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Gov. Tate Reeves, House Speaker Philip Gunn and others who tout eliminating Mississippi’s personal income tax as a way to reverse the state’s population loss must explain DeSoto County.

They cite growing states with no income tax like Texas, Florida and even Tennessee as what can happen if Mississippi would only eliminate its income tax.

“Mississippi needs to make a bold move to attract new business and residents,” Reeves said late last year in proposing the phase out of the income tax.

But the question of DeSoto County remains. DeSoto County is unique in that it has gone head-to-head against an area with no income tax on wages and has won in terms of population growth.

DeSoto has been one of the fastest growing counties in the state for decades. At one point, it was the state’s fastest growing county and for a sizable portion of time earlier this century was one of the fastest growing counties in the nation.

Yet, DeSoto County in the extreme northwest section of Mississippi borders Tennessee where there is no income tax. To be precise, during much of DeSoto’s growth, Tennessee did tax some dividends and interest, but did not levy a tax on wages. And that tax on dividends and interest has been phased out recently.

DeSoto’s growth has far outpaced its neighbor across the border to the north in Tennessee.

It has been well documented that much of the growth in DeSoto County has come from an exodus of people from across the state line in Memphis — people moving from a state with no income tax on wages to a state with an income tax.

Between 2010 and April 2019, DeSoto County grew by 14.7%, according to the Census Bureau, while Shelby County, Tenn., home of Memphis, grew by 1%.

Between 2000 and 2010, DeSoto County grew 50.4%.

People were not exactly scared away from DeSoto County because of its income tax rate. No, according to most accounts, people were attracted to DeSoto County because of its good schools, affordable housing and overall quality of life.

Many have argued that schools, health care and other services that the government plays a role in providing are more important to most than a tax rate as long as that rate is reasonable. And, it should be pointed out, while Mississippi does have an income tax like 40 other states, it is one of the lowest in the country.

Overall, Mississippi was one of three states nationally to lose population during the past decade. The other two— West Virginia and Illinois — like Mississippi, have an income tax. The governor in West Virginia, like in Mississippi, is proposing eliminating the income tax as a method to attract residents to his state. West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice said eliminating the income tax could result in an amusement park — the next Disney — locating in his state.

Mississippi’s tax system already is set up to lure retirees to the state. Most retirement income, including Social Security, is not taxed by the state, and on the local level people age 65 and over also get a sizable break on the taxes they pay on their residence.

Reeves proposed late last year phasing out Mississippi’s income tax, which accounts for about one-third of the state’s general fund revenue. Speaker Gunn, who often has touted the elimination of the income tax, proposed a far-reaching restructuring plan during the 2021 legislative session that entailed increasing Mississippi’s already high sales tax rate while reducing the tax on groceries and eliminating the income tax.

Gunn has been traveling the state since the 2021 session ended in April touting his proposal. Some observers believe that Gunn as he travels the state also is lining up to be a potential challenger to Reeves in the 2023 Republican primary for governor.

Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, who presides over the Senate, has said in theory he supports reducing taxes, but has only committed to the Senate Finance Committee studying the state’s tax structure before the 2022 session begins.

As part of that study, lawmakers should look at the history of DeSoto County, one of the few Mississippi counties to experience population growth during the past decade.

And for those who will contend that much of the movement from Memphis to DeSoto County was white flight: That’s too simplistic an answer. Between 2010 and 2019, DeSoto County’s Black population grew from 21% to 30%. In 2019, DeSoto County elected its first African American to the Legislature.

People of all races have been leaving a state with no income tax on wages to a state with an income tax. Perhaps DeSoto County spoils the claim that cutting the income tax is the answer to population loss.

The post Will eliminating the income tax grow Mississippi? DeSoto trends suggest no. appeared first on Mississippi Today.

OXFORD — In a game dripping with drama – until, and even after the last out – Ole Miss defeated Florida State 4-3 Saturday night to take a huge step toward the championship of the Oxford regional.

It wasn’t over until it was over and then, well, it wasn’t over. Umpires needed a lengthy review of a bang-bang play at first base for the last out to go into the record book. The game had it all: marvelous defensive plays (mostly by Ole Miss), long home runs (by Florida State) and uncommonly good pitching.

Mostly, it had Ole Miss pitchers Doug Nikhazy and then Taylor Broadway. Nikhazy, the Rebels’ All-American left-hander, was heroic, striking out 16 Seminoles over seven innings before handing over a 4-3 lead to closer Broadway, who retired six straight Seminoles, including the last three on strikeouts.

So Ole Miss pitching combined for 19 strikeouts of the free-swinging, feast-or-famine Seminoles who take all-or-nothing swings in each at bat. 

Ole Miss now waits to see who wins Sunday’s 1 p.m. rematch of Florida State and Southern Miss. The Rebels will play the winner at 6 p.m. Should Ole Miss lose that one, a winner-take-all championship game will be played Monday at 6 p.m.

Whatever happens Sunday and Monday, it will be difficult to match Saturday night’s suspense. With a packed house of 10,830 often standing, shouting and clapping in unison, both Nikhazy and then Broadway delivered clutch pitch after clutch pitch under high pressure.

Nikhazy threw 119 pitches, but seemed as strong after seven innings as he had in the first.

“When the game is on the line, he can take it to another gear,” coach Mike Bianco said of Nikhazy. “Some pitchers hit a wall at 90 to 95 pitches, but with the game on the line, Doug can always reach back and get a little extra.”

Someone asked Bianco if it might have been Nikhazy’s best performance as a Rebel. Bianco smiled. “I’m not going to go out on that line because he has pitched a ton of great games,” he said. “But we needed every bit of it tonight.”

Nikhazy, who pitches with his emotions on his sleeve, often was ready to pitch before the batter even stepped into the box. For the most part, he had the Seminoles off kilter. If a batter was looking for a fastball, he got a nasty curve. If the batter looked for curve, he got a 90 mph fastball in on his hands. He was masterful.

Nikhazy made only two mistakes, both in the fifth inning. Logan Lacey deposited the first deep into the left field bleachers for a solo home run. Two batters later, Isaiah Perry ripped a two-run homer over the left centerfield fence.

“It was a kick in the gut,” Bianco said.

But the Rebels responded two innings later, taking advantage of a Florida State throwing error to score two and take the 4-3 lead. You’d never guess who hit the ball that led to the error. Oh, you did: Tim Elko.

Really, when you get right down to it, that was the difference. Florida State pitched well, too. Both teams managed only four hits. But Ole Miss played better defense. Three of the four Rebels runs were the result of three FSU errors and were unearned. 

Nikhazy and Broadway had a little help from their friends. Freshman shortstop Jacob Gonzalez, the latest in a long line of amazing Rebel shortstops, made one sensational play in the eighth inning when he charged in to barehand a ball that went off Broadway’s leg, scooped the ball and threw in one motion to nail the diving runner at first. Gonzalez also scored two of the four Rebel runs.

“What an incredible college baseball game,” Bianco said. “It was one of those games where it comes down to a couple of plays and we made a couple more plays than them.”

They did. And the Rebels also had Nikhazy and Broadway, who were a one-two punch FSU could not overcome.

The post Nikhazy, Broadway propel Rebels into the championship round appeared first on Mississippi Today.

OXFORD — Score three or four runs for Southern Miss pitcher Walker Powell, he will almost always win. Score 21, which the Golden Eagles did Saturday against Southeast Missouri, Powell’s day will be like a stroll in the park.

And it was on a rainy afternoon at Swayze Field when Southern Miss pounded out 24 hits, 12 extra base hits and six home runs in a 21-0 thrashing of the Redhawks. The only detriment for Powell was an 80-minute rain delay that ended his day early after six innings of a typical Walker Powell performance.

In what possibly could have been the last performance of his Golden Eagle career, Powell allowed four hits and no runs over six innings. He struck out four and walked zero, which is nothing new. Some guys are throwers and some are pitchers. Powell is a pitcher. He commanded five pitches — a fastball, a cutter, a slider, a curve and a changeup — using both sides of the plate. 

The odds are against Powell ever pitching again in a Southern Miss uniform. Even after Saturday’s cakewalk, the Golden Eagles still must win three straight games over two days against Ole Miss and Florida State. It’s not impossible, but it’s a chore times three.

If it was Powell’s last game in gold, it was a fitting end for a guy who has overcome so many obstacles to become one of college baseball’s best pitchers. He is, you know — a second-team All-American, Conference USA Pitcher of the Year and the winningest active pitcher in Division I baseball.

Obstacles?

Well, let’s start with not one but two Tommy John surgeries. Powell was a senior in high school in Fayetteville, Ark., when he suffered his first severe elbow injury. He had already committed to play at Southern Miss.

Said Scott Berry, “I’ll never forget his dad calling me and telling me about it and then asking me if we were still going to honor his scholarship.”

Berry told him that of course he would. And, man, is he ever glad he did. But that wasn’t the end of Powell’s arm woes. Near the end of his freshman season, after becoming the Eagles’ Sunday starter, he tore the elbow ligament again. That required another Tommy John surgery. That was the spring of 2016. He had to sit out all of 2017, mending and rehabbing.

Not sure what the percentage is of pitchers who come back from two Tommy John surgeries to pitch again. It is not high. Powell did it. Man, did he do it.

If Saturday was Powell’s last game, these will be his career stats: 30 victories, 10 defeats, a .750 winning percentage, 272 strikeouts and just 55 walks over 338 innings. He is the second winningest pitcher in Southern Miss history, trailing only the great Todd McInnis, who had 33.

“Walker is just a remarkable young man,” Berry said. “His record speaks for itself but then when you consider all that he has had to overcome. He’s special and he’s been a great model for our young pitchers.”

He has been a terrific student, too. He graduated with honors over a year ago. He is one credit short of a master’s degree now.

When someone reminded Powell that Saturday might have been his last college performance and how it felt, he didn’t hesitate. “I can’t put it into words,” he said. “It’s been such a blessing for me and my family to play for these coaches and with these guys. It’s just been incredible. I couldn’t ask for a better place to play.”

Saturday, he couldn’t have asked for better support. Highlights: Chris Sargent slammed three home runs. Both Gabe Montenagro and Reed Trimble, the two guys at the top of the USM order, pounded out five hits apiece. Both had a pair of doubles. Danny Lynch, Will McGillis and Dustin Dickerson also homered.

You can bet Berry would love to be able to parse some of those hits and runs over a subsequent game or games.

You can also bet he wishes he had a rested Walker Powell to pitch again Sunday or possibly Monday.

The post If this was end for USM’s Powell, he went out in style with his 30th win appeared first on Mississippi Today.

INDIANOLA — Members of the public can now visit the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center’s new exhibits and the newly enhanced pavilion that encloses the site where King is buried.

The 4,500 square foot addition and new exhibits at the museum, which first opened in 2008, showcase the final years of King’s life. Items acquired after King’s death in 2015 that are part of the addition include two of his personal automobiles, a Rolls Royce Silver Shadow and a custom painted Chevy El Camino. The largest item inside the new space is King’s tour bus, which was filled with the latest music technology and served as his home on the road.

Other artifacts include King’s most cherished guitar, a Les Paul given to him by Paul himself, as well as the last two Gibson Lucille guitars signed by King, which were carried on a riderless black horse in his funeral procession. There is also a life-sized bronze statue of King holding his guitar near the burial site.

“This addition has been in the works for several years now, and everyone associated with the project is thrilled that it is finally time to welcome B.B. King fans from all over the world to see the new pieces,” said Bill McPherson, museum board president. “It gives people who have formerly visited a good reason to come back, and for those who have never been, I believe they will have the same response we hear over and over and read in the guest book — that this is an extraordinary place that does justice in honoring a special man.”

Below is a gallery of photos from the museum. Performers from around the country are helping unveil the updated museum to the public on Saturday.

The post Photos: B.B. King Museum unveils expansion, new exhibits appeared first on Mississippi Today.

OXFORD — An athlete’s anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) has always been considered vital to performance. Back in the old days, a torn ACL was often career ending. Even now, it can be career threatening. Normally, it takes nearly a year for an athlete to return to action.

Little wonder: The ACL runs diagonally down the middle of the knee. Simply put, it connects the thigh bone to the shin bone and provides rotational stability to the knee. 

So, how to explain Ole Miss’s bionic slugger Tim Elko? Elko has a torn ACL in his right knee, the one he uses to push off his back foot and launch home runs. He suffered the tear on April 5, a severe blow to the Rebels’ high hopes for the 2021 season.

But there Elko was Friday night, under the bright lights before a packed house at Swayze Field, launching a grand slam home run in the third inning to break a scoreless tie and launch the Rebels to a 6-3 victory over Southeast Missouri in the first round of the Oxford regional. It was one more thrilling chapter in what has become almost a fairy tale story starring Elko.

Afterward, Ole Miss coach Mike Bianco was asked if he could have dreamed back on April 5 that he would still be getting this kind of production from Elko. “No,” he answered. “I don’t think anybody could. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

What has happened since April 5 is fairly mind-blowing. It’s hard to explain how much different the Ole Miss batting order looked without Elko in the middle of it. He led the SEC in RBIs at the time of his injury. Twelve games later, having not played a lick since, he still led the Rebels in RBIs. Elko knew the injury would require surgery, but once the swelling receded, he wanted to try and play. Once the ACL is torn, you can’t really hurt it any worse.

The Rebels were 22-6 at the time of his injury. They lost seven of  the next 13 games, before a still-gimpy Elko returned as a pinch-hitter against South Carolina on May 1. He popped out in that first at bat, but seven days later he slammed a three-run home run against Texas A&M. He returned to the starting lineup as a designated hitter May 20 at Georgia. Since then he has hit four more home runs and managed to jog around the bases each time. Robert Redford, in “The Natural,” has nothing other than a bloody jersey and blonde hair on Elko.

Elko entered Saturday’s game hitting .331 with a team-leading .669 slugging percentage and a team-leading .448 on-base percentage. The grand slam tied teammate Kevin Graham for the team lead in home runs. Those are insane numbers for a guy essentially playing on one leg.

But let’s get back to Friday night’s heroics. This was no slouch on the mound Elko and the Rebels were facing. SEMO starter Dylan Dodd, just this week named a second team All-American by Collegiate Baseball, entered with a 9-1 record and 113 strikeouts in 90.2 innings. The tall, lanky left-hander looked every bit that good over the first two innings, blanking the Rebels on one hit while striking out two. 

And then Elko, who had struck out in his first at bat, stepped to the plate with Ole Miss runners at every base. Elko deposited Dodd’s first pitch over the right field wall for an opposite field home run into the Ole Miss student section, which resulted in no telling how many gallons of beer showers. 

Elko said he was looking for a first pitch fastball and got it. “I knew it was gone off the bat,” he said. “It was crazy. I wish I could have heard the crowd going around the bases. I think I had too much adrenaline.”

Said Dodd, “I tried to throw him a fastball away and I thought I got it away. He just put a good swing on it.”

Said Bianco, “I was like everybody in the crowd, hoping for another one of those Elko moments, and we got it. It was a no-doubter.”

So now the Rebels, 42-19, move on to play Florida State in the winners’ bracket at 5 p.m. Saturday. Which brings up two questions: One, what more can Elko possibly do? Two, are ACLs overrated?

The post Fairy tale continues for bionic Elko, who provides grand slam moment appeared first on Mississippi Today.

OXFORD — Seemingly routine fly balls to right field have been a knife to the heart of Southern Miss baseball the last two weekends and threaten to end a promising season on a dismal note.

Six days after a bungled fly ball to shallow right in the semifinals of the Conference USA Tournament cost the Golden Eagles a loss to Louisiana Tech — and a chance to host an NCAA Regional — a dropped fly ball to right field flipped the momentum in a 5-2 defeat to Florida State on the first day of the Oxford Regional.

Southern Miss starter Hunter Stanley had pitched masterfully through five innings and held a 2-0 lead when right fielder Reece Ewing apparently lost a fly ball in the sun that resulted in a two-base error. Stanley appeared visibly shaken, and two of the next four FSU batters homered. The Seminoles took a 3-2 lead and never looked back.

Thus, Southern Miss, 37-20, drops into the losers’ bracket, where they will face the loser of Friday night’s Ole Miss-Southeast Missouri game in an 11 a.m. elimination game Saturday. Florida State advances to a 5 p.m. winners’ bracket game against Friday night’s winner.

“It was a game of momentum and it swung there in the sixth inning,” Southern Miss coach Scott Berry said. 

The fly ball to right?

“He said he lost it in the sun at the last second,” Berry said, after acknowledging that routine fly balls to right have been killers in the post-season. “I wish I had an answer for it, but I don’t. Hopefully, tomorrow, if they hit it out there, we’ll catch it.”

Stanley, possibly pitching for the last time as a Golden Eagle, deserved better. He allowed only three baserunners and two hits, while striking out six through the first five innings. Then FSU leadoff hitter Tyler Martin reached base on the two-base error and Logan Lacey followed with a two-run, line drive home run over the left field bullpen. Elijah Cabell lifted another home run later in the inning and then Matheu Nelson, the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year, slugged a two-run homer in the eighth inning off Eagle reliever Ben Ethridge.

That brings up another dismal point where Southern Miss is concerned. Ethridge, normally the Eagles’ No. 3 starter, threw 40 pitches and presumably will not be available to start if the Eagles advance past Saturday.

Said Berry, about using Ethridge in relief, “We were trying to hold it at 3-2 and Ben has really been throwing it well. We were trying to keep it at 3-2 and then win it in the late innings.”

Didn’t happen. 

Conversely, Florida State handled adversity exceedingly well. Southern Miss scored two first inning runs when Florida State infielders committed two errors. Left-hander Parker Messick, the ACC Pitcher of the Year, seemed unfazed. He blanked the Eagles over the next five innings and left the game with a 3-2 lead.

Messick mixed his pitches well and was at his best when he needed it most. Case in point: Gabe Montenagro and Reed Trimble both singled to lead off the third inning. Southern Miss had a excellent chance to extend the 2-0 lead with the heart of its order coming up. Messick struck out the next three batters, USM’s 3-4-5 hitters, all on called third strikes.

For the game, Southern Miss was 1 for 11 with runners in scoring position. That is no recipe for success.

Said Charlie Fisher, the Golden Eagles designated hitter, “Messick did a really good job of mixing his pitches. We gotta stop pressing, trying to do too much at the plate. We’ve got to flush this one and be ready to play tomorrow.”

They’ve also got make routine plays and do an infinitely better job of clutch hitting.

The post Florida State takes down USM 5-2 with a little help from the Eagles appeared first on Mississippi Today.

Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, Mississippi’s former secretary of state, says current Secretary of State Michael Watson is wrong about a provision of the state’s voter ID law being missing from the state code books.

The voter ID law, which requires Mississippians show a government-issued photo ID at their polling place in order to vote, was added to the state Constitution by voters through the ballot initiative process in 2011. Lawmakers then codified the language into state law in 2012. Hosemann, who was secretary of state at the time, has touted the law and regularly boasted how it has never been challenged in court.

Following last month’s Mississippi Supreme Court decision that deemed the ballot initiative process unconstitutional, attorneys have been looking into whether the state’s voter ID law could be challenged.

READ MORE: Did the Supreme Court put Mississippi’s voter ID law in jeopardy?

Watson, in a recent radio interview, said one key provision of the voter ID law that was enshrined into the Constitution is not in state law: that any Mississippian can be issued free identification cards so they can vote. He argued that because that provision didn’t exist in state law, voter ID would be susceptible to a court challenge and that lawmakers should come back in a special session to add that “free ID” language to state law.

But on Thursday, following a Mississippi Today article quoting Watson about the voter ID law, Hosemann released a statement to directly refute Watson’s point.

“Recent news articles have stated a provision of Mississippi’s voter ID law, allowing a Mississippian to be issued a free voter identification card, has not been codified in state law. Those articles are inaccurate,” Hosemann said. “The provision requiring a free voter ID card is provided for in state law.”

Hosemann then cited Mississippi Code Section 23-15-7, which states in part: “…No fee shall be charged or collected for the application for or issuance of a Mississippi Voter Identification Card. Any costs associated with the application for or issuance of a Mississippi Voter Identification Card shall be made payable from the state’s General Fund.’”

Watson issued a statement of his own Friday morning, saying: “Regarding Voter ID, the statutory provisions about Voter ID cards make specific references to the Mississippi Constitution. My concern about Voter ID being challenged stems from the fact it was originally passed by a ballot initiative and put into the Constitution by a process the court has now deemed unconstitutional in its recent ruling about the medical marijuana initiative process.”

Watson continued: “While I believe a challenge would fail for several reasons, the safest way to keep our Voter ID law intact and prevent it from being in jeopardy is for the Legislature to take quick steps to clean up the statutes instead of leaving it up to the judiciary to decide.”

Legislative leaders are discussing the possibility of coming back to Jackson in a special session to fix the ballot initiative process and possibly pass a new medical marijuana program — struck down when the Supreme Court ruled the ballot initiative process unconstitutional.

The only other ballot initiative passed since the state lost a congressional district is one that prohibits the state of Mississippi and local governments from taking private property by eminent domain and conveying it to private entities for a period of 10 years.

The eminent domain language exists only in the state Constitution, not in state law, and Watson believes it is susceptible to a legal challenge following last month’s Supreme Court ruling. He said last week it should also be handled in a special session.

“That one has to be dealt with,” Watson said in the same radio interview. 

So far, no legislative leader has disputed that point.

The post Hosemann refutes Watson comments on Mississippi voter ID law appeared first on Mississippi Today.

The post Marshall Ramsey: MDOT appeared first on Mississippi Today.

The basic principles of the medical marijuana initiative approved by Mississippi voters in November — but struck down recently by the state Supreme Court — should be honored, members of the Senate Public Health Committee were told Thursday.

Ken Newburger, executive director of the Mississippi Medical Marijuana Association, conceded to the committee that there are areas where the now invalidated Initiative 65 could be improved, such as allowing local governments more leeway in zoning medical marijuana dispensaries and not placing the entire program under the umbrella of the underfunded and under-resourced Mississippi State Department of Health.

But Newburger, who worked to pass the medical marijuana proposal, said any legislation passed in response to the Supreme Court striking down Initiative 65 should adhere to the principles of:

• Allowing broad access to medical marijuana.

• Giving doctors the authority to certify usage of medical marijuana where they believe it would be beneficial.

• Allowing the free market to dictate who could operate a medical marijuana-related business.

• Ensuring the medical marijuana program is self-sustaining.

The hearing of the Senate Public Heath Committee was the first since the Supreme Court ruled last month the medical marijuana initiative and the entire ballot initiative process invalid. Legislative leaders and Gov. Tate Reeves have discussed the possibility of a special session to consider both the reinstatement of the medical marijuana program and entire initiative process where citizens can gather signatures to place issues on the ballot for voters to decide.

Both House Speaker Philip Gunn and Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, who presides over the Senate, watched a portion of the hearing from the back of a crowded committee room at the state Capitol, but left before the hearing was completed.

Senate Public Health Chairman Hob Bryan, D-Amory, said Thursday’s hearing was a step in determining the type of program the Legislature should consider. The issue that must be decided first, Bryan said, is what kind of program the state should have — a recreational marijuana program, a tightly controlled medical marijuana program or a loosely controlled medical marijuana program.

Asked if a special session could be expected soon, Bryan said, “I do not believe there will be a special session until there is some consensus between the House and the Senate. If I was governor, I would not call one before then.”

Sen. Brice Wiggins, R-Pascagoula, questioned whether it would be wiser just to approve a recreational program.

“There’s a dichotomy between what people want and what the science says,” Wiggins said. “Are we putting doctors in a position to do something that they don’t have the proper data to safely do?”

He asked, “Why don’t we just jump to recreational with this?”

State Health Officer Thomas Dobbs, whose Department of Health was tasked with enacting Initiative 65 before it was struck down by the Supreme Court, said more regulation is needed in whatever the Legislature approves. He said there is research showing that marijuana is beneficial for some health issues such as nausea and vomiting associated with cancer treatments, but the research is inconclusive in other area. He said there are also risks with the use of marijuana, especially for children.

Dr. Larry Walker, director emeritus of the National Center for Natural Product Research at the University of Mississippi, said, “I do believe there are legitimate needs” for medical marijuana. “I think they should be met in a medical way.”

Walker said with the 2.5 ounces of marijuana allowed to be sold to a person every two weeks for medical purposes under Initiative 65, “You could get your whole family high every day and still have enough to sell 40 or 50 joints.”

Walker held up to the committee a 1-ounce bag of dried parsley to give perspective. He and Dobbs also spoke of the need to regulate the amount of THC, the active psychoactive ingredient in cannabis, used on a daily basis.

Dobbs said the state Board of Health that oversees his agency is opposed to the legalizing of the smoking of marijuana in most instances because of its health risks, though he conceded it appeared most people oppose that position.

Sen. Kevin Blackwell, R-Southaven, broached the possibility of allowing municipalities to ban the sale of medical marijuana by a vote of its citizens. Sen. Barbara Blackmon, D-Canton, said that could penalize people who need marijuana for health reasons.

Shari Veazey, executive director of the Mississippi Municipal League, said she believed her organization would support an opt out provision for local governments.

The Supreme Court struck down the medical marijuana language after it was challenged by the city of Madison and its mayor, Mary Hawkins Butler. The lawsuit claimed the initiative process was unconstitutional because it required the signatures to place an issue on the ballot to be gathered equally from five congressional districts, though the state lost a U.S. House seat after the 2000 Census and now has four.

READ MORE: Medical marijuana protesters call on Mississippi politicians to ‘stop the steal’

PODCAST: Will there be a 2021 special session for marijuana, initiative fix?

The post Senate panel ponders parameters of a new medical marijuana bill appeared first on Mississippi Today.

OXFORD — We’ve heard much debate this week about whether Ole Miss should start All American Doug Nikhazy against Southeast Missouri (SEMO) in its Oxford Regional opener, or save Nikhazy to pitch against Southern Miss or Florida State.

Mike Bianco has decided to start young Derek Diamond Friday and hold Nikhazy for Saturday, which seems the right move to this observer. Your goal is to win the regional and this strategy gives the Rebels the best chance to do that. The key is to be 2-0 after Saturday. If you are 1-1, it doesn’t matter how you got there.

Know this: Bianco would be criticized either way. That’s the nature of the beast.

What complicated this decision is the fact that SEMO – “probably the best 4-seed in the country,” Bianco said Thursday – has an ace of its own, senior left-hander Dylan Dodd, the Ohio Valley Conference pitcher of the year, also this week named a second-team All American by Collegiate Baseball.

Dodd can deal. He enters the regional with a 9-1 record, a 2.78 earned run average and 113 strikeouts in 90.2 innings. He has fanned eight or more in 12 of his 14 starts.

And I know what many will say: Yeah, but he pitches in the OVC, not the SEC. Well, Dodd struck out 10 over six innings against No. 1 ranked Arkansas at Fayetteville. He gave up only two runs and three hits and left with a lead over the Razorbacks who eventually rallied to win — as they so often do.

Said Bianco of SEMO Thursday in a pre-regional press conference: “They have an ace who would be the ace on almost any team.. … (Dodd) is a terrific left-hander with a dominant fast ball in the low 90s. He throws a curve, slider and change up, but the fastball is really good and beats a lot of people.”

Bianco added, “Fortunately, we have a guy like Derek who we believe can handle it.”

So this decision seems as much about Bianco’s confidence in Diamond as saving Nikhazy to pitch against a higher seed. It is also about matchups. For instance, Southern Miss, the 2-seed, has a batting lineup loaded with left-handed hitters and has struggled at times against lefties this season. The Golden Eagles might not have faced any lefty as dominant as Nikhazy has been this season.

Still, the main factor in Bianco’s decision is this: He believes his Rebels can beat SEMO and Dodd with Derek Diamond. So let’s examine. Diamond’s numbers will not blow you away. He recorded a 3-4 record this season with a 5.43 earned run average.

But Diamond’s pitching arsenal — his stuff — often will blow you and batters away. The 19-year-old Californian possesses a mid-90s fastball, and when he commands it, he can be overpowering. He pitched well against Vanderbilt in the SEC Tournament last week, allowing two runs and four hits over 5.1 innings while striking out eight. He pitched well at Georgia in his last regular season start. Diamond started fast this season when he was the winning pitcher against Texas, allowing one run on four hits over six innings, while striking out eight.

As his ERA would suggest, Diamond did falter at times later in the season, so much so that he was moved to the bullpen for a spell. He says he learned a lot about himself during that time and came out of it a better, more consistent pitcher.

“For me it’s been all about mindset,” he said Thursday. “I’m fired up. I‘m ready to go.”

Obviously, Bianco concurs.

“Derek is one of the best athletes on the team…” Bianco said. “He’s got tremendous stuff. He’s the total package. Sometimes we forget, he’s a freshman.”

Diamond is a freshman eligibility wise. He did pitch — and pitch well — last season before the pandemic ended the season. 

“I’ve learned so much more about pitching and myself this season than I did last year,” Diamond said. “I can’t begin to tell you how much I’ve learned this season.”

He doesn’t have to tell us. Friday, in the biggest game of this Rebel season and surely the biggest of his young career, he can show everyone.

The post Bianco will be criticized either way, but he’s making right call for Friday appeared first on Mississippi Today.