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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 …

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

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

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

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 …

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

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

Prevention Study Needs Participants

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

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

Atchoo! Jackson Tops for Allergies

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

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

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" …

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 …

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 …

Jackblog

More Fallout from Tenn. Audit of JPS' Gray?

Jackson School Board of Trustees President Monica Gilmore Love released a statement this afternoon about the controversy over JPS schools chief Dr. Cedrick Gray's handling of finances at his former district in Tennessee. "The Board of Trustees is aware of the recent news items involving Dr. Cedrick Gray and the …

Politics Blog

Mayoral Debate Streamed Live April 30

The League of Women Voters of the Jackson Area is partnering with The Clarion-Ledger, WAPT-Channel 16, and the Mississippi College School of Law for a Jackson mayoral candidate debate. Stephanie Maxwell from WAPT and Sam Hall from the C-L will moderate. Because of the time and space constraints of live …

Jackblog

Jackson Fixture Hal White Passes Away at 64

Hal White, half of the creative team behind Jackson institution Hal and Mal's, has died. He was a staple of this city. Along with his brother, Malcolm, Hal opened Hal and Mal's on Congress Street 28 years ago. For all 28 of those years, he plugged away, turning the family-friendly …

Politics Blog

Quinn Campaign Fires Back On New Crime Stats

In a response to a release from the city yesterday citing decreasing crime numbers you can read about here, the campaign to elect Regina Quinn put out this press release Thursday afternoon: "Today the Jackson Police Department released statistics stating that overall crime is down 16.2%. As of December 2012, …

Jackblog

Bryant Vetoes Rez Bill

Gov. Bryant has vetoed HB 1584, which proposes giving governing authority to a reservoir board.

Jackblog

Terri Herring: Lobbyist?

Terri Herring has been a lobbyist in Mississippi for 27 years, yet she only registered as such March 13, 2013.