OurTupelo

The post Marshall Ramsey: Transfer of Power appeared first on Mississippi Today.

The COVID-19 pandemic has driven Mississippians to drink.

“When COVID hit, apparently everybody started buying toilet paper, liquor, fitness equipment and they started renovating their homes,” said Chris Graham, commissioner of the Department of Revenue. “Just overnight, our numbers (liquor sales) went through the roof. In March our numbers went way up and continued through December.”

Such is the dichotomy that is Mississippi: the heart of the conservative Bible Belt, where liquor was not made legal until 1966 and where until this day four counties remain dry for liquor and beer sales. Heck, in some counties before the law was changed in 2020, it was illegal to even possess liquor.

Former Gov. William Winter, who passed away recently, used to tell stories of collecting a liquor tax for the state in the 1950s during his tenure as tax collector even though the entire state was dry.

For much of the time since the pandemic hit in full force in March, socially conservative Mississippi has led the nation in terms of growth of liquor sales, Graham recently told a legislative committee.

The Alcohol Beverage Control, which is a division of the state Department of Revenue, regulates liquor sales in the state and also is the supplier of liquor and wine to the state’s 1,600 restaurants and catering services and more than 600 liquor stores. Graham said in a normal year, ABC delivers about 3.5 million cases of liquor and wine, but delivered about 4 million during 2020.

For the first six months of the current fiscal year, which started on July 1, the state has collected $53.1 million in taxes on liquor and wine – an increase of 30% over the previous year. And for the previous fiscal year, liquor and wine taxes were up 9% thanks primarily to the strong sales that occurred late in the fiscal year that ended June 30 as the coronavirus ramped up in the state.

In fairness to Mississippians, though, they are not just sitting around drinking. Graham pointed out, based on his personal observations, that the sales of toilet tissue, exercise equipment and home building supplies also were up.

Indeed, state revenue reports compiled by legislative staffers reveal that people are shopping more. Sales tax collections to the state — generated from the 7% tax levied on most retail items — are up 4.6% to a little more than $1 billion. People especially are shopping online. Use tax collections from the 7% tax on items purchased online are up 40.3% to $204.5 million. Use tax collections continue to be one of the fastest — if not the fastest — growing revenue streams for the state.

Overall, revenue collections are up $236.1 million or 8.4%.

When the pandemic hit and many businesses were impacted by a slowdown, the fear was that revenue collections would take a dramatic nosedive, forcing a reduction in vital state services in such areas as education, health care and law enforcement. But that revenue nosedive did not occur.

Former State Economist Darrin Webb, who retired last year, earlier said that collections were buoyed in part by the extra $600 per week in unemployment benefits and stimulus payments provided by federal legislation. In a poor state like Mississippi, with a large segment of its populace working in low paying jobs, the federal funds were a major boost.

In addition, Mississippi — to the dismay of many — has the highest state-imposed sales tax on food. With people staying home more, they most likely were purchasing more food helping to increase sales tax revenues.

And apparently if Mississippians were eating at home, they wanted some liquor or wine to go with their meals.

The result is that instead of legislators having to cut budgets as was feared this past summer, they now are making plans to provide a $1,000 per year pay raise to teachers, costing about $51 million annually.

The rosy state revenue report belies the fact that many Mississippians are hurting economically, especially since the federal stimulus funds have been cut or are beginning to be exhausted. Some believe the situation will get much worse not only for Mississippians but for state revenue collections if additional federal stimulus is not provided in the coming weeks. And, of course, if revenue collections decline that could lead to a cut in those vital services.

But based on what has happened thus far, legislators are hopeful they are not facing the specter of those budget cuts and are even planning a major investment in education in terms of teacher pay.

After all, many sources of state revenue collections — liquor and others — are on the rise. And many believe with the Legislature in session, at least the sale of liquor will continue to rise.

The post Mississippians are drinking at a record pace during the pandemic appeared first on Mississippi Today.

Gov. Tate Reeves extended a mask mandate that covers most of the state in efforts to battle the COVID-19 pandemic, he announced Friday afternoon.

The mandate, which requires the wearing of masks in public areas and has been in effect for weeks as the number of COVID-19 cases in the state has surged, has been extended until Feb. 3. The order covers 73 of the state’s 82 counties, including all of Mississippi’s major population areas. In recent weeks the mandate has covered most of the state, but Reeves has resisted calls to issue a statewide order.

READ MORE: See all of Mississippi’s COVID-19 data here.

The areas not covered by the mandate are primarily rural counties on the western side of the state: Adams, Claiborne, Issaquena, Jefferson, Lawrence, Quitman, Sharkey, Tunica and Wilkinson.

“It is important that we continue to take this virus seriously,” Reeves said in a statement. “We are working on getting Mississippi vaccinated, but continue to social distance, keep gatherings small and wear your mask.”

On Friday, the Mississippi State Department of Health reported 2,342 new coronavirus cases, 55 deaths and 220 outbreaks in long-term care facilities. Hospitals across the state have been stressed in recent weeks because of the surge in cases. In total, Mississippi has experienced 248,189 cases and 5,411 deaths from the coronavirus.

The governor also extended the requirement that masks be worn statewide on school grounds. The executive order also limits crowd sizes at various gatherings.

READ MORE: Mississippi health officer says January will likely be state’s worst month for COVID-19 deaths.

The post Gov. Tate Reeves extends mask mandate for most of Mississippi appeared first on Mississippi Today.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s eviction moratorium starting Sept. 4 caused at least one unintended consequence: Most renters were then no longer deemed at a great enough risk of homelessness to qualify for the only rental assistance program available at the time.

Now, the nonprofits running the Rental Assistance for Mississippians Program (RAMP) have shut off the program altogether until the moratorium lifts. Scott Spivey, Mississippi Home Corporation director and chair of the National Council of State Housing Agencies, said the state’s local housing partners have stopped offering rental assistance with their federal Emergency Solutions Grant, through which the state received $18 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development during the pandemic, because of guidance from the federal agency.

HUD did not respond to questions in several phone messages and emails.

But the moratorium never guaranteed that evictions would cease to occur during the pandemic because renters had to first be aware of the federal order, meet several requirements to qualify and provide a declaration to their landlord before potentially going to court. Even then, a judge might not honor it.

Meanwhile, housing hangs in the balance for hundreds of thousands of Mississippians as rent debts continue to pile up. Officials estimated that between 100,000 and 150,000 families in renter households across the state were at risk of eviction and that past due rent could reach as high as $225 million in January, according to a September report global advisory firm Stout conducted for the National Council of State Housing Agencies.

There are two other pots of money Mississippi can still use for rental assistance, but programs to administer those funds have not begun. These funds would not have the same restrictions as the Emergency Solutions Grant and could be used during the moratorium, Spivey said.

Only about $13 million in pandemic relief has been used to alleviate this burden on renters in Mississippi so far, though $276 million has been allocated or made available for this use.

A new relief bill Congress passed last month extended the moratorium, which was set to expire at the end of December, to Jan. 31. President-elect Joe Biden has announced plans to request another extension. Because many tenants haven’t been able to secure rental assistance — such as the roughly 6,700 people RAMP has turned away — their debt will be waiting for them when the ban lifts. When it does, state law permits landlords to begin kicking out delinquent tenants immediately.

Mississippi Center for Justice is helping provide resources to renters who have gotten behind on rent, such as whether the moratorium applies to them, how to invoke it and where to apply for assistance through a hotline that may be reached at 228-702-9983.

Here is the status of each program designed to help renters during the pandemic:

Rental Assistance for Mississippians Program (RAMP) – $3 million/$18 million

Mississippi received $18 million in pandemic relief funds through the existing Emergency Solutions Grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which it started administering through the RAMP program in July. Due to stiff federal guidelines and strict eligibility, the funds have been awarded slowly, just about $3 million in the first six months. By January, officials had suspended the program until the moratorium lifts.

Mississippi Rental Assistance Grant Program – $13.5 million/$20 million (CLOSED)

The Mississippi Legislature allocated $20 million in rental assistance grants to be administered by the Mississippi Development Authority and awarded to property owners as opposed to tenants. The money, which came from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, had to be spent by the end of 2020. Beginning in November, the agency approved applications for 4,363 units and awarded $9.7 million in residential grants and $3.8 million in grants for commercial properties. The program has concluded, MDA spokesperson Melissa Scallan told Mississippi Today.

Community Development Block Grant funds – $0/$38 million

Mississippi received an additional $38 million in Community Development Block Grant funds during the pandemic and Gov. Tate Reeves told Mississippi Today in October he would commit the entire amount to rental assistance. The program has yet to begin, Spivey said, as local agencies await federal guidance.

December COVID relief package – $0/$200 million

Under the new stimulus package Congress passed Dec. 20 and President Donald Trump signed Dec. 27, Mississippi is eligible to receive about $200 million out of $25 billion for rental assistance. The program has yet to begin.

The post Rental assistance suspended due to eviction moratorium, which isn’t always honored appeared first on Mississippi Today.

READ: Health department clarifies vaccine supply, new appointments available Jan. 25

The post Marshall Ramsey: Fire! appeared first on Mississippi Today.

The state health department announced Friday that it received additional doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, which will go towards already booked appointments next week. The press release adds that the Mississippi Department of Health anticipates new appointments will be available the week of Jan. 25.

The news comes two days after MSDH said it ran out of doses for new appointments. The department later clarified that those seeking a second dose and those who already booked appointments would not be affected.

The earlier release also said MSDH hoped to receive a large shipment of vaccine in February, causing some to think that the state would be out of new doses until then.

“The anticipated arrival of significantly more vaccine in February is in addition to the steady, modest supply that we are currently receiving weekly,” Friday’s press release clarified.

The University of Mississippi Medical Center, which manages the state’s booking system for vaccine appointments, said it was unprepared for this week’s expansion of eligibility to those 65 and over and to those with pre-existing conditions. Mississippians on social media shared frustrations over long wait times and confusion with the state’s phone line and online booking system.

“There are more people with pre-existing conditions or 65+ than there are doses of the vaccine today,” Gov. Tate Reeves tweeted Wednesday. “So not everyone will have the ability to get a dose immediately or at their preferred site.”

“If you’ve gotten your first dose, or have an appointment for it, you’ll get your second dose,” he added. “We have plenty of appointments and the ability to logistically handle everyone. Just need more first doses.”

Now in the fifth week of administering doses, MSDH reported over 38,000 vaccinations this week alone, a huge surge compared to the 56,000 total vaccinations in the first four weeks combined.

READ MORE: Frequently asked questions about COVID-19 vaccines in Mississippi

Friday’s announcement also said the new allotment will include a “modest amount” for community partners.

“The additional vaccine will be distributed to community partners in a manner that seeks to address both geographic and racial disparities,” MSDH said.

The post Health department clarifies vaccine supply, new appointments available Jan. 25 appeared first on Mississippi Today.

READ: State Health Department announces all of its vaccine appointments are booked

The post Marshall Ramsey: Taking Your Shot appeared first on Mississippi Today.

State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs made a grim prediction on Thursday: January will likely be Mississippi’s worst month for COVID-19 morbidity of the pandemic.

“Total all-cause mortality rising quickly,” Dobbs tweeted on Thursday. “January will likely be the worst month for COVID deaths by far. Until we get good vaccination penetration and better control over the pandemic please continue to wear a mask in public and avoid social gatherings.”

On Thursday, Mississippi reported 41 new deaths, bringing January’s total COVID-related deaths to 505. January’s deaths through the first 14 days of the month make up 10% of the state’s total COVID deaths of the pandemic. Since March, when the state’s first case was confirmed, 5,356 deaths have been accounted to the virus.

Across the nation, 387,103 have died from COVID-related illnesses, according to the The COVID Tracking Project.

READ MORE: See all of Mississippi’s COVID-19 data here.

The Mississippi State Department of Health also reported a single-day record for deaths, 98, on Tuesday. Mississippians 65 and over, who this week became eligible to receive a vaccine before the state’s available vaccine appointments filled up, continue to represent the vast majority of COVID-19 deaths, accounting for 77% of them since the start of the pandemic.

READ MORE: State Health Department announces all of its vaccine appointments are booked.

As the country expands its vaccination rollout, Mississippi’s COVID-19 numbers have begun to steady after recently setting new records.

The seven-day rolling average for cases reached a new high on Jan. 10 of 2,431, but has since dropped back to around 2,000, where it’s remained since mid-December. 

Nationally, Mississippi now ranks 13th in recent cases per capita, according to the Harvard Global Health Institute. As of Sunday, every state was in the “red zone” (recording over 25 daily new cases per 100,000 people). 

Total hospitalizations, a lagging indicator, reached a new high on the rolling average on Jan. 8 at 1,474, and has remained around 1,400 since the new year. Hospitalizations have steadily increased for about three months now since mid-October. The number of COVID patients in the ICU also reached a new high, 360, on Jan. 12.

The health department reports that 198,888 people are presumed recovered as of Jan. 10.

The post Mississippi health officer: January will likely be state’s worst month for COVID-19 deaths appeared first on Mississippi Today.

The state Department of Health announced Wednesday that all of its appointments to administer vaccines are booked and no additional doses are available at this time.

“The Mississippi State Department of Health had a vaccine distribution plan in place that has been significantly altered in the last few days – especially in the last 24 hours,” MSDH said in the notice. “Neither the county health department drive-through sites, nor the UMMC vaccine scheduling website was designed to accommodate the monumental surge we are currently experiencing. At this time, we have no additional vaccine, and every appointment is tied to an actual vaccination.”

The notice went on to say that MSDH hopes to receive a large shipment of vaccine in mid-February. A MSDH spokesperson clarified that the announcement only refers to department’s availability, and that private clinics and hospitals schedule their own vaccinations.

READ MORE: Frequently asked questions about COVID-19 vaccines in Mississippi

On its Facebook page, the University of Mississippi Medical Center, which is handling the state’s vaccine scheduling system, said its “site and server were not prepared for the surge of page visits brought on by the announcement yesterday of vaccine availability for all Mississippians 65 and older and those in younger age ranges with underlying conditions.”

After initially making doses available for healthcare workers and long-term care center residents and staff, Gov. Tate Reeves announced last week the roll-out was moving ahead of schedule by opening of appointments for those 75 and older. On Tuesday, the state then expanded eligibility to those 65 and older, as well as those with pre-existing conditions, groups which were initially slated to become eligible in February.

As of Wednesday, the state had administered 73,931 vaccines out of the 264,650 doses it had distributed; about 90,000 of those doses, or 34%, went through the federal pharmacy partnership with CVS and Walgreens.

During a press conference Tuesday, Reeves lamented the slow rollout in hospitals, where less than half of their distributed doses had been administered, as well as at LTCs, where pharmacies attribute the issue to a “lack of personnel.”

The post State Health Department announces all of its vaccine appointments are booked appeared first on Mississippi Today.

Donald Trump is impeached a second time.

READ: Trump impeached for second time; Mississippi House Republicans stick with president

The post Marshall Ramsey: Mount Impeachmore appeared first on Mississippi Today.