Traffic Citations Boost City Revenue
City revenues are slipping, but the Jackson Police Department is making a dent in the budget hole by stepping up traffic citations.
Smoothie Bar Promotes Healthy Living
When Sameerah Muhammad was walking through the Jackson Medical Mall last summer, she craved a smoothie to accompany her morning workout. "I saw that there were different vending stands, but there wasn't a fresh fruit smoothie bar," she says. Less than two months later, Muhammad's urge was satisfied when she opened Bottoms Up Fresh Fruit Smoothie Bar.
Ron Blaylock
At a concert at the Eudora Welty Commons, Ron Blaylock maneuvers through the audience with couple of cameras draped around his neck. In between shots, he stops to scoop up his three small children and dance with his wife, Lindsay.
High School Seniors Honored
The Jackson Council PTA/PTSA will honor the top 10 graduating seniors from each of Jackson's high schools this evening. Hosted by Jackson Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr., the annual Salute to Scholars will take place at the Jackson State University e-Center at 1230 Raymond Road starting at 6 p.m. Each honoree will receive a certificate and the event includes a reception for the seniors and their families.
Chronicling Jackson's BOOM
It just occurred to me when I sat down to write this that the Saints won the Super Bowl within weeks of the King Edward re-opening--after both had suffered roughly four decades of discontent. I guess the Saints and King Eddie were using the same cold month in hell to make a few "never gonna happen" things ... happen.
The Siren Song of Food
The world first met the vivacious Mandisa, with her powerful voice and mega-watt smile, during the fifth season of "American Idol" in 2006. Unfortunately, she also became known for Simon Cowell's negative comment at her audition: "Are we going to have a bigger stage this year?"
The Best In Sports In 7 Days
Pro golf, The Masters (3 p.m., ESPN): You might have heard that Tiger Woods is going to play golf this week. All the waitresses in Augusta are very excited. … College basketball, presentation of Howell and Gillom trophies (6:30 p.m., Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum, Jackson): Both these trophies are going to Starkville. You read it here first. … Pro baseball, Tennessee at Mississippi (7:05 p.m., Pearl, 103.9 FM): The M-Braves open the season against the Smokies. Welcome back, fellas.
New Charter School Law Brings New Costs
Former Jackson Public Schools Superintendent Earl Watkins said a new charter school law that both the House and Senate approved last month will carry additional costs to the local public-school districts, which already have strapped budgets.
Chaney Critical of Insurance Hike Request
Allstate has submitted its request for a home-owner rate increase on more than 50,000 Mississippi homes because of higher expenses in the state.
Recovering our Confidence
In the first glimmer of good news Mississippi has seen over its lagging tax revenues, the State Tax Commission reported an increase in collections of about a half a percentage point over the previous month.
[Stiggers] Little Bit of Change
Miss Doodle Mae: "Finally, it looks like this winter's cold spell has broken. Trees covered with white blossoms decorate the ghetto landscape. The street corners and hangout spots are alive with unemployed folk, winos and beggars."
[Collier] Rearing Ain't for Everybody
Picture it: A woman is rolled into Choose-a-Patron-Saint's-Name Hospital, writhing in pain, cursing men and pleading with God for mercy. The contractions are coming closer together and are more difficult to bear. After 40 weeks or so, it is finally time. The little bundle of joy (or terror, whichever the case may prove to be) is on the way to make a mark on the world.
Hood Responds to Hayne Criticism
Gov. Haley Barbour signed H.B. 1456 into law March 19, requiring that pathologists doing autopsies in Mississippi--in addition to the state medical examiner--hold American Board of Pathology certification. Such certification is the "gold standard" for pathologists operating anywhere in the United States, according to Commissioner Stephen B. Simpson of the state Department of Public Safety, the agency tasked with oversight of the state's crime lab and, at some point, the state's medical examiner.
McMillin Talks on Irby ‘Conspiracy'
Hinds County Sheriff Malcolm McMillin this week fired back at accusers who say he led a conspiracy to go easy on Karen Irby, whose intoxication and high-speed driving killed two doctors and seriously injured her husband, Stuart, and herself after leaving the Jackson Country Club the evening of Feb. 11, 2009. Police reports show that she crossed five lanes of traffic in her black 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS 500 and hit a Chevrolet Silverado C1500 pick-up truck head-on; it burst into flames, killing Drs. Mark Pogue and Lisa Dedousis.
Musical Harmony, Cultural Acceptance
On a crowded stage with a six-piece band jamming behind him, AJC, clad in a black vest and tie, jumps up and down. The black and white crowd at Hal & Mal's Red Room lingers near the stage, moving, shaking and shuffling to the drummer's beat. AJC signals the band with his right hand, cueing the musicians into the second verse, as he raps a verse from "The Battle of Success."
Juanita Sims-Doty
As the second youngest of 13 brothers and sisters, Dr. Juanita Sims-Doty grew up in Canton "holding and picking cotton" until her sophomore year of college. Now the southeastern regional director of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., Sims-Doty spends her time encouraging young women to serve others and embrace educational opportunities.
Barbour Calls Himself a ‘Fat Redneck'
In an interview yesterday on CNN's "John King USA," Gov. Haley Barbour refused to criticize Republic National Chairman Michael Steele and characterized himself as a "fat redneck."
2010 Duke Blue Devils, Your National Champions
The 2010 Duke Blue Devils can be your national champion, because they won't be mine. This team was one of the worst national champions in recent memory. Sure, they showed grit and clutch performances. But Coach K's crew plowed through a weak ACC like Caesar through Gaul, then took advantage of so many upsets in the first few weeks. Their hot streak through the last four games cemented a fifth national championship for the Blue Devils, but I doubt that this team could have beaten any of those other great Duke teams. A generous critic would call them overachievers. I don't.
City Addresses South Jackson Development
The Jackson City Council is focusing on south Jackson development by addressing concerns about rent-to-own leases and approving the city's purchase of property at Metrocenter Mall.
State Public Safety Dept. to Stay in Jackson, For Now
A proposal to move the Mississippi Department of Public Safety's headquarters from Jackson to Pearl is off the table for the moment, but a spokesman for the Department said Commissioner Steve Simpson still hopes to complete the move later. The Mississippi Legislature passed a bonds bill March 26 to pay to move the state crime lab and medical examiner's office to Rankin County, a process that began last year.