All results / Stories / Ward Schaefer
UPDATED: Hosemann Releases Revised Ballot
After losing a legal battle to put a U.S. Senate special election on the bottom of the November ballot, Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann released a revised sample ballot (PDF, 31 KB) for the Nov. 4 election today. The ballot displays the special election for the remainder of Trent Lott's U.S. Senate term directly below the Senate race between Erik Fleming and incumbent Sen. Thad Cochran.
Gulfport Mayor Indicted On Katrina Fraud
Gulfport Mayor Brent Warr and his wife, Laura Jean Warr, were indicted today on charges of fraud stemming from false claims the couple filed after Hurricane Katrina.
Melton Trial Opening Statements Start Today
The federal civil-rights trial of Mayor Frank Melton and former mayoral bodyguard Michael Recio began this morning with opening statements followed by witness testimony. Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood was the first witness. Melton and Recio are charged with intentionally violating Fourth Amendment rights in conjunction with a 2006 raid on a Ridgeway Street duplex. Prosecutors allege that Melton and Recio supervised the house's destruction with sledgehammers.
Melton Retrial Scheduled For May 11
2009 JFP Interview with Melton, Part I
Many Metro Students Won't See Obama's Speech
President Obama delivered a back-to-school speech to students this morning emphasizing personal responsibility, but not all Mississippi students got the message. The speech, which was televised and available as a webcast on the White House Web site, had attracted criticism from conservative commentators and politicians who considered it an inappropriate political gesture.
Budget Battle Shows Barbour's Mettle
The state budget negotiations were like a summer blockbuster: expensive, full of strong language, boring and too long. Gov. Haley Barbour played a starring role, and like any diva, he got what he wanted much of the time.
Hinds Director to Retire after 48 Years
Hinds County's Director of Emergency Management Larry Fisher announced yesterday that he will retire at the end of October. Fisher said he would work until Oct. 31 to see the county through hurricane season and finish other projects.
Senate Passes Lower Cigarette Tax Increase
The Mississippi Senate approved a 49 cents per pack cigarette tax yesterday, setting the stage for a compromise with the House, which passed a $1 per pack tax two weeks ago. By a 42-7 vote, senators passed a revised version of House Bill 364 that increases Mississippi's existing cigarette tax by 31 cents, rather than the 82 cents approved by the House. The Senate bill also directs $25 million of the cigarette tax revenue toward limiting increases in the cost of car tags. Both changes cleared the Senate Finance Committee on Wednesday.
Mississippi School Board Picks New Interim Superintendent
The State Board of Education replaced interim state superintendent Judy Rhodes yesterday, following a legal opinion from the Attorney General's office that found her technically unqualified for the position. Because she has not earned a Master's degree, Rhodes is ineligible for the interim position, according to minimum qualifications established by the state Legislature, Assistant Attorney General Reese Partridge found.
Jackson Crime Stats for August 3-9
Jackson saw a significant reduction in major crimes last week, according to a weekly report (PDF) released at today's Jackson Police Department command staff meeting. Jackson police reported 200 crimes from August 3 through August 9, a 25 percent reduction from the previous week. All four precincts reported decreases in both violent and property crime, with Northeast Jackson's Precinct 4 reporting the fewest crimes and the greatest percentage decrease from the previous week.
Insurance Information for Gustav Victims
Mississippi Insurance Department phone numbers:
The Mississippi Insurance Department has a page explaining how to file an insurance claim for hurricane damage to your home. Homeowners should document all damage with photos and/or video and file any claims as soon as possible. The MID Coast office will be available to answer questions and assist in filing claims.
Governors Association To Meet In Biloxi
Governors from all 50 states will convene in Biloxi this weekend for the National Governors Association's Annual Meeting. The meeting, which brings together governors to share policy ideas, begins on July 17 with sessions devoted to infrastructure issues. Outgoing NGA Chair and Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell will discuss a yearlong initiative aimed at repairing and improving state's infrastructure. The meeting will close on Monday, July 20, with a discussion of energy and the economy, and the induction of the incoming NGA Chair, Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas.
Horhn: Crisler Camp ‘Put the Money on the Table'
At a press conference this morning, mayoral candidate Marshand Crisler denied allegations, made in two new flyers supporting his candidacy, that his opponent Harvey Johnson bought the endorsement of state Sen. John Horhn, a former mayoral candidate. When asked about the flyers at a press conference he called to disavow negative flyers that appeared over the weekend, Crisler first responded, "I denounce any negative politics and that one in particular." When the JFP's Adam Lynch and Donna Ladd asked directly whether Horhn had ever offered to sell his endorsement, Crisler replied, "No." Reached around the same time, however, Horhn told the JFP that the Crisler campaign had tried to buy his endorsement, but he refused.
City Election Overview: Wards 3 and 4
Ward 3 stretches across West Jackson, from north of Chastain Middle School to the Poindexter Park neighborhood in the south. With a longtime incumbent, the Ward 3 race is small; only two candidates are challenging Councilman Kenneth Stokes.
State Casinos Report Revenue Drop In 2008
Numbers released Wednesday by the Mississippi Tax Commission show a 5.9 percent drop in casino gambling revenue from 2007 to 2008. The decline is an expected consequence of the reduced consumer spending that accompanies an economic recession. National figures for the first 11 months of 2008 show a smaller decrease of 3.6 percent from the previous year.
Brad Hooey
Brad Hooey is the manager of High Noon Cafe, Jackson's only strictly vegetarian and vegan restaurant operated by Rainbow Cooperative Grocery in Fondren. Tonight, Hooey will lead a meeting on the restaurant's uncertain future.
Jackson Crime Increases Slightly in Early March
Data for this week will be available on Wednesday, Mar. 18.
Major crimes in Jackson increased slightly in the first week of March, according to a Jackson Police Department report released Wednesday. Major crimes increased 12.4 percent from the last week of February, with property crimes increasing 6.5 percent and violent crimes increasing 50 percent. The report (PDF) shows that house burglaries and aggravated assaults increased the most sharply, largely due to a spike in those crimes in Precincts 2 and 3. Precinct 2 covers West Jackson and part of the city's center, and Precinct 3 covers Northwest Jackson. Police reported 37 percent fewer auto burglaries, also largely due to decreases in Precincts 2 and 3.
Judge Sets Rules For 'Inflammatory' Melton Trial Evidence
A federal judge heard arguments Friday on admitting evidence in the civil rights trial of Mayor Frank Melton and his former police bodyguard, Michael Recio. Most of the five-hour hearing concerned allegations of sexual misconduct made against star prosecution witness Marcus Wright, the mayor's other former bodyguard and co-defendant.
Union Leader Brenda Scott Announces Mayoral Run
Brenda Scott, President of the Mississippi Alliance of State Employees, threw her hat in the ring for mayor of Jackson on Monday. Speaking to Jackson Free Press yesterday, she promised to be a "common-sense mayor of the common people."
McLemore Not Seeking Reelection
City Council President Leslie McLemore announced today that he is not running for a third term. McLemore said that he plans to support his administrative assistant, Vance Stiggers, for the Ward 2 seat.