GAMBLING MAN
Mississippi is selling its first bonds backed by gambling taxes. According to the Sun Herald, the state has joined other states across the U.S. that have seen their gambling money diminish while other states have expanded the industry to recover from the recession. This past year, revenue in casinos has dropped in 10 of the 12 biggest gambling states, including the ‘Sip. While Mississippi’s revenue has dropped, it still ranks sixth nationwide in the industry.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN HORROR SHOW
Harold Henthorn was found guilty on Monday of first-degree murder in the killing of his second wife, Toni Henthorn. Toni was a successful doctor from Jackson. According to Fox News, the couple was hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park to celebrate their 12th wedding anniversary when Henthorn pushed his wife off of a 130-foot cliff. Henthorn claimed that his wife fell off the edge of the cliff, but the prosecutors argued otherwise. The prosecution claimed that Henthorn staged the accident to benefit from her $4.7 million in life insurance policies. Henthorn was ultimately convicted because of inconsistencies between his accounts of the accident. Henthorn faces a mandatory life sentence.
MOM, WHERE ARE MY M&MS?
Not at school, that’s for sure. This week, it was announced that Mississippi no longer holds the top spot in obesity. The state has handed the crown over to Arkansas. According to the Clarion Ledger, Arkansas is at first place with a 35.9 percent rate of obesity and is followed by West Virginia with 35.7 percent and Mississippi at 35.5 percent. Many people believe that the change in Mississippi’s position can be credited to the Heatlhy Schools Act of 2007, which required schools to serve healthy lunches and eliminate the sales of sugary snacks on school grounds. It also requires 150 minutes of exercise per week for students. Mississippi ranks 50th in the nation for physical activity, so we still have a long way to go.
HOTLANTA STRIKES AGAIN
On Wednesday, a state trooper made a record-breaking drug bust on I-20. When the trooper pulled over a 2014 Dodge Ram pickup truck, he found a surprising present of eight pounds of black tar heroin. The heroin was hidden inside a hydraulic jack in the truck. According to the Clarion Ledger, the heroin has a street value of about $350,000. Several state authorities are even saying that this is the largest amount of black tar heroin that has been seized in one search for the state. The possessor was Atlanta native Mario Abarca Diaz.
