Mississippi Today

JSU students call for accountability after on-campus shooting shakes sense of security

Published

2 years ago

October 17, 2023

U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, a Jackson State University alumnus, said on Monday the proliferation of gun ownership and its resulting violence in America contributed to the fatal shooting of a student over the weekend at an on-campus apartment complex.

“I’m not certain that in the greatest democracy, in America, that we just ought to walk around with guns on our hip just because some folks said we can do it,” Thompson said at a forum on politics and voting rights at Jackson State’s College of Business. “In a civilized society, I’m convinced we can do better.”

The shooting that killed Jaylen Burns, a senior industrial technology major from Chicago, prompted the university to cancel classes Monday and is still under investigation. It came on the tailend of a homecoming weekend where the university had increased security in an effort to address repeated concerns from students and faculty about safety at the historically Black university in Mississippi’s capital city.

“This loss is devastating and unfathomable to the JSU community, it does not represent who we are,” Elayne Hayes-Anthony, the temporary acting president, said in a statement Tuesday. “It further undercuts our mission to cultivate an environment where students come to love and to evolve as individual and free thinkers.”

Burns’ killing is the most recent incident that has led to calls for improving campus security at Jackson State. Last year, on Feb. 1, the first day of Black History Month, the university was one of several HBCUs across the country and in Mississippi to receive bomb threats. In December, a deceased student who had been shot was found on campus, according to multiple reports.

Since Hayes-Anthony became temporary acting president, the university has been working on fencing the campus off from its surrounding community just west of downtown Jackson, a request that several students and faculty made during a listening session earlier this year.

“It’s not necessarily Jackson State that’s unsafe,” said Elijah Karriem, a senior journalism and media studies major who is the president of the Jackson State NAACP chapter. “It’s the city that we’re living in. Jackson State is collateral damage.”

At the same time, there is more the university could be doing, Karriem said, adding “we have to have security in our security.”

“This wasn’t during homecoming, this was after homecoming,” he said. “When all your alumni, family and friends went away and went back home, where were the security measures then?”

Karriem lives at University Pointe Apartment Complex where Burns was shot. Last year, he said his roommate was held at gunpoint and his car was stolen. Even though University Pointe has a security box, Karriem said he doesn’t see guards staffing it.

The on-campus police can take longer than they should to respond, Karriem said, despite new golf-cart-type vehicles.

But it’s not just about the university, Karriem said. Individual students, faculty and the Jackson State community also have to grapple with what they could do in their daily lives to address gun violence. Tonight, the NAACP chapter is holding a town hall to give students the space to do that.

“We all have to take accountability for what has transpired,” Karriem said. “We cannot solely blame the university for the lack of security. When it comes down to it, you can get mad, you can do all you want to do, but we have to stop this.”

He knew Burns — they had taken a journalism class together a few years ago. Whenever they saw each other on campus, Karriem said they would stop and say hello.

Thompson said that on the federal level, the Biden administration has made several grants available to help HBCUs improve security, which he said Jackson State has applied for.

“I’m not certain there’ll ever be enough money to guarantee anybody that something won’t happen,” he said.

Political reporter Taylor Vance contributed to this report.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

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Mississippi Today

UMMC holds free cancer screenings

Published

2 days ago

April 30, 2025

Staff Editor

mississippitoday.org – @EricJShelton – 2025-04-30 12:00:00

by Eric J. Shelton, Mississippi Today
April 30, 2025

Resident physician Claire Babin, right, performs an oral cancer screening on Ella Holmes during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Physicians prepare for oral, head and neck cancer screenings during a free screening event at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Resident physician Brooks Lampkin, center, screens Diane Carter for oral cancer as medical students Mason Nodurft, left, and Eva Kiparizoska observe during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Educational giveaways advocating against smoking are available during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Sharon Terry, senior tobacco treatment specialist, waits for patients during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Skylar Robinson, medical office assistant, left, and Kiandria Bruce, registered nurse, review materials at the patient sign-in table during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Head and neck cancer literature is available during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Dr. Alex Brooks and registered nurse Angela Noble talk during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Nina Brown, clinical manager, helps Ned Bostic with paperwork during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Resident physician Brooks Lampkin performs an oral cancer screening on Ned Bostic at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Ned Bostic receives a neck cancer screening during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.
Resident physician Brooks Lampkin, center, and medical student Hanna Watson examine Ned Bostic during a free oral, head and neck cancer screening at the Jackson Medical Mall on Wednesday, April 16, 2025.

The University of Mississippi Medical Center’s Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery hosted a free oral, head, and neck cancer screening Wednesday at the Jackson Medical Mall as part of Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week.

The event featured quick, noninvasive screenings aimed at catching cancer early — when treatment is most effective. Onyx Care provided free HPV vaccinations, while the ACT Center for Tobacco Treatment, Education, and Research offered resources on smoking cessation and free services.

“These screenings take about 10 minutes and can save lives,” said Dr. Gina Jefferson, head and neck surgical oncologist at UMMC. “The earlier a cancer is diagnosed, the better chance we have of curing it.”

Tobacco and alcohol use remain major risk factors for these cancers. However, physicians say an increasing number of cases are linked to HPV, especially among younger adults with no history of smoking or drinking. Dentists are often the first to spot early signs, which can include persistent sores, lumps in the neck, or difficulty swallowing.

Oral, head and neck cancers are among the most common globally. When found early, survival rates can exceed 80 percent.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post UMMC holds free cancer screenings appeared first on mississippitoday.org

Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

This article presents factual information about a free cancer screening event without showing a clear ideological stance. It primarily focuses on the health benefits of early cancer detection and the availability of free resources, such as HPV vaccinations and smoking cessation support. The language used is neutral and the content is centered around public health education rather than promoting a political viewpoint. The inclusion of factual statistics, such as survival rates and risk factors, adds to its informative and objective tone. There are no signs of bias or advocacy for a particular political agenda, making this a centrist piece.

Crooked Letter Sports Podcast

Podcast: What next for Mississippi State baseball?

Published

2 days ago

April 30, 2025

Staff Editor

mississippitoday.org – @rick_cleveland – 2025-04-30 10:46:00

by Rick Cleveland and Tyler Cleveland, Mississippi Today
April 30, 2025

Mississippi State didn’t even wait until the end of the season to fire Chris Lemonis, who brought the national championship to Starkville not quite four years ago. Where do the Bulldogs go from here. Robbie Faulk who covers the Bulldogs more closely than anyone else joins the podcast to discuss the situation.

Stream all episodes here.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post Podcast: What next for Mississippi State baseball? appeared first on mississippitoday.org

Mississippi Today

Mobile sports betting users: We want to hear from you

Published

2 days ago

April 30, 2025

Staff Editor

mississippitoday.org – @MSTODAYnews – 2025-04-30 10:21:00

by Mississippi Today, Mississippi Today
April 30, 2025

Mississippi Today is looking to speak with current and former mobile sports betting users. We’d like to speak with people who spend considerable amounts of time and money betting on sports through online gambling sites.

We’re interested in hearing the experience of people who have suffered from gambling addiction or problems, or friends and family members of people who have. We also would like to talk with people who believe legalizing mobile sports betting would benefit Mississippi and its residents.

We want to hear from you. Please take the survey below or contact Political Reporter Michael Goldberg by email at mgoldberg@mississippitoday.org

TAKE THE SURVEY:

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This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post Mobile sports betting users: We want to hear from you appeared first on mississippitoday.org

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

This article from Mississippi Today appears to present a neutral stance, focusing on gathering input from various groups of mobile sports betting users, including those who may have experienced addiction issues. The content does not advocate for or against the legalization of mobile sports betting but instead seeks to gather diverse perspectives, including those of individuals who may support or oppose it. The language used is objective and does not suggest a particular ideological perspective, allowing for a balanced exploration of the issue at hand.