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Woodward Execution Today
The first of two back-to-back executions will take place today when Mississippi puts to death Paul Everette Woodward, 62, at 6:15 p.m. at the State Penitentiary at Parchman. Tomorrow, the state will execute Gerald James Holland, 72, at the same time.
State Waits for the Oil; Fla., La. Declare Emergencies
Mississippi's oyster fishermen, already hit earlier in the year with scares of infected seafood, greeted a stormy last day of the commercial season, along with possibilities of being unable to sell the day's catch.
Unclaimed Property Booth Set Up at Fair
One of the more unusual booths at this year's Mississippi State Fair is the one manned by the state treasurer's office. Staffers at the Unclaimed Property Booth, located inside the Trademart building, will attempt to match residents with more than $45 million in unclaimed funds.
GOP Runoff for District 2
Voters will head back to the polls June 22 to select a Republican candidate to face U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson in the November general election. Both Jackson Public Schools teacher Richard Cook of Byrum and former Chicago police officer Bill Marcy of Meridian received 35 percent of the vote, reports WAPT.
Something for Everyone This Weekend
Kick off your weekend tonight with a wide choice of events. At 7 p.m., Ballet Magnificat's "A Christmas Dream" at Thalia Mara Hall is sure to get the entire family into a Christmas state of mind. Tickets run from $10 to $30. Call 601-977-1001. Also starting at 7 p.m., and at the other end of the cultural spectrum, the Esperanza Plantation Holiday Showcase at the Pix-Capri Theatre includes music by Tommy Bryan Ledford, Wooden Finger, Colour Revolt and more. Admission is $15. Where's the best place to start your search for things to do in Jackson? The JFP Best Bets page, of course.
Princeton Review Puts Millsaps on Top Business Schools List
The Princeton Review's 2010 edition of "The Best 301 Business Schools" has named Millsaps College Else School of Management as one of the nation's top schools. The book compiles surveys from 19,000 students attending the schools ranked.
BP Pipe Could Syphon Some Oil
A mile-long pipe running from the sea floor where hundreds of thousands of gallons of oil are gushing into the Gulf of Mexico may be the start of capping the spill, reports The Sun Herald. BP officials called the pipe, which is connected to an oil tanker on the surface of the water, "an important step" but not the solution to the problem.
Barbour Again Reschedules Speech
Gov. Haley Barbour has rescheduled the annual state-of-the-state speech, originally scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 12, for Monday, Jan. 18. The governor postponed the speech last Monday for tonight due to the capital city's water situation, making this the second postponement. Mississippi Public Broadcasting will air the speech live on TV and radio.
Ballet Competition Names Mitchell
The USA International Ballet Competition has named Arthur Mitchell as the honorary chairman of the 2010 Jackson competition scheduled for June 12 through June 27, 2010. Mitchell is the founding artistic director of the Dance Theatre of Harlem.
Mississippi Casino Revenue Still Declining
For an industry that was once considered recession-proof, Mississippi casinos continue to see their revenues slide. For August, the Mississippi State Tax Commission reports a drop of 9 percent over July, with gambling establishments around the state reporting total revenues of $206 million. In August of 2008, winnings totaled $238.2 million.
Lawmakers Debate Alternate Education Track
General classroom goals for high-school students, in Mississippi and elsewhere, emphasize pushing kids toward four-year college degrees. Some Magnolia state lawmakers are now looking at introducing a career-track curriculum for the many teens who may not be college bound, reports The Sun Herald.
Irby Receives 18 Years Behind Bars
Karen Irby, who pleaded guilty March 26 to two counts of manslaughter in the deaths of two doctors, was sentenced this morning to 18 years in prison for each count, her sentences to run concurrently.
Barbour Downplays Oil to Lt. Governors
Speaking to a group of about 20 of the nation's lieutenant governors in Biloxi yesterday, Gov. Haley Barbour used his pulpit to minimize the damage of the destroyed BP Deepwater Horizon oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, reports The Miami Herald.
Mississippi No. 2 in Gun Deaths
States like Mississippi with high gun ownership and weak gun laws lead the nation in gun deaths, concludes a new report by the non-profit Violence Policy Center based in Washington, D.C. The Magnolia state ranks No. 2 for gun deaths with a rate of 18.32 deaths per 100,000, right behind neighboring Louisiana with a rate of 19.87 deaths.
Animal Cruelty Bill to Die
Today is the last day committees in the Mississippi Legislature can act on bills presented by their colleagues across the hall. Effectively, that means any bills stuck in committees not scheduled to meet today are dead. That includes SB 2623, a bill proposing to make torturing or maiming cats or dogs a felony.
BP Gives $15 Million to Mississippi for Advertising
Oil giant BP, responsible for the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, is giving money to four coastal states whose tourism industry may be affected by the mess, reports WLBT. In all, the company is giving away $70 million to Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi, of which, the magnolia state is receiving $15 million for advertising designed to alter vacationers' opinions that the coast may not be not fit for vacationing.
AG's Office Getting Tough on Rip-Offs
Attorney General Jim Hood has announced formation of Mississippi's first intellectual property theft task force, supported by the national business community, according to a release. "Operation Knock Out Knock-Offs" is funded by a federal grant, Hood said, and the task force held its initial meeting and training in October, with more than 40 state, federal and local agencies participating.
Flu Vaccine Info ‘Nearly Pure Bunk'
People have been receiving all kinds of bad information about the new vaccinations for swine flu via e-mail and flyers. "We've seen e-mails stating that the vaccine is tainted with antifreeze or Agent Orange, causes Gulf War syndrome, or has killed U.S. Navy sailors. One says the vaccine is an 'evil depopulation scheme.' The claims are nearly pure bunk, with only trace amounts of fact," states FactCheck.org.
Lawmakers Attempt to Extend Session
Tempers have flared at the Mississippi capitol over the past two days as House members attempted to pass a resolution extending the legislative session. Democratic legislators in support of the extension want to wait to see if Congress approves another $187 million in Medicaid funds, reports The Commercial Appeal.
Mississippi Revenues Down Again
After a slight 1.4 percent uptick in March, state revenues are back in the doldrums, down for the 19th month of the last 20. April revenue came in at 8.54 percent, or $45.1 million, below estimates, Gov. Haley Barbour announced in a statement yesterday. The March improvement was due to an unexpected $30 million increase in corporate tax receipts.