Mississippi
This week in MS politics: Retirement board seeks special session OK of recurring funds
USDA letter on SNAP benefits likely not to impact Mississippi
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After a recent volley of requests from local leaders across the state to establish annual state funding for the Public Employment Retirement System of Mississippi, the PERS Board of Trustees is reiterating that concern to Republican Gov. Tate Reeves.
On Wednesday, April 23, the board voted to direct PERS Executive Director Ray Higgins to send Reeves a letter pleading with him to in the upcoming special session include a proposal to establish recurring funding for the state retirement system, which currently had $26.5 billion in unfunded liabilities. The letter was supposed to be written and mailed by end of business on Friday.
PERS funding and reforms became one of several political sticking points during the 2025 Legislative Session between House and Senate leadership. At the midpoint of the session, it seemed PERS was, as a negotiation tactic by Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, wedged into another debate over whether to establish a path toward full income tax elimination or phase it down.
The House had earlier proposed taking nearly $100 million in lottery tax revenue currently going to the Mississippi Department of Transportation and giving it to PERS to address the retirement system’s unfunded liabilities. The proposal was early in the session placed into a huge House tax restructure bill that sought to eliminate the income tax, restructure sales tax revenues to cities and raise the gas tax.
The Senate didn’t take to it and proposed its own tax cut bill without a PERS funding element, opting instead to restructure public employee benefits via other legislation. The House later killed those proposals as well.
As a result, Hosemann said he would not cut taxes without those retirement benefit reforms. The Senate later released and passed a new “measured” income tax elimination bill that also included controversial PERS benefit reforms. What Senate leadership didn’t know was that the bill included several typos that sped up the rate of income tax elimination faster than intended.
The House, realizing what happened, took it and passed it anyway, hoping to use it as leverage for several other legislative items the Senate had previously killed. Reeves later signed the bill into law.
One of those legislative items, House Speaker Jason White, R-West, said during the session was annual PERS funding.
As a result of the political drama that ensued and bled into state budget talks, leadership on both sides left PERS funding, as well as the $7 billion state budget, on the cutting room floor.
This leaves it up to Reeves to call a special session to pass a budget before June 30, when the state’s current fiscal year ends, but also an opening to discuss other political items he may want lawmakers to address.
Reeves in an interview with reporters in early April did not disclose what he was specifically looking to tack onto the special session, but he did not rule out anything out.
MS SNAP program likely to remain unimpacted by USDA letter
Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a letter to state agencies overseeing SNAP benefit programs, stating it would review those states that do not require certain beneficiaries of the program to work.
A spokesperson for the Mississippi Department of Human Services, which oversees Mississippi’s SNAP program, said the state would likely remain unaffected by a federal government review or the letter.
On April 17, the USDA issued a letter reminding states that did not have an active work requirement that abled bodied adults without dependents, or ABAWDs, should be working or taking steps toward employment.
“Many states have abused the system by requesting work requirement waivers,” said U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins in the letter. “Today marks the start of a new era for SNAP — prioritizing work, career and technical education, and volunteering rather than idleness, excess spending, and misapplication of the law.”
MDHS spokesperson Mark Jones told the Clarion Ledger that the state’s SNAP program would likely remain unimpacted due to an already active work requirement imposed by the state on AWADs.
SNAP benefits, or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, are benefits issued to help low-income individuals and families purchase food. The benefits, supplied electronically, can be used like cash at approved stores buy food items.
Of all the beneficiaries of Mississippi’s program as of March, 22% of those receiving SNAP assistance are AWADs, Jones said. The work requirement generally requires beneficiaries to work 80 hours per month to maintain eligibility, unless they become exempt from it. Those receiving benefits can also participate in a work program called SNAP E&T to satisfy the work requirement.
USDA already annually reviews state’s SNAP programs. In addition, the federal agency also provides approvals of waivers to forego the work requirement in special circumstances.
Grant McLaughlin covers the Legislature and state government for the Clarion Ledger. He can be reached at gmclaughlin@gannett.com or 972-571-2335.
JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – Millions of Americans live with post-traumatic stress disorder, and this June, mental health experts at the Jackson VA Hospital are urging Mississippi veterans not to wait to get help.
June is PTSD Awareness Month, a nationwide effort to combat stigma and connect those struggling with trauma to available resources. At the Jackson VA Hospital, counselors say the disorder is far more common than most people realize, and it rarely looks the way Hollywood portrays it.
“What we typically see is individuals who are trying their best to manage with an insurmountable amount of negative emotions, anger, fear, shame, guilt, sadness, regret,” said Alex Rakhshan, manager of the PTSD Residential Program at the Jackson VA Hospital. “And they’ve done their best. They’ve done the best they can to manage through.”
Rakhshan, a licensed psychologist with nearly 10 years of experience, says one of the biggest barriers to treatment is avoidance, and it doesn’t always look the way people expect.
“Avoidance takes many forms, such as working really hard, doing a lot of work in the community, volunteering, staying really focused on the needs of other people,” Rakhshan said. “And while that is laudable, ultimately it serves as a way to stay away from and push away some of those challenging beliefs.”
Rakhshan says PTSD affects all ages and walks of life, not just combat veterans. Natural disasters, car accidents, childhood abuse and neglect can all be triggers. However, veterans face a higher prevalence of the disorder due to the elevated dangers of military service.
Treatment at the VA has changed dramatically over the last decade. Veterans can now receive therapy from the comfort of their own homes through video health technology. Shorter treatment options, like written exposure therapy, a five-session program, are also now widely available, lowering the barrier for veterans hesitant to commit to a full course of treatment.
Iraq War veteran Mike Watkins knows that barrier well. Watkins served as a medic, deploying to Iraq in October 2003 and returning in November 2004. He was stationed in Balad, Taji, Fallujah, Samarra and Mosul. After coming home, he spent years managing hypervigilance, avoiding crowds and struggling to readjust to civilian life before seeking treatment.
“Whether you got a performance car or you’re just trying to take care of your body or you’re cleaning up your house, maintenance is key,” Watkins said. “The way you create muscles is by ripping and regrowing new ones. That’s a metaphor for what you’re doing emotionally.”
Rakhshan says the first step doesn’t have to be intimidating. “They can just give us a call. We don’t lock you in. You don’t need a signature on a form guaranteeing you’re going to show up. We’re here to serve,” Rakhshan said.
The Jackson VA Hospital offers a range of PTSD treatment options, from in-person counseling to medication to video therapy from home. Veterans and their caregivers are encouraged to contact the Jackson VA Hospital to learn more. No appointment is needed to make that first call.
PTSD affects an estimated 12 million Americans in any given year, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
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Mississippi
Post-Tropical Storm Arthur unleashes High Risk Level 4 flood threat to Mississippi | Latest Weather Clips | FOX Weather
Post-Tropical Storm Arthur unleashes High Risk Level 4 flood threat to Mississippi
The Mississippi coastline is under a rare Level 4 out of 4 High Risk flood threat as remnants of Post-Tropical Storm Arthur continue fueling hazards through late week. FOX Weather Correspondent Brandy Campbell brings us the latest live from Biloxi, Mississippi, where rain is already falling:
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 June 17, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mississippi Match 5 numbers from June 17 drawing
03-06-10-13-24
Check Mississippi Match 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 3 numbers from June 17 drawing
Midday: 6-1-7, FB: 4
Evening: 6-4-0, FB: 5
Check Cash 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 4 numbers from June 17 drawing
Midday: 9-8-4-1, FB: 4
Evening: 9-1-2-3, FB: 5
Check Cash 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from June 17 drawing
Midday: 09
Evening: 11
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.
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