Shelby County Health Officer Urges Masks As COVID-19 Slows Down

The top health official in the only Tennessee county with an indoor mask requirement says she is cautiously optimistic that a recent coronavirus surge is slowing down, citing a drop in the number of cases and hospitalized children. Dr. Michelle Taylor is director of the Shelby County Health Department. She told reporters Thursday that officials … Read more

MS Now Has Country’s Highest COVID-19 Death Rate

Mississippi has surpassed New Jersey as the state with the highest rate of COVID-19 deaths in the U.S., with roughly 1 of every 320 Mississippians having succumbed to the coronavirus. The state’s top health official said Thursday that the numbers of new virus cases are still “far more than we’d like to see,” and warned … Read more

St. Jude Ironman Triathalon Planned For October 2

The St. Jude Ironman 70.3 event is expecting some 25-hundred athletes. The triathalon will be held entirely at the 45-hundred acre Shelby Farms Park in East Memphis. The event also has around 12-hundred volunteers working for it. If you’re interested in helping, gfo online to ironman.volunteer.com. The St. Jude Ironman competition will be October 2nd … Read more

TN Overtakes Top Spot For New COVID-19 Cases Per Capita

Tennessee now ranks first in the country for new COVID-19 cases per capita as the state continues to battle its worst virus surge yet. According to researchers from Johns Hopkins, as of Tuesday, one in every 81 Tennesseans had tested positive for the virus in the past week. Meanwhile, the rolling average number of daily … Read more

Sen. Robinson’s Trial Enters Day #2

A defense attorney for a Tennessee state senator charged with stealing $600,000 in federal grant money from a health care school she operated says she did not use government funds to pay for personal expenses. Katrina Robinson’s lawyer said during opening statements of her trial Tuesday that the Memphis Democrat used profits generated from tuition … Read more

MS Lawmakers Consider Teacher Pay, Insurance Costs For Families

A Mississippi public school teacher with 15 years of experience providing health insurance for their family took home just under $30,000 a year in net pay in 2020, a “shocking number,” a policy adviser with the Southern Regional Education Board told state lawmakers Wednesday. That’s only a few thousand dollars more a year than first-year … Read more

Sen. Katrina Robinson Goes On Trial

A defense attorney for a Memphis-area state senator charged with stealing $600,000 in federal grant money from a health care school she operated says she did not use government funds to pay for personal expenses. Katrina Robinson’s lawyer said during opening statements of her trial Tuesday that the Memphis Democrat used profits generated from tuition … Read more

Trial Against Memphis-area State Senator Begins

A jury has been selected in the trial of a Tennessee state senator charged with stealing more than $600,000 in federal funds. The federal trial of state Sen. Katrina Robinson started Monday in Memphis. Robinson is accused of stealing funds from federal grants slated for The Healthcare Institute, which provides training for jobs in health … Read more

3rd Person Dies In MS Highway Collapse

A third person has died as a result of a highway collapse in south Mississippi two weeks ago. Amanda Williams of Wiggins died Saturday after being hospitalized since the Aug. 30 collapse, WLOX-TV reports. The collapse on Highway 26 outside Lucedale in George County, which occurred during torrential rain brought by Hurricane Ida, caused seven … Read more

TN Judges Reverse Course, Block Restriction Outlawing ABortion Due To Prenatal Diagnosis Of DOwn Syndrome

A panel of federal judges has reversed course and block a Tennessee restriction that outlaws abortions because of a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome, or because of the race or gender of the fetus. The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel ruling Friday also kept a six-week abortion ban blocked. Tennessee Republican Gov. Bill … Read more