Mark Scurlock
Donut entrepreneur Mark Scurlock is delivering Christmas a few days early for Jackson. This morning, Scurlock celebrated the grand opening of his new location at 125 S. Congress St. at the corner of Pearl Street in the heart of the city's downtown.
Public Meetings - Community and Holiday Events
Dec. 21-31, "Name the Baby Giraffe" Contest at Jackson Zoological Park (2918 W. Capitol St.). Entries will be taken at the main entrance and the winner announced New Year's Day. The winner gets a family membership to the zoo. $1 donation; call 601-352-2580.
Senate Health-Care Bill Clears Crucial Hurdle
The U.S. Senate won a victory early this morning in the health-care debate, reports The Washington Post. In a 1 a.m. 60-to-40 vote, Senators approved the first of three procedural motions to move reform legislation to final passage, now scheduled for Christmas Eve.
College Board Loosens Firing Rules
Facing steep budget cuts this year and a bleak outlook for the next two years, the state College Board gave initial approval yesterday to a policy change that would allow university presidents greater flexibility in firing tenured and tenure-track professors.
Barbour Comparison Off the Mark?
Gov. Haley Barbour made national news again this week by comparing health-care reformas envisioned in the U.S. House and Senateto the horror of the Jonestown massacre. Speaking as chairman of the Republican Governors Association, Barbour equated the Democrats' health-care reform proposal in Congress to the poison Jim Jones used to kill 918 of his cult followers in a 1978 mass murder/suicide in Jonestown, Guyana.
Weekend Happenings
News for procrastinators: Only five more days 'til Christmas! If you're still looking for a perfect, one-of-a-kind gift, head to the artists open house at the North Midtown Arts Center (formerly One to One Studio, 121 Millsaps Ave.) tonight starting at 5 p.m. Browse the galleries, talk to the artists, and find the perfect piece for that blank wall. If you're still stumped for a gift, make sure to pick up a paper copy of the JFP, and browse our FLY pages for even more last minute ideas.
Kathy Clem
Kathy Clem, executive director of The Good Samaritan Center, is working tirelessly until Christmas to make sure needy families in Jackson will receive gifts this holiday season. Clem, 48, has worked at the center for 25 years, and says there are still 120 children signed up the organization's Santa's Stocking program who are waiting for their wish list to be filled.
Gifts of Faith
Carmelite Monastery of Jackson Inc.
For some, faith is the reason for the season. Here are some gift ideas for the faithful in your life.
A Bit o' Bling in my stocking, Please
From bling on a budget to decadently shiny things, this is your guide to looking fly at this year's holiday events.
I've Been Really Good This Year. Really.
What I want for Christmas, other than world peace. And a bike.
College Tuition Increases Possible
One of the things the Mississippi College Board is considering to offset the decrease in state funding is to increase tuition for students. During yesterday's meeting at the state Institutions of Higher Learning offices, Commissioner Hank Bounds brought the issue to the table, reports NEMS360.com
Slate, NYT, Balko Calling Out JFP Work on Barbour Pardons
We are thrilled to see that, thanks to Reason editor Radley Balko, national media are finally picking up on news the JFP's Ronni Mott, with intern Sophie McNeil, brought out over a year ago: Gov. Barbour let a string of woman killers off the hook with no apparent reason. Meantime, beyond reporting on the case on the Gulf Coast, the state's other media did not report that Barbour's "trustys" for the most part brutually killed wives and girlfriends.
Barbour Compares Health Reform to Jonestown Massacre
Gov. Haley Barbour embarrassed Mississippians again today by standing up alongside several Republican members of Congress and calling the Democratic health-insurance reform "catastrophic," then compared it to Jim Jones' infamous Jonestown massacre, according to a report just out on Politico.
King Edward Opens: 'Great Day for Jackson'
Visit our King Edward special report and gallery.
Brad Rogers
For better or worse, Pearl Mayor Brad Rogers proved he's his own man when it comes to making a decision on the Rankin-Hinds Pearl River Flood and Drainage Control District. Rogers was one of the five members of the levee board who voted in favor of a motion to adopt a levee plan for flood control along the Pearl River, as well as one of four mayors on the board who favored levees. Flowood Mayor Gary Rhoads explained that he had constituents who wanted the board to get moving on some kind of flood-control plan, be it levees or a lake plan, and warned that the Corps had limited their choices by pulling the plug on the lake option.
Jackson Crime Sees Slight Decrease
Major crimes in Jackson decreased slightly last week, with a 22.9 percent drop in violent crime and a 1.3 percent increase in property crimes over the previous week, according to statistics released at a Jackson Police Department command staff meeting this morning. The weekly trend mirrors yearly statistics: For the year to date, violent crime has decreased 9.2 percent from 2008 numbers, while property crime is up 1.7 percent.
Jackson's Glorious Tipping Point
Last night, Todd and I were at the holiday social at Hal & Mal's, and I couldn't stop talking about two things (a) the Saints we're going to see in NOLA this weekend and (b) the fact that I believe that today 12/17 we could call it is our city's tipping point with the psychological victory that is the re-opening of the King Edward Hotel. The symbol of our demise has become the proof of what a determined community can do when it comes together. David Watkins, Mayor Johnson, HRI, Deuce McAllister, Leland Speed, Ben Allen were the big players, but the King Ed is really proof of what Jackson is becoming.
King Edward Re-opening Today
Long a downtown eyesore and unpleasant reminder of Jackson's troubled past, the King Edward Hotel is re-opening tomorrow with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. A joint project of Jackson developer David Watkins' group, Watkins Partners, and Historic Renovation Incorporated of New Orleans, the six-year, $84 million renovation of the 300,000 square-foot historic building is complete, marking the end of a long and bumpy return to glory.
Scott Rallies State Workers
Brenda Scott, president of the Mississippi Alliance of State Employees CWA/AFL-CIO, is spreading the word about Gov. Haley Barbour's proposed cuts to the state budget. Those cuts could affect not only current employees, but retirees as well, she told Delta Democrat Times yesterday.
Levee Board Votes for Levees
The controversial "Two Lakes" saga ended Monday when the Rankin-Hinds Pearl River Flood and Drainage Control District voted to move ahead with a levees-only flood-control plan endorsed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.