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Second Presidential Debate - Open Thread
Talk among yourselves.
Open Thread: Election Chatter - Presidential
What is it you need to say about the presidential election? Let 'er rip!
Prayers to Our Neighbors in Mexico and Belize
Here it comes.
Melton Indictments: The JFP Story That Started It All
Read Adam Lynch's breaking story that first revealed Mayor Frank Melton's Aug. 26 alleged rampage on Ridgeway Street in Jacksonthe accusations that led to felony indictions of Melton and his bodyguards two weeks later on Sept. 15. Adam's story first appeared the afternoon of Sept. 1, 2006. You can read Lynch's exclusive interview with victim Evans Welch here. The JFP also broke the story about Evans Welch's schizophrenia here.
Voters: Obama Wins Debate 53-22 (CBS); 58-31 (CNN)
Well, that's done. Well done, Obama. Well done.
Frank Melton to North Jackson: "It's Over!"
Mayoral hopeful Frank Melton has called his race against Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. before it ever began. "It's over!" he exclaimed to 35 wealthy women gathered at a breakfast meet-and-greet-and-fund-raise event Monday, March 14, at Bravo! restaurant in Highland Village. At the same event, he told them he needed to raise a half-million dollars for his campaign to unseat Johnson and needed their help.
Why Donner Kay Is Blogging Again
OK, I've been bad. Of a fashion. In recent months, I've gotten so caught up in new projects (like the new BOOM Jackson quarterly!) and in volunteer work and in managing what is quickly becoming our best staff ever (collectively speaking; we've always had great staffers), that I just haven't been blogging on the JFP site. And, yes, I admit it: I've found it easy to put a pithy statement or two on Facebook, and perhaps a link back to a JFP story, and leave it at that. But I've realized that isn't the best way to act, live and work LOCAL, and I'm a local-vore if you ever did meet one. So, starting today, I've got a new attitude. You're going to hear more from me on the JFP site (even though it's best for my productivity to not get too caught up in conversations under stories!).
Why the Republican Party Is Tanking
You have to read this Orwellian speech by Veep Dick Cheney this week in which he proclaims that his borrow-and-spend government does not torture, respects the Constitution and "treats tax dollars with respect and restraint." Better yet, read the hilarious annotated version on DailyKos, called "The Wonderful World of Cheney":
Clarion-Ledger Back in Neshoba County
Cheers to The Clarion-Ledger for going back on its statements that Edgar Ray Killen—and then James Ford Seale—were going to be the end of the line for investigating old civil rights murders. We'd heard that Jerry Mitchell was back in Neshoba County looking at Billy Wayne Posey's role in the 1964 murders of Chaney, Goodman and Schwerner, and we applaud him for doing it. The Clarion-Ledger, and Mitchell, have spent way too much time in recent years saying that the investigations of old cases were "over," as we've pointed out numerous times. That newspaper has been sitting on files for years in these cold cases; it's time that they put a lot of energy into bringing more information forward. It should not be up to The Clarion-Ledger decide when it's "over"; as long as one civil rights murderer is still alive, it should not be over. For more info on the "last" case rhetoric, Dredging Up the Past: Why Mississippians Must Tell Our Own Stories.
Radical Right Targets Girl Empowerment Effort
Oct. 14, 2005—AP is reporting that the Tupelo wingnuts are at it again:
Is the Tea party the ‘last gasp of the 55-year-old generation'?
Well, duh. In Raw Story piece, Howard Dean states the obvious, but the not often said: The Tea Party is clearly an effort by people scared by the nation's growing diversity; thus, its hysteria over immigration, regardless of the real facts. I've believed this for a while now; younger generations welcome diversity and are more likely to notice the lack of it. Older generations are more likely to be scared by culture-mixing. Dean is more partisan than I am--not sure I agree with all his comments about Obama's liberal base--but I do like that he dares to speak up about Americans who fear, or have disdain for, diversity.
But, Ledge, He Was Indicted of Several Crimes
Interesting little screw-up today in The Clarion-Ledger editorial about the "crime summit" no one paid any attention to. The esteemed all-male editorial board wrote:
All God's Kitties
OK, my heart is breaking a little. Miss Ali just picked up her brand-new little puffy black kitten—that Todd found in our backyard. This is the, let's see, ninth or 10th cat we've rescued in Jackson: Miss S, King Eddie, OC (Other Cat), Frodo, Jack the Cat, Maxie, a little orange thing/don't know his name, a little gray thing at Target that another woman took home, and now little Ernie, alternately known as "Crappy" and "Jesus" (in the Spanish pronunciation).
Americans Change Faiths at Rising Rate
The New York Times has a story today about a new report surveying how loyal people remain to the church they were raised in:
How to Donate to the Chick Ball
We're getting calls from individuals (and political candidates) who want to donate money to the Chick Ball, and thus the Center for Violence Prevention. You can make checks out directly to the Center for Violence Prevention and either drop them by the JFP office or bring them Thursday night to the Chick Ball. If you want to donate art, door prizes or munchies for the food sponsor table, call Ronni Mott at 601.362.6121 ext. 0, or just drop by the office 9 to 6. 2727 Old Canton Road, Suite 224. (Please drop donations by 2 p.m. Thursday. After that, you need to bring items/checks directly to the Red Room.)
Huh? What the Hell Are They Saying!?!
The Clarion-Ledger today outdoes its own pitiful editorial-writing with a bizarre ode to John Grisham that is ostensibly about the Dickie Scruggs arrest for bribery. Beyond simply terrible writing, the edit-boyz state the following as fact:
Ledger Does Melton-Denying-Allegations Story
Read the JFP Melton blog/archive here.
It seems The Clarion-Ledger is suddenly going somewhere it hasn't dared to go in over 20 years in its story today about the R.J. Washington case. The bizarre thing is that there are no new allegations here, although perhaps new to them. I recall an editor over there belittling our stories back during the campaign (stories that Melton himself tipped us to, starting with this one) about the old criminal allegations against Melton (and his denials), saying that they were bogus. The question is, if the Ledger believes that, why are they running this story today—which has no evidence, other than a deposition and some history of the criminals who have been living in his home? It's presented like a big investigative package, but there isn't anything there but the deposition, some known background on the Sharrod Moore case and some quick rehash of stuff we've reported for years. Odd, but very Ledger.
Watch for Fraudulent E-mails
Folks, the trolls are up to it again. There is a round of e-mails going around to people who post here made to look like they come from people at the JFP. They don't. (Funny how this happens everytime I write a column about race.) Forward them to us if you want, and we can send them on to the authorities who we've reported this fraud to in the past and who have asked us to report them. Thanks, all, and sorry for the inconvenience.
Juvenile Justice Group Applauds Edmonds Decision
Following is a verbatim release appauding the Mississippi Supreme Court's decision to order a new trial in the murder conviction of then-13-year-old Tyler Edmonds, accused of helping his half-sister pull the trigger to help kill her husband. Notice the part where the state medical examiner determined that two fingers pulled the trigger—although the murder rifle was never recovered. Hmmm.
Welcome to the Wild, Wild West
So, how many innocent people's lives were endangered in this inter-agency chase and shoot-out in the streets of Jackson? Good to know they recovered a small amount of marijuiana to justify this madness.