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Politics Blog

Mayoral Candidate Regina Quinn Praises 'Hal's St. Paddy's Parade'

We just received this press release, verbatim, expressing sympathy for the death of Hal White. I post it below without further comment: PRESS ALERT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 29, 2013 Jackson suffered a major loss yesterday in the passing of Hal White, a business owner and a founder to the …

Politics Blog

Fourth Time's A Charm for Death of Medicaid

Democrats may not have the votes to expand Medicaid to cover 330,000 more people. Republicans don't have the votes to pass Medicaid without at least talking about expansion first. That has been painfully evident every time Medicaid has come up for a vote on the House floor. Today, for the …

Jackblog

AP Rejects Use of 'Illegal' for Immigrants, Finally

I was thrilled to hear today that the Associated Press, of which the Jackson Free Press is now a member, has rejected the use of "illegal" and "illegals" to describe undocumented immigrants. Media diversity expert Richard Prince blogs about the move: The battle to eliminate use of the term "illegal" …

Jackblog

City Looks To Settle Final Melton Lawsuit

Update: According to Jackson Director of Communications Chris Mims, Babe's was seeking $300,000 in damages. He added that the actual payout is likely to be around $105,000, give or take a few thousand dollars. A lawsuit City Attorney Pieter Teeuwissen called "the last lawsuit against the city from the Melton …

Jackblog

Atchoo! Jackson Tops for Allergies

Pass the Kleenex. Jackson ranks at the top of the list for spring allergies.

Politics Blog

Charter School Bill Passes. What Took So Long?

Since last year's surprising defeat of charter-school legislation in the Mississippi House Education Committee, proponents of the public-private schools seemed to want passing a charter school law priority No. 1. In the offseason, Speaker Philip Gunn even stacked the committee to clear the way for charter schools to pass and …

Jackblog

Prevention Study Needs Participants

The American Cancer Society is urging local residents to sign up so that cancer’s greatest mysteries can be unlocked.

Jackblog

City Rolls Out New Tech For Cops

Jackson Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. introduced two new pieces of technology designed to make the Jackson Police Department more efficient, transparent and accountable. The first demonstration was technology that will allow the city to track city vehicles in real-time on an online map of the city. Johnson said they have …

Jackblog

CARA Needs Your Vote for a $25,000 Grant

The State Farm Neighborhood Assist grant will be used to build an off-leash dog park on CARA Property.

Jackblog

Ole Miss Dumps 'Col. Reb'; Students Predictably Outraged

A University of Mississippi student-body panel ruled this week that the male winner of a campus popularity contest would not longer have the title "Colonel Reb." The Daily Mississippian, Ole Miss' school newspaper, reported that the Associated Student Body Judicial Council ruled the title of “Colonel Reb” was unconstitutional per …

Politics Blog

On Final Day of Session, a Million Statements

The 2013 legislative session temporarily drew to close today. Because lawmakers failed to renew the state Medicaid program, Gov. Phil Bryant will have to call a special session sometime before July 1. Anyhow, a lot of people had stuff to say, mostly through emailed press statements. Here's a flavor from …

Jackblog

Mayor's Second Telephone Town Hall Meeting Tonight

Jackson residents are invited to take part in a second telephone town-hall meeting with Jackson Mayor Harvey Johnson.

Politics Blog

Shame on Bryant et al for Using Faith in Naked Political Move

This Associated Press story just illustrates how absurd it was for the Mississippi Legislature, and Gov. Phil Bryant, to push and pass a law that tries to circumvent the First Amendment, which wisely tells government to stay the hell out of (my words, not theirs) people's religious choices. As I …

Jackblog

JPD To Hold Candlelight Vigil For Fallen Detective

[From Jackson Director of Communications Chris Mims] Jackson Mayor Harvey Johnson, Jr. announced this morning that the Jackson Police Department Family is having a candlelight vigil on the steps of Jackson Police Department Headquarters, Thursday evening at 6 p.m. for fallen officer Eric T. Smith. The vigil will celebrate the …

Jackblog

Some Dumbo Shot an Elephant in Tupelo

In the immortal words of Ice Cube's Doughboy: Either they don't know, don't show or don't care about what's going on with circus elephants in the Tupelo, Miss. 'hood. The Associated Press reports that a Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus elephant was hit by a bullet in an …

Jackblog

Crime Numbers Show Slight Improvement

Jackson Police Department crime statistics through the end of March show a slight to moderate improvement in almost every category. According to the data, through March 31, auto burglaries, auto thefts, business burglaries, grand larcenies, house burglaries, aggravated assaults, armed robberies and homicides are down from last year. Carjacking is …

Politics Blog

Jonathan Lee Releases 14-Page Plan

Jackson mayoral hopeful Jonathan Lee hit the airwaves last night with the premier of his television spot, now he's released a 14-page brochure—a prospectus, if you will—you can find here. In it, Lee discusses, sometimes in detail, his plan to tackle crime, employment and economic development, infrastructure and education. Lee …

Jackblog

Only Mississippian Convicted of Voter Fraud in Recent Memory Dies

The Mississippi Department of Corrections announced the death of Lessadolla Sowers at Mississippi State Penitentiary. Sowers, formerly of Tunica County, was convicted of 10 counts of voter fraud in April 2011. She was sentenced to five years at Parchman for submitting fraudulent ballots in the August 2007 Democratic primary election. …

Jackblog

Miss. GOP Applauds Obama Medicaid Action

It's unclear whether North Korea has gone ahead with its plan to launch a nuke, but it does appear that the universe has imploded. Today, the Obama Administration announced it would hold off on cutting a program that partially reimburses hospitals for caring for the poor -- and Mississippi's Republican …

Jackblog

President Obama's Remarks on Boston Marathon Bombing

"We will find out who did this, and we will hold them accountable."