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Private schools, colleges get $20 million in pandemic relief

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Legislature gives $20 million in pandemic relief funds to private schools, colleges

Legislators approved $20 million in federal pandemic relief funds to private K-12 schools and private colleges for improvements this week, despite concerns from some that public dollars should stay with .ย 

The money comes from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which gave the Mississippi Legislature $1.8 billion to spend on pandemic response, services, and infrastructure improvements to water, sewer, and broadband.ย 

After several rounds of deliberation, the Legislature approved grants of $10 million each to private K-12 schools and private colleges and universities.ย 

Private schools must be members of the Midsouth Association of Independent Schools or accredited by another regional or national accrediting organization to be eligible for the grant. No school can receive more than $100,000 for infrastructure improvement projects related to water, sewer, broadband, or other allowable infrastructure projects under ARPA.ย 

Rep. Becky Currie, R-Brookhaven, said she voted against the measure because she felt that the shouldn’t be giving tax dollars to private schools.ย 

โ€œIt’s a choice to go to a private school, and they have other methods of that our public schools don’t have,โ€ she said.ย 

Nancy Loome of The Parents’ Campaign shared that sentiment, calling the passage of the bill a โ€œtremendous disappointment.โ€

โ€œWe believe that the public’s funds should be used for the public’s schools, not for the private schools that pick and choose which children they want to educate,โ€ Loome said. โ€œRight now, public schools are severely underfunded in Mississippi, and that harms all of us. Every public dollar that gets spent on a private school could be spent on a public school.โ€

Loome also pointed out that the program for public school infrastructure projects that was created this is a loan program, not a grant like this bill.ย 

For the private colleges and universities, funds will be allocated based on a school’s enrollment and schools can apply for to spend on water, sewer, broadband, or other allowable infrastructure projects under ARPA. The seven private colleges and universities named in the legislation are Belhaven , Blue Mountain College, Millsaps College, Mississippi College, Rust College, Tougaloo College, and William Carey University.

Jason Dean, director of the Mississippi Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, was grateful to see the needs of these schools acknowledged, which he said serve 13,000 across the state.ย 

โ€œThere are private colleges that have served students in this state for decades, and some of their buildings are literally falling in,โ€ he said. โ€œWhile the money can’t go to build new buildings, it can go to water, sewer, and HVAC systems, which is a big one.โ€

Dean explained that by updating HVAC systems, costs can be defrayed on energy bills, giving colleges more money to allocate to other things.ย 

The money for both grants must be allocated to schools by December 2024 and spent by December 2026.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Mississippi News

Vicksburg man charged with assaulting woman in domestic dispute

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www.wjtv.com – Kaitlin Howell – 2024-11-02 11:33:00

SUMMARY: In Vicksburg, Mississippi, a domestic assault led to the hospitalization of a man and woman on November 2. were alerted by Merit Region after a 28-year-old man, Daron Evans, arrived with a stab wound. Authorities dispatched to the scene found the woman, who had also been assaulted. After receiving treatment, Evans was and charged with aggravated assault domestic violence; he is held without bond until his court appearance. The woman is in stable at the of Mississippi Medical Center. An investigation is ongoing.

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Mississippi News

Cloudy and humid weekend – Home – WCBI TV

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www.wcbi.com – Sadie Morris – 2024-11-02 10:13:00

SUMMARY: In Columbus, Mississippi, humid and cloudy weather is expected, with temperatures remaining above average in the lower 80s for the upcoming . Rain is forecasted for Election Day on Tuesday, continuing into the week with isolated showers likely. This Saturday will see patchy fog in the morning, clearing by midday, with a high around 80 degrees. Sunday will bring similar humidity, with a high in the lower 80s and mild overnight lows in the mid-60s. Throughout the week, expect persistent clouds and humidity alongside mild temperatures.

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Mississippi News

Sports Zone Saturday: A must-win weekend for Mississippi's college football teams

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www.wjtv.com – Blake Levine – 2024-11-02 09:43:00

SUMMARY: College football is back in Mississippi for the 2024 season, with a lineup of exciting games this Saturday. The Zone team will special coverage from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. on . Notable matchups include No. 19 visiting Arkansas at 11:00 a.m. CT on ESPN, while Mississippi celebrates Homecoming against UMass at 3:15 p.m. CT on the SEC Network. State UAPB for their Homecoming at 2:00 p.m. CT on ESPN+, and Alcorn State travels to face Alabama State at 4:00 p.m. CT on ESPN+. Southern Miss has a bye .

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