Mississippi Edition Shows

Part three of our conversation with Interim State Superintendent Dr. John Jordan on the new state accountability model. The problem of growing bigger is growing bigger in Mississippi … and we’re talking about beer this morning, more specifically the economics of the state’s brewing industries.

In part one of a two part series...we talk with Interim State Superintendent of Education, Dr. John Jordan about present and future challenges faced by K-12 public education in the state. We get a preview of a documentary that premiers on MPB television this Sunday - "The Gulf Islands Mississippi's Wilderness Shore". The Carlow Choir is a 150 member sacred anthem group based in Hattiesburg. We’ll find out what they’re singing about. And a review of the new Bruce Willis film – “Surrogates.”

A lawsuit over treatment of state troopers has been filed by Mississippi’s NAACP. Today we talk with Commissioner of Public Safety, Steve Simpson, about that lawsuit and the ongoing investigation by the Department of Justice. September is National Cholesterol Awareness Month. We’ll find out about the good kind, the bad kind and why it’s important to know the difference …and this weekend there is a fun family-oriented event happening in Jackson. We'll find out about Wellsfest and how it puts money back into the community's non-profit organizations.

Healthcare reform might have one unintended consequence…the creation of a massive doctor shortage. We’ll find out about a new report showing just how many doctors Mississippi could need. State Auditor Stacey Pickering talks about American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds and how they will be monitored for fraud. You might not recognize the name Dan Whitney but you might recognize this...we speak with Larry the Cable Guy about his Mississippi roots and we’ll wrap up this action packed show with sports commentary from MPB’s Jay White.

We'll start today's show with remarks made during Governor Haley Barbours address to the state on state spending and budget cuts...then we'll discuss today's summit on turning around underperforming schools. We’ll talk with three participants with different perspectives on how to achieve that goal.

Has the housing market rebounded? Reports indicate a definite “Maybe.” We’ll talk with Millsaps College Finance Assistant Professor, Dr. Bill Brister. The HBO hit, “True Blood” features an actress who has set up house in Columbus, Mississippi because she prefers the slower pace a small town can offer. A conversation with Tanya Wright. Plus, Mississippi Edition sports commentator Jay White looks at swine flu's effect on sports.

Congressman Gregg Harper, representing Mississippi’s 3rd district, joins us with his take on President Obama’s speech to congress on overhauling Healthcare. And today's Mississippi Edition book segment takes a look at the exclusive world of professional football.

Suicide is the third leading cause of death among teenagers in Mississippi. What’s being done to address this disturbing trend among our youngest and most vulnerable citizens? We’ll talk with Chris Jones with the Mississippi Department of Mental Health about shattering the silence surrounding suicide.

Governor Haley Barbour has announced almost 170-million dollars in budget cuts for the upcoming fiscal year. How will those cuts affect the state's educational system? Find out. The National Association of Educators is putting money into high-need schools across the nation...we talked with Director John Wilson about the push for board certified teachers. And Mississippi Edition movie reviwer Anita Modak Truran has the scoop on "Extract".

Preparing for a pandemic. What’s the role of the Department of Homeland Security should the H1N1 virus reach epidemic proportions in the state and how will other state agencies prepare and respond? How do Mississippi's crop's look this season? Has there been too much rain or not enough? We are joined by Andy Prosser from the Mississippi Department of Agriculture for an end-of-summer crop report. Plus, an opportunity for high school students to try their hand at governing through the U.S. Senate Youth Program.