www.youtube.com – WDAM 7 | The Pine Belt’s ABC & NBC – 2023-09-14 00:47:22
SUMMARY: A private contractor was responsible for handling the cleanup for an event called the “Pine Belt Special Olympics” that allowed parents and athletes to participate in various sports activities such as soccer, cornhole, and softball. The event was organized by a senior named Ford Benton with help from his mom and the area director for the Special Olympics. The idea for the event grew and it is hoped that it will continue in the future. The event took place in the Hub City and marked the return of an event after more than three years.
Special Olympics qualifying returns to Hattiesburg
www.youtube.com – 16 WAPT News Jackson – 2025-09-16 05:06:01
SUMMARY: The body of 21-year-old Demartravion “Trey” Reed, a Delta State University student, was found hanged from a tree near the pickleball courts on campus early Monday morning. Discovered around 7 a.m. by a faculty member, the incident led to class cancellations. Authorities, including DSU Police Chief Michael Peeler, reported no evidence of foul play so far and await medical examiner results. Reed’s family and students demand a thorough investigation, expressing concerns about campus safety. DSU police sought help from the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, Bolivar County Sheriff’s Office, and Cleveland Police. Students hope for answers amid the unsettling news.
Family of Demartravion “Trey” Reed remembers him.
16 WAPT News is your home for Mississippi breaking news and weather. For your latest Mississippi news and weather visit: https://www.wapt.com/
SUMMARY: The Mustard Seed in Flowood is a Christian community serving adults with developmental disabilities aged 21 and older. It offers a supportive home environment where 20 residents live on-site, while others participate in daytime activities. The organization focuses on empowering individuals to live fulfilling lives, providing opportunities like college experiences and arts participation. Privately funded through donations and church grants, the Mustard Seed operates two gift shops—one in Flowood and one in Ridgeland—that generate 25% of its annual budget. Each product is handcrafted by residents, featuring unique artistic touches, and proceeds support the ministry. The shops encourage community support and engagement.
www.thecentersquare.com – By Alan Wooten | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-09-14 08:01:00
The Heritage Foundation’s Education Freedom Report Card ranks Mississippi 17th overall and 3rd in teacher freedom, behind Florida and Arizona. Nearly 47% of Mississippi teachers entered through alternative certification, benefiting from full licensure reciprocity with other states. Teachers must pass the Praxis exam, though Heritage questions its effectiveness and suggests removing this requirement. Mississippi does not employ chief diversity officers or use Common Core-aligned tests. The state dropped six spots overall, but improved one in teacher freedom. Other rankings include 20th in education choice, 25th in return on investment, 29th in transparency, and 39th in civic education. Heritage promotes policies based on free enterprise and traditional values.
(The Center Square) – Only two states are better than Mississippi in teacher freedom, a report from the Heritage Foundation says
The Education Freedom Report Card put Mississippi 17th overall, and No. 3 behind Florida and Arizona in teacher freedom.
“A solid 47% of teachers in the state found their way to the classroom through alternative teacher certification options, and Mississippi has full reciprocity of teacher licensure with other states,” Heritage says. “Educators in Mississippi are required to pass the Praxis test, a teacher certification exam administered by the Educational Testing Service. There is little evidence that this assessment predicts teacher quality or effectiveness. No school district in the Magnolia State employs a ‘chief diversity officer,’ and Mississippi does not use Common Core-aligned assessments.”
Heritage encourages “eliminating the requirement for prospective teachers to take the Praxis exam.”
The overall ranking is down six spots, and the teacher freedom ranking is up one from last year.
Other category rankings are 20th in education choice, 25th in return on investment, 29th in transparency, and 39th in civic education.
Heritage bills itself as a nonprofit formulating and promoting “public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values and a strong national defense.”
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: Center-Right
The article primarily reports on the findings of a Heritage Foundation report regarding teacher freedom rankings in Mississippi. While the content itself is largely factual and descriptive, it references the Heritage Foundation, a known conservative think tank, and highlights their recommendations and ideological principles. The framing of teacher freedom and the emphasis on eliminating certification requirements align with conservative education policy preferences. However, the article does not explicitly endorse these views but rather presents them as part of the report’s conclusions, maintaining a mostly neutral tone with a slight center-right leaning due to the source and subject matter.
