Mims: Budget Holds No Cuts to City ServicesJackson Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. will deliver a presentation to the city council at an afternoon committee meeting today that will entail a plan to cover budget shortfalls without cutting city staff or services, city spokesman Chris Mims said.
Jackson Police Battling BurglariesJackson police reported 226 crimes last week, up from 177 the previous week, according to crime statistics released at a Jackson Police Department command staff meeting this morning. Officers reported 190 property crimes, up from 144 the previous week, and …
Keisha VarnellWhen Keisha Varnell walks down the hallways of Lanier High School, she remembers what it was like to face peer pressure but admits today's students have it a lot harder. "The issues now are so much more intense and severe," …
Mississippi to End HIV Segregation in PrisonsState Corrections Commissioner Christopher Epps announced yesterday that Mississippi will end its practice of separating male HIV-positive prisoners from other inmates beginning in May, reports WDAM. Mississippi currently houses 152 HIV-positive prisoners in a segregated unit in Parchman.
Medical Examiner Bill Sent To BarbourThe Mississippi Legislature has passed a bill that would require state medical examiners to be certified forensic pathologists. The House of Representatives today approved Senate changes to House Bill 1456, and the bill now awaits Gov. Haley Barbour's signature.
Lesbian Teen Fights for PromConstance McMillen unwraps a Super Sonic Burger from a bag full of tater tots at her kitchen table in Fulton. Her long, dark hair is curled, and her face is made up. She's wearing a new black T-shirt that reads …
Revenue Estimates Down, Barbour to Announce Budget CutsWith newly revised revenue estimates projecting a slow recovery for the state economy, Gov. Haley Barbour is preparing to cut an additional $41 million from the state budget for this fiscal year. The Mississippi Legislature's joint budget committee today adopted …
Barbour Signs Strip Club BillGov. Haley Barbour signed a bill on March 15 giving rural counties authority to regulate strip clubs. House Bill 170 demands supervisors publish and post notice of any proposed ordinance change impacting strip clubs at least 20 days prior to …
Baria: Barbour's Wind Pool Veto Raises RatesSen. David Baria, D-Bay St. Louis, successfully added an amendment to a bill by voice vote yesterday that continues the state's annual $20 million payment to the Mississippi Windstorm Underwriting Association Reinsurance Assistance Fund, also called the wind pool. The …
Jackson Chamber Eyeing IndependenceThe Jackson Chamber of Commerce, a subsidiary of the metro-area Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership, is planning to become an independent body to better advocate for the city's economic interests. A move to complete autonomy is probably more than a year …
Roderick HolmesWhen Jackson Police Department Officer Roderick Holmes responded to an alarm call at Calvary Baptist Church in January, his training and skills came into play in apprehending a man who had broken into the church. As the intruder tried to …
Horne LLP Under Fire AgainJackson accounting firm Horne LLP faces criticism for the second time in two months after a Feb. 18 audit by the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General reported that the company billed Mississippi Emergency Management Agency an excessive …
Silver Alert Legislation Awaits Barbour's SignatureKeeping our parents and grandparents safe is the goal of a Mississippi House bill creating a Silver Alert system. The system, based on Amber Alerts for children, will allow family members to report an elderly missing person quickly, ensuring that …
Eddie Fair Requests Pay Raises; Supes DenyWith budget concerns in mind, the Hinds County Board of Supervisors denied pay raises requested by county Tax Collector Eddie Fair in a meeting this morning, while approving the hiring of another county position.
Evelyn GandyWhen Rep. Alyce Clarke, D-Jackson, considered running as the state's first female African American representative in the late 1980s, she received encouragement and advice from Evelyn Gandy.