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Barbour: Don't Panic
Gov. Haley Barbour wants Mississippi residents to stay calm about the oil spill creeping toward the Gulf shore, reports Canadian Business. The spill has been putting 5,000 barrels, or 210,000 gallons, of oil into the ocean every day since the April 20 explosion that sank a British Petroleum oil rig 50 miles off the Louisiana coast.
Elders to Speak at World AIDS Day Event
Jackson AIDS activist Robin Webb told the Jackson Free Press last month that AIDS disproportionately affects the South, African Americans and men. In Mississippi, Webb said, approximately 9,000 people are currently living with the disease, yet fewer than half receive any treatment. Some don't even know they're infected. Some never get tested because of fear—they're afraid of the diagnosis or afraid of anyone finding out they're infected. Others simply can't afford the therapy or can't travel to get to a doctor.
Phil Speaks: Six More Weeks of Winter
Groundhog Punxsutawney Phil of weather-prediction fame came out of his Pennsylvania hole this morning to give the world bad news: we're in for six more weeks of winter. Phil, who traditionally peeks out Feb. 2 every year, saw his shadow, reports the Hattiesburg American.
Pickering in Court Today
Former U.S. Rep. Chip Pickering will appear in Madison Municipal Court this afternoon at 1 p.m., along with youth soccer coach Christopher Hester. Pickering and Hester filed simple assault complaints against each other early last month after the two had a disagreement over a soccer game in Madison in which Pickering's son was a player. The charges carry a maximum fine of six months in jail and a $400 fine.
Unity Conference Gets Underway
"Building Bridges Through Diversity: One Goal, One Vision" is this year's theme for the fourth annual Unity Conference, sponsored by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the Mississippi Immigrants Rights Alliance. The conference, which starts tonight at 7 p.m. with a book signing reception and photo gallery, continues through Saturday, Dec. 5 at the Cabot Lodge, Millsaps (2375 North State St.).
Capital Murder Conviction Reversed
The Mississippi Appeals Court has reversed Cory Maye's murder conviction for the Dec. 26, 2001, killing of Ron Jones, a police officer in Prentiss, Miss., a tiny community of 1,000 residents in Jefferson Davis County. The court has remanded the case for a new trial.
It's the Weekend!
Disregarding any gloom and doom on this Friday the 13th, go start the weekend right at the Eudora Welta Commons with gumbo and tunes at 7 p.m. For a mere five bucks, The Dixie Nationals and the Scramblers will play for your auditory pleasure, while chef Phil Harris is sure to tickle your taste buds. For something a bit more cerebral, head to Millsaps College at 7:30 p.m. for "Music and Martial Arts" featuring music from Japan and a martial arts demo from the Japan-America Society. Need more options? Start your search on the JFP Best Bets page.
TGIF
Start your weekend with a little culture during your lunch break today with a stop at the Arts Center of Mississippi (201 E. Pascagoula St.) for a peek at the WellsFest Art Show, and exhibits by Ginger Williams and Daniel MacGregor, all of which are free. After work, head to the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum for the 19th annual CelticFest, with gates opening at 7 p.m. Tonight, the ever-popular whiskey tasting is sold out, but the festival still has plenty to offer, with a dozen performances on three stages. The festival continues with full days Saturday and Sunday. Head to the CelticFest website for complete information. A weekend pass is $12 for adults, $8 for seniors, $5 ages 5 to 18, and $1 for kids 4 and younger. Where's the best place to begin your weekend planning? The JFP Best Bets page, of course.
Robert Langford
Jackson's Operation Shoestring on Bailey Avenue represents the opportunity for the city's children and families to break out of cycles of poverty through education. The organization's mission is about empowerment and making a difference, and Executive Director Robert Langford is dedicated to providing quality programs to enrich and broaden the perspectives of the kids Operation Shoestring touches.
Consultants Recommend Merging School Districts
A consulting firm hired to evaluate Mississippi public school districts for possible consolidations have recommended merging 18 of the state's 149 underperforming districts with their larger neighbors. The company, Augenblick, Palaich and Associates, presented their findings yesterday to a school-consolidation commission appointed by Gov. Haley Barbour.
2011 Budget Slashes State Jobs
Following Gov. Haley Barbour's cost-cutting lead, the Joint Legislative Budget Committee released their proposed budget for the next fiscal year, which begins July 2010. Among its recommendations is eliminating 3,600 state jobs, and cutting another 10 percent from agency funds, resulting in a budget that is $300 million smaller than that of the current year.
Barbour Declares Third Emergency
Several north Mississippi counties joined Gov. Haley Barbour's emergency list yesterday because of severe storms, flooding and tornados that left at least three Mississippians dead. The counties of Benton, Lafayette, Panola, Tippah and Union joined several mid-state counties where the governor declared a disaster April 28 due to tornados, and the entire Gulf coast awaiting the encroaching sea of oil headed for the beaches.
Judge Orders End to Segregation Practices
Yesterday, U.S. District Judge Tom Lee put an immediate stop to Walthall County School District's alleged "clustering" policy, which has allowed hundreds of white students to transfer out of majority-black elementary schools, reports The Christian Science Monitor. The judge gave the district 30 days to formally change the policy.
State Earns "F" from March of Dimes but Shows Improvement
Mississippi received a failing grade from the second annual March of Dimes Premature Birth Report Card, but the organization states that it showed improvement on some criteria. The report, released yesterday on the seventh annual Prematurity Awareness Day, says as a whole, the United States gets a "D," with more than a half million newborns not getting the healthy start they deserve. No state received an "A" on the report card and only Vermont received a "B."
Baptist Hospital Gets Top National Ratings
HealthGrades, a leading independent health care rating organization, has awarded Jackson's Baptist Medical Center more five-star ratings than any hospital in Mississippi, and ranks the center among the top 10 percent in the nation for vascular surgery, and gastrointestinal surgery and care.
Mayor Invites Jacksonians to One-on-One Meeting
Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. urges Jackson residents to speak with him one-on-one. Johnson will hold one of his regular meetings prior to tomorrow's City Council meeting to discuss issues, take reports about problems or just speak with concerned citizens tomorrow, Feb. 23, starting at 5:30 p.m..
Currier Named Top Health Officer
The state Board of Health named Dr. Mary Currier as Mississippi's state health officer on Wednesday. Currier has been fulfilling the role for the Department of Health since her predecessor, Dr. Ed Thompson, died Dec. 1, 2009.
Beth Smith
Beth Smith will puncture holes in any preconceived notion you might have about women who serve in the Mississippi Army National Guard. Pretty, petite, bursting with energy, a non-stop smile on her face, she's also a major who just returned from nearly a year serving in Afghanistan.
U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Plea in Seale Case
In a statement today, the U.S. Supreme Court has rejected a plea from the 5th U.S. Court of Appeals to decide whether the statute of limitations had run out in the case of reputed Klansman James Ford Seale, convicted in 2007 of federal kidnapping charges for his involvement in the murders of Charles Moore and Henry Dee in 1964.
Public Meetings and Community Events
Monday, Oct. 12
69th Annual Beauty Professional Association Meeting Oct 10-13, at the Clarion Hotel (5075 Interstate 55 S.). Manufacturers and vendors will be on hand in the Exhibitor Hall. The President of the National Beauty Culturists League, Dr. Katie Catalon, is the keynote speaker for awards banquet. Call 877-588-6422.