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Calling 911 For 911
Last week, Ward 1 Councilman Ben Allen exploded at the idea of Jackson being shackled to an emergency communication service that may be too costly. Allen also fears the new system may be incompatible with a statewide emergency communications system to emerge later this year, governed by rules of the Department of Homeland Security. Allen and Hinds County Emergency Management Director Larry Fisher argued specifically over the county's eagerness to purchase a Motorola communications system, instead of waiting for the state to pick its own system (which would finance Jackson's system in the process).
Wisdom, Tibetan Style
With eyes closed and hands clasped in prayer, the monks of Drepung Loseling monastery consecrated the mandala of wisdom moments before dismantling the art they had spent four days creating at Millsaps College. In their maroon and saffron robes, the monks chanted in their unique multiphonic style, the chant leader singing three distinct notes simultaneously, creating an eerie, otherworldly sound.
Council to Vote on Hotel Financing With Few Details Public
Read the resolution (PDF, 344 KB)
Storm Response: Better, By Degree
President George Bush praised the coordinated efforts of FEMA, MEMA, local agencies, and humanitarian organizations to work together and do battle with Gustav's category 2 winds when it came ashore in Louisiana earlier this month.
Transparency Means Transparency
Well, we tried.
Organizers of a event heralded as a unity event for Mayor-elect Johnson barred cameras at the last minute. This was a mistake and a signal to Johnson to ensure transparency.
Spend It to Make It
At the level of countries, economics can be a crapshoot, with future predictions playing as much of a role as hindsight. Micro-economics, the kind where you have to balance a checkbook and pay your electric bill to keep the heat on, are easier to understand. You have to spend less than you have coming in—or that's the goal, in any case. All the experts will tell you that it's far better to save money than go into debt for major purchases and life events such as college, marriage or starting a business.
Dirty Laundry
The Mississippi Democratic Party called on Gov. Haley Barbour last week to speak openly about allegations that former U.S Rep. Chip Pickering laundered a $5,000 donation from his political action committee through Barbour's political action committee.
F Is For Frank
An Ole Miss student and budding entrepreneur named Mac Wadlington, 22, has created what may prove to be the accessory of the season. Wadlington ("like a heavy duck," he says) has printed up hundreds of bright red stickers with a large "F" in the middle in white text. Beneath that are the words "The Mayor."
Youth Vote More Prominent in Future Elections?
Young voters believe that government has a role in American livesto fix problems and ensure economic equality. That's why the "redistribution" argument fell flat with them.
Barbour Blames Media for Toyota Woes
In 2007—before the economy tanked—Mississippi lawmakers and Gov. Haley Barbour approved a $293.9 million incentive package to persuade Toyota Motor Corp. to build a factory in Blue Springs, Miss., near Tupelo. Proposed improvements to the 1,700-acre site plan include infrastructure upgrades to water and sewer lines, and new roads.
PSC Examining Charitable Contributions
Mississippi Public Service Commissioners Brandon Presley and Lynn Posey say they want to limit ratepayers funding charitable donations given by utility companies.
Council Blocks Pay Raises for Bodyguards
On Monday, the Jackson City Council halted Mayor Frank Melton's scheme to use drug-seizure money to fund recent police salary raises. The administration proposed taking $192,101 from the $400,000 drug-forfeiture fund to preserve the Jackson Police Department finance division—which the approved 2008 budget dissolves—and to pay for more than $40,000 in combined salary increases for Melton's bodyguards Michael Recio and Marcus Wright.
Mississippi Loses Political Pioneer
Former Lt. Gov. Evelyn Gandy, 87, died Dec. 23 of complications of progressive supranuclear palsy, costing Mississippi one of its greatest political trailblazers. Gandy was the first woman in Mississippi—and the only one so far—elected to three statewide offices and one legislative position.
Making the GOP Nervous
Mississippi made national headlines May 6 when the state's first congressional district (MS-01) voted a new Democrat into office. Prentiss County Chancery Clerk Travis Childers defeated Southaven Mayor Greg Davis in a May 13 special election runoff with a 57 percent majority.
Loosening the Beer Bottleneck
Kevin Slark is a beer connoisseur. He can tell the difference between a Belgian Abbey-style Leffe and a German Helle Weissebier. He is also, if not a criminal, someone who spends a good many hours in a legal gray area.
Supes' Fuelman Records
Fuel purchases by the Hinds County Board of Supervisors have cost county taxpayers over $10,000 since January 2009, according to documents obtained by the Jackson Free Press. The Jackson Free Press obtained Fuelman expense reports for each of the five county supervisors through a public-records request.
Council Calls For Independent Attorney
Members of City Council say they are still stinging from being duped by their own attorney into paying her thousands of extra dollars.
D.A. to Mayor: ‘Bring It On'
Click here for a podcast of Attorney General Jim Hood's press conference about the D.A.-Mayor conflict.
Holding Water
Jackson Mayor Frank Melton said he would extend the city's water/sewer treatment contract with Severn Trent three years last week. The city's contract with Severn Trent expired last month, but Melton issued an executive order to keep operations running, and then extended the contract when the process to adopt a new treatment company stalled.
Empowerment and Heritage
Fifteen-year-old Elijah Jamison stood somberly behind a table decorated with a red, black and green African flag as he lit a candle in honor of kujichagulia—Swahili for the Kwanzaa principle of self-determination.