Mississippi
New program from the Mississippi Department of Human Services provides substitute teachers for child care facilities
JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – A 3 On Your Side Exclusive on a new program from the Mississippi Department of Human Services that is making sure Child Care facilities have the workers they need to stay open and provide services to children and their families. The Substitute Teacher Initiative is the first of its kind in the nation.
The new program has been in operation for a year. Officials with the Mississippi Department of Human Services say the Early Childhood Care and Development Substitute teacher initiative has given job opportunities at facilities across the state, which in turn has kept parents in the workforce.
Chad Allgood, MDHS Director of the Division of Early Childhood Care and Development, said, “When you talk about sustaining any kind of industry, you’ve also got to talk about building up the child care options for people that are going to work bottom line. So it’s absolutely crucial.”
By providing a pool of substitute teachers who have already been recruited, screened, and trained, the program is connecting qualified individuals with the facilities who need them, whether it’s for a day or longer. The program is also helping address needs in childcare deserts like the Mississippi Delta.
“With our child care industry, which is primarily our birth to five range. We are seeing just a high level of turnover in that field, especially since the pandemic. There are other industries we’re unfortunately losing teachers to those other, those other businesses because they can pay more”, Allgood said.
Nancy Sylvester is the director of Global Connection Learning Center, which has been open at Jackson Medical Mall for 15 years. The program focuses on teen mothers and their babies.
Sylvester said, “There are no fees associated. As long as they’re willing to re-enroll in school and keep their grades up, their behavior has to be good. Come to our after-school program where we work with them on parenting skills and financial literacy. We have a number of things that we work with them on, but they cannot have a repeat pregnancy.”
Sylvester says the substitute teacher pool became available while she was fighting breast cancer.
Nancy Sylvester said, “It made a tremendous difference. It took so much pressure off of me, I felt like I was able to relax and just heal from everything that I had gone through because we had staff here, I could get people in. Classes were covered.”
According to MDHS, over 300 substitute teachers are in the pool. An average of 40 job postings are listed per day statewide. 909 jobs were filled in July.
The program was originally scheduled to run for one year, but it has been so successful the project has now been extended an additional year through June 30, 2025. You can find more information on the program here.
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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 May 6, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mississippi Match 5 numbers from May 6 drawing
02-05-30-33-35
Check Mississippi Match 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 3 numbers from May 6 drawing
Midday: 6-6-3, FB: 6
Evening: 4-6-0, FB: 3
Check Cash 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 4 numbers from May 6 drawing
Midday: 6-7-2-3, FB: 6
Evening: 7-5-1-3, FB: 3
Check Cash 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from May 6 drawing
Midday: 15
Evening: 14
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.
‘My goal was to be a biologist and be the best one I could be. I try to do the best I can do at whatever I’m doing.’
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Staff
A number of familiar names have shifted into new roles at the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks and among them is Amy Blaylock who is the first woman to lead the wildlife division.
“I feel honored and blessed,” Blaylock said. “I’m excited.
“I wouldn’t say it was necessarily a goal of mine. My goal was to be a biologist and be the best one I could be. I try to do the best I can do at whatever I’m doing.”
Blaylock joined the department in 2007 after receiving her undergraduate degree in forestry and master’s degree in wildlife science at Mississippi State University. It was an education and career path that came naturally for her.
Her father, Larry Castle, had a career with the agency as did an uncle, Bennie Herring.
“Of course, I love the outdoors and hunting,” Blaylock said. “I hunt as much as I can.
“My kids take up a lot of my time now, but deer hunting is what I do most of. I’ve grown up with the agency with my daddy and my uncle. I guess that encouraged my passion for the agency.”
New role as wildlife chief is not Blaylock’s first groundbreaking move
Blaylock began her career with MDWFP as a biologist with the deer program. She then moved into the role of East Central Region wildlife management area biologist where she oversaw management of 11 WMAs. During that time, she also served as wildlife restoration coordinator and was responsible for writing and managing grants that assisted in funding the Wildlife Bureau.
In 2017, Blaylock accepted an offer to become the assistant chief of the wildlife division. With that, she became the first woman to serve in a top role in the agency.
“I enjoyed being in the assistant chief position, and, so far, I love being in this position,” Blaylock said.
More position changes in MDWFP
Blaylock is not the only person to recently take on a new role at MDWFP. Russ Walsh left the position of chief of the wildlife division, which Blaylock assumed and is now the director of public policy.
Adam Butler also moved into a new position. Butler was previously the director of conservation programs and before that, he was the Wild Turkey Program coordinator. Butler was recently named the assistant chief of wildlife.
A lifelong outdoorsman and wildlife enthusiast, Brian Broom has been writing about hunting, fishing and Mississippi’s outdoors for the Clarion Ledger for more than 14 years. He can be reached at 601-961-7225 or bbroom@gannett.com.
PINE BELT, Miss. (WDAM) – Mississippi lawmakers will return to the State Capitol later in May after Gov. Tate Reeves called a special session.
According to Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, the session will be limited to redistricting the state’s Supreme Court districts. He emphasized that lawmakers can only address the issues outlined by the governor in the official call.
He says after a recent Supreme Court decision, federal requirements driving previous plans are no longer in play.
Hosemann argued that redistricting decisions should remain in the hands of state leaders, taking into account factors like geography, economics and the interests of communities across Mississippi.
“We believe one man, one vote,” Hosemann said. “I mean, everybody ought to be able to vote. I’ve never liked it where the federal government told me that I had to have so many people for this or that or the other. Running our elections and redistricting ourselves is given to the legislature that’s elected by the people. And we ought not be ordered by the federal court to do something like that. That’s one of the few states’ rights we have left in this country, is that we can redistrict and run our own elections.”
The special session is scheduled for later this month.
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Copyright 2026 WDAM. All rights reserved.
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