I just realized today that these videos are also getting posted on @mississippifreepress.org’s BlueSky account! Yay! Follow along for more.

To cheer myself up, I like to donate food/treats to the animal shelter when I shop at the pet store. It only takes a couple extra dollars and I feel happy to be making a difference. Maybe you could brighten your day by donating to givebutter.com/mfpdonate or your local animal shelter!

With just 10 legislative special elections on the ballot, Mississippi Democrats flipped two Republican-held Senate seats and one GOP-held House seat. Here's the full election results from last night, courtesy @heatherharrison.bsky.social: www.mississippifreepress.org/mississippi-...

NEW: 12 Mississippi polling places have moved and 4 have been closed ahead of the Nov. 4 legislative special elections, an MFP investigation finds. Counties also have incorrect addresses in the state system for 11 polling places, risking sending some voters to the wrong location.

Some of my photos from the Turning Point USA event at the University of Mississippi with JD Vance and Erika Kirk on Oct. 29, 2025.

Some of my photos from the Turning Point USA event at the University of Mississippi with JD Vance and Erika Kirk on Oct. 29, 2025.

In Mississippi, where 13% of the population relies on SNAP food assistance, all SNAP benefits will be halted on Nov. 1 due to the government shutdown. The Mississippi Department of Human Services announced the pause today. @heatherharrison.bsky.social reports:

NEW: Lauren Stokes, the University of Mississippi employee who lost her job for resharing a social media post criticizing Charlie Kirk, is suing Chancellor Glen Boyce. After her firing, she says she and her husband had to close their restaurant and flee Oxford for weeks due to threats.

Lauren Stokes' lawsuit says that losing her job for sharing a post criticizing Kirk violated her 1st Amendment rights. “By terminating Lauren for reposting the speech in question, the University says its employees must conform to a point of view,” it says. @heatherharrison.bsky.social reports:

My eulogy to Becky Henderson, a Mississippi medical cannabis patient and advocate.

If I've randomly followed you this week, I'm writing a story about the Bluesky ban in Mississippi. My editor @ashtonpittman.bsky.social gave me people's Bluesky handles who reached out & wanted to help with this story. I'm unable to DM many of you so please email me if you're still interested!

The Mississippi WIC program is only accepting applications from pregnant women, breastfeeding women and high-risk infants during the federal government shutdown, the Mississippi State Department of Health announced on Oct. 2.

#Mississippi #baby #dies of whooping cough ... | #whoopingcough | #infection | #pertussis | #bacteria | #pathogen | By @heatherharrison.bsky.social via @mississippifreepress.org

Democrat Cliff Johnson says he will stand up for “vulnerable” Mississippians and bring “Mississippi values” to Washington, D.C., if voters elect him to serve Mississippi’s 1st Congressional District, he said in an announcement today.

A baby in Mississippi has died of whooping cough, the Mississippi State Department of Health announced on Sept. 29, marking the state’s first whooping cough death in 13 years.

I miss Starkville BAAAADDDDD. Let’s petition for the Legislature to relocate there🤪

What’s the deal with German flags in central Mississippi? I’ve seen some flying at Renaissance in Ridgeland and outside the ice cream shop in downtown Brandon. Are we honoring ancestors/history or do we have Germans visiting town?

Using acetaminophen medication like Tylenol during pregnancy does not cause autism despite “dangerous disinformation” that the White House is spreading on the topic, says Dr. Anita Henderson, a pediatrician at the Hattiesburg Clinic in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

The 911 emergency line is down in Mississippi. “Attention: 911 and administration lines are currently down statewide. This has impacted calls and emergency responses. Officials are working with AT&T to identify and correct the problem,” Hinds County Sheriff/Jackson Police Chief Tyree Jones said.

Always read @heatherharrison.bsky.social … her latest just up:

A Project 2025 author visited the Mississippi House Education Freedom Select Committee last month to promote the new federal private-school voucher program and encourage Mississippi to participate.

I will never understand why the Aquaphor and body lotion at Walmart are not in the skincare aisle. Is the skin on your body not considered part of skincare the way that the skin on your face is?

U.S. Sens. Cindy Hyde-Smith and Roger Wicker voted to table the amendment that would have required U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to fully release the government’s records on Jeffrey Epstein.

For continued reporting on Mississippi and the 2026 elections, follow reporter @heatherharrison.bsky.social and @mississippifreepress.org. Our stories are always pay-wall free—anyone can read them! But we do need your support. You can support our nonprofit newsroom by donating at mfp.ms/donate.

She's one of several Democrats challenging Republican Hyde-Smith this year. Scott Colom, a Democratic Mississippi prosecutor, is also challenging the incumbent. So is Democrat-turned-independent Ty Pinkins. www.mississippifreepress.org/cindy-hyde-s...

Priscilla Williams-Till, a cousin of 14-year-old lynching victim Emmett Till, is running for U.S. Senate in Mississippi as a Democrat against incumbent Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith. She says that Hyde-Smith's infamous remark about being "on the front row" at a public hanging helped inspire her to run.

Does anyone else always have to check that they wrote/typed "Mississippi" correctly? I'm very prone to adding extra S's and P's if I don't look carefully lol

NEW: When Biden nominated Scott Colom to a federal court, U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith used the Senate's "blue slip" tradition to block his nomination. Now, instead of a federal judgeship, Colom is aiming to unseat her in the Senate. @heatherharrison.bsky.social reports on his campaign launch:

Does anyone know why Proton VPN won’t let me post on BlueSky on my computer, but I can view my timeline and profile? It works fine on my phone. I’ve had to make all of my posts today on my phone because the post button on my computer won’t load properly. Here’s how it looks on my computer.

Gov. Tate Reeves wants the Mississippi Legislature to consider consolidating 20 to 50 of the 138 school districts in the state. Mississippi House Education Committee Chairman Rob Roberson also says he wants to look at consolidating districts.

Hehehe I downloaded a VPN to be here with y’all!!

Find me on Twitter at JournalistHRH I’ve continued posting a little over there. I hope to be back here, though.

Mississippi’s ban on diversity, equity and inclusion programs in public schools remains blocked after a federal judge granted the plaintiffs’ request for a preliminary injunction in an Aug. 18 decision.

Around 200 Mississippi National Guard soldiers are headed to Washington, D.C., on President Donald Trump’s orders, joining over 800 national soldiers who are part of a federal takeover of the nation’s capital policing.

The Life of a Showgirl featuring Baby Heather❤️‍🔥

Biloxi and Harrison County could further restrict where homeless people can rest by removing a shade pavilion on the Harrison County Sand Beach and preventing unhoused people from resting under bridges, the mayor and Biloxi City Council said at an Aug. 5 city meeting.

Voters can text “Hi” to 601-586-7600 to ask questions and report concerns about voting in Mississippi to the Mississippi Secretary of State's Office. The SOS office can also provide text-message updates to Mississippians who text “MS ELECTIONS” to 80946.

Mississippi needs a law requiring political candidates to submit campaign finance filings through a searchable, digital system, Secretary of State Michael Watson urged lawmakers while speaking at the Neshoba County Fair.

I don't usually like to talk about my photography because tbh it's been pretty shitty 98% of the time. But I've made some major improvements compared to where I started, thanks to help from @ashtonpittman.bsky.social and @nickjudin.bsky.social. Photo left is NCF 2023. Photo right is NCF 2025.

I wonder what it’s like to be normal about having a favorite color because I’ve been a purple girl since birth and EVERYONE knows it😂😂💜💜

Yall are there two Greenwood cities in Mississippi??? The picture on the left is Greenwood slightly southeast of Tupelo. Picture on the right is Greenwood in the Delta.

Incumbent Mississippi Senate District 11 Sen. Chris Johnson, R-Hattiesburg, defeated Patrick Lott by garnering 2,282 votes, while Lott received 1,961 votes. Democrat Shakita Taylor will be Johnson’s opponent in the general election.

In a tight race, incumbent Mississippi Senate District 11 Sen. Reginald Jackson, D-Marks, won the bid for reelection with 275 votes versus 215 votes for his opponent, former Mississippi House Rep. Abe Hudson, Jr. Jackson’s Republican opponent in the general election will be Kendall Lee Prewett.

With Sen. David Parker deciding not to run for reelection for Mississippi Senate District 2, the Republican Party cancelled its primary and made Charlie Hoots its nominee. Theresa Gillespie Isom defeated Robert Walker in the Democratic primary with 768 votes compared to Walker’s 187.

Mississippi Senate District 1 incumbent Sen. Michael McLendon, R-Hernando, amassed 3,935 votes while his opponent Jon Stevenson received 1,890 votes. McLendon will face Democrat Chris Hanna in the general election.

Incumbent Mississippi House Rep. Kabir Karriem, D-Columbus, won the Democratic primary for House District 41 with 1,310 votes compared to the 248 votes challenger Pierre Beard, Sr., garnered. Karriem will not face a general election opponent.

Mississippi House District 16 incumbent Rep. Rickey Thompson, D-Shannon, won 1,325 votes, beating opponent Brady Davis’ 348 votes in the Democratic primary. Republicans did not field a candidate for the district and Thompson will go unchallenged in the general election.

Incumbent Republican Mississippi Sen. Robin Robinson, R-Laurel, lost her bid for reelection to Senate District 42 after Don Hartness defeated her in the Republican special primary election on Tuesday. Gov. Reeves claimed that she lost because she voted to expand Medicaid in 2024.

This is the best upside upgrade to the Mississippi legislature website that I’ve ever seen!!!!! chef’s kiss🤌🏻