News

Mississippi improved its education ranking to 30th in the nation – the state’s highest ranking ever – according to the 2024 Annie E. Casey Foundation’s KIDS COUNT Data Book released June 10. KIDS COUNT Data Book ranked Mississippi 32nd in 2023 and 39th in 2022. The state was ranked 48th in education in 2014 and has…

By John Carney The Lawrence County school board has hired a new attorney to represent the school district at meetings, in contract matters, and in various litigation as it arises. Nathaniel Armistad, a Brookhaven attorney who focuses on school law, will serve the board following the departure of Jared Evans, who has represented the district…

The unemployment rate in Lawrence County decreased in April, as compared to the previous month. According to preliminary figures from the Mississippi Department of Employment Security, there were 4,650 persons in the labor force in the county. Of these, 100 or 2.2% were unemployed, indicating that 4,550 were employed. This compares with the state unemployment…

By John Carney A long-awaited report on flood control options for the Pearl River in Jackson has finally been released by the U.S. Corps of Engineers. The public will have the opportunity to comment during upcoming meetings. A draft environmental impact statement was released by the Corps on June 7 outlining the pros and cons…

By John Carney Lawrence County High School students and staff have had financial services available on campus through Ferguson Federal Credit Union for several years. Several credit union managers addressed the school district board during its regular monthly meeting May 21, saying they intend to revamp and dedicate more resources to the program. AJ Russell,…

Mississippi’s longest running music festival, held Memorial Day weekend, celebrated its 50th anniversary with a record-breaking crowd drawn by top-notch entertainment and capped off by Saturday night’s headliner Justin Moore. According to Atwood Music Festival committee member Justin Mullins, the cost for this year’s event topped $250,000. The festival began as an event of the…

By Bonnie Coblentz, MSU Extension Service One of summertime’s treats in the South is the prevalence of farmers markets, community social events that allow shoppers to leave with a variety of fresh, local fruits, vegetables, and other goods. Farmers markets have increased in popularity in recent years, with the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce…

By Eddie Smith, MSU Extension Service Daylilies are one of my favorite plants. I have more than 200 daylilies growing in my gardens, and I continue to plant more each year. The only thing I don’t like about daylilies is that each individual flower lasts only for a day – hence the name “daylily.” But…

By Sid Salter The nation’s commercial gaming industry achieved record-breaking revenue for the third consecutive year in 2023 with 10.3% year-over-year growth – but revenue in Mississippi was down 3.5% or $91.28 million according to the American Game Association’s State of the States 2024 report. The AGA report documented Mississippi’s 29 casinos (including those of…