News

Bob Davidson

"My first love is the law. My second love is music," says Bob Davidson, 59, sitting in his office at the Mississippi Capitol Building.

Poll: 80% Prefer Tobacco Tax Hike Over Barbour Plan

Sources tell the Jackson Free Press that a new poll by the anti-smoking group Communities for a Clean Bill of Health finds that 80 percent of Mississippians polled preferred an increased tobacco tax, while 8 percent preferred a hospital tax pushed by Gov. Haley Barbour. The group will hold a press conference Thursday at the Mississippi State Capitol revealing Mississippians' overall support for a $1 tax increase on a pack of cigarettes over Barbour's proposed plan to tax hospitals to cover a $90 million Medicaid shortfall.

Clothing Needed for Laid-Off Workers

The Mississippi Immigrants Rights Alliance is asking for donations of clothing for immigrant workers recently laid off in Scott County, possibly as a result of a new anti-immigrant law passed by legislators this year. MIRA will accept any clothing items, though standard t-shirts and pants are practical. MIRA will also accept footwear, including shoes, sandals and socks. The organization will hold a conference on the lay-offs and take donations at their headquarters on 612 N. State St. at noon Wednesday. Interested donors may call 354-9355 or 968-5182 for more information.

Hood Wants Execution Date for Dale Leo Bishop

[Verbatim from Attorney General Jim Hood] Jackson, MS- Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood filed a motion with the Mississippi Supreme Court today requesting an execution date for Dale Leo Bishop on or before July 23, 2008. This action follows the ruling by the United States Supreme Court today, denying Bishop relief. Executions by lethal injection had been put on hold by the United States Supreme Court pending review of a Kentucky case regarding the constitutionality of lethal injection. The Court concluded its review of the Kentucky case last April, affirming the use of lethal injection.

‘Oh, Please Just Shoot Me'

Rep. John Mayo, D-Clarksdale, smirked at the The Mississippi Hospital Association's recent refusal to submit a report to Gov. Haley Barbour of possible Medicaid cuts to hospitals last week. "Apparently the Hospital Association accepted the slap to the face when they accepted the 'either/or option,' but refused to turn the other cheek when asked what cuts should be made," Mayo wrote in an e-mail. "Kind of like the innocent but condemned prisoner, bound and tied to the post and about to be shot. The executioner whispers in his ear, 'Where would you like the bullet?' To which the condemned replies, 'Oh, please, just shoot me.'"

State Diverting Katrina Funds Away from Housing

With 6,000 people still living in FEMA trailers on the Coast, Mississippi officials are diverting Katrina funds away from needed housing, the Associated Press reports:

Melton Protégé Pleads

Mayor Frank Melton says he will be waiting for Michael Taylor to get out of prison, probably before he is 21. "He is too good of a kid to give up on," Melton told The Clarion-Ledger last week. "I will be there for him when he gets out." Currently, Melton is refusing to speak to the Jackson Free Press.

Parents Chastise Chastain

As cars rushed by the corner of Pascagoula and President Streets June 17, it seemed like a normal day in downtown Jackson. But if you looked closer, it wasn't for some parents of Chastain middle-schoolers.

Columbia Training School Removes Last Girls

After years of documented abuse and consequent lawsuits, Columbia Training School is finally closing its doors to troubled girls.

Eddie Parker

Eddie Parker's future could not look any better. Parker, 17, and a native of Flowood, is a rising senior at Murrah High School and newly elected governor of this year's Mississippi American Legion Boys State.

Travis Childers Unplugged: The JFP Interview

Within 63 days, Travis Childers went from being a former Prentiss County chancery clerk to one of the biggest butt-pains the Republicans have experienced in 15 years.

Melton's Million for Youth Jobs Fails

Even as hundreds crowded into City Hall Tuesday night, called to turn out by Mayor Frank Melton, the Jackson City Council failed to support the mayor's last-minute summer job program for city youth, citing lack of funds to pay for young people to work for private businesses. The vote was 3-3, with Councilwoman Margaret Barrett-Simon absent. "We're coming up on the end of our budget cycle, so that money is not currently budgeted, and so that is not very prudent to make financial decisions in that manner," Budget Committee Chairman Marshand Crisler told the Jackson Free Press. "I think it would be much more prudent for the mayor to make this suggestion at the beginning of the next budget cycle, and see if we can find moniesnot out of the general fund, but other locationsto fund this program for next year.

Melton Protégé History Complicated

Mayor Frank Melton says he will be waiting for Michael Taylor to get out of prison, probably before he is 21. "He is too good of a kid to give up on," Melton told The Clarion-Ledger last week. "I will be there for him when he gets out." Currently, Melton is refusing to speak to the Jackson Free Press.

Farish Financial Woes 'Over'?

King Edward Hotel developer David Watkins may step in to help overcome financial speed bumps the Farish Street Entertainment District has suffered, according to Downtown Jackson Partners President Ben Allen. Allen was short on details Tuesday, but seemed confident that Watkins, one of the chief personalities behind the development of the historic King Edward and the upcoming renovation of the Standard Life building in downtown Jackson, was working with Performa to remove the financial barriers.

Upper Level Closed, Temporarily

Chancery Court Judge Dewayne Thomas granted the city's request to temporarily close the Upper Level nightclub on Monday, calling the club a "public nuisance." "The court finds that the activities on or about the Upper Level premises have occurred in this fashion for a long time and that said club constitutes a clear and present danger to the surrounding community ... ," Thomas wrote in his decision.

Barbour: No! Don't Mingle Tobacco Taxes and Medicaid!

[Verbatim from Gov. Haley Barbour] While an increase in tobacco taxes to fund Medicaid is being talked about, no such proposal has passed either house of the Legislature during the current Special Session. In fact, most recently, the effort failed in the House. And, while some like to talk about finding a compromise to Medicaid's revenue problems, the fact is SB 2013 – which passed the Senate on an overwhelming 41-to-7 vote – is the only compromise on the table, having been agreed to after extraordinary negotiations by the Mississippi Hospital Association, the Division of Medicaid, and the Governor's Office, and then passed by the state Senate.

Melton Recruiting Young People; Wants $1 Million

WAPT reported yesterday that Mayor Frank Melton wants a last-minute approval from City Council for $1 million for summer youth jobs. WAPT:

Making Peace Over Medicaid?

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NPR Listeners Dissect, Unload on Mississippi

NPR's Bryant Park Project did a piece yesterday about segregated school proms in Charleston, Miss. (a piece that was inspired by Kamikaze's column in the Jackson Free Press on the topic). The segment is drawing quite the array of comments about Mississippi on NPR's blog. Here's one to consider:

Bryan Owen

Music has always been a strong force in Rev. Bryan Owen's life, thanks largely to the influence of his acoustic guitar-playing father.

Bank Problems Mire Farish Project

A local bank has refused to clear Performa Mississippi LLC for loans totalling $3 million to finance Phase 2 of the development of the Farish Street Entertainment District.

'Seismic' Dems

Mississippi Democrats showed confidence and optimism at a state convention on Saturday, and heard from speakers whose sentiments mirrored their own.

FEMA Aid in Reach

While Jackson residents may have received denial letters from FEMA in the weeks following the April 4 tornadoes and storms, they may still be able to get aid. Some residents were denied aid by FEMA because they were already insured.

AltWeekly Winners Announced; JFP Walks With Two ‘Firsts'

This Saturday, the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies and Medill School of Journalism announced the winners of the 2008 AltWeekly Awards at its national convention in Philadelphia, Pa. Top winners were the LA Weekly with three first place awards, and the Texas Observer, also with three. The Jackson Free Press won two first place awards, for Feature Writing ("We Are Family: A Klan Child Fans a Different Flame" by Donna Ladd") and "Public Service" package ("Road to Meadville" by Donna Ladd, Kate Medley and Matt Saldaña).

Center for Violence Prevention In Need

The Center for Violence Prevention is in urgent need of car seats. If you have a car seat that you are no longer using or would like to donate a new car seat, please contact The Second Chance Store at 601-932-4198 or drop off donations at 409 Roberts St., Pearl.

Seale Wants Freedom

The flawed record of Dr. Stephen Hayne was at issue when James Ford Seale took his 2007 conviction before the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals this week.

Jason Thompson

"Time waits for no man. / Time takes from those who walk slow along the wrong road." With a multi-talented personality, Jason speaks on his working with the youth, organizing art events, and positive hip-hop music.

Secrets & Lies: GOP Accused of Political Prosecutions

Prosecutions of a Mississippi Supreme Court justice and a wealthy Gulf Coast attorney are at the center a spectacular congressional investigation of political prosecution.

Amid Investigation, DOJ Drops Sentence Appeal For Siegelman

The U.S. Department of Justice filed a motion this week with the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals asking that their earlier appeals of former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman's sentences be dropped. Prosecutors had appealed for a 30-year prison sentence for Siegelman, who was serving a seven-year sentence for corruption before the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals released him on bond pending his appeal.

UPDATED: Council Denies Emmerich Airport Board Slot

The push by Mayor Frank Melton and three members of the Jackson City Council to place Northside Sun owner and publisher Wyatt Emmerich on the board of the Jackson Municipal Airport Authority appears over, after the council denied Emmerich's confirmation Monday in a split 3-3 vote, with Councilman Kenneth Stokes not present to break the tie. In the final vote, Jeff Weill, Frank Blunston and Charles Tillman voted in favor, and President Leslie McLemore, Marshand Crisler and Margaret Barrett-Simon opposed the appointment.

Ellington