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Langston Cooperating; Feds Seek His Release

An accidentally published motion reveals agents are working for an early release for convicted attorney Joey Langston, and that more investigations related to Langston are underway. U.S. attorneys filed a motion for downward departure in U.S. District Court Wednesday, explaining that Langston has helped prosecutors pursue investigations on convicted attorney Dickie Scruggs, and has "assisted in the further investigations of (Hinds County) Circuit Court Judge Bobby Delaughter and others."

Feds Fire Back at Melton

In a brief filed Monday, Dec. 1, federal prosecutors argued that the purity of Jackson Mayor Frank Melton's motives has no bearing on his trial for civil-rights violations. Their motion(PDF) was a response to a defense brief(PDF) claiming that prosecutors must prove the mayor and his bodyguard Michael Recio acted with a "bad purpose or evil motive" when they allegedly ordered and participated in the 2006 destruction of a Ridgeway Street duplex.

Court Grants Restraining Order Against JHA

Hinds County Chancery Court opted to grant Mississippi Housing Solutions a temporary restraining order to stop the Jackson Housing Authority from considering other bidders for development of a housing project in Jackson. The order remains in effect until an Aug. 13 preliminary injunction hearing, where the court will hear MHS' argument.

High Anxiety

A recent Precinct 4 COPS meeting revealed anxiety over Mayor Melton's recent move to dissolve the Crime Prevention Unit. The unit, employing only one academy-graduated police officer, was recognized at the meeting as a useful tool for the community to use to communicate with the Jackson Police Department.

Justice Overdue

In 1964, three civil rights workers—James Chaney, Michael Schwerner and Andrew Goodman—were murdered in Neshoba County by a mob of Klansmen and buried 15 feet underground. Their bodies were found 44 days later. Now 40 and a half years after the murder, a grand jury has returned the first-ever murder indictment in the murder case, presented by Mississippi Attorney General Jim Jim and District Attorney Mark Duncan. The man who allegedly engineered the slayings, Edgar Ray "Preacher" Killen, might finally be brought to justice. He was arrested late Thursday, Jan. 13.

Helping the Tsunami Victims

When he heard about that the disaster had struck on Dec. 26, Jackson attorney Taylor Ferrell made an phone call to Chennai, one of the devastated cities in southern India. After volunteering as an English teacher at an orphanage there for three weeks, he had left on Christmas, the day before the tsunami gushed through the city's coastal areas. Ferrell made contact with those he had worked with and was assured that all the children and other volunteers were just fine.

Rev. Paul Jones

The white double doors of the home of Paul Jones, 63 opened and revealed a man with a welcoming smile, his red hair glowing golden from the Christmas tree lit behind him. He led me into his office, where the walls were blanketed with degrees and diplomas, shelves lined with books.

Cat Cora

Within weeks of Hurricane Katrina's attack on the lives of Mississippians, Chefs for Humanity Executive Director Debra Rainey was in the area to assess needs so that the non-profit could begin its response. Since then, she's kept a journal of sorts that you will want to read by clicking the OntheRail link at chefsforhumanity.com. The monthly archives are there, explaining how they fed thousands for weeks and how they're planning to return for the holidays.

DIY: Decorate A Christmas Tree

Experienced Christmas tree decorator Sherrie Nichols' philosophy can be easily understood. "I take my cues from nature. Our definition of perfect is different from God's definition of perfect," she told me as we talked about the process. "If you drew a line down my body, my right side is not like my left side, but that's OK because that's me—you don't have to be symmetrical." Here's Nichols' advice for picking the right tree and decorating it just the way you and your family want it.

Jackie Richmond

Jackie Richmond, 32, took Jackson by storm these last few months as the hip, young campaign manager for Mississippi Supreme Court Justice James Graves, who was re-elected in a run-off election on Nov. 16, defying conventional political wisdom that he could not win a run-off. As her work with Graves neared its end (yes, there's still work to be done after Election Day), Richmond took a few seconds off to chat.

Dr. Earl Watkins

During the first week of the school year, JPS sees more activity than a dog corpse lying on an anthill. Incredibly, though, JPS Superintendent Dr. Earl Watkins still managed to find time amid the furor to speak with the JFP about challenges facing JPS this year.

A ‘Brazen' Ballot Battle

Gov. Haley Barbour took the fight over a sample election ballot to the Mississippi Supreme Court on Friday.

No Money To Fund Partisan Radio, Democrats Say

The Mississippi House of Representatives may consider a bill forcing more oversight on how the state pays for advertising in 2009. The state spent more than $14 million on newspaper, radio and television advertising in 2006, but some House members say the state is funding partisan radio.

Worried in Florida

Pensacola Beach is packed. People sunbathe on the white sand, parents look on as their children make sand castles and run into ankle-deep water, and surfers take full advantage of the waves in the crystal blue water.

Better Late Than Never

A large group gathered in the gymnasium of Higgins Middle School in McComb, Miss. for a ceremony, Thursday, June 22. This graduation was different. There was no buzzing and flittering about. There were very few teenagers dressed in Sunday best. College students eager to start their new lives weren't standing in line, either. Instead, 10 60-somethings dressed in green caps and gowns with gold trim were anxious to receive honorary diplomas.

Judges Building War Chests

With the November judicial elections still months away, many candidates for circuit and county judge positions have not begun campaigning in earnest. If a recent round of campaign-finance records is any indication, though, a few candidates are wasting no time in building war chests.

Jackson Business Round Up

The success of last month's "Downtown After Dusk" event in the courtyard of Underground 119 has secured a new tradition in Jackson. Julie Skipper, one of the organizers, said today that the event will not conflict with "Fondren After Five" in the future. The next "Downtown After Dusk" will take place May 13 starting at 5 p.m. in front of the new Congress Street Bar and Grill on the corner of Congress and Amite Streets. The event is sponsored by Downtown Jackson Partners, the Jackson Convention and Visitor's Bureau, YP Alliance, Jackson Downtown Neighborhood Association, Underground 119, Entergy and the Jackson Chamber of Commerce. "The event is a way to get people to support business owners downtown and get people to stay downtown after work," Skipper said. "We were overwhelmed in a good way, it was a great, diverse crowd. ... We were expecting 300 people, and 600 showed up."

Jackson Chamber Eyeing Independence

The 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 away but the leaders of both organizations are working to develop a plan for separation, current Jackson Chamber Chairman Jonathan Lee said, this week.

Towing Companies Protest City Agreement

Three tow truck companies' refusal to remove a city-owned vehicle yesterday is the first casualty in a protest over the Jackson City Council's recently enacted wrecker-rotation policy, which caps the fees for towing services inside the city limits.

Are You Ready for the Weekend, Jackson?

Kick off the first weekend in autumn tonight with a couple of movies for only $5. At 6:30 p.m., Crossroads Film Society presents "My Time Will Come," from Ecuador, and "The Photograph," from Indonesia at the Mississippi Museum of Art (museum members get in for $3). For opera lovers, head to Millsaps College for a rare, free treat. Robert Crowe, a male soprano, will sing Mozart and Haydn arias beginning at 7 p.m. at the Ford Academic Complex. If you're looking for a way to contribute to the community, at 8:30 p.m., head to Galloway United Methodist Church for "Ending Homelessness: Putting the Pieces Together in Our Community," the final event in the Mississippi State Hospital's Homeless Connect Week. You have plenty more options to choose from, so if none of those make you happy, head over to the JFP Events Calendar for more options.

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