YP – Mississippi Flag Commission selects Top 5 potential flag designs
The Flag Commission has narrowed their search for the next possible state flag of Mississippi to five designs from over 3,000 submissions by the public…
…These designs will be created into actual flags so the commission can better determine which one will look the most appropriate as it flies on a pole. The commission will meet again on August 25 to assess those flags before coming back on September 2 to select the design that will go on the November ballot.
They whittled it down to nine flags last week before allowing the public to vote. The nine options were posted on the Mississippi Department of Archives and History page for the public to vote. Over 48,000 people voted for their favorite of those nine.
MSDH: COVID-19 cases top 73k
Today MSDH is reporting 795 more cases of COVID-19 in Mississippi, 34 deaths, and 178 active outbreaks in long-term care facilities. The total of #covid19 cases for the year is now 73,207, with 2,128 deaths. Case details and prevention guidance at https://t.co/QP8mlJ41AN pic.twitter.com/gpjWd0ZwyB
— Mississippi State Department of Health (@msdh) August 18, 2020
WJTV – American Federation of Teachers-MS Union responds to Gov. Reeves executive orders
“On Sunday, August 16, 2020, Governor Tate Reeves discussed his executive orders to accommodate fall sporting events at MS public schools, including the presence of spectators, on Face the Nation. Many colleges and universities are sensibly moving their official programs to the spring, which questions the Governor’s claim that he feels this decision is necessary for those athletes looking for scholarships to college. Clearly, opportunities for athletes will still be available. Sports should not be a reason to endanger our students and teachers.
“Moreover, in-person teaching and learning has to be reconsidered in light of Mississippi’s COVID-19 positivity rate being at 23%, the highest in the nation. It is possible to save the lives of our students and their families, teachers and school related personnel, if we just slow down. Governor Reeves should encourage all superintendents to go to virtual learning; following the numbers reported on confirmed cases and the quarantine of students and staff. The launching of new COVID-19 initiatives with telehealth coverage and testing of teachers and staff is commendable.
“However, do we want to continue disrupting teaching and learning with so many teachers and students at, or will go home under a 14 to 21 day quarantine?”
YP – Mississippi July Revenue Up $46 million over Estimates
Mississippi looks to have weathered the pandemic’s fiscal storm, at least for now.
Fiscal Year 2021 started on July 1, 2020. Thus far, total revenue collections for the month of July and Fiscal Year-to-Date 2021 through July are $46,608,241 or 9.45% above the sine die revenue estimate. Fiscal YTD total revenue collections through July 2020 are $207,530,584 or 62.47% above the prior year’s collections. The FY 2021 Sine Die Revenue Estimate is $5,690,700,000.
Sen. Hyde-Smith commemorates 19th Amendment with Smithsonian
Pleased to be invited by @smithsonian @amhistorymuseum to help commemorate the centennial anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment. #SenatorsOnSuffrage
— U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (@SenHydeSmith) August 18, 2020
MBJ – Bill Crawford: Rounsaville thrust into economic crisis
As of April 30, the pandemic shut-down pushed Mississippi’s unemployment rate up to 15.7% with 187,800 unemployed residents. Two weeks later Gov. Tate Reeves thrust John Rounsaville into the middle of this economic crisis, putting him in charge of the Mississippi Development Authority.
“He hit the ground running try to save jobs and hasn’t let up!” said one of the state’s top economic developers. “He has always been a great policy mind and a hard worker,” continued David Rumbarger, president and CEO of the Community Development Foundation in Tupelo.
The 45-year-old native of the Big Creek community in Calhoun County comes to this position from two successful years as State Director for USDA Rural Development.
WJTV – Postmaster general to appear before House Oversight Committee, Rep. Thompson reacts
WDAM – Lamar Co. receives $300K from Legislature for fire training facility
Mississippi Sen. John Polk helped Lamar County receive $300,000 from the state Legislature that will benefit a fire training facility project.
“That’s kind of half of our working budget that we presented to the Board of Supervisors,” Lamar County Fire Coordinator Kyle Hill said. “Basically, because of the legislature, we’re halfway there.”
Hill says this funding will help kick-start the beginning stages of this facility.
WLOX – Trial for Moss Point mayor, wife accused of wire fraud delayed
“We look forward to our day in court,” Moss Point Mayor Mario King told the press when he walked out of federal court July 10. Now, it looks like that day will come later than expected.
The trial for King and his wife Natasha has been delayed until Nov. 2. The two are accused of wire fraud, including pocketing money donated for city school programs.
YP – Auditors arrest former Columbus CFO
State Auditors Arrest Former Columbus Chief Financial Officer for Embezzlementhttps://t.co/3Zgip8iS5N
— Magnolia Tribune (@magnoliatribune) August 18, 2020
HATTIESBURG AMERICAN – Mississippi attorney Carlos Moore to head National Bar Association in 2021
Mississippi attorney Carlos Moore is set to become president next year of the oldest Black lawyers association in the country.
Moore, managing partner of The Cochran Firm – Mississippi Delta, is president-elect of the National Bar Association for 2021. He is scheduled to assume the role in July from Tricia “CK” Hoffler, now serving as the group’s 78th president.
Moore has been involved in numerous high-profile Mississippi cases, including representing the family of Dominique Clayton, 32. Authorities charged then-Oxford police officer Matthew Kinne in the 2019 shooting death of Clayton. The case has yet to go to trial.
Magnolia Tribune
