While I’m a former newspaper publisher, I spent the latter part of my career fully embracing digital media. And in retirement, I’ve continued to study this life-changing evolution. But I still have many of the same frustrations you feel.We scroll through our phones, and half of what we see makes us
Like many parents, I know my kids are excited for summer break. But before we get there, May is also an important reminder to prepare for the future and make smart financial decisions for the next generation.That’s why I want to remind Mississippi families that the Mississippi Prepaid Affordable Col
Lane Kiffin is a heartless man. Opportunistic. And now, willing to drag Ole Miss and the entire state of Mississippi through the mud just to make himself look better in Baton Rouge.He loves headlines and attention. It would actually be sad if he didn’t work so hard to bring others down with him. His
President Trump has delivered the most secure border in American history. In March 2026, southwest border crossings remained at historic lows for the eleventh straight month. There have been zero releases of illegal immigrants into the interior. Apprehensions are at levels not seen in over three dec
There’s a political trick as old as politics itself: get people scared about something that isn’t real, so they don’t look too hard at what is.Mississippi Republicans have been working that trick overtime. Their talking points weave together immigration, voting laws, and an obscure interstate compac
Maintaining trust in Mississippi elections is not a partisan issue. Trust in our elections is a foundational pillar of our democracy. We must protect the integrity of our elections while maintaining access only for eligible voters. We all should have assurance that our elections are fair, transparen
For nine days this month, space travel captivated the world. Families gathered around their screens as four astronauts strapped into the Integrity spacecraft docked at the Kennedy Space Center. As the launch countdown ended, four Mississippi-tested RS-45 engines ignited, and the ground shook. Seven
Mississippi leaders,We’ve faced some hard storms before – together. We know what it means when young lives hang in the balance and every day matters.This week, Gov. Tate Reeves line-item vetoed $500,000 for Hope Squad in House Bill 1924, along with funding for two other groups. His reason was clear
Huntington’s disease is a rare neurodegenerative brain disease that is like having ALS, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s all at the same time.There is no cure, no treatment. Some of the symptoms of HD can be treated, but eventually a Huntington’s patient will be basically trapped inside their own bodies,
The economic news as of late hasn’t been great. Credit card debt is at record levels. Gas prices remain high. Interest rates are at a standstill. In the middle of that uncertainty, though, Mississippi received some encouraging news.This month, S&P Global Credit Ratings upgraded Mississippi’s credit
When you see a parent today, tell them about this exciting news: They now have a new tool to prepare their children for financial success. Last year’s tax cuts law provides a free $1,000 investment account to all Americans born from 2025 through 2028. And for every child in Mississippi born from 201
I voted in my first presidential election at the age of 18. My birthday that year fell ten days before our high school graduation.During my last semester of high school, I took the required civics/government class. One of our test scores was based on registering to vote. I did so and received the pr
A decade ago, Mississippi’s economic momentum wasn’t a given. Today, we’re seeing the results of sustained effort by state leaders and partners focused on long-term growth. The Magnolia State is among the leading states in real GDP growth and wage growth, and has recorded one of the lowest unemploym
Every few years, it seems some folks wake up one morning and decide the real problem in Mississippi is that citizens know too much about what their government is doing.This is one of those years.The Mississippi Public Records and Open Meetings Acts are called our “Sunshine Laws” for good reason. The
Mississippi could be a catalyst in the next great human advancement – the data and AI race with China. This month, SpaceX and xAI founder Elon Musk declared space the next battleground in this competition, envisioning orbital data centers powered by endless solar energy and made possible by Starship
America’s economy is entering a new phase: one that requires enormous amounts of reliable electricity. Artificial intelligence, data centers, advanced manufacturing, military installations, and modern infrastructure all depend on power that is available every hour of every day, no matter the weather
Enough. Enough with the excuses. Enough with the silos. Enough with defending the status quo and pretending that steady, extraordinarily incremental progress in Coastal Mississippi is good enough for a region with our assets, our location, and our history.The complacency we see around this gathering
December can be decision season for Mississippi families. As students receive semester grades and begin planning for life after graduation, one question rises to the top: How do we afford college without a lifetime of student debt?The answer is clear. Mississippi’s community colleges offer the lowes
Last week, the Mississippi Development Authority did something unprecedented with the recommendations surrounding remaining BP oil spill settlement funds: Executive Director Bill Cork reviewed the Gulf Coast Restoration Fund Advisory Board’s carefully ranked list of 16 projects, kept three smaller o
As we look to the future of Mississippi, there is a huge challenge ahead that must be prioritized and tackled – sooner rather than later. The State of Mississippi’s commitment to our State employees and retirees in the PERS system is unquestionable; it is a covenant the State has made with its emplo
Two days after Hurricane Katrina made landfall, with no phones and no power, Gov. Haley Barbour and I finally connected on a satellite phone. I offered one of the only things still standing that I controlled at the time: the conference room at the Sun Herald in Gulfport. I sent employees out in four
America’s 50 states have been described as laboratories for different policies. The late Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis said almost one-hundred years ago that “[i]t is one of the happy incidents of the federal system that a single courageous State may, if its citizens choose, serve as a labora
When Mississippi decided to legalize sports betting on a restricted basis back in 2018, we didn’t do it on a whim. We took our time, did it right, and built a system that makes sense for our people — not for politicians in Washington.We set up strong rules. Our Gaming Commission keeps a close eye on
I know what it feels like to be young, angry, and convinced that violence is the answer. I have been there. Decades ago, I fell in with the most radical wing of the Ku Klux Klan. I believed their tirades, followed their orders, and thought I was serving some greater cause. What I really did was thro
