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Jackblog

Rukia Lumumba Shocked, Hurt by Removal of Mural Honoring Her Father

Rukia Lumumba, daughter of late Mayor Chokwe Lumumba and sister of mayoral candidate Chokwe A. Lumumba, wrote the following letter about the removal of a mural honoring her father. It is published here verbatim: Open Letter to Jackson, Mississippi on the Painting Over of the Mural in Tribute to My …

Politics Blog

Chokwe A. Lumumba #JxnMayor Endorsements

The Chokwe Antar Lumumba camp issued a list of endorsements (below). For clarification, Lumumba's press release incorrectly attributed a quotation from the JFP's recent endorsement of Lumumba to photographer Trip Burns. Jackson, MS, April 3, 2014– This afternoon government officials, business leaders, and community supporters will gather at Smith Robertson …

Politics Blog

Tony Yarber #JxnMayor Endorsements

We got this list of endorsements the other day from the Tony Yarber camp. It's verbatim, but we think they meant April 1 in the first line: On March 1, 2014 at 10:30 am at the Yarber for Mayor campaign headquarters (932 N. State Street) approximately 10 pastors endorsed Councilman …

Politics Blog

MIss. Baptist Convention Lauds Gov. Phil Bryant's Signing of SB2681, 'Religious Freedom' Bill

The following statement just came in, verbatim, from the The Christian Action Commission of the Mississippi Baptist Convention: CAC’s Jimmy Porter Attends Signing of the MS Religious Freedom Restoration Bill Jackson, MS., April 3, 2014–Jimmy Porter, Executive Director of the MS Baptist Christian Action Commission, attended Gov. Phil Bryant’s signing …

Politics Blog

Who voted for Mississippi SB2681, the 'Religious Freedom' Bill?

Mississippi State Senate 2014 Regular Session YEAS AND NAYS. The yeas and nays being taken, the Report of Conference Committee on S. B. No. 2681 was adopted: Yeas--Brown, Browning, Burton, Chassaniol, Clarke, Collins, Doty, Fillingane, Gandy, Gollott, Hale, Harkins, Hill, Hopson, Horhn, Hudson, Jackson G. (15th), Jolly, Kirby, Lee, Longwitz, …

Politics Blog

Rally Against SB2681 Noon Thursday at Mississippi Capitol; Prayer Vigil at 5:30 p.m.

Opponents of SB2681, the so-called "Mississippi Religious Freedom Restoration Act," which many fear is permission for anti-gay "Jim Crow" laws, will gather at the Mississippi Capitol for a rally on Thursday (April 3). Sen. Derrick Simmons, D-Greenville, will speak on the Capitol steps at 12:30 p.m. Simmons, who is black, …

Politics Blog

Did Myrlie Evers endorse Sen. John Horhn for mayor?

The John Horhn for mayor campaign sent footage of civil-rights hero Myrlie Evers last week for a paid ad on the JFP website of Mrs. Evers saying nice things about his "forward" leadership. The quote that has run on the JFP website in the ad for about the last week …

Politics Blog

Group Wants Public-Education Funding on 2015 Ballot

More over, Personhood supporters. Public-education backers are working to put funding the Mississippi Adequate Education Program on next year's ballot—being that the Legislature simply refuses to fully fund it. The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal is reporting that Jackson attorney Luther Munford has filed the initiative language on behalf of a …

Music

So long, Morningbell (for now)...

Morningbell closing, regional picks and new releases...

Jackblog

ACLU: Miss. Passes Law That Could Open Door to Discrimination

The ACLU of Mississippi released the following statement on the passage of Senate Bill 2681, adopted this afternoon by both houses of the Legislature and is heading to the desk of Gov. Phil Bryant for approval: JACKSON, Miss – The Mississippi legislature passed a controversial law today that could open …

Jackblog

AG Hood Wants Explanation in Byrom Death-Sentence Reversal

The office of state Attorney General Jim Hood is asking the Mississippi Supreme Court to "enter a reasoned opinion stating the basis the reversal of the conviction of capital murder and sentence" of Michelle Byrom. Byrom was convicted and sentenced to death for allegedly conspiring to hire a hit man …

Jackblog

Byrom's Conviction Reversed, New Trial Ordered

Earlier today, the Mississippi Supreme Court reversed Michelle Byrom's capital murder conviction and ordered a new trial. Justice Josiah Dennis Coleman signed the order. Byrom had originally been convicted in the 1999 murder of her husband, Edward Byrom Sr. Byrom, 56, had been on death row, and at one point …

Jackblog

Gulf Coast News Anchor Wants LGBTs to Take 'Gaycation'

Romenesko got a hold of an undated screenshot of a Gulf Coast-based news anchor's Facebook status that advises same-sex-loving folks to take a "gaycation" because the anchor thinks they've been in the news too much. "I'm all for the LGBT community's ongoing fight for equality. I support their fight in …

Politics Blog

Union Endorsing Chokwe Antar Lumumba

In a fax sent to media this afternoon, union president Brenda Scott announced that the Mississippi Alliance of State Workers, Communications Workers of America, Local 3570, AFL-CIO (that's all one union) will endorse Chokwe Antar Lumumba in his bid for his father's seat. "Among his other qualities," the release says, …

Jackblog

Jackson Zoo Retains Accreditation

Jackson, MS - Jackson Zoo and City Officials received news during the annual mid-year conference of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums from the Accreditation Board, that the Jackson Zoo will retain accreditation.

Politics Blog

Moak on the Closing of Harrah's Tunica Casino

House Minority Leader Bobby Moak released the following statement on the announcement that Harrah's will close its Tunica casino: Jackson, MS- Today Harrah’s announced they are closing their casino in the Tunica market. This is a loss of Thirteen-Hundred (1300) Mississippi jobs, not to mention a tremendous blow to the …

Politics Blog

ACLU Responds to Drug-Testing-the-Poor Bill Signing

Jennifer Riley-Collins, executive director of the ACLU of Mississippi, made the following statement about Gov. Phil Bryant's signature of HB 49, which would require drug testing for some people receiving federal-state assistance: Today is a sad day as Governor Bryant signed into law HB 49, thereby subjecting Mississippi's most vulnerable …

Politics Blog

Mississippi AG Jim Hood declines interview, sends statement on Michelle Byrom execution

The Jackson Free Press last week requested an interview with Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood about the pending Michelle Byrom execution. He so far has declined an interview issued this statement instead. Needless to say, we still have questions. Reprinted verbatim: Basis for Requesting an Execution Date When Certiorari has …

Politics Blog

In the Fight for Jackson's Future, Who Can Immigrant Communities Trust?

The late Mayor Chokwe Lumumba didn't just inspire his voters, he also took risks for others without expecting to be repaid in return. As others remembered him, the immigrant community never got to say goodbye to the late Lumumba, who won a Freedom from Fear award in 2011 for an …

Jackblog

Couple Records Same-Sex Marriage in Rankin County; First Known in State

The Campaign for Southern Equality just sent this verbatim press statement: Gay Couple Records Legal Marriage License in Mississippi Creating First Known Public Record of Same-Sex Marriage in State (March 24, 2014) - On March 24, Anna Guillot and Chrissy Kelly, a same-sex couple, paid $12 to record their legal …