Money for Mississippi in many ways…. the first one is for the fun and creative side of Mississippi. Atmos Energy presented two separate checks for 25 grand.. one to the Grammy Museum of Mississippi and the other to the Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Center. The Grammy museum is set to open in Cleveland in a few months, and the Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Center is set for Meridian in 2017. This money will keep everything up and running on schedule for the two museums, just like donations made in the past for the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science and the coming Mississippi Civil Rights Museum.
Another way money is coming through Mississippi.. a big 20 million dollar grant from the USDA. This grant was only given to 10 of the 38 states that applied, and Mississippi was one of them. This grant starts a pilot program that will help get job-based education to people who are on SNAP benefits, or food stamps. But there’s a catch… if you’re offered the job training and turn it down, it could mean that you lose your food stamps.
No food stamps for not going to school? How is this legal? Well, the SNAP program already requires you to be working if you’re physically able to work. This pilot program is the same way. If you have the opportunity to learn and work towards your future and you don’t, it could result in losing those benefits. Because of this program and grant, up to 3,000 people will have an opportunity to learn a valuable trade, get a job, and eventually not have to use SNAP benefits any more.
Do you text and drive? Better break that habit now. Governor Phil Bryant put his John Hancock on the bill that makes it against the law. How having that phone in your hand while you drive can get you a ticket at newsms.fm.
For the Daily Digital, I’m Courtney Carter.
