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[Kamikaze] Open the Dialogue

My father and I are the only non-educators in my immediate family. My mother and my siblings were once or are all teachers. And since my father sees every conversation as a "teachable" moment, I guess he could qualify as some sort of "teacher."

[Hutchinson] America Loves to Hate Sharpton

The FBI warned Al Sharpton that an unspecified, dangerous substance may have been mailed to his National Action Network office in New York. The only thing really remarkable about the warning was that it came from the FBI. For months, Sharpton has bitterly complained that he has been receiving a steady stream of hate mail and death threats, and has repeatedly told local law enforcement and the FBI about the threats. He questioned just how seriously they took them. This time the FBI apparently took the substance threat serious enough to warn him.

Media Fell Down on Melton Beat

The other night at Symphony at Sunset in Fondren, I was talking to a local newspaperman who told me about a lie Mayor Frank Melton had told publicly during his campaign—basically an item on his resume that was an outright fabrication.

[Balko] What No One Bothered to Ask Sotomayor

Confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor included much of what we expected. Almost entirely left out of the discussion was a subject you might think has some relevance to the Supreme Court: the criminal justice system.

[Kamikaze] Lapel Pins of Our Countrymen

America needs an enema. Symbolic "patriotism" is blocking the very strides that we are supposed to be making as a "progressive" country. It is giving us mental constipation. Real action, real fighting and real revolution have been replaced by slogans, country songs and, of all things, lapel pins.

One Daughter Away from the White House

Out of everything that chilled me to the bone about Bill Clinton's Lewinsky affair, nothing bothered me more than him messing around with the intern with his teen daughter in the building.

[Gregory] I Want Everything

New Year's Day, the SciFi channel ran a "Twilight Zone" marathon—the old black-and-white ones. I watched for a few hours because I love that they allow the weirdo host to smoke during his introductions and that they created most of the episode's eerie feelings with no special effects, whatsoever. After all, in this day and age, I can't leave the house without applying a hell of a lot of special effects to my own face.

School Is Back, Parents Are Glad

The highlighted square of August 17 glows on my calendar, outshining all other dates like a beacon of light leading lost souls to their salvation. I'm not alone. The promise of school starting has most of my fellow mothers smiling in frenzied anticipation.

[Balko] Pre-Crime Policing

To hear them tell it, the five police agencies who apprehended 39-year-old Oregonian David Pyles early on the morning of March 8 thwarted another lone-wolf mass murderer. The police "were able to successfully take a potentially volatile male subject into protective custody for a mental evaluation," announced a(Medford, Ore., police department.) press release. The department had recently placed the subject on administrative leave from his job, was "very disgruntled" and had recently purchased several firearms. "Local Law Enforcement agencies were extremely concerned that the subject was planning retaliation against his employers," the release said. Fortunately, Pyles "voluntarily" turned himself over to police custody, and the legally purchased firearms "were seized for safekeeping."

The Millennials' First Recession

The financial crisis is blowing toward Jackson, and the Millennial generationpeople ages 18 through 29is taking notice.

Hooray For King Ed

Jackson Developer David Watkins and the King Edward Hotel received some good news from the May 30 City Council meeting. The council voted 6-1 in favor of a resolution ratifying the redevelopment agreement between the Jackson Redevelopment Authority and developers HRI, New Orleans Saints running back Deuce McAllister and local attorney David Watkins. Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes voted against the agreement.

CityBuzz [10.25.06]

Jackson Public Schools Superintendent Earl Watkins made the church circuit Oct. 22, touting the importance of the upcoming $150-million bond proposal on the Nov. 7 ballot to congregations in three different parts of Jackson. Watkins sounded off on the many critical repairs the school system needs, such as repairing leaky roofs and foundation problems, and reducing severe overcrowding in schools. The bond proposal seeks to fix and renovate some schools, as well as build new schools.

BREAKING: Kennedy Brewer is a Free Man

More to come on this story.

The Jackson Free Press' Ronni Mott called this morning from a Noxubee County Circuit courtroom to say that the judge hearing Kennedy Brewer's case has granted his freedom. There was not a dry eye in the courtroom as Brewer's grandmother lifted her head to the sky, crying out "Thank you Jesus!"

Clinton Gets 12 New Delegates; Obama Still Leads

Even as Hillary Clinton is trying to claim a major victory last night—and seems to think that Ohio speaks for the nation—her wins Tuesday netted her 12 new delegates when all was said and done, according to the Associated Press. Still, even though she still trails Obama by 101 delegates, she is hinting today that he should be her vice president (because Ohio said so):

Large Number of FBI Files Alarming

The New York Times reports Monday:

Bond Denied For Slain JSU Student's Ex-Boyfriend

A judge today ordered that Stanley Cole, who police charged with murder in the death of Jackson State student Latasha Norman, be held without bond. Police found Norman's body Thursday. She had been missing since Nov. 13. JSU canceled classes on Friday and held a moment of silence for Norman. A memorial service is scheduled for Monday.

Council Seeks $2.6 Million for Pay Increases

The Jackson City Council's budget committee passed a motion yesterday, 3-2, asking the Johnson administration to locate funds to finance a $1,000 per employee pay raise, a cost increase of about $2.6 million, according to the preliminary estimate of Jackson Chief Administrator Rick Hill.

Barbour Furloughs Rapist, Then Retracts

Leslie Bowlin lay in wait for his young victim, watching her roommates leave their shared apartment in the Canterbury Townhouses in Starkville one by one for the Christmas break. When she was finally alone, Bowlin broke into the apartment and raped her at gunpoint.

Millsaps Hosts Mayoral Candidates

2009 JFP City Election Blog/Archive

Barbour: ‘Don't Let Your Guard Down Yet'

Also see: Jackpedia: Hurricane Gustav to get/post vital information.

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