Stories for April 2006

Police Beat 18-Year-Old While In Handcuffs

Oprah Crashes and Burns with Hiphop Artists 50 Cent and Ludacris

Read what 50 Cent and Ludacris have to say:

This is an interesting read, and I have to admit that from what I have seen on her shows, the artists interviewed have a point. Oprah, though I see her as an inspiration and role model, does seem to have a certain perception of hiphop artists.

Rush Limbaugh Arrested on Drug Charges

WAPT is reporting that conservative talk darling Rush Limbaugh has been arrested:

Donna & Todd Present 'Southern Fried Karaoke'

Tonight. (Friday.) 9 p.m.-until. No cover. Hal & Mal's restaurant. Be there.

New Katrina Reports Rips Bush ... Again

Don't we know it. AP is reporting:

Justice Diaz Acquitted ... Again

Eagles 6, Dogs 3

Southern Miss beat Mississippi State 6-3 on Wednesday night to complete a sweep of the two-game series at Hattiesburg. A crowd of 5,177, the second-largest in Pete Taylor Park history, turned out to see the Bulldogs continue their freefall.

Brett Is Back (Yawn)

Brett Favre is going to play quarterback for the Green Bay Packers next season, like there was ever any doubt. Doctor S hails BF for coming back to break the his personal record for interceptions set last season (29). Brett should be able to top the 40-picks mark with no problem.

Making The Nasty Good

I've been trying to ignore the pitiful looks and all-out begging from my 7th-grade Open Doors students (most of whom I taught last year as 6th-graders) all school year. I thought that eventually they would forget about it, but the pleas started up again last week.

‘Batman' Speaks: The JFP Interview with Albert Donelson

The first time "Batman" called me, I had just arrived at Arts, Eats and Beats in Fondren. I ran into the stairwell so I could hear the soft-spoken man, 33, who was acquitted earlier this month of ordering the murder of Aaron Crockett in 2000. "This is Albert Donelson," said the man with whom Mayor Frank Melton admits to being obsessed, the man Melton believes is responsible for eight murders, the man who took up much of Melton's time when he was head of the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics. "I want to sit down with you and let you say what you want to say," I told him. "Come to my studio tonight. I'll call you at 8 p.m. and tell you how to get here," he answered.

Mayoral Staffers to Respond to Ladd, Stringfellow

Three members of the Melton adminstration will visit the Charles Evers show Wednesday, April 26, at 8 p.m. to response to a discussion last week with Donna Ladd of the Jackson Free Press and Eric Stringfellow of The Clarion-Ledger. The following release is verbatim from WMPR (90.1 FM):

Just The Facts: A Reader's Guide to JFP Melton Interviews

The interviews with Frank Melton touch on several issues, names and events that are not explained fully in the text. Here are factual summaries about some of those issues, including fact checks on several of Melton's statements.

Claritas and Hurricane Katrina

April 26, 2006 Claritas recently produced a census revealing that the Jackson metro area has taken in some 20,000 evacuees from Hurricane Katrina. This is 5 percent of Jackson's population, which means that on a per capita basis, Jackson has taken in more evacuees than all but a few urban areas. (Hattiesburg-Laurel tops the list with a whopping 10 percent growth in population.)

Billion Schmillion?

Jackson Mayor Frank Melton announced at the April 18 City Council meeting that about $1 billion in investments are on their way to Jackson.

The Best In Sports In 7 Days

College baseball, Millsaps vs. DePauw (10 a.m., Sewanee, Tenn.): The Majors play in the first round of the SCAC Tournament.

Arts On The Chopping Block

City budget woes have put after-school programs, funded through the Greater Jackson Arts Council, at risk. Revenue shortfalls have reached critical levels, and Mayor Frank Melton's budget revisions now jeopardize a number of programs.

Melton Sues Over Own Leak

Jackson Mayor Frank Melton is suing The Clarion-Ledger for breach of contract, a story the Jackson Free Press broke on its Web site on April 18. Melton was head of the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics for less than four months when he leaked a memo composed by then-MBN agent Roy Sandifer (now JPD assistant police chief) to The Clarion-Ledger's Washington correspondent Ana Radelat in 2003. Now, Melton is suing the paper because it ran his leaked memo without corroborating the accusations in it. The memo alleged that MBN agents were illegally transferring MBN-seized weapons and an airplane.

30th Anniversary Edition "Fly Like An Eagle"

On June 27th, Capitol Records will release 30th Anniversary Edition Fly Like An Eagle by the Steve Miller Band. Fly Like An Eagle is one of the seminal rock albums of the 1970's and, thirty years hence, its hits are still staples at classic rock radio. The original album has been re-mastered for the CD and is presented in 5.1 Surround Sound on the accompanying DVD.

Rocking Redhill City

Brandon indie rockers Red Hill City started their band in February 2005 and, after a year of shows, recording, mixing and remastering, recently released their 7-track CD entitled "Ill Attempts." The band won Northwest Rankin High School's Battle of the Bands earlier this year. Armed with Stratocasters, drums, a bass and a powerful keyboard, the band is forging their way in the Jackson music scene.

Cops, Killers And Thugs

The world around you brightens into view. You're in a bathroom, somewhere. Something below you is pulsating slightly. You look down and find the corpse of a middle-aged man, and your hand clasps a bloody knife that seems to fit perfectly into the three wounds he's got in his chest. Outside, a police officer finishes his meal and heads toward the bathroom.

What We Have To Lose

It was with a great deal of concern that I emerged from reading Adam Lynch's story on the city's budget woes in last week's Jackson Free Press ("Bleak House," 4/10/06), because it confirmed for me a fear that I have about Mayor Frank Melton's administration. Right now, the city appears to lack serious fiscal leadership at the top.

[Greggs] You Total Slant

This week I was reading the news about Bush "shakin' up" the Cabinet by changing several key positions in the administration. Or rather, he decided to shuffle some people around. One article contained a quote from a Democratic senator likening the event to "rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic." This made me giggle. It also made me tired. Very, very tired.

[Stiggers] Spinnin' Wheel

We return to America's favorite game show "Wheel of the Fortunate."

NAMIWalks for the Mind of America: Help me "Stomp Out The Stigma of Mental Illness"!

I am writing you today to tell you about an upcoming event that I am

I am participating for the third time because I am a member of NAMI, and I have struggled in the past with panic attacks, depression and suicide. Because of my struggles, I have seen the shortcomings in how mental illness is dealt with in our society, and I want to help change that.

Ben Barlow

After spending his first years out of college as a chef on a cattle ranch in Wyoming and a salesman in Colorado, Ben Barlow came back to Mississippi to try his hand at the family business; both his mother and grandmother were teachers for 40 years, and his cousin is also in education.

Orley Hood Riffs on Mayor of ‘Over There'

One of our Rankin County readers just alerted us to this lovely piece of pontification in the Rankin Ledger, courtesy of one of the "journalists" who cooed over candidate Melton back when. Per Orley:

Melton Joins Other Mayors in Effort to Curb Guns

The New York Times is reporting on the meeting of 15 mayors, including Jackson Mayor Frank Melton, in New York to figure out how to curb the flow of guns in cities:

$11 Million Slated for Agencies, Bay St. Louis, Waveland

[Just in from Lott's office/vertim] WASHINGTON - Federal funding totaling more than $11 million is slated for Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts in Waveland, Bay St. Louis and includes federal assistance for two Mississippi State Agencies, U.S. Senators Trent Lott and Thad Cochran said today. "Hurricane Katrina impacted virtually every Mississippian in some way," Senator Lott said. "In addition to hardest-hit communities like Bay St. Louis and Waveland, our state's vital government agencies are still recovering from Katrina's wrath as well, and this funding will ensure that important services are fully restored."

C. A. Webb is proud to release his new novella DESTINY'S CHILD

Amanda, "The End Poet," hosts a poetry reading the first Saturday of

on Saturday, May 6, 2006 at 6p.m. He will be releasing preview copies of his new emotionally-charged novella DESTINY'S CHILD that evening. For details contact Amanda "End Poet"

Is New Orleans Hip-Hop Getting Snubbed?

The New York Times writes today:

Melton to File Another Lawsuit ... Against Donelson?

Mayor Frank Melton seems to be in a litigious mood this week. First, he filed a lawsuit against The Clarion-Ledger that many believe is frivolous (reported first by the JFP). Now, he is telling WLBT that he is planning to file a civil suit against Albert "Batman" Donelson for murders he has not been convicted of, including two he hasn't been tried for:

Surviving the Judas Kiss

SURVIVING THE 'JUDAS KISS' ON YOUR BUSINESS

He had worked hard for over three years. The work he had accomplished had gained him mixed reactions from those that he came in contact with. Some saw him as a know-it-all, a nuisance. Others respected what he had to say, giving him the title of The Greatest Teacher.

I Look Like WHO???!!!

A new (partially in beta) site, http://www.myheritage.com, offers the use of face recognition software to help in genealogical research. If you think that's interesting, they also offer a free face recognition scan so you can see which celebrity you resemble. Wild, huh?

The JFP Crime Blog is Live

JPD Charges Two in City's 9th Homicide in 2006

[New Release] Chris Brown "Chris Brown"

Chris Brown — "Chris Brown" Hip, young, and fresh with an au natural touch to every song and every dance move, Chris Brown recently made his way onto the music scene with the hit single "Run It," featuring Juelz Santana of Dipset. The brand new self-titled album, "Chris Brown," proves to be a very successful project for the 16-year-old beginner from Tappahannock, Va. Although many of the album's songs threaten hit-single status, the exception would definitely be the remixed version of "Run It" by Jermaine Dupri, featuring Bow Wow. It somehow seems to cater more to the underage rapper than it does to the one actually singing the song—Chris Brown.

[New Releases] Great Lake Swimmers "Bodies And Minds"

Great Lake Swimmers – "Bodies and Minds" (Misra, 2005) This album is less the kind of music you can sit down and listen to and more the kind of music for which you assume the fetal position to let it wash over you or, conversely, to let it help you mourn your breakup/loss of a loved one/etc. This is not a bad thing, per se: the 11 tracks are all sweet and melodious, and-—for the most part—pleasant to listen to. No one will be offended if you're all hanging out, and you put this on the stereo. On the other hand, no one will be particularly impressed, either, aside perhaps from a little initial indie-rock cred in your favor.

[Music] Happy Hip-Hop

Over time, the hip-hop world has become a bit passive-aggressive when it comes to one of its main energy sources: the DJ. But young and highly ambitious go-getters like DJ Hova continue to flip the switch on one of hip-hop's greatest art forms.

‘I Am Not Drinking Merlot!'

I don't know if it's residual hype in the wake of the movie "Sideways," or if it's because the medical world has declared that red wine, especially from thin-skinned grapes like Pinot Noir, is good for your heart … but people are really drinking the heck out of some Pinot Noirs these days.

No Easy Fix, Dang It

I no longer need an alarm clock. These days I can count on my body to wake me up in plenty of time to get an early start. But it's not good news. Instead of a gentle beep, beep, I wake to a right hand and arm screaming in pain and yet numb. We're not talking an "oh my goodness, it went to sleep," tingly hand. We're talking a "red hot, ice cold, stiff and feeling like a catcher's mitt" hand. It always goes away once I get up and moving, but the problem is I have no choice in the matter of when I get moving. The silly thing has no timer to set and lately it's been "going off" at 2:58, 3:26 and 4:44 a.m. Good grief. Time to research carpal tunnel again.

Not One But Many

Onion. It's almost a palindrome, a word that's spelled the same backwards and forwards, like did, dad, peep, mom. And we who enjoy sweet onions realize there's nothing oxymoronic there, as in combining two contradictory terms. These members of the lily family, whose names derives from the Latin for "one," lend their taste and smell to dishes the world round.

Tony Davenport's Divine Right

"I always knew I could draw, but I didn't know what I wanted to do with it," 29-year-old Tony Davenport reflects as he looks off into the distance.

Bleak House: City Budget Goes From Bad To…Cuts

Jackson Chief Financial Officer Peyton Prospere painted a bleak picture for Jackson at the April 6 budget meeting.

Melton Draws Attention of A.G.

Attorney General Jim Hood told the Jackson Free Press that he has not opened a formal investigation into any possible lawbreaking by Jackson Mayor Frank Melton, despite headlines in the April 14 Clarion-Ledger reading: "Hood Probing Mayor's Method."

Leave Them Kids Alone

A new study from the National Youth Rights Association disputes the perception that teens are reckless behind the wheel. The study, which analyzed fatal traffic accidents in California from 1995-2004, found that teen drivers are no more dangerous behind the wheel than middle-aged adults when socioeconomic status is taken into account.

Who Gets To Crown The King?

Melton told the Jackson Free Press that he plans to move ahead with an alternate group of investors for the King Edward Hotel renovation if work does not begin by June.

Up In Smoke

City budget woes are keeping the heat on firefighters and stoking fiction between Interim Chief Todd Chandler and some firefighters.

A House Divided

Photo Brian Johnson

Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes called for the election of a new council president last week and thus the ousting of Ward 6 Councilman Marshand Crisler, who has occupied the post as council president for ten months, following his return from Iraq. But Stokes said Crisler is fomenting discord in the council chambers against Jackson Mayor Frank Melton. He also heavily criticized the council president for calling off last week's meeting when it became clear that the mayor had denied access to the council chambers by city TV cameras. The council later reconvened just long enough to vote on some budget matters before dispersing—putting some budget items at risk.

Biden Buzzes, Bites and Brays

Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Delaware, will headline the April 22 Democratic Elected Officials Appreciation Dinner at the Jackson Trade Mart Building on the Mississippi Fairgrounds.

Federal Bill May Hike Insurance Bills

Attorney General Jim Hood said he was worried about a bill pending in the U.S. Senate taking insurance industry oversight away from state officials. More specifically, the legislation, authored by Sens. John Sununu, R-N.H., and Tim Johnson, D-S.D., allows the insurance industry to set its own rates without state regulation. SB 2509 would create an Office of National Insurance within the Treasury Department.

Jackson Takes Care of Business

Accounting firm KPMG of Charlotte, N.C., is listing Jackson as one of the most affordable metropolitan areas for business among 13 U.S. locations with populations between 500,000 and 1.5 million. Jackson ranked second in mid-sized cities, behind Greenville-Spartanburg, S.C.

The Best In Sports In 7 Days

High school baseball, MHSAA playoffs: The postseason begins. Expect a Jackson-area team to win Class 5A again. Check your local listings to learn when your favorite team plays.

Creaming The Messenger

Like so many Jacksonians, I have read Donna Ladd's interviews with Mayor Frank Melton with rapt interest. These interviews have provided an unprecedented portrait of Melton the man, and I must say that I am fascinated by his larger-than-life—dare I say swashbuckling?—personality. I am also proud, since no other media outlet in Jackson could conduct interviews of such depth and scope, as anyone who saw WLBT's recent interviews with the mayor can confirm, to say nothing of the coverage provided by The Clarion-Ledger.

[Grayson] I Was A Wood Street Girl

Typical sixth-graders aspire to become lawyers, doctors and professional athletes, but I was not your typical sixth-grader. I was raised on what came to be known as the worst street in Jackson: the infamous Wood Street. And my goal was to be a drug dealer.

Just The Facts II: A Reader's Guide to JFP Melton Interviews

The interviews with Frank Melton touch on several issues, names and events that are not explained fully in the text. Here are factual summaries about some of those issues.

[Stiggers] Double-Dutch Church Bus

Rev. Cletus: "God bless ya! This is the Right Rev. Cletus, your transportation minister and car salesman, broadcasting live from Rev. Cletus Car Sales—home of the Double-Dutch Church Bus Express. Our motto: 'Swing low, sweet Chariot. We'll get ya to the church on time!'

[Kamikaze] A Wave Of The Finger

My hat is off to Cyrus Webb and ShadowPlay Entertainment for raising issues affecting the hip-hop nation recently. His Free2Flow Summit last week was an attempt to enlighten the public at large about the rap world and a chance for some area kids to learn about the "business of music." I was fortunate enough to be one of the panelists, and more fortunate to engage in some in-depth discussions with a few very intelligent ladies and gentlemen.

Bob Kochtitzky

Bob Kochtitzky, director of Mississippi 2020, has the gift of foresight. He can pick out warning signs years before the rest of society catches on, and he figured out ages ago that sustainable living is a necessity if the planet is still going to be usable far into the future. The hard part, Kochtitzky will tell you, is convincing everybody else.

Ladd's Barbara Blackmon Show Spot Re-Airs Wednesday

This show is re-airing on Public Access in Jackson Wednesday, April 19, at 7:30 p.m.

The Euston Manifesto

I signed this manifesto because, as anyone familiar with my posts knows, it reflects pretty much exactly what I've been saying again and again since 9/11. If you'd also like to get on board after reading this, click here to sign. This is going to be big, folks. Text below:

BREAKING: Frank Melton Sues Clarion-Ledger

Melton told the JFP Friday that he was planning to file a lawsuit against the paper.

April 18, 2006—Sources tell the Jackson Free Press tonight that Mayor Frank Melton has filed a civil lawsuit against The Clarion-Ledger for damages in the Hinds County Circuit Court. He is alleging breach of contract in the case filed by Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics agents. Melton claims that when he provided a memo, written by then-MBN deputy Roy Sandifer, to The Clarion-Ledger that he had an "oral contract" with the reporter to check the facts contained therein. The memo, which detailed wrongdoing by the agents, was later found to be largely false by the state auditor's office. Sandifer is now assistant chief of the Jackson Police Department.

Council Rejects Melton Budget; Stokes Drops Coup Effort

More details soon ...

Just got word that the City Council has rejected the Melton adminstration's new budget with its $3 increase in garbage fees. Also, Kenneth Stokes has withdrawn his coup attempt to unseat President Marshand Crisler—who has become a leading critic of the mayor, as well as the council members who vote in lockstep with him: Frank Bluntson, Charles Tillman, as well as Stokes. Four council members joined forces to reject the budget as presented: Ben Allen, Margaret Barrett-Simon, Leslie McLemore and Crisler.

Only 36% of Under-35 Mississippians Approve of Bush

The latest SurveyUSA poll is out and it shows overall job approval for Bush is at 36% in the nation; 61% of Americans disapprove of the job he's doing.

Donna Ladd to Appear on WLBT Tuesday a.m.

ABC Poll: Tax System Unjust

According to an ABC Poll, nearly six in 10 Americans say that the current tax system is unjust, with 58 percent saying that the middle class bears too much of the burden. Is it true? In Bush's recent round of cuts, people making $50,000 a year or under averaged only about $10 gained from the capital gains and investment tax cuts, according to a report (PDF) by the Center for Tax Justice. If you make over $10 million a year, though, you averaged about $500,000 in benefits from the cuts. You, of course, then immediately invested it in creating American jobs...right?

An Inspirational Easter Message from the Pope

Every Easter, His Holiness blesses us with profound and insightful words of hope. And despite the outcome of the recent Italian elections, which witnessed conservative prime minister Silvio Berlusconi--the Vatican's preferred candidate and the richest man in Italy--fall to the liberal, pro-gay, pro-feminist prime minister-elect Romano Prodi, we can know that the See of St. Peter will continue to roll ahead, as it has for millennia, transcending the ephemera of worldly politics.

Glamour Shots

Well, I didn't break the camera, so I guess I'll share the pics with you. :-P

This Ain't Funny People! - Part Deux

This time, it's Fox's new reality show, "Unan1mous". I watched it a few times, and the direction the show was going bothered me immensely.

BREAKING: Melton Responds to "Batman" Release

The man that Mayor Frank Melton admits being "obsessed" with has been released from jail tonight. He, along with brother Terrell Donelson and James Benton, were acquitted last week of the murder of Aaron Crockett. District Attorney Faye Peterson filed a motion yesterday asking for his release due to weak evidence. She filed documents that show the the primary witness, provided by Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics when Melton was at the helm, is unreliable and perhaps tainted by promises and payments by Melton.

Ben Allen and Donna Ladd on WJNT Thursday at 5 p.m.

June Pointer: 1953 - 2006

June Pointer, the youngest, and troubled, member of The Pointer Sisters, lost her life to cancer at the age of 52. Funeral arrangements are still being made.

ARTICLE: Cheney booed throwing out first pitch at baseball game

Yeah, I laughed a little when I read that too.

Blogger's Block

It's indecisiveness at it best, people...

Believe me, it's not that I don't have anything to blog about. I have TOO MUCH to blog about. Deciding which subjects would be best is the issue.

The Best In Sports In 7 Days

Pro baseball, Philadelphia at Atlanta (6:30 p.m., TBS/ESPN2/620 AM): The scum-of-the-NL Phillies call on the Braves.

A State of Friendship

The four talented musicians known collectively by the moniker "Charmed I'm Sure" gather in the confines of their provisional studio, secluded in the backyard of a Reservoir neighborhood. Russ Clark, vocalist and lead guitarist, sits cross-legged on the floor along with Nick Vallas, Charmed I'm Sure's drummer. Reclining nearby are guitarist Matt Weems and bassist Blake Edward Thomas.

The World Of Oblivion

Platform: XB360 | PC

A new age has arrived. It was bound to happen at some point. Yesterday's dreams of the next generation have become a reality. It wasn't abrupt, but gradual, over a period of time technology developed. New games and systems came out, each with better graphics and more advanced features than the last. But when it really hit me, when I was really aware that the next generation was here, it was on March 20. The day "Oblivion" came out. The greatness of "Oblivion" isn't really a surprise. Since the success of "Morrowind," the previous installment in the "Elder Scrolls" series, people have been eagerly awaiting what came next.

The Gypsies of Jackson Theater

John Howell, 39, and his wife, Diana, 40, believe in the power of the stage. As co-founders of the Fondren Theatre Workshop, they've brought new and bold shows to community theater in Jackson, shows that you're not going to see in other local community theaters.

On The Road Again with Frank Melton

On Sunday, April 2, photographer Jaro Vacek and I went to Frank Melton's home on 2 Carters Grove to meet with the mayor's Mobile Command Center crew for a night on the town, so to speak. First, though, Melton showed us his home, his mammoth bedroom, his swimming pool underneath his bedroom (the room is the same length as the pool, he said), his "TV room" with a huge theater screen and 10 gray recliners, his "bat cave" (as Judge Karen Gilfoy used to call his office), his kitchen overflowing with food.

Put The Pros On The Police Beat

As of this writing, Donna Ladd has spent at least 30 hours over two weeks with Mayor Frank Melton in interviews, phone calls, ride-alongs, press conferences and visits at his home to meet the young men he fosters. A good deal of her reporting went into the cover story for this issue, second in a series of interviews and stories on the complicated man who is our mayor.

Gunning For Guns

In a new war on guns in Jackson, Mayor Frank Melton said Sunday that he is preparing an executive order outlawing gun shows in the city limits of Jackson.

'Batman' Acquitted; Melton 'Arrests' Own Witness

Last week saw a whirlwind of activity from Mayor Frank Melton surrounding the trial of three Wood Street Players—a group of alleged criminals that he calls his "obsession."

Students: We Want Our Black History

A clash between Murrah High School students and school administrators was diffused recently when the principal agreed to dedicate some school afternoon time and the school auditorium to the celebration of Black History Month. That celebration finally occurred on April 6.

The Golden Easter Egg

I stopped attending church years ago. I'll pause for the collective sharp intake of breath and prayer. It really had little to do with my belief in a higher power, but more to do with having absolutely nothing to wear.

You Can't Resist It–It's Electric!

G-SPAN (Ghetto-Science Public Affairs Network) presents highlights from the first annual Anegrophobia Racial Reconciliation and Diversity Conference. We now join guest speaker Dr. Coleman M'Pufu, renowned South African cultural anthropologist and international coordinator for the Electric Slide for World Peace and Rent Money movement.

Letters

<em><b>Step Away From the Chicken Shack:</em></b>

I am interning with several adolescent populations here in Milwaukee, and many of the issues ("What's In a Gang?" March 9) touched on really resonated with what I see every day here. It is true that much of the organized level of gang activity is less visible due to gangs not wanting to attract as much attention. The underground gang world/organization is still thriving. We can't fight to eliminate gangs without replacing that void with something of substance. It's like taking all the fast-food burger shacks away from a village but leaving all the fast-food chicken shacks. All the villagers are just going to go to the chicken shacks. What the village needs is more whole food fruit/vegetable markets. You know, better options.

Eddie Brown, Jr.

Chivalry is not dead, and some men still believe that real men can be gentlemen. Meet Eddie Brown Jr.

Melton Interviews, Part II Out; Ledge Suddenly Hot on Melton

Read Part II of Donna Ladd's JFP interviews with the mayor, plus a narrative of two Sunday nights in the Mobile Command Center. Online now.

Rebs Take Trophy Again

Ole Miss defeated Mississippi State 1-0 on Tuesday night in the 27th annual Mayor's Trophy Game. It was the Rebels' fifth straight victory in the series, which might have been played at Smith-Wills Stadium for the last time.

Herman's Picks

Nothing screams a need for a weekend road trip or vacation like the coming of spring. Our current dissatisfactions with our daily jobs must surely stem from lone and breezy clouds floating just out of arms reach. Outdoor festivals are officially in swing and its marker time for the calendar. With Fondren's "Arts Eats and Beats" only a week away (next Thursday, 4/20) it's time to start juggling the options.

Recent CD Reviews

Adult.- "Gimmie Trouble." Adam Lee Miller and Nicola Kuperus are the brain and brawn behind Adult., a Detroit based retro-electro/dance punk unit that has released 2 LP's and several EP's since 1999. Since they also run the Ersatz Audio record label, they haven't devoted as much time to their music as they would like. Hence, their newest is the first Adult. release on Thrill Jockey records and the label transition definitely pays off in the sheer energy heard on the tracks. Hints of [punkish era] Siouxsie or Kathleen Hanna [Bikini Kill] styled vocals, Devo influenced keyboards and Joy Division darkness permeate this full length in a nervously brilliant way, much the same as this summers "D.U.M.E. EP." Actually, this release has alot of the atmosphere found on the Siouxsie and the Banshees classic long player, "Kaleidoscope." Much denser than 2003's "Anxiety Always" and on par with 2001's brilliant "Resuscitation," this highly anticipated release delivers the goods! --Reviewed by Alex Slawson and Herman Snell.

Red Steel Screenshots!

Alright, I'm not sure if I'm allowed to do this, but I'm going to anyway. Nintendo's newest system is the Revolution, and they've been keeping it under wraps heavier than Area 51. But I have two scans of in-game graphics from the next-gen's first game: The FPS Red Steel. These pictures are exclusive, unless you find the site I jacked them from, or the site that site jacked them from, or if you read Game Informer.

Velvets / Captain Beefheart DVD's Drop

Two new DVD titles in the "Under Review" Series are set for US distribution on DVD. The series will be released on April 15, 2006 and each DVD will boast a $19.95 retail price. VELVET UNDERGROUND – UNDER REVIEW. This 75-minute film reviews the music and career of one of rock music's most influential collectives; a band which esteemed music journalist Lester Bangs claims 'started modern music'.

JUST IN MONDAY: Key Witness Turns Self in to Melton

Monday, 9:30 p.m.: According to Mayor Frank Melton tonight, Christopher "Smiley" Walker turned himself into the mayor tonight and is now in custody. Melton refuses to publicly disclose Walker's whereabouts, telling the JFP tonight, "I arrested him to protect him. They're trying to kill this kid." More details as they develop ...

When Black Isn't Beautiful

All around us the message sent is clear: 'You have to drive or live in this to show off your success.' If you've "made it", society seems inclined to set rules and regulations for proof. Ironically, the same guidelines seem to apply no matter what your social status. As a whole we are obsessed with having others fit our particular standards or ideals.

C. A. Webb's first Webb Wednesday of 2006, April 12th

He has been preparing for this moment for nearly three months and now it's here...

Jackson,Mississippi's SPOKEN WORD ARTIST OF THE YEAR since 2005 (as voted by readers of the Jackson Free Press) is proud to announce that his first poetry reading of 2006 will be on Wednesday, April 12, 2006. This will be held at the South Hills Library (next to Key Elementary) on McDowell Road beginning at 7p.m. in Jackson, MS. (See main page of http://www.cawebb.com)

The Melton Tapes Go Live

Go hear it for yourself.

Part One of Donna Ladd's interview with Mayor Frank Melton is now live on the podcast page.

Later Guys, I'm Moving to Tamriel

Alright, I've had it with this stupid place. You can't steal silverware and weaponry and sell it at a local store, gates to hell that have to be closed to protect the very fabric of reality never open and get this, shooting superheated balls of fire at small woodland creatures? Banned.

UPDATED: ‘Batman' and Gang Acquitted

Alleged Wood Street Players gang members Albert "Batman" Donelson, Terrell Donelson and James Benton were acquitted on charges that Albert Donelson ordered the murder of Aaron Crockett on May 10, 2001, from the Hinds County jail, and that the two other men set about to carry out that murder. The jury deliberated for less than two hours. Immediately afterward, Mayor Frank Melton vowed that be would arrest "Batman" again—that he would not be going home.

Jackson 2nd in KPMG study

[Moved from forums - TS]

"A KPMG 2006 study backs up what Kaczkowski discovered for himself and ranks Jackson as one of the least-costly metro areas to do business among 13 locations in the U.S. with populations between 500,000 and 1.5 million."

Fun and Games: The Moral Matrix Test

The Moral Politics quiz is sort of like the Political Compass test, except that it focuses on more meaningful questions--and gave me what feels like a much more useful, accurate answer. Try it out! Everything is neatly hyperlinked, so you can figure out what all of the different categories mean and so forth after taking the quiz. My results below. Please share your own results in the Comments field!

McNair Locked Out

The Steve McNair era with the Tennessee Titans appears to have come to a sad and goofy end.

‘Free Speech' Moment at Bush Event

God bless this guy.

Someone got past the guards who keep Bush's public audiences W-friendly, stood up in a balcony with a microphone and offered a moment reminiscent of Norman Rockwell's "Freedom of Speech," as many have pointed out on the blogosphere today.

Is Tom Delay relevant to the ‘06 election?

The "Free2Flow" Hiphop Summit this Saturday

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT CONCERNING FREE2FLOW SUMMIT. For everyone who is making plans to attend the Free2Flow Summit on Saturday, I have some important news for you. The event was in the Clarion Ledger today, which brought people to the website and thus a glance over the topics that were being discussed. The church has informed me that they are now uncomfortable with the "N" word being discussed on their church grounds, though the event is scheduled for their center.

Batman and Melton Return

A showdown of sorts between District Attorney Faye Peterson and Mayor Frank Melton occurred on Monday in Circuit Court Judge Bobby DeLaughter's courtroom, during motions in the trial of alleged Wood Street Players gang members.

Just the Facts: A Reader's Guide to the Melton Interview

Donna Ladd's interviews with Frank Melton have been conducted in several meetings since March 23 in his office in City Hall, his home and around the streets of Jackson in the Mobile Command Unit. More interviews and details of visits of with Mr. Melton will be published in the next few issues of the JFP, and posted in their entirety, as well as podcast, on the JFP Web site. The interviews touch on several issues, names and events that are not explained fully in the text--references to specific people and past allegations, in particular. Here are factual summaries about some of those issues, names and incidents brought up by the mayor, many of which will be covered in more detail in upcoming issues.

Sunday In The Parking Lot With Bullets

A night of cruising went wrong Sunday night for two 21-year-old identical twins from Flora, when a bit of boisterous gun play left one of them dead and the other covered in blood driving around the city with Mayor Frank Melton looking for the people who killed his brother and perhaps wounded two other people.

Welcome Home, ‘Ssippi

He calls himself Christopher "Ssippi" Wessman. An L.A. painter, cello player and bassist is back in town. Ssippi, a Jackson native, is here for a show to display his recent paintings on Thursday, April 6, from 5-8 p.m., inside the Studio/Chane skateboard shop in Jackson's Fondren neighborhood.

Renting South Jackson?

The Melton administration's conflicting opinions of proposed Jackson subdivision development projects have some South Jackson residents in a fury.

Training Schools Flunk

Students are prescribed anti-psychotic medication at 16 times the number of diagnoses, and mental health evaluation and counseling remain "grossly inadequate." These are but a few of the many ongoing violations at the Oakley and Columbia juvenile training schools, according to federal court monitor Joyce Burrell.

The Mirror Within

Recently, I saw a marquee at a local retail establishment that read: If you want to correct your child's behavior, correct her example—you.

Jackson, ‘A Nice Stop'

It was fun while it lasted. Metro Jackson had two professional baseball teams in 2005, the Jackson Senators and the Mississippi Braves. Only the M-Braves are back this season. Sure, it was a triumph of Time Warner over a group of local owners. It was also the inevitable victory of a better brand of baseball played at a shiny new suburban park.

The Tastes of Spring

It's officially spring! Everything is starting to bloom, the grass is getting greener, the temperature is warming up, and I'm getting thirsty. This is the perfect time of year to enjoy crisp, herbaceous, grassy, floral, tropical—the list goes on and on—wines. Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer and even Chardonnay can fit the bill.

Who Are The Conservatives?

Attend, if you will, to these numbers on discretionary spending in the first five years of two-term presidents.

The Best In Sports In 7 Days

Pro baseball, Huntsville at Mississippi (7 p.m., Pearl, 930 AM): The M-Braves' season opens in the T-P's friendly confines.

The World Of Oblivion

Platform: Xbox360 | PC

A new age has arrived. It was bound to happen at some point. Yesterday's dreams of the next generation have become a reality. It wasn't abrupt, but gradual, over a period of time technology developed. New games and systems came out, each with better graphics and more advanced features than the last. But when it really hit me, when I was really aware that the next generation was here, it was on March 20. The day "Oblivion" came out. The greatness of "Oblivion" isn't really a surprise. Since the success of "Morrowind," the previous installment in the "Elder Scrolls" series, people have been eagerly awaiting what came next.

Why Buy Jackson?

Once again, an abundance of commentary has surfaced regarding the decline of Jackson, along with the local pundits' sometimes eccentric explanations of the Capitol City's current afflictions.

[Stiggers] Y Tu Abuela Tambien

Nurse Tootie McBride speaks to immigrant workers during a special missionary trip at the United States/Mexican border.

Mississippi: Stop Honoring White Supremacists

There's an ongoing debate over whether to recommission the Jackson-Evers International Airport as the Medgar Evers International Airport, but I'm more worried about the names that we're already commemorating.

[Kamikaze] Hamster On A Treadmill

I've been intrigued reading some of the posts on the JFP Web site in response to the New York Times story "Plight Worsens for Black Men." Although I didn't need the Times to point out the obvious, folk should know the trials of one of America's true endangered species. Between death and jail, we're losing black men by the thousands daily. The vicious cycle of poverty-to-crime-to-incarceration has got some black kids feeling like the proverbial hamster on a treadmill. Society offers plenty of condemnation followed by conversation, but often does little in the way of solutions.

Ebony Gee

"There's nothing to do in Jackson." This is one of the most common complaints and misconceptions echoed all-around our bold new city, and Ebony Gee, 23, grows more determined to quiet those voices everyday.

Now Online—The JFP Interview with Frank Melton

The wait is over. Almost. Frank Melton's JFP Interview. Part I.

Jackson Assoc. of Black Journalists Community Workshop

This message is from Joyce Brewer, the President of the Jackson Assoc. of Black Journalists:

Don't miss this upcoming media workshop where you can meet the journalists who cover the Jackson area.

Former D.A. Ed Peters to Prosecute Nudity Cases

Just in/verbatim from city:

At the request of the City Attorney, Sarah O'Reilly-Evans and pursuant to court order, former Hinds County District Attorney Ed Peters will begin prosecution of the January 29th cases involving nudity on April 5, 2006 at 2:30 p.m. in Jackson Municipal Court. These violations involving Gilbert Paige, Manager of Centerfolds and Centerfolds' dancer Paula Young were discovered during a general walk through of night clubs in the West Street Area by Mayor Frank Melton and two Jackson Police Officers.