Brown Rings Hollow
Vice President for Policy, Mississippi Center for Public Policy, Jackson
Rep. Cecil Brown's explanation as to why he opposed charter-school legislation this session ("Why Charter Schools Died," Vol. 10, Issue 34, May 2-8, 2012) rings hollow given that he was the sole sponsor of a bill in 2010 (HB 30) that would have allowed charters to open anywhere in Mississippi, in any district, upon approval by either the state Board of Education or the local school board.
City Moves Forward with Redistricting Contract
After a polarized discussion about the city's ward-redistricting hire, Jackson City Council Rules Committee Chairman Quentin Whitwell decided Thursday to move forward with the Council's December decision to hire D.L. Johnson Consultants LLC.
Benefits of Inmate Labor
When I met Haley Barbour he was running for governor for the first time in 2003. It was at the Black Hawk political rally here in Carroll County. I have to give him credit: He is good at the one-on-one politics required at settings like the one here. I believe that he is as much at ease whether at a rural political rally or a corporate boardroom. A year ago, I figured he would be making national headlines when 2012 came around.
Cooper-Stokes Walks Out
Councilwoman LaRita Cooper-Stokes of Ward 3 opposed the talk about possibly rescinding D.L. Johnson Consultants' redistricting contract with the city from the start of a Rules Committee meeting Thursday. When Whitwell called another consultant to the podium to speak, Cooper-Stokes walked out of the meeting.
Wilkinson Redistricting Behind, Too
Supervisors in Wilkinson County hired D.L. Johnson Consultants in January 2011 to head the county's redistricting. To date, Johnson has not turned in any proposals to the U.S. Department of Justice for the county.
[Outlaw] Yes. We. Can.
There was a weight on me—a black cloud that threatened all manner of lightening and rain, and I just couldn't shake it. "This," I thought to myself, "this will never end unless someone who matters stands up for us."
Charter Schools Rock?
Long a political lightning rod, are charter schools the key to solving the state's education woes?
Curious About George
Art lovers of all ages, if you find yourself with an hour or so to spare, meander down to the Mississippi Museum of Art for the exhibit "Curious George Saves the Day: The Art of Margret and H. A. Rey" that opened March 3. If you can wrench yourself away from the lovely spring weather out in the museum gardens, you can enjoy stepping into the pages of a children's literature classic.
Sara Del Castillo
"I really feel that if we can all get organized, this can be a safe space for immigrants in Mississippi," says Sara Del Castillo. She hopes Mississippi will become a haven for immigrants and that education will be attainable for everyone, including undocumented immigrants.
Small Mementos
The Old Capitol Museum (100 S. State St., 601-576-6920) highlights three powerful Mississippi women in a new exhibit that continues through the end of June.
Pooh and Friends
"You can't stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes." A. A. Milne, "Winnie-the-Pooh"
Burton's Bag of Schtick
"Blood is thicker than water," says Barnabas Collins (Johnny Depp), the eloquent lord of an idyllic New England fishing port. Barnabas' voice lingers through gorgeous, haunting images created by director Tim Burton of a gothic past where entrepreneurial seamen make riches beyond expectations and a blonde beauty adorned in baby-blue satin sinks to the bottom of the ocean floor.
Drum Beat Boating
The beats of a drummer will encourage 48 crews as they race to victory in this year's Dragon Boat Regatta on the Ross Barnett Reservoir. The fourth annual race, hosted by the Madison Chamber of Commerce, takes place Saturday, May 19, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Dog Day Afternoons
Are dogs your thing? Is Fido acting squirrely and out of sorts? If the mail delivery no longer excites him and he lets the UPS driver come and go without a peep, perhaps he needs some doggone companionship.
‘Day Off' in the Art Garden
Are you looking for a good laugh? Do you want to watch a feel-good film with a light-hearted look at the proverbial coming of age? Has it been 30 years since you've seen "Ferris Bueller's Day Off?" Have you never seen it? Were you confused about the Honda CRV Super Bowl commercial with Matthew Broderick in it? "Broderick? Broderick? Broderick?" If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, then by all means go to the "Screen on the Green Thursday, May 24, at 7 p.m.
One Lake Set to ‘Run Pretty Rapid'
The ongoing saga for a lake to control flooding in Jackson and provide economic-development opportunities on the Pearl River will reach a milestone this week.
Biz Roundup: Doing Good
Mary Amelia McRee had been renovating houses in the Belhaven area for several years when a house in Fondren, which had been for sale for a while, caught her eye. Instead of just buying the house and flipping it, she decided to keep it and turn it into a place that would benefit animals in the Jackson area.
Daniel McMullen
"The men and women of law enforcement--federal, state and local--are bound together by our common vocation, but it is more than just a job. It is more than just a career. It is more than just a profession. It is a personal mission. It is a mission that requires deep commitment. Indeed, commitment to duty and honor is at the very heart of what it means to be a member of the law enforcement community."
8th Annual JFP Chick Ball Set for Saturday, July 28, 2012
The 8th Annual JFP Chick Ball is raising money to help the Center for Violence Prevention start a rape crisis center. Center Director Sandy Middleton chose the focus for this year's fundraising effort because sexual assault is an epidemic in Mississippi, and far too resources are available to help the victims. As always, the JFP Chick Ball will be a fun and funky event with a cover charge of only $5 for men and women 18 years of age and older. Once inside, you will find all sorts of fun ways to help raise additional funds, including the city's best silent auction with well over 100 gift packages and art by local artists to bid on. In the past, the JFP Chick Ball has funded a new mini-van for the center, raised start-up funds for the area's first (and subsequently very successful) batterer's intervention program, set up a legal fund to help families escape abuse and funded rural programs around the metro area.
National Bicycle Month Events
May is National Bicycle Month, and local organizations are planning a series of events to raise awareness of the need to make Mississippi more bicycle friendly.