The Other Side: Mississippi Today's Political Podcast

Republican House Corrections Chairwoman Becky Currie of Brookhaven began touring state prisons when she got her committee chair assignment a couple of years ago, and found a disturbing dearth of medical care for inmates. 'We're paying $124 million to a company for health care and they are not going it and they are keeping the money," said Currie, who is pushing for reform and been a centerpiece of Mississippi Today's investigative series on prison health care, "Behind Bars, Beyond Care.

Ricky Neaves, director of the Mississippi High School Activities Association said that the push for expanded "school choice" by Mississippi lawmakers could have a drastic impact on athletics and other programs in the state's public education system. He said improper "recruitment" of athletes already happens, even with his agency's oversight, but that universal school choice would exacerbate competition to lure athletes with ill effect on public schools, especially small, rural ones. Neaves said he hopes lawmakers leave MHSAA's eligibility authority intact if they expand school choice.

Rep. Robert Johnson III of Natchez, leader of Mississippi House Democrats, says the GOP leadership's push for "school choice" is out of touch with rank-and-file Mississippians, many Republican lawmakers and educators. He also makes an announcement about his plans for his own political future, often the subject of much speculation.

Nancy Loome, executive director of The Parents' Campaign public education advocacy group counters many points proponents are making in their push for more school choice in Mississippi. Loome says siphoning public money for private schools would provide no benefit to Mississippi students or taxpayers and that state leaders should instead focus on sustaining and expanding education gains made in recent years. She said opposition to school choice from parents on both sides of the political aisle in Mississippi is growing.

Ben Bush, a former U.S. Army Ranger combat veteran from Brandon, shares with Mississippi Today his personal story of his struggle with PTSD after returning home from overseas combat, and how the psychedelic plant-derived drug ibogaine helped him regain his life. But he had to travel to Mexico for the treatment. It's illegal in the United States. House Public Health Chairman Sam Creekmore wants to change that, and he wants Mississippi to invest in testing the drug and help push for federal approval.

Description: Mississippi Today reporter Alex Rozier gives an update on the city of Jackson's third-party water utility system, how the organization's request to raise the water rates on customers in the capital city is playing out in federal court and if the water system can sustain natural disasters in the future.

Mississippi Today reporters Michael Goldberg and Taylor Vance recount their recent trip to Washington, D.C., and meetings with the state's congressional delegation, covering topics including the use of National Guard troops in U.S. cities — potentially even in Jackson — disaster relief policies and the debate over the release of the Epstein files.

Sen. Scott DeLano, a Republican from Biloxi, says Mississippi has done little to help protect South Mississippians from storm damages and residents statewide from rising insurance costs in the 20 years since Hurricane Katrina. He says Mississippi lags behind other Gulf states, in part, because the state insurance commissioner has not pushed for a robust mitigation program. DeLano also addresses his recent social media post blasting a state Republican think tank leader's comments that many viewed as racist.

House Education Chairman Rob Roberson, on the heels of a first select committee hearing on school choice and other education policy, tells Mississippi Today that lawmakers should be open to discussions on school choice, consolidation or any other measures that might move the state's education system forward. "The only people who don't have school choice now are poor kids," Roberson said. He said such issues need to be detached from partisan politics and viewed with open minds.