The Memo

Hospital emergency departments across Northeast Mississippi are looking hard at how they use opioid pain medication.

Although Mississippi has not experienced the wave of overdose deaths that other states have seen in recent years, the state has had an extremely high level of opioid prescriptions written each year. This has officials worried the state could be on the brink of an epidemic.

On today’s episode, Daily Journal health reporter Michaela Morris (6:33) joins Brad and guest co-host Chris Kieffer for an extensive discussion of the issue and how it is leading to changes in emergency room practices.

Baptist  Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle in Columbus recently implemented a new policy to no longer use opioids to treat chronic pain. Tupelo’s North Mississippi Medical Center has seen its protocols evolve to include alternatives to opioids where possible and to give the lowest effective doses and shortest courses when they are appropriate for acute pain.

Today’s discussion follows extensive reporting Michaela and William Moore did last month on Mississippi’s threatening opioid crisis.

William (33:03) also joins us on today’s episode to talk about the efforts of local groups that are gearing up to aid tornado victims in the Hattiesburg and Petal areas.

Also, Daily Journal photographer Lauren Wood (40:07) discusses her recent photo essay that looks inside the taping of the Mississippi Sports Today radio program.

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Today marks the first “weekend special” edition of The Memo, featuring food, a movie review and a breakdown of the entertainment scene.

On today’s show, food editor Ginna Parsons (3:57) joins Derek and Brad to give the highlights of this week’s food section – baked Buffalo wings, a new Park Heights chef, a cook who excels at Sunday lunches and more.

Photographer Adam Robison (14:00) discusses his recent photo essay on Saltillo knife maker Chris Crawford.

Scott Morris (19:25) reviews “Patriots Day.” Derek (28:30) breaks down the weekend entertainment scene – Lydia Loveless, a Beatles scholar, “Cicada” and more.

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We start our new format today with a deep dive into a couple of education topics — pre-K and school funding. Brad hosts and is joined by Daily Journal education reporter Emma Kent and Capitol Bureau chief Bobby Harrison, as well as Mississippi First Executive Director Rachel Canter.

Mississippi First, a non-partisan education advocacy organization, recently released a report on the state of pre-K in Mississippi. It said about 44 percent of Mississippi children have access to pre-K and that quality varies greatly.

We talk about the report (3:44), efforts to raise the quality of public and private centers and the outlook for expanding the state’s Early Learning Collaborative program.

Meanwhile, we discuss the latest proposal by New Jersey-based EdBuild (17:18) to change the formula the state follows to fund its public schools. We discuss aspects of the new formula and how this process compares to the creation of the Mississippi Adequate Education Program in 1997.

We also discuss Gov. Phil Bryant’s State of the State speech (31:23) and the debate over whether Mississippi should make kindergarten attendance mandatory (34:19).

Following our education discussion, Daily Journal business editor Dennis Seid (44:45) joins us to talk about the new Furniture Academy. The furniture industry has been adding jobs, but needs more employees with the skills to fill those positions. As a result, several Northeast Mississippi manufacturers, colleges and economic development groups have created a Furniture Academy to help prepare more employees for furniture industry jobs.

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Mississippi House Speaker Philip Gunn has put a priority on legislation that would aim to prevent political candidates from using campaign funds for personal use.

On today’s episode, Daily Journal Capitol Bureau chief Bobby Harrison (5:11) joins Derek and Brad to discuss the proposed changes.

Mississippi is one of a few states that still allows candidates to convert campaign funds to personal use, and Bobby talks about how that would change. On Wednesday, a campaign finance bill easily passed the House. It is expected to continue moving through the legislative process.

Also on today’s show, M. Scott Morris (15:33) reviews “La La Land.” Derek (23:02) has the highlights of the weekend entertainment scene – including a new exhibit at GumTree Museum, the Stonecoats, a tribute to Marvin Gaye and a performance by West of Shake Rag.

PROGRAMMING NOTE: Remember we change to our new schedule next week. Episodes will now be released on Wednesdays and Fridays.

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Today’s show features a special musical performance by Arkansas duo The Lark and the Loon, as well as plenty of news.

Residents of the Baldwyn School District voted overwhelmingly in support of a $2 million bond issue.

The money will fund the construction of a career and technical education facility on the Baldwyn High School campus. It will allow the district to be among the only ones in Mississippi to offer a pair of classes that tie directly to the local economy — furniture manufacturing and a manufacturing technician course.

Daily Journal education reporter Emma Kent (5:37) joins Derek and Brad to talk more about the new facility and the district’s plans for career education.

Also, Daily Journal reporter William Moore (11:01) discusses a partnership between Parkgate Pregnancy Clinic and Eight Days of Hope to flip a house on West Jackson and raise money for the clinic. They’ll be aided by television personalities Jason and David Benham, as well as many volunteers.

Food editor Ginna Parsons (17:34) has the highlights of today’s food section, including taco spaghetti, chicken pie and apple bundt cake.

We’re also joined by Rocky Steen-Rolfzen and Jeff Rolfzen (25:10) of the music duo The Lark and the Loon. The band is in town to play at Blue Canon tonight. They also play a pair of music selections for the podcast (30:00).

Check DJournal.com and the Daily Journal’s Facebook page soon for a video of their performance.

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Many of the students who received special education vouchers to pursue private education have opted to return to the public schools.

State Superintendent of Education Carey Wright made a report on Wednesday to the Mississippi House Education Committee. She also provided the latest data on the Equal Opportunity for Students with Special Needs Act that was passed during the 2015 session and broadened last year.

More than a quarter of the 425 students who received special education vouchers of $6,500 per year have chosen to return to the public schools. Daily Journal Capitol Bureau chief Bobby Harrison (9:05) attended the presentation and joins Derek and Brad to give more context.

Also on today’s episode, M. Scott Morris (14:37) rates the best and worst movies he reviewed in 2016.

Meanwhile, Derek (26:01) has the highlights of the weekend entertainment scene, including Elvis birthday events.

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The Mississippi Legislature opened its 2017 session on Tuesday. And it got to work on its first day, looking at a pair of issues involving school district superintendents.

Daily Journal Capitol Bureau chief Bobby Harrison (9:46) joins Brad and guest co-host Emma Kent on today’s episode to talk about the legislature’s opening day and about what to expect this year. Other key issues include campaign finance reform, passing a budget and changing the school funding formula. Brad and Bobby also talk about whether a state lottery could be on the horizon.

Meanwhile, Lee County voters may be asked to decide on a multi-million dollar bond issue later this year, and Daily Journal reporter William Moore (20:16) joins us to discuss it. Lee County’s Board of Supervisors held its first meeting of the year on Tuesday and talked about upcoming goals. That could include proposing a bond to fund both road improvements and a new jail. Plus, supervisors need to determine the fate of the Lee County Agri-Center.

And food editor Ginna Parsons (28:00) has the highlights of this week’s food section. Ginna recently interviewed Ripley’s Robin Chapman, whose Mississippi Roast was the most popular recipe in the New York Times in 2016. Ginna also talks about parmesan roasted zucchini and tips for eating healthy in 2017.

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As we start a new year, we look back at the top stories the Daily Journal covered in 2016.

Guest co-hosts Chris Kieffer and Daily Journal news editor Justin Whitmore discuss the Daily Journal’s year-in-review that published on Sunday. Top stories included the presidential election, the shooting death of Antwun “Ronnie” Shumpert, the death of Jack Reed Sr., a pair of fatal plane crashes, the rise of Trent Harmon and Rae Sremmurd and the first year of new Ole Miss Chancellor Jeffrey Vitter.

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The Tupelo High School band has been invited to represent Mississippi by playing at the Presidential Inauguration in January. But first, it must raise about $100,000.

THS band director Rick Murphy (7:21) joins Derek and guest co-host Leslie Criss on today’s episode to speak about the great honor for the band program and to provide an update on fundraising efforts.

Also on today’s show, Daily Journal local government reporter Caleb Bedillion (16:58) has an update on the effort to make Tupelo a railroad quiet zone. That means the city would put in a number of precautions at each of its railroad crossings, and trains would not blow their whistles as they travel through town. Mayor Jason Shelton cited it as a priority early in his term. However, with estimates now saying it will cost about $5.5 million to make the needed upgrades, Shelton has said the issue remains a priority but will not likely happen any time soon.

Food editor Ginna Parsons (27:10) has the highlights of this week’s food section – streusel coffee cake, homemade chili, creamy red wine vinegar dressing and Kentucky Derby Pie.

M. Scott Morris (33:04) reviews the movie “Sing.” Derek (38:51) has the highlights of the New Year’s weekend entertainment scene – Tupelo Community Theatre’s masquerade ball, ice skating at the arena and the Almost New Year’s Eve party at the JJ Rogers Building.

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