News

Big 3 Bailout Still Contentious

The proposed Congressional bailout of Detroit's Big 3 Automakers is proving to be fraught with landmines of opposing opinion. In today's New York Times, Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell says that the proposed bailout is "deeply flawed":

Mississippi GOP Sues for Fair Elections

The Mississippi Republican Party filed suit against the Leflore County Election Commission and Southeast Greenwood poll manager Gail Griggs today for "failure to perform their statutory duties in the November 4 election."

Langston Suit Moves Ahead Through Political Thicket

Hinds County Circuit Court Judge Winston Kidd has lifted a motion to stay a politically tinged state lawsuit against disbarred attorneys Joey Langston and Timothy Balducci and the Langston Law Firm after U.S. District Court Judge William Pauley sent the case back to Hinds County. "I had issued a stay maybe a month ago to allow the federal court to decide the issue, and the federal court decided that it should be in state court. The parties agreed that the stay should be lifted. They have been lifted and the matter will now proceed forward," Kidd told the Jackson Free Press today, adding that he was not yet sure when the next hearing for motion of summary judgment would commence.

Barbour Among Governors Getting Suspicious Letters

The Associated Press is reporting that Haley Barbour and five other governorsof Alabama, Michigan, Missouri, Rhode Island and Montanareceived letters containing powder today; tests have found so far that the letters to Mississippi and Alabama were harmless.

Union Head: Don't ‘Rush to Judgment' Over Fuel Use

Brenda Scott, president of the Mississippi Alliance of State Employees, a workers' union, issued a press release warning the Jackson City Council not to jump to conclusions regarding recent allegations of fuel card abuse, as reported Dec. 2 by the Jackson Free Press. According to council members, 945 of 1,088 city employees with access to gas cards were not keeping track of the odometer readings at fill-ups during the months of July, August and September. Other records show more than one refueling on the same vehicle in one day, or reveal employees putting 50 gallons of gas in a vehicle built to hold no more than 20 gallons.

High School Football: Meridian Shocks World

Meridian upsets South Panola 26-20 in overtime in the MHSAA Class 5A championship game.

‘Working Should Not Be a Crime'

Also see: Immigration: Myths v. Reality

Half-Million Jobs Cut in November

The Washington Post is reporting job losses of 533,000 in November, affecting construction, computer makers, auto dealers, clothing stores, banks and insurance companies. Here's a snippet from the story:

Jackson's Crime Rate

Jackson's crime rate put Mississippi's capital city at the No. 23 spot of 385 U.S. cities, according to "City Crime Rankings, 2008-2009," released by the CQ Press earlier this month. The city's ranking puts it in a better light than New Orleans, which had the highest crime rate, followed by Camden, N.J., Detroit, St. Louis, Oakland, Calif., and 17 other U.S. cities.

Gov. Barbour 'Pleased' With President-Elect

Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour reported today that President-Elect Barack Obama's Tuesday meeting with state governors on addressing the recession was "cordial."

Talking Heads Reflect on Election

U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson flexed his muscles over the U.S. Senate race, according to politicos, possibly influencing Democratic candidate Ronnie Musgrove's loss to interim Republican Sen. Roger Wicker. Clarion-Ledger columnist Sid Salter said Thompson's apparent lack of support might have injured Musgrove.

Karen Hearn

Surrounded by stacks of CDs in her office at Mississippi Public Broadcasting, Classical Music Director Karen Hearn looks for the perfect music to play on her radio show tonight. Yesterday it was Schubert's Mass in E Flat. Next time it might be Dohnányi's 2nd Symphony. Who knows?

Hood Sues Entergy

Mississippi attorney general Jim Hood lodged another lawsuit against Entergy Mississippi on Tuesday. The attorney general already had a lawsuit against the energy provider in Hinds County Chancery Court to force it to surrender company information, but Hood abandoned that suit in order to hit Entergy with a new suit alleging incidents of deceptive trade practices, anti-trust behavior, accounting manipulation and unlawful enrichment, among other charges.

Mississippians Get $1 Million in Foreclosure Relief

[Verbatim from Attorney General Jim Hood]Jackson, MS-Mississippi will be included in the national settlement with Countrywide Financial Corporation (CFC) that will allow eligible borrowers to participate in the company's loan modification program, announced Attorney General Jim Hood. The program went into effect yesterday, December 1, 2008, and was designed to help borrowers who financed their homes with subprime loans or adjustable rate mortgages serviced by Countrywide and originated prior to December 31, 2007. Countrywide was bought by Bank of America on July 1, 2008.

Feds Fire Back at Melton

In a brief filed Monday, Dec. 1, federal prosecutors argued that the purity of Jackson Mayor Frank Melton's motives has no bearing on his trial for civil-rights violations. Their motion(PDF) was a response to a defense brief(PDF) claiming that prosecutors must prove the mayor and his bodyguard Michael Recio acted with a "bad purpose or evil motive" when they allegedly ordered and participated in the 2006 destruction of a Ridgeway Street duplex.

Ronnie Musgrove for Secretary of Ed?

His name is popping up on at least one list, per Wall Street Journal. (h/t Folo)

Dunn Lampton Under Investigation?

Raw Story is reporting that the U.S. Departments of Justice and Treasury may be investigating U.S. Attorney Dunn Lampton:

Recession Declared: Market Down 680 Points

The New York Times is reporting that the rumors of a recession are true:

City Employees Stealing Gas?

The Jackson City Council's budget committee will meet today at 1 p.m. to discuss reports of 945 city employees allegedly misusing city gas cards a total of 9,288 times during the months of July through September.

Time for Gratefulness, and Shopping Local

View Flip FLY!

As Americans come together to express gratefulness today for the blessings we enjoy, the JFP wishes you a safe and loving Thanksgiving. We also urge you to support the local economy for shopping on Black Friday and beyond at locally owned businesses that re-invest all of your money in the local economy. And remember to take the JFP Pledge to spend $100 in local stores this holiday, and be in the drawing for prizes worth hundreds of dollars, and yes donated by locally owned businesses. As we've urged for years now: Think Global, Buy Local!

Mumbai Terrorist Attacks Continue

As Americans prepare for a day of gratefulness, the horrors in Mumbai, India, continue. Follow the story on CNN here and pray for a quick resolution before more people die.

Season For All

The span of time between Thanksgiving and the New Year used to be my favorite because not only did I get to eat great food and run around with my cousin, but I also got time off from school, played in the snow and celebrated my birthday. It didn't get better than that. As I grew older, the novelty of buying gifts for people wore off as the fake wreaths and sugarplums marched into the seasonal section of stores before Halloween was even over.

Victoria Scantlebury

"It's interesting when people just look at me and think I'm black," says Victoria Scantlebury. "And then when I open my mouth, they're like, 'Oh, wow.'"

11/26 Dow Continues Up Going into Holiday

The Dow has been up for four straight days, apparently responding to action taken by the Barack Obama transition team as it names its cabinet and bevy of advisors, along with hints that a solution for ailing automakers may be in the works.

A Gift To Dems

No doubt, Democrats exit 2008 with a clear victory in federal government. Democratic President-elect Barack Obama claimed the White House with a 53-percent victory.

Official: Obama Asks Secretary Gates to Stay On

The Washington Post is reporting:

Langston Deal Headed to Hinds County

U.S. District Court Judge William Pauley is sending the state's $14 million dispute with disbarred attorney Joey Langston to Hinds County. Pauley decided this month to uphold a decision to send the case to Hinds County Circuit Judge Winston Kidd. The fee dispute is connected to WorldCom's $126.2 million tax-fraud settlement with the state in 2005.

Entergy Drops Rates in Mississippi

After a year of investigation and outcry, Entergy is asking the Mississippi Public Service Commission to approve another 14 percent drop in its fuel adjustment starting Jan. 1. This new drop in cost reflects a total drop in price by slightly more than 30 percent since July, and marks a stark contrast to the company's request to hike costs by 28 percent over the summer.

City Postpones Bus Takeover Plan

The city of Jackson has postponed plans to take over the operations of its citywide bus service. The city council had been faced with the prospect of the city adopting the work of Texas-based McDonald Transit Associates Inc. when its contract ended in mid-December. The council opted instead to extend the McDonald contract another 90 days, until it either finds a new contractor or works the bugs out of the current McDonald contract.

Markets Surge for a Second Day

The New York Times is reporting:

Ellington