May 2008

One hundred fifty Mississippi national troops are flying into Gulfport this week after completing a year long tour of duty in Iraq. MPB's Gary Michiels was their when the first wave arrived.

It now lies in the hands of Mississippi legislators to decide if voters have to show their IDs at the poll or not. On Wednesday, the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a ruling that would have forced Mississippians to register party alliance to vote in primaries and show a government-issued I. D. when voting. MPB's Sandra Knispel reports.

The smaller towns and cities on the western end of the Gulf Coast received the brunt of the damage from Hurricane Katrina. And as MPB's Gary Michiels reports each community struggles with one common obstacle to rebuilding – “Increasing Insurance rates.”

Nearly 2,000 premature babies die each year in Mississippi. The state leads the nation in the number of still born babies and those who die before their 1st birthday. MPB's Lawayne Childrey reports on how volunteers are helping families cope with their loss.

As the opening of the 2008 hurricane season approaches, emergency management agencies along the Gulf Coast are making final preparations. And as MPB's Gary Michiels reports, emergency shelters are a top priority.

Legislators have two new items to work on during the special session. MPB's Stephen Koranda reports.

As we near the end of Mental Health Awareness Month and in today's Health News, we hear from Psychologist, Dr. Marty Allen on the most common types of mental illness, best forms of treatment and what keeps people from seeking help.

Every seventy-nine seconds in the United States, a family home fire occurs. MPB's Gary Michiels reports, many of these devastating events could be prevented if communities adopt “fire wise” prevention techniques.

D'Lo Mississippi is a small town just south of Jackson off Highway 49. During World War II no other town in the country could match it for patriotism. In a special Memorial Day report this morning, MPB's Ron Brown takes us to D'Lo, the home of the brave.