Personhood Resolution in House
As the window for introducing bills in the Mississippi Legislature closes, the personhood debate has once again surfaced.
Hip-Hop on ‘The Help'
The film 'The Help' has 99 problems but garnering critical acclaim ain't one. Armfuls of awards and nominations haven't immunized the film based on Kathryn Stockett's best-selling novel about African American maids in Jackson from criticism that the film perpetuates the Mammy meme of early cinema.
Boil Water Notice; JSU Suspends Activities
A water main break is causing low water pressure at Jackson State University, leading the school to suspend classes and activities this weekend.
Pushing Back Against Library Cuts
Gov. Phil Bryant's budget recommendations call for a 15-percent funding reduction for the Mississippi Library Commission. Bibliophiles are gearing to keep the cut from being so steep and, at the least, keep them on par with proposed cuts at other state agencies.
Mitchell Staying at Clarion-Ledger
Award-winning journalist Jerry Mitchell is not among a dozen Clarion-Ledger employees facing an early retirement buyout choice. Speaking at this morning's Friday Forum at Koinonia Coffee House, Mitchell addressed the future of the Gannett-owned daily newspaper.
Sen. Thad Cochran
A national group has recognized Sen. Thad Cochran for advocating for volunteer programs. ON Tuesday, Cochran received the Edward M. Kennedy National Service Lifetime Leadership Award at the Friends of National Service awards reception.
Personhood Mississippi: We Are Listening to Voters
Personhood Mississippi founder Les Riley sent out a statement this morning praising Personhood legislation in the Oklahoma Senate and promising further efforts in Mississippi that will address voters' concerns about contraception and in vitro fertilization.
APAC Celebrates 30 years
The Power Academic and Performing Arts Complex is celebrating its 30th anniversary today.
The magnet school opened in January 1982 and serves students in grades 4-12 who want extra instruction in the arts. Last fall, the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts
Getting (a Little) Past Politics on Keystone Pipeline
This morning I got to the office with an e-mail in my inbox, apparently forwarded to me, from the office of Scott Brown, famously the GOP senator from Massachusetts who took over Edward Kennedy's seat. It's pasted here below the fold. (Presumably it was forwarded to me by an advocacy group against the pipeline or as part of their e-blast system; I get a lot of interesting political e-mail.)
Runaway, Prostitute or Victim?
Not too long ago in another state, a high-school boy offered a high-school girl a ride home. He drugged her drink, took nude photos of her and used the pictures to blackmail her into having sex with a series of other men. She wasn't poor, from another country or in foster care; her father was an executive at General Motors.
City: Spending Down, Overtime Up
When Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. and the city of Jackson set the budget for the 2011-12 fiscal year, they didn't plan to do as well as the first-quarter numbers now indicate.
Deville Smith
Deville Smith was born in Jackson in 1991 and grew up to become a star basketball player at Callaway High School. He averaged more than 20 points and added four rebounds with four assists per contest during his senior year.
Rep. Brown: Irby Clemency File Missing
Here is the statement, verbatim:
House Democrats have just released a statement from Rep. Cecil Brown, D-Jackson, on former Gov. Haley Barbour's pardons. In it, he says files are missing for several pardon recipients, including Karen Irby.
Dems: Ain't No Sunshine in this Bill
This time around, the "sunshine" bill didn't wither. Despite their best efforts to slow down and trip up House Bill 211, which supporters argue adds a layer of transparency to the state's use of hiring outside legal firms when disagreements arise with the attorney general, the state's chief legal officer, the measure passed 59 to 55. After a similar bill failed last week on a technicality, its Republican authors made fixes earlier this week and brought it to the Wednesday morning. Democrats pressed Mark Baker, the chairman of the House Judiciary A Committee, on a range of what they perceived to be shortcomings of the bills. Some clearly just wanted to mess with Republicans.
Dark Songs of the Bloodbird
Bloodbirds are found in Australia, not Mississippi, but there's one here who sings only in the dark. Adam Harrington, who performs under the name Bloodbird Harrington, is a Jackson-based singer and songwriter who wrestles with a number of dark themes in his music.
Tupac Shakur: 15 Years Later
I have often written in these pages about the cool opportunities that find their way to me based on my position as a music columnist. One of the coolest things I have experienced so far is building a relationship with famed hip-hop journalist, scholar, poet and author Charlie Braxton.
Strong and Natural
In April 2010, I had my last chemical hair relaxer. "I have had it," I thought as I decided to go natural once and for all, and I made the firm decision that I would never use a relaxer again in my life.
[Girl About Town] Jackson at its Best
My love for Jackson is pretty unbridled all the time, but certain things send it into overdrive. Top among those are the quintessentially Jacksonian events—the times when a diverse group of people comes together to celebrate what makes this place great, and to eat, drink and dance.
Spring Casserole
Au gratin potatoes are a family-revered dish of decadence. A common au gratin preparation uses potatoes, but, really, you can use any combination of vegetables. Traditionally, layers of potato and onion come smothered in a buttery cream sauce and melted cheese.
Justice, Faith, Power
For some people, February means king-cake season. In the South, a king cake is like a cake-sized cinnamon roll, usually with purple, green and gold icing. Traditionally, a king cake has a small trinket inside (usually a baby), but due to choking hazards, some bakeries put the trinket on the side.