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Bounds Asks for 200 Teachers
Teach for America, a program that trains college students to teach in under-served, poor communities, is seeing record numbers of graduates applying. Mississippi State Superintendent of Education, has asked the organization for 200 of those recruits to teach in the Delta, doubling the numbers from previous years, according to an Associated Press story.
Nobody Minding the Store
The Jackson City Council grudgingly approved about $45,000 of payments to the U.S. Treasury Department Tuesday after the city failed to manage two federal law-enforcement grants. The council voted 6-0, with Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes absent, approving a $40,394 payment to the U.S. Treasury Department because the city misspent money from a 2004 local law-enforcement grant, and another $4,687 repayment of a 2002 local law-enforcement grant. The action increased the city claims docket from $2,304,563 to $2,349,645.
New Jackson Council Meets Today
The new Jackson City Council will be meeting for the first time today at 4 p.m. Leaving the council this year is former Council President and Ward 2 Councilman Leslie Burl McLemore, who announced his retirement prior to the Democratic primaries. McLemore is also retiring from his job at Jackson State University.
Barbour Refuses Special Session, Vows Fight
[Verbatim from Gov. Haley Barbour] Yesterday an "agreement in principle" on Medicaid issues was announced by Medicaid negotiators, but this so-called "solution" has a huge, fundamental flaw: It would give Medicaid a blank check and expose Mississippi taxpayers to the risk of a severe, illegal budget deficit.
Texting Ban Affects Only Teens
A new bill signed into law by Gov. Haley Barbour last week mandates that teens under 18 with an intermediate license or learner's permit cannot text friends and family while they are behind the wheel.
Jackson to Host China Trade Forum
The Jackson Convention Complex is the site for a China trade forum later this month, hosted by the Mississippi Development Authority and Gov. Haley Barbour, reports WXVT 15 in a story from the Associated Press.
DA Alleges Racism; Former DA Weighs In
Even as Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith is alleging racism in the Hinds County Justice system, his African American predecessor says that it was her job to find a way to work within the parameters set by the judge.
Report: Mississippi's ‘Worst Firsts' in Public Health
Mississippi has the most unhealthy citizens in the country, a new report says. The state's first Public Health Report Card, a joint effort of the Mississippi State Medical Association and the State Department of Health released Wednesday, aims to raise awareness of Mississippi's health woes.
Legislators Remain Stuck on Budget
With 14 days remaining in Mississippi's 2009 fiscal year, lawmakers continue their struggle to reach a consensus on next year's budget. The special negotiating team, which consists of three House and three Senate members, along with Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant, ended yesterday's session with $12 million in total differences on the $5 billion budget, according to the Memphis Commercial Appeal.
Viking to Open Ridgeland Cooking School
Viking Culinary Group, a division of Viking Range Corporation, is opening a cooking school in Ridgeland next month, kicking off with a class titled "Classic Steakhouse" on Friday, August 21. The group has named Chan Patterson as the school's manager, and the school has a full schedule of classes in the following days and weeks.
MEMA Urges Preparation for Freezing Forecast
Also see: Emergency Weather Tips on Jackpedia
Free At Last? Brewer May Go Free Friday
Two men who have served a combined 34 years behind bars for crimes they apparently did not commit may walk away free men on Friday, Feb. 15.
Jury Selection Begins in Melton-Recio Trial
Melton archive/blog.
The thrice-delayed federal civil rights trial of Mayor Frank Melton and bodyguard Michael Recio kicked off Monday in the federal courthouse in downtown Jackson for the destruction of a private home in August 2006, a story first reported by the Jackson Free Press. The court summoned 100 potential jurors from the southern district in Mississippi. Questioning of the jurors started today and will continue for about three days. Opening statements are expected to happen late this week with the trial taking up to three weeks.
My Uncle, The Artist
When people ask if I'm related to painter Andrew Bucci, I answer proudly, "Yes, he's my uncle!" It's difficult to hide my exuberance. He's a phenomenal human being and artist, and I'm one of his biggest fans.
Senate Kills Public Records Access Bill
The Mississippi Senate shelved a bill designed to make public records more accessible to the public, according to The Greenwood Commonwealth,
UPDATED: Ridgeway Tenant Denies Melton's Claim
Evans Welch disputes Mayor Frank Melton's claims that he asked the mayor for help before the 2006 demolition of the duplex he rented. Melton, who faces three felony charges for his role in the incident, has argued in court hearings and filings that Welch, a diagnosed schizophrenic, contacted him multiple times, requesting help with the drug activity at his home.
House Approves MAEP Funds for Ailing Schools
Responding quickly to dire news about Mississippi's school districts, House lawmakers approved a bill today that would appropriate $68 million for the Mississippi Adequate Education Program, the state's primary funding mechanism for low-revenue districts.
Regular Legislative Session Ends with Unresolved Issues
The Mississippi Legislature's 2009 session ended temporarily today. With the 2010 budget yet to be resolved, lawmakers are planning a second session beginning in May or June.
Melton's ‘State': ‘A Bit Of Hyperbole'?
Mayor Frank Melton praised Jackson's economic progress and outlined some of the city's persistent problems in his State of the City address this morning at the TelCom Center.
BREAKING: Mississippi Supreme Court Censors Dissenting Opinion
The Mississippi Supreme Court censored the dissenting opinion (PDF, 456 KB) of Justice Oliver Diaz yesterday, a possibly "unprecedented" move "in the history of American jurisprudence," according to Diaz.