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Barbour's Budget Hits Women, AG, Schools Hard

Gov. Haley Barbour released a budget proposal yesterday calling for a 12 percent cut in the state budget for most agencies and the consolidation of the state's historically black colleges and universities. The proposal, which reflects the state's fiscal year 2011 revenue estimates of a $715 million shortfall, picks and chooses which agencies should receive the majority of cuts.

Engineers Want Lower Lake Plan on Table

An engineer urged the Rankin-Hinds Pearl River Flood and Drainage Control District Levee Board last week to press the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to approve a lake plan to coincide with a Corps-preferred levee expansion the board approved in December.

Thompson Kicks off Economic Summit

U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, a Democrat from Mississippi's Second Congressional District, urged local governments to increase contracts with minority businesses during the Mississippi Economic Recovery and Procurement Summit this morning.

Fairview Hearing, UMMC Research

The city's Planning Board will hold a hearing Wednesday, Nov. 17, on a permit application that would allow the Fairview Inn to apply for a permit to operate a public restaurant. The bed-and-breakfast located on North State Street includes a restaurant, Sophia's, that was open to the public from 2003 to 2009. Last year, the Mississippi Supreme Court granted a legal challenge to the restaurant by four neighbors who argued that the city's permit for the restaurant constituted illegal "spot zoning." In July, the City Council approved amendments to city ordinances that created a zoning category for historic houses with a bed-and-breakfast and public restaurant. Next week's hearing is on the inn's application for a use permit under the new amendment.

Latrisha Dumas Bailey

Massage Therapist Latrisha Dumas Bailey is on a mission to help people adopt self-care as a central practice for their lives.

Revenue Estimates Down, Barbour to Announce Budget Cuts

With 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 revised revenue estimates predicting a 6.3 percent drop in state revenue for the 2010 fiscal year and a 0.4 increase in 2011. Barbour told reporters that he thought the minimal growth predicted in 2011 was over-optimistic.

Water Emergency Closings

Numerous schools and businesses will close early or remain closed throughout the day due to water main breaks around the city of Jackson. Call ahead to find out whether your destination is open today. Closings include:

Oil Leak Stopped, Coast Elated but Cautious

With the leak from the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig temporarily stopped, Gulf Coast residents are breathing a sigh of relief. BP officials announced yesterday that the company had managed to cap the leaking well for the first time since April 20.

Franks Responds to Barbour's State of the State

[verbatim] Mississippi Democratic Party Chairman Jamie Franks today released the following response to Gov. Barbour¹s State of the State address:

Court to Review Panel Decision on Global Warming Suit

A recent U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals decision could undermine Gulf Coast resident's efforts to hold oil companies responsible for causing global warming and contributing to Hurricane Katrina's damage.

Filming, Cupcakes and Marketing

Filming for DreamWorks Studios' "The Help," the adaptation of Jackson native Kathryn Stockett's bestselling debut novel, has largely taken place in Greenwood, but the production is coming to Fondren Sept. 23. Crews have begun facade work on a row of North State Street businesses to match the film's 1960s setting.

Hinds Seeks $6 Million Fines

Lack of personnel and technology is preventing Hinds County from collecting over $6 million in outstanding fines, county supervisors learned at a work session yesterday. A discussion on improving the county's processing of warrants proposed by Supervisor Peggy Calhoun spawned an hour-long analysis of the county's system for tracking and collecting fines.

Downtown Bodega Opening; King Edward Wins Award

The recently opened Standard Life building will soon have a New York-style grocery store and deli. Gwin Wyatt and her husband, Frank, decided to open the store after her daughter, Brooke Wyatt-Kuhne, moved into the King Edward Hotel while serving as the artistic director of International Ballet Competition in Jackson this summer.

Youth Justice Project Sues Hinds County Schools

The Mississippi Youth Justice Project filed a lawsuit today against the Hinds County School District, alleging that the district unlawfully targeted a student for expulsion. The student, identified in the complaint only by his initials, A.H., was a freshman at Terry High School. District officials suspended, then expelled and placed him in an alternative school for his involvement in what the lawsuit calls a "coin-tossing game" on a school bus.

State Agency Finds JPS Violating Disability Law

Jackson Public Schools has one month to improve the way it educates special-education students, according to a Mississippi Department of Education's Nov. 22 decision. The decision states that JPS fails to provide appropriate special-education services to students with behavioral and emotional disorders, a violation of the federal Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, referred to as the IDEA.

Bus Drivers Fighting for Contract Improvements

School bus drivers in Hinds, Madison, Clay and Yazoo counties are negotiating for better wages to bring them up from the lowest levels in the area. The drivers, employees of First Student are members of the Teamsters Union. Currently, their wages start at about $9.25 an hour, which is $3 an hour less than drivers receive in neighboring areas, reports Reuters.

Mimi's Brings Breakfast to Fondren

The growing Fondren restaurant scene has a new option for breakfast: Mimi's Family and Friends. Jackson natives Linda and Jim Burwell opened Mimi's last Friday. The Burwells live next door to the location, and Linda had eyed the former service station at the corner of North State and Hartfield streets for over a year.

Bus Strikers Want Deal Soon

Union bus drivers for Hinds County schools say the part-time pay for drivers isn't enough to keep food on the table.

Today is D-Day for Controversial Bills

The Mississippi Legislature has one of its busiest days today as committees scramble to pass most general bills. State lawmakers have until midnight tonight to get committee approval for any non-revenue bills originating in their own chamber. That means that many contentious measures may die tonight for lack of progress.

Obesity, Restaurant News

Leading lawmakers, medical researchers and health-care professionals will convene on Jackson Nov. 9 through Nov. 11 for the Global Obesity Summit 2010. Sponsored by the the University of the Mississippi Medical Center and the Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership, the event is part of an effort by UMMC to develop a international-caliber research center dedicated to studying and treating obesity, the Center for Obesity, Nutrition and Metabolic Diseases Research.

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