Jan. 17: Oil Spill Recovery

In the wake of the BP oil spill on the Gulf Coast, state and federal entities have created a panel that is seeking comments for a preliminary recovery plan and damage assessment. Trudy Fisher is the executive director of the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality and the state's natural resource representative on the panel, and she explains what they are looking for from the public.

While Mississippi often gets publicity for its troubled education systems, one school in Canton has made significant strides towards improvement, raising its graduation rate from roughly one-third to 60% last year. Superintendent Dwight Luckett speaks with Jeffrey Hess about the school's recent successes.

The Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi is hosting a "super conference" this weekend, and Dr. Henry Anhalt will join as the keynote speaker. Dr. Anhalt discusses the development of the artificial pancreas and how this might change the future of type I (juvenile) diabetes.

Also, one Delta organization tackles the lack of access to fresh food in the area. The Delta is considered a "food desert," and out of the $1.3 billion per year spent on food, only 10% of it is raised in the region. Judy Belue, project coordinator of the Delta Fresh Foods Initiative, discusses how fresher food could lead to a healthier Mississippi.