🌱 BWR Wants Equal Pay + Jxn Man Accidentally Released From Jail

Happy Saturday, people of Jackson! Here's everything you need to know today in town.

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First, today's weather:

Plenty of sunshine. High: 50 Low: 35.

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Here are the top 3 stories in Jackson today:

1. The Mississippi Black Women's Roundtable demonstrated the impact women have on the state's economy on Thursday. Cassandra Welchlin, executive director for the Mississippi Black Women's Roundtable told legislators that they hope "the legislature is considering equal pay in the state of Mississippi so that they have an equal pay bill that really does protect the wages of black and brown women." The group handed out cookies with 56 cents on them, which represents the 56 to the dollar that black women earn compared to every dollar earned by a man. (WAPT Jackson)
2. A man charged with a weekend double homicide was mistakenly released from jail just months ago, according to Hinds County Sheriff Tyree Jones. Jermaine White was arrested last October for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and was given a $50K bond that was unpaid when he was released two days later. He now has murder charges on top of the $50K bond. (WLBT)
3. A Mississippi bill sets a religious exemption on the COVID vaccine. House Bill 1509 says that private businesses and government entities cannot require vaccination for employees who have a sincerely held religious objection. Currently, Mississippi has one of the lowest COVID-19 vaccination rate in the United States. (WJTV)

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Today in Jackson:

• Movie Matinee - R.G. Bolden / Anna Bell-Moore Library (10:30 AM)
• Showtime Movie Matinee - Medgar Evers Boulevard Library (1:00 PM)

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From my notebook:

• This past week, the Mississippi Children's Museum had the honor of hosting a wish reveal for a Make-A-Wish Mississippi recipient, Mason! Mason's wish was to have a "virtual shopping spree," and to spend the day at the museum. MCM enjoyed spending the day with Mason and his family as they crafted, opened presents, and celebrated a magical day! (Facebook)
• Nepal native Ishwari Rajak is a chocolatier, small-business owner, and class instructor at Mississippi Market. Her chocolate recipes are influenced by her experience with spices and often feature ginger, chai and cayenne for a warming boost. Visit the Mississippi Market Co-op's bio to learn how to make Rajak's ginger chocolate! (Instagram)
• Visit the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science this weekend and be the first to see the new "Game Changers" exhibit! Explore 120 of the most influential games that have transformed the gaming scene! Included with museum admission or Mississippi Museum of Natural Science Foundation Membership. (Facebook)

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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Saturday. I'll see you around!

— Kayla Harrison

About me: Kayla Harrison is a Writing Arts professor, as well as a freelance writer for content creation agency Lightning Media Partners. In her free time, you can find her listening to podcasts, writing poetry, and visiting local coffee shops.