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Three companies will begin new contracts to manage the care of Mississippi Medicaid beneficiaries in July of 2025, barring further legal holdups. 

For-profit, incumbent companies Magnolia Health and Molina Healthcare and new, nonprofit TrueCare were each awarded four-year, $3.8 billion contracts beginning Aug. 12. 

The contracts were stalled for two years – since August 2022 – after two companies that weren’t chosen filed protests with the state alleging that the blind bidding process was unfair and reviewers were not properly blinded to the identities of applicants. The issue is still being litigated in court.

Enrollment in new plans should begin in May 2025, said Mississippi Medicaid spokesperson Matt Westerfield. 

The contracts were awarded after Mississippi Medicaid issued one-year emergency contracts last month to Magnolia Health, Molina Healthcare and UnitedHealthcare – the companies currently contracting with the state for managed care services – for the second year in a row, giving new contractors time to implement services. 

The state’s managed care program, MississippiCAN, seeks to lower health care costs and improve access to medical services for the state’s most vulnerable citizens, including children, people with disabilities and pregnant women. Beneficiaries of the Children’s Health Insurance Program, which provides low-cost health coverage to children in families that exceed Medicaid’s income ceiling, also receive coordinated care services. 

Managed care companies receive per-member payments to maintain a provider network and implement programs intended to improve health outcomes for enrollees.

Nearly three-fourths of the state’s 653,916 Medicaid recipients were enrolled in MississippiCAN services in July 2024. 

The effectiveness of managed care programs has been widely debated. Some people argue that managed care companies are incentivized to offer effective preventative care services to members in order to avoid high-cost medical services, while critics argue that their profits are made by denying or limiting services to patients. 

Mississippi is one of 40 states that has adopted the managed care organization model for coordinating benefits, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. The state began its program in 2011.

Mississippi Medicaid has awarded $37.8 billion in state and federally-funded contracts to four managed care companies since 2017. 

They represent the largest contracts awarded in the state in at least the last 10 years, according to the state’s contract database. 

Magnolia Health, owned by St. Louis-based Centene, has provided managed care services to the state since 2011. In 2021, Centene operated managed care programs in 29 states, according to data from KFF.

Magnolia Health has netted $14.9 billion in contracts from the state since 2017, more than any other managed care company. 

California-based Molina Healthcare has provided managed care services to the state since 2017, receiving $8.6 billion in contracts. In 2021, it operated managed care programs in 16 states.

They are some of the most profitable companies in the nation. In 2023, Centene and Molina Healthcare reported nationwide profits of $2.7 billion and $1.1 billion, respectively.

TrueCare is a not-for-profit company established by Mississippi hospitals and the state hospital association to provide an alternative to traditional managed care companies. The company vied for a managed care contract in 2017, but was not selected during the review process. 

Richard Roberson, CEO of TrueCare and incoming president and CEO of the Mississippi Hospital Association, said the goal of the nonprofit is to improve health outcomes for patients and lower care costs. 

Because the company is governed by providers, it will be less likely to deny claims and more motivated to use preventative care to avoid costly care, Roberson said. 

“I think there is a place for managed care if we’re truly managing care, and not just managing claims,” he said. 

Contract controversy

Centene, the company that owns Magnolia Health, settled with the state for $55 million in 2021 amidst an investigation by Attorney General Lynn Fitch and State Auditor Shad White into whether the company inflated prescription drug bills to the Division of Medicaid. 

“I do not care how large or powerful the company is, Mississippi taxpayers deserve to get what they paid for when the state spends money on prescription drugs,” said White in a statement at the time. 

The company did not admit fault or wrongdoing under the agreement.

The Legislature in 2022 rejected a proposal by Rep. Becky Currie, R-Brookhaven, to prohibit the Division of Medicaid from hiring managed care companies that have settled with the state over allegations of fraud. 

“I am for doing away with doing business with a company who took $55 million dollars of our money that was supposed to be spent on the poor, the sick, the elderly, the mentally ill, the disabled,” she said during discussion on the House of Representatives floor. 

Magnolia officials at the time said the settlement amount of $55 million did not represent the alleged amount of fees the state was overcharged.

State Medicaid Director Drew Snyder argued the bill could cause a lapse in care for Medicaid beneficiaries and lead to a legal quagmire. 

Centene was one of the largest contributors to Gov. Tate Reeves’ gubernatorial campaign in 2023. The company and its political action committee (PAC) have donated $370,000 to Reeves since 2010. It has also donated to many state legislators’ campaigns, according to public documents on the Secretary of State’s website.

A standoff

The contract selection process itself also attracted scrutiny.

Mississippi Medicaid began seeking new contracts for managed care in December 2021, with plans to begin the contracts in July 2023. The division’s “request for qualifications” yielded five responses.

The agency announced its selection of Magnolia Health, Molina Healthcare and TrueCare in August 2022. 

A protracted legal battle began one week later when the two companies that weren’t chosen – Amerigroup and UnitedHealthcare – cried foul, arguing that the selection process was unfair.

The review process used a blind bidding process to evaluate applications while keeping the identities of the companies hidden. 

The companies argued the state failed to properly “blind” contract evaluators to the identities of applicants by allowing companies to include identifying information in their application.

“Protests in state Medicaid managed care procurements are a near certainty,” Medicaid spokesperson Matt Westerfield told Mississippi Today in an email. “... It’s just become part of doing business for the companies that don’t win.” 

The Division of Medicaid denied the protests in June 2023. The Public Procurement Review Board, the body responsible for reviewing contract acquisition processes, denied a subsequent appeal in April 2024. 

The Public Procurement Review Board ruled that the Division of Medicaid properly carried out blind scoring procedures. 

Amerigroup and UnitedHealthcare turned to the courts in April and May, respectively, when they sued the Division of Medicaid and the Public Procurement Review Board, aiming to halt the contracts from being awarded. 

Westerfield acknowledged that the court’s adjudication process could alter the state’s plan to begin the new contracts in July 2025, but said the division did not expect any delays. 

Minnesota-based UnitedHealth Group, which owns UnitedHealthcare, currently provides managed care services to Mississippi Medicaid beneficiaries. It generates more money than any other U.S. health care company, according to Becker’s Hospital Review.  In 2023, the company reported $23.1 billion in net earnings. It provided managed care services to 26 states in 2021.

In the state’s 2023 external audit of managed care organizations, UnitedHealthcare met 98% of standards for MississippiCAN. Magnolia met 97% and Molina met 92%.

Amerigroup has not held a contract for managed care service in Mississippi. It is owned by Minneapolis-based Elevance Health.

Magnolia Health, Molina Healthcare and UnitedHealthcare did not respond to requests for comment for this story.

The post Medicaid awards managed care contracts after two-year stalemate appeared first on Mississippi Today.

Both the high school and college football seasons open this week with a huge slate of games, including the top-ranked Brandon Bulldogs playing at always powerful Picayune. The Clevelands also discuss the Mississippi college football openers.

Stream all episodes here.

The post Podcast: Brandon High football coach Sam Williams joins the podcast to discuss the upcoming football season. appeared first on Mississippi Today.

Here in Mississippi, the principles of American democracy are not abstract or theoretical — they have literally charted the history of our state and transformed the ways in which we interact with one another.

Yet in the current hyperpartisan environment of the 2024 presidential election, even the word democracy raises hairs among many Mississippians. That’s why we at Mississippi Today, the state’s flagship nonprofit newsroom, have put our team to work at bringing us all back to basics about what it means to live in a democracy.

Mississippi Today’s Civics Field Guide is a collection of explainers, graphics and tools to help engage readers in important aspects of democratic life: free and fair elections, accountability, freedom of speech and the press, governmental checks and balances and civic engagement.

What the Guide Will Include:

• Civic Education: Simplified explanations of how local, state, and federal governments operate
• Voter Information: Step-by-step guidance on how to register, voter rights, and Election Day logistics
• Media Literacy: Tips on evaluating news sources and understanding the role of journalism in democracy
• Interactive Tools: Maps, checklists, and other engaging content to help readers prepare for the polls
• Resources and Tools: Directories of representatives, important dates, and educational resources to keep voters informed

Our hope is that the Civics Field Guide will serve as a refresher on the fundamentals of the freedoms we enjoy as Americans, and a reminder of the sacred right so many Mississippians fought to ensure: That every person, regardless of their gender, race, socioeconomic status or personal belief system, could have a voice at the ballot box.

Most of our state’s most prohibitive voting laws have been repealed over the years, but modern-day policymakers have made Mississippi one of the most difficult states to vote in America. In November 2023, when we held our most recent statewide election, just 43% of registered Mississippi voters made their voices heard.

In recent years, those in power have carefully gerrymandered legislative and judicial districts; stripped from voters the ballot initiative process and thus the people’s only avenue to circumvent inaction of elected officials; packed the courts with politically aligned judges; and shut out dissenters in opposing parties and even their own. While Mississippi as a whole boasts more Black elected officials than any other state, those officials hold little power or influence in state government.

Still, the importance of democracy goes beyond simply casting a ballot. It’s about staying informed, engaging with your neighbors, and utilizing available methods to hold elected officials accountable. Your civic involvement between elections helps ensure that Mississippi continues to progress and prosper.

We believe that with a better understanding of your rights and responsibilities, you can make informed choices that will help shape the future of your community and state. Democracy is a team sport, and no one can afford to sit on the sidelines. The Mississippi Today Civics Field guide aims to help you become your best civic self, and we invite you to jump in the game and help us shape the topic areas covered in this one of a kind toolkit by giving us feedback through this survey.

The post Introducing our Civics Field Guide appeared first on Mississippi Today.

More than two years into the litigation, the state of Mississippi has agreed to settle with eight defendants in the ongoing welfare fraud civil case for a total of about $750,000. 

That’s roughly half as much as the state has spent on legal fees in the case so far.

The eight defendants, who allegedly illegally received or were liable for the misspending of a total of $1.7 million, did not admit to wrongdoing. Their settlements represent some of the smaller components of the overall welfare fraud scheme. The future repayments amount to less than 1% of the total $79 million in federal welfare funds that Mississippi Department of Human Services’ lawsuit claims were lost to malfeasance. 

The defendants, date and amount of settlement, and total alleged damages are as follows:

• Chase Computer Services, August 2024, $1,000 out of $375,750
• Southtec, August 2024, $10,000 out of $19,000
• Lobaki, April 2024, $300,000 out of $795,000
• Williams, Weiss, Hester & Company, April 2024, $220,000 out of an undetermined amount
• William Longwitz and Inside Capitol, March 2024, $318,325 out of $318,325
• Rise Luxury Rehab, October 2023, $105,000 out of $160,000
• Warren Washington Issaquena Sharkey Community Action Agency, January 2023, $49,190.06 out of $49,190.06

Each of these companies received funds from the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families block grant, or TANF, from the two private nonprofits – Mississippi Community Education Center and Family Resource Center of North Mississippi – running a program called Families First for Mississippi. The program operators, who received as much as $40 million a year, were supposed to channel resources to help stabilize poor families and prevent child neglect but instead frittered the funds away on contracts with politically connected companies.

Mississippi Department of Human Services said it could not comment on the settlements due to Hinds County Circuit Court Judge Faye Peterson’s suppression order in the case, which has prevented parties from discussing the situation publicly. Defendants who have been released from the case are no longer bound by the gag order, and representatives of virtual reality tech firm Lobaki agreed to share their story with Mississippi Today in a piece published in April.

“We didn’t know the difference between TANF and a frickin’ turnip patch, you know?” Lobaki President Kevin Loud said at the time.

Will Longwitz, a former Madison County Court Judge, state senator and legislative lobbyist currently working as a personal injury lawyer in New Orleans, settled with MDHS in March for the total amount of TANF funds auditors say he received – $318,325. 

The lawsuit alleged the nonprofits hired Longwitz’s firm Inside Capitol to lobby lawmakers on behalf of Families First, though federal regulations prohibit the use of TANF funds for lobbying activities. He registered as a lobbyist for MCEC in 2018 but reported receiving no compensation from the nonprofit, despite the six-figure income. He also reported spending zero on food, gifts or entertainment for public officials. 

MCEC hired four other lobbyists during the time of the scandal, but it paid Longwitz by far the most – nearly $320,000 compared to between $21,000 and $72,000 for each of the others. The lawsuit alleged Longwitz knew the money he received came from the welfare fund.

Longwitz, who represented himself in the litigation, denied the allegations, repeating legalese and referring to himself as a releasee in an email to Mississippi Today Monday. “Releasees specifically and categorically deny any and all liability with regard to all claims and allegations, and settle the claims only to buy their peace and avoid further cost of defense,” he wrote.

Longwitz agreed to a monthly payment schedule and will have until 2033 to pay the entire amount.

Only one other defendant, Warren Washington Issaquena Sharkey Community Action Agency (WWISCAA) settled for the total amount of damages, $49,190.06, that MDHS alleges it caused. The original May 2022 lawsuit accused the nonprofit of failing to perform the services, such as academic tutoring and career skills development, it was hired to provide. Emails Mississippi Today previously obtained suggested that the organization’s partnership with Families First was a sham. 

“They were absolutely doing nothing in either center,” said a social worker who was employed under the program, according to an email.

WWISCAA’s January 2023 settlement denied any wrongdoing and its director Jannis Williams declined to comment.

The Greenville-based Community Action Agency was founded in 1972 as one of the local nonprofits across the nation tasked with administering federal anti-poverty funds, primarily the Community Services Block Grant. Throughout its recent legal battle, WWISCAA seems to have maintained its normal partnership with Mississippi Department of Human Services, receiving roughly $5 million a year from the welfare agency.

In the settlements so far, Chase Computer Services, owned by Christopher Scott Chase, received the best deal by dollar amount.

MDHS claimed the nonprofits hired the tech company to develop software to track outputs and performance of the Families First program, but that it never provided the service, and it should repay the agency $375,750. 

The company denied the allegations. The parties settled for just $1,000 last week. According to his LinkedIn page, Chase has worked as a senior developer at the Tupelo-based American Family Association since 2023, and the Chase Computer Services website says it is no longer accepting new clients. Chase did not respond to an email from Mississippi Today.

The lawsuit similarly accused Southtec of not completing all of the work – installing internet network and phone systems in Families First offices – that it was prepaid to conduct. MDHS claimed Southtec caused $19,000 in damages related to overages on a hotspot that it was using on Family Resource Center’s dime. They settled for $10,000 this month.

The vendor whose welfare payments raised some of the first red flags in the welfare fraud investigation – Rise Luxury Rehab – settled with MDHS back in October. For four months in 2019, former MDHS Director John Davis instructed Mississippi Community Education Center to pay $40,000 a month for his friend Brett DiBiase to be treated at the luxury rehab facility in Malibu. The company agreed to pay back $105,000 of the total $160,000 it received. Its lawyer did not return an email.

MDHS had alleged in the lawsuit that Williams, Weiss, Hester & Company, the accounting firm in charge of auditing Mississippi Community Education Center’s finances, had completed a “bogus” audit in 2017 that concealed the nonprofit’s use of TANF funds. 

The lawsuit asked for damages, which would have been determined at trial, totaling the amount of the nonprofit’s misspending that the agency would have allegedly caught if the firm had performed a proper audit. MDHS settled with the accounting firm in April for $220,000.

In an emailed statement to Mississippi Today, firm owner Doug Hester maintained that his company had not committed professional malpractice. 

“Unfortunately, obtaining vindication in a lawsuit of this magnitude with this many parties is extremely expensive and time consuming, so WWH made a business decision to settle the case and buy its peace rather than continue with a lengthy and expensive court battle,” Hester wrote.

Mississippi Community Education Center, its founder Nancy New, and her son Zach New also filed their own lawsuit against Williams, Weiss, Hester & Company in 2021 claiming that they relied on the accounting firm to ensure the nonprofit was spending its funds properly and that the accounting errors caused the News to be charged criminally. The News dropped the case in February.

Judge Peterson signed orders dismissing Chase Computer Services and Southtec from the case last week. She dismissed Lobaki and Williams, Weiss, Hester & Company from the case in April. Warren Washington Issaquena Sharkey Community Action Agency was removed from the lawsuit when the state filed its amended version in December of 2022. The court file does not yet contain orders of dismissal for William Longwitz, Inside Capitol, or Rise Luxury Rehab. 

Mississippi Department of Human Services has paid Jones Walker, the law firm bringing the litigation, nearly $1.5 million in TANF funds since 2022, according to the state’s public accounting database. The stated purpose of the lawsuit is to clawback the misspent TANF funds.

Thirty-eight defendants remain, including Brett Favre and the University of Southern Mississippi Athletic Foundation, who together allegedly worked to channel $5 million in welfare funds to build a volleyball stadium on the college campus. They’ve also denied wrongdoing.

MDHS claims Favre is also on the hook for $2.1 million that the New nonprofit funneled to pharmaceutical companies that he sponsored. An alleged co-conspirator in that scheme, Jake Vanlandingham, pleaded guilty to a federal wire fraud charge last month.

Some of the defendants facing the biggest alleged damages, such as Davis and nonprofit operators Nancy New and Christi Webb, have already pleaded guilty to criminal charges related to the scheme and will likely have to pay restitution for their crimes.

The post Welfare agency settles with eight defendants in fraud lawsuit appeared first on Mississippi Today.

The two presiding officers of the Mississippi Legislature have formed special committees to further their goals of providing additional tax cuts during the 2025 legislative session.

On Tuesday, House Speaker Jason White, who earlier this year formed a special tax cut study committee, announced a day-long policy summit on tax cuts for Sept. 24. Also on Tuesday, Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, who presides over the Senate, announced he has formed a special committee to study the state’s fiscal policy.

The committee will be led by the chairs of the Senate’s two money committees, Senate Appropriations Chairman Briggs Hopson and Finance Chairman Josh Harkins.

“Our ultimate goal is always to lower the tax burden and ensure taxpayer dollars stay in taxpayer pockets,” Hosemann said in a news release. “This requires Appropriations and Finance leadership to be at the table looking at all income and expenses to ensure we are being as efficient as possible while fully funding necessary services.”

Both Gov. Tate Reeve and White have advocated eliminating the state’s income tax, which accounts for about 30% of the state general fund revenue, while White also has spoken of reducing the state’s grocery tax.

Hosemann has voiced support for at least reducing the 7% grocery tax, which is the highest statewide tax on food in the nation.

Hosemann has said that ensuring the fiscal integrity of the state should not be ignored when looking at tax cuts.

The income tax generates about $2 billion a year while it has been estimated, based on a 2019 study, that the grocery tax generates about $325 million a year. But the grocery tax would generate much more now than in 2019 because of the significant increase in grocery prices. Since the 7% sales tax is imposed on the cost of groceries, state Economist Corey Miller has said that inflation has provided significantly more revenue from the grocery tax in recent years for the state.

In 2022, the Legislature passed and Reeves signed into law a $525 million income tax cut that is currently being enacted. When fully enacted in 2026, income in Mississippi will be taxed at a rate of 4%.

In addition, a business tax cut enacted in 2016 is still being phased in — $42 million annually through 2029 before fully enacted.

The clamor for additional tax cuts has been intensified in large part because of the unprecedented growth in revenue collections in recent years. Most states have experienced similar growth thanks primarily to the large influx of federal funds provided to states primarily to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, revenue growth has been aided by Mississippi being so heavily reliant on the sales tax for its revenue. As prices of retail items have increased during the inflationary period, that has resulted in the 7% sales tax being levied on more expensive items generating more revenue for the state.

Still, during the past year, revenue collections have been slowing. For the past fiscal year, which ended June 30, the state collected only $18.4 million or .24% more than was collected the previous year.

And if not for collecting $68.7 million or 84.4% more in interest earnings than the previous fiscal year, the state would have been in the rare situation of collecting less revenue than the previous year for only the sixth time since 1970. Higher interest rates have spurred the increased earnings on the unprecedented surplus funds the state currently has.

Multiple speakers are scheduled for White’s tax summit at the Sheraton Refuge in Flowood, including Gov. Reeves, legislative leaders, other state officials and legislators from Arkansas who have worked on tax cuts in the neighboring state. National tax cut proponent Grover Norquest also is scheduled to speak.

“It is exciting to be assembling this policy summit that will be free to the public to encourage engagement from all interested parties so lawmakers, tax experts, and any Mississippian can partake in robust conversation that will lead to a better, brighter Mississippi,” White said in a news release.

Other members of the Hosemann study group include Sens. Andy Berry, Bradford Blackmon, Rod Hickman, Chris Johnson, Dean Kirby, John Polk, Derrick Simmons and Daniel Sparks.

The post Mississippi lawmakers to study tax cuts with committees, summit appeared first on Mississippi Today.

With the general election three months away, Mississippi is running low on one essential resource: poll workers.

While Secretary of State Michael Watson couldn’t quantify the shortage in Mississippi, he said county circuits and election commissioners around the state had told him they were having problems recruiting poll workers.

Poll workers have been in short supply across the country since 2020. Among the several reasons for the current shortage are low and inconsistent payments, lack of interest, experienced poll workers retiring and others leaving due to harassment. 

“When we meet with our circuit clerks and our election commissioners, one of the most common questions has always been, from us, ‘what are your larger businesses around this county?’ We’re gonna start working on getting those businesses to, hopefully, entertain the idea of encouraging their younger workers to get involved with working the polls, maybe incentivizing them to do so,” Watson said.

Watson created a simplified application portal for people to become poll workers. They’ve had at least 12,605 new poll worker registrations since the new application came out in 2020. 

Poll workers are paid volunteers who help run state, local, and general elections. Their responsibilities vary, but can include setting up polling locations, assisting voters, checking identification, acting as bailiffs, and more. 

The Election Administration and Voting Survey collected data in 2022 on how difficult it is for jurisdictions to recruit poll workers. The majority of election officials that responded, 54.1%, said it was somewhat or very difficult. Just 22.7% said it was somewhat or very easy.

Cynthia Jones, a poll worker in Hinds County for six years, said the state needs to resolve logistical issues with elections. 

“If it’s not enough materials and enough things to make sure we stay safe…and making sure all the materials are there, we’re doomed to fail, so they can at least make sure those things are taken care of,” she said.

Numerous Hinds County voting precincts ran out of ballots during last year’s gubernatorial election. Many voters had to wait in line for hours, causing others to give up and go home.

The state implemented changes to make the job of poll worker more attractive. In 2023, the Legislature raised poll workers’ maximum pay to $200 depending on the county. 

Watson emphasize the need for poll workers to serve their communities and ensure fair elections. “Those are the unsung heroes of election integrity, making sure we have folks who are properly trained who can help run elections,” he said.

The post As presidential election nears, efforts pick up to recruit poll workers appeared first on Mississippi Today.

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Mississippi is one of the most progressive states in the US when it comes to gambling laws, with many forms of the activity being legal, from dozens of retail casinos to slot machines and social games. There have even been moves in recent months for the state to pass a bill that would legalize online sports betting. In the first quarter of 2024, the Magnolia State has seen a huge revenue increase in comparison to the latter end of 2023.

Reports from the American Gaming Association (AGA) have revealed that casinos across the region have brought in $622.1 million in the first three months of the year, which is an increase of almost $20 million. As well as the obvious positive financial gain that gambling brings to MS, as of December 2023 nearly 42,000 jobs were supported thanks to the industry. As the market grows, and other forms of gambling are introduced, this number will only continue to rise.

It’s not only Mississippi that is presenting these upward trends; the AGA also shared that gaming institutions brought in a record-breaking $17.67 billion in 2024 so far in the USA, which shows a continuation of the year-on-year growth for the 13th quarter in a row! These numbers are very impressive but do not show the entire picture.

The revenue recorded does not account for any profit made from real money online casinos, offshore options, or no KYC casinos, many of which can be found at business2community.com/gambling/best-no-id-verification-casinos. There are hopes among many in Mississippi that all forms of gambling will soon become legal, namely online casinos and sports betting. When this time comes, there are no doubts that the AGA will be reporting exponentially higher figures.

At the beginning of the year, steps were taken to introduce online betting to MS, with the Mississippi Mobile Sports Wagering Act. The act would have made the practice legal, on the condition that any mobile operators were to partner with a pre-existing retail gambling institution. The House passed the bill 97-14, but has died in conference.

Whilst it is clear that approving the act would pave the way for a new mobile gaming industry, there is hesitancy amongst lawmakers. Advocates are continuing to lobby for the change to be made, and for Mississippi to follow in the footsteps of states like New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

A closer look at the Mississippi casino industry reveals what’s going well, and what could do with some improvement. Bricks-and-mortar casino gaming continued to go from strength to strength, as did table games and slot machines. The growth was modest, which was to be expected by the AGA, as it was pointed out that January had been “sluggish” and “impacted by severe weather”.

Again, this led proponents of online casino games to argue for legalization, as those who did not want to travel to a physical casino could still have engaged in their favorite games from the comfort of their own home, and generated revenue whilst doing so. If we look at all of the US states with legal online gambling, they also all have legal online (and in-person) sports betting. In-person sports betting is currently permitted in Mississippi, which gives hope to many that the next logical step will be the legalization of digital sports betting and casinos.

There are currently 29 casinos in the state of Mississippi, and if online gambling was passed, each mobile operator would partner up with one of those retail locations. The financial impact and the economic boost this would result in would be monumental.

Not only are online options more convenient and accessible, but they provide just as immersive and exciting an experience to users as their physical counterparts. Graphics have evolved dramatically in the past five years alone, resulting in lifelike gameplay and even live dealers and multiplayer options in the majority of online casinos.

Overall, the casino industry in Mississippi is booming and shows no signs of slowing down. However, the revenue would increase significantly if online casinos were legalized by lawmakers. The benefits for mobile operators, retail casinos, and users alike are clear, but first the state embraces the change that it would bring about.

With the current state of play in Mississippi, the likelihood is that this progression will still take a year or two to be implemented. Luckily, in the meantime, there are still options for MS residents. Offshore online real money casinos are available, which offer a range of bonuses, sign up offers, and fast withdrawals.

The post The Mississippi Casino Industry: Analyzing the 2024 Trends appeared first on Mississippi Today.

The Associated Press today announced three new content sharing agreements with U.S. nonprofit news newsrooms: Deep South Today, The Maine Monitor and The Nevada Independent.

The new content collaborations follow arrangements AP announced in May with CalMatters, Honolulu Civil Beat, Montana Free Press, Nebraska Journalism Trust and South Dakota News Watch, along with a content sharing arrangement between AP and The Texas Tribune announced in March.

Each nonprofit news outlet will share AP content with its audience. AP will offer stories from the nonprofit newsrooms with its members and customers, supplementing the news agency’s own coverage of Mississippi, Louisiana, Maine and Nevada.

“As we gear up for the 2024 U.S. presidential election, AP’s efforts to expand access to factual, nonpartisan journalism are more critical than ever,” said AP U.S. News Director Josh Hoffner. “By working with nonprofit news outlets in Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi and Nevada we are able to reach local audiences and deliver the facts and information they need about issues that matter.”

“Deep South Today is pleased to begin this content sharing agreement with The Associated Press through our newsrooms in Louisiana and Mississippi,” said Warwick Sabin, president and CEO of Deep South Today. “As we meet the need for local news in the communities we serve across two states, this collaboration with AP will make the most of our collective strengths and assets to maximize our impact.”

“We are excited to work with the AP and expand the reach of The Maine Monitor’s nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative reporting on issues impacting people in Maine, many of which, rural health care, impacts of climate change, opioid recovery, judicial accountability, care for aging citizens, are national, and solutions being tried in Maine can inform discussions elsewhere,”  said Micaela Schweitzer-Bluhm, executive director of The Maine Monitor.  

“We at The Indy are thrilled to collaborate with the respected Associated Press to share content,” said Jon Ralston, CEO and editor of The Nevada Independent. “We have the same mission as the venerable AP: To provide readers with breaking, reliable and in-depth news in a world awash in misinformation and disinformation. Never has this been more critical.”

About AP

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day. Online: www.ap.org

About Deep South Today

Deep South Today is a nonprofit network of local newsrooms that includes Mississippi Today and Verite News. Founded in 2016, Mississippi Today is now one of the largest newsrooms in the state, and in 2023 it won the Pulitzer Prize for Local Reporting. Verite News launched in 2022 in New Orleans, where it covers inequities facing communities of color.

About The Maine Monitor

The Maine Monitor is the nonpartisan, independent publication of the Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, dedicated to delivering high-quality, nonpartisan investigative and explanatory journalism to inform Mainers about issues impacting our state and empower them to be engaged citizens. 

About The Nevada Independent

The Nevada Independent is a statewide, reader-supported, digital-only nonprofit newsroom committed to illuminating the state’s most pressing issues, fostering insightful conversations and holding those in power to account. They tell the story of the Silver State and its people in a timely and nuanced way that promotes civic engagement and empowers Nevadans to improve their communities and quality of life.

The post AP announces 3 new content collaborations with nonprofit newsrooms appeared first on Mississippi Today.

Mississippi members of the Communications Workers of America are continuing their strike after the union entered federal mediation with AT&T Wednesday..

The strike began last Friday after contract negotiations between the union and the company stalled. The Communications Workers of America accuses AT&T of not bargaining in good faith. This included sending representatives who did not have the authority to bargain to the negotiating table. They also filed an unfair labor practice complaint against AT&T.

Over 17,000 CWA members are on strike across nine states in the Southeast. In Mississippi, strikers set up pickets across the state.

“Everybody wants to work for an employer that’s fair,” said Jermaine Travis, the local president of the Mississippi Communications Workers of America and a facility technician. “Everybody wants to be treated with respect in every regard in terms of how we’re paid, in terms of our health care, that’s it basically.”

AT&T has denied the CWA’s accusations.In a statement, it said “We’re disappointed that union leaders would call for a strike at this point in the negotiations, rather than directing their energies toward constructive discussions at the bargaining table. This action needlessly jeopardizes the wages and well-being of our employees.”

Since then, the union has also accused AT&T of creating a safety hazard by sending undertrained managers and contractors to work on repairs. They claim union members have seen safety violations at these work zones.

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