MPB News on Demand - Local News

Wednesday August 1, 2007
	Cyber Crime Fusion Center Opens in Jackson
	Over the past five years authorities in Mississippi have opened over 400 cyber related crime cases. MPB's Lawayne Childrey reports on the state's new Cyber Crime Fusion center and it's impact.
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	Free Health Screenings
	Free services provided by Medicaid and Medicare that could prevent chronic diseases are being under utilized according to the US Department of Health and Human Services. With so many Mississippians suffering from these diseases, getting the word out about free screenings is critical. MPB's Scott Phillips reports.
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	Long Beach Slow Struggle to Return
	Small cities along the Gulf Coast that were devastated by Hurricane Katrina almost two years ago, are struggling to keep their doors open. For some of these towns it’s a do or die situation. MPB’s Gary Michiels reports.
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Thursday August 2, 2007
	Insurance Commissioner Candidates Push For Votes
	The race for Insurance Commissioner is heating up as Tuesday's primary elections approach. MPB's Scott Phillips has this report.
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	Fast Paced Bridge Construction
	New bridge building techniques that are being used to re-connect two Gulf Coast cities are getting national attention. MPB’s Gary Michiels reports.
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Friday August 3, 2007
	Mississippi Bridges
	The question many people are asking today is “ Are the bridges in Mississippi safe?” MPB’s Gary Michiels examines the question.
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	Federal Judge Nominee
	The nomination of a retired Mississippi Court of Appeals judge to the US 5th Circuit Court of Appeals is on its way to the Senate floor. MPB's Scott Phillips has this report.
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	School Uniform Confusion
	A bill that defines who is eligible for free or reduced lunch may also determine who pays for school uniforms. MPB's Lawayne Childrey has more.
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Monday August 6, 2007
	Highway Traffic Increase Puts More Strain on Bridges and Overpasses
	Automobile travel in Mississippi has increased by more than seventy percent since 1990. Some of the bridges this traffic rolls across were built more than one hundred years ago. MPB’s Gary Michiels reports.
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	Ole Miss Pharmaceutical Research Test New Anti-Depression Drugs on Chicks
	At the University of Mississippi, a scientist has come up with a new way to pre-test anti-depressants before they enter into clinical trials. He says his model is cheaper, more ethical and gets better results. MPB’s Sandra Knispel reports.
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	Southwick to Get Vote
	Retired judge Leslie Southwick's nomination to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals is heading for a vote in the US Senate. But why does political partisanship always play a part in the judicial nomination process? MPB's Scott Phillips has this report.
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Tuesday August 7, 2007
	Primary Day
	It was the last day for candidates to campaign before today's election. MPB's Scott Phillips reports on what may be influencing voters heading into today's election.
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	Cheap Seafood Imports Bad for Business
	Mounting economic pressures from foreign countries selling their seafood at much cheaper prices could threaten to destroy the shrimping industry on the Gulf Coast. MPB’s Gary Michiels reports.
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	Old State Capitol Renovations Begin
	Construction crews will soon be busy at the Old State Capitol in Jackson. Severely damaged two years ago,the historic building now has a new lease on life. MPB'S Ron Brown has the story.
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Wednesday August 8, 2007
	Long Time Insurance Commissioner Defeated
	Byhalia native, Gary Anderson has defeated long time insurance commissioner George Dale in the state democratic insurance commission primary. MPB’s Lawayne Childrey has more.
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	Number Two State Office - Number One Race
	State Auditor Phil Bryant won the Republican nomination for Lieutenant Governor last night, defeating State Senator Charlie Ross with over 57% of tallied votes. MPB's Scott Phillips was at both camps last night and has this report.
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	Lt Governor Race
	State Auditor Phil Bryant won the Republican nomination for Lieutenant Governor last night, defeating State Senator Charlie Ross with over 57% of tallied votes. MPB's Scott Phillips was at both camps last night and has this report.
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Thursday August 9, 2007

The Political Battles Head Toward November

With the primary elections over, candidates now prepare for campaign battles heading into November's general election. MPB's Scott Phillips reports on the assessment of Tuesday's results and which races will be worth watching this fall.

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	Two Years and Still Much to be Done
	As the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina draws near some around the country believe everything on the Gulf Coast is back to normal. But as MPB’s Gary Michiels reports, there is still much recovery work that must be done.
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	Teen Drivers Face Poor Odds
	There is an epidemic in the U.S. that's taking the lives of america's youths. MPB's Lawayne Childrey reports that driving fatalities are the number one cause of death among 15 to 20 year olds.
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Friday August 10, 2007

Sports and High Heat a Dangerous Mix

It's hot outside but education administrators are feeling a different kind of heat as they try to keep Mississippi kids safe after 2 boys died at football practice in Covington County. MPB's Scott Phillips has this report.

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	Syphilis Cases on Rise
	In 2002 Mississippi had one of the lowest syphilis rates in the country. But as MPB's Lawayne Childrey reports those records are quickly changing.
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	Phase Two of Homeowner Grant Program
	Homeowners who did not qualify for phase one of the Governor’s Homeowner Grant program are now getting information on phase two of the program. MPB’s Gary Michiels reports.
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Monday August 13, 2007
	Team Practices Continue in High Heat
	Though the extreme heat doesn't appear to be letting up anytime soon, high school coaches and band directors are resuming practices this week. This, after the state supreme court ruled a chancery judge had no authority to ban outdoor activities. MPB's Scott Phillips has this report.
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	Ridgeland Restaurant Association Says Smoking Ban Goes Too Far
	A Ridgeland restaurant group has asked a federal judge to stop a new smoking ordinance. MPB's Lawayne Childrey has more.
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	Playground Helps Emotional Recovery on Coast
	Playgrounds are important for young children not only for recreation but for emotional development and a sense of well being. And as MPB’s Gary Michiels reports kids and adults worked together over the weekend to build a play area on the Gulf Coast.
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Tuesday August 14, 2007
	All Peril Insurance Town Hall Meeting
	The push for a national "all peril insurance program" has revved up as fifteen U.S. Congressmen led by the Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi came to the Gulf Coast to hear what hurricane Katrina victims had to say. MPB’s Gary Michiels reports.
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	Vicksburg Area Schools Reduce Outdoor Activities
	Outdoor practice will resume this week for hundreds of student athletes in the Vicksburg-Warren School District, but on a more limited basis. The decision comes days after Superintendent James Price had banned outdoor practice due to the extreme heat. MPB's Scott Phillips has this report.
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	Poultry Production Pummeled by High Heat
	Hot temperatures and production costs are making it harder for Mississippi poultry farmers to turn a profit. MPB's Lawayne Childrey has more.
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Wednesday August 15, 2007
	Mississippi Bridge Inspections
	The I-35 bridge collapse in Minneapolis earlier this month has hit home with bridge inspectors who work for the Mississippi Department of Transportation. MPB's Scott Phillips accompanied inspectors at a site in Jackson and has this report.
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	Recovery Workers Get Extra Protection Against West Nile Virus
	The number of West Nile virus cases in Mississippi is increasing. The Salvation Army on the Gulf Coast has come up with a way to help protect recovery volunteers working in mosquito infested areas. MPB’s Gary Michiels reports.
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Thursday August 16, 2007
	Head Start Closes Due to Heat
	Institutions of Community Service chose to close more than a dozen head start centers, rather than risk the health of the children. MPB's Lawayne Childrey has more.
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	Biloxi Teen Best Selling Author
	A Biloxi teenager has turned her grief and suffering from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina into a positive message for others. And as MPB’s Gary Michiels reports, it’s a best seller.
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	Elvis Remembered Thirty Years Later
	Thirty years ago ago today the king of rock and roll died. But Elvis' fans refuse to forget. MPB'S Ron Brown went to Elvis' hometown of Tupelo to meet with some of the most loyal fans ever.
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Friday August 17, 2007
	Bridge Update
	One span of the new Biloxi Ocean Springs Bridge is on schedule to open for two-way traffic by November first. But Hurricane Dean may delay the ribbon cutting. MPB’s Gary Michiels reports.
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	Efforts Underway to Retain More Teachers
	Higher education officials are hoping the recommendations of a study panel will recruit and retain more teachers for Mississippi's classrooms. The IHL is soliciting feedback for the recommendations as MPB's Scott Phillips reports.
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	New Standards to Achieve Higher Test Scores
	Flat achievement test scores have prompted State education officials to set bold goals for the next seven years. MPB's Lawayne Childrey reports.
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	Neshoba County Public Health Clinics Providing Pertussis Vaccines
	As of late Thursday afternoon, there were 88 active cases of whooping cough or Pertussis diagnosed in Mississippi. 67 of them are clustered in the East Central part of the state, where Dr. Rebecca James serves as regional state Health Officer. She says vaccinations for Pertussis are only required for children entering school, and since the effectiveness only lasts a few years, most of the general population could be at risk of exposure.
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Monday August 20, 2007
	Hurricane Prep
	Emergency Managers on the Gulf Coast have some serious concerns as they tune up their disaster response plans for the busiest part of hurricane season. MPB’s Gary Michiels reports.
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	Governor says Get Ready
	It's hard to predict exactly where a hurricane will make landfall. That's why Mississippi Emergency Management Officials are preparing for the worst case scenario. MPB's Lawayne Childrey has more.
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Tuesday August 21, 2007
	State Auditor Race Close-up
	The democratic candidates for State Auditor are still out on the campaign trail ahead of the primary runoff election on the 28th. MPB's Scott Phillips has this report.
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	Rally for Equal Katrina Funding
	During the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma. Red Cross officials raised billions of dollars to aid survivors. Now one group of New Orleans evacuees living in Mississippi say they are not getting their fair share. MPB's Lawayne Childrey has more.
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Wednesday August 22, 2007
	Rally Protests Katrina Grant Programs
	More than 200 gulf coast katrina victims marched through the streets of Jackson yesterday. MPB's Lawayne Childrey went along and files this report.
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	Ole Miss #2 Party School
	The University of Mississippi features again prominently in the Princeton Review’s “Best 366 Colleges.” Unfortunately, the school's "best" showing is not in academic prowess. MPB’s Sandra Knispel reports from Oxford.
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Thursday August 23, 2007
	Migrant Workers File Mistreatment Suit
	A group of migrant Mexican workers alleges kidnapping and enslavement at the hands of a Pascagoula police captain. The group plans to file a lawsuit as MPB’s Scott Phillips reports.
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Suicide Rates Soar Post Katrina

A new survey suggests that Gulf Coast survivors of Hurricane Katrina are experiencing increased attempts at suicide and higher rates of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder compared to a year ago. The survey, from Harvard Medical School's Hurricane Katrina Community Advisory Group, cites the slow recovery as a reason for these increases. Kris Jones is Director of Disaster Preparedness and Response for the Mississippi Dept of Mental Health.

*Suicide rates among teens are of particular concern to Mental Health Professionals along the coast. Jones is currently overseeing a three-year Youth Suicide Prevention Program at schools, in the six southernmost counties. The National Hotline number is 1-800-SUICIDE.

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	Storytellers Ball
	Art doesn't happen in a vacuum. It needs nourishment to grow, and money to flourish. MPB's Ron Brown tells us, area arts groups are finding artistic ways to make that happen.
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Friday August 24, 2007
	Mining in Mississippi
	Authorities in Utah are now working to seal a mine where six miners went missing and three rescue workers lost their lives in connection to an accident earlier this month. Mississippi isn't one of the first states you think of when it comes to mining…but did you know that the Magnolia state has its own burgeoning mining industry? MPB’s Scott Phillips recently visited the Red Hills Mine near Ackerman, and reports on how mining is literally changing the landscape of Choctaw County.
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	ATO Lawsuit
	Three students died in 2004 when their Alpha Tau Omega fraternity house burnt down at the University of Mississippi. Parents of two of the three students have now filed a law suit as MPB’s Sandra Knispel reports.
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Monday August 27, 2007
	Katrina Recovery Part 1 Housing and Insurance
	In the first of our five part series called "Two Years Later, The State of Recovery" ... MPB’s Gary Michel reports on the two biggest obstacles residents along the gulf coast face post-Hurricane Katrina. - rebuilding homes and skyrocketing insurance rates.
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	Seale Sentencing Brings More Focus to Unsolved Cases
	Now that James Ford Seale has been sentenced to life in prison for his role in the murder of two black teens in 1964, families of the victims are pressing authorities to find justice for others who were wronged during the civil rights era. MPB's Scott Phillips has this report.
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Tuesday August 28, 2007
	Katrina Recovery Part 2 Coast Schools
	Most of schools in the three Gulf Coast counties were damaged by Hurricane Katrina. School sessions were delayed for months as portable trailer classrooms were put in place. And in part two of our five part series, MPB’s Gary Michiels reports, two years later, many students are still being taught in those trailers.
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	Primary Elections
	It's primary runoff election day. Candidates competing for the democratic nomination for State Auditor were out campaigning for those last few votes on Monday. But as MPB's Scott Phillips reports, those last few votes may be hard to find.
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	Charities Still Working Toward Full Recovery
	Over the last two years, $1.5 billion dollars in private funds from nonprofit, faith-based and corporate giving has gone to recovery from Hurricane Katrina. MPB's Patty Davis reports on two agencies that rely on those funds to accomplish their recovery goals on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
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Wednesday August 29, 2007
	Katrina Recovery Part 3 Moving On Two Years Later
	The anniversary of Hurricane Katrina brings back many difficult memories of this day - two years ago. It is also a reminder of just how much is left to be done for the Gulf Coast, to recover. MPB’s Gary Michiels reports on how Gulf Coast residents are reacting to the second anniversary.
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	Remembering Katrina's Victims
	While gulf coast citizens are still focused on recovery, a handful of vigils are being held today to remember the victims of the storm. MPB's Scott Phillips has this report.
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	Chevron Contribution Builds Badly Needed Child Care Centers
	Chevron launched the The Energy for Learning Program in June of last year, in support of education after Katrina. MPB's Patty Davis reports on Chevron's latest contribution to that fund.
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Thursday August 30, 2007
	Katrina Recovery Part 4 Life in a FEMA Trailer
	Over the past two years we’ve heard both tales of desperation and triumph from Katrina survivors. But have you ever stopped to wonder what it would be like to live in a FEMA trailer? As the deadline to find alternative housing draws near, MPB’s Erika Celeste takes a look back at what life has been like for one FEMA trailer community in Biloxi.
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	Bush Back for Fifteenth Time
	President Bush made his fifteen stop in Mississippi since Katrina yesterday. MPB’s Gary Michiels reports, he came to reassure Gulf Coast residents that the country will continue to help the area recover.
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	Manufactured Housing Health and Safety Inspections
	Manufactured housing includes travel trailers, mobile homes and prefabricated dwellings. MPB's Lawayne Childrey examines the inspection process in place to ensure problems that have been found in FEMA supplied trailers are not occurring in the retail market.
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	Another Murder in Unit 32 at Parchman
	The Mississippi Department of Corrections continues to endure criticism over conditions at the state penitentiary at Parchman. This after a third inmate was killed in as many months. MPB's Scott Phillips has this report.
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Friday August 31, 2007
	Federal BioLab Site in Flora Gets Local Support
	Not one negative issue was raised as hundreds in Flora turned out to voice support for a proposed federal research lab. MPB's Scott Phillips was at the hearing last night and has this report.
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	Healthy Kids
	According to a recent CDC report, Mississippi is the heaviest state in the country. MPB’s Sandra Knispel looks at how a new law is trying to target childhood obesity by mandating exercise at school.
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	Katrina Recovery Part 5 Bay Arts, Hard to Keep Down
	Bay St. Louis is a community of renowned artists on Mississippi's Gulf Coast. When Hurricane Katrina hit two years ago, it wiped out the town's art galleries, but not the artists. As MPB's Ron Brown reports, many area artists are returning and rebuilding.
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