Tuesday, Dec. 20 Child Predators

Virtually every day we hear allegations of child predators in the news. Such news is troubling enough when high-profile cases like Penn State make national headlines. But it could be even more troubling when we hear about people in our own communities who have been hurt. Tasha Smith is certainly qualified to address the issue. She is in charge of Prevention programs at the MDHS Department of Family and Children Services. And she was a victim of abuse as a child. She joins us now, and says that parents always need to be on the look-out.

Then, Mississippi lost a 50 million dollar opportunity when it was announced the state would  not be getting federal Race to the Top dollars - money offered to states with innovative approaches to early learning. But many policymakers aren't ready to give up on early ed just yet.  MPB's Southern Education Desk reporter, Annie Gilbertson, spoke with education policy expert Rachel Canter, about what Mississippi could learn from this loss by looking at who won.

Also, the National Transportation Safety Board is recommending cell phones and other electronic devices be prohibited while driving, except for emergencies.  The board made the recommendation after an accident in Missouri where a 19-year-old driver sent or received 11 text messages in the 11 minutes before the crash. The driver and a 15-year-old student were killed and 38 others  injured.  Trooper Ray Hall, a public affairs officer for the Mississippi Highway Patrol, joins MPB's Jeffrey Hess.