Regional unemployment numbers

Unemployment rates were higher in December in 15 states, lower in one, and stable in 34 states and the District of Columbia, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor. 

Statistics reported Jan. 23 saw 18 states and the D.C. had jobless rate increases from a year earlier, 15 states had decreases, and 17 states had little change. 

[Alabama 2.6%; Louisiana 3.7%; and Mississippi 3.3% for December 2023] 

The national unemployment rate was unchanged at 3.7% but was 0.2% higher than in December 2022. (Department of Labor 01/23/24) State Employment and Unemployment Summary - 2023 M12 Results (bls.gov) 

12 wintry deaths in Mississippi 

After a week of winter storms that featured everything from freezing rain to hail and from avalanches to widespread power outages, the death toll attributed to inclement weather conditions climbed to 92 on Jan. 22. 

All regions have been impacted by the Arctic blast. The state with the highest death toll was Tennessee with 26, followed by Oregon with 16, and Mississippi with 12. Many of the casualties were homeless who died from exposure.

At various points over the weekend, up to a million homes and commercial structures were without power around the country, but service has been restored to more than 80%. 

The national forecasts suggest that conditions will improve this week, but travel warnings are still in effect for drivers in Arkansas and Oklahoma. (Emergency E-mail & Wireless Network 01/23/24) 

Bill to prohibit adversaries for buying ag land in MS

Lincoln County (Miss.) Rep. Becky Curry has introduced a bill in the state House of Representatives to prohibit foreign adversaries from buying agricultural land. 

House Bill 348 bill would prevent certain foreign governments and aliens of adversarial countries from buying and owning agricultural land in the state. [Agricultural land is defined in the bill as any land used for farming, ranching or timber.] 

HB 348 will be referred to as the Mississippi agricultural land protection and foreign acquisition prohibition Act. 

HB348 was referred to the House Committee of Agriculture. 

“We wanted to strengthen our existing laws like ... You don’t want adversarial countries coming in and buying land” especially she said, "if we end up in a war." (Magnolia State Live 01/23/24)