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WAPT 16: Melton Vows To Keep Crime-Reduction Promise If Elected

WAPT 16 reports:

JACKSON, Miss. -- Mayoral candidate Democrat Frank Melton told 16 WAPT News in an exclusive interview last year that he wanted to solve the city's crime problem within 180 days.

WAPT 16: Mayoral Candidates Vow To Bring Business To Jackson

WAPT 16 reports:

Democrat Frank Melton and Republican Rick Whitlow are vying to take over City Hall. Both men say they have plans to bring business and people back to the capital city.

WLBT 3: Whitlow, Melton Could Stand Together

WLBT 3 reports:

Don't be surprised if you see the loser of Tuesday's mayoral race in Jackson at the winner's victory party.

NYC to Lower Voting Age to 16?

[verbatim from National Youth Rights Association]

June 8, 2005: New York City could become the first American city to lower its voting age to sixteen after Councilwoman Gale Brewer introduces her bill to lower the municipal voting age from 18 to 16 on Wednesday.

WLBT 3: Campaigning Continues in Final Hours

WLBT 3 reports:

We know that the city of Jackson will have a new mayor -- but will it be Republican Rick Whitlow or Democrat Frank Melton? Voters will decide when the polls open Tuesday morning.

C-L: Candidates prepare for vote

The Ledger reports:

Clarion-Ledger Navel-Gazes Own Coverage, Sort Of

All the recent criticism of The Clarion-Ledger and other media's abysmal coverage of the city elections—which has only been covered by the Jackson Free Press to date—must be ringing true over at the daily newspaper offices. Today, they have a very odd, and defensive, puff story about the local media coverage of the race written by feature writer Gary Pettus and on the cover of the Southern Style section.

WLBT 3: Melton, Whitlow in Final Stretch

WLBT 3 reports:

The race for mayor in Jackson is down to its final week, and both candidates are running very low-key campaigns. Democrat Frank Melton and Republican Rick Whitlow face each other in the June 7 General Election.

Planet Weekly: Q&A Interview with Rick Whitlow

The Planet Weekly this week interviews Rick Whitlow in a question-and-answer format as their cover story. Frank Melton did not respond to their requests for interviews.

Eddie Gates

For most young people who aspire to a career in music, the trend is going into a studio to make beats. But one local Jackson State student chooses a more traditional form of music. Eddie Gates, a 22-year-old junior from Jackson, has been playing piano since age 6.

C-L: Melton builds huge funding lead in race campaign

The Ledge writes:

WAPT 16: Money Underdog Says Don't Count Him Out Of Mayor's Race

WAPT 16 reports:

JACKSON, Miss. -- When it comes to money, the Jackson mayoral race is shaping up to be a David and Goliath story.

Tease photo

Melton: A Cowboy Who Wants to Be Mayor

Please click here to read Donna Ladd's profile of Frank Melton.

Reason Mag: Straight Shooting on Gun Control

[Lott] Time to Trod the Trace

May 26, 2005 Last week I was excited to be back in Mississippi opening a road already hundreds of years old but which took six decades to pave. Thanks to almost $72 million in federal funding received over the past five years, the Natchez Trace is finally a completed, modern road, all the way from Nashville to Natchez.

Taiwo and Kehinde Gaynor

Taiwo and Kehinde Gaynor, 26, are twins from Brooklyn, N.Y., who moved to Jackson when Taiwo, then 18, was working with the Algebra Project, a non-profit organization for math literacy in urban neighborhoods. He came to Jackson for a month to help the group design their own education materials. One month turned into a year. He soon convinced his twin brother, Kehinde, to come down, too.

Stringfellow: As a fellow Dem, mayor should give Melton boost

Stringfellow at the Ledge says:

JFP Presents: Remember Belhaven Jam Today!

It's a beautiful day, and the perfect Saturday to head to Gillespie Street in Belhaven for an outdoor music festival sponsored by the Jackson Free Press to benefit Jubilee! JAM. Hurry to get your free "I Get It Once a Week" bumper sticker. There will great music all day and lots of beer to buy. See you there! Go right now: Starts in 15 minutes! With The Vamps, David Womack and Don Henry, Eric Stracener, Delta Mountain Boys, The Moils, Geehawks and more. $10. 700 block of Gillespie in Belhaven, between State St. and Jefferson. 601-960-0781.

Barbour Expands Special Session Call for Budget

May 20, 2005—Click to read full statement, but here's the money quote (quite literally):

It is important that every Legislator know the amount available to spend is $4,585,559,267 and that all appropriation bills must fit within this number. The Constitution requires us to pass a balanced budget and to do so we must work out our differences within the limits of this number and the total of all the appropriation bills must not exceed it. I encourage Legislators to spend the weekend considering the best apportionment of these funds."

[Lott] Dodging Bullets

May 20, 2005 Mississippi dodged some big bullets last week when the Pentagon identified those military installations it recommends be closed or realigned. Mississippi's Congressional delegation will work to preserve Naval Station Pascagoula and Meridian's 186th Air National Guard unit as well as the other Mississippi military assets threatened.

C-L Editorial: City elections

The Ledge says:

[Just In] Barbour Starts ‘Rapid Response' Web Campaign

Today, Gov. Haley Barbour launched a Web site to get supporters to help him get what he wants out of the special session. The site lists e-mail addresses for letters to the editor (not of the JFP), talk show call-ins, etc., and asks people to c.c. "Bo Kabala ([e-mail missing]) on any letters to the editor!" Click on the link to view his media instructions. Following is the letter to friends posted on the site ...

Lucky Osborne

Lucky Osborne, 61, leads an artistic life steeped in history. When the native Mississippian isn't working on miniatures for exhibits at the Old Capitol Museum, he's working in pen-and-ink or pastels. Osborne didn't study art formally—he calls it self-inflicted—but it did run in the family. "My mother was quite artistic," he mused.

Bluntson, Tillman Upset Council Incumbents

C-L: Some city directors hope to work for next mayor

The Ledger reports:

[Alert] Public Education: What You Can Do Now

The Coalition for Children and Public Education writes: The Governor has called a special Legislative session to begin Wednesday, May 18 at 1:00 p.m. As part of the Coalition for Children and Public Education, we are gearing up to press for full funding of the Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP).

Barbour Approval Rating Only 37 Percent

May 12, 2005–SurveyUSA has released its approval rating survey results conducted in all 50 states for May 10, 2005. 600 Mississippians were asked "Do you approve or disapprove of the job that Haley Barbour is doing as governor?" In response, 37 percent said they approve, 55 percent said they disapprove, and 8 percent said they were unsure.

Agnew: Could Johnson yet depart with dignity, class?

Ronnie Agnew at the Ledge writes:

Stringfellow: City needs Johnson for smooth transition

Eric Stringfellow at the Ledger writes:

In Memory: Phillip Gibbs and James Earl Green

Thirty-five years ago today, Jackson police opened fire on a crowd of students at Jackson State University, killing Phillip Lafayette Gibbs, 21, a junior pre-law major and father of an 18-month-old son. Two Double-0 buckshot pellets entered his head and a third just beneath his left eye and a fourth just under his left armpit. Also killed was James Earl Green, 17, a senior at Jim Hill High School in Jackson, who was walking home from work at local grocery store. A single buckshot pierced the right side of his chest. Twleve other students were injured by gunfire, and more than 460 rounds of gunfire punctured a women's dormitory. Ambulances were not called until after police officers picked up their shell casings. The police later claimed that they had taken fire from the direction of B. F. Roberts Hall, but that was never proved.

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