Barbour to Lawmakers: Think About Online TaxesRepublican Gov. Haley Barbour, who completes an eight-year run as governor next week, addressed a joint session of the Mississippi Legislature this morning for the final time as governor. Barbour will be replaced next week when Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant …
Not Your Ordinary Cable NetworkCable-television networks such as Nickelodeon and the Discovery Channel should serve as economic models for public broadcasting, Gov. Haley Barbour quipped recently.
New Year, New StartRecently, the Jackson Redevelopment Authority decided to stop and breathe rather than be bulldozed into making a decision without having all the information they needed for the proposed convention-center hotel. This past week, the organization's board went a step farther.
New Year, New StartRecently, the Jackson Redevelopment Authority decided to stop and breathe rather than be bulldozed into making a decision without having all the information they needed for the proposed convention-center hotel. This past week, the organization's board went a step farther.
Jim Barksdale to Head MDAGovernor-elect Phil Bryant appointed Jim Barksdale Interim Executive Director of the Mississippi Development Authority at a 2 p.m. press conference on Jan. 4 in Jackson. Barksdale, former President and CEO of Netscape Communications Corp., will succeed Leland Speed as chief …
StampedeOn Dec. 20, Haley Barbour stepped to the podium on the 18th floor of the Walter Sillers building to make his final budget recommendation to reporters—and started hacking away at state agencies.
A Wish List for DV LegislationWith all the new faces in the Mississippi Legislature this year, advocates for new and strengthened laws to protect victims of domestic violence are being non-committal about the specific legislation they plan to introduce during this year's session.
Of Mergers and MAEPAs the Mississippi Legislature writes the 2013 budget, funding for public schools is likely to be up for debate. Specifically, legislators will consider how much funding to put toward the Mississippi Adequate Education Program, which makes up the bulk of …
Party of Lincoln?Think it's strange that the now-lily-white Republican Party was the choice of freed slaves in the 19th century?
Lessons from the PastWhen Republican John R. Lynch won a seat in the Mississippi House, the Legislature had a lot of important rebuilding to do after the Civil War, including schools and other public buildings. In fact, state government needed to entirely reconstruct …
Juvenile Justice: What's NeededRep. Earle Banks, D-Jackson, chaired the Mississippi House Juvenile Justice Committee last year, but accepts that with Republicans running the Legislature, much will change.
Post Offices Safe Until May 15The U.S. Postal Service is in what one might call a tough spot. Since people learned how to pay bills online, parents learned how to tweet baby pictures and companies discovered pop-up ads, the centuries-old agency has tried to cope …
Taking TCI's Land BackJason Brookins, executive director of the Jackson Redevelopment Authority, has the go-ahead to do whatever it takes to get the land across from the Jackson Convention Center out of the hands of developer TCI MS.
Protesters, Legislators Convene at CapitolHolding signs above their heads and chanting, "Whose Capitol? Our Capitol!" protesters from several civil rights and union groups marched to "occupy the Capitol" during a rally this morning.
untitledSeven businesses will receive more than $50,000 in grants from the city of Jackson to make technology and operational improvements as well as facade upgrades. The city council authorized the grants, part of the city's small business development grant and …
Legislative Session Commences TomorrowA potentially raucous Republican-led legislative session begins tomorrow at noon. Political observers describe the weeks leading up to the start of the session as akin to the first day of school.
Council Approves Tax Abatements for CompaniesIt's no secret that Jackson needs businesses inside the city limits to pay taxes and provide jobs and services. But at a City Council meeting earlier this week, council members debated whether the city is reaping enough economic benefits to …
History Made in HindsMuch like television news directors who intentionally place sports and weather coverage at the end of the news broadcast to keep audiences tuned, organizers of this morning's Hinds County swearing-in ceremony were acutely aware of what people really wanted to …
Group Plans Westin Hotel DowntownJoseph Simpson wants to build a luxury hotel in downtown Jackson near the federal courthouse and re-open the Iron Horse Grill a few blocks away. He briefly described his development projects to the Jackson Redevelopment Authority board yesterday during the …
Lies and Damned LiesFactcheck.org, a non-profit, non-partisan project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania, bills itself as the voters' consumer advocate. The organization checks TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews, and news releases for factual accuracy and reports its …
Statewide Pre-K Faces SetbackThe results are in, and Mississippi has lost out on its part of a $500 million pot to improve early-childhood education. Now, politicians and education advocates can't quite agree on who's to blame for the state's bad grades.
Shields UpMississippi, like 10 other states in the union, doesn't have a shield law that protects journalists from revealing sources, turning over documents or answering subpoenas. In 40 states, reporters and editors have some protection in varying degrees.
Superintendent Search UpdateJackson Public Schools could have a new superintendent as early as the middle of 2012. Representatives from Ray and Associates, the consulting firm that will lead the search for the new superintendent, presented the board with a suggested timeline Wednesday, …
Domestic Violence: Health Crisis?Twenty-four American women and men will become victims of intimate-partner violence in the minute it will take you to read this story. If it takes you two minutes, the number jumps to 48.
Decor and DonationsRed Square Clothing Co. (1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Suite 9004, Ridgeland, (601) 853-8960) used holiday decorations in the store to raise money for a good cause.
Steve GuytonSteve Guyton, 63, has been involved in Mississippi politics for more than 40 years. He has worked on numerous campaigns and with countless public officials including Sen. Roger Wicker, former Rep. Chip Pickering and Rep. Gregg Harper. Guyton is currently …
In Race for Pre-K, Mississippi Falls to the Back of the PackThe U.S. Department of Education announced last week that nine states will divvy up $500 million in federal funding for early childhood education. Politicians and education advocates can't quite agree on why Mississippi wasn't on the list.
On Dec. 20, Haley Barbour stepped to the podium on the 18th floor of the Walter Sillers building to make his final budget recommendation to reporters—and started hacking away at state agencies.