Articles by Leah Willingham

After Miss. Supreme Court Ruling, Lawmakers Look to Revive Marijuana Program

Some Mississippi lawmakers say they want Gov. Tate Reeves to call them back to the Capitol for a special session to revive the state’s initiative process. Others want a chance to quickly revive discussion of a medical marijuana program. The …

One Month Later, Boil Water Advisory Lifted for Jackson, Mississippi Residents

After 30 days of boiling their water to get rid of contaminants and sometimes no water at all, Jackson residents are finally able to drink the water from the tap after officials lifted a boil water advisory put in place …

Nearly 1 Month Since Winter Storm, Water Restored to Mississippi City

Most people in Mississippi’s capital now have running water, more than three weeks after the majority of taps in the city of 161,000 went dry during a winter storm. Still, officials said Thursday that thousands will likely remain under a …

As States Ease Mask Rules, Essential Workers Worry About Safety and Jobs

Leo Carney worries that bigger crowds and mask-less diners could endanger workers at the Biloxi, Mississippi, seafood restaurant where he manages the kitchen. Maribel Cornejo, who earns $9.85 an hour as a McDonald’s cook in Houston, can’t afford to get …

Weeks After Storms, Water Crisis Continues in Mississippi

Frustrations are mounting in Mississippi’s largest city, more than two weeks since winter storms and freezing weather ravaged the city’s water system – knocking out water for drinking and making it impossible for many to even flush their toilets. For …

Southern Exposure: Cold Wreaks Havoc on States with Aging Waterworks

The sunshine is back and the ice has melted. But more than a week after a deep freeze across the South, many communities are still grappling with getting clean water to their citizens. For years, experts have warned of the …

Water Woes Expected to Last Several More Days in Mississippi After Freeze

Rising temperatures began melting the snow and ice in Mississippi and Louisiana, but tens of thousands of people still had little or no water service Monday, some waiting a week for restoration since the outages began during an extended freeze. …

Freezing Winter Storm Paralyzes Deep South; Thousands Without Power

Winter storms that dumped additional snow and ice on the Deep South plunged more than 300,000 homes and businesses into darkness early Thursday and left roads impassable across a wide area. While temperatures were expected to warm over the weekend, …

Mississippi Gov Adds 13 Counties to Mask Mandate in Lieu of Statewide Order

Gov. Tate Reeves instituted mask mandates in 13 more Mississippi counties Tuesday but chose not to implement the measure statewide, a week after several prominent health care leaders called on him to do so. During a press briefing, the Republican …

Mississippi Voters Approve Statewide Medical Marijuana Program

The Mississippi Department of Health has been working around the clock to respond to the coronavirus pandemic. Now, the agency will be responsible for starting a statewide medical marijuana program within the next nine months. Uncertified election results show 74% …