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Senator Hyde-Smith Highlights USDA's $20 Million Wild-Caught Shrimp Purchase for Food Programs

Senator Hyde-Smith Highlights USDA's $20 Million Wild-Caught Shrimp Purchase for Food Programs

U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) has drawn attention to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) decision to acquire up to $20 million in surplus wild-caught shrimp products. These products are slated for distribution to schools and food banks across the nation. The purchase is being executed through the Section 32 Program, a standing initiative that enables the USDA to buy excess U.S. agricultural commodities for domestic food and nutrition assistance programs. This specific acquisition of wild-caught shrimp was announced in late August as part of a larger $156 million Section 32 purchase of domestic agricultural goods. Senator Hyde-Smith has consistently advocated for Section 32 purchases of Mississippi commodities, including a recent successful push for the USDA to purchase $20 million worth of farm-raised catfish in July.
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Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith Secures $4.25 Million Federal Award for Mississippi Telehealth Services

Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith Secures $4.25 Million Federal Award for Mississippi Telehealth Services

U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi), alongside U.S. Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and U.S. Congressman Michael Guest (R-Miss.), announced that the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) has been awarded $4.25 million in federal funding. This award, from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is for a five-year redesignation of UMMC as a Center of Excellence in Telehealth. The funding was appropriated by Congress through the Telehealth Centers of Excellence program, with Senators Wicker and Hyde-Smith and Congressman Guest advocating for its inclusion during the Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations cycle. UMMC is one of only two federally recognized Telehealth Centers of Excellence nationally, highlighting its leadership in expanding telehealth access and effectiveness. Senator Hyde-Smith, a member of the Senate appropriations subcommittee that funds HHS, emphasized the importance of maintaining federal resources for this initiative.
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Levi Strauss Co. Continues Civic Engagement Efforts for U.S. Election Season

Levi Strauss Co. Continues Civic Engagement Efforts for U.S. Election Season

Levi Strauss & Co. is continuing its long-standing tradition of promoting civic engagement during the U.S. election season. The company, which famously closed its doors on Election Day in 1864 to allow employees to vote, is now investing nearly $3 million through LS&Co. and the Levi Strauss Foundation (LSF) into nonprofit organizations. These organizations focus on supporting voter participation, fostering civic dialogue, and providing access to trusted, nonpartisan election information. Efforts include partnering with groups like The Conversationalist, LIVE FREE, and Everyday Democracy to host gatherings nationwide aimed at finding common ground among people. Additionally, the company is working to boost voter engagement among community college students, who historically vote at lower rates than students at four-year institutions. This involves voter engagement activities at 30 community college campuses and a public art initiative, Project HOPE, in collaboration with National Voter Registration Day and L...
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Mississippi Faces Potential $75 Million SNAP Cost as Federal Requirements Shift

Mississippi Faces Potential $75 Million SNAP Cost as Federal Requirements Shift

Mississippi could incur an estimated $75 million annually in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit costs under new federal requirements, effective fiscal year 2028. This comes as food pantries across the state report a significant increase in demand for assistance, with the Mississippi Food Network noting a 36% rise in visits from the previous year. Starting October 1, states will be responsible for 75% of SNAP administrative costs, up from 50%. Additionally, states may have to contribute directly to SNAP benefit costs based on their payment error rates. Mississippi's fiscal year 2025 payment error rate was 9.51%, which, if maintained, would place the state in the 10% cost-share tier, leading to the $75 million annual cost. Governor Tate Reeves has stated that reducing Mississippi's error rate below 8% is a priority, which would lower the state's annual cost to an estimated $40 million.
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Republican Nominee Jim Marter Challenges Rep. Lauren Underwood to Public Debate After Forum Cancellation

Republican Nominee Jim Marter Challenges Rep. Lauren Underwood to Public Debate After Forum Cancellation

Jim Marter, the Republican nominee for Congress in Illinois’ 14th District, has issued a public challenge to incumbent Congresswoman Lauren Underwood for an in-person, public debate. This challenge comes after the League of Women Voters, Naperville Chapter, canceled its candidate forum for the district. According to Marter, Underwood had previously declined his debate requests, agreeing only to candidate forums that were historically closed to the public, without press or recording. The League of Women Voters had invited Marter to a virtual 'Zoom style' forum, a format he deemed unacceptable for building trust with the electorate. Marter highlighted that the League knew his campaign would reject a virtual format but proceeded with it after Underwood had already confirmed her availability. He is now proposing an in-person debate on September 29th at 6:30 pm, at the Oswego Public Safety Campus, the location previously chosen by the League, or any other public, in-person, and video-recordable venue Underwood ...
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Mississippi Receives Federal Approval for WorkFlex Waiver to Streamline Workforce Development

Mississippi Receives Federal Approval for WorkFlex Waiver to Streamline Workforce Development

The U.S. Department of Labor has approved Mississippi's request for a WorkFlex waiver, a move designed to modernize federal regulations and streamline provisions within the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. This waiver aims to reduce administrative barriers, allowing Mississippi to better align workforce training with the state's economic development and employer needs. Governor Tate Reeves stated that WorkFlex grants the state the freedom to innovate, cut red tape, serve businesses more effectively, and help Mississippians acquire the necessary training and support for career success. The Mississippi Department of Employment Security (MDES) anticipates that this approval will enable faster acquisition of new employment sector skills by Mississippians, meeting current employer demands more efficiently.
USA TodayUSA Today
High school football schedule for USA TODAY Sports Super 15 teams in Week 4

High school football schedule for USA TODAY Sports Super 15 teams in Week 4

There won't be as many nationally ranked matchups this week but each region has its fair share intriguing showdowns.
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David Kerr Appointed General Manager of Mississippi Mud Monsters Baseball Team

David Kerr Appointed General Manager of Mississippi Mud Monsters Baseball Team

David Kerr Appointed General Manager of Mississippi Mud Monsters Baseball Team
AP NewsAP News
Pills are keeping abortion accessible even where it's banned. A court is considering restrictions

Pills are keeping abortion accessible even where it's banned. A court is considering restrictions

Louisiana is making its case in federal court that mifepristone, a key drug in the most common abortion method in the U.S., should not be prescribed by telehealth or dispensed anywhere but a medical facility
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Mississippi Mud Monsters Appoint David Kerr as General Manager, Signaling Focus on Fan Experience and Community Engagement

Mississippi Mud Monsters Appoint David Kerr as General Manager, Signaling Focus on Fan Experience and Community Engagement

Mississippi Mud Monsters Appoint David Kerr as General Manager, Signaling Focus on Fan Experience and Community Engagement
The Commercial AppealThe Commercial Appeal
Why there's a new No. 1 team in latest Memphis area Super 15 Football Rankings

Why there's a new No. 1 team in latest Memphis area Super 15 Football Rankings

Ahead of Week 4 of the TSSAA football season, the Memphis area Super 15 Football Rankings featured plenty of movement from top to bottom
The Commercial AppealThe Commercial Appeal
What was happening in Memphis history on Sept. 8? A look back through the years

What was happening in Memphis history on Sept. 8? A look back through the years

From a need for more institutions for mental patients in Tennessee to protests against fertilizer rates, here's what was making headlines.