JACKSON, Mississippi, July 3 -- The Mississippi State Auditor issued the following news on July 2, 2024: Today State Auditor Shad White announced that Special Agents from his office have arrested Lacosta Lee, a contracted probation officer for Court Programs, Inc (CPI), on seven counts of embezzlement. Lee is accused of receiving court ordered fines and fees from those on probation and embezzling those funds for her own personal use. Lee was served with a $7,558.50 demand letter at the time of  more

CLARKSDALE, Mississippi, July 2 -- The Delta Regional Authority issued the following news release: * * * Five communities in Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennesee receive funding through DRA's Community Infrastructure Fund to improve basic public infrastructure. * * * The Delta Regional Authority (DRA) has awarded more than $4.1 million in investments to five projects in Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee through its Community Infrastructure Fund (CIF). Funding for this p  more

COLUMBUS AFB, Mississippi, July 3 -- The U.S. Air Force Columbus Air Force Base (14th Flying Training Wing) issued the following news: By AMN Joseph Curzi, 14th Flying Training Wing Col. James Weinstein, 14th Medical Group commander, relinquished command of the 14 MDG to Col. Fransisco Catala on July 1, 2024, at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi. "Col. Weinstein has demonstrated a compassionate and focused leadership, spurred an organization towards mission success and incentivized innovat  more

WASHINGTON, July 3 -- The U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration issued the following news release on July 2, 2024: * * * Pathway Home funding provides people with skills valued by local employers * * * The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the award of more than $56 million in grants to help reduce recidivism and assist people in re-entering their communities after being incarcerated. The award of Pathway Home 5 grant funding will build on the findings of th  more

BALTIMORE, Maryland, July 2 -- The Maryland State Board of Education issued the following news release: * * * Improved literacy outcomes, better accountability models and implementing the Blueprint are top priorities * * * Today, Dr. Carey M. Wright begins a four-year term as State Superintendent of Schools, a full circle moment for the Maryland born, raised and trained education leader. Dr. Wright, a former Mississippi State Superintendent of Education who previously served as Interim Maryl  more

JACKSON, Mississippi, July 3 -- The Mississippi Department of Education issued the following news release on July 2, 2024: The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) and the Mississippi State Board of Education (SBE) welcome Dr. Lance Evans today as he officially begins his duties as state superintendent of education. Dr. Evans succeeds Dr. Raymond Morgigno, who served as interim state superintendent July 2023 through June 2024. The SBE selected Dr. Evans in December 2023 after conducting a  more

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana, July 3 -- Gov. Jeff Landry, R-Louisiana, issued the following news on July 2, 2024: Today, Governor Jeff Landry announced the appointment of Joseph F. Toomy as the Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans and Roderick Clark as the President of the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners. "I am proud to announce the appointment of Joseph Toomy as the Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans and Roderick Clark as the Pr  more

LANSING, Michigan, July 3 -- Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, D-Michigan, issued the following news release on July 1, 2024: Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced that Michigan signed an agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Illinois to cosponsor the construction of the Brandon Road Interbasin Project. This milestone agreement with the Biden Administration unlocks $274 million in federal and $114 million in state funding for the first of three phases of the $1.15 billion project that w  more

GULFPORT, Mississippi, July 2 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi issued the following news release: A Lawrenceville, Georgia man was sentenced to 42 months in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. According to court documents, on May 15, 2023, Martin Louis Williams, 35, was pulled over in a traffic stop on Interstate 10 in Hancock County, Mississippi. Williams's vehicle smelled like marijuana and he admitted that he had smoked  more

GULFPORT, Mississippi, July 2 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi issued the following news release: A New Orleans man pled guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl. Yancy Johnson, 45, pled guilty in U.S. District Court in Gulfport. According to court documents, in 2023, an investigation was initiated into a possible drug trafficking organization operating in Louisiana and the Southern District of Mississippi. Agents received i  more

GULFPORT, Mississippi, July 2 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi issued the following news release: A Pascagoula, Mississippi man pleaded guilty to distribution of images of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct. According to court documents, Tyrone Lewis, 20, had sexual contact with a 14-year-old in Jackson County, Mississippi, and recorded some of the sexual acts on a cell phone. Further investigation, including an analysis of the victim's cel  more

GULFPORT, Mississippi, July 2 -- The office of the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi issued the following news release: A Puerto Rican man pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute over 2000 grams of methamphetamine in the Southern District of Mississippi in connection with shipments of drugs across state lines. Ricardo Roman Rivera Santana, 32, pled guilty in U.S. District Court in Gulfport. According to court documents, in 2021, an investigation   more