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BREAKING: Mayor Agrees to Confirmation Hearings
After many months of stalling, Mayor Frank Melton has finally agreed to put department heads and other appointments in front of the City Council for confirmation. Councilman Ben Allen told the Jackson Free Press today that Melton sent him an e-mail requesting that Allen move ahead with setting up confirmation hearings for the following positions: Rick Hill of the Department of Finance; Fire Chief Todd Chandler; Charles Melvin of Parks and Recreation; Jackson Redevelopment Authority board member Ted Duckworth; Jackson Public Schools Board member Ivory Phillips; Municipal Court Judge Ali ShamsidDeen, and Planning and Development consultant Leland Speed.
Melton Doesn't Show, Fails to Deliver on Promise
Amid rumors that he is en route to Las Vegas for a music awards event, Jackson Mayor Frank Melton fell through on his pronouncement to deliver a new budget proposal this morningand didn't show up himself for city budget meetings. Melton told the council yesterday that he would procure a new budget himself overnight that did not include a tax increase, after enduring accusations from council members that his preferencessuch as cuts to JATRAN and the JRAwere not reflected in the current budget proposal.
The FBI Serves Subpoenas, Reserve Spending is a Possibility
The city of Jackson has been hit with more subpoenas this week, according to Special Assistant to City Attorney Pieter Teeuwissen.
BREAKING: Council Mulls Mothballing Legal Dept.
Four members of City Council said they are considering withholding funding to the city's legal department after what they described as that department's clear bias toward the mayor's office.
Melton: ‘I'm An Expert Swimmer and All That ..."
A hasty council vote to select a new president delivered predictable results last Tuesday, as two deeply divided factions squared off against one another. The meeting also featured a mayor who apologized, threatened, cajoled, rambled and alleged that two of the young men who live in his own house had affairs with their Jackson Public Schools teachers.
BREAKING: Melton to Veto Payroll
Mayor Frank Melton vowed to veto an amendment City Council made to the city's payroll this morning.
UPDATED: Council, JPS Report Mayoral Threats
This is an updated version of this story that broke Monday on the JFP Web site.
Chairman Bryant
Will Mississippi Elect a Radical-Right Governor?
Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant 56, took his place on the far right of his Republican opponents on stage and thanked his wife, mother-in-law and voters for making his campaign possible. He was dressed neatly, without overdoing it, for the lively Republican debate backed by the Mississippi Tea Party June 25.
The JFP Interview with Johnny DuPree
Johnny DuPree makes clear that he is a city man. DuPree, 57, has served as Hattiesburg's mayor for almost 10 years and wants to take his municipal know-how to the state level. He is one of two Democratic candidates, so far, who have announced their desire to run for the Mississippi governor's office this coming November.
The JFP Interview With Tyrone Lewis
Tyrone Lewis, former Jackson Police officer (1983-2010), police chief and Democratic candidate for Hinds County Sheriff, is not a small man. He stands about 6 feet, but his barrel chest is like a cowcatcher on a 19th-century steam locomotive. When he flexes his arms, the muscles beneath the skin tumble over one another like a bag of basketballs.
City Breaks Ground on New JATRAN Facility
The new JATRAN facility at the corner of Highway 80 and Valley Street will be an important stepping stone in the revitalization of the Highway 80 Corridor, Jackson Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. said this morning.
New Laws Help Abuse Victims, More
Judges can add an extra level of protection for victims of domestic abuse under House Bill 196, which Gov. Haley Barbour signed in March.
A Matter of Money
Retired Mississippi Bureau of Investigation Lt. Johnnie Bowden, 58, says he's running for sheriff and plans to put new emphasis on drug-related crime prevention in the county.
Should Justice Court Judges Be Lawyers?
Attorney Micah Dutro says the District 1 Justice Court seat needs a judge with a law degree.
Clones Take Lieutenant Governor's Race
The race for lieutenant governor consists of only two serious candidates this year—both Republicans: state Treasurer Tate Reeves and Gulfport Sen. Billy Hewes.
Are Bonds for Municipal Projects Bad?
Last week, Republican lieutenant governor candidate Tate Reeves (the current state treasurer) refused to pull a campaign ad that his Republican political op-ponent described as misleading.
City Plans Major Street Projects
Residents near Fortification Street will see construction crews breaking ground next week in preparation for a dramatic renovation.
Crisler Would Expand Highway 61
Former Jackson City Councilman Marshand Crisler thinks he will have an advantage as a Mississippi Department of Transportation Commissioner for the Central District. Crisler, who is a district director for Hinds Community College's adult education program, said the priorities of the commission become obvious when viewed from the vantage point of a city leader.
Council Approves Zoo Debt Restructuring
The Jackson City Council grudgingly approved a loan guarantee for the Jackson Zoo last night, even though some council members called for the city to take ownership of the zoo.
JPD To Buy License Plate Readers
The Jackson Police Department is purchasing an automatic license plate reader for the four major police precincts this year. The Jackson City Council approved the $76,978 purchase Tuesday, after learning that a Department of Justice COPS Technology Grant is supplying the one-time money for the purchase.