News

Holmes County Unemployment Hits 20 Percent

The Mississippi Department of Employment Security released the state's February unemployment figures (PDF, 8 Mb) yesterday, showing Holmes County with the highest unemployment rate in the state at 20 percent, an increase of 0.6 percent since last month, representing an additional 40 people who filed for unemployment.

Mayor Goes Back on the Ballot

UPDATED

Circuit Court Judge Billy Joe Landrum put Jackson Mayor Frank Melton back on the Democratic ballot today.

Attorney Objects to Proposed Jury Questions

Federal prosecutors are trying to make inappropriate points about race and class in a jury questionnaire, Mayor Frank Melton's attorney John Reeves argued Tuesday. Responding to the government's list of proposed questions for potential jurors, Reeves said that prosecutors were trying to elicit sympathy for Evans Welch and Jennifer Sutton. Melton is scheduled to be re-tried May 11 on charges that he violated Welch and Sutton's civil rights in a Sept. 2006 raid on a Ridgeway Street duplex.

Barbour Declares State of Emergency

[verbatim from the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency]

Governor Haley Barbour declared a State of Emergency today for the severe weather system that affected parts of the state late Wednesday afternoon and today, and for the threat of additional storms and damage due to forecasted storms over the next several days.

Cigarette Tax Goes Up in Smoke

The deadline has passed for the Mississippi House and Senate to come to an agreement on a cigarette tax hike for this session. Legislators had until 8 p.m. yesterday to reach a compromise, and they failed to do so.

The 2009 JFP Interview With Robert Johnson

Democratic mayoral candidate Robert Johnson is not a camera person.

Melton: ‘How Dumb Can You Be?'

Jones County Circuit Court Judge Billy Joe Landrum gave Jackson Mayor Frank Melton the keys to the courtroom at a hearing today, allowing him to belligerently insult the attorney for the Democratic committee that expelled him from the primary ballot last week and avoid answering questions he did not wish to address. Landrum has been put in charge of a suit to decide whether or not Melton can legally run for re-election as a Democrat.

Young Candidates Seize the ‘Urgency of Now'

The same day that he filed his qualifying papers to run for Jackson City Council, Jonathan Jones received a number of calls from strangers.

Jackson Habitat Looking for Applicants

[verbatim] Habitat for Humanity/Metro Jackson is a non-profit Christian organization whose purpose is to build and sell basic, decent homes at 0% interest to hardworking families in need of better, affordable housing. HFH/MJ partners with families who have a reliable source of income* and that meet the following income guidelines:

Hill Denson

On a foggy morning in early March, Coach Hill Denson gazes across the outfield of Smith-Wills Stadium and notes the new additions to the field.

House Passes Resolution to Extend Session

Lawmakers in the Mississippi House passed a resolution yesterday to extend the current session for 30 days.

Casey Elementary Holds Arts Festival

Show your support for arts in the schools by planning a visit to Casey Elementary School (2101 Lake Circle) for their annual Arts Festival, tomorrow, March 26.

Committee Says Melton ‘Boldly Lied'

Jackson Attorney Dorsey Carson, who represents the Jackson Democratic Executive Committee, is arguing in a March 24, position statement in Hinds County Circuit Court that the committee had the right to reject Jackson Mayor Frank Melton from the Democratic ballot, and that the burden of proof is on the mayor to prove his primary residence is in Jackson. Melton sued the committee in Hinds County Circuit Court March 18 after the Committee unanimously refused to recognize him as a Democratic candidate running in a local election. The committee argues that they do not believe he qualifies as a Jackson resident.

Melton's Tax Woes

Hinds County is just now charging Jackson Mayor Frank Melton taxes due on a nearly 10-year-old, 60-foot-by-40-foot, two-story addition to his home.

The 2009 JFP Interview with Frank Melton, Part IV: The Kids

In his long Feb. 26 interview with Jackson Free Press editor Donna Ladd in his City Hall office, Mayor Frank Melton turned the topic to the young men in his life.

MPB Wins Community Impact Award

Mississippi Public Broadcasting's Between the Lions Preschool Literacy Initiative received a My Source Community Impact Award from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting today.

DeLaughter Trial Rescheduled

Federal District Court Judge Glen H. Davidson has granted a motion for continuance to suspended Hinds County Judge Bobby DeLaughter. The trial, originally scheduled to begin April 6, is now set for Aug. 17, 2009.

Recio Still Getting City Paycheck

Although suspended from duty, Michael Recio, Jackson Mayor Frank Melton's former bodyguard, is still pulling down a paycheck from the city, according to WAPT.

More Furloughs at Ledger, While Millions in Bonuses to Execs

Just days after its home corporation disclosed $2 million in bonuses to its CEO and five other executives, The Clarion-Ledger announced a second round of furloughs Monday, according to a source who asked not to be named. Citing the poor state of the economy, Publisher Larry Whitaker told employees in a letter that he had personally visited with several business owners who told him that Clarion-Ledger advertising "continued to bring their businesses results," but that faced with the failing economy, they still experienced a decrease in profits.

Jackson Police Arrested City Employee at Parade

During Saturday's Mal's St Paddy's Parade in downtown Jackson, one of the seven people arrested was a city employee with close ties to Jackson Mayor Frank Melton, reports WAPT:

Bill Banning Red-Light Cameras Signed into Law

Among the bills signed into law by Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour on Friday is House Bill 1568, which bans the use of cameras to catch motorists running red lights.

Barbour Will Veto Eminent Domain Bill

Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour will exercise his veto power today regarding eminent domain, reports WAPT.

Virginia Recalls Mississippi Gulf Oysters

Oysters harvested off a section of Mississippi's Gulf Coast are being blamed for a norovirus found in patrons of a Tennessee restaurant, reports The Washington Post.

Cigarette Tax Hike Still in Limbo

Mississippi legislators reconvene next week to continue haggling over whether to send a bill to increase taxes on cigarettes to the governor, and how high the tax should be, reports Forbes.com.

City Council Candidate Forums Scheduled

The Mississippi Link, The Jackson Advocate and WRBJ 97.7 have planned a series of City Council forums to be held from March 26 through April 6.

Bill Delays Paroled Killer's Release

Douglas Hodgkin, convicted murderer of pregnant Ole Miss student Jean Elizabeth Gillies, will remain behind barsat least temporarilyas a result of a bill signed into law by Gov. Haley Barbour today.

Senate Committee to Kill Override Attempt

A resolution passed by the House last month in an attempt to override Gov. Haley Barbour's rejection of $56 million in federal stimulus dollars will likely never get out of the committee for a vote, according to the Sun Herald.

Legislature Sends Back-to-School Tax Break to Barbour

House Bill 348 headed to Gov. Haley Barbour's office yesterday for his signature.

Date Set For Melton's Suit Against Dems

Mayor Frank Melton will argue that he should be allowed to run for reelection as a Democrat before a Jones County judge next week. As required under state law, the Mississippi Supreme Court appointed an out-of-district judge, Billy Joe Landrum, to hear Melton's suit against the Executive Committee of Jackson's Democratic Party. Landrum will hear Melton's petition for judicial review (PDF) on Wednesday, Mar. 25, at 1:30 p.m. in the Hinds County Courthouse.

Jackson Crime Stats for Mar. 9-15

Data for this week will be available Wednesday, Mar. 25.

Major crimes in Jackson increased slightly for the second week in a row from Mar. 9 through Mar. 15, although the city saw a decrease in violent crime from the previous week. According to the Jackson Police Department's weekly crime statistics report (PDF), property crimes increased 27 percent, largely on the strength of an increase in auto burglaries, especially in Precinct 4, which covers Northeast Jackson. Violent crime decreased in every precinct except Precinct 1, which serves South Jackson.

Ellington