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Judge Jeff Weill vs. Public Defenders: The Next Ferguson?
A controversy brewing in the Hinds County courthouse has the potential to draw the attention of the United States Justice Department, which recently issued a scathing investigative report on the operation of municipal courts in Ferguson, Mo. On Monday, Hinds County Circuit Court Judge Jeff Weill held two county public defenders in contempt when he appointed new attorneys to take over their cases, and the defenders refused to stand down.
Yarber: Eradicate Veteran Homelessness This Year
On any given night in America, approximately 50,000 veterans are homeless—those who joined the military to fight for this country—and roughly 10 percent of them are women.
Zack Wallace: Ready to Fly
Zack Wallace has never held elected political office, but he has the power of incumbency on his side.
Ex-Prisoners Get a Boost Amid MDOC Turmoil
Re-entry has to come into focus recently as the number of people let out of prison in Mississippi, which has one of the nation's highest imprisonment rates, is on the rise.
Stephanie Parker-Weaver
Since 2008, one of Stephanie Parker-Weaver's main passions has been the nonprofit she founded, called Rebirth Alliance, which aims to educate the public about breast cancer—specifically, a rare and aggressive type of cancer that the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) gene complicates.
Water Safety Prompted Yarber's Emergency Declaration
The state of emergency Mayor Tony Yarber signed late Thursday will enable the city to tap into money from state health and environmental agencies, his office said today.
Walter Zinn
Walter Howard Zinn, Jr., a Mississippi political operative, will seek the state's vacant 1st Congressional District seat, according to a press release from the Democratic Party.
JPD, Public Works Overtime Budgets Up
Last week, Mayor Tony Yarber declared a state of emergency that he said would help the city take immediate action to repair infrastructure around town—but does the city have the manpower to handle the emergency projects?
An Open Letter to Our Teachers
I don't doubt for a second that there are bad teachers who just show up to collect a paycheck, but I can't recall ever having a teacher who I didn't believe cared deeply for all their students.
Emergency Declaration: Necessary or Nah?
Liz Sharlot, a spokeswoman for the Mississippi Department of Health, said Mississippi cities do not necessarily need to sign an emergency declaration to apply for one of the low-interest MSDH loans. Rather, the city must work with an engineer to develop a plan before applying.
Troubled Water, Part II: The Origins of Jackson's $91 Million Siemens Contract
Nearly two months have passed since City of Jackson Department of Public Works Director Kishia Powell brought the water-meter installation project, the centerpiece of the City's $91 million contract with Siemens, to a grinding halt over concerns about quality control.
4 Men Escape Downtown Jail, Search Ongoing
This morning's escape of four men from the downtown Jackson Detention Center came just days after members of the Jackson City Council discussed the city building its own jail.
County Might Not Pay for Private Lawyers in Weill, Public Defender Dispute
The Hinds County Board of Supervisors may refuse to pay private attorneys a county judge appointed because of a spat with the public defender's office.
MDOC, Private Prisons on Trial
Located in Leake County, Walnut Grove opened in 2001 for children convicted as adults in criminal court, and has been the subject of nearly ongoing scrutiny for civil-rights violations.
Legal Pot Initiative Gets a Spark
Despite the hard work of dozens of Mississippi volunteers and shifting national tide toward loosening restrictions on marijuana, a state ballot initiative to legalize cannabis is just hobbling along.
Yarber Wants Another Emergency Declaration
After asking the Jackson City Council to hold off on approving his civil-emergency declaration earlier, Yarber said Tuesday evening that he wants a second emergency proclamation.
A Special Session for Police Body Cameras?
In recent years, special sessions of the Legislature have been used to cut deals on pet projects of the governor—typically some form of corporate tax giveaway to lure a potential employer.
JPS Progress Report Good, Still Low Marks for MAEP Funding
Despite legislative budget writers shortchanging them, along with every other school district in the state, Jackson Public Schools are showing improvement in several areas.
Proposed Capitol Street Lofts Get Tax Credits
Plans to spruce up what many people consider to be an eyesore across from the King Edward are finally a go.
Shorting MAEP Basically a Tax Hike
Dr. Cedrick Gray, the superintendent of Jackson Public Schools, seems to be proving tight-fisted Mississippi lawmakers right when they say it doesn't necessarily take throwing money at schools to improve education.