Perspective

• ROBYN TANNEHILL: Federal, state, local partnership needed for infrastructure demands
• BILL CRAWFORD: Saying No to Masks Depicts Individual Unrestrained Rapacity
• BOBBY HARRISON: If Gunn runs for governor, the speaker’s race won’t be a donnybrook of old
• SHAD WHITE: We have to combat unemployment fraud. ‘What we found was discouraging’
• ROGER WICKER: President Biden has ushered in a wave of scientific research that disregards human life
• BOBBY HARRISON: How many Mississippians really voted for medical marijuana?
• BILL CRAWFORD: Mississippi’s Favorite Issue to Dominate National Elections
• EMILY WAGSTER PETTUS: Mississippi might have to rethink Capitol statues
• NATHAN SHRADER: Overvoting Threatens Legitimacy of Ballot Initiative Process
• SID SALTER: MSU’s National Championship Run Was Our “Field of Dreams” Moment

State News

• CL: Coronavirus cases in Mississippi rising: 1,199 new cases, 9 deaths reported Thursday
• DJ: Dr. Thomas Dobbs: 13 Mississippi ICUs with no beds
• SH: MS reports thousands of new weekend COVID cases, the most since January
• CL: Jackson residents in need offered water bill forgiveness plan; $100 million owed city
• CL: ‘Everybody I know is vaccinated’: Issaquena County mayor fights back against low vaccination stats
• SH: 1,000 people in South MS have now died of COVID, state says. Is July 4 spike starting?
• FORTUNE: Mississippi has the lowest vaccination rate in the U.S.
• SH: Hundreds of properties totaling $1.7 million are up for auction in MS Gulf Coast county
• CL: ‘We’re not alone’: Why these folks from Mississippi, Alabama aren’t buying into UFO report
• SH: A Coast infant’s body is exhumed after 33 years. Can DNA solve the puzzle of her death?

Politics and Government

• CL: ‘I haven’t seen this before’: Raises for Clarksdale’s top officials create stir, with some citing race
• DJ: Lead lawmaker hopes for special session on medical marijuana in mid-August
• AP: Delbert Hosemann says Corps of Engineers ignored own rules in opening spillway, damaging environment
• SH: Biloxi fire chief, supervisor were investigated by state auditor’s office, documents show
• DJ: Legislative talks continue over medical marijuana details
• WJTV: Mississippi Insight for July 18, 2021: Reeves, Pender and Huffman
• DJ: Secretary of State’s Office to conduct possible hearings on state’s initiative process
• WLBT: Hosemann: JPD Chief, Hinds DA played big role in state’s public safety plan for Jackson
• CL: Former Obama appointee Shuwaski Young says he will seek Mississippi congressional seat
• WLBT: Leaders working out details for new elections in Canton; no officials held in contempt

Blog

• YALL: Mississippi and federal health officials are needlessly complicating COVID outreach messaging
• JJ: Fitch Fires up the Abortion Fight
• MT: Podcast: How, exactly, does redistricting in Mississippi work?
• YALL: Neshoba County Fair 2021 opens this weekend. State Rep. Bounds gives Y’all Politics a preview.
• JJ: BAM! BAM! BAM!
• MT: ‘Fourth wave is here’: MSDH reports 2,326 new COVID-19 cases
• MT: Elise Varner Winter, former first lady and community activist, dies at 95
• YALL: Guest joins colleagues in concern for VA to offer gender transition surgery
• JJ: Illegal Assault or Lawful Arrest?
• MT: Feds add charges for Nancy and Zach New in alleged education fraud scheme