Diaz Calls on D.C.Former Mississippi Supreme Court Justice Oliver Diaz outlined allegations of political persecution last week at a Washington, D.C., forum. The Sarah McClendon Group, a government and media watchdog association, held a forum on alleged selective prosecutions by the U.S. Department …
Welcome to FY 2010: Where's the Budget?At around 8 p.m. last night, the Mississippi House approved a $60 million hospital tax promoted by Gov. Haley Barbour to fund the state's Medicaid program, after a nearly two-and-a-half hour readingout loudof the 81-page bill, reports the Memphis Commercial …
Closing the Clean-Up DealThe city may have brought to a close the troubled business relationship between local debris-removal contractor Garrett Construction Company and Pearl River, Miss.-based Nungesser Industries.
Medicaid Agreement ReachedAround 11 p.m. last night, House Speaker Billy McCoy, D-Rienzi, announced from the House floor that the special budget committee has reached an agreement with Gov. Haley Barbour on the final sticking point holding up passage of the 2010 Mississippi …
Lawmakers Pass Another Tobacco TaxAfter years of not raising taxes on cigarettes, yesterday Mississippi lawmakers approved the second cigarette tax hike this year. Even more surprising, Gov. Haley Barbour, a former tobacco lobbyist who vetoed raising the state's excise taxes numerous times in the …
Millsaps Named ‘Best Buy'[verbatim] Millsaps College is one of only 24 private colleges nationwide and the only college in Mississippi named a "Best Buy" in the 2010 edition of Fiske's Top Financial Finds on the College Tuition Market.
Legislative Special Session UnderwayThe Mississippi House and Senate are desperately hammering out an agreement on a state appropriation bill one day after Gov. Haley Barbour finally called a special session. Barbour had initially fought the idea of a special session, after disagreeing with …
Hood Provides Microsoft Settlement FAQsSubsequent to Mississippi's $100 million anti-trust settlement with software giant Microsoft June 10, Attorney General Jim Hood has posted a list of frequently asked questions on the Attorney General Web site. Among the questions answered are:
Johnson to Hold Public ForumsAs part of the incoming mayor's transition to Jackson's top spot after his July 3 inauguration, Harvey Johnson Jr. and his transition team will be holding a series of public forums beginning tomorrow and running into July. Each forum begins …
[Evans] A New Model for Cutting Medical CostsWord is that Harvard Professor Dr. Atul Gawande's article on McAllen, Texas, is required reading in the White House. Published in the June 1, 2009 issue of The New Yorker, the Boston surgeon asks why McAllen's health care costs are …
Making Weekend Plans?It's Friday, y'all, and you know what that means: It's time for weekend planning. As always, the Jackson Free Press is here to let you know what's happening, who's in town and where the "don't miss" events are taking place.
Governor Adamant About Port ExpansionDespite pleas to reconsider his earlier decision to divert money from funds designated for rebuilding housing on Mississippi's Gulf Coast, Gov. Haley Barbour told reporters yesterday that he's not changing his mind. The $570 million will go toward expanding the …
Governor Chides Lawmakers for Unfinished BusinessGov. Haley Barbour took time off from nationwide GOP fundraising efforts to announce that he has no plan to call a special session to address the state's non-existent budget just yet. Barbour, who is not a legislator, told the Senate …
Unemployment Rate Jumps AgainThe unemployment rate in Mississippi increased a full percentage point from April to May, inching toward 10 percent once again, according to the Mississippi Department of Employment Security. That one point, from 8.6 percent to 9.6 percent, represents an additional …