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Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens filed hundreds of pages of documents in federal court Monday containing salacious quotes from undercover agents, an interview with a now-convicted felon, a transcript of a federal grand jury interview and a photograph of an undercover FBI agent smiling at an open fridge full of alcoholic drinks. 

The federal government swiftly filed an emergency request for the judge in Owens’ federal bribery case to permanently seal the motion and the attached exhibits, claiming it violated a protective order in the case and could “influence the jury pool.” 

Owens is charged with eight criminal counts, including conspiracy, bribery, racketeering, wire fraud, money laundering and making false statements. He has pleaded not guilty, and his 68-page motion points to his likely defense — entrapment. 

“In its unrestrained zeal to ‘get something’ on Owens, the Government made material misrepresentations in the indictment; concealed evidence; lied to the Grand Jury; induced Owens after he rejected criminal overtures and exhibited reluctance; strategically used alcohol to target Owens, who is a diagnosed alcoholic, to break down his resistance, overcome his reluctance, and elicit incriminating statements,” the motion reads.

READ MORE: Yacht, strip club, bags of cash: The traveling FBI sting that set the stage for bribery charges against Jackson officials

Former Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba and former Jackson City Councilman Aaron Banks have also pleaded not guilty, and a trial is scheduled for July. 

The FBI sting began in 2023, when agents came to Jackson impersonating wealthy, out-of-state developers seeking to invest in downtown. 

In the course of their operation, Owens allegedly helped the developers bribe Lumumba by translating the agents’ cash into checks from multiple supposed campaign donors, and forking over the funds while on a yacht in south Florida. According to documents obtained by Mississippi Today, the fictitious developer group had invited Lumumba to Fort Lauderdale, just outside Miami, under the guise of a fundraising event, including a sunset cruise.

Lumumba then allegedly called his planning and development director in exchange for the money and asked him to move up a deadline in a bid for proposals, theoretically giving Owens’ new developer friends an advantage. Photos of Lumumba talking on the phone and Owens handling cash appear inside the indictment.

The federal government also accused Owens of bribing Banks with $10,000 for his future vote on the project.

The federal indictment is chock full of quotes from Owens, taken from hours of tape the undercover agents recorded during their conversations with the district attorney. Owens’ brow-raising remarks – which he described as “cherry-picked” and “drunken, locker room banter” – extend to topics far beyond the alleged bribery scheme. 

“We can take dope boy money,” Owens is quoted in the indictment as saying, “… but I need to clean it and spread it.”

The indictment alleges Owens told the agents he was mixing their cash with “dope money and drug money and more than a million dollars” and storing it at the district attorney’s office. 

But the indictment does not include charges related to these comments. This is another thing Owens’ motion challenges. 

“The Government intentionally used a ‘speaking indictment’ to foment public anger and acrimony toward Owens resulting in widespread conclusions of guilt with no regard for due process,” the motion reads.

Owens’ motion includes similarly detailed descriptions of the FBI’s attempts to learn about his activities, despite the government’s claims in grand jury testimony that Owens “inserted” himself into its investigation. 

Months before the real estate developers came to town, the motion claims, the FBI had set its sights on broaching Owens’ network by turning a law enforcement officer and former candidate for Hinds County Sheriff, Torrence Mayfield, who was also working as the district attorney’s bodyguard. 

With the help of a jailhouse informant and a convicted felon who runs a Jackson nightclub, Owens’ motion claims the feds indicted Mayfield on federal firearm charges in 2022 after he bought a rifle for the nightclub owner. In 2025, Mayfield pleaded guilty to one charge of making false statements to a gun dealer. 

Owens’ motion says the feds sat on the indictment until they got to town. Then, Owens claims they used it to pressure Mayfield, arranging a SWAT team to arrest the unsuspecting man in April 2023 as he was “leaving a health club wearing a plastic suit to help him lose weight.” 

For more than three hours, the motion says agents interviewed Mayfield as he “sat handcuffed in the backseat sweating profusely in his plastic suit.” He told them about his suspicions of corruption in city government and local law enforcement. 

“And you got to understand, we have heard all those things from the County, the City, like everything,” one of the agents told him. “We just are now hearing a position where you could get something.” 

The motion repeatedly cites this interaction, claiming it shows the government wanted to “get something” on Owens. The motion also alleges the federal government concealed this transcript from the defense. 

“To coerce Mayfield, the FBI agents repeatedly reminded him that prison was in his immediate future unless he could ‘come up with something,’” the motion reads.

Owens’ motion lingers on a paragraph from the indictment in which the government asserts the undercover agent initially made contact with the district attorney after casually happening on his lounge, Downtown Cigar Company. 

The government claimed a lobbyist the agent was meeting with while in town recommended the establishment. The inclusion of that detail puzzled some onlookers when the indictment was unsealed in November 2024.

And Owens alleged in his motion that it was a misrepresentation by the government. Instead, his lawyers assert that the informant knew what he was doing when he stepped into Owens’ establishment.

The motion claims the FBI began investigating Owens long before the cigar shop scene. Specifically, it pointed to a September 2022 email in which a local FBI agent discussed Owens’ businesses and wrote, “Also, we are getting Jody added as a subject to one of our investigations but that hasn’t happened yet.” 

But when a U.S. Department of Justice lawyer asked FBI special agent Lawrence Correll during an October 2024 federal grand jury proceeding whether Owens had been a target of the FBI “as somebody that had been previously mentioned as somebody who was taking bribes” at the launch of the investigation, Correll said Owens was not, according to the transcript reviewed by Mississippi Today. 

Correll answered affirmatively when the attorney asked whether the initial FBI agent had “just happened to kind of run into Owens.”

“And is it accurate to say that Owens kind of then inserted himself into this bribery scheme?” the attorney asked, and Correll responded, “That’s correct.”

The filing includes several images of Owens with a beverage in his hand, including one in which he appears slumped over, holding his head in his hand, and two with his face on the table. 

The undercover sting carried out in Jackson from 2022 to 2024 resembled FBI operations that ensnared public officials in other cities. The agents treated a councilman from Cincinnati to the same treatment, a yacht ride and an outing to a Miami cabaret club, according to news reports.

A 7-year-old girl who is one of the victims of a mass shooting in Clay County was the intended victim of sexual assault by the man accused of killing her and five adults.

Daricka Moore, 24, pleaded not guilty Monday to three counts of capital murder, three counts of first-degree murder and other charges in the Friday shootings, local TV stations reported. He has been held at the Clay County jail since the weekend and was denied bond. A judge also ordered a mental health evaluation.

Before the court hearing, family members identified the girl as Mikiylia Guines, who is Moore’s second cousin. He is also accused of killing three other family members. 

During a Saturday press conference, Clay County Sheriff Eddie Scott said Moore tried to sexually assault someone at the address where the girl was killed, but did not specify who. One of the court affidavits lists Mikiylia as the victim of Moore’s attempted sexual assault. The sheriff was not immediately available for comment Monday. 

The capital murder charges are for the deaths of the 7-year-old, Barry Bradley and Samuel Bradley. Barry Bradley was a pastor of Apostolic Church of The Lord Jesus in Cedarbluff, which is located near the home where the men died.

In addition to murder and attempted sexual battery charges, Moore is charged with attempted murder of a child, burglary and two counts of taking a motor vehicle. 

A motive for the shootings was not immediately known. 

Lashanna Guines, the girl’s mother, told WTVA-TV she saw her child die in front of her and the girl’s siblings. She is left to wonder if she could have done more to help. 

“And that’s weighing heavy on my heart, because, you know, it may have been more, what if I did this, and what if I did that?” Guines said. “It would have been, you know, a better outcome, but I just don’t know. I tried. I tried.”

Community members have come together to support families of the shooting victims. 

The United Way of the Golden Triangle Region established a Family Assistance Fund, and there is a GoFundMe to help Guines, Mikiylia’s mother. As of Monday, over $10,000 had been raised.

“Let’s rally as a community of families to support them through the loss of her baby girl,” Rene Guines-McMillian, who organized the fundraiser, wrote on the GoFundMe page. Guines-McMillian was not immediately available for comment Monday.

Scott, the sheriff, previously said his department had not dealt with Moore or responded to calls at the locations where the six people were killed.

Over the weekend, District Attorney Scott Colom said his office will consider the death penalty.

Friday evening, Moore allegedly shot his father Glenn Moore, 67; uncle Willie Guines, 55; and his brother Quinten Moore, 33, in the head at a home on David Hill Road, according to law enforcement. It’s the same home that is listed as Moore’s home address in court records. 

Moore took a Ford F150 belonging to his brother and drove it to the second scene on Blake Road where he broke into the house and tried to sexually assault the 7-year-old, according to authorities. He shot the girl in the head and tried to kill another child, according to the sheriff. 

From there, Moore allegedly went to a home on Siloam-Griffith Road, where investigators found the truck he had taken hidden behind the house. There, they found the bodies of Barry Bradley and Samuel Bradley, who also had been shot in the head, Scott said.  

Moore was arrested at a safety checkpoint about a half a mile from the second crime scene, Scott said.

This was the largest mass shooting in Mississippi since eight people were shot and killed in and near Brookhaven in 2017. Willie Godbolt, who was sentenced to death, shot his estranged wife and several of her family members and a Lincoln County sheriff’s deputy. 

Simeon Gates contributed reporting.

Dr. Adair Blackledge, a physician who practiced facial plastic surgery in the Jackson area for 22 years and was the subject of a five-month Mississippi Today investigation in September, surrendered his state medical license Dec. 31, according to an order accepting the surrender published by the Mississippi Board of Medical Licensure. 

Blackledge was under investigation by the Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure — the state agency that licenses and regulates physicians — for allegations of professional incompetency, unprofessional conduct and dishonorable or unethical behavior likely to deceive, defraud or harm the public, the order says. Board minutes show that the board approved an investigative subpoena for the case in March. 

Blackledge, of office-based facial plastic surgery practice Blackledge Face Center, denied wrongdoing and surrendered his license to retire from medicine and resolve the board’s investigation, the order writes. The signage for Blackledge Face Center had been removed from the building’s facade as of Sunday.

Blackledge did not respond to Mississippi Today’s request for comment by publication time Monday. Board of Medical Licensure spokesperson Cara Shirley declined to answer questions about the surrender, writing in an email that “the Board does not comment on matters related to Board business.” 

Mississippi Today’s reporting showed that Blackledge performed facelifts about three times more quickly than what other plastic surgeons considered average. He also employed some practices other doctors said were uncommon, such as instructing patients to remove their staples themselves after surgery and performing post-operative visits at hotel rooms for patients who traveled to Mississippi for surgery. 

Blackledge said in July he used a sleeping pill and a sedative, anti-anxiety medication to sedate most patients before surgery, a drug combination other doctors told Mississippi Today could make it difficult for patients to breathe during surgery. Blackledge also said he was trained using the regimen and has never had an adverse event related to anesthesia administration.

He also said there is no way to compare the amount of time a facelift takes to another because each one involves different techniques and areas of the face.

Mississippi Today’s investigation also showed Blackledge was not board certified in any specialty medical field, a credential that is not required to practice plastic surgery in Mississippi. Some experts, however, say certification improves patient safety by demonstrating that a doctor has trained extensively in a field and is capable of performing certain procedures. 

Patients interviewed by Mississippi Today last year described a range of complications, including nasal indentations and infections, prominent scarring, a cheek implant that burst through the skin and wounds that reopened and required medical attention. They recounted quick procedures, results that didn’t last and repeated revisions, or procedures to correct or improve past surgeries.

It is uncommon for a physician to surrender a medical license, and it is not typical for a doctor to surrender a license upon retirement, said Dr. Randy Easterling, a Vicksburg physician who previously served on the Mississippi State Board of Medical Licensure for 12 years. Easterling said he does not have knowledge of Blackledge’s case and cannot speak on behalf of the medical board. He also could not speak specifically about Blackledge’s license.

“Usually a surrender of license — generally speaking — is when there’s so much evidence against the physician that you don’t want to have a hearing,” he said. “Because if you go to a hearing, there will be stuff to come out that maybe you don’t want the public to know.” 

If an investigation is concluded without the initiation of disciplinary action, all records of the investigation and proceedings remain confidential, according to Mississippi Board of Medical Licensure policy. 

Blackedge’s surrender of his medical license will be reported to the Health Resources and Services Administration’s National Practitioner Data Bank, a registry used to collect and share disciplinary information about medical providers across state lines. 

“Generally speaking, you would have difficulty getting a license in any other state,” Easterling said. 

However, physicians whose licenses have been surrendered in Mississippi can reapply for licensure, beginning the process as if they have never held one before, according to Mississippi Board of Medical Licensure policy.

Blackledge’s former patients have greeted news of his departure from the field with mixed reactions. Vicky Pitts of Laurel underwent a necklift with Blackledge in 2020, followed by a series of revisions and touch-up surgeries that occurred for more than two years after she said the initial surgery failed. Pitts said the subsequent procedures resulted in complications. 

She said Friday she feels relieved that other patients may be spared similar experiences, but does not believe the outcome will bring her closure.

“It still does not heal some of the people he has really hurt in the long run, with the stress, the depression, the embarrassment,” she said. “… When I look in the mirror, I just want to cry.”

Scores of people who say they were patients of Blackledge have shared stories and photographs of their surgery experiences in a members-only Facebook group created by patients in 2023. 

Blackledge told Mississippi Today in emails from July to September that the complaints made by patients about his practice represented a small portion of his patient population and said he believes his complication rate is far below the national average. He said the complaints were the result of a “social media barrage” in which he, his family and his staff members were attacked and threatened by patients. 

“The past year has been an extremely frustrating one for me, and I really feel like I am being painted in a false light by patients who had apparently unreasonable expectations of the results that could be achieved,” he said to Mississippi Today in July.

Blackledge told Mississippi Today for months last year that he could not locate a transfer agreement he said he had with St. Dominic Hospital in Jackson. The agreement is a state requirement for surgeons who sedate patients in their offices, and is widely considered a critical patient safety measure for office-based surgery. 

Blackledge provided a written transfer agreement with St. Dominic to Mississippi Today the day before it published its article, signed that day, after Mississippi Today inquired about it for the third time in three months.

There was no indication Monday on the Blackledge Face Center website or social media pages that the business has closed. Appointments for aestheticians are listed as available beginning Jan. 19. Plastic surgery services are not listed. 

The man suspected of setting fire to Mississippi’s largest synagogue allegedly confessed his crimes to law enforcement and referred to the building in northeast Jackson as the “synagogue of Satan,” according to a federal court document filed Monday.

Stephen Spencer Pittman, 19, of Madison – who usually goes by his middle name – is facing federal charges for using fire to maliciously damage or destroy a building involved in interstate commerce, according to a probable cause affidavit in the U.S. Southern District of Mississippi.

The Beth Israel Congregation synagogue also houses the offices of the Institute for Southern Jewish Life, which provides school programs and traveling rabbinical services to Jewish congregations across the South. 

The predawn fire Saturday reduced the historic synagogue’s library and administrative offices to charred ruins and left smoke damage throughout the building, the same one the Ku Klux Klan bombed in 1967 for its rabbi’s support of civil rights. 

In a striking parallel, Pittman is alleged to have set fire to the same part of the octagonal building that burned in the 1967 attack – a wing facing a parking lot exit on Old Canton Road. 

Pittman appeared in federal court on Monday afternoon via video conference, accompanied by a public defender. He affirmed to the judge, Andrew Harris, that he was competent and sober. Pittman appeared to be leaning back in his chair, gazing away from the camera. When the judge asked him if he understood his rights to an attorney, Pittman responded, “Yes sir, Jesus Christ is Lord.”

Both of Pittman’s hands were wrapped in bandages, and he had no visible burns on his face. He is scheduled to be released from the hospital on Wednesday, his attorney told the judge before requesting a Jan. 20 hearing to determine bond. The prosecutor, Matt Allen, moved to have Pittman detained as he awaits trial.

If convicted, Pittman faces five to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Federal court documents did not list an attorney for him and did not include a booking photograph of him.

In a statement Monday, Beth Israel Congregation thanked investigators for swiftly apprehending a suspect and said it is noteworthy that Pittman “appears to have admitted to committing this heinous act out of hatred for the Jewish people.”

“This news puts a face and name to this tragedy, but does not change our resolve to proudly — even defiantly — continue Jewish life in Jackson in the face of hatred,” the congregation’s statement said. “The response and support from our community, both from local churches and from the worldwide Jewish community, has been overwhelming.”

Federal investigators quickly identified Pittman as a person of interest, according to the affidavit, which includes text messages he allegedly sent to his father in the course of setting the fire Saturday. The father pleaded for his son to return home, the affidavit says, but Pittman “replied back by saying he was due for a homerun and ‘I did my research.’” 

Pittman is alleged to have confessed to his father, who later contacted the FBI and provided GPS data showing Pittman was at the synagogue early Saturday morning. 

The son “laughed as he told his father what he did and said he finally got them,” says the affidavit from Nicholas Amiano, an FBI agent in the Jackson division. 

Amiano said Pittman purchased gasoline from Mac’s Gas in Ridgeland, where he also removed the license plate from his truck. Then he drove to the synagogue, used an ax to break through one of the windows, went inside, poured gasoline and lit it on fire with a torch lighter. 

Once at Beth Israel, Pittman also texted his father a photo of the back of the synagogue writing “there’s a furnace in the back,” “Btw my plate is off,” “Hoodie is on” and “and they have the best cameras.” 

Investigators recovered a burnt cell phone believed to be Pittman’s and a hand torch found at the synagogue by a member of the congregation, the affidavit says.  

Security camera video obtained by Mississippi Today shows a hooded person splashing liquid inside the lobby of the synagogue, spraying his legs in the process. A screengrab of the security footage is included in the FBI affidavit. 

Mayor John Horhn said Monday the suspect drove himself to a hospital after he was burned in the course of setting the fire. He added there is a possibility the suspect will be charged with a hate crime. The affidavit states that Pittman sustained burns on his ankles, hands and face. 

“We thought that Mississippi was beyond that sort of thing,” Horhn said on Mississippi Today’s podcast. 

By Monday, news of the arson had drawn an outpouring of local support for Beth Israel. The mayor, multiple city council members, religious institutions and elected officials condemned the attack, which has also caught the attention of top officials at the U.S. Department of Justice. 

In a statement to Mississippi Today, Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, a Republican who has long lived near the synagogue, condemned the attack.

“The burning of Beth Israel Synagogue was an act of religious hatred against a place meant to offer prayerful peace and comfort,” Hosemann said. “This was not only an attack on a house of worship, but also an offense against the religious freedom protected by our Constitution. Such acts threaten all of us, regardless of faith. The perpetrator should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” 

Mississippi House Speaker Jason White said the fire was a “horrible act” that must be condemned.

“It’s awful and terrible,” White said Monday. “It’s also a reflection on where we are as a society. Intolerance finds its way in a lot of different places.”

News of the attack also reverberated internationally over the weekend. Harmeet Dhillon, the Justice Department’s assistant attorney general for civil rights, wrote on the social media site X that she was “personally involved and my team is in touch with the US Attorney’s office locally.”

Other officials who publicly condemned the attack include the Democratic leaders in Congress, Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves issued a statement on Monday afternoon, writing, “this heinous act will never be tolerated, and the perpetrator should face the full and solemn weight of their actions.”

Gov. Reeves’ statement also noted that Pittman was admitted to the University of Mississippi Medical Center and that state charges will be pursued “at the appropriate time.”

Pittman was a multi-year honor roll student and varsity baseball player at St. Joseph Catholic School in Madison, according to previous local news reports. 

After graduating from St. Joseph in 2024, Pittman played baseball at Coahoma Community College. 

“I am blessed to announce I will be commuting to Coahoma Community College to play baseball,” Pittman posted on X in 2023. “Thank you God and everyone who has helped me along the way! Go tigers!”

St. Joseph and the Catholic Diocese of Jackson issued a joint statement Monday saying: “The actions attributed to the accused individual are senseless, reprehensible, and wholly incompatible with the values taught by the Catholic Church and upheld in our Catholic schools. …. We stand in solidarity with Beth Israel Congregation and with the Jewish community.”

The leader of the diocese, Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz also said in the statement: “We reaffirm our commitment to the teachings of Nostra aetate, which call the Church to  reject antisemitism, to honor our shared spiritual heritage, and to pursue mutual respect and  dialogue. In a world marked by rising tensions and hatred, we  recommit ourselves to building understanding and peace among people of all faiths.”

Pittman posted regularly on his X account, often about baseball and Christianity. Many posts pair videos of him practicing his swing in a batting cage with a captioned Bible verse.

Pittman’s most recent post, on Jan. 6, links to a webpage called One Purpose, which describes itself as a faith-based community for men focused on “​​Scripture-backed fitness. Brotherhood accountability. Life-expectancy maxxing.”

He was an outfielder and played in at least 10 games for Coahoma Community College, according to the Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conference. 

Before law enforcement officials revealed Pittman’s name Monday, Pittman’s name and photograph no longer appeared on the Coahoma Community College’s online roster. The community college did not immediately respond to a phone call requesting comment on Monday.

A gathering of religious leaders across Jackson planned for later this week has shifted its focus to uplifting Beth Israel in the wake of the attack. The citywide prayer service will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday at Thalia Mara Hall, according to a city press release. 

Beth Israel has established a donation fund for rebuilding, with a link on the congregation’s website.

Editor’s note 1/12/2026: This story has been updated with comments from Mississippi House Speaker Jason White.

Republican House and Senate leaders promptly fired the first rounds in a public education policy battle as the 2026 legislative session opened last week, then retreated behind their ramparts.

The Senate passed bills to provide a $2,000 teacher pay raise and only a mild nod to “school choice” — allowing students to more easily transfer between public schools — vowing to stand against more sweeping school-choice measures.

The House dropped such sweeping measures in a 553-page omnibus education bill, including a proposal to allow parents to use millions of tax dollars to pay for private schools, homeschooling or other alternatives to public education. The House has not yet proposed any across-the-board teacher raise.

Legislating is the art of compromise. Will the two sides find middle ground over the next three months of the session?

It’s likely the House’s fall-back position would be to negotiate on a teacher raise, in hopes the Senate would allow more expansive school choice — perhaps for tax credits for private schooling if not direct vouchers. Senate leaders already say they want to negotiate for a larger, more like $5,000, teacher raise. But so far they’ve left no daylight around their opposition to spending tax dollars on private schooling. And House Speaker Jason White has vowed not to use teacher pay as leverage for school choice.

Whatever bargaining or horse-trading is in the offing this year, public school educators and administrators will be closely watching, and perhaps drawn into, the political debate.

Quote of the Week

“I’m very troubled about what we have done. I’m very troubled about what we are doing. I’m very troubled about what we may do in the future.” — Sen. Hob Bryan, voicing his concern over a proposal to pump $1 billion in cash reserves into the state retirement system, without setting up a permanent revenue stream.

In Brief

State revenue up so far for FY’26

The state Legislative Budget Office report for December, the halfway point of fiscal 2026, shows state revenue collections are up $179 million, or 5% compared to the prior year-to-date.

As lawmakers begin their legislative session and prepare to set a more than $7 billion budget for the coming fiscal year, legislative leaders said last week that the state has about $1.5 billion in cash reserves. – Geoff Pender

Black Caucus, faith leaders promote ‘just and equitable’ policies

Members of the Legislative Black Caucus joined faith leaders on Thursday to outline their legislative agenda for the 2026 session, which includes prioritizing public funds for K-12 public education, reforming the criminal justice system, and increasing Mississippi’s workforce participation rate. 

The Rev. Reginald Buckley, pastor of Cade Chapel Missionary Baptist Church in Jackson, encouraged legislators to pass laws that care “for those who are the most vulnerable among us.” 

The caucus is also pushing lawmakers to prioritize policies that strengthen the social safety net, adequately fund historically Black colleges and expand access to affordable health care. – Taylor Vance

Lawmaker targets abortion pills — and speech

Mississippi played a central role in ending constitutional protections for abortion nationwide after the state prevailed in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision that allowed states to ban abortions.

A Mississippi House bill formed the basis for that lawsuit. Even though the state has a near total-abortion ban in effect, some lawmakers are still focused on the issue.

Rep. William Tracy Arnold, a Republican from Booneville, has filed a bill that would introduce harsher penalties on the manufacturing, marketing, mailing and delivery of medications that facilitate abortion. These drugs are already effectively illegal in Mississippi, but this bill would go a step further, criminalizing not just the distribution of these drugs, but even giving “information orally” about them. – Michael Goldberg

Bills would increase minimum wage, unemployment benefits

Among 12 bills referred to the House Workforce Development Committee so far, three would impact a large number of Mississippians.

Rep. Robert Johnson, the House Democratic leader from Natchez, has again proposed a bill creating a state minimum wage starting at $10 an hour. Mississippi is one of only half-a-dozen states without its own minimum wage. The state follows the federal minimum wage, which is $7.25 an hour and has not changed since 2009.

Reps. John Hines, a Democrat from Greenville, and Donnie Bell, a Republican from Fulton and chairman of the Workforce Development Committee, each introduced bills to change weekly unemployment benefits. Bell is proposing to raise the weekly maximum from $235 to $250. Hines is proposing raising the minimum from $30 to $250 with higher earners having higher weekly minimum benefits.. – Katherine Lin 

Safeguards proposed as welfare scandal trial begins

The trial for Ted “Teddy” DiBiase Jr., the first and perhaps the only criminal case to be brought to jurors in the Mississippi welfare scandal that’s unfolded over the last six years, began last week.

In the Legislature, some lawmakers are still attempting to introduce new safeguards on Mississippi’s welfare spending.

Rep. Robert Johnson filed a bill this session that would direct the Legislature’s watchdog committee to conduct a review of subcontracts and subgrants of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funds awarded by the state’s Department of Human Services at least once every two years. TANF money was at the center of Mississippi’s sprawling welfare scandal. – Michael Goldberg

Senate votes unanimously to pump $1 billion into PERS

The full Senate on Wednesday unanimously passed a measure to funnel $1 billion of cash reserves into the state’s public pension system over the next decade. The proposal now heads to the House for consideration. 

The measure would put half-a-billion dollars of the state’s current surplus into Mississippi’s government pension system, then earmark $50 million a year over the next decade into the underfunded system. 

Sen. Daniel Sparks, a Republican from Belmont who authored the legislation, said giving the Public Employees’ Retirement System a large cash infusion is a necessary next step after the Legislature last year overhauled it. – Taylor Vance

By the Numbers

$132 million

Estimated annual cost of a pay raise approved by the Senate last week for public school teachers and assistants, and university and community college professors.

$87.5 million

The cost to provide private school vouchers for 12,500 students, in the House’s “school choice” proposal unveiled last week.

Full Legislative Coverage

What’s in the Mississippi House’s omnibus school-choice education bill?

The House on Wednesday filed a 553-page bill to reshape public education and provide more school choice, including spending taxpayer funds on private schools. The bill also would ease public school transfer regulations, make it easier to open charter schools statewide and expand the literacy act that helped lead Mississippi to nationally noted success in student literacy. Read the story.

Mississippi school-choice battle begins: House unveils omnibus plan. Senate wants teacher raise, opposes vouchers

The two chambers of the Legislature drew lines in the sand Wednesday, setting up a battle in the weeks or months ahead. While the Senate wants a tweak to allow more public-to-public school district transfers, the House is pushing for wide-ranging changes, including letting parents spend public money on private schools. Read the story.

House committee passes certificate of need bill, eyes further changes

The bill would make it easier for medical facilities to make improvements to buildings and equipment and require the University of Mississippi Medical Center to seek state approval for certain expansion plans. Read the story.

Senate panel passes $2,000 teacher raise

The Senate Education Committee on Tuesday, the first day of the 2026 legislative session, voted to raise teacher pay, make it easier for retirees to teach and loosen public school district transfer regulations.. Read the story.

Open government? Not if you’re the Mississippi House speaker

House Speaker Jason White and his staff made a bumble-headed decision by blocking a Mississippi Today reporter from attending White’s pre-legislative session Q&A on Monday – a decision that violates the principles of government transparency. Read the opinion column.

House Speaker Jason White bars Mississippi Today from Capitol press event

The decision by the speaker’s office followed a Mississippi Today exclusive report in April that White, his staff and some of their spouses were treated to a trip to the 2025 Super Bowl by a sports-gambling company. After that story was published, Mississippi Today was removed from the speaker’s press distribution list, and his office stopped responding to requests for comment. Read the story.

Committee approves $1 billion over next decade to shore up PERS

The Senate Appropriations Committee on the first day of the 2026 legislative session voted to put half-a-billion dollars of the state’s current surplus into Mississippi’s government pension system, in addition to putting $50 million a year over the next decade into the underfunded system. Read the story.

What issues will the Mississippi Legislature address in its 2026 session?

This will be the third year of the current Legislature’s four-year term. Over the next three months, lawmakers will likely file 3,000 or more bills, winnow them down to a few hundred that are passed into law, and also set an over $7 billion state budget. Read the story.

Homeownerships is one of the largest investments consumers will make in their lives – and one of the most exciting. But, the housing market has experienced a lot of highs and lows over the past few years, and many buyers are sitting on the sidelines wondering if now is the right time for them to buy.

Here are a few questions and considerations to determine where you are in your homebuying journey and your next steps to securing the keys to your new home.

When is the right time to buy?

The market is ever-changing, and there’s a lot you can’t control. So focus on what you can control, which is your financial readiness, because the best time to buy is when you’re financially prepared to. Rates aren’t the only thing impacting housing affordability, and educating yourself on the homebuying process  and making informed decisions may help you find additional areas to save.

If buyers are concerned about daily rate fluctuations, consumers might be able to lock in today’s rate while they shop around. For instance, Chase’s Homebuyer Advantage with Lock and Shop program allows borrowers who are eligible to lock in their rate for 90 days while they begin the homebuying process. They also may be eligible for a one time option to lower their rate if rates improve. 

How do I know if I am financially ready for homeownership?

Homeownership is a dream for many, but most people don’t know that their dreams may be within reach. Here are some signs you may be ready to take on homeownership:

            •           Your financial health is sound. This might look like having a regular, dependable source of income, having a good credit score—lenders typically look for a score of 620 and above—and having a low debt-to-income ratio. This allows lenders to better gauge how much you may be able to afford.

            •           You understand the true cost of homeownership: This might look like understanding not only your borrowing capacity but also the monthly payment. You’re also prepared for the additional costs of buying a home, such as closing costs, property taxes, homeowners association fees, among other costs, as well as ongoing maintenance or repairs. Look for financial tools like the Chase affordability calculator to help determine buying power, based on income, and preferred monthly loan payments.

            •           Your personal goals and timelines match up: Think about your upcoming life events and whether it makes sense to own a home, such as retiring, relocating or a growing family.

What else can I do to save on the costs of homeownership?

A big misconception is that you have to put 20% of the total purchase price of the home down, but some loan types offer low down payment options—such as FHA and VA loans. For example, Chase’s DreamMaker Mortgage has flexible credit guidelines and down payments as low as 3%.

Find local assistance programs to help reduce items like closing costs, down payments or interest rates. There are assistance programs at the local, state, and national levels to support homebuyers on their path to homeownership. You can checkout tools like the Homebuyer Assistance Finder that helps you research and find additional assistance programs you may qualify for, such as Chase’s Homebuyer Grant which offers up to $5,000 in qualifying neighborhoods.

Also, don’t be shy to shop around for your loan — make lenders compete for your business. Check in with more than one lender and compare and contrast terms to get the best deal possible.

For more information to prepare you for your homebuying journey, visit chase.com/afford or connect with a local a mortgage professional who can help make recommendations based on your unique financial picture and goals.

Gov. Tate Reeves and Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann may not be lame ducks, but perhaps they could be described as limping ducks going into the 2026 legislative session that begins Tuesday.

Reeves and Hosemann, two of Mississippi’s most prominent politicians, could be nearing the end of long political careers where they have exercised significant influence. Reeves is in his sixth four-year term in statewide office, while Hosemann is in his fifth.

The 2026 session starts the second half of what could be their final four-year term.

Hosemann, 78, presides over the Senate and generally wields substantial power in the Capitol. He has in the past said he is considering a campaign for governor in 2027. But it is hard to believe he will enter the race if billionaire businessman Tommy Duff runs, as he is signaling he will do.

Term limits will prohibit Reeves from running again for governor, though he is only 51.

Lame duck refers to a politician who loses some clout because his term in office is ending. Generally speaking, the closer that prominent politicians, such as governor or lieutenant governor, get to the end of a final term, the less clout they enjoy, especially in the legislative process where power is often the key to getting things done.

Granted, Reeves and Hosemann, who have both been mainstays in Mississippi politics for going on a generation, might not be lame ducks yet, but a slight limp might be detectable. They might need to prove their relevance.

House Speaker Jason White, the third person in the triumvirate that sets the legislative agenda, most likely does not face similar issues.

White is in his first term as speaker, and, regardless, the office of speaker of the Mississippi House is not term-limited.

The fact that White does not face a lame duck situation puts him in a stronger position on what most likely will be the primary issues of the 2026 session, such as whether to expand the opportunities to provide public funds to private schools.

White is a staunch supporter of providing public funds to private schools, as is Reeves for that matter.

Hosemann has been less enthusiastic, but at times he has appeared to try to compromise on key issues instead of taking strong positions in opposition to White and the governor.

The demand by White and Reeves to phase out the income tax is an example where Hosemann was not as enamored with the proposal. Still, it could be argued that during the 2025 session the lieutenant governor essentially capitulated to the wishes of the speaker and of the governor to phase out the income tax.

Many believe Hosemann has been willing to compromise to ensure on some issues, like tax cuts, he would not be harmed in a Republican primary should he run for governor. In general terms, it is believed there are more voters in the Republican primary who favor cutting taxes and providing public funds to private schools.

But perhaps the data is not certain on the issue of school choice. When vouchers have been on the ballot in other states, even conservative states, they have been rejected. At the same time in the 2024 election where Kentucky voters were awarding pro-voucher Donald Trump a higher percentage of the vote than he received in Mississippi, they rejected a voucher proposal.

So, maybe being against providing public funds to private schools would not hurt Hosemann in a Republican primary.

And if Hosemann is ending his political career, he could have nothing to lose by using his influence to block the school choice proposals in the Senate.

Of course, the key then would be for Hosemann to withstand the woes of being a lame duck or at least a limping duck and prove that he still walks strong.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Wake Forest’s Robby Ashford couldn’t have imagined a better way to close out his roller-coaster college career.

The six-year redshirt senior quarterback threw for 303 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 50 yards and two scores to take MVP honors, Koredell Bartley scored on a 100-yard kickoff return and Wake Forest beat Mississippi State 43-29 in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl on Friday night.

Ashford, who arrived at Wake Forest this season eager for a chance to start, threw TD passes of 14 yards to Kamrean Johnson, 64 yards to Jack Foley and 62 yards to Ty Clark III and had scoring runs of 2 and 1 yards for the Demon Deacons (9-4).

Wake Forest finished the season winning seven of its final nine games, this one sending coach Jake Dickert to a celebratory mayonnaise bath.

“When I got to Wake Forest, I was in a rough spot mentally and physically,” said Ashford, who transferred from South Carolina after also spending time at Oregon and Auburn. “I was kind of down on myself, almost at a point where I didn’t know if I wanted to keep playing. Man, these guys just instilled just so much in me, and, just helped me in so many ways and instilled that confidence back in me.”

The end result was a nine-victory season for Dickert, the most wins by a first-year coach in Wake Forest history.

The victory also meant having 42 1/2 pounds of mayonnaise dumped over his head. But he had some support, as his three children joined him in the celebration and got doused as well.

“I couldn’t get my wife to do it. She was like, ‘Absolutely not!’” laughed Dickert. “But to share that with my kids is something that is going to be a special memory for us for the rest of our lives.”

Clark finished with 153 yards from scrimmage after taking over the starting role after second-team All-ACC selection Demond Claiborne opted out of the game after declaring for the NFL draft.

Freshman quarterback Kamario Taylor, making his second college start, had a big second half for Mississippi State (5-8) and finished 13 of 22 for 241 yards and a touchdown. He ran for 60 yards and another score before suffering what appeared to be a significant leg injury with 1:46 left in the game. He was carted off the field.

Mississippi State coach Jeff Lebby wouldn’t go into detail after the game about the extent of Taylor’s injury, but sounded relieved, saying: “I feel good about the initial reports.”

After the Bulldogs took an 3-0 lead on the game’s first possession, Bartley fielded the ensuing kickoff at the goal line and weaved his way up the field before turning up the speed and outracing five defenders to the end zone for the longest touchdown in bowl history.

Ashford, a sixth-year QB playing for his fourth college, put Wake Forest ahead 30-12 in the third quarter on a 2-yard run to make it a three-possession game and the Demon Deacons seemed in cruise control.

But the Bulldogs came storming back.

Mississippi State finally found the end zone on the last play of the third quarter when Taylor took a shotgun snap, got a running start and leaped over the line and extended the ball over the goal line on his descent.

He added a 2-point conversion toss to cut it to 10 and then found Sanfrisco Magee over the middle for a 42-yard catch-and-run touchdown pass to make it 30-27 with 10:17 left.

Wake Forest appeared to put it away when Ashford ran for his second touchdown with 4:07 remaining, but Navaeh Sanders blocked the extra point and Kelly Jones scooped it up and scored for 2 points for the Bulldogs to make it 36-29.

On the ensuing possession, Mississippi couldn’t manage a first down and Lebby made the curious decision to punt on fourth-and-11 from the Bulldogs 25 with 2:35 left in the game, putting trust in his defense that it would force a three and out and get the offense the ball back.

That backfired, as Ashford dumped a pass off to Clark on a third-and-7 and he raced 62 yards untouched to the end zone to seal the win.

Taylor’s mother, LaQuandra Conner, took to Facebook after the game posting a picture of her and her son, saying “thanks everyone for the prayers it was his ankle but NOTHING is torn or broken GOD had MY BABY covered and for that I say THANK YOU LORD.”

Taylor was making his second career start for the Bulldogs (5-8) after a promising initial appearance in a loss to No. 6 Ole Miss.

He finished 13 of 22 for 241 yards and a touchdown against Wake Forest. He also ran for 63 yards and another score in when he took a shotgun snap, ran forward and dove over a pile of players and extended the ball over the goal line.

“A ton of toughness and there’s a ton of things to be excited about,” Lebby said about Taylor. “… For what he was able to get out of this bowl experience with 15 extra practices, the ability to go play in another game against a really good opponent, to me that is huge for us as we’re continuing to build this thing.”

WIGGINS — What began as a woodturning studio has grown into a coffee shop and gift store that is helping revitalize downtown Wiggins. Southern Turnings, founded by Scott and Jane Ann Maddox, has become a staple for residents and a tourist destination for visitors. 

The business now hosts community events, weekly classes and has expanded to additional locations, playing a significant role in efforts to bring activity back to Pine Avenue.

Starting with a single lathe 

When Southern Turnings opened more than eight years ago, Scott Maddox said downtown Wiggins had “one other struggling business.”  

“When I moved here (in 1997), this was a vibrant community,” he said. “All the buildings were open, there were shops, there were things to do. It was wonderful. Over time, that kind of dissipated, and basically there was nothing here.” 

Originally, the space was intended to be Maddox’s studio — just an air-conditioned space to turn wood. The idea to add a coffee shop and retail area came from Jane Ann Maddox. Still, the first few years showed little promise. 

Maddox remembers asking his wife to buy a soda just to log a transaction for the day.

“I just thought we’d lost our minds. I mean, there was just no business,” he said.  

They stuck with it through the COVID-19 pandemic, and eventually, the tide turned. 

“Pretty soon we were sitting here going, ‘This is crazy!’” Maddox said. “I give credit to our community for making that (growth) happen, because obviously, if they wouldn’t come through that door, we wouldn’t be growing.” 

He said there’s no secret to success — much of the credit goes to their employees and patrons. 

“I don’t think I’ve done anything different than anybody else could have done, but I am told that people hope we never leave,” he said. 

Teaching the next generation

As Southern Turning continues to grow, it offers new opportunities to connect with the community — including weekly hands-on woodworking classes.  

Maddox first learned about woodturning — using a lathe to shape wood into symmetrical items like bowls and cups — during a trip to Silver Dollar City in Stone County, Missouri. He was fascinated by the craft, watching a young ex-Marine with PTSD turn wood for three hours.  

A retired high school teacher, Maddox said he envisioned his studio as an extension of the classroom. Over the years, he has taught students who have gone on to sell their pieces to help pay for college. Today, his students range from age 11 to 92. 

While Maddox may be one of the only practicing woodturners in the area, he’s part of a broader community that stretches across Mississippi and into Memphis.

“There’s something about making something,” he said. “I would hope that kids would get more involved because that’s something that will last forever, but once people like me pass away and are no longer turning, it’s a craft that’s going away.” 

A vision for what comes next

Southern Turnings’ success has grown alongside renewed efforts to revitalize downtown. Maddox said local business owners formed the Pine Avenue Business Association, which now hosts events on the first Saturday of each month to bring more people to the area.

That momentum has inspired the Maddoxes to expand. Two and a half years ago, they opened a drive-thru coffee hut, which has thrived like the original location. A third location — a coffee shop at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College — is expected to open Jan. 5. 

The Maddoxes have also begun thinking about the future. With retirement on the horizon, they’ve considered eventually selling the business — but for now, they say they’re focused on staying connected to the community.