The Mississippi State Board of Education (SBE) voted today to suspend three statewide policies regarding assessment and accountability to manage the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on the 2020-21 school year. All required state and federal assessments will be administered this school year as usual. However, the policy suspensions mean schools and districts will not be assigned A-F letter grades for their performance during the 2020-21 school year, 3rd graders do not have to pass a reading test to qualify for promotion, and high school students do not have to pass end-of-course assessments to meet graduation requirements. Below is a summary of the key statewide policy suspensions enacted today. View the SBE meeting back-up material on the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) website for full details and additional policy suspensions for the 2020-21 school year. 3rd Graders Current 3rd graders will take the 3rd Grade Reading/Language Arts assessment. Students are not required to meet a passing score on the assessment to be promoted to 4th grade for the 2021-22 school year. Students still must meet all other district requirements for promotion. High School Students All eligible students who take required end-of-course high school assessments including Algebra I, English II, Biology and U.S. History in the 2020-21 school year are not required to meet a passing score to meet high school graduation requirements. Students must meet all other state and district requirements to graduate. A-F Accountability Grades for Schools and Districts Schools and districts will not be assigned A-F letter grades for their performance in the 2020-21 school year because the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) will not have sufficient data to calculate grades based on state and federal requirements. Schools and districts will retain their most recent letter grades earned in the 2018-19 school year. The MDE will calculate and report the results of all statewide assessments administered during the 2020-21 school year and will submit information and a waiver request to the U.S. Department of Education to meet federal requirements for assessment and accountability. “This year’s statewide assessments will provide valuable information about the impact of COVID-19 on learning and will help identify where accelerated learning opportunities for students are most needed,” said Dr. Carey Wright, state superintendent of education. “The policy suspensions are intended to support schools through this intensely challenging year for educators and students.”

A Copiah County player who purchased a Mega Millions ticket in Mississippi has won $1 million! A ticket sold at RBs One Stop on Highway 28 in Hazlehurst for last night’s Mega Millions drawing matched all five white ball winning numbers worth $1 million. The player did not choose the Megaplier option and chose to remain anonymous. The winning Mega Millions numbers from last night’s drawing are: 10-19-26-28-50 with a Mega Ball of 16 and a Megaplier of 2x. “Last night’s $1 million Mega Millions winner is the second millionaire to win playing Mega Millions in Mississippi,” said Mississippi Lottery Corporation (MLC) President Tom Shaheen. “A Gautier woman won $2 million for the June 9, 2020, Mega Millions drawing. This is really exciting for Mississippi. Even if you did not hit the big jackpot, it is very important to check your numbers!” The Mega Millions jackpot continues its roll and is currently at an estimated $970 million for Friday, January 22, 2021. The new cash value is now estimated at $716.3 million. The Powerball jackpot for the drawing tonight, January 20, is $730 million with a cash value at an estimated $546 million.

The Mississippi College Office of Academic Affairs releases the President's List and the Dean's List after the close of fall and spring semesters each academic year. Amelia Morehead of Wesson was named to the Fall 2020 President's List at Mississippi College To be eligible for the President's List, a student must maintain a 4.0 grade point average, based on a 4.0 system. The student must take a full course load of at least 12 semester hours of undergraduate credit with all academic courses impacting their grade point average. Three people from Wesson were named to the Dean's List: Kierra Brown of Wesson Michaela Cooper of Wesson Woodrow Killingsworth of Wesson To be eligible for the Dean's List, a student must maintain a 3.5 grade point average, based on a 4.0 system. The student must take a full course load of at least 12 semester hours of undergraduate credit with all academic courses impacting their grade point average. Mississippi College, affiliated with the Mississippi Baptist Convention, is a private, co-educational, Christian university of liberal arts and sciences serving more than 5,100 students, from 40 states and more than three dozen countries. Founded in 1826, Mississippi College is the oldest institution of higher learning in Mississippi, the largest private university in the state and America's second oldest Baptist college. Mississippi College is home to 84 areas of undergraduate study, 16 graduate programs, a doctor of jurisprudence, a doctor of education leadership degree and a doctor of professional counseling degree. Mississippi College seeks to be a university recognized for academic excellence and commitment to the cause of Christ.

Governor Tate Reeves announced John Rounsaville as the leader of the Mississippi Development Authority. He has been serving as Interim Director of the MDA since May of 2020. Rounsaville was appointed by President Donald Trump to serve as State Director for USDA Rural Development. He holds many distinctions for his military service, including the Air Force Meritorious Service, Commendation, and Achievement Medals, Global War on Terrorism Service Ribbon, and Mississippi War Medal. He also currently serves as a JAG and Major at the 186th in the Mississippi Air Force National Guard. "He’s done an exceptional job in his interim capacity," Governor Reeves said. "He’s earned the respect of Mississippi businesses across the state, because they know he’s pulling for them. And he’s helped us win in the competition for jobs and expansions."

Governor Tate Reeves announced two appointments for South Mississippi. Governor Reeves appointed Joel Smith to the Mississippi Court of Appeals. Smith was the former district attorney of Harrison County for nearly a decade. The second appointment was to Crosby Parker to serve as the new District Attorney for the 2nd Circuit Court District. "These men are going to bring a devoted spirit and unbeatable work ethic," Governor Reeves said. "I’m excited to see what they can accomplish, and proud to be a part of this great day!"

The Mississippi Lottery Corporation (MLC) reminds players to stay aware and alert as they play Mississippi Lottery games. Fraud accounts and scammers never take a break, especially around the holidays and new year. “Fake lottery scams are fairly common,” said MLC President Tom Shaheen. “You can receive a phone call, e-mail, text and even social media message that is seemingly real. Do not be fooled. Stay aware and play responsibly. “We were informed today of a scam going around where Mississippians have received telephone calls regarding a second chance at winning the Mega Millions® jackpot,” he continued. “If you should receive such a call, you should immediately hang up. In addition, if you receive this information by email, text, social media message, or any other method of communication, do not respond. This is a scam.” Some reminders: The Mississippi Lottery does not contact the winner. We don’t even know who the winner is until they step forward to claim a prize. In online games such as Powerball®, the lottery knows only the winning numbers drawn and where the ticket was sold. The winner must keep their ticket and confirm to lottery officials the numbers on the ticket. If a winner does not step forward with the winning numbers, no one wins the prize. A legitimate lottery never asks winners to pay taxes upfront. All federal and state taxes are paid before the lottery releases the money to the winner. Lotteries of foreign countries are illegal in the United States. No legitimate foreign lottery sells tickets in the United States. If you have been contacted by a lottery claiming to be affiliated with the government of another country, it is a scam. Finally, if you did not buy a ticket, you cannot win a lottery prize. If you have been contacted by a “lottery” claiming you won a prize, but you have never purchased a ticket, it is a scam. If you think you’re a victim of fraud or attempted fraud by someone posing as a representative of the Mississippi Lottery Corporation, please report it to the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office, Consumer Protection Division at (601) 359-4230 or toll-free at (800) 281-4418.

The 2020-21 season celebrates Opera Mississippi’s 75th anniversary. The company had planned a series of live cabarets and performances that would continue their tradition of providing high quality musical offerings to the Jackson metropolitan area and the state of Mississippi. However, as with most all performing arts organizations, they are in a position of not being able to do live performances because of the COVID-19 virus. Singing has been identified as one of the most significant ways of spreading aerosols, so in order to keep performers and patrons safe, they have chosen not to present professional vocal performances until such time it is safe to do so. Therefore, the Lady Sings the Blues event, featuring Rhonda Richmond, which was scheduled for Monday, January 18, 2021, at Duling Hall, has been postponed until September 2021. Also, Letters from Puccini scheduled for February, has been postponed until February 2022. At this point, all other performances are still planned to be live, but pending the virus situation, may be postponed. There will also be 3 more virtual offerings in the near future featuring a variety of vocal performers. In lieu of live performances, Opera Mississippi has chosen to present virtual events. The first of these is an interview with Rhonda Richmond. The interview features another one of Mississippi’s most notable arts figures, Malcolm White. The video is available beginning Friday, January 15 at operams.org and through their social media channels. Click here to read Richmond’s bio . For more information please contact Opera Mississippi at 601-960-2300 or info@operams.org.

As cold weather sweeps through Mississippi and residents take advantage of reliable, affordable natural gas to efficiently heat their homes, Atmos Energy’s natural gas system is experiencing no issues thanks to significant investments made over the past several years to further modernize its infrastructure. “Atmos Energy is proud to serve more than 260,000 customers in 121 communities across the state. We’ve invested more than $280 million to modernize our Mississippi system, which has resulted in the installation of more than 2.1 million feet of gas pipe over the past five years,” said Bobby Morgan, Atmos Energy Vice President of Public Affairs for the Mississippi division. “We have also retired 984,192 feet of gas main with new pipe that will ensure we meet the energy needs of our customers well into the future. Throughout our Mississippi territory we are engaged in targeted enhancements to our system. This work includes repairs, replacements, and reinforcement projects. Dedicating such significant resources supports our vision of being the safest provider of natural gas services, and we are pleased that our customers are enjoying the benefits of reliable service during this early cold snap.” Low temperatures are forecasted for the next several days, which has the potential to impact critical infrastructure in many areas of the state. “This type of weather can present challenges for any utility company,” added Morgan. “Because we took steps to further modernize our natural gas system, Atmos Energy customers will continue to enjoy the heat they need when they need it most.”

The Mississippi Public Service Commission conducted its monthly open meeting on Tuesday to consider and discuss matters pending before the Commission. One item on the agenda focused on the establishment of a new docket for the purpose of reviewing the Mississippi Net Metering and Interconnection Rules. The Commission adopted the Net Metering and Interconnection rules five years ago, which contained a mandatory reopener provision. Today, the Commission moved to open a new docket to review the efficacy of the rules and will proceed with a thorough and comprehensive fact gathering process. “This reopening allows utility customers, stakeholders, all utilities over which the Commission has jurisdiction, and other interested parties to intervene in this docket,” Commissioner Bailey said. “Any parties who wish to file written comments must file a motion to intervene within 20 days. A schedule for accepting comments will be announced in a future order.” Additional items on the agenda included a net rate decrease by Entergy Mississippi. The net rate decrease is a result of adjustments to their Energy Cost Rider, Power Management Rider, Unit Power Cost Rider, MISO Rider, Energy Efficiency Rider, Grid Modernization Rider and Restructuring Credit. “A residential customer of Entergy Mississippi using an average of 1,000 kWh per month can expect a total decrease of $3.11 to their monthly utility bill beginning with the February billing cycle,” Commissioner Bailey said. “We appreciate Entergy Mississippi’s continuing efforts to maintain competitive utility rates for homes and businesses. I applaud the dedication of utility companies in our state to provide reliable, affordable power in addition to the positive impacts they have on our economy and job growth.” Commissioner Bailey concludes by stating, “Last January, I attended my first docket meeting as a new Commissioner. It has been an honor to serve as your Commissioner this past year and I along with my fellow Commissioners will continue the positive work of the Mississippi Public Service Commission.”

As of 11 a.m. CST, the Mega Millions jackpot for tonight, January 12, just jumped again to an estimated annuity jackpot of $625 million! The new cash value is now estimated at $458.8 million. The Powerball jackpot for tomorrow, January 13, remains at an estimated annuity jackpot of $550 million. The cash value is estimated at $411.4 million.

Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) crews are preparing for potential winter weather conditions Sunday and Monday as cold air and precipitation are forecast to move through Mississippi. “With a winter event, MDOT bases its response from information issued by the National Weather Service (NWS),” Melinda McGrath, P.E., MDOT executive director. “Crews in areas that could potentially be affected by winter weather will be monitoring local forecasts and riding the highways throughout the evening and into the early morning.” Current weather reports from NWS show a potential for snow and ice Sunday night north of the Natchez Trace corridor. Up to two inches of snow may be possible. Bridges and elevated surfaces may freeze. MDOT is preparing equipment by installing salt spreaders on trucks and making sure all response vehicles are fueled and running properly. Crews are stocking salt, sand and asphalt slag piles. Overnight, crews will be riding the highways to treat problem areas as they are found. “Initially, we treat the roadway with salt as temperatures drop and icy conditions occur,” McGrath said. “Depending on the temperature drop and precipitation mix, we also combine the salt with slag for increased traction. Motorists should always slow down and drive carefully in winter weather conditions.” To assist the traveling public in preparing for potential winter weather conditions, MDOT offers these safe driving tips. Remember, ice will form on bridges and overpasses quicker than the road. Slow down; should winter weather conditions become present, black ice can form. Allow more space between the vehicles around you. Brake early and gently to avoid skidding, and never slam on the brakes. Avoid distractions, such as talking or texting on a cell phone. Stay alert. “MDOT will be monitoring the weather so the appropriate response efforts can be activated,” McGrath said. “The best thing you can do to stay safe is pay attention to local weather forecasts and advisories, and alerts from the Mississippi Highway Patrol and local law enforcement. Everyone should stay off the roads if they become unsafe for travel due to winter weather conditions.” For more information and tips on how to prepare for winter weather conditions, visit GoMDOT.com/winter. For real-time road conditions on Mississippi’s highways and bridges, visit MDOTtraffic.com and follow @MississippiDOT on Facebook and Twitter.

Today Commissioner Sean Tindell announced the launch of Mississippi’s Most Wanted list. This list is compiled by the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation in conjunction with law enforcement agencies throughout the state and includes ten of Mississippi’s most wanted fugitives. The list is available at www.dps.ms.gov/ms-most-wanted and on the Mississippi Department of Public Safety’s social media platforms. “It is my hope that with this list, Mississippians can help capture the fugitives labeled as Mississippi’s Most Wanted,” said Governor Tate Reeves. “We can work together and make this great state safer.” “The individuals on this list pose a very serious threat to our communities,” said Commissioner Sean Tindell. “We are asking for the public’s assistance in locating these individuals. It is our hope that Mississippi’s Most Wanted list will increase exposure and lead to the capture and arrest of these fugitives.” If you have information on the whereabouts of any of the individuals on Mississippi’s Most Wanted list, please contact Crime Stoppers at 1-888-8CRIMES (1-888-827-4637). Callers may remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward for information leading to an arrest and indictment of the suspect. It is important to note that all individuals charged with a crime are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of competent jurisdiction.