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JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Mississippi’s capital city is receiving a $1 million grant for public art focusing on access to fresh food. The money comes from Bloomberg Philanthropies, run by billionaire businessman Michael Bloomberg. Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba jokingly welcomed the former New York mayor “to the deep-fried South” as they appeared together Thursday for the grant announcement. Bloomberg says 200 cities competed for a public art grant, and Jackson is one of 14 winners. He says the art could generate discussion about nutrition. Lumumba says a goal to draw attention to communities where people don’t have access to fresh food or “don’t make the proper choices in the things that they eat.” Artists, chefs, farmers, landscape architects and others will work on art installations and programs for the “Fertile Ground” project.

HATTIESBURG, Miss. (AP) — Cortez Edwards scored 19 points and Tyree Griffin and Leonard Harper-Baker each scored 18 and Southern Mississippi beat South Alabama 71-67 on Wednesday night. Harper-Baker made a jump shot, LaDavius Draine sank a pair of free throws with 4:24 to play, and Southern Miss (5-2) led 60-59 and never trailed again. Harper-Barker made a 3-point play with 55 seconds left for a 66-62 advantage. He added two more points 22 seconds later before Jordan Andrews countered with a 3-pointer to reduce South Alabama’s deficit to 68-65. Griffin made 1 of 2 free throws and the Golden Eagles led 69-65. Kory Holden responded with a jump hot and immediately fouled Griffin, who sank a pair of free throws for the game’s final margin. The Golden Eagles overcame 14-of-23 (61 percent) from the free-throw line and made 26 of 54 from the floor. Holden led South Alabama (3-4) with 28 points with eight 3-pointers, Rodrick Sikes scored 14 and Josh Ajayi scored 11.

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — There are two remaining questions left for a Mississippi woman who sued over being jailed 96 days without seeing a judge: Will the U.S. Supreme Court get involved, and if not, how much will she get paid? U.S. District Judge Sharion Aycock on Tuesday ruled that Choctaw County and Sheriff Cloyd Halford are liable for violating Jessica Jauch’s constitutional rights. She set a March jury trial to determine damages. However, the county and Halford are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to take up the case. If the high court refuses to hear the appeal, as happens in most cases, the county will be out of legal options. Jauch, now 36, was arrested on traffic charges in 2012 and held after being served with a drug indictment. While in jail, she says she was forced to temporarily sign over her daughter’s custody rights to her mother. After finally seeing a judge, she was appointed a public defender and quickly made bail. She was eventually cleared of the drug charge after undercover video didn’t show her committing a crime. In Choctaw County, like many rural Mississippi counties, circuit court only meets twice a year, and the next meeting was months away. The sheriff said he didn’t have to take Jauch before a judge until court met because she’d already been indicted on a felony drug charge, thus establishing probable cause for her detention. Aycock originally agreed with that argument, dismissing Jauch’s case in 2016. But the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeal was sharply critical of Aycock’s ruling, reinstating Jauch’s case in 2017 and calling her detention “unjust and unfair” and “alien to our law.” “Heaping these consequences on an accused and blithely waiting months before affording the defendant access to the justice system is patently unfair in a society where guilt is not presumed,” Circuit Judge Thomas Reavley wrote in 2017. The county asked the full 5th Circuit to rehear the case, but the court refused on a 9-6 vote. The six judges who wanted to hear the case dissented , saying the illegal detention was the fault of state court judges, as the county and Halford continue to argue. “A county sheriff is not responsible for judicial oversight of a state circuit court judge as such responsibility would violate state separation of powers,” wrote lawyers Daniel Griffith and Christopher Bailey in their petition to the Supreme Court. It’s unlikely Jauch could ever collect money from judges because they’re generally immune from lawsuits. The county also argues that state law doesn’t always require someone who is indicted to be arraigned before a judge and says the legal principles at hand weren’t clearly established enough for everyone to understand them. Jauch’s lawyers say the law was long-settled and that Halford is the one to blame for breaking it. “The sheriff, who is the chief executive of the county with respect to detention operations, chose to adopt a policy of doing nothing, and that choice caused a deprivation of constitutional rights,” wrote Victor Fleitas and Michael Kirkpatrick. Mississippi has long struggled with people being arrested before trial and held for months or years with little access to a lawyer or bail. Since Jauch was arrested, the state Supreme Court has enacted new rules of criminal procedure last year that are showing some progress in keeping poor people from being stuck in jail without a lawyer or bail. Those rules say that, among other things, those arrested before being indicted are supposed to appear before a judge within two business days, and anyone arrested after indictment must be arraigned within 30 days. Story Written by: Jeff Amy

BILOXI, Miss. (AP) — Marine officials in Mississippi have opened a brief oyster season for part of the Gulf Coast. The Department of Marine Resources said the western portion of the Mississippi Sound would be open from sunrise Thursday for one week. The state Commission on Marine Resources met Wednesday and discussed reo-opening oyster season, which was originally set to open Nov. 10. The season was delayed because of excessive rainfall, which caused unsafe water samples. The commercial oyster tonging vessels have a daily limit is 15 sacks. The commercial oyster dredging vessels have a daily limit is 20 sacks.

W hat if someone told you that Lil Jon was in the news. I’m sure you would think he just released a new album or a hit song. But that’s not the case. Atlanta rapper “Jonathan Smith“ formerly known as Lil Jon just opened his second school in Ghana! His goal is to give back and push his efforts for education to those in need. In 2017, he opened his first school in Ghana in honor of his mother. Partnering with the non-profit Pencils and Promise he achieve his goal of opening a second school. I honestly feel that education and the ability to create something special is key. Providing kids with opportunities to have an education is what should drive society because these kids are the future. It was a donation of 70,000 to give these kids the ability to learn and expand their knowledge. One school is in the village of Mafi Atitekpo and the other is in Abomayaw. With an enrollment of 313 and they are looking to have more in the near future. Students are being "taught in unfavorable learning conditions. Kindergarten students are learning in open pavilions with unfinished walls and dirt floors, and without formal doors or windows,” according to Pencils of Promise. Lil Jon is known for his music and loud uproars but this is what I will forever remember him for. Education is a powerful tool to have and these kids now have that tool which gives them a choice on what they want to do with it. I always say 'Knowledge is Power' so furthering your education only means gaining more knowledge! I tip my hat off to people with a higher power that open schools and do it for the right reasons. He join a rare distinct class of other iconic figures who also opened schools reshaping young minds for generations to come. To name a few who name speak volumes in itself; let's just say LeBron James and P. Diddy.

BILOXI, Miss. (AP) — President Donald Trump rallied voters Monday for Republican Senate appointee Cindy Hyde-Smith who has found herself in a closer-than-expected runoff contest after comments she made about attending a public hanging drew condemnation. As Trump praised Hyde-Smith at two high-profile rallies in different parts of the state, her opponent, Democrat Mike Espy spoke at a predominantly African-American church and described his campaign as an effort to reach across the “chasm of racial division.” The historic contest features Hyde-Smith, who would be the first woman elected to Congress from Mississippi, against Espy, who’s vying to become the state’s first black senator since Reconstruction. It’s a contest that has been buffeted by racial tensions after Hyde-Smith’s public hanging comments. And the tensions continued right up until Election Day with the discovery of seven nooses and six handwritten signs on Capitol grounds Monday morning. It was not immediately known who put them there. The signs referred to the state’s history of lynchings and the Senate race. One sign said Mississippi needs a senator “who respects the lives of lynch victims.” At rallies in Tupelo and then in Biloxi, Trump praised Hyde-Smith and called on voters to send her back to Washington. She was appointed by Gov. Phil Bryant to fill the senate seat after Cochran retired. “She votes for us and she votes for ‘Make America Great Again,’” Trump said in Tupelo, where he was accompanied by Hyde-Smith. Trump called her “a truly incredible leader and tireless champion” for Mississippi. “She stood up to the Democrat smear machine,” Trump said, praising her for voting to confirm Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. Hyde-Smith, who has made the Trump rallies a highlight of her runoff campaign, told the crowd in Tupelo: “I worked very, very hard for you. I have stood up for you and you know I will continue to stand up for the conservative values of Mississippi.” But race has become a dominant issue as Hyde-Smith faces Espy, a former congressman and U.S. agriculture secretary. Hyde-Smith has drawn fire for a photo showing her wearing a replica hat of a Confederate soldier, and a video showing her praising a supporter by saying, “If he invited me to a public hanging, I’d be on the front row.” Mississippi has a history of racially motivated lynchings and violence against people who sought voting rights for black citizens. About 38 percent of the state’s residents are black. Espy is trying to boost their turnout and pick up support from white voters who are uneasy with Trump or the racially tinged stories about Hyde-Smith. Espy spoke for nearly 30 minutes Monday to a crowd of about 200 people gathered at church in Jackson. He called on his supporters to go out to vote on Tuesday “like it’s a holiday.” “We’ve got a job to do. We need to come out tomorrow in such numbers, such strength, marching to the polls like it’s a holiday,” he said. “This is a campaign that goes to the color line and it reached across the color line, across the chasm of racial division, across the chasm of racial acrimony,” Espy said, saying blacks and whites share common concerns in the issues he’s centered his campaign on, such as health insurance, student debt and jobs. It’s the last U.S. Senate race to be decided in 2018 and will determine whether Republicans pad their slim majority. “If we win tomorrow, we’ll be at 53-47 which is substantially more than we had,” Trump said. He said of Espy, “Oh, he’s far left, he’s out there. How does he fit in in Mississippi?” And he told the crowd, “don’t take any chances” by not voting. Hyde-Smith’s support of Trump is unmistakable. She used both her opening and closing statements of the only debate of the runoff campaign to promote Monday’s presidential rallies, citing the online address to get tickets. Even on trade and tariffs, where Trump’s decisions could hurt Mississippi farmers, Hyde-Smith praised the president. After the event in Tupelo, best known as the birthplace of Elvis Presley, Hyde-Smith and Trump flew to the Gulf Coast for a larger rally in Biloxi where thousands of Trump supporters were waiting. “Cindy Hyde-Smith will support President Trump’s agenda, and President Trump’s agenda includes a better America for all of us, every state, including Mississippi,” said Virginia Olander from Bay St. Louis. About 100 anti-Trump protesters were also there, chanting “Impeach 45” as they held signs with red strikes through Hyde-Smith’s name. Espy has emphasized that he’s a moderate seeking the votes of everyone and willing to work across party lines. He noted during a campaign stop earlier Monday that he had crossed the “party chasm” to endorse the re-election of Republican Gov. Haley Barbour in Mississippi in 2007. Democrats also have used some star power. Former Vice President Joe Biden endorsed Espy, and three Democrats who could run for president in 2020 — Sens. Kamala Harris of California and Cory Booker of New Jersey and former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick — have been to Mississippi to campaign for the former congressman who served as agriculture secretary in 1993 and 1994 under Democratic President Bill Clinton. For Espy, turnout is key. He must close the gap in a state where Trump received 58 percent in 2016. Mississippi hasn’t elected a Democrat to the U.S. Senate since 1982. Hyde-Smith has apologized to “anyone that was offended” by the hanging comment, saying she meant no ill will. She and her campaign have refused to discuss the Confederate hat. Trump defended Hyde-Smith Monday. He said the comment was “a little flip” but said she apologized and that he’d “heard that loud and clear.” He said he knows “where her heart is and her heart is good.” Walmart asked Hyde-Smith to return a $2,000 campaign contribution because of the hanging remark. ___ Amy reported from Jackson, Mississippi; AP video journalist Stacey Plaisance reported from Biloxi, Mississippi.

HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Texans wanted to honor their late owner and founder Robert “Bob” McNair, who died last week at age 81. They knew the perfect way to do that Monday night was to keep their winning streak going. Deshaun Watson threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score as the Texans set a franchise record with their eighth straight victory, 34-17 over the Tennessee Titans. “The one thing Mr. McNair wanted was a winner,” J.J. Watt said. “All he wanted was a winner. He wanted to win every week. He wanted a team that could win and bring a championship to this city. So to be able to win eight straight and to be able to win tonight for him was good, and we’re going to try to keep doing that for him.” Demaryius Thomas scored his first two touchdowns with Houston and Lamar Miller ran for 162 yards, including a 97-yard TD. The Texans (8-3) also saluted McNair by wearing decals in the shape of a football with white block letters bearing his initials of “RCM.” With that tribute on the back of their helmets, they became the first team in NFL history to win eight games in a row after starting 0-3. They lead the AFC South by two games over Indianapolis. “We need to try and keep getting better,” coach Bill O’Brien said. “We need to take the mantra that we’re going to improve every day.” The Texans trailed by 10 early before reeling off 27 straight points. Houston receiver DeAndre Hopkins said there was no panic after the team fell behind in the first quarter. “We’ve been down 0-3 as a record, so being down 10-0 on the board is nothing to this team,” he said. Tennessee (5-6) finally scored again on a 48-yard reception by Corey Davis late in the third quarter, but the second TD by Thomas — this one for 10 yards — made it 34-17 with just more than eight minutes left. Marcus Mariota, who missed the second half of last week’s game with a stinger, was 22 of 23 for 303 yards and two touchdowns. He completed his first 19 passes before an incompletion with just more than a minute remaining. Miller’s 97-yard breakaway in the second quarter made it 21-10. It was the longest run in franchise history and the longest in the NFL since his dash of the same length for a touchdown on Dec. 28, 2014, with the Dolphins. He’s the only player in league history with two career rushing touchdowns of 95 yards or longer. The Titans went ahead 3-0 on their first possession, and Jonnu Smith had a career-long 61-yard catch-and-run touchdown that extended their lead less than halfway through the first quarter. Houston got going after that, cutting the lead to 10-7 when Thomas grabbed his first touchdown since being traded from Denver on Oct. 30, a 12-yard grab with about six minutes left in the quarter. Watson put the Texans on top when he scrambled 15 yards for a score on the first play of the second quarter. The Titans went for it on fourth-and-inches from the 3 later in the second, but tight end Luke Stocker was stopped for no gain. “If you look at their goal-line defense and having a lot of good knowledge of what they do on the goal line, that’s one play that had worked,” Tennessee coach Mike Vrabel said. “It didn’t work tonight and that’s not the reason that we lost. That’s a bad play.” Miller’s long TD , which helped Houston set a franchise record with 281 yards rushing, came on the next play. He took the handoff in the end zone and darted through a crowd of Titans before shedding one tackle and simply outrunning the rest of the defense. “My whole mindset is just, don’t get caught,” Miller said. “Because ... when we played the Dolphins, I got caught, so all the guys were giving me a hard time. So that was the only thing on my mind.” The Texans kicked a field goal as time expired in the second quarter to take a 24-10 lead into halftime. MCNAIR REMEMBERED The Texans honored McNair in a pregame ceremony, which included a video tribute to him while the Texas A&M Singing Cadets sang “Amazing Grace.” While the video was played, one side of the video board displayed the words: “Faith, Family, Philanthropy, Football.” Painted on both 25-yard lines was a football with his initials that looked just like the decals on the players’ helmets. Television cameras panned to several fans with signs honoring the late owner. One read: “McNair Never Forgotten.” WATSON’S WORK Watson has thrown 39 touchdown passes in his first 18 career games, which is third in NFL history behind Hall of Famers Kurt Warner (44) and Dan Marino (40). His 70 yards rushing on Monday were a career best and he tied Matt Schaub’s franchise record by throwing a TD pass in his 16th straight game. INJURIES Titans cornerback Malcolm Butler left in the second quarter to be evaluated for a concussion and did not return. ... Houston WR Keke Coutee didn’t return after injuring his hamstring in the third quarter. UP NEXT Titans: Host the New York Jets on Sunday. Texans: Host the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. Written by: KRISTIE RIEKEN

WASHINGTON (AP) — Even the Wizards seemed surprised by the way they won. Bradley Beal said he couldn’t have imagined allowing the opposing starting guards to combine for 90 points and still get a victory. “No sir. Absolutely not. No sir,” Beal said. “Not at all. It’s amazing we pulled it off still.” John Wall scored a season-high 36 points, including six in overtime, and Washington overcame James Harden’s season-best 54 points to outlast the Houston Rockets 135-131 on Monday night. Harden, the NBA’s leading scorer, also had 13 assists, while Eric Gordon added a season-high 36 points. Wall had two baskets in the extra period and finished with 11 assists. Beal equaled his season high with 32 points for the Wizards. Otto Porter hit a runner with 4:37 to play for the first basket in overtime and the Wizards remained ahead from there. Wall followed with a jumper to make it 129-125 and later made another jumper that pushed the lead to five. Beal’s dunk extended it to 133-126 with 1:50 to play. Harden had 44 points through three quarters but missed five of his seven shots in the fourth. In overtime, Harden whose career high is 60, was 1 of 2 from the field and had two free throws. He had 11 turnovers, three in overtime, and 13 assists. “It’s not even about myself,” Harden said. “It’s about our entire team. We had a really good start to the game and kind of let our guard down.” Harden scored 12 points in the first quarter, 11 in the second and 21 points in the third quarter. In the fourth, he began the quarter on the bench, and scored six as the Wizards and Rockets headed to overtime with the score knotted at 125. Houston raced to a 27-10 lead, but Washington clawed its way back. Markieff Morris had 22 points and 10 rebounds for the Wizards. Clint Capela had 17 points and 14 points for the short-handed Rockets, who played without Chris Paul for the second straight game and fell to 9-10. TIP-INS Rockets: Paul was listed as being out with a sore left leg, though coach Mike D’Antoni classified the injury differently. “We’ve just got to make sure Chris gets 100 percent well from his strained hammy,” D’Antoni said. ... G/F Gerald Green missed his third game with a sore right ankle. ... Houston added F Danuel House from the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the G League. ... Made their first seven 3-point shots, then missed 10 straight. Wizards: C Dwight Howard was out for the fourth straight game with a glute injury. “It’s a slow process,” coach Scott Brooks said. “He’s doing everything he can.” . Morris, F Kelly Oubre Jr. and Beal picked up technicals. ... Allowed 42 points in the first quarter, the fifth time this year they’d given up at least 40. ... Wall passed Wes Unseld for third place on the franchise career scoring list. GUARDING HARDEN Wall said that despite allowing 54 points to Harden, Beal did a fine job against him. “It’s what you dream of,” Wall said. “It’s what you live for, to be on the big stage, a big moment, going against a guy like that.” COACHING HARDEN D’Antoni knows he’s asking too much of Harden, who played a season-high 47 minutes. “I mean, we’re asking, especially James, you know what? Play (47) minutes, make every play,” D’Antoni said. “There are going to be periods where he’s just gassed.” HURT ROCKETS Besides Paul and Green, the Rockets are without G Brandon Knight (left knee), C Nene (right calf) and F/C Zhou Qui. Knight and Nene haven’t played at all this season, and Qui has played one minute. It hasn’t gotten Gordon down. “We definitely want to turn it into a wins,” Gordon said. “We’re not discouraged. We’re going to get this thing rolling here soon.” UP NEXT Rockets: Host the Mavericks on Wednesday Wizards: Visit Pelicans on Wednesday as Washington plays six of its next seven on the road. Written by: Rich Dubroff

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — North Dakota State didn’t figure to pose too much trouble for Gonzaga on the day the Bulldogs rose to No. 1 in The Associated Press Top 25. The Bison didn’t. Brandon Clarke and Rui Hachimura each scored 18 points as top-ranked Gonzaga beat North Dakota State 102-60 on Monday night to remain undefeated. “Mission accomplished,” Gonzaga coach Mark Few said. Few had worried about his team having a letdown after beating former No. 1 Duke at the Maui Invitational, in part because of the long trip home. But that didn’t happen. “They were mature in their approach,” Few said. “Josh Perkins did a great job of settling us down, especially on the offensive end. ” Gonzaga also did a good job on defense, holding North Dakota State to 4-of-27 shooting from behind the arc. Corey Kispert added 17 points and Zach Norvell Jr. 15 for Gonzaga (7-0), which shot 63.8 percent in the game, including 15-of-28 from 3-point range. Vinnie Shahid scored 16 points for North Dakota State (2-5), which shot just 36 percent in the game. Cameron Hunter and Deng Geu each added 12. “Some games you just have to throw away and move on,” Bison coach David Richman said. “That’s what we have to do with this one.” Clarke made all nine of his field goal attempts and added eight rebounds and five blocks for Gonzaga. Six Zags scored in double figures. “He’s playing with great energy,” Few said. “He’s protecting the rim and really being active on the offensive end.” Clarke said the Zags need to keep perspective. “We have to keep on playing tough,” Clarke said. “Don’t let that ranking get to us.” “I felt I was taking shots that I can make pretty easily,” he said. “I wasn’t forcing shots.” Gonzaga has beaten four teams from Power Five conferences already this season, and came in averaging 97 points per game to 71 for the Bison. North Dakota State stayed close early, and led 19-18 with just over 10 minutes left in the first. Gonzaga replied with a 19-0 run, making seven consecutive field goals, for a 37-19 lead. Clarke had 10 points and Josh Perkins had a pair of 3-pointers in the run. The Bison were scoreless for more than 6 minutes before Cameron Hunter’s 3-pointer ended the Gonzaga run. But Gonzaga then embarked on a 16-3 run to take a 53-25 lead at halftime. The Zags shot 72.5 percent (21 of 29) in the first half, while North Dakota State shot just 37 percent and committed eight turnovers. Kispert sank three consecutive 3-pointers as a 22-2 run put Gonzaga up 85-38 midway through the second. Gonzaga students chanted “we want Cleveland” in the final minutes. FLIPPING FEW A popular video on social media among Gonzaga fans shows Few swinging out on a rope and doing a back flip into a Maui pond after the Duke win. STATS Gonzaga handed out 25 assists and won the rebound battle 38-30. Norvell had eight assists and Josh Perkins six. BISON WOES North Dakota State managed to make just 23 of 65 shots and suffered 12 turnovers that led to 21 Gonzaga points. The Zags also got 28 points on fast breaks. BIG PICTURE North Dakota State: The Bison of the Summit League have only beaten UC Santa Barbara and Towson this season. In their game notes they noted: “The Zags are really good. They almost never lose.” The Bison lost to Gonzaga in the second round of the 2015 NCAA Tournament. Gonzaga: The Zags played without guard Geno Crandall, who is out several weeks with a fractured hand, and forward Killian Tillie, out for another month with an ankle injury. Gonzaga now enters the toughest portion of its remaining nonconference schedule, with games in the next two weeks against Creighton, Washington, No. 6 Tennessee and No. 11 North Carolina. Only the Washington game is home. UP NEXT North Dakota State plays at Drake on Saturday. Gonzaga plays at Creighton, which is receiving votes in the AP poll, on Saturday. “They are very gifted offensively,” Few said of Creighton. “They have a big huge arena with a loyal fan base.”