When it comes to legislation, and in ballot initiatives, “the devil is in the details.”  We’ve heard much in recent months about the Medical Marijuana Initiative 65 and its legislative alternative, Initiative 65A.  Many news articles have been written, many personal testimonials given about why many people want medical marijuana as an option, and many opposing viewpoints exist as well. But how many people have actually read the six pages of proposed constitutional amendment known as Initiative 65?  The other day I sat down and read it, word for word.  It’s too bad the six-page change to our State Constitution won’t be printed on the ballot.  If it were, I have no doubt it would not pass.  And it won’t pass with my vote.  Whether you are for or against the general concept of “medical marijuana,” I urge you to seriously consider what I am about to say and do not vote for this misguided Initiative 65. The proposed Initiative 65 is being well funded by out-of-state interests and supported by some well-meaning Mississippians.  But what you probably have not heard is, if enacted, this proposed amendment would give complete constitutional control over “medical marijuana” to an unelected, unaccountable Mississippi State Department of Health. You heard me correctly.  By voting for Initiative 65, you will be giving complete and total authority over marijuana in Mississippi to an unelected state agency that will then have the unquestioned power to issue rules with the force of law over the “tracking and labelling” of medical marijuana; qualifications for processing medical marijuana; medical marijuana identification cards; standards for testing facilities; use of marijuana in nursing homes; reciprocal agreements with other states; qualifications for caregivers and treatment centers; implementation and operation of a “statewide data base system” and penalties for violations. The Mississippi State Department of Health already has a huge scope of authority in our lives as we are witnessing every day during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Why in the name of anything decent would Mississippians vote to give complete and total control over medical marijuana to the Mississippi Department of Health?  Why would we vote to give complete and total control over anything to ANY unelected state agency? This Initiative 65 is the exact opposite of what it means to be conservative.  If you vote in support of Initiative 65 you are voting to support a state-run and state-controlled marijuana industry.  Can you imagine the level of corruption that would result from such an industry in our State? Can you imagine marijuana dispensaries in every commercial location in Mississippi, offering marijuana for anyone walking in with some form of pain?  I’ve seen examples in other states of marijuana dispensaries set up in old abandoned motels, complete with billboard advertisements, and we don’t need that in Mississippi.  It’s wrong for our families. Did you know this Constitutional amendment would require a statewide tracking database of users?  Will the federal ATF be able to monitor it and revoke your freedom to buy a firearm, to hunt, or even revoke your concealed carry license because now you are violating federal laws against possession or use of marijuana? Initiative 65 is wrong for so many reasons - I’ve outlined just a few.  Initiative 65 is wrong for Mississippi.  As a proven conservative in our State, I am urging you to not support Initiative 65.  If you want to support the concept, vote against Initiative 65 and vote for the alternative 65A.  At least with the alternative 65A you retain a voice through the legislative process and the ballot box.  But whatever you do, don’t vote for Initiative 65.  Don’t give the Mississippi Department of Health yet another stranglehold over your personal healthcare and freedom.  We have enough of that already. Andy Gipson-Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce

JACKSON— Governor Tate Reeves announced that a milestone of over 2,000 Mississippians have enrolled in the ReSkill Mississippi initiative (ReSkillMS) within the first 30 days of the program. ReSkillMS is designed to help ease the economic burden and uncertainty the COVID-19 pandemic has created for our state's workers by providing training at community colleges or on-the-job training. As of Friday, September 5th, a total of 2,071 Mississippians were enrolled and participating in short-term training or on-the-job training made possible through ReSkillMS, and 71 employers were expanding as a result of the program. “ReSkill Mississippi is already helping thousands of Mississippians. We have expanded training capacity in our community college system, and I encourage any Mississippian wanting a better career to enroll,” said Governor Tate Reeves. “I also encourage more companies to sign up and receive cost assistance for new employees receiving on-the-job training. We must continue to fight this pandemic on the economic front just as aggressively as we are fighting it on the healthcare front.” ReSkillMS, which was announced on August 5, was created as a direct result of the Governor’s Commission on Economic Recovery's recommendation that significant dollars from the CARES Act recovery funds be used for workforce training to help lift the economic burden on our workforce from the pandemic. The State Workforce Investment Board (SWIB), the Mississippi Department of Employment Security (MDES), and Mississippi’s four local workforce areas collaborated to develop the program. ReSkillMS allows Mississippians out-of-work or those working reduced hours to “re-skill” in order to help prepare them for and fill high-demand, higher paying jobs across our state. “We have long had more skilled jobs available than people trained to fill them, but this program can help thousands of Mississippians retrain for the skills needed for higher paying jobs," said SWIB Chairman Patrick Sullivan. "I believe this program will play an important role in sustaining a vibrant and growing Mississippi economy, and it is the type of effort that Mississippi should look to continue long after the CARES Act and the COVID-19 pandemic are gone." The Mississippi Legislature appropriated $55 million of the $1.25 billion in federal relief funds sent to Mississippi under the CARES Act to support our state's workers and employers. Working to maximize those funds, the Governor and a coalition of the state's workforce leaders created ReSkillMS, an innovative new program to train individuals for good-paying jobs most needed right now and into our state's future. The direct beneficiaries of ReSkillMS are Mississippians furloughed, laid off, or otherwise having economic damages and who received unemployment benefits from MDES, as well as Mississippi employers seeking to hire Mississippians immediately and train them on the job. Employers willing to hire and train individuals in the workplace are eligible to be reimbursed for up to 75% of the individual’s wages during the training period for jobs paying over $15 per hour and for up to 50% for wages under $15 per hour. Individuals and employers interested in the program should go online to ReSkillMS.com to complete the appropriate survey. An official from Mississippi’s workforce offices nearby will reach out to the individual to guide them through the application process. If individuals have not heard from anyone within seven days of submitting an application, they can emailReSkillMS@mdes.ms.govto follow up.

JACKSON, Miss. – For the third consecutive year, Mississippi earned national recognition for its progress in education, climbing to be among the top five states or jurisdictions with the greatest improvement, according to the latest Quality Counts report published in Education Week. Mississippi ranked second among states with the most improved states, excluding the jurisdiction of Washington, D.C. The report examines achievement in school systems from prekindergarten through grade 12 and socioeconomic factors leading to success in adulthood. Mississippi earned an overall grade of C-minus (70.5 out of 100 points), inching closer to the national average. The nation’s overall grade was a C (72.8 out of 100 points). Mississippi, District of Columbia, South Dakota and Louisiana all saw their overall scores improve. The Quality Counts report is released in three phases based on indicators for opportunities for success, school funding and achievement. In February, Mississippi was recognized for gaining 6.2 points in the Chance-for-Success Index, improving its grade from a D+ in 2008 to a C in 2020. The report stated key advances in family income, parental education levels, parental employment, 4th grade reading, and 8th grade math contributed to the state’s success. Mississippi also made the most progress in the nation on the K-12 Achievement Index from 2019 to 2020. Its score jumped by 5.2 points during that time fueled by increases in the percentage of 4th grade students proficient in math and reading on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). “This is outstanding national recognition for our teachers and leaders in the state. We have challenged students to meet higher standards of learning, and they are succeeding,” said Dr. Carey Wright, state superintendent of education. “This is validation that over time, we can change the trajectory of public education in Mississippi and raise expectations for what our students can do.” In 2019, Mississippi achieved the No. 1 spot in the nation for gains on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), known as the Nation’s Report Card. NAEP measures student proficiency in 4th and 8th grade reading and mathematics, and Mississippi was the only state in the nation to show significant increases in three of the four NAEP subjects. Washington, D.C., was the only jurisdiction to show gains in three of four subjects.

Jackson, Mississippi - On Saturday, September 12th, 2020 at 7:30pm, the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra is presenting a free digital broadcast in celebration of its highly successful eventless gala, “SUSTAIN THE NOTES”. The program cast will feature moving remarks by Music Director Crafton Beck from his living room, accompanied by entertaining and uplifting music from our musicians, safe at home. Music includes three digital presentations by MSO musicians from their homes, including Ravel’s Bolero, a portion of Dvorak’s Eighth Symphony, and a fun PDQ Bach spoof for “two unfriendly groups of instruments.” The public is invited to attend the free broadcast at rebrand.ly/MSOshow. Gala Digital Program available beginning Saturday, September 12th @ 7:30pm, or any time/day thereafter. For more information, please contact: bwyatt@msorchestra.com

Students attending Mississippi Public Universities join all Mississippians in the race against the coronavirus pandemic. In fact, recent information from the Mississippi State Department of Health shows that the 18-29 age group has had more diagnosed COVID-19 cases that any other age group in the state. The offices of university communications from all eight public universities in Mississippi pulled together to create a system video to encourage all students to realize they are in the driver’s seat when it comes to preventing the virus and to follow the recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control. “Our students, like all of us, want their lives to return to normal as soon as possible,” said Dr. Alfred Rankins Jr., Commissioner of Higher Education. “The video highlights the smart choices we can make to help stop the spread of the virus and make progress toward returning to a more traditional campus living and learning environment. It is important to remember that if we all take these simple steps together, it can have a powerful, positive impact.” The Centers for Disease Control recommends following these six simple steps to help stop the spread of COVID-19: Wash your hands often Avoid close contact Cover your mouth and nose with a mask when around others Cover coughs and sneezes Clean and disinfect Monitor your health daily Students who experience any symptoms of COVID-19 should follow campus guidelines for reporting their symptoms, seeking care and staying apart from others. The Centers for Disease Control has identified several symptoms, which may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19: Fever or chills Cough Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing Fatigue Muscle or body aches Headache New loss of taste or smell Sore throat Congestion or runny nose Nausea or vomiting Diarrhea Executive produced by David Garraway, Director of the University Television Center at Mississippi State University, the video encourages students to make smart choices now to help reach the finish line on the changes brought about by the pandemic and return to normal. The Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning governs the public universities in Mississippi, including Alcorn State University; Delta State University; Jackson State University; Mississippi State University including the Mississippi State University Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine; Mississippi University for Women; Mississippi Valley State University; the University of Mississippi including the University of Mississippi Medical Center; and the University of Southern Mississippi.

JACKSON, Miss. – Child care facility workers in Mississippi can now receive free drive-through COVID-19 testing at selected Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) community testing locations conducted at many county health departments, and at the West Street Farmers Market in Jackson. K-12 teachers, staff, school administrators and child care workers of Mississippi licensed child care facilities can be tested regardless of whether they show symptoms or have had close contact with someone positive for the virus. They must receive an appointment by completing an online questionnaire found at https://covidschedule.umc.edu/. For a list of scheduled testing sites, visit http://HealthyMS.com/page/14,22406,420,874.html. Keep up with the latest COVID-19 information by downloading the free MS Ready mobile app or follow MSDH by email and social media at www.HealthyMS.com/connect.

Governor Tate Reeves said, “It just didn’t work right for the people of Mississippi. It was frustrating, confusing, and slow. Today, we’re announcing some new efforts to change that. It will help Mississippians to skip the line and get in-and-out quickly. That helps with COVID-19 safety. It’s also just better. It treats the people of Mississippi the way they deserve to be treated--with respect for your time and wise use of your tax dollars. I’m grateful to Commissioner Tindell and everyone who has worked diligently on this effort.” Newly appointed Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell said, “We are committed to reducing the lines at our Driver Service Bureaus. Shortly after taking office, we identified several redundancies in our processes related to renewals of driver’s licenses and firearm permits. We have worked diligently to remove these redundancies, resulting in reduced processing times for customers.” The Mississippi Department of Public Safety is excited to offer the “Skip the Line” program to our customers. The program includes several new components to reduce customer wait times. • Online Appointment System: Effective September 14, 2020, customers can schedule an appointment at the location of their choice in the Troop K (Gulf Coast) and Troop C (Jackson Metro) Regions. This feature will be available statewide on October 1, 2020. All appointments will be given priority service over walk-in customers. • Skip the Line Cam: Customers can view the lines at all major Driver License stations prior to arriving by visiting https://www.driverservicebureau.dps.ms.gov/live-feeds. This feature will be available at all troop locations on October 1, 2020. • Online/Mail-In Firearm Renewal: Effective immediately, all firearm permit renewal applications will be mail-in only. Firearm permit renewal applications are available online at https://www.driverservicebureau.dps.ms.gov/Firearms/Home. This program will eliminate the need to renew in person and the requirement that customers be fingerprinted for a firearm permit renewal. • Removal of Alphabet Schedule: Effective October 1, 2020, all services (including processing of new firearm permits) will be available every day of the week. For additional information about the “Skip the Line” program, please visit our website at https://www.dps.ms.gov/ or https://www.driverservicebureau.dps.ms.gov/.

The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE), in partnership with Mississippi First, has launched a new website for Mississippi teachers to increase teacher access to high-quality instructional materials. The site, Mississippi Instructional Materials Matter, offers a centralized location for Mississippi math and social studies teachers to review high-quality, standards-aligned materials that have been evaluated and adopted by other Mississippi teachers and school districts. When teachers have access to high-quality instructional materials or curriculum, students succeed at a higher rate. “We know the instructional materials teachers use are essential to ensuring student success in the classroom and beyond," said Dr. Carey Wright, state superintendent of education. “The Mississippi Department of Education is dedicated to providing teachers and school districts with the tools and resources they need to evaluate and provide high-quality materials to our students.” The new website provides resources about the materials selection process at the state and district levels. It also identifies the materials the MDE has reviewed and adopted as high-quality. Mississippi teachers can use this site to evaluate their current materials and find tools to encourage their district leaders to provide access to and training for standards-aligned materials. This will help teachers find instructional materials that meet student needs. The MDE will finalize its high-quality instructional materials list and rubric for English Language Arts (ELA) by the end of 2020. Once formally adopted, the ELA materials will be uploaded to the site. Visit Mississippi Instructional Materials Matter at msinstructionalmaterials.org.

There’s a $14 billion dollar industry that wants to sell their product in Mississippi. It’s backed by powerful and wealthy investment firms. Studies show their product is harmful to our health and will put our kids and vulnerable populations at risk. Yet, this out-of-state industry has devised a scheme to give themselves special protections in our state constitution and they won’t pay any sales taxes – so no money for our schools, roads or cities. They want a free ride, but there’s good news. We can stop them. All we have to do is vote NO to Initiative 65 and tell the marijuana industry they are not going to get a free ride in Mississippi. Tobacco, gaming and alcohol companies share something in common with main street businesses.  They all pay sales tax to help fund our local and state needs. Big Marijuana not only doesn’t want to pay their fair share, but they want this evasion of taxation enshrined in our state constitution. This is outrageously bad public policy! We don’t need to give welfare to an industry larger than the NFL. Big Marijuana wants to take your money and leave Mississippi families, teachers, healthcare workers, and law enforcement with the mess they help create. Make no mistake – it’s all about MONEY. They will tell you they just want to help sick people, but they are a predatory industry. They have already fed on the compassion of many other states and now they are selling the same scheme here. There are lot of investment firms and wealthy people making many millions by investing in companies selling marijuana across our country. The former CEO of Big Pharma Oxycontin is now in the marijuana industry and the tobacco companies have invested billions in the last few years. If you liked BIG TOBACCO, you are going to love BIG MARIJUANA. It’s the same scheme – just decades later. Sell a product that causes permanent damage to people while claiming it has no ill effects and make as much money as you can for as long as you can. They say it’s about compassion, but follow the money. They’ve already spent over $3 million to insert their business plan into our State Constitution and will spend much more this fall to position themselves to make a lot of money selling marijuana. We need to stop Initiative 65. It’s a bad mistake. They call it “medical marijuana” and appeal to people’s natural concern for the sick. Who could be against helping the sick? Well, no one, of course. That’s why it is all BIG MARIJUANA ev er talks about, but the U.S. Surgeon General has stated there is no such thing as “medical marijuana” and emphasizes that it’s a “dangerous drug.” And here is more you need to know… Initiative 65 inserts marijuana permanently in our State Constitution. The Constitution rarely changes and is beyond the reach of the governor and legislature to regulate. In other words, it will take another statewide referendum to fix any oversights in Initiative 65. And there are plenty of problems. Initiative 65 would empower an un-elected group of 11 Mississippians to run this new industry with unprecedented taxing, spending and regulatory authority inconsistent with our system of government and not answerable to the State Legislature or any elected official. Doctors would be able to give Mississippians the legal right to smoke five ounces of marijuana per month. That translates to about 10 joints per day or 300 per month. Whoa! Think of the impact on our workforce, driving safety and young people. Physicians could certify patients with a broad array of medical conditions to use marijuana, including “pain”. It’s a mighty slippery slope other states have already slid down. Anyone, including teenagers, with a headache could be legally allowed to smoke marijuana. Mississippi needs to take a cautious and wise approach to marijuana. Adding it to our State Constitution is neither. Studies have shown that marijuana use negatively affects individuals’ processing speed, reasoning, executive function and memory. Furthermore, studies confirm young people who regularly use marijuana under the age of 25 lose measurable cognitive abilities permanently. They claim this is safe and healthy. It’s a lie from BIG MARIJUANA just like the lies BIG TOBACCO used to tell us. Initiative 65 is the wrong approach. If you think it’s time for “medical marijuana”, push to pass it through the legislature in 2021, but please don’t vote to add it to our State Constitution where not even an Act of Congress can change it. It’s going to take a grassroots effort to beat back BIG MARIJUANA’s millions of dollars to pass Initiative 65. We will have to win this campaign the old-fashioned way. We can do it! Visit www.MississippiHorizon.org to join the effort in preventing BIG MARIJUANA from permanently damaging Mississippi.

The Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce (MDAC) will distribute 1,400 food boxes to the public at the Mississippi State Fairgrounds in Jackson, on Friday, September 11, at 9:00 a.m. as part of the USDA sponsored Farmers to Families Food Box Program. “I’m glad the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce can assist with the Farmers to Families Food Box Program. It benefits not only our farmers and distributors, but also our citizens who may be struggling as a result of COVID-19’s impact on society. Our Department has distributed over 2,800 produce boxes, 3,600 dozen eggs and 3,600 gallons of milk to the public in the past two months. We are continuing our efforts to assist the public by hosting another food box distribution Friday on the Mississippi Fairgrounds,” said Mississippi Agriculture and Commerce Commissioner Andy Gipson. Merchants Foodservice of Hattiesburg, Miss., will provide the 1,400 food boxes, Borden Dairy is donating an additional 2,200 gallons of milk and Cal-Maine Foods, Inc. of Jackson is donating 16,800 eggs. Those receiving a food box will also receive two gallons of milk and a dozen eggs. The public can start arriving at 9:00 a.m. and must remain in their vehicles with the windows up. MDAC volunteers will wear masks and gloves at all times and when instructed, the public will be allowed to open their car trunks for placement of their dairy box. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) created the Farmers to Families Food Box Program under the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). Through this, the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service partners with national, regional and local suppliers, whose workforce has been significantly impacted by the closure of restaurants, hotels and other food service businesses, to purchase up to $3 billion in fresh produce, dairy and meat products. Suppliers then package these products into family-sized boxes and transport them to food banks, community and faith-based organizations and other non-profits serving Americans in need. The Mississippi State Fairgrounds is located at 1207 Mississippi Street, Jackson, MS 39202. The public must enter through Gate 1 on Jefferson Street and exit through Gate 6 on Greymont Street. Visit www.ams.usda.gov/selling-food-to-usda/farmers-to-families-food-box to learn more about the Farmers to Families Food Box Program.

Wesson Chamber of Commerce has launched a unique promotion to help local merchants, eateries and other local consumer-oriented enterprises rebuild businesses that have been slowed down by the COVID-19 pandemic. The promotion, which the Chamber calls the "Shop Local -- Shop Downtown Wesson Project" -- features special registration boxes at participating businesses where customers and patrons sign up on entry forms and place them for a future drawing to win a gift card they can use for purchases. The Chamber is providing funds to the participating businesses to cover the gift card purchases of the winners. The Chamber asked businesses to employ their particular promotion skills that have proven effective in their unique marketing activities to create their own drawing boxes and set them up in prominent display spaces. Those with the best drawing box promotional display received award incentives that recognized their creativity. "Our goal in this project is to stimulate business and to encourage shopping local," the Chamber's Marilyn Britt said. "The COVID-19 pandemic forced the Chamber to cancel the annual Founders Day celebration, which is a focal point for local businesses to both enjoy a one-day sales boost and cultivate ongoing customers. The idea of the drawbox promotion is to help local businesses in a similar way. Twenty-four businesses are participating the promotion: 51 Diner, Salon 51, Steel Outdoors/Alpha Machine and Welding, Deb's All Tangled Up, Wolf Hollow Golf Course, The Carpenter Shop, Serendipity Salon and Therapy, Mill Town Salon and Day Spa, Wesson Ace Hardware, Runyun Automotive, Park Place Ice Cream, Dump's Restaurant, Skeet's, Copiah Nutrition, Shop-N-Wash, Ashley's 51, Another Time. . . .Another Place, Mill Town Mall, Nan Drane's Massage Therapy, East End, Wilma Turnbo Produce, Discount Liquor Store, Royal Touch Massage (Bittany Thaddison at Mill Town Salon) and Dollar General. The Chamber is publicizing the promotion on its Facebook page and sending out materials that spotlight the participating businesses and encourage customers to visit and patronize them. The date of the drawings for gift card winners has not been determined, but the Chamber is planning a centralized event that will bring a crowd to town, Britt said. Special to Wesson News

JACKSON,  Miss. — In an early evening ruling yesterday, the Hinds County Chancery Court held that voters with pre-existing medical conditions that make them more likely to suffer severe consequences from COVID-19 may vote absentee in the November 3 election.  The ruling came in a lawsuit filed by the Mississippi Center for Justice, the ACLU of Mississippi, and the national ACLU Foundation regarding Mississippi’s absentee ballot law. The decision by Chancery Court Denise Owens involves a provision of Mississippi’s absentee ballot law providing the option of absentee voting to “[a]ny person who has a temporary or permanent physical disability . . . whose attendance at the voting place could reasonably cause danger to himself or herself or others.”   That provision has existed in Mississippi’s election law since 1986.  Four of the plaintiffs who brought this case have such conditions and Judge Owens held that they, and others like them, may vote absentee. Judge Owens took note of public health guidance from the Mississippi Department of Health (MDH) stating that people “with a chronic illness such as heart disease, diabetes, or lung disease” and people who otherwise are “in poor health” are at a higher risk for severe consequences from COVID-19 and should “stay home as much as possible.” At the same time, the Judge rejected the contention of the Plaintiffs that public health guidance to avoid community events by itself entitles people to vote absentee under an additional provision passed this summer by the legislature extending absentee voting to those under a “physician imposed quarantine.”  Judge Owens said this provision is limited to orders from the Mississippi Department of Health requiring people to isolate at home or recommendations from a voter’s own physician. The six voters who brought the case are Harriett Oppenheim, who has Lupus, has had a kidney transplant, and has chronic kidney disease; Mary Harwell, who has diabetes and lives in a household with her autistic child who has cerebral palsy and multiple auto-immune disorders and with her mother who is 77; Dave Miller, who previously had stage 3 malignant melanoma and had radiation treatment and surgery to remove the tumor and 80 nodes and more recently had spots identified on his lungs, but they were biopsied and were not found to be cancerous; Joy Parikh, who has severe asthma; Martin Clapton, who has no underlying conditions but who has been caring during the COVID-19 pandemic for his wife, who has serious medical conditions; and Michelle Colon, who has no specific underlying conditions but is trying to follow public health guidance just like the other Plaintiffs. Judge Owens held that the four Plaintiffs with pre-existing conditions could vote absentee.  She held that Martin Clapton could invoke a provision allowing absentee voting for those who are caring for others who are under a physician-impose quarantine if his wife’s doctor advises her to stay in place. Vangela M. Wade, President and CEO, Mississippi Center for Justice: “Voters should not have to choose between their health and their vote.  We are doing everything we can to insure they are not forced to make that decision.” Rob McDuff, Director of the George Riley Impact Litigation Initiative, Mississippi Center for Justice:  “The Court correctly concluded that Mississippi voters may vote absentee if they have medical conditions that will lead to particularly severe consequences if they contract COVID-19.  But we believe the right to vote extends even further and requires that absentee voting be available to all Mississippi voters who are following public health guidance and avoiding community events during this pandemic.” Theresa Lee, staff attorney, ACLU’s Voting Rights Project: “This ruling means more Mississippians will not have to risk exposure to a deadly virus in order to vote. The court should have extended this is all voters, and we are examining next steps to ensure everyone can protect their health and their vote.” Joshua Tom, legal director, ACLU of Mississippi: “We are pleased that more voters can cast a ballot safely, but more needs to be done.” The case is Oppenheim v. Watson, No. 25CH1:20-cv-00961 and was filed in Chancery Court of Hinds County, First Judicial District. Opinion:  Order of the Court