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Transforming Lives

Domestic violence affects one in three women in their lifetimes, according to the Family Violence Prevention Fund. The staff at the Center for Violence Prevention is trying to quell the national and statewide epidemic of violence against women, particularly in the metro area, by transforming the lives of the women who come to them.

The City Hall Shuffle

Some council members learned for the first time Tuesday that rejected Parks and Recreation Director Charles Melvin is still making almost as much as he was as interim head of the department.

Radio JFP to Discuss Melton Interview Noon Friday

Here's a double whammy for y'all. Mayor Frank Melton is slated to appear on Ben Allen's WJNT radio show Friday morning. Then, at noon, the JFP will discuss is comments on our radio show on WLEZ (103.7 FM). Tune in!

Lester Williams Resigns to Run for Sheriff

[Verbatim from Williams] In a letter sent to the Mayor's office three weeks ago, I indicated I was requesting an extended leave of absence from my position with Community Improvement to more effectively run my campaign for Sheriff of Hinds County. After giving this situation much thought and conferring with my family I have decided to officially resign my position with the City of Jackson effective May 31st, 2007.

Barbour Raised $3.4 Million in First Quarter of 2007

[Verbatim from Barbour] JACKSON, MS - Governor Haley Barbour today filed a campaign finance report showing he raised more than $3.4 million in the first four months of 2007 and had more than $6.1 million cash on hand as of April 30. The report, filed with the Secretary of State's office, combined with previous records show that Barbour for Governor has raised nearly $7.69 million since 2004.

FEMA Trailers 12 Times Formaldehyde Limit

Recent Environmental Protection Agency testing of FEMA trailers reveals higher average levels of formaldehyde than was originally found by Sierra Club testing last year. EPA testing showed unventilated trailers were 12 times the EPA limit of the dangerous preservative, and that even if the trailers were fully ventilated toxic levels in the trailers would still be three times the limit of EPA-approved levels.

Marley Le

"I did all the hard work, and she looks just like Scot. She's precious, but she looks just like him," Marley Le, owner of Fondren Nails, says of her now four-week-old infant, Elizabeth Ann, as she shows off pictures of her fiancé Scot holding the newborn.

Chuck Culpepper

Saint Alexis Episcopal Church is in the heart of Jackson, just down the street from Hal and Mal's.

Green Protests Danks Hearing

Hinds County Circuit Court Judge Tomie Green filed a motion (PDF, 211 KB) with the Mississippi Supreme Court objecting to the court's decision on her call for sanctions against former Mayor Dale Danks, who is an attorney for Mayor Frank Melton yesterday.

The Abstinence-Only Delusion

The New York Times is calling for Congress to either drop ill-fated abstinence-only education funding, or expand it to include safe-sex messages, which studies are showing do actually help lower teen pregnancy:

AG says Barbour's Veto 'Unconstitutional'

Gov. Haley Barbour cannot legally make a line-item veto on million of dollars in spending on at-risk youth programs, Attorney General Jim Hood said today. "Barbour's misguided and illegal attempt to partially veto (appropriations bills) HB 1681 and HB 1589 are clearly unconstitutional, based upon well-settled Supreme Court decisions," Hood told reporters. "That cuts off numerous programs, from the YMCA, to the Boys and Girls Clubs and Big Brothers Big Sisters to Badges for Baseball. Anybody familiar with these programs will say that it's cheaper to spend money on children at a young age than spend $30,000 a year to warehouse them as criminals after they become adults."

Red And Ready To Rumble: The JFP Interview With Charlie Ross

Photos by Roy Adkins

Sen. Charlie Ross, R-Brandon, is confident this year. The 50-year-old senator is running for lieutenant governor against State Auditor Phil Bryant in the primaries, and possibly against Democratic Rep. Jamie Franks of Hernando in the November general elections.

Toni Cooley

Toni Cooley was born in Chicopee, Mass., but was raised as an Air Force brat in Massachusetts, North Dakota, New Jersey, Mississippi and New Jersey again.

Campaign announcement

Louie Miller

Mississippi Sierra Club Director Louie Miller, 50, is nothing if not a pit fighter. He might smile for his pictures, but don't be fooled. Miller can be foul-mouthed and irascible, a product of conference-room shouting matches and broken-bottle, barroom-style fights in the hallways of the Mississippi State Capitol.

Supes Approve Garage's ‘Design Phase'

On Monday, the Hinds County Board of Supervisors voted to authorize the design development phase of a $12.97 million parking garage proposed by Supervisor Doug Anderson and designed by his former son-in-law's architectural firm, M3A Architects. Later, the supervisors unanimously voted to authorize a series of payments—including $306,562 to M3A for schematic design.

Anderson Letter Implies Foundation Purge

Jackson Police Chief Shirlene Anderson wants to give the boot to all sitting members of the Jackson Police Foundation, something that foundation members say she does not have the authority to do.

Anna Lee Dillon

Anna Lee Dillon, 25, knows that perseverance is key to making a change. When her father, Sherman Lee Dillon, founded Jackson's Earth Day festival 15 years ago, it was a decidedly intimate affair.

Hear Podcasts of JFP on WLEZ

Radio JFP, which airs every Friday at noon on WLEZ, 103.7 FM, is now being podcast on WLEZ's Web site. Click here to listen to last week's show, with discussions about the district attorney, the Melton administration and the "Mississippi, Believe It" campaign.

Jesus Rode A Donkey: THE JFP Interview With John Arthur Eaves

Photos by Roy Adkins

Attorney John Arthur Eaves, 40, is the polar opposite of his Republican opponent, Gov. Haley Barbour. Barbour is a faithful follower of smaller-government philosophy, isn't afraid to boot Mississippians off state Medicaid and has been willing to short-change the so-called "artificial" Mississippi Adequate Education Program in the name of budget austerity. Eaves, on the other hand, thinks the state is failing to provide for the health of thousands and is shooting itself in the foot by short-funding education. Barbour has lobbied for tobacco companies for years, while Eaves, a Jackson trial lawyer, has vociferously attacked those same companies in the courtroom. Barbour is a happy comrade of President George Bush, who has stumped for Barbour on the campaign and vice versa, while Eaves criticizes the Bush administration for all its malfunctions and corruption.

Ann Hendrick

Ann Hendrick, 46, remembers the "time of chaos" when Mississippi schools belatedly integrated.

Peterson Demands Equal Justice

This story will appear in the April 4 print edition of the Jackson Free Press.

City Faces $4.3 Million Shortfall

Department of Administration Director Rick Hill reported to City Council today that the city is facing a $4.3 million budget shortfall.

CAUTION: More Pet Food Recalled

Del Monte is now on the list of recalled pet food. The long list now includes Pounce Cat Treats, Meaty Morsels and Jerky Dog Treats.

Crossroads Festival Winners Announced

Monday update: We're pleased to announce that "Oh, Mr. Faulkner, Do You Write?" won the Audience Choice Award this year.

BREAKING: Ellis Attorney to Ask for Recusal

Lisa Ross, attorney for Michael Ellis, told the Jackson Free Press today that she is going to ask that hearing officer Charles McClelland recuse himself from the termination proceeding of fired Chastain Middle School principal Michael Ellis. She said a "concerned citizen" told her that Jackson Public Schools has awarded part of a $7.6 million contract to McClelland Moving and Storage, owned by Charles McClelland. Earlier this year, Ellis sued JPS Superintendent Earl Watkins for sexual harassment in federal count; the district maintains that Ellis was fired in December because he mismanaged funds and doctored payroll records. The JFP has not been able to confirm the amount of the JPS contract at this writing, or ascertain what part of it was awarded to McClelland.

Summary of 2007 session

Thabi Moyo

"I didn't know what I wanted to do when I first went to college," Thabi Moyo, 26, says, reminiscing about the spiral of events that led her to her current jobs as festival coordinator of the Crossroads Film Festival and cultural manager for the Canton Visitor's Bureau.

D.A. Questions Judge Allowing Officer to Walk

The Clarion is reporting today that District Attorney Faye Peterson is outraged that Judge Bobby DeLaughter has allowed a police officer charged with vehicular manslaughter to go free with no jail time. After Jeffrey Middleton, who ran a red light and killed a man in 2005 while on duty, pled guilty to the charge that carries up to 20 years in prison, DeLaughter placed him on probation and withheld adjudication, which means that the judge can undo his guilty plea if he doesn't violate the terms of his short probation, and then expunge his record. That, Peterson says, could mean that Middleton is allowed to become a police officer again.

JUST IN: Wilson Pleads Guilty to Murder in Teen Death

More details as they develop ...

Toice Wilson today pled guilty to murder in Hinds County Circuit Court after the prosecution refused his request yesterday to plead guilty to manslaughter in the beating death of Tawana Sandifer, 15. Judge Swan Yerger than sentenced him to life in prison.

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