Ellington

City Gets $800,000 For King Edward Cleanup. Mayor Johnson is accepting $800,000 awarded to the city under the 2005 Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development Independent Agencies Appropriations Bill. This $800,000 will be used for the remediation of environmental hazards in the King Edward Hotel.

As a matter of fact, as part of the cleanup, next week buried gas tanks from a gas station on the hotel’s property will be located using ground-penetrating radar. Once the tanks are located, they should be removed in early February.

Historic Restoration, Inc. (HRI) stated they intended to complete a $35 million renovation of the historic building to transform it into a vibrant mixed-use development comprised of condos on the top floors, office space on a lower floor and a high end restaurant, gourmet coffee shop and other retail space on the bottom floor.

Mayor’s Youth Initiative Applying For Juvenile Accountability Incentive Block Grant

This week the Jackson City Council authorized Mayor Johnson to submit a grant application for $261,408 with the Mississippi Division of Public Safety Planning from the Juvenile Accountability Incentive Block Grant Program.

The grant funds will be used to expand existing community-based programs designed to reduce the incidences of juvenile delinquency. The Mayor’s Youth Initiative has received the grant every year they’ve applied.

Mayor To Meet With His Youth Council Monday
Mayor Johnson will meet with members of the Mayor’s Youth Council, Monday, January 24, 2005, at 6:00 p.m. in the Andrew Jackson Conference Room of the Warren A. Hood Building. Mayor Johnson meets with the council throughout the year to discuss concerns, ideas and other issues the young people have.

Members of the Mayor’s Youth Council have been chosen from area public, private and parochial high schools – at least two from each ward and one at-large – and were appointed by the principals of each of the participating schools.

The purpose of the youth council is to (1) act as a liaison between City of Jackson youth and city government by keeping city government informed of the needs of youth; (2) to give the youth of our city an active voice in the affairs of city government by expressing their ideas through youth council members; (3) to advise city officials and take action concerning matters which will work toward developing youth into responsible citizens.