471 in Rankin County. Widening the roadway from 4 to 6 lanes will finally develop capability and enhance security and mobility alongside the SR 25 hall.
“This cash will go in direction of actions akin to survey, hydraulic evaluation, roadway and bridge design, Proper of Manner acquisition and utility relocation. As soon as these things have been accomplished, as funding turns into out there, we will transfer to development,” stated Simmons. “Though development of this widening venture depends upon future funding, we’re working intently with Flowood Mayor Gary Rhoads and the Legislative management to make sure we could have the required funding on the applicable time.”
This 3.5-mile stretch of SR 25 sees a mean of 17,000 automobiles day by day. With an ever-growing improve in visitors, the design will embody security enhancements all through the SR 25 hall.
“I’d wish to thank Senators Josh Harkins, Dean Kirby and the Home members representing Rankin County for helping with funding to widen SR 25. With a preconstruction estimate of $5.5 million, this $4 million will go a good distance in funding the start levels of this essential infrastructure enchancment venture,” stated Simmons. “That is progress for our state and its transportation infrastructure as we work in direction of discovering revolutionary methods to construct and preserve a secure and dependable transportation community for future generations.”
![](https://newspub.live/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/np-logo.png)
Mississippi
Mississippi votes conservative. Are we going to see more conservative policies?
![Mississippi votes conservative. Are we going to see more conservative policies? Mississippi votes conservative. Are we going to see more conservative policies?](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2022/07/15/PJAM/89169fbe-3f64-4f81-81fd-727f995bada2-Douglas_Carswell.jpg?auto=webp&crop=554,312,x3,y96&format=pjpg&width=1200)
Waiting for my suitcase in the arrivals hall at Jackson airport the other evening, it occurred to me that the luggage carrousel was a pretty good metaphor for Mississippi politics.
Like suitcases on a carrousel, many leaders simply sit on the conveyor belt of state politics, waiting their turn to get moved along to the next role.
Too often leaders are carried along by time and process, rarely offering any vision as to what our state should do differently. That explains why Mississippi conservatives have achieved less in 12 years than Arkansas, Louisiana and Alabama have accomplished in the past 12 months. Louisiana did not even have a Republican governor this time last year, yet they’ve already passed universal school choice.
Things could be about to change if House Speaker Jason White has his way. This week, White announced that he will be hosting a Tax Policy Summit on Sept. 24 to take a deep dive into the prospects for tax reform.
My friend, Grover Norquist, will be speaking, as will Gov Reeves, as well as leading conservative figures from the state Legislature.
Having a conversation in public matters because in the past the leadership in our state Senate has done what it can to head off tax cuts. Bringing the facts of what can and cannot be done into the open makes it far harder for anyone to keep finding new excuses to oppose actual conservative policy.
Sunshine is the best disinfectant against the putrid politics of backroom deals. We have seen far too many backroom maneuvers used to kill off good conservative policy in this state. Back in 2022, Mississippi passed a law to cut the state income tax to a flat 4 percent. This $525 million tax cut, driven forward by Speaker Philip Gunn and Gov Reeves, benefited 1.2 million taxpayers and their families. But we must not forget how some in the Senate fought against it — not in the open, of course.
Weak Senate leadership has a history of opposing conservative proposals in our state. Seldom do they have the courage to come out and explicitly kill off conservative measures. Instead, they do it on the sly. The Senate leadership maneuvered to stop anti-DEI legislation in 2024. I don’t recall anyone coming out and explaining why they opposed anti-DEI law. They just killed it in committee with a nudge and wink.
For three years in a row, the Senate leadership has killed off attempts to restore the ballot initiative. Again, those against resorting the ballot lack the courage to say they are against it. They killed that, too, on the sly.
Rep Rob Roberson’s excellent school funding reform bill, perhaps the only big strategic achievement of this year’s session, passed despite attempts to scupper it by some in the Senate. (Part of the backroom deal to get the bill passed was to change its name. It really was that petty.) When the Senate leadership wants to oppose an authentically conservative policy, they follow a now familiar pattern.
A reason is cited as to why what is being proposed can’t be done. School choice, we were once told, would be unconstitutional. An anti-DEI law, it was implied, was unnecessary because there was no DEI on campus.
Once that excuse is shown to be nonsense (there is no constitutional bar to school choice, DEI is rampant on campus), another excuse is promptly conjured up. And on it goes.
Each time the Senate leadership opposes conservative policy this way, I wonder what their alternatives are. The answer is that most of the time there are none. It is pretty low grade to oppose ideas simply because they are not your own. Eventually, of course, a suitcase that sits on the carousel for too long ends up in lost luggage.
As a direct consequence of the 2022 Reeves-Gunn tax cuts, Mississippi is now starting to see a flood of inward investment into the state.
Every time you hear about a new factory opening up in our state, remember who and what helped make it happen. I am very optimistic that this tax summit could see further progress to make our state more competitive.
— Douglas Carswell is the president and CEO of the Mississippi Center for Public Policy.
Mississippi
Ex-official in Mississippi is treated for gambling addiction amid embezzlement charge, lawyer says
![2 Phoenix officers shot with 1 listed in critical condition, police say 2 Phoenix officers shot with 1 listed in critical condition, police say](https://dims.apnews.com/dims4/default/dcac1a4/2147483647/strip/true/crop/700x394+0+28/resize/1440x810!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.apnews.com%2F90%2F29%2F4e3c1cc7446089a9101a7bdff4c8%2Fdefaultshareimage-copy.png)
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A former tax assessor and collector in north Mississippi checked into a residential treatment center for a gambling addiction after he called the state auditor’s office and confessed to misusing more than $300,000 in public money, his attorney said Tuesday.
Shannon Wilburn, 49, resigned in April from the elected office he had held in Benton County since 2016, and he began the 12-week addiction treatment in late July, his attorney Tony Farese told The Associated Press.
“I’ve known Shannon all of his life,” Farese said. “We are shocked that he finds himself in this situation.”
Mississippi Auditor Shad White announced Tuesday that Wilburn has been charged with one count of embezzlement. The announcement came days after Wilburn was indicted. Farese said Wilburn turned himself in to the sheriff’s office Friday, then posted bond and returned to the treatment program.
Wilburn is accused of taking $327,055 paid to the Benton County Tax Collector’s office and using the money for personal expenses, Farese said. He said Wilburn confessed to the auditor’s office before hiring legal representation and has continued to cooperate with investigators.
“He apologizes for disappointing the citizens of Benton County and the state of Mississippi,” Farese said.
If convicted, Wilburn would face up to $5,000 in fines and 20 years in prison.
White said Wilburn’s employment as a Benton County elected official was covered by $200,000 in surety bonds to protect taxpayers from losses from corruption. The county also has an insurance policy that covers theft.
“The dedicated team at the State Auditor’s Office will continue to work closely with prosecutors to get record results, one case at a time,” White said in a statement.
Mississippi
Vicksburg’s Raymond Elledge set to enter Mississippi Disc Golf Hall of Fame – The Vicksburg Post
![Vicksburg’s Raymond Elledge set to enter Mississippi Disc Golf Hall of Fame – The Vicksburg Post Vicksburg’s Raymond Elledge set to enter Mississippi Disc Golf Hall of Fame – The Vicksburg Post](https://www.vicksburgpost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/16/2024/09/090424-Disc-Golf-Elledge-14-WEB.jpg)
Vicksburg’s Raymond Elledge set to enter Mississippi Disc Golf Hall of Fame
Published 4:30 pm Tuesday, September 3, 2024
1 of 2
During two decades of playing disc golf, Raymond Elledge has only won one big tournament.
“I don’t even remember what year it was,” he said.
Nonetheless, Elledge is a legend in the sport in Mississippi. He’s worked tirelessly to maintain courses, been a member of several local and state players associations, and taught people young and old the joys of it. That level of dedication led to Elledge’s recent election to the Mississippi Disc Golf Hall of Fame. He’ll officially be inducted Oct. 12 in Starkville.
“When he first told me last year I was nominated, I told him, ‘Man, you’re making my heart hurt.’ You don’t realize the emotions you can get. Stuff can just tear you up, and it did because I was just so excited,” the 62-year-old Vicksburg resident said. “You go years and years, and you’re out here busting your butt trying to maintain the course and showing everybody what you can.”
Disc golf is played the same as traditional golf, except with plastic discs that resemble frisbees. Players take aim at a steel basket several hundred yards away, with the goal of getting it in there in as few throws as possible.
Elledge first played disc golf in 2002, on a private course built in the backyard of Vicksburg resident Herman Cochran. One of the people playing with Elledge made a hole-in-one, and the excitement over the feat hooked him instantly.
“I seen this little old fella, he was 21 or 22 but he looked like he was 12, and he made an ace. I was hooked. I’ve got to do it,” Elledge said. “I don’t go anywhere on vacation without taking my disc golf bag. I just love the game.”
Elledge added that the simplicity of the sport is something he enjoys. A starter kit of three discs — a driver, mid-range disc and putter, all of which have different densities and flight characteristics — can be purchased for about $25.
The courses are easily found at many parks in Mississippi. There is an 18-hole course at Halls Ferry Park. Players of all ages and shapes can play it as long as they can walk the course. Elledge had quadruple bypass heart surgery eight years ago and playing disc golf helps him stay in shape.
“It’s something anybody can do,” he said. “I’ve trained kids from 5 to 50, and the oldest one I’ve helped train to play this game is 71 years old now. He still comes out and plays. This is a sport that any age can play.“
With his passion for disc golf comes a sense of responsibility. He’s helped clear brush around parts of the Halls Ferry Park course to keep it playable, and done the same while working with associations like the Vicksburg Disc Golf Association and Jackson Union of Disc Golf Enthusiasts.
He’s also eager to teach the game to newcomers.
“I’ve never quit teaching how to play the game,” he said. “They used to have something called the World’s Biggest Disc Golf Weekend and I won it three years in a row. What it is, is whoever takes the most players out to a certain disc golf course gets the T-shirt and a disc.”
His service to the sport led to a nomination for the Mississippi Disc Golf Hall of Fame in 2023, but he didn’t make the final cut. This year he did, and he said it was better than winning any tournament.
“You play a lot of tournaments. You do a whole lot for the sport itself, such as numerous work days working on the course to maintain it. Teaching the kids and when we have tournaments helping move baskets around to new spots,” Elledge said. “Then somebody will nominate you and there’s a lot of votes from the clubs. If you get enough votes from everybody you’re in. You find out how much you’re appreciated by everybody for all that you’ve done.”
-
Politics1 week ago
Why won't Pennsylvania voters have results on Election Night?
-
Politics1 week ago
Trump sets intense pace with campaign events as questions swirl about Harris' policy positions
-
World1 week ago
Portugal coast hit by 5.3 magnitude earthquake
-
News1 week ago
Former national security adviser McMaster says he won’t work for Trump again
-
World1 week ago
Who is Telegram CEO Pavel Durov? What to know about his arrest in France
-
Science1 week ago
How much more water and power does AI computing demand? Tech firms don't want you to know
-
World1 week ago
Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 915
-
World1 week ago
Commission mandarin flags convergence of digital with industry