SPQ Shopping List
1. The world's most padded bra.
Any girl worth her salt loves to shop. And that's no exception for a queen. Take some advice from this list to unleash the queen within.
Love, Peace, and Itty Bitty Floats
Alexander "Trace" Alston, 50, has been to every Mal's St. Paddy's Parade since the beginning. As part of the Rude Men Krewe, Alston and 75 fellow krewe members from all over the country descend on downtown Jackson every March to dazzle the crowds with big beads and even bigger floats.
All Eyes On Fondren
Get Ready, get ready, get ready! The Sweet Potato Queens are back! Grab your tiara, fluff your boa, and grab a stud and make your way down to Fondren this weekend to the Annual Zippity Do Dah Parade! And remeber, be particular!
Finding the Maya
Dr. George Bey does not subscribe to the belief based on the Mayan calendar that the world will end Dec. 21, 2012. However, he has a request of believers: "Please give me your money a few days before," he says. "I would like to use it toward research."
Theater Games
"Circle Mirror Transformation," written by Annie Baker and directed by Kerri Courtney Sanders, opens Thursday as a part of New Stage Theatre's "Unframed" series of plays. This series is separate from its regular season and presents more modern, edgy plays.
The Magic of Jade
When I met Gerard Helferich last fall, he handed me a piece of jade. The dark green disk, carved in the shape of an ear, was about an inch and a half high. As we spoke about his book, "Stone of Kings: In Search of the Lost Jade of the Maya" (Lyons Press, 2011, $24.95), I held the stone, methodically rubbing my thumb over its smooth surface.
America's ‘Treasure'
Kirk Cameron had an idea that led to a cinematic quest to discover what has made America's legacy for freedom, prosperity and global leadership. I didn't recognize Cameron's name at first, but it evoked shadowy memories of a teen idol plastered on the glossy covers of Tiger Beat and Teen Beat magazines.
Dedmon Pleads Guilty
Deryl Dedmon pleaded guilty today to the murder of James Craig Anderson. The judge sentenced Dedmon to life for murder and another life sentence for hate crime, to run concurrently.
New Orleans Saints' Coach Suspended For 2012 Season, Draft Picks Lost
Well, it's official -- the NFL has levied its sanctions against the New Orleans Saints and they aren't pretty for the organization or for their head coach -- Sean Payton has been suspended without pay for a year; former defensive coordinator Greg Williams, who managed the "bounty" program that paid defensive players for dramatic plays and illegal hits, has been suspended "indefinitely" by the league. His suspension will be reconsidered by the commissioner after the end of the 2012 season. GM Mickey Loomis and assistant coach Joe Vitt will also be suspended, for 8 and 6 games respectively. The Saints were fined $500,000 and lose 2nd round draft picks in 2012 and 2013.
Suppressed GOP, Frustrated Dems
Philip Gunn didn't fully realize what was in store for him when colleagues elected him as speaker of the Mississippi House of Representatives. Gunn, a Clinton Republican, told attendees at a Capitol Press Club luncheon Monday that he's been surprised by how many groups want to him to speak or that international visitors to the Capitol would solicit his thoughts on nuclear-arms proliferation.
Abortion Foes Push New Restrictions
With personhood legislation finally out of the spotlight, lawmakers are taking aim at smaller anti-abortion issues, like placing new restrictions on abortion providers.
Gluten-Free and Delicious
I spent my teenage years in India and was able to travel to European countries twice a year. This experience exposed me to meals such as gluten-based breads, pastries and pastas. When I returned to America for college, I found myself having trouble adjusting to the food. I experienced nausea, weakness and fatigue. Much later, I learned that the wheat I ate in Europe and Asia is very different from the wheat we have available here.
Rickey Thigpen
Rickey Thigpen has a few words of advice for Jackson's young people: It's better to be great than to be successful. "Set your goals and aspirations high," he says. "... I use the word 'success' tentatively, but I like the word 'great.'"
Watkins to Remodel Pix-Capri
Developer Jason Watkins has signed a contract to purchase the Pix-Capri Theatre in Fondren, a deal he said will be finalized "in the near future."
Budget Battlelines Forming
The state may have more money to work with for the next budget year, but early talks about spending priorities suggest that negotiations will be as contentious as ever.
Biz Roundup: JSU Student Opens Boutique
Shuntel's Boutique celebrated its grand opening today. The store, located at 5749 Old Canton Road, specializes in jewelry, shoes and handbags.
Charles Felton
In his first year looking into possible arsons at the Jackson Fire Department, Captain Charles Felton helped investigate more than 200 fires.
Let the Budget Debate Begin
The Joint Legislative Budget Committee is meeting this morning to review the state's revenue collections ahead of budget debates at the Capitol.
Gannett's ‘USA Today' Points to Flaws in Deals Programs
I couldn't help but notice that it was USA Today -- owned by the same company that owns the Clarion-Ledger and, of course, the extraordinarily creatively named "Deal Chicken" -- that published the story Daily Coupon Deals May Not Work For Buyers, Sellers over the weekend.
Senate Sets Sights on Gun Laws
Mississippi already exports more firearms than any other state, but some legislators want to relax our gun laws even more.