All results / Stories / Ronni Mott
Medicaid Agreement Reached
Around 11 p.m. last night, House Speaker Billy McCoy, D-Rienzi, announced from the House floor that the special budget committee has reached an agreement with Gov. Haley Barbour on the final sticking point holding up passage of the 2010 Mississippi state budget: Medicaid.
Casey Elementary Holds Arts Festival
Show your support for arts in the schools by planning a visit to Casey Elementary School (2101 Lake Circle) for their annual Arts Festival, tomorrow, March 26.
Mississippi ACLU Worker Found Not Guilty
[verbatim] On Thursday, April 23, a Jackson Municipal Court Judge found ACLU Public Education Coordinator Brent Cox not guilty on charges of interfering with police officer duties and disorderly conduct. The case was tried by ACLU Staff Attorney, Kristy Bennett, on Monday, April 16th, 2009, in Jackson Municipal Court. Cox was arrested on September 14, 2007 after watching a Precinct Four officer question an individual in front of Rainbow Whole Foods in Jackson, Mississippi.
Millsaps Hosts Mayoral Candidates
2009 JFP City Election Blog/Archive
PBS Cancels Childrens' Shows
The Public Broadcasting System, PBS, announced Friday that they will stop distribution on two long-running childrens' television programs: "Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood" and "Reading Rainbow." The programs began airing in 1968 and 1983, respectively.
Melton Behind on Taxes, Again
Full JFP Melton Archive/Blog Here
2009 JFP Interview with Melton, Part I
Mississippi Gambling Recession-Proof?
Casino gambling revenue in Mississippi exceeded $221 million in January, reports Forbes.com, an increase of 8 percent over December, though statewide revenues were down $3 million over January 2008.
News Bits: The Jackson Mayor's Race
Harper Withdraws, Leaving 11 Democrats for the Primary
Joyce Harper, one of 12 Democratic candidates who filed for the mayor's job in Jackson, has withdrawn from the race, lending her endorsement to incumbent Mayor Frank Melton, according to a release from the Melton campaign.
Cigarette Tax Hike Still in Limbo
Mississippi legislators reconvene next week to continue haggling over whether to send a bill to increase taxes on cigarettes to the governor, and how high the tax should be, reports Forbes.com.
Mississippi Port Expansion Project Begins
Today at 2 p.m., the Mississippi State Port Authority at Gulfport will hold a ground-"making" ceremony, kicking off a $570 million expansion project. Gov. Haley Barbour, who diverted the funds for the project from money originally targeted to rebuild housing on the state's Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina ripped across the area, will be on hand for the ceremony.
Runoffs Provide Decisive Wins
More than 32,400 voters turned out to vote in Jackson yesterday, handing former Mayor Harvey Johnson, Jr. a decisive win in the Democrat runoff elections. Hinds County's unofficial results show Johnson beating former two-term City Councilman Marshand Crisler by just under 8,500 votes. The final tally is Johnson, 20,475 (63.089 percent) to Crisler, 11,979 (36.911 percent). Johnson now faces a slate of Republican and Independent candidates in the June 2 General Election.
Judy Lewis
Mississippi Public Broadcasting's board of directors unanimously appointed Judy Lewis, 59, as its new executive director last week. Lewis, a native Mississippian from Morton, holds a doctorate in higher education from the University of Mississippi and a bachelor's and master's degree in education and speech communication from Mississippi College. She succeeds Marie Antoon, who announced her retirement in May, and will begin her new job Aug. 1.
Minimum Wage Increase Affects Thousands in Mississippi
Last Friday, the federal minimum wage increased by 70 cents an hour, going from $6.55 to $7.25. The increase will affect thousands of workers in Mississippi, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics, which reports that approximately 6 percent of 2008 hourly employees in the Magnolia state worked for minimum wage or less.
Fred Harris
Last night, Jim Hill High School students in Jackson gathered to honor and remember Fred Harris, the school's assistant principal and boy's basketball coach. Harris, 47, died unexpectedly Sunday of a heart attack at the University Medical Center around 5:30 p.m. .
Mississippi Casinos Feeling the Pinch
Casinos, which economists once thought were "recession proof," are feeling the slump along with the majority of other businesses across the country. The state Tax Commission reports that Mississippi casino earnings numbers for June across the state totaled $189.7 million, down from $237.3 million in June 2008. That's a drop of just over 20 percent.
Ted Duckworth
Ted Duckworth, owner of Duckworth Realty in Jackson, has been the driving force behind millions of dollars worth of development in the city. Graduating from Mississippi State University in 1988 with a degree in real estate and mortgage finance, Duckworth, 42, started his company the following year.
Lawmakers Vow to Block Stem Cell Research
Mississippi Rep. Tommy Reynolds, D-Charleston, spoke for the University of Mississippi Medical Center yesterday, saying the teaching hospital has never and never plans to do stem cell research, according to WAPT.
Crisis Line Training Available
CONTACT the Crisis Line, a volunteer interfaith telephone ministry in operation since 1971, is starting a training class for new volunteers tomorrow, Sept. 17, from 6:45 to 9:45 p.m. The 13-week training runs until mid-December, with a break for Thanksgiving.
Melton Memorial to Stream Live
WAPT will offer a live video stream of the noon memorial for late Jackson Mayor Frank Melton at Thalia Mara Hall.
Making Weekend Plans?
It's Friday, y'all, and you know what that means: It's time for weekend planning. As always, the Jackson Free Press is here to let you know what's happening, who's in town and where the "don't miss" events are taking place.