All results / Stories / Ronni Mott
Government and Unions to Control GM
Yesterday, General Motors, tenuously surviving on the federal government's $15.4 billion bailout, announced its restructuring plan. The plan, which includes cutting 21,000 production jobs in the U.S. and ending the storied Pontiac brand, offers to give the U.S. government a 50 percent equity stake in exchange for cancelling $10 billion of its debt, according to Bloomberg.com.
Easter Baskets and More GOOD Stuff
What better time to think about doing good than Easter weekend. This week, the Jackson Free Press focused on everything from Building a Better Easter Basket to spring cleaning in Getting Rid of Stuff the Green Way.
Saints Release Deuce
It seems not even professional football is immune to the economy.
Earlier today, the Associated Press announced that the New Orleans Saints have released running back Deuce McAllister "in a move that reduced the team's payroll as free agency approaches."
Lewis Leaves City Job, Seeks Council Seat
Jackson City Council President Dr. Leslie McLemore has confirmed that former Community Improvement Division Code Enforcement head Joe Lewis left his city job as of last Friday to pursue the Ward 6 Council seat currently held by Marshand Crisler. Crisler is running for the mayor's office.
House Passes Resolution to Extend Session
Lawmakers in the Mississippi House passed a resolution yesterday to extend the current session for 30 days.
Lawmakers Deadlocked on Budget
The Mississippi Legislature is taking another two weeks off before returning May 26 to grapple once again with the state's $5 billion budget for fiscal year 2010, which begins July 1. Between serious shorfalls in anticipated revenue and ideological disagreements, lawmakers are deeply divided, especially on public service issues such as education and health care.
Public Meetings This Week
Monday, Sept. 14
4 p.m., Jackson City Council, special meeting in the City Hall council chambers, 219 S. President St.
New Orleans Frequently Downgrades Rape Charges
In the wake of the much-touted FBI Uniform Crime Rankings for violent crime, the way New Orleans police report rapes highlights the reasons why the FBI warns the media against using their numbers as benchmarks. A story appearing in Saturday's Times-Picayune says that New Orleans police classify more than half of all sexual assaults against women as noncriminal complaints.
Mississippi No. 1 in Obesity, Again
At 44.4 percent of children and 32.5 percent of adults, Mississippi leads the nation in obesity. According to the 2009 edition of "F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies are Failing in America," "The obesity epidemic is harming the health of millions of Americans, contributing significantly to skyrocketing health care costs and threatening the country's productivity."
Johnson to Hold Public Forums
As part of the incoming mayor's transition to Jackson's top spot after his July 3 inauguration, Harvey Johnson Jr. and his transition team will be holding a series of public forums beginning tomorrow and running into July. Each forum begins at 6 p.m. in the City Council chambers, City Hall, 219 S. President St., and will last approximately an hour and a half.
Johnson Forms School Board Transition Committee
Jackson Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. announced yesterday that he is forming a diverse transition committee to "examine the organization and policies of the Jackson Public School District," according to a release from the city.
State Jobless Rate Up Slightly
Little changed in Mississippi's unemployment landscape in March, according to a report released Wednesday by the state Department of Employment Security. The unemployment rate rose by a scant one-tenth of 1 percent, from 9.3 percent to 9.4 percent. Still, that rate is up by 3.3 percent from a year ago, representing more than 43,000 people.
Suspect in Holocaust Museum Shooting is White Supremacist
The Associated Press is reporting that a shooter opened fire in the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., just before 1 p.m. today, fatally wounding a security guard before he was shot.
Legislature Back in Session
State lawmakers have returned to Jackson today to hammer out the 2010 budget. The Legislature must agree on the Mississippi budget by the end of June as the new fiscal year begins July 1.
Cigarette Tax Goes Up in Smoke
The deadline has passed for the Mississippi House and Senate to come to an agreement on a cigarette tax hike for this session. Legislators had until 8 p.m. yesterday to reach a compromise, and they failed to do so.
Horhn to Endorse Johnson
Mississippi Sen. John Horhn, a recent candidate in the race for mayor of Jackson, will announce his endorsement of former Mayor Harvey Johnson this morning.
State Dems say Crisler Calls ‘a Mistake'
[verbatim] Chairman Jamie Franks said today that the state party remains neutral in the Jackson mayoral Democratic runoff. The statement comes in response to calls made on behalf of Councilman Marshand Crisler from the state party headquarters.
Legislators Will Reconvene After Break
Mississippi's state constitution calls for an annual legislative session of 90 days. For 2009, 90 days after the Jan. 6 session start is Sunday, April 5. If by some miracle, both houses submit and then agree on a budget for the 2010 fiscal year by this Saturday, legislators will go home until next year. That seems a remote possibility, though, and the likelihood is that all 174 Mississippi legislators—122 representatives and 52 senators—will reconvene in May. Or perhaps, June.
Innocent Man Goes Home for First Time Since 1993
INDIANOLA—Arthur Johnson, 48, wrongfully convicted in 1993 of rape and burglary, went home with his family Monday, Feb. 25, for the first time in a decade and a half. Sunflower County Circuit Judge Ashley Hines still levied $25,000 in bail, even though DNA testing proves Johnson did not commit the rape. Johnson has already served 15 years of his 55-year sentence in Parchman.
Kelly Pates
If you've lived in Jackson for a few years or more, chances are you've heard the Patesa family roots-rock bandperform at local clubs, bars, festivals and other venues in the city. Covering good-vibe songs like Van Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl" and Rod Stewart's "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You," Kelly and Jean Pates and their son, Andrew, have been connecting with crowds and collaborating with other Jackson musicians for the past several decades.