Mississippi

New mapping tool gives county-by-county breakdown of air pollution

Earlier this month, a researcher debuted a new tool that maps pollution in Mississippi and Louisiana. Some environmental groups are already using it. 

How Mississippi historians are preserving Emmett Till’s and Mamie Till-Mobley’s story

A national monument for Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley has put a spotlight on the work Mississippi historians have been doing to keep the story alive.

Emmett Till is being memorialized with 3 national monuments. Here’s where they’ll be located

President Joe Biden is expected to officially recognize two locations in Mississippi to honor Till’s life and death on what would have been his 82nd birthday.

Elder Black farmers in Mississippi seek a new generation to continue their legacy

Black farmers in Mississippi are aging. Now, they’re connecting with next-gen farmers to keep their ancestral practices of sustainable farming alive.

In rural Mississippi, Baby University is helping parents with ‘more than diapers’

The free program in Clarksdale, Mississippi teaches young parents how to better care for their children while filling in the gaps of the social safety net.

‘Kids will end their lives’: Anti-trans legislation is impacting mental health in the Gulf South

As book bans and legislation pile up, a Louisiana trans teen describes the mental toll it’s taking on him and highlights the importance of support systems.

With pandemic-era boost to SNAP over, a Mississippi diaper bank is receiving more calls for help

With the COVID-19 public health emergency over, Diaper Bank of the Delta is trying to fill in the gap and connect struggling families to more resources.

Pascagoula residents sue EPA to halt production of Chevron’s plastic fuel

Cherokee Concerned Citizens and Earthjustice are seeking to halt Chevron from producing new chemicals from plastic waste at a nearby refinery.

Why preventing flooding in Mississippi’s Yazoo Backwater is easier said than done

The Vicksburg Post’s Anna Guizerix discusses the history of flooding in the Yazoo Backwater area, and why finding a solution is considered controversial.

Volunteers are driving in to offer hot meals, necessities to Mississippi tornado survivors

The gym of a Rolling Fork school has become a makeshift hub to get much-needed emergency aid, meals and hope for thousands affected by the tornadoes.

As midwifery evolves, this Mississippi museum is preserving the history of granny midwives

Granny midwives were some of the first to universalize the practice of midwifery in the South. A permanent installation hopes to share their history.

In Rolling Fork, a congregation comes together to save a century-old church

After a deadly EF-4 tornado, a Mississippi town finds hope in the hands of volunteers.

‘We’re going to help them’: How Mississippians are banding together after a devastating tornado

Officials, aid organizations and volunteers sprung into action on Saturday to help Mississippi begin rebuilding in the aftermath of a powerful tornado.

Mississippi updated its solar energy guidelines. Renewable energy advocates want more

Mississippi added incentives for low-to-moderate income residents to encourage more investment in renewable energy. Activists are pushing for more access.

Alabama has 5th highest U.S. gun death rate. A study blames weak laws, high ownership

The Violence Policy Center, a non-profit educational organization, used the most recent CDC data on gun death rates in the U.S. for its analysis.

The real winner of Super Bowl 57? The Gulf South and its wide range of football talent

The big game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles will feature nearly 30 players from Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi combined.

In post-Roe Mississippi, pregnancy resource centers are becoming the last hope for maternal care

PRCs, like Life Choices in Columbus, can help expecting mothers in several ways, but experts say they're not a substitute for actual health care.

A Mississippi community is ‘grateful’ for more air testing, but skeptical of what comes next

A $500,000 EPA grant will make more air testing in Pascagoula’s Cherokee Forest community possible. Residents worry their voices will — again — not be heard.

Why 2022 was a rough year for Gulf South food pantries, and those who need them

The federal aid that Gulf South food pantries have relied on during the pandemic ended this year, but the demand for food assistance still remained high.

Traveling exhibit goes ‘deeper’ into Emmett Till’s story, civil rights history of host cities

The interactive exhibit “Emmett and Mamie Till Mobley: Let the World See” is in the middle of the first of two stops in the Gulf South region.

The Gulf South is dealing with a ‘tripledemic’ of Covid, flu and RSV as the holidays near

Health officials say now is not the time to let your guard down on protecting yourself, and others, as the three contagious viruses spread across the region.

Conflict between Mississippi’s largest hospital, insurer a breaking point for some residents

The ongoing contract dispute between UMMC and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi has no end in sight, forcing some to consider leaving the state for good.

Staying Pink: Jackson Women’s Health Organization is closed, but 1 group continues the fight

A small team of activists is still gathering outside of the Pink House — though the clinic has closed — to continue the fight for abortion access.

3 key reasons why ESPN chose Jackson State’s rivalry with Southern for College GameDay

An ESPN producer called JSU’s rise one of college football's biggest stories. Here are three key elements that make Saturday’s rivalry game worth highlighting.

Fed up with Jackson’s water system, this Mississippi suburb wants to create its own

Experts say merging water systems can help with the high cost of maintenance. But Byam, Mississippi — fed up with Jackson’s water crisis — wants to go it alone.

6 ways the conversation around a guaranteed income in the US has changed

A guaranteed income conference held in Atlanta shows how the movement has progressed since 2017, with more than 50 pilots currently handing out cash.

Mississippi’s latest move in its anti-abortion agenda? A tax break for corporate donations

Tax documents show energy company foundations financed the anti-abortion movement in the Gulf South for years. Now, they could get a tax break for that support.

Jackson’s water crisis put new attention on its longstanding lead contamination issue

Jackson’s water issues echo infrastructure struggles across the Gulf South, resulting in nearly 1,800 lawsuits over the past year and attention from the EPA.

Jackson residents claim city’s water woes stem from decades of neglect in new lawsuit

The lawsuit claims that Jackson’s water quality was poor long before the recent pump failure at O.B. Curtis — caused by decades of neglect and mismanagement.

In Jackson, Miss., football goes on despite the water crisis

Football is a way of life in Jackson, Mississippi. So are boil water notices. The latest water crisis has not stopped fans from filling the stands to support a local college team.

How 3 Gulf South country stores are adapting to high inflation: ‘It’s hurt everybody’

General store owners in the Gulf South are — once again — looking for new ways to get by as high inflation becomes the latest threat to their businesses.

From pig ears to vegan food, Jackson’s oldest Black business district finds new life

For years, Farish Street has been viewed as a failed business district. But Black business owners are working to shift the narrative of the historic street.