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Melton Defense Continues; Chris Walker Today?

JFP Coverage of Defense Witness Christopher Walker

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Obama Pushes Stimulus Transparency

In signing the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act today, President Barack Obama has embarked on what could be the defining action of his young presidency.

Small Business Loan Clinic

[verbatim] SBA Loan Clinic Available To Entrepreneurs Seeking Financing JACKSON, MS – The U. S. Small Business Administration's Jackson District Office will conduct a Loan Clinic on Tuesday, March 3rd to discuss SBA's guaranty loan programs.

JPS Names Teacher of the Year

Jackson Public Schools has named Murrah High School English teacher Stacey Donaldson as Jackson's Teacher of the Year for 2008-2009.

Saints Release Deuce

It seems not even professional football is immune to the economy.

Earlier today, the Associated Press announced that the New Orleans Saints have released running back Deuce McAllister "in a move that reduced the team's payroll as free agency approaches."

Most Local TV Stations Delay Digital

Congress extended the deadline for TV stations to broadcast in a digital format from midnight tonight until June 12, 2009. Some local stations are taking advantage of this extension to allow viewers extra time to obtain a converter box or switch to satellite or cable TV providers. Local stations WAPT, WLBT, and WJTV, are each postponing their conversion until the extended deadline.

Bomb Threat Aimed at Courthouse

The Hinds County courthouse is back in business after an alleged bomb threat this morning. The Hinds County Sheriff's Department emptied the courthouse about 8:30 this morning at the news of the threat.

Witness Bought Crack at Duplex; Told Melton; Wasn't Arrested

JFP Coverage of Defense Witness Christopher Walker

House Approves Medicaid Hospital Measure

The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journail is reporting that the Mississippi House has approved a $45 million assessment on hospitals in a compromise to cover part of the $90 million shortfall in the state Medicaid program.

Southern Miss Players Arrested

Police arrested two University of Southern Mississippi football players Sunday night in Hattiesburg, according to an AP report appearing on the Sports Illustrated Web site.

House Outlaws Traffic Cameras

The Mississippi House sent a bill to the Senate today that will effectively outlaw red-light cameras. HB 1568 will restrict local law enforcement's use of cameras to assist in traffic control—such as the one installed at the intersection of Old Canton Road and Lakeland Drive.

Senate Kills Public Records Access Bill

The Mississippi Senate shelved a bill designed to make public records more accessible to the public, according to The Greenwood Commonwealth,

Attorneys Meet over Melton Trial Rules

JFP Coverage of Defense Witness Christopher Walker

Handy Hardware Coming to Mississippi

[verbatim from the Governor's office]

Jackson, Mississippi - Governor Haley Barbour announced today that Handy Hardware, a member-owned hardware buying group, will open a distribution center in Meridian. The company plans to employ more than 150 people.

Corps Unveils Mississippi Gulf Coast Plan

In the works since the devastating 2005 hurricane season, The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile Division, has drafted an exhaustive plan to protect the Mississippi Gulf Coast—specifically, Hancock, Harrison and Jackson counties—from future hurricane damage.

Salmonella Confirmed in Mississippi

The Mississippi Department of Health reports seven confirmed cases of Salmonella typhimurium infections in the state, including one each in Hinds and Rankin counties.

Melton: ‘We Tore That Shit Up'; Prosecution Rests

FEDERAL COURTHOUSE—The prosecution in U.S. v. Melton started Day 4 of testimony in downtown Jackson today by calling Joe Lewis, who is with the city's Community Improvement Division and is over code enforcement for the city of Jackson. Lewis testified that the city had 69 homes demolished in Jackson in 2006, the year that Mayor Frank Melton and his bodyguards allegedly destroyed a duplex at 1305 Ridgeway St. without a warrant. Lewis said that he has no files or case number for the duplex.

Jackson Businessman and Wife Hospitalized, Doctors Killed In Head-On Collision

Stuart Irby was in critical condition this morning; Karen Irby was in serious condition.

University Medical Center officials confirmed today that they admitted Jackson business man Stuart Irby and his wife Karen after a head-on collision on Old Canton road around 10:30 p.m. last night.

BREAKING: Judge DeLaughter Arraigned in Bribery Scandal

JFP coverage of DeLaughter and Peters

Voter ID Bill Passes the House

House Bill 1533, "The Election Reform Act," is the first bill containing a requirement for state-issued photo ID to pass the House this session—though the bill did not leave the House without a fight and a pile of baggage.

Nativist Lobby Makes Demands for Stimulus Bill

The Mississippi Business Journal reported yesterday that nativist lobby group FAIR, the Federation for American Immigration Reform, is pushing Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) to include language in the economic stimulus bill to "ensure that the jobs created go to legal U.S. workers only."

Barbour Ignoring Black Judge Applicants?

The Mississippi Magnolia Bar claims Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour has proved leery of appointing blacks to judicial positions since he won the governor's office in 2003.

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Grady Griffin

Grady Griffin is the director of education and training for the Mississippi Hospitality and Restaurant Association, but don't let that fancy title fool you.

Bodyguard: Melton Under Influence ‘Every Other Day'

Feb. 11, 2009 - Day 3 of the Melton Trial

Defense attorneys began cross-examining former mayoral bodyguard Marcus Wright this morning. Yesterday, Wright testified that Jackson Mayor Frank Melton had been drinking the night of the Ridgeway Street duplex destruction, and that as the mayor broke windows along the outside of the home, he boasted, "I want them f*cking people to know I'm not playing with them."

Jackson Jazz Artist Wins Grammy

Jackson native Cassandra Wilson took home the Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Album Sunday night for her newest release, "Loverly." The album, which fuses Wilson's distinct voice and modern rhythm with classic standards, is the artist's second Grammy-winning album. Wilson's wildly popular "Blue Moon Daughter" also won the Grammy for Best Jazz Vocal Album in 1997.

Bodyguard Gives Damaging Evidence Against Melton, Recio

On Feb. 10, jurors in the federal civil rights trial of Mayor Frank Melton heard from the government's star witness, former mayoral bodyguard Marcus Wright. Wright, who pled guilty to a lesser charge in exchange for testifying against the mayor and his other bodyguard, Michael Recio, offered damaging evidence of the mayor's past disregard for the law. Asked by prosecutor Mark Blumberg if he was nervous, Wright admitted that he was, but he betrayed little of that nervousness as he offered the trial's clearest account thus far of the Aug. 26, 2006, destruction of a Ridgeway Street duplex.

Entergy Claims Good Practices in State; Hood Begs to Differ

Entergy:

Entergy and Attorney General Jim Hood put out dueling press releases today about the company's claim that an audit has found that Entergy's practices are in the state's "best interests." The Entergy release is below verbatim, followed by Hood's response.

Barbour Not Pleased with Senate Over Eminent Domain Limits

After the Mississippi Senate passed Senate Bill 2230 today to restrict the use of eminent domain to direct public use, Gov. Haley Barbour released this statement tonight: "If the bill that passed the Senate today were to become law, it would be a major impediment to Mississippi's job creation efforts. Toyota would not be coming to Mississippi if this had been the law in 2007, and the Senators recognized that fact by an amendment they included in the bill."

Scruggs Enters Second Guilty Plea

The Associated Press is reporting that Mississippi attorney Richard "Dickie" Scruggs, who is currently serving a five-year sentence for bribery, has pled to a second charge of mail fraud in connection with a second bribery.

Wright: Recio Falsified Documents, Melton ‘Clearly Under the Influence'

'On the Road Again' with Melton and his Bodyguards

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