Security And Safety At The Mississippi State Fair

Hundreds of thousands of visitors are expected to visit the Mississippi State Fair, which opens today in Jackson. First and foremost on the minds of officials and attendees alike is security at the 12-day event. Last year, budget concerns in Jackson and the state made security outside the gates a concern. A security agreement was reached, however, and remains in place this year. Hinds County deputies patrol inside the Fair. Jackson Police Chief Lee Vance says city officers will be handling traffic control and patrolling outside the gates again this year. He's urging visitors to take some precautions, like not leaving anything in plain sight in their vehicles. Vance speaks with MPB's Desare Frazier.

Unclaimed Property

Each year Mississippians leave millions of dollars in unclaimed property on the table. Banks, insurance companies and other businesses return money and property to the state if it has been abandoned for five years. After that, it becomes unclaimed property. The state Treasury Department is in charge of this. The Department will have a booth set up at the State Fair so Mississippians can see if there is any property being held in their name. Tony Geiger is unclaimed property director for the Treasury Department. He tells us the value of some of the unclaimed property runs in the thousands of dollars.

Health Minute

Input On BP Restoration Money Sought

The group overseeing billions in oil spill restoration dollars has an updated plan, and wants to hear what the public thinks of it. The Restore Council oversees most of the $6.7 billion in civil penalties paid by BP and others after an explosion on the Deep Water Horizon drilling rig in the Gulf of Mexico in April of 2010. Justin Ehrenwerth is director of the Restore Council. He tells MPB's Evelina Burnett most of the restoration money will be paid out over the next 15 years.