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Charter Schools Bill Passes Senate

In a 29 to 14 vote yesterday, the Mississippi Senate passed a bill allowing for the creation of new charter schools in the state starting in 2011, reports GulfLive.com. The bill is sponsored by Sen. Michael Watson, R-Pascagoula. The bill is on its way to the House Education Committee.

JPD Promotes 27 to Sergeant

In a ceremony unseen in Jackson since 2002, Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. and Police Chief Rebecca Coleman presented sergeants badges to 27 city police officers yesterday during a promotion ceremony at the Jackson Police Academy.

Judge Rules for Law Firm in MCI Case

Hinds Circuit Court Judge Winston Kidd handed down a ruling today that will allow the Langston Law Firm to keep the $14 million fee it earned for representing the state in a $110 million settlement with former telecom giant MCI, formerly WorldCom, over unpaid taxes. MCI paid the legal fees directly to the firm, without impacting the state's share of the collected funds.

Brittney Dear

Brittney Dear grew up singing gospel music in her church choir, but she never thought she would have the chance to perform on national television.

Dave Wetzel

To say that Dave Wetzel is a morning person would be an understatement. At a humid morning at the Jackson Zoo, Wetzel has already been awake for approximately five and a half hours.

Mississippi Casino Revenue Still Declining

For an industry that was once considered recession-proof, Mississippi casinos continue to see their revenues slide. For August, the Mississippi State Tax Commission reports a drop of 9 percent over July, with gambling establishments around the state reporting total revenues of $206 million. In August of 2008, winnings totaled $238.2 million.

Flu Vaccine Info ‘Nearly Pure Bunk'

People have been receiving all kinds of bad information about the new vaccinations for swine flu via e-mail and flyers. "We've seen e-mails stating that the vaccine is tainted with antifreeze or Agent Orange, causes Gulf War syndrome, or has killed U.S. Navy sailors. One says the vaccine is an 'evil depopulation scheme.' The claims are nearly pure bunk, with only trace amounts of fact," states FactCheck.org.

Sen. David Baria

A Mississippi lawmaker and attorney, Sen. David Baria, D-Bay St. Louis, arrived to the Senate after beating back conservative Democrat Scottie Cuevas in the Democratic primary in 2007. Since his arrival, the frequent insurance-industry critic has become a champion of insurance reform, pushing time and again for an insurance policy-holder's bill of rights, which includes new laws regulating the insurance industry's use of anti-concurrent causation clauses in home-protection policies.

Terry Sullivan

As a former executive for a global food retail operation, Terry Sullivan saw first hand the adverse effects marketing and large portion sizes have on public health. He is currently using his past experiences to get Jacksonians in shape.

Éamonn de Cógáin

Éamonn de Cógáin has just one piece of advice for anyone timid about dancing in this weekend's CelticFest Céilí Mór: If you can walk, you can dance.

The Redistricting Battle Ahead

Mississippi will likely experience a re-shuffling of state legislative districts, according 2010 U.S. Census data released this month.

Juanyce Taylor

Being first is a designation many people desire to possess, although most aren't always that fortunate. But Juanyce Taylor, director of diversity assessment and programs for the University of Mississippi Medical Center, has a history of originality.

Trent Walker

Trent Walker is counting on his 14 years of varied legal experience in his bid for Hinds County judge.

Sean Sullivan

Sean Sullivan hopes to change federal border and trade policies by organizing a photography exhibit on the harmful environmental affects and habit disruptions from a newly constructed U.S.-Mexico border wall.

Doing Good: Catholic Charities Host Homes

Two years ago, after seeing the need to provide safe places for homeless and runaway youth, Catholic Charities in Jackson began "Host Homes," a program that provides displaced youth with a stable environment.

Cochran Crosses Aisle to Bring Home the Bacon

Mississippi Sen. Thad Cochran broke ranks with fellow Republicans Sunday to pass a $1.1 trillion omnibus federal spending bill for the 2010 fiscal year. The bill combined $447 billion for transportation, housing and urban development with roughly $650 billion for federal benefit programs like Medicare. It also included $3.9 billion in earmarks for special projects, of which $150 million went to Mississippi. Support from Cochran and two other Republicans, Sen. Susan Collins of Maine and Sen. Richard Shelby of Alabama, gave Democrats the 60 votes they needed to surpass a threatened GOP filibuster. The spending measure now awaits President Barack Obama's signature.

Toyota to Restart Blue Springs

Gov. Haley Barbour announced this morning that Toyota is moving forward to complete its Blue Springs plant in north Mississippi. Current plans call for the first cars to roll off the assembly lines in fall 2011.

Sam Gleese

Reverend Sam Gleese is determined to educate people with disabilities. A soft spoken and humble man, he is the president of The National Federation for the Blind in Mississippi and coordinator for the Americans with Disabilities Act. "When I took over the federation in '86, there were only two chapters. As of right now, we have eight chapters across the state," Gleese says.

Jackson Crime Sees Slight Decrease

Major crimes in Jackson decreased slightly last week, with a 22.9 percent drop in violent crime and a 1.3 percent increase in property crimes over the previous week, according to statistics released at a Jackson Police Department command staff meeting this morning. The weekly trend mirrors yearly statistics: For the year to date, violent crime has decreased 9.2 percent from 2008 numbers, while property crime is up 1.7 percent.

Local Studio Brings Art to Life

ArtWorks Studio in Brandon is offering creative new classes and workshops this year. Each class offers a distinct and diverse objective for all ages. Lori Rene', 31, the owner and the only instructor of Artworks, says her passion is to inspire others toward their own individual creativity. The studio offers a myriad of classes, including pottery, painting, craft workshops and more.

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