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A Tamperin' They Will Go
Last week, the Mississippi Senate followed the lead of Gov. Haley Barbour in pushing for "home-rule" for the top-rated school districts in the state. The Senate voted 30-to-19 in favor of SB 2602, which supporters say would exempt schools from having to file needless paperwork with the state and allows the most freedom to the state's topmost rated schools, allowing those districts greater self-governance in regard to hiring and education practices for district employees.
Council to Finalize $2.8M in Bonds
The Jackson City Council will vote during tomorrow's council meeting on whether to allow a $2.8 million tax increment financing agreement help finance the redevelopment of the King Edward Hotel and Standard Life building.
Copy-Cat Immigrant Law Costly
Jackson City Attorney Pieter Teeuwissen said he was confident that the city could be exposed to considerable legal liability if legislators pass a bill mimicking a controversial Arizona law, which pushes local police into civil immigration enforcement duty.
City Buzz
City Council President Ben Allen said last week that he wanted the city to crack down on soliciting, particularly in the downtown area. Allen said aggressive panhandling was helping drive businesses out of the city and discouraged new business and tourism in the area. He said that city attorneys were devising a proposal that limits panhandling to certain spots in the city.
Notice to the World
For more than a decade, at least two mayoral administrations have been fighting to make a Jackson city convention center a reality. On June 12, it finally happened.
[ElectionTalk] Fighting For The Family: Hinds County Chancery Judge Races
Chancery Court District 5-1 is probably one of the busiest districts in the state. Every week, the district processes some of the most heart-wrenching court cases ever to face a family. Divorces, child-custody battles and estate problems usually have their day within the walls of chancery court—and the kind of issues facing judges can cause tremors. After almost two decades of service, incumbent Stuart Robinson is retiring from his $104,170-a-year post, leaving it to be fought over by four contenders.
No Favoritism Here
Mayor Frank Melton's home street of Riverwood Drive, in north Jackson, is getting repaved this week, just a few weeks after a reporter pointed out a pothole to the mayor at a press conference outside his home at 2 Carter's Grove.
Council OKs JRA decision on Standard Life
Incendiary remarks recently made by a former city employee regarding the Standard Life Building whittled down to a nod of acquiescence at the Jackson City Council's 4 p.m. work session.
City Pulls $3 Mil From Reserves, May Need More
Jackson Mayor Frank Melton and the city administration got their wish from the council in a 3-to-2 vote in favor of raiding $3 million from the city's $7 million budget reserve fund to fix a lingering hole in the 2007 budget. The raid may not be enough to cover still more holes, as the city struggles to pay the federal government back for about $520,000 in law enforcement grants.
Quick and Sloppy
A spokesman for U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson's office said a more thorough preliminary damage assessment might have prevented the Federal Emergency Management Agency's initial rejection of Gov. Haley Barbour's petition for federal damage assistance for storm damage in Hinds County.
New Sports Arena on the Way
Mississippi Headhunters team owner Greg Disotell got the go-ahead from the Jackson City Council Tuesday to begin pooling $40 million for the construction of an enclosed sports arena to host minor-league football, as well as other entertainment events.
Barbour Flaunting Phantom Surplus
State legislators are accusing Gov. Haley Barbour of misrepresenting the condition of the state budget.
The 2009 JFP Interview: David Archie
Independent Jackson mayoral candidate David L. Archie is a political animal. Over the last 10 years, he has run for the positions of local judge, Ward 3 councilman and Ward 1 councilman.
Not Your Typical Two-car Garage
Hinds County Supervisors voted 3-2 to hire Integrated Management Services, Neel-Schaffer and McElroy 3 and Associates Architects to design a proposed $14 million parking garage. Supervisors Charles Barbour and Peggy Calhoun voted against the project, with Calhoun saying she had too many concerns about its long-term costs.
'Si Se Pueda'
Protestors, some of them children, marched on the state Capitol last Thursday, holding signs reading "Working should not be a crime," "Raids tear families apart," and "Si se pueda" ("Yes we can").
Bond Commission Grants City's $6 million Bond
The standoff between the city of Jackson and members of the State Bond Commission over $6 million in interest-free loans for city water infrastructure repairs seemingly has ended.
The 2009 JFP Interview with Rick Whitlow
Former Houston Rocket Rick Whitlow has had his fingers in a little bit of everything. Whitlow made a name for himself as a TV and radio news and sports personality in Jackson. These days the insurance agent maintains a presence in the community, and has worked as executive director of the SafeCity Watch.
After the Storm
Reacting to skyrocketing post-Katrina insurance costs on the coast, the Legislature passed HB 1500, which bolsters the state's Wind Pool Insurance Association by $20 million. The money is collected from taxes on statewide insurance premiums.
Minor Bribery Conviction Overturned
The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals partially overturned the convictions of Mississippi attorney Paul Minor and former judges John Whitfield and Walter "Wes" Teel.
Another Reprieve for Pallets
The Jackson Historic Preservation Commission voted Tuesday to save A-1 Pallets on Mill Street from city wrecking balls.