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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.
Childers on GOP Hit List
The National Republican Congressional Committee is campaigning early this season. The NRCC identified 70 Democrats to target for the 2010 election, according to an email obtained by Washington political periodical Roll Call.
We Hid It. So?
A U.S. congressional investigation by a House Science and Technology subcommittee revealed what many FEMA trailer residents have known for years—FEMA was hiding its knowledge of the incredible toxicity level of formaldehyde in FEMA trailer building material.
Council OKs Budget, No Pay Raises
The Jackson City Council voted to approve the city's 2010 budget Monday with a five-to-two vote, with only minor changes in the $359.5 million package. The budget, only rejected by Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes and Ward 1 Councilman Jeff Weill, makes use of more than $4.2 million from the city's cumulative fund balance, which contains savings left over from previous budget years. The council passed the budget with a clear majority, even though it did not include a $1,000-per-employee pay raise that the Budget Committee asked the mayor to attempt to fund last week.
Zapping the Coverage Gap
The Mississippi Public Service Commission is pushing a program to help phone companies focus on areas with intolerably limited cell-phone coverage. Commissioner Brandon Presley adopted the multi-state "Zap the Gap" effort in hopes of filling the coverage gaps in areas of North Mississippi still needing service or more improved coverage.
Melton's Million for Youth Jobs Fails
Even as hundreds crowded into City Hall Tuesday night, called to turn out by Mayor Frank Melton, the Jackson City Council failed to support the mayor's last-minute summer job program for city youth, citing lack of funds to pay for young people to work for private businesses. The vote was 3-3, with Councilwoman Margaret Barrett-Simon absent. "We're coming up on the end of our budget cycle, so that money is not currently budgeted, and so that is not very prudent to make financial decisions in that manner," Budget Committee Chairman Marshand Crisler told the Jackson Free Press. "I think it would be much more prudent for the mayor to make this suggestion at the beginning of the next budget cycle, and see if we can find moniesnot out of the general fund, but other locationsto fund this program for next year.
Amid Investigation, DOJ Drops Sentence Appeal For Siegelman
The U.S. Department of Justice filed a motion this week with the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals asking that their earlier appeals of former Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman's sentences be dropped. Prosecutors had appealed for a 30-year prison sentence for Siegelman, who was serving a seven-year sentence for corruption before the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals released him on bond pending his appeal.
Over-Hyping Entergy Win
Republican critics of Attorney General Jim Hood are celebrating a Louisiana Supreme Court decision reducing the fine that Entergy New Orleans has to pay for overcharging ratepayers. Entergy New Orleans is a subsidiary of Entergy Inc., which the state of Mississippi is currently suing for overcharging ratepayers.
Council Votes No to Raises; Yes to Legal Fees
Members of the Jackson City Council reversed themselves on a number of decisions during Tuesday's council meeting, June 16. The council agreed to pay the legal fees of the city's former mayor and voted down an employee pay raise, though individual council members were inconsistent with their records on some issues.
Council Refuses To Foot Melton's Legal Bill
The Jackson City Council voted down this morning an order authorizing payment of Mayor Frank Melton's attorney fees incurred in his recent defense of federal charges stemming from the 2006 Ridgeway Street demolition. In a 3-3 vote, council members Charles Tillman, Frank Bluntson and Kenneth Stokes voted in favor of the order, while council members Marshand Crisler, Jeff Weill and Council President Leslie McLemore opposed. Councilwoman Margaret Barrett-Simon was absent.
The ‘Bible Belt' Bill, Resurrected
When HB 520—the state's latest anti-abortion bill—passed the Mississippi House earlier this year it was a bill designed to keep divorced Mississippians from falsely accusing their betrothed/enemy from claiming child abuse to throw the divorce settlement in their favor.
DeLaughter to Plead Guilty to Misleading Feds
Suspended Hinds County Circuit Court Judge Bobby DeLaughter is expected to plead guilty tomorrow in U.S. District Court in Aberdeen. The plea will likely spell an end to a five-count indictment against the judge, as DeLaughter accepts a guilty plea to lying to federal authorities over corruption charges.
Strike Three For Melton
Mayor Frank Melton has backed out of his tax proposals for the third time since he became mayor in 2005. City Attorney Sarah O'Reilly Evans told the city council on Monday that the administration has no plan to stick behind its commitment to raise city water and sewer rates by a combined total of almost 15 percent. Melton proposed the fee increase in September to cover shortfalls in the 2007-08 budget cycle. O'Reilly-Evans informed council members that Melton's decision would create a $3.2 million budget deficit.
DOJ Not Pursuing Bribery Charges Against Stevens
An attorney handling the appeal of Paul Minor noted a sharp contrast between how the U.S. Department of Justice prosecuted Minor and how it is chasing Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens. While the DOJ prosecuted Minor on corruption chargeswithout the necessity of proving quid pro quothey have chosen not to pursue those same charges against Stevens, who is Republican.
JPS Board Moves Toward New Superintendent
In a special meeting Sunday, the Jackson Public Schools board agreed to employ the Mississippi School Board Association to help in the district's hunt for its next superintendent.
Hood Sues Entergy
Mississippi attorney general Jim Hood lodged another lawsuit against Entergy Mississippi on Tuesday. The attorney general already had a lawsuit against the energy provider in Hinds County Chancery Court to force it to surrender company information, but Hood abandoned that suit in order to hit Entergy with a new suit alleging incidents of deceptive trade practices, anti-trust behavior, accounting manipulation and unlawful enrichment, among other charges.
Canton Police Arrest Protesters
Canton police arrested demonstrators protesting racial profiling this morning after protesters allegedly violated a city permit.
Obama Coming to JSU; Clinton Speaks in Canton
Mississippi has suddenly found itself a focus of presidential politics as the March 11 primary approaches, and the two major Democratic candidates scrap for votes. Sen. Hillary Clinton attended the 26th annual Jefferson-Jackson Hamer Day Dinner last night in Canton, and Sen. Barack Obama announced today that he would attend a rally at Jackson State University on Monday evening.
Council Wants Tax Bill Amended
Council members voiced complaints Tuesday over a Senate bill allowing Jackson residents to approve a tax increase to fund the police and fire departments, pave streets and repair water and sewer systems. Senate Bill 3268, which could generate an estimated $21 million in new revenue, assigns a commission to approve any expenditure the city seeks to finance with the fund. Some council members point out that the commission is comprised of largely members nominated by the vague "local chamber of commerce," as well as those appointed by the lieutenant governor, the House speaker and the governor. They argue that none of these entities represents the city of Jackson.
Nunnelee Files Campaign Paperwork
Last year, conservative Democrat Travis Childers blew the socks off Republicans by winning one of the most conservative districts in the nation. Republicans saw Childers' victory over Republican Greg Davistwiceas the end of the era where Republicans dominated national discourse, and as a foreshadowing of the upcoming presidential race, where Democratic nominee Barack Obama trounced his Republican opponent.