News

AG Can Sue BP without OK

British Petroleum announced that Mississippi will receive a total of $65 million to fight oil coming onto the beaches and for tourist advertising, but Attorney General Jim Hood says he requires none of those funds to pursue a suit against the oil giant, should one become necessary.

Without Federal Funds, JPS Needs $2.5M from City

Uncertainty about $187 million in federal aid is forcing Jackson Public Schools into awkward contortions as the district prepares its budget for the upcoming school year. The district will likely request an additional $2.5 million from the Jackson City Council as a precaution, Executive Director for Finance Sharolyn Miller said at a JPS board meeting Friday.

Alyssa Wolpin Silberman

Alyssa Wolpin Silberman considers herself a fighter. When she moved to Jackson Florida in the early '90s, she started volunteering as an escort at a woman's clinic at a time when bomb threats and violence were a common occurrence throughout the country.

City Approves Financial Contract, Drug House Demolitions

Atlanta-based Malachi Financial Products Inc. will be the city's new contracted financial adviser to guide it through financing of its general fund debt in hopes of saving $27 million over the next five years. City council members approved the contract last night in a 6 to 1 vote.

Corps Rejects Lake 255

Read Billy Orr's letter to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (PDF, 256 KB)

New Oil Estimate: 60,000 Barrels

Officials have once again revised their estimates of the amount of oil spewing into the Gulf of Mexico from the site of the devastated Deepwater Horizon rig, the fifth revision since the April 20 explosion that killed 11 workers. Yesterday, the estimate increased to 35,000 to 60,000 barrels per day, or 1.47 million to 2.52 million gallons. At that rate, the spill will quickly overtake the 1979 Ixtoc blowout, the region's largest spill to date, which leaked some 3 million barrels into the Gulf in 10 months, reports The Christian Science Monitor.

City Addressees Water Violations; Retirement Payment Increases

Read the city's stormwater management proposal (PDF, 64 KB)

Alexandra Franklin

When she was 8 years old, Alexandra Franklin's mother tried to separate her from her love of reading. After Franklin's math grade started to slip, her mother came into her bedroom, trash bag in tow, and began to pack up her books.

Jackson Tops for Meetings; New Boutique and Events

Jackson is an attractive meeting place for cost-sensitive companies, according to ConventionSouth magazine. The magazine's June issue names Jackson one of five "Smart Cities" in the South for business meetings. The list also names Austin, Texas, Charleston, S.C., Fairfax, Va., and Tallahassee, Fla. as business-friendly and affordable meeting sites. The magazine's entry on Jackson reflects the city's new Convention Center Complex, nearby entertainment options and affordable hotel rates.

JPD Promotes 27 to Sergeant

In a ceremony unseen in Jackson since 2002, Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. and Police Chief Rebecca Coleman presented sergeants badges to 27 city police officers yesterday during a promotion ceremony at the Jackson Police Academy.

City to Move Forward on Fortification Renewal

UPDATED: This story has been updated with additional information about the project's cost and expected completion date.

Doing Good: Jackson Is Art

At first glance, the Jackson Community Design Center isn't easy to recognize; it is merely another red brick building on Capitol Street. But step inside and you'll find a creative room with paintings and various other artwork. This artistic wonderland is the work site for 30 teenagers from the Boys and Girls Club of Central Mississippi.

Sean Saville

Since the BP Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico April 20, the entire Gulf Coast region has experienced environmental threats to human and animal populations. Many organizations and individuals have stepped up to help in the cleanup efforts. Among them is Sean Saville, the National Audubon Society's national field director, who is supervising bird clean-up efforts along the Coast for the society.

Obama in Gulfport Today

President Barack Obama begins his fourth visit to the Gulf Coast this morning, starting in Gulfport. Gov. Haley Barbour said that he will be on hand to welcome the President. Obama will be touring the U.S. Coast Guard command center and meet with locals before he heads to Theodore, Ala., this afternoon, reports gulflive.com.

Majority White Jury in Flowers Trial

The fate of Curtis Flowers, a man on trial for the sixth time, is now in the hands of a jury consisting of 11 whites and one African American in Montgomery County where the racial make up is 54 percent white and 44 percent African American.

Report Finds Struggling Households in Hinds County

Read the report (PDF, 2.1 MB)

Katrina Byrd

While walking home from her job at the YMCA on Farish Street as a teenager, Katrina Byrd noticed a man in a truck following her. Moments later, the man attempted to abduct Byrd by forcing her into his car.

Music, Fun and The World Cup

Tonight, the place to see and be seen is ArtRemix, the Mississippi Museum of Art's after-hours party. Starting at 5 p.m., the event features live music from Jesse Robinson, Nekisopaya and Will Kimbrough, along with food and drinks. Admission is $25 at the door, $20 for members. The opening ceremonies for The World Cup are also starting tonight and many local bars are offering front row seats to see it on screen. See a listing of World Cup showings here.

Gusher Twice as Big; BP Grants to Miss. Upped to $65 Million

Yesterday, government scientists announced yet again that the amount of oil gushing from the BP well in the Gulf of Mexico is at least twice as much as previously believed. The new "official" amount is now between 20,000 and 40,000 barrels per day, reports The New York Times. That means that for the past 52 days, 840,000 to 1.68 million gallons have been spewing into the sea every day.

Supreme Court Justice Graves Named to 5th Circuit

President Barack Obama named Mississippi Supreme Court Justice James Graves to the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals today.

Fishermen Uncertain About BP Claims; Hood Demands Action

Biloxi charter boat captain Tom Becker said he filed a $40,000 claim with BP due to a drop in business following the April sinking of the BP offshore oil rig, but said the last four years offered a poor income record to file with his claim thanks to Hurricane Katrina and the economy.

Vance Urges JPD Fuel Conservation

Read this week's major crime report (PDF, 44 KB)

Dave Wetzel

To say that Dave Wetzel is a morning person would be an understatement. At a humid morning at the Jackson Zoo, Wetzel has already been awake for approximately five and a half hours.

JSU Losing Scholarships

Jackson State University is losing scholarships because of poor academic performance of its student athletes, reports GulfLive.com. Yesterday, the Academic Progress Rate numbers, used by the NCAA to award athletic scholarships, showed that JSU posted 872 on a scale of 1,000 points. Schools with scores under 925 are subject to penalties.

77 Tons of Shark

In any other situation, the sight of children wandering around the insides of a giant shark could be horrifying; but it's common fare at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science's "Megalodon: Largest Shark that Ever Lived" exhibit.

Fears and Committees

Gulfport Councilman Kenneth Casey said he fears the oncoming hurricane season and what it could mean to the waters and shoreline of the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Still Some Life in Livingston Village

MPI Center Chief Executive Officer Mike Smith said he wants to move forward on plans to convert the site of the old Hood Furniture factory off Livingston Road in Jackson to mixed-use residential and commercial property.

Stokes Disputes Ledger Allegations

Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes fired back at the Clarion-Ledger this morning for what he considered inaccurate reporting on his poor attendance at city council meetings and his taxpayer-funded travel.

Kemper Plant Rate Hikes ‘Confidential'

The Mississippi Public Service Commission voted June 3 to begin discussion on rule changes to make rate increases more transparent--but only after Mississippi Power successfully hid the amount of customer rate increases connected to a contentious new power plant from public view, saying the ratepayer increases to fund the plant are confidential.

John Uzodinma

When John Uzodinma first walks on stage at the Mississippi Public Broadcasting studio, he is calm, reserved and maybe even a little shy. But once he begins to speak the words from Langston Hughes' "Theme For English B," he straightens his shoulders and his voice grows more intense. Uzodinma doesn't just say the words, he performs them; he becomes them.

Ellington