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Welcome to FY 2010: Where's the Budget?
At around 8 p.m. last night, the Mississippi House approved a $60 million hospital tax promoted by Gov. Haley Barbour to fund the state's Medicaid program, after a nearly two-and-a-half hour readingout loudof the 81-page bill, reports the Memphis Commercial Appeal. The tax will increase by another $30 million over the next three years to reach the original $90 million figure the governor wanted.
URGENT: How to Help Get Education Funded NOW
Please call the House members and encourage them to hold their position in
The conference committee on HB 1646 (MAEP funding) is still negotiating. The House, under the leadership of Rep. Cecil Brown, is holding out for full funding. The Senate, under the leadership of Sen. Mike Chaney, is not there yet.
AG Hood Warns Against Misleading Voter Registration Info
[Verbatim from AG Hood] Jackson, MS -- Phone calls to the Attorney General's Office suggest some mis-information may be circulating about the upcoming election and designated deadlines. Attorney General Jim Hood would like to clarify what Mississippi law mandates for Mississippi voters. Per state statute, the deadline for voter registration in Mississippi is Saturday, October 4 at NOON. "The Secretary of State's Office has done a good job in letting Mississippians know the deadline to register to vote is October 4 for those counties that will be open on that day," said Attorney General Hood. "However, it is important to note, that the law specifically says NOON on October 4. Calls in to our office suggest that some people may think they have the entire day, when in fact they do not."
U.S. Attorney: 595 ‘Illegal Aliens' Arrested
[verbatim from U.S. Attorney Dunn Lampton] LAUREL, Miss. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) special agents executed a federal criminal search warrant yesterday at Howard Industries, Inc., an electric transformer manufacturing facility, for evidence relating to aggravated identity theft, fraudulent use of Social Security numbers and other crimes, as well as a civil search warrant for individuals illegally in the United States. The announcement was made by ICE Special Agent in Charge of the Office of Investigations in New Orleans, Michael A. Holt, and Stan Harris, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi.
Holmes County Unemployment Hits 20 Percent
The Mississippi Department of Employment Security released the state's February unemployment figures (PDF, 8 Mb) yesterday, showing Holmes County with the highest unemployment rate in the state at 20 percent, an increase of 0.6 percent since last month, representing an additional 40 people who filed for unemployment.
Irby Trial Postponed Eight Months
Hinds County Circuit Court Judge Tomie Green granted a continuance for Karen Irby today, postponing her trial until March 29, 2010, reports The Clarion-Ledger. Irby, 38, faces two counts of depraved-heart murder for her role in a February car crash that killed Dr. Mark Pogue and Dr. Lisa Dedousis. Prosecutors also charged her with aggravated assault for injuries that her husband, Stuart Irby, sustained in the crash.
Senate Removes Pre-K Funding from MAEP Bill
Nancy Loomis from the Parents' Campaign in Jackson reports that the Senate Appropriations Committee passed HB 1677 yesterday, funding Mississippi Adequate Education Program for the coming school year.
LeFleur Lakes Critic Tom Pullen on Radio JFP Friday
Tune into WLEZ, 103.7 FM, at noon Friday, Jan. 12, 2007, for Radio JFP, Jackson's news and entertainment variety hour. Joining host Todd Stauffer will be editors Donna Ladd and Brian Johnson to talk about the week's news, as well as Tom Pullen of the Pearl River Basin Coalition to talk about flood control, the need for green space for economic development, and why he opposes the LeFleur Lakes proposal. You'll also hear songs from musicians playing out in Jackson in the next week.
Big Tobacco Loses Appeal; Wants Little Tobacco Taxed
On Friday, a federal appeals court in Washington, D.C. agreed with a 2006 ruling to ban cigarette labeling such as "low tar," "light," ultra light" or "mild." The ruling found big tobacco guilty of racketeering and fraud, and said that the companies are deceiving the public about smoking dangers, according to The New York Times.
Ben Payton
Ben Wiley Payton, 62, grew up with the Mississippi blues. The Coila, Miss. native listened to his grandmother, Mabel Johnson, playing gospel music on piano, and his uncle, Joe Birch, picking the blues on guitar.
Tougaloo Prez Says Museum Funding Up to Barbour
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McLemore to Retire, Sort of
Jackson City Council President and Acting Mayor Leslie McLemore, who has taught political science at Jackson State University for nearly 40 years, will soon retire from both politics and academia. But McLemore says he will still be busy.
Crisler Announces Mayoral Run
Standing in front of a throng of supporters and family at the Alamo Theatre, City Councilman Marshand Crisler formally announced his candidacy for mayor Thursday afternoon. Crisler, who first won the Ward 6 Council seat in 2001, said he would work to improve Jackson's school system, upgrade its city services, reduce crime and impose fiscal discipline on city government. He pledged to work with city, county and state officials in addressing the many issues facing Jackson.
City Employees Stealing Gas?
The Jackson City Council's budget committee will meet today at 1 p.m. to discuss reports of 945 city employees allegedly misusing city gas cards a total of 9,288 times during the months of July through September.
AG: State Meth Laws Curbing Problem
[verbatim from AG's office]Since Mississippi's Meth Law went into effect just over a year ago, meth lab seizures have gone down 65%, announced Attorney General Jim Hood today. The new law passed by the Mississippi Legislature restricted access to Ephedrine and Pseudoephedrine, the primary ingredients in the manufacturing of Crystal Meth.
Jackson City Council Votes Down Living-Wage Increase
At the Tuesday evening meeting tonight, the Jackson City Council voted down a proposed ordinance establishing a living-wage requirement for employees of the city of Jackson by a 3-3 vote. Acting Mayor Leslie McLemore, of Ward 2, proposed the ordinance, which drew support from Ward 7 Councilwoman Margaret Barrett-Simon and outgoing Councilman Marshand Crisler of Ward 6. Opponents included council members who had supported a wage increase more than four months ago: Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes, Ward 4 Councilman Frank Bluntson and Ward 5 Councilman Charles Tillman. Ward 1 Councilman Jeff Weill was absent.
Haley Barbour's 2008 Inaugural Address
Read the verbatim full text of the governor's prepared remarks over on StateDesk.
StateDesk Live with Breaking News and Commentary
Visit StateDesk.com, the JFP's statewide news blog, for daily news on the state Legislature, commentary and other pertinent state news. Right now, you can read and comment on a PDF of Phil Bryant's new Senate committee appointments, read about a man exonerated by DNA of committing a rape 15 years ago and talk about the prospect of flamboyant legislatator Steve Holland running for Wicker's congressional seat. You don't have to be registered to comment over there, so head on over and get comfortable.
Squeezed by Taxes? You're Not Alone
Chewing some gristle on tax day? Here's a bit of news for you. Mississippi's two Republican senators in Washington, D.C., Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker, voted for another tax break for the über-wealthy this month, voting to raise the full exemption on inheritances from $7 million to $10 million per couple and to drop the top rate on fortunes over $10 million from 45 percent to 35 percent.
Mississippi Foreclosures Increase, Maybe
A California-based company that tracks foreclosures, RealtyTrac, reported last week that Mississippi has seen a huge jump in foreclosures last month. The company currently lists 1,893 foreclosed properties in the state, however Forbes reports 755 new actions in June, representing an increase of 74 percent over the previous month.