A group of formerly incarcerated people is making headway in Jackson, Mississippi, to turn young lives around and prevent violent crime.

On average, the violent crime rate in Jackson is just over six per 1,000 residents. The group Operation Good said it has helped to significantly lower crime rates in the areas it serves, from 87% down to 14%, in one neighborhood.

Fredrick Womack, founder and executive director of the group, said the goals are to also stop recidivism, clean up the environment and find alternatives to violence and robbery.

"We're building that 'Unity in the Community,'" Womack explained. "It's kind of created a cohesiveness amongst the people within the community to make them to take more value in where they live, and make them more attentive to the things that have gone on around them."

A goal of the Mississippi Department of Public Safety is to reduce the overall violent crime rate in the state by 5%, using federal grant funds. Womack pointed out their door-to-door street teams patrol neighborhoods day and night, and have been able to resolve many issues before they can escalate.

Womack emphasized their community engagement efforts also include providing food to families in need, and educational and mentoring programs for youth ages 13-26. He said so far, they have mentored 224 young people, which has helped to minimize conflict.

"In the mentoring process, we talk to them about life," Womack emphasized. "We gave a lot of these high-risk participants an outlet before they could do something. And then, they know that they can't just be out there the way that they were, because we are present."

Womack added they have become more involved in schools to help counteract a significant increase in bullying and peer pressure issues. They are collaborating with a group in North Jackson to develop a new, anti-bullying initiative to launch in area schools.


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Sometimes small changes can have a big impact.

For the Southern Oregon town of Chiloquin, a park that used to be a parking lot is creating space for the community to connect, post-pandemic. The town's first shaded and accessible public seating area was built in part from funds from an AARP Oregon Community Challenge Grant.

Robert Cowie, a city council member in Chiloquin, said the project has improved the livability of the town.

"We see kids out there doing their homework or chit-chatting," Cowie pointed out. "I see people will walk along there and they'll stop and sit and rest for a bit before they continue their walk."

AARP Community Challenge Grants fund quick-action projects that improve public spaces, transportation, housing, digital connections and more. Applications are open now through March 5.

All projects must be consistent with AARP's mission to serve the needs of people 50 and older along with other eligibility criteria. Cowie noted the pocket park in Chiloquin provides a beautiful space for their farmers market and has inspired more positive changes for the town.

"It's a corner that everybody passes several times a day often," Cowie added. "I think it's just brought a sense of renewal to the community."

Since 2017, AARP has invested more than $20 million toward 1,700 projects, including 35 in Oregon. This year's focus includes improving pedestrian safety and expanding high-speed internet, among other things.


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Today the nation honors the "drum major for peace" - the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The civil rights leader committed his life to equal treatment for jobs and education using non-violent protests.

Celebrations of King's life through plays, lectures, and other activities are happening throughout Indiana.

Jody Heaston is the state's Department of Natural Resources Indiana State Park volunteer coordinator. She suggested another option as an example of giving back to the community.

"On Martin Luther King Day, DNR properties are looking for people to be a volunteer," said Heaston. "People can come out to our properties today, walk our trails, walk around our lakes, pick up sticks and litter if they would like to. It's a day on, not a day off."

Heaston said volunteering is self-directed. She added that people can show up and hit the trails with a broom or shovel to clear away trash or sticks, and clear picnic areas and shelters of snow.

If you're interested, find the park of your choice on the IDNR website. The Indiana State Parks system manages 24 parks and eight reservoirs.

King believed community service promoted unity, addressed social issues, and uplifted neighborhoods - ways he viewed as avenues to change.

Heaston encouraged families to come out and work as a team on the MLK Jr. Day of service.

"We will find something for individuals, families, groups, civic groups, youth groups, businesses," said Heaston. "We'll find something for you to do."

Park staff accept volunteers during park hours from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. throughout the year.

The DNR says volunteer efforts are most productive during daylight hours, which are ideal for taking scenic photos for social media.

And if cold temperatures are stopping you, Heaston said sign up now to donate time when the weather warms up.

The Department of the Interior recently announced the largest single investment in local parks in the communities across the country and two Maryland cities will benefit from it.

Frederick, Maryland, received a $1 million grant from the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program for its Hill Street Park. The park is currently undergoing a renovation.

Bob Smith, deputy director of parks and recreation for the City of Frederick, said the skate park, which was built in 2004, will be the main beneficiary of the federal grant.

"It is entirely concrete," Smith pointed out. "In the mid-Atlantic region, we know concrete doesn't fare very well during the winter sometimes, with the freeze and thaw. The park is in disrepair. It does need a major renovation."

The grant will fund more than 50 projects across 24 states with more than $250 million, the single largest investment ever from the program. The city of Baltimore also received a nearly $1.4 million grant for the Baltimore Greenway Trail Network.

The grant is part of the Biden administration's America the Beautiful Initiative, a locally led effort to address climate issues, improve access to the outdoors and strengthen the economy. Smith hopes to have the design of the park renovations finalized by the middle of 2025. Other parts of the park include a basketball court, two multipurpose fields, two in-line rinks, a playground, pavilion and walking paths.

Smith emphasized it will be a major part of the community, once all parts of the park are finished.

"Certainly hope that the community will be able to enjoy the upgraded amenities," Smith added. "It will be a heavily used community park, neighborhood park. The revitalized park, once completed in its entirety, will be a gem for the community there."

In December, the Biden administration announced another grant opportunity totaling an estimated $450 million over the next five years.


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