Latest news with #MississippiCollege
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Hinds County to host meetings on bridging digital divide
HINDS COUNTY, Miss. (WJTV) – Hinds County residents are encouraged to attend community meetings about a 'growing communications emergency' that's affecting rural parts of the county. According to Hinds County leaders, the combination of accelerating copper wire theft, the phase-out of traditional landline services, and inadequate broadband infrastructure has left many residents without any reliable means of communication. Mississippi College, Christ Covenant partnership offers college-level math course 'These are not future concerns—we are already seeing people cut off from the outside world,' said Felicia Tripp, Hinds County Broadband Coordinator. 'We must act now to ensure no one in Hinds County is left behind.' (All meetings begin at 6:00 p.m.) Raymond – Monday, May 19, at Bellmont Missionary Baptist Church Utica – Tuesday, May 20, at the Utica Community Center Terry – Thursday, May 22, at the Town of Terry Community Center Edwards – Thursday, May 29, at Ratliff Missionary Baptist Church Officials said the meetings will serve as both public forums and action-planning sessions to address the digital divide and determine how programs like BEAD (Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment) and BEAM (Broadband Expansion and Accessibility of Mississippi) can be leveraged more effectively to serve Hinds County communities. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Mississippi College, Christ Covenant partnership offers college-level math course
CLINTON, Miss. (WJTV) – A dual-enrollment agreement between Mississippi College (MC) and Christ Covenant School (CCS) will allow qualified students at the K-12 Christ-centered educational institution in Ridgeland to attend college-level mathematics classes and receive corresponding collegiate credit as part of their instruction. MC President Blake Thompson and Christ Covenant School Dean of Advisement Cheri Creel signed a formal memorandum of understanding on May 8 establishing the partnership. William Carey to hold 2025 graduation ceremonies at Temple Baptist Christ Covenant School is the sixth educational institution to sign an MOU with MC to provide college-level classes at their respective schools. Mississippi College has similar agreements with Clinton High School, Jackson Preparatory School, Madison-Ridgeland Academy, Saint Augustine School in Ridgeland and Tupelo Christian Preparatory School. 'Our goal is to provide a first-class dual-enrollment experience that begins to show how we prepare the next generation of Christian leaders,' said Michael Wright, MC dean of enrollment services. 'If we do that well, our hope is that students from CCS will choose to continue their education at Mississippi College.' The agreement covers college algebra with applications and trigonometry coursework up to 27 total credit hours. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Mississippi College softballs thoughts before they head to South Region 2
WJTV speaks with first year head coach for Mississippi College and two freshmen before they head to South Region 2 at Saint Leo. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJTV.
Yahoo
30-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Why do these Jackson mayor candidates have no primary worries? They're the 4 independents
Four independent candidates are challenging to become Jackson's next mayor and will have their names on the general election ballot. Since there are no primary elections for independent candidates, these four mayoral hopefuls will be on the June 3 general election ballot with the winners of the Republican and Democratic primaries. The primary elections are set for April 1. The Clarion Ledger contacted the four independent candidates to answer questions regarding who they are, why they decided to run for office and what their positions are on issues that face Jackson. Below is a look at the answers, which have been edited for length, style and clarity. DePriest, 58, was elected to the Clinton Board of Aldermen in 1993, serving for two terms. He received his Bachelor's of science in business administration from Mississippi College. He is married to wife Becki, and together they have two sons. Why are you running?: Jackson is home. I have lived in Jackson for over 30 years of my life. My wife, Becki, lived in South Jackson and is a Wingfield graduate. We are confident God has led us into this election, so it is a journey of spiritual obedience. We look forward to following this journey and continuing to serve Jackson. After a professional career that includes owning a construction company, senior management with Trustmark National Bank and serving on the Clinton Board of Alderman for two terms, I've now been able to focus my time on building relationships to be able to better understand and address needs in Jackson, with an emphasis on violence. My time invested with local pastors, community leaders and students has deepened my desire to see violence reduced and Jackson restored for the benefit of our residents, especially our youth. The need for lasting results requires that we break down our silos, bring differing perspectives into the conversation and work together. This requires that we listen, especially to those most directly impacted by issues we face. Let's listen to each other, set egos aside, not care who gets the credit and love our neighbors. We are Better Together. What are some of the issues you'd like to address if you are elected? How would you like to resolve those issues?: Although there are other issues to address, my top two priorities will be: Safe city – group violence intervention: Establish partnerships between law enforcement, the faith community, community leaders, social services, and residents. This collaboration will enhance trust and reinforce the message that violence is unacceptable to the entire community. Implement strategies that employ a focused approach to identify the small number of individuals and groups most responsible for gun violence and address through direct intervention. Authorities and community partners meet directly with offenders to convey consequences of continued violence and offer assistance to those who want to change. Restore infrastructure: Establish a close working relationship with JXN Water to help ensure we have a voice in the direction of and future management of these vital systems. Manage street improvements through a comprehensive pavement management program shared with government partners to maximize benefits received from city and county tax dollars, One Percent Sales Tax Commission resources, state aid funds and Capital Complex Improvement District investments. Develop a traffic control device strategy that will determine appropriate traffic control devices needed based on traffic volume, crash history, and pedestrian activity to prioritize repair, replacement, or removal based on these criteria. The city and the state of Mississippi have disagreed on many issues that face Jackson and there have been numerous state takeover attempts in recent years. How would you balance the city and state divide?: Jackson must protect our ownership of properties and systems that rightfully belong to the city, but we must be willing to consider how our action or inaction as a city may have led to intervention by the state. Have we managed city business well? Have we considered how our actions impact the state? As the capital city, are we representing Mississippi well? We must communicate openly and demonstrate a spirit of cooperation to develop close working relationships with state officials regardless of political party affiliations or ideologies. This should be an ongoing effort, not only when Jackson needs state assistance or is lobbying for funding. Relationships require all parties to participate, and we will need the state to be a partner in this effort as well. This is best accomplished through frequent, open communication. Even when the likelihood of city and state officials agreeing may be low, we must be willing to engage in conversations, consider differing perspectives, look for common goals, and strive to find workable solutions. What issue do you think is most important/needs to be solved for Jackson's future? How would you solve that?: Focused deterrence: Group violence intervention employs a targeted approach identifying a small number of individuals and groups most responsible for gun violence and addressing their behavior through direct intervention. Pulling levers: Law enforcement and community partners work together to deliver a clear message to these groups: violence is no longer tolerated. If violence occurs, a full range of legal and social "levers" (increased law enforcement focus, probation sanctions, etc.) are pulled against offenders. Direct communication: Authorities and community leaders meet directly with offenders, often in "call-ins," to convey the consequences of continued violence and to offer assistance (job training, education, support services, etc.) for those who want to change. Community and law enforcement collaboration: The strategy relies on partnerships with the faith community, social services, community leaders, and residents. This enhances trust and reinforces that violence is unacceptable to the entire community. Data-driven and results-oriented: Group violence intervention strategies are guided by detailed research into the dynamics of local violence to ensure efforts are focused where they will have the most impact. How would you engage with the Jackson City Council in a constructive manner if you are elected?: Conflict and disagreements are inevitable when elected officials with different constituencies, objectives and personalities are responsible for setting policy for and managing a city. Although conflict is to be expected, it should not be allowed to become personal and persist to the point where residents suffer the consequences. Having been elected to two terms on the Clinton Board of Aldermen, I have experienced municipal government done well and learned the importance of good relationships between a mayor and council. To function properly, a mayor and council members should approach their roles with a public service mindset, communicate effectively, and respect each other's roles as elected officials. The council and mayor must allow the others to perform their statutory responsibilities for the residents of Jackson without efforts being made to obstruct the fulfillment of these responsibilities. Good relationships require open communication and trust. The time and effort required to build trust and respect for each other as individuals and the offices to which they have been elected must be invested. Once a level of trust is earned, it is much easier to determine shared goals and serve the residents of Jackson. Servis, 27, is a musician, minister and entertainment professional. He is married and has four children: three sons and one daughter. Servis has never served as an elected official. Why are you running?: I was washing dishes and praying that God would show me who to support as the next mayor that would lead righteously and serve the people. I felt him ask me 'Why Not You?' After more prayer and speaking to my spiritual leaders and accountability, I decided to run. Jackson has been the place where all my dreams came true. From music, to running my own business, to ministry. My vision is to make Jackson a city where every dream finds it home. What are some of the issues you'd like to address if you are elected? How would you like to resolve those issues?: Accessibility, accountability, affordability. We will provide access to safe neighborhoods by funding JPD, increasing our officer count to 400 and investing in youth intervention programs. Access to safe infrastructure by paving roads with cement, not asphalt, addressing potholes promptly and partnering with JXN water to coordinate road repairs with pipe repair planning. Access to government by moving council meetings to 6 p.m., responding to residents within 24 hours and introducing a mobile app that includes direct messaging for those who can't call the city. Accountability by creating a resident dashboard to track spending, progress of city projects, and timelines. Making all public record data including budgets and contracts accessible on the website. Conducting a forensic audit of every department. Performing quarterly staff evaluations. Forming multiple resident councils and hosting frequent town halls. Affordability by lowering taxes, eliminating business license fees, offering tax incentives to businesses who commit long term, and trading city owned properties to individuals and organizations who will rehab them and invest back into that community. The city and the state of Mississippi have disagreed on many issues that face Jackson, and there have been numerous state takeover attempts in recent years. How would you balance the city and state divide?: We start by showing accountability. We stop stealing money and manage the city better. We provide legitimate plans for the resources and assets the state is wanting to take. We state clear vision and goals. And we hold them accountable for giving us the appropriate amount of funding and assistance we should be receiving. We also will be challenging the constitutional authority for the CCID court, and encouraging the state to fund our municipal police and courts, instead of creating and expanding their own. We made mistakes as a city and poor choices, but the state has also made poor choices and at times even committed crimes of negligence against our city. We will not cooperate with the city's attempted takeover attempts, but we will collaborate with them to reach their broader goals and achieve our goals What issue do you think is most important/needs to be solved for Jackson's future? How would you solve that?: It is by far the issue of corruption in leadership. We will begin to address it by bringing our state required annual audits current (catching up for the past two years), and conduct a forensic audit of every department's finances. Every contract we make will be publicly available and we will be looking to eliminate the majority of no bid contracts in the city. We will have quarterly reviews of every department and their staff to ensure performance is high, and accountability is present. We will involve the public in our decision making to ensure backroom deals are not an option. I will be recording the vast majority of my meetings and requiring staff to do the same. If any contract or dealing is called into question, we will have those recordings available to review in those cases. Any director not adhering to this policy will be reviewed and potentially fired. We will use AI technology to regularly audit files, reports, and finances to flag and identity any anomalies or potential threats of corruption or mismanagement. How would you engage with the Jackson City Council in a constructive manner if you are elected?: Firstly I will have biweekly meetings with the body of the council to build unity and share vision together. Then monthly one on one meetings with each council person to get to know them better and their ward's needs. Secondly we will include the council in the formation of our plans before announcing or presenting anything to them on the agenda. We will seek their input as well as the input of our resident councils. Finally, we understand that the council's job is to allocate money and legislate ordinances. We will respect their role and ensure we have the proper accountability and quality in our presentations and orders so that they can adopt our proposals and orders with confidence instead of questions. Stewart-Robinson is a graduate of Lanier High School, Jackson State University and the New Foundation Seminary. She is a wife, mother and grandmother, as well as an ordained minister and author. She has never served as an elected official. Why are you running?: I'm running for mayor because it's time for change. It's time to move in a new direction that will make Jackson a better city for all people, a city of inclusiveness. I believe I can implement programs and activities that will improve Jackson as a whole. What are some of the issues you'd like to address if you are elected? How would you like to resolve those issues?: Some of the issues I would like to address are crime, crime — especially among our youth — infrastructure, parks, economic development, hospitality and education. I would ask the council, each department head, a youth representative from each ward, a member from each homeowners association, a student representative from each university, the police and fire chiefs, a school board representative, a member of the Mississippi Legislature and the Governor's office to join me at the table so we can come up with strategies to make Jackson better. The city and the state of Mississippi have disagreed on many issues that face Jackson and there have been numerous state takeover attempts in recent years. How would you balance the city and state divide?: I would meet with the state and come up with solutions and develop a relationship to improve Jackson. Communication is key to working together. What issue do you think is most important/needs to be solved for Jackson's future? How would you solve that?: I would ask the council, each department head, a youth representative from each ward, a member from each homeowners association, a student representative from each university, the police and fire chiefs, a school board representative, a member of the Mississippi Legislature and the Governor's office to join me at the table so we can come up with strategies to make Jackson better. How would you engage with the Jackson City Council in a constructive manner if you are elected?: As stated, I would meet with all those that can contribute to the improved welfare of the citizens. Wade did not fill out the biographical portion of the questionnaire. He is the host of conservative talk radio show "The Kim Wade Show." Why are you running?: Please refer to website for further clarification. I'm running because the leadership of Jackson of late is living below my upbringing. Sadly, they're not only doing things that are guaranteed not to work, but they're also dishonoring those who went before us. I intend to stabilize Jackson's government systems by better managing the city's assets. The story of Esau and Jacob sums up my vision of Jackson. We have just not been the best stewards of what God has blessed us with. So, Jackson will bounce back with better stewardship and integrity when handling the business and the resources of its citizens! I'm afraid that Jackson's leadership has become mired in mediocrity. Jackson's leadership seems afraid to be great, or the challenge of greatness overwhelms them. I say stand back, get out of the way. Jackson is about to bounce back! What are some of the issues you'd like to address if you are elected? How would you like to resolve those issues?: I want to address the issue of developing some common goals that we can all aspire to. These goals should result in progress, not merely aspirational phrases spouted by politicians jockeying for another elected position — however, results measured by a better quality of life for Jacksonians. For instance, I think that policies derived from what's best for our kids and their future would be sufficient for all of us to rally around. The second rallying point is policies that are best for land and property values within Jackson. Because if you look out for the kids, you're looking out for the future, and if you look out for property values, you can finance the future. It's not rocket science; they're doing it all over the country successfully. The city and the state of Mississippi have disagreed on many issues that face Jackson and there have been numerous state takeover attempts in recent years. How would you balance the city and state divide?: Any disagreement between the city and the state regarding the takeover of city services, etc., will be a moot point in a Wade Administration. That will not be an issue in the Wade administration because we will not leave Jackson exposed to a takeover. Jackson's leadership's failure to do a job properly, whether it's education or our water, is why Jackson was in the crosshairs of a takeover. It goes back to stewardship of our resources, so that's a non-issue with me. What issue do you think is most important/needs to be solved for Jackson's future? How would you solve that?: There is an indifference towards what the marketplace requires of any municipality that wishes to invite investment and capital to its city. The marketplace (MDA) has repeatedly and loudly proclaimed education, education, education! The marketplace has made it known that education, better schools and better products are available from the schools. Whether public, private, charter or whatever they want to see before they invest in an area. Jackson seems noncommittal to improving their schools to the marketplace's standards. We will address the educational component through board appointments and the bully pulpit. Making outstanding level 5 or 1 schools consistently in Jackson would be the equivalent of landing an Amazon plant or Nissan-type investment in Jackson proper. We just have to believe! How would you engage with the Jackson City Council in a constructive manner if you are elected?: To date, the council and mayor's interactions have taken such an adversarial approach. In my estimation, much of it is due to the mayor's youthfulness. I want to engage the council to help govern this city for the benefit of all Jacksonians. Each council member would have 24-hour access to all department heads and city personnel without needing permission from the mayor. I would like each council member to have a hotshot troubleshooter who stays on top of problems in their ward. With the blessings of the mayor's office, they will be able to service their constituents and have unfettered access to the city of Jackson's resources without having to kiss the mayor's ring. We're going to conduct ourselves as adults at all times. This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Jackson, MS mayor race: Meet the independents, all on June's ballot
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Yahoo
Mississippi College student arrested after reported bomb threat, officials say
Mississippi College officials confirmed on Tuesday to the Clarion Ledger that a student was taken into custody after a bomb threat was posted via social media on Monday. Campus officials said the Mississippi College Office of Public Safety received reports early morning on Monday about an anonymous online social media post regarding a bomb threat on the college's Clinton campus. Officials said the public safety office contacted the Clinton Police Department to be involved in the investigation. During the investigation, authorities tracked the anonymous post back to a Mississippi College student. According to campus officials, authorities determined the threat was not credible and confirmed there was no imminent danger to the campus. Officials said Clinton police arrested the unidentified student without incident Monday afternoon, adding the person has been "administratively removed from the university." When asked why the name of the arrested student was not released, officials answered that "the information in the email is all we have available to provide." The Clarion Ledger also reached out to Clinton police who stated the individual's name is not being released at this time. It is unclear if the person in custody is a minor. Clinton Police Capt. Josh Frazier told the Clarion Ledger that the individual was charged with one count of making a false report of an explosive at a public place. 'A good man, good person, good officer': Jackson police chief on shooting death of Hinds County deputy, two homicides over weekend According to Mississippi Code 97-37-21, any person convicted of this crime can be committed to the custody of the Department of Corrections for up to 10 years and/or receive a fine of up to $10,000. "At MC, we take these types of threats very seriously and are committed to ensuring the safety of our students and employees. As a reminder, MC students and employees are encouraged to report emergencies to 911 and non-emergency issues and violations to the MC Office of Public Safety at 601-925-3204 or to the Clinton Police Department at 601-924-5252," officials wrote in an emailed statement. This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Mississippi College student arrested for bomb threat
