All results / Stories / Ronni Mott
Corps Unveils Mississippi Gulf Coast Plan
In the works since the devastating 2005 hurricane season, The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile Division, has drafted an exhaustive plan to protect the Mississippi Gulf Coast—specifically, Hancock, Harrison and Jackson counties—from future hurricane damage.
Legislators Make Child-Selling Illegal
A 2008 case where a Yalobusha County woman attempted to sell her granddaughter for $2,000 and a car prompted legislators to enact a law making selling children in Mississippi a crime, reports the Memphis Commercial Appeal.
Howard McMillan
Howard McMillan, dean of Millsaps College's Else School of Management, will serve as acting president of the Jackson school beginning next month. He takes the place of Dr. Francis Lucas, who announced earlier this year that she would be leaving the college, effective June 2010. Dr. Lucas is using her accrued sabbatical leave to finish her term.
We, the Unhealthy
Last year, Mississippi ranked No. 1 overall for the unhealthiest citizens in the U.S. and No. 49 in the number of physicians per capita. A quarter of our 2-year-olds haven't received their shots, and the rate of babies dying in Mississippi is higher than anywhere else in the country. We're No. 2 for number of adults with diabetes; a third of adults are obese; a third has high blood pressure; and a third gets no exercise whatsoever.
BREAKING: Ellis Attorney to Ask for Recusal
Lisa Ross, attorney for Michael Ellis, told the Jackson Free Press today that she is going to ask that hearing officer Charles McClelland recuse himself from the termination proceeding of fired Chastain Middle School principal Michael Ellis. She said a "concerned citizen" told her that Jackson Public Schools has awarded part of a $7.6 million contract to McClelland Moving and Storage, owned by Charles McClelland. Earlier this year, Ellis sued JPS Superintendent Earl Watkins for sexual harassment in federal count; the district maintains that Ellis was fired in December because he mismanaged funds and doctored payroll records. The JFP has not been able to confirm the amount of the JPS contract at this writing, or ascertain what part of it was awarded to McClelland.
Mental Health Legislation Passed
House Bill 897, signed into law by Gov. Haley Barbour, creates a panel to study issues surrounding delivery of the state's mental health services and make recommendations for improvement.
West Nile Claims First 2009 Victim
Yesterday, the Mississippi State Department of Health reported the first death of the 2009 season due to West Nile virus. The deceased was from Washington County in the Delta. Three additional cases of the deadly disease were also reported yesterday, bringing the state's total cases to seven this year, including one in Hinds County.
Supreme Court Upholds Drug Lawsuit
Yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of consumers and against drug makers, upholding a $6.7 million award to a musician who had her arm amputated following an injection.
Chris Mims
Director of communications is one of the first administrative positions that Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. filled when he took office earlier this month. His choice for the job was Jacksonian Chris Mims.
Melton Memorial Tomorrow
A memorial service for Jackson's late mayor will be held at noon Tuesday at Thalia Mara Hall in downtown Jackson.
Dee, Moore Lawsuit Goes Forward
Read the JFP's Dee-Moore archive here for background and complete stories.
Gannett Rewards Moon with $3.7 Million
Amid tanking stock prices, pay freezes and unpaid employee furloughs, USA TODAY publisher Craig Moon will walk away with at least a $3.7 million retirement package, according to the Gannett Blog.
Public Meetings This Week
Monday, Aug. 3
Jackson Public Schools special meeting, 5:30 p.m. school board meeting room, 621 S. State Street.
Cellular South Expands Mississippi Services
Ridgeland, Miss.-based Cellular South, the largest privately-held wireless carrier in the U.S., has announced expanded third-generation coverage in 78 cities across 26 Mississippi counties this year. The ambitious plan allows the company to "maintain its leadership position as the provider with the most 3G high-speed data coverage in its primary footprint and nationwide," according to a release.
Dentist Michael West Denies Wrongdoing
Hattiesburg dentist Dr. Michael West granted an interview with The Associated Press, breaking his silence regarding his controversial bite-mark testimony in two cases where a Noxubee County court exonerated the defendants on all charges.
Mother Stabbed to Death by Children's Father
A young mother of six, Tracy Collier, is the latest victim of domestic violence in Jackson. Police found Collier, 33, stabbed to death in her yard at 2408 Brookside Drive on Monday, April 14. As a final indignity, her accused attacker, Torrian Holmes, also 33, allegedly ran over her body with his car as she lay in the yard of her home. The autopsy on Collier's body, reportedly completed Monday night, should indicate whether she was already dead at the time.
Signs Point Cautiously to Recession's End
Slowing job losses is one sign of the economy's impending recovery. The bottom is just ahead, according to economists, which means things will start looking up soon.
Mississippi Projects Funded by Federal Bill
Millions are headed to Mississippi from the federal omnibus bill signed by President Barack Obama yesterday, reports MSN Money.
The Mayor's Race: By The Numbers
Based on preliminary, unofficial results of yesterday's election, voter turnout was fairly low in Jackson, especially given the highly contested nature of the race for the office of mayor. Overall, about 30 percent of Jackson's nearly 106,000 registered voters cast a vote for mayor in the Democratic primary.
McNair: The Darker Side of the Dream
Former National Football League Most Valuable Player Steve McNair lived what many would see as a dream life. Born in the Mississippi town of Mt. Olive, McNair began his football career on the smallest of small-town teams. Graduating in 1991, he was named SuperPrep All-American quarterback and defensive back at Mt. Olive high school, and went on to be a record-setting QB for Alcorn State, winning the Walter Payton Award at a top player in Division 1-AA in 1994. He was the only player in NCAA history with more than 16,000 yards in career total offense, reports the Houston Chronicle.