WLOX – Bryant signs BP settlement bill into law in grand style
WLOX.com – The News for South Mississippi
I signed the BP Oil Spill settlement legislation into law today on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. I thank @tatereeves & @PhilipGunnMS for their leadership in passing this into law during the 2018 Special Session. pic.twitter.com/IKEJTcZJH6
— Phil Bryant (@PhilBryantMS) September 5, 2018
Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball on #MSSen race
The one final race worth mentioning is a special election in Mississippi, where three major candidates are competing in a jungle primary this November, followed by a likely runoff on Nov. 27. It may be that the single major Democrat in the race, former congressman and agriculture secretary Mike Espy, is favored to finish first in the all-party primary, followed by appointed Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R) and state Sen. Chris McDaniel (R), the insurgent who nearly beat Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS) in a primary runoff the last time this Senate seat was on the ballot in 2014 (Cochran resigned earlier this year for health reasons). Assuming Hyde-Smith and Espy advance to the runoff, the Republican should have an advantage in a racially-polarized electorate where an almost-uniformly Republican white electorate making up somewhere around 60% of the electorate can outvote a uniformly Democratic black electorate making up around 35% or so of the electorate. The race should be competitive but it’s hard to see how Espy could get to a majority in such a state, so long as Hyde-Smith advances to the runoff too. But depending on how the other states go, the Mississippi Senate runoff could extend the Senate battle to a form of overtime.
#MSSen: Espy advocates for expansion of paid family leave
The United States is the only modern nation without a national paid leave program. A child’s birth or adoption may mean stretched finances and unsettling concerns about whether caring for a new baby will cost parents their jobs. We must expand paid family medical leave. pic.twitter.com/VasTASbxqy
— Mike Espy (@espyforsenate) September 5, 2018
CLARION LEDGER – Cindy Hyde-Smith’s participation in October debates unclear, will depend on work schedule
All three challengers are accepting two debate invitations for a U.S. Senate race in Mississippi, but it’s unclear if Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith will take part.
Her campaign spokeswoman Melissa Scallan says Hyde-Smith’s participation will depend on the Senate work schedule in Washington.
Debates are scheduled for Oct. 4 and Oct. 23 in Jackson.
CNN commentator plugs Espy in #MSSen race
In case you missed it. Did you see what @CNN‘s @Bakari_Sellers said about our race on @CNNSotu ? “Mike Espy […] is running a hell of a race in Mississippi.” https://t.co/vsktPliO2u
— Mike Espy (@espyforsenate) September 4, 2018
WLBT – Mississippi Department of Education terminating software contract after already paying $840,000
Hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars are spent on a program that’s now being scrapped.
The Department of Education is cancelling the launch of a new software system to keep track of the individualized education plans for special education students.
Board meeting minutes and the contract show the Board of Education approved a contract with Public Consulting Group, Inc., based out of Boston in September of last year.
Now, the contract will be ended effective September 30. The contract for the new software system to manage special education data totaled $5.55 million over the course of five years.
WTOK – EMCC’s interim president resigns
WLOX – Pascagoula secures funding to improve traffic flow
Mayor Dane Maxwell said $2 million will go toward the railroad tracks on the east side of town. He said three times a day, traffic is stalled while train cars are switched out. Once improvements are made, that won’t happen anymore.
“They come in and they change cars in the middle of our city three times a day. All of our residents have put up with this for so many years,” Mayor Maxwell said. “You know in short order, we’ll have no more switching in Pascagoula and the trains will just come through.”
Maxwell said this was the work of Governor Phil Bryant, Lt. Governor Tate Reeves and Representative Charles Busby. No word on when the work will begin.
The other $2 million will be put toward infrastructure on Ingalls Access Road.
