Mississippi News
How we reported the story: Delta farm discrimination
How we reported the story: White Delta farm owners underpay, push out Black workers
Mississippi Today reporter Sara DiNatale spent eight months investigating the state of the farming workforce in the Delta. She interviewed a dozen local and H-2A visa farm workers, including some currently living in South Africa.
She examined three investigation files from the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division, which Mississippi Today obtained through public information requests.
What she discovered was alarming: At least five Delta farms paid their primarily Black local workforce less money per hour than temporary workers from other countries — most often, white men from South Africa.
“I started investigating the dynamics at play among the workforce on Delta farms because I knew it was more than just a lawsuit story,” DiNatale said. “I knew if I spent time listening and searching, records would back up what these men were telling me. And that's what we were able to find.”
DiNatale along with data reporter Alex Rozier analyzed 15 years of labor department enforcement data to show the high rate Mississippi farms are found to be breaking labor laws when investigated by federal agents. They also sorted through nationwide H-2A applications data to identify trends among the Mississippi farms that used the program last year.
DiNatale contacted more than 30 farm owners throughout the Delta and spent time with veteran farmworkers. Her reporting was informed by interviews with agricultural academics from Alcorn State University, University of Arkansas and Tuskegee University, as well as researchers at the Economic Policy Institute. She attended a virtual session held by the Department of Labor meant to educate about farmworkers' rights and missteps often made by farmers using the H-2A program.
While she used information shared in the Mississippi Center for Justice's lawsuits against Pitts Farms and Harris Russell Farm, she also verified information shared by attorneys with former workers and experts familiar with the H-2A program.
“The problem our investigation uncovered is complex and nuanced,” DiNatale said. “But Mississippi leadership has made it clear they want to focus on creating well-paying jobs in the state. I think the biggest takeaway of everything is: Don't forget about the Delta.”
This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
Mississippi News
Mississippi students say racial slurs used at protest ‘horrifically uncalled for’
SUMMARY: The Chancellor of the University of Mississippi has promised an investigation into student conduct after racial slurs were used during a pro-Palestine demonstration. One student has been removed from the Phi Delta Theta fraternity for making racial gestures. Witnesses are shocked at how quickly racial slurs were used. The protest, which took place near a statue of the first Black man to integrate the university, led to disruptions and disrespectful behavior. The university is committed to supporting free expression and peaceful assembly, but disciplinary action may be taken against offending students. Overall, the incident has caused harm and set back efforts to erase the university's troubled past.
The post Mississippi students say racial slurs used at protest ‘horrifically uncalled for' appeared first on www.wjtv.com
Mississippi News
A warm, breezy, and muggy Tuesday – Home – WCBI TV
SUMMARY: Warm and humid conditions will persist for the next few days, with an increased chance of storms on Wednesday night. Today will be warm, muggy, and breezy with the possibility of isolated showers or storms in the afternoon, some of which could be severe. Tomorrow will be another warm day with highs in the upper 80s to possibly 90 degrees, and the chance of storms will increase on Wednesday night. By Friday and the weekend, the weather should improve with clearing skies and drier air, and temperatures returning to the mid to upper 70s.
The post A warm, breezy, and muggy Tuesday – Home – WCBI TV appeared first on www.wcbi.com
Mississippi News
Manhunt underway in Warren County for Texas murder suspect
SUMMARY: A manhunt is underway in Warren County, Mississippi for a Texas murder suspect. The Warren County Sheriff's office received a call about a vehicle registered to a homicide victim in Webster, Texas. Authorities are searching a woody area for the suspect, described as a white male who is 6'1″ to 6'2″ tall, weighs 200 pounds, and has a low haircut. The suspect is believed to be on foot and is considered armed and dangerous. Residents in the area are urged to be cautious as the search continues.
The post Manhunt underway in Warren County for Texas murder suspect appeared first on www.wjtv.com
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