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2 months 2 weeks ago
Forty-three teachers are using AI tools in a pilot program aimed at making instruction more engaging while helping students struggling in certain subjects.
A pilot program gauging the effectiveness of AI use by teachers to help develop effective lesson plans is underway in Mississippi.
The Mississippi State Board of Education was updated on the program during last week’s meeting. Members were told how the new program is being used to develop more compelling instruction time in the classroom.
By Jeremy Pittari - Magnolia Tribune on
2 months 2 weeks ago
The state senator said he doesn’t know of any other Democrats seriously considering a run for Secretary of State in 2027 but that could change when lawmakers return to the Capitol.
State Senator David Blount told Magnolia Tribune Tuesday morning that he will not seek the Secretary of State’s office in 2027.
Blount, who previously worked in the Secretary of State’s office, had been rumored in Capitol circles as a potential Democratic candidate for the statewide office.
By Frank Corder - Magnolia Tribune on
2 months 2 weeks ago
If there is one thing John Evans has figured out over the past fifty years, it is that small business requires an ongoing determination to keep figuring things out.
By Marilyn Tinnin - Magnolia Tribune on
2 months 2 weeks ago
It is anticipated that another attempt at creating a standalone Department of Tourism will occur during the 2026 legislative session.
The Mississippi Tourism Advertising Fund received $15.1 million in revenues in the 2025 fiscal year, an increase of $440,000 over the prior year.
Of that, the Mississippi Development Authority expended nearly $13.5 million to promote tourism in Mississippi.
That was the word from the latest report from the Joint Legislative Committee on Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review, or PEER.
By Frank Corder - Magnolia Tribune on
2 months 2 weeks ago
The business leaders reminded lawmakers that Mississippi now finds itself surrounded by states that have embraced robust school choice programs.
Legislators in the Mississippi House of Representatives arrived at the Capitol Wednesday to find a letter from 101 business leaders from across the Magnolia State urging them to take bold action this session and seize the moment to expand education freedom for every child.
By Frank Corder - Magnolia Tribune on
2 months 2 weeks ago
Below is a political opinion column by Russ Latino:
With school choice being pushed by the Trump White House, Mississippi senators should think twice about relying on empty leftist rhetoric like “no public money for private schools” in opposition
School choice will be the number one issue in Mississippi this legislative session. Combatants should be prepared for a no holds barred fight, complete with idiotic talking points and scare tactics.
By Russ Latino - Magnolia Tribune on
2 months 2 weeks ago
Mississippi Writers Guild’s two decades stand as a testament to the power of grassroots creativity, not driven by money or fame, something common among writers across Mississippi.
By Richelle Putnam - Magnolia Tribune on
2 months 2 weeks ago
Jewish Clarksdale residents and other members of the community discussed their thoughts and feelings after a fire was set to Beth Israel Congregation in northeast Jackson on the morning of Saturday, Jan. 10.
Spencer Pittman, 19, a former Coahoma Community College baseball player and Madison resident, has been charged with arson for allegedly setting the congregation on fire.
By JOSH TROY/PUBLISHER on
2 months 2 weeks ago
Chinese leaders at a December meeting led by Chinese President Xi Jinping reiterated their consistent focus on “pursuing progress while ensuring stability.”
Stability, hmmm.
By Bill Crawford on
2 months 2 weeks ago
It all depends on your point of view.
(More on that later.)
I estimate I called over 800 games during my 38 years of officiating high school football. I still run the game clock and occasionally assist with replays. I have lost track of the number of times I have been asked over the past few days what I thought about the final call of the Fiesta Bowl.
A little background is helpful here. I am a Mississippi State graduate. For the 18 years before I enrolled at State, I was a huge Ole Miss fan. And, even today, many of my best friends and referee buddies are Ole Miss grads.
By Kendall Smith on
2 months 2 weeks ago
I am a Hoosier. I was raised on Indiana athletics, and like most Hoosiers, I am first and foremost a basketball fan. It is in my blood. My grandfather was an Indiana University Academic All-American and my father became the team doctor, which meant long periods of my childhood were spent in the stands of Assembly Hall.
We went to football games too. However, Indiana was known as one of the worst programs in the country. We showed up anyway. We were always expected to respect the athletes, remain humble, and demonstrate character in victory or defeat.
By Stephanie Garriga on
2 months 2 weeks ago
Last week felt like I should have been working in the garden, flying a kite, or wade fishing for crappie. Other than the two weeks of “seasonal” cold weather we experienced, it has been one of the mildest winters on record. Doves are already cooing, frogs are croaking, and turtles are sunning themselves on logs in ponds and creeks. I have noticed daffodils and jonquils emerging from their short winter nap, ready to show off to the world blazing white and yellow petals. In fact, trees are on the verge of bud break with some species already leafing out.
By Jeff North on
2 months 2 weeks ago
In yet another sign of the times, a deranged teenager torched the Beth Israel Synagogue in the heart of northeast Jackson.
I have been to the beautiful synagogue many times for seminars and funerals. I am heartbroken by this. I am confident my sentiment is shared by almost every Northsider.
By Wyatt Emmerich on
2 months 2 weeks ago
Photo by Adam Prestridge, © 2026 Emmerich Newspapers, Inc.
Crews with Murphree Paving of Tupelo begin using an asphalt roller to repair the Family Dollar parking lot Wednesday morning.
Despite cold, rainy conditions, crews with Murphree Paving out of Tupelo could be seen Wednesday morning repairing a portion of the Family Dollar Parking lot located at the corner of Commerce and E. Monroe St.
By Adam Prestridge - Publisher on
2 months 2 weeks ago
“The House should pass it! The Senate should then pass it! And I will gladly sign it to keep Mississippi’s momentum booming,” Governor Tate Reeves said.
Governor Tate Reeves (R) took to social media Tuesday afternoon to encourage lawmakers in the Mississippi House and Senate to send HB 2, the “Mississippi Educational Freedom Program Act of 2026,” to his desk.
By Frank Corder - Magnolia Tribune on
2 months 2 weeks ago
Important state and national stories, market and business news, sports and entertainment, delivered in quick-hit fashion
By Magnolia Tribune Staff on
2 months 2 weeks ago
The IRS said the One Big Beautiful Bill Act could impact federal taxes, credits and deductions. Taxpayers in Mississippi have until April 15 to file both their federal and state income taxes.
The Internal Revenue Service has set Monday, January 26 as the opening of the 2026 federal filing season.
By Frank Corder - Magnolia Tribune on
2 months 2 weeks ago
“This is insane execution speed by xAI and the state of Mississippi. We are grateful to Governor Reeves for his support of building xAI at warp speed,” Elon Musk said.
Governor Tate Reeves (R) joined xAI Thursday in Southaven to announce Mississippi’s largest corporate investment to date.
xAI, the artificial intelligence company founded by billionaire businessman Elon Musk, is locating a data center in Southaven to be known as MACROHARDRR.
By Frank Corder and Daniel Tyson - Magnolia Tribune on
2 months 2 weeks ago
Lumberton Police Chief Elsie Cowart said she believes the measure would be “a terrible thing for law enforcement.”
State Rep. Omeria Scott, a 32-year Democratic lawmaker representing Clarke, Jasper and Jones counties, has filed a longshot bill to prohibit Mississippi police officers from using Tasers or stun guns.
In response, Lumberton Police Chief Elsie Cowart said she believes the measure would be “a terrible thing for law enforcement.”
By Frank Corder - Magnolia Tribune on
2 months 2 weeks ago
“Options are extremely limited for families who want something better or simply different for their children,” New Hebron Mayor Cindy Bryan told lawmakers. “We now have fewer students, more funding per student and lower performance.”
Members of the Mississippi House Education Committee heard testimony from parents and others invested in education about the potential impacts school choice may have on the state during a hearing held Wednesday afternoon.
By Jeremy Pittari - Magnolia Tribune on
