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…

The unemployment rate in Copiah County decreased in April, as compared to the previous month. According to preliminary figures from the Mississippi Department of Employment Security, there were 10,690 persons in the labor force in the county. Of these, 210 or 2% were unemployed, indicating that 10,480 were employed. This compares with the state unemployment…

By John Carney Hazlehurst aldermen approved a request to join the Mississippi Main Street Association during its weather-delayed meeting June 5. Aldermen, who hastily voted to recess the regular Tuesday meeting until Wednesday because of storms in the area, voted to spend $1,500 to join the association at the request of community planner Gail Cornell.…

 By Leah Roberson At the June 3 board meeting of Copiah County School District, Superintendent Rickey Clopton stated that although this school year has come to a close for students, faculty and staff will continue to work hard as they prepare for the 2024-2025 school year. He then got approval for the Central Office summer…

By Leah Roberson Bishop Arnold Stanton, from New Life Cathedral of Worship, opened the June 3 meeting of Copiah County Board of Supervisors with prayer. He received approval to host an hour of prayer in front of the courthouse from 11 a.m. until noon, Saturday, June 15. Four members from local Girl Scouts Troop 5012…

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 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…