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Muscle Meets Bivalve
John McGowan and McGowan Working Partners laud the city of Jackson's economic benefit of the Two Lakes plan, a proposed project that would dam the Pearl River and create a series of islands between Hinds and Rankin counties.
Jackson Crime Stats for August 3-9
Jackson saw a significant reduction in major crimes last week, according to a weekly report (PDF) released at today's Jackson Police Department command staff meeting. Jackson police reported 200 crimes from August 3 through August 9, a 25 percent reduction from the previous week. All four precincts reported decreases in both violent and property crime, with Northeast Jackson's Precinct 4 reporting the fewest crimes and the greatest percentage decrease from the previous week.
Insurance Information for Gustav Victims
Mississippi Insurance Department phone numbers:
The Mississippi Insurance Department has a page explaining how to file an insurance claim for hurricane damage to your home. Homeowners should document all damage with photos and/or video and file any claims as soon as possible. The MID Coast office will be available to answer questions and assist in filing claims.
Wanted: Weather Observers in Mississippi
[Verbatim] The Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network, better known as CoCoRaHS, has recently expanded into Mississippi and is looking for volunteer weather observers across the Magnolia State! CoCoRaHS, which is being sponsored by the Office of the Mississippi State Climatologist and the National Weather Service, is a unique, non-profit, community based network of volunteer weather observers of all ages and backgrounds working together to measure and report precipitation amounts (rain, hail and snow). By using low-cost and self-provided measurement tools, the aim of CoCoRaHS is to provide the maximum amount of data for natural resource education as well as research applications, because, as we say "every drop counts."
Governors Association To Meet In Biloxi
Governors from all 50 states will convene in Biloxi this weekend for the National Governors Association's Annual Meeting. The meeting, which brings together governors to share policy ideas, begins on July 17 with sessions devoted to infrastructure issues. Outgoing NGA Chair and Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell will discuss a yearlong initiative aimed at repairing and improving state's infrastructure. The meeting will close on Monday, July 20, with a discussion of energy and the economy, and the induction of the incoming NGA Chair, Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas.
Horhn: Crisler Camp ‘Put the Money on the Table'
At a press conference this morning, mayoral candidate Marshand Crisler denied allegations, made in two new flyers supporting his candidacy, that his opponent Harvey Johnson bought the endorsement of state Sen. John Horhn, a former mayoral candidate. When asked about the flyers at a press conference he called to disavow negative flyers that appeared over the weekend, Crisler first responded, "I denounce any negative politics and that one in particular." When the JFP's Adam Lynch and Donna Ladd asked directly whether Horhn had ever offered to sell his endorsement, Crisler replied, "No." Reached around the same time, however, Horhn told the JFP that the Crisler campaign had tried to buy his endorsement, but he refused.
DOJ weighs in on JATRAN
The U.S. Department of Justice has intervened on a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Jackson, buttressing accusations of the inaccessibility of Jackson's public bus system. The lawsuit, filed late last year by 11 Jackson residents with disabilities and two non-profit organizations, including the Mississippi Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities, alleges the city is violating the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (ADA).
URGENT: Vote TUESDAY in District 71 Re-Vote
If you live in District 71, please remember to go to the polls Tuesday to vote in the re-vote between Adrienne Wooten and John Reeves. Polls will be open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. in these locations: Baker Elementary School, Oak Forest Elementary School, Victory AME Zion Church and Lakeshore Baptist Church. Pass the word.
Paul Minor's Wife Dies Without Him
Also see: Dem At Your Own Risk
Public Safety Forum Tonight
Jackson Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. and his transition team will hold a public forum tonight at 6 p.m. on the subject of public safety. The forum will take place in the City Council Chambers in City Hall at 219 S. President Street.
Iraq Edges Toward ‘Full Scaled Civil War'
Rory Carroll reports from Iraq:
UPDATED: Prosecutors Appeal Seale ‘Acquittal'
A 2005 Jackson Free Press investigation helped spur Seale's prosecution. See JFP Archive of Seale Investigation. Also, see http://www.roadtomeadville.com for full coverage.
Barbour Still ‘No' on Federal Funds
Gov. Haley Barbour reportedly renewed his criticism of the Obama administration's economic bailout package during the National Governors Association winter meeting in Washington, D.C. this past weekend.
Free Paternity Tests Offered
In an effort to increase child support collections, the Mississippi Department of Human Services is offering free paternity tests this month. DNA testing to prove whether a man is a child's father normally run between $300 and $500 dollars, with additional fees for an attorney's assistance more than doubling the cost.
Jackson Public Meetings and Community Events
Tuesday, Sept. 1
4:30 p.m., U.S. Small Business Administration clinic to discuss SBA's guaranty loan program, Regions Plaza, 210 E. Capitol St., 601-965-4378 ext. 11.
City Election Overview: Wards 3 and 4
Ward 3 stretches across West Jackson, from north of Chastain Middle School to the Poindexter Park neighborhood in the south. With a longtime incumbent, the Ward 3 race is small; only two candidates are challenging Councilman Kenneth Stokes.
Lawmakers Pass Another Tobacco Tax
After 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 past, said he would sign the bill into law.
John Reeves to Represent Melton in Federal Trial
Weeks after Mayor Frank Melton tapped him to serve on the Jackson Development Authority, local attorney John Reeves told the Jackson Free Press that he has decided to represent Jackson Mayor Frank Melton in November when Melton goes on trial for constitutional violations against some Jackson residents. Reeves said he would not discuss the particulars of the upcoming trial for ethical reasons. "I can't make any comments about a case that's in litigation. There are rules of ethics that govern what lawyers can say and can not say and we strictly adhere to those rules by just not commenting at all," Reeves told the Jackson Free Press.
[Archive] Chaney, Goodman and Schwerner
Since the JFP launched in October 2002, the following pieces have discussed, in one way or another, the murders of James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner and the effect of that tragedy on modern-day Mississippi. We present these stories together as an archive in honor of June 21, 2004—the 40th anniversary of their deaths in Neshoba County.
Mississippi Beats Louisiana; Now Most Unhealthy State
CQ Press has released its annual list of unhealthiest states—and Mississippi comes out the winner, taking out last year's winner, Louisiana. And the reasons couldn't be more direct: