State declares public health emergency to save babies before their first birthday

• Mississippis infant mortality rate climbed to 9.7 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2024 the highest in over ten years.

• A public health emergency has been declared to mobilize resources, care, and attention for at-risk infants and families.

• Since 2014, 3,527 babies have died before age one, highlighting the urgent need to address infant mortality in every community.

The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) has declared a public health emergency over its increasing infant mortality rate.

Heres the heart-wrenching reality: more Mississippi parents are losing babies before they even celebrate their first birthday.

In 2024, the states infant mortality rate soared to 9.7 per 1,000 live births a decade-high figure thats more than just a statistic. Its about families and futures cut far too short.

Too many Mississippi families are losing their babies before their first birthday, State Health Officer Dr. Dan Edney said in a news release. This is deeply personal to me not just as a physician, but as a father and grandfather. Every single infant loss represents a family devastated, a community impacted and a future cut short.

We cannot and will not accept these numbers as our reality. Declaring this a public health emergency is more than a policy decision; it is an urgent commitment to save lives. Mississippi has the knowledge, the resources and the resilience to change this story. It will take all of us policymakers, health care providers, communities and families working together to give every child the chance to live, thrive, and celebrate their first birthday.

What the state is doing

The decision to enforce a public health emergency isnt just a symbolic gesture its a call to action.

When an emergency is declared, funds, staff, and attention are redirected swiftly to where theyre needed most.

As part of this push, MSDH is rolling out several targeted strategies aimed at protecting both mothers and babies:

• Building an OB System of Care: This approach helps standardize maternity services across the state, improves transfer systems for high-risk cases, and ensures moms and newborns get to the right facility faster.

• Tackling OB deserts: By expanding prenatal care in targeted county health departments, the state aims to reach areas where expectant mothers currently have limited options.

• Boosting community health workers: Local workers will connect families directly to resources and care close to home, making support more accessible.

• Strengthening Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies: This program focuses on high-risk mothers and infants, offering home visits, care management, and tools for safer pregnancies and healthier infant development.

• Partnering with hospitals and providers: By closing gaps in maternal care and promoting earlier prenatal visits, MSDH hopes to catch complications sooner.

• Educating on safe sleep: Families will receive guidance on sleep practices that can prevent tragic, avoidable infant deaths.

What you should know: The facts and what they mean

• Rate at a glance: At 9.7 infant deaths per 1,000 live births, the 2024 figure marks a troubling high not seen in over ten years.

• Broader picture: Since 2014, 3,527 infants in Mississippi did not make it to their first birthday a heartbreakingly large number.

• Why it matters: Parents, caregivers, and communities need to stay informed. This emergency opens the door to stronger support systems, such as better access to prenatal and postnatal care, education, and community outreach.
  

Improving maternal health is the best way to reduce infant mortality, Dr. Edney added. That means better access to prenatal and postpartum care, stronger community support and more resources for moms and babies. Healthy women of childbearing age are more likely to have healthy pregnancies, which in turn lead to healthier babies.

The companies failed to stay current on data used to process Caller ID info

By Truman Lewis of ConsumerAffairs

• FCC removes more than 1,200 voice service providers from the Robocall Mitigation Database

• Enforcement Bureau says companies failed to meet certification and mitigation requirements

• Chairman Carr vows continued action against illegal robocalls

The Federal Communications Commission has cut more than 1,200 voice service providers off from the U.S. phone network after finding they failed to comply with federal robocall rules.

The agencys Enforcement Bureau said the companies violated FCC requirements by failing to maintain accurate certifications in the Robocall Mitigation Database. Without those certifications, the providers were unable to show they were taking steps to protect consumers from illegal robocalls.

The FCC had previously warned the firms in December 2024 to cure their failings or risk removal. Earlier this month, regulators took an initial step by suspending 185 companies that failed to comply.

Robocalls are an all-too-common frustration and threat to Americans households, Chairman Brendan Carr said in a statement. Providers that fail to do their duty when it comes to stopping these calls have no place in our networks. Were taking action and we will continue to do so.

CallerID authentication

The Robocall Mitigation Database is the FCCs central tool for tracking whether providers have implemented caller ID authentication through the STIR/SHAKEN framework and developed mitigation plans to curb illegal traffic. Carriers that dont meet those standards can be blocked entirely from carrying calls on U.S. networks.

The FCC said the removed companies will only be permitted to refile in the database if expressly approved by the Enforcement and Wireline Competition Bureaus.

Todays move builds on Operation Robocall Roundup, a joint initiative by 51 state attorneys general that earlier this month sent warning letters to 37 providers, including seven that had already been suspended by the FCC.

Other recalls come from Mercedes-Benz, Chrysler Ram & Jeep, VW and more

Auto Safety Recall Derby Week of 8/25/25

Highlight of the Week

Mitsubishi Liftgate Gas Spring Corrosion

• Units Affected: 91,697 (largest recall this week)

• Models: Outlander (201420), Outlander PHEV (201822)

• Risk: Corroded liftgate gas springs may rupture or cause the liftgate to fall unexpectedly.

• Remedy: Both gas springs will be replaced free of charge. Notices begin October 6, 2025.

Mercedes-Benz

Loss of Steering Control from Loose Bolt
NHTSA ID Number: 25V533000
Manufacturer: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC
Component(s): Steering
Units Affected: 3,749

Summary:
Improperly tightened steering coupling bolt could loosen from the steering rack, causing loss of steering control.

Remedy:
Dealers will tighten bolts free of charge. Notifications begin October 17, 2025. Contact MBUSA at 1-800-367-6372.

Models Affected (28): AMG EQE 53, AMG GLC 63 S E, AMG GLC43, EQE 350/500, GLC 300, GLC 350E, etc.

Chrysler Ram

Incorrect Brake System Warning Light
NHTSA ID Number: 25V530000
Manufacturer: Chrysler (FCA US, LLC)
Component(s): Electrical System
Units Affected: 2,885

Summary:
Brake system warning light may display incorrectly, violating FMVSS 101.

Remedy:
Instrument panel cluster will be replaced free of charge. Notifications begin September 25, 2025. Contact Chrysler at 800-853-1403 (Recall No. 79C).

Models Affected (4): Ram 2500, 3500, 4500, 5500 (2026).

Chrysler Jeep

TPMS Warning Light Failure
NHTSA ID Number: 25V527000
Manufacturer: Chrysler (FCA US, LLC)
Component(s): Tires
Units Affected: 78,989

Summary:
Pinched antenna cable may cause TPMS light not to illuminate, violating FMVSS 138.

Remedy:
Dealers will inspect and replace the cable free of charge. Notifications begin September 2, 2025. Contact FCA at 1-800-853-1403 (Recall No. 56C).

Models Affected (2): Jeep Wrangler (202425).

Volkswagen

Loose Tie Rod Bolt Steering Risk
NHTSA ID Number: 25V526000
Manufacturer: Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Component(s): Steering
Units Affected: 15

Summary:
Loose tie rod bolt on rear axle could cause loss of vehicle control.

Remedy:
Dealers will replace the bolt free of charge. Notifications begin October 10, 2025. Contact Volkswagen at 800-893-5298 (Recall No. 42E7).

Models Affected (1): Volkswagen Tiguan (2025).

Mitsubishi

Liftgate Gas Spring Corrosion
NHTSA ID Number: 25V507000
Manufacturer: Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc.
Component(s): Structure
Units Affected: 91,697

Summary:
Corroded gas spring cylinders may rupture or cause the liftgate to fall unexpectedly.

Remedy:
Both gas springs will be replaced free of charge. Notifications begin October 6, 2025. Contact MMNA at 1-888-648-7820 (Recall No. SR-25-002).

Models Affected (12): Outlander (201420), Outlander PHEV (201822).

That wraps up this weeks Recall Roundup. To see if your car has been recalled, have your VIN number ready and go to the official National Highway Traffic Safety Agency site.

High mortgage rates, escalating prices may be contributing factors

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Roughly 58,000 U.S. home-purchase agreements were canceled in July - 15.3% of all contracts signed that month, the highest July rate since 2017.

• Cancellations are driven by high costs, economic uncertainty, and greater buyer leverage in a market with more options.

• Texas and Florida metros saw the highest fallout rates, while New York and Pennsylvania had some of the lowest.

Last week, the National Association of Realtors reported that home sales rose a surprising 2% in July. But another real estate industry report tells a different story. In July, an estimated 58,000 home-purchase agreements fell through, according to a new analysis from real estate brokerage Redfin.

That represents 15.3% of all homes that went under contract last month, up from 14.5% a year earlier and the highest July cancellation rate since Redfin began tracking the data in 2017.

The analysis, based on MLS pending-sales data, underscores how affordability pressures and shifting buyer psychology continue to weigh on the housing market.

Why deals are going south

High mortgage rates, elevated home prices, and general economic uncertainty are leaving many buyers hesitant to commit. With more inventory available compared to past years, buyers also wield greater leverage in negotiationsand some are walking away during inspection periods if better homes surface or if costly repairs are revealed.

Cold feet, high standards, and inspection issues are the most common reasons deals collapse, said Bonnie Phillips, a Redfin Premier agent in Cleveland.

She also said cancellations are especially common among buyers using FHA and VA loans. In one case, Phillips said a first-time buyer pulled out a week before closing, not due to the property itself, but after neighbors convinced her renting would be easier than owning.

Regional hotspots

Texas and Florida led the nation in failed deals. San Antonio posted the highest cancellation rate among large metros, with 22.7% of contracts terminated in July. Fort Lauderdale (21.3%), Jacksonville (19.9%), Atlanta (19.7%), and Tampa (19.5%) rounded out the top five.

The trend is partly tied to robust homebuilding in Texas and Florida, which gives buyers confidence they can find alternatives. In Florida, some buyers are also backing out amid concerns over rising insurance costs, steep homeowners association fees, and worsening natural disaster risks.

By contrast, Nassau County, N.Y., had the lowest cancellation rate at just 5.1%, followed by Montgomery County, Pa. (8.2%), Milwaukee (8.3%), New York City (9.5%), and Seattle (10.2%).

Virginia Beach, Va., recorded the sharpest year-over-year increase, with cancellations jumping from 12.5% to 16.1%, a 3.6 percentage point rise. Newark, N.J., Baltimore, San Antonio, and Houston also saw significant upticks. Virginia Beach and Baltimore have among the nations highest shares of VA loan holders, making their markets more vulnerable to loan-related fallout.