News

Hoseman Petitions for Voter ID

Voter ID died an ignoble death during the regular 2009 Legislative session when Senate Republicans killed a bill because it included a provision to allow early voting in Mississippi. Now, Mississippi Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann, also a Republican, is attempting to bypass the Legislature to pass voter ID through a referendum vote.

Melton's Legal Bills and his Blind Trust

Mayor Frank Melton told the Jackson Free Press in February that he was concerned enough about the costs of lawsuits to him personally that he had set up a blind trust to protect his personal fortune.

Big Tobacco Loses Appeal; Wants Little Tobacco Taxed

On Friday, a federal appeals court in Washington, D.C. agreed with a 2006 ruling to ban cigarette labeling such as "low tar," "light," ultra light" or "mild." The ruling found big tobacco guilty of racketeering and fraud, and said that the companies are deceiving the public about smoking dangers, according to The New York Times.

Legislature Back in Session

State lawmakers have returned to Jackson today to hammer out the 2010 budget. The Legislature must agree on the Mississippi budget by the end of June as the new fiscal year begins July 1.

UPDATED: Two Lakes Supporters Helped Finance Defeat of Pearl Mayor

Fans of a controversial plan to develop the Pearl River had better luck installing a pro-"Two Lakes" mayor in the little town of Pearl than in the state's capital city this month.

Youth Baseball Program Comes to Town

The Mississippi Department of Human Services is teaming with the Cal Ripkin, Sr. Foundation to offer the Badges for Baseball program to at-risk youth in 10 Mississippi communities. The program will kick off May 28 at Trustmark Park in Pearl.

Zata|3 Analyzes the Runoff

Brad Chism from Zata|3 has provided his post-runoff-election analysis. Via e-mail, Chism wrote:

Here's our Monday-morning quarterback analysis about the margin of victory. And yes, here too is my admission that I had no clue that the margin of victory would be so large.

Gas Prices Rising

Filling your tank this holiday weekend will cost you a bit more than it did earlier this month. Still, compared to the same time last year, gasoline is still relatively cheap.

The 2009 JFP Interview: David Archie

Independent Jackson mayoral candidate David L. Archie is a political animal. Over the last 10 years, he has run for the positions of local judge, Ward 3 councilman and Ward 1 councilman.

George Frank

At 78, age has not stopped George Frank from learning new things. Last week, he became the oldest student to graduate from Jackson State University's Department of Mathematics.

Jackson's Young Influentials

A new class of young and talented influential men and women is rising in Jackson, who have a vision for themselves and their city, and work daily to move closer toward it.

Sharrod Moore Murder Charge Dropped

District Attorney Robert S. Smith was absent again when Hinds County Circuit Judge Swan Yerger dropped murder charges against Sharrod Moore in the 1995 killing of Jackson Police Officer Robert J. Washington. Yerger dropped the charges because prosecutors, after indicting Moore twice, could only produce one witness, Harold Hackett, who said that Moore told him he killed Washington.

State Budget in Limbo

Mississippi lawmakers are still deadlocked on a budget agreement for the upcoming fiscal year after spending last week in fruitless negotiations. With state revenues down $350 million to $400 million for the year, House and Senate negotiators remain about $37 million apart in their proposals for the roughly $5 billion 2010 budget.

Runoffs Provide Decisive Wins

More than 32,400 voters turned out to vote in Jackson yesterday, handing former Mayor Harvey Johnson, Jr. a decisive win in the Democrat runoff elections. Hinds County's unofficial results show Johnson beating former two-term City Councilman Marshand Crisler by just under 8,500 votes. The final tally is Johnson, 20,475 (63.089 percent) to Crisler, 11,979 (36.911 percent). Johnson now faces a slate of Republican and Independent candidates in the June 2 General Election.

Moderate Turn-Out Marks Runoffs

Beulah White, poll manager at Precinct 81, Callaway High School, described turn-out as "kind of slow, but steady."

Two Lakes Back on the Table

Engineers favoring a plan to flood the Pearl River and create a myriad of islands say the plan will be cheaper than a similar plan involving a smaller lake and only two islands.

BREAKING: 'Two Lakes' Developer McGowan Gave $6,000 to Secretive PAC

Two Lakes impresario John McGowan was the largest contributor to the controversial Better Jackson PAC that tried to defeat Harvey Johnson by using what the FBI calls "baseless" crime rankings in mailers.

AG's Office Co-Hosts Domestic Violence Conference

Mississippi's Domestic Violence Division in the attorney general's office is teaming with the Mississippi Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Mississippi Coalition Against Sexual Assault to host "Domestic Violence in Our Communities: Helping Victims Find the Missing 'Peace.'"

State Gets EPA Award

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today that the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality will receive $356,700 to improve water quality and create green jobs through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Nationally, the agency will award a total of $39 million.

Fondren: Ride the Trolley to the Polls

Your votes today could determine Jackson's next mayor. Whether or not you voted in the primaries, if you're a Jackson resident and an eligible voter, you can vote today. See Answers to Election Day Questions for information on eligibility, poll hours, who to contact if you run into problems and more.

Mysterious ‘Better Jackson PAC' Revealed ... Sort Of

See: the JFP Election Blog for full election coverage + candidate interviews

Crisler Leads In Funds On Election Eve

Councilman Marshand Crisler has a substantial edge in fundraising over former Mayor Harvey Johnson going into tomorrow's mayoral run-off election. Crisler raised $140,470 from April 26 through May 9, according to his latest campaign finance report, while Johnson raised $28,814.

McLemore, County Supervisor and Unions Endorse Johnson

Former Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. racked up endorsements today from organizations representing city employees, and from acting Mayor and outgoing Ward 2 Councilman Leslie McLemore, and from Hinds County Supervisor Doug Anderson.

Another Dirty Trick: Fake Johnson Flyers Distributed to Churches

Church-goers in Jackson found a fake flyer on their windshields after church Sunday, pretending to be from former Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr., who is in a runoff with Councilman Marshand Crisler for re-election Tuesday. The flyer asks, "Am I the Right Man for the Job?" and then makes several promises, clearly designed to discredit the former mayor.

State Dems say Crisler Calls ‘a Mistake'

[verbatim] Chairman Jamie Franks said today that the state party remains neutral in the Jackson mayoral Democratic runoff. The statement comes in response to calls made on behalf of Councilman Marshand Crisler from the state party headquarters.

Runoff Will Decide Three Council Seats; May Decide Next Mayor

In a town where the majority of residents vote Democratic, tomorrow's runoff election in Jackson will decide the winner in many races. With historically low voter turnout in runoffs, however, tomorrow's winners may not be the people the majority of voters want in those positions if they don't turn out to vote tomorrow.

Horhn: Crisler Camp ‘Put the Money on the Table'

At a press conference this morning, mayoral candidate Marshand Crisler denied allegations, made in two new flyers supporting his candidacy, that his opponent Harvey Johnson bought the endorsement of state Sen. John Horhn, a former mayoral candidate. When asked about the flyers at a press conference he called to disavow negative flyers that appeared over the weekend, Crisler first responded, "I denounce any negative politics and that one in particular." When the JFP's Adam Lynch and Donna Ladd asked directly whether Horhn had ever offered to sell his endorsement, Crisler replied, "No." Reached around the same time, however, Horhn told the JFP that the Crisler campaign had tried to buy his endorsement, but he refused.

Court to Rehear Seale Case Thursday

See full JFP coverage of the Dee-Moore case.

Jackson Run-Off and ‘Two Lakes' Open Thread

All, the debate is over, so tell us what you thought. Did you learn something new? Did you hear something you liked? Didn't like? Did it affect your vote? What were the best moments? The worst?

D.A. Drops Charges Against Sharrod Moore

Capping a rather remarkable two-week news cycle in Jackson, District Attorney Robert S. Smith today dismissed murder charges against Sharrod Moore, whom Smith had indicted twice for the murder of police officer Robert J. Washington. The state is formally dismissing the case on May 20, 2009, due to insufficient evidence, and, according to the order today signed by Circuit Court Judge Swan Yerger, will "place into the record its reasons for the dismissal" then. Defense counsel requested that Moore be released pending the May 20 hearing, The state did not oppose that request but requested that Moore "stay confined to his house except for visiting his attorneys and that he maintain contact with his attorneys." Yerger's order stated that the court had contacted Washington's wife to advise her that the charges were dropped.

Ellington