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Dates Set for Two More Executions

The following is a verbatim statement from the Mississippi Department of Corrections:

The Mississippi Supreme Court has set execution dates for Death Row inmates Larry Mathew Puckett, MDOC #65781, and William J. Mitchell, MDOC #31271.

Graham Attorney: No Choice but to Let Jury Decide

As I reported earlier today, the Mississippi auditor and attorney general sued Hinds County Supervisor Robert Graham over alleged double-dipping. Graham, they say, was running a private business while on the clock getting paid as the Jackson Police Department's public-information officer. Lisa Ross, his attorney, just returned the call I placed earlier when she was in court and repeated assertions she's made all along -- that the investigation is politically motivated.

Hood Links Sunshine Act to Pardons

Attorney General Jim Hood's campaign site sent out an email this morning urging his supporters to call senators and oppose the Sunshine Act, which would allow agency heads to hire outside counsel to represent them. (Read more about the act in our archives.)

Obama Singing Again

I'm not sure why he's on this tear -- one theory might be that President Obama feels good about his re-election chances given the GOP's rather clueless focus on contraception as a wedge issue in their 2012 primary season -- but for whatever reason, Obama at least LOOKS like he's having fun with a microphone and a backing band. This time it's a line of Sweet Home Chicago sung with a little help from Mississippi's own B.B. King.

Anti-abortion Efforts Continue

Pro Life America Network organized a press conference at the Capitol today with legislators and Gov. Phil Bryant to talk about anti-abortion efforts. We'll plan on having more on that tomorrow, but for those who are interested, here's what Bryant had to say:

Officers Arrested on Bribery Charges

From the U.S. attorney's office, verbatim:

Jackson, Miss - Monyette Quintel Jefferson, 27, Terence Dale Jenkins, 25, and Anthony Ricardo Payne, Jr., 25, all Jackson Police Department Patrol Officers at the time of the offense, have been arrested for accepting bribes to protect what they believed to be drug transactions following an undercover operation, U.S. Attorney John Dowdy and FBI Special Agent in Charge Daniel McMullen announced today.

Boil Water Notice; JSU Suspends Activities

A water main break is causing low water pressure at Jackson State University, leading the school to suspend classes and activities this weekend.

Personhood Mississippi: We Are Listening to Voters

Personhood Mississippi founder Les Riley sent out a statement this morning praising Personhood legislation in the Oklahoma Senate and promising further efforts in Mississippi that will address voters' concerns about contraception and in vitro fertilization.

Getting (a Little) Past Politics on Keystone Pipeline

This morning I got to the office with an e-mail in my inbox, apparently forwarded to me, from the office of Scott Brown, famously the GOP senator from Massachusetts who took over Edward Kennedy's seat. It's pasted here below the fold. (Presumably it was forwarded to me by an advocacy group against the pipeline or as part of their e-blast system; I get a lot of interesting political e-mail.)

Clarion-Ledger Losing Experienced Staffers

Twelve employees at The Clarion-Ledger are considering early retirement buyouts. The Gannett-owned daily newspaper continues to shrink as it loses its most experienced staffers.

Fillingane Introduces Anti-Abortion Resolution

Within the last couple of hours, Sen. Joey Fillingane introduced a resolution to amend the state constitution "to protect the life of every unborn child from conception to birth."

City Supports Several Bills

The city of Jackson will support several bills in the Legislature this session. Roosevelt Daniels, city policy director, is expected to present the following items this morning at a City Council Legislative Committee meeting.

Holland's Gulf of America Bill Sweeping the Nation

To understand his bill to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America in state waters off the Mississippi coast, you have to understand that Holland is one of the most progressive and most eccentric members of the House. He's also one of the longest serving and most knowledgeable about the inner-workings of the Legislature. He's not exactly hid his disdain for the fact that Speaker Philip Gunn not only didn't give him a committee chairmanship but left him off the committees he's served on for two decades. In fact, Holland quipped to me yesterday that every member of the Legislature should be arrested for loitering on public property because they aren't doing \"####."

Metrocenter Cabling on Agenda Today

At a special meeting yesterday, Councilman Quentin Whitwell made an emergency motion for the city to get a supplemental lease at the Metrocenter Mall, an idea he shared with the Jackson Free Press last week. His motion died, but it comes before the council later today.

Deuce Headed Back to Ole Miss, Reports Say

Not, of course, that he'll be playing. (Although just imagine if he had a year of eligibility and wanted to get a Master's degree...) According to CoachingSearch.com via Sports Illustrated, Deuce McAllister, former Ole Miss and New Orleans Saint running back, will be headed to the coaching staff in a yet-to-be-determined capacity, although he will not be one of the nine official assistant coaches.

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