Barbour Toots Own Horn, Rags Musgrove
Gov. Haley Barbour released a statement today about, well, himself. Here it is, verbatim: When Haley Barbour became Governor of Mississippi in January 2004, Mississippi was in its worst financial shape since the Great Depression. The State was in a $720 million budget hole; the State's Rainy Day Fund reserves had dropped 90%, to less than $25 million; and there were loud calls for tax increases.
Gov to Allow Public Comment on Tax Study – May 19
[Verbatim statement] Mississippi citizens and interest groups will have the opportunity to speak to members of the Governor's Tax Study Commission, Chairman Leland Speed announced today. The opportunity for public comment will take place on Monday, May 19, 2008 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Mississippi Telcom Center.
U.S. Supreme Court Upholds Voter ID Regulations
A U.S. Supreme Court known for its anti-regulatory bent today voted 6-3 to uphold Indiana's voter-identification regulations, making Republicans happy and clearing the way for voter-ID laws in other states, including Mississippi. Mississippi Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann, a Republican, praised the ruling in a statement:
JSU's Jaymar Johnson Goes In Sixth Round of Draft
The Associated Press is reporting that the Minnesota Vikings chose Jackson State University receiver Jaymar Johnson in the sixth round of the NFL draft today. The No. 198rd pick overall, Johnson is the first player from a Mississippi college to be drafted in the 2008 NFL draft and the first JSU player to be drafted since 2000.
‘Irreparable Breach' Between Blacks and Bill Clinton?
A respected African American congressman thinks so. Rep. James E. Clyburn tells the New York Times:
Lott Uses Old Campaign Cash to Help Lobbying Clients
The Associated Press is reporting that former Sen. Trent Lott is redirecting leftover campaign millions to lawmakers who can help his new high-profile lobbying clients—and it's legal:
Southern Fried Karaoke TONIGHT at Hal & Mal's
Join Todd and me as we host another chapter of Southern Fried Karaoke at Hal & Mal's tonight, starting about 9 p.m. This one is dedicated to designer Darren Schwindaman, who is headed to Europe and then a freelance life for a while. Good singers, costumes, boas, smark alecks and various impersonations welcome. No cover.
Black Preachers in America's ‘Whitest City'
Our friends at the Williamette Week in Portland, Ore., are taking on a provocative topic this week: African American preachers trying to be heard after the Rev. Wright controversy in what they themselves call "American's whitest city":
Berry Killed on His Birthday?
As Earl Berry's attorneys continue their protests that the state's method for killing inmates is flawed, Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood filed a motion this week to reset the execution of Earl Berry for the 1987 murder of Mary Bounds to May 5incidentally Berry's 49th birthday.
Bill Minor: ‘I Hate to Be So Blunt'
Mississippi journalist and columnist Bill Minor spoke with Adam Lynch of the Jackson Free Press yesterday about his views on the prosecution of his son, Paul Minor, and discussed the newly disclosed information that his son's prosecutor, Robert Coughlin, is now under federal investigation. The JFP had called Minor for response to the U.S. House Judiciary Committee's report last week about possible selective prosecution in Mississippi and other states by the Bush administration's Justice Department. His remarks follow, verbatim.
NYT: Clinton's Negativity ‘Squandered' 20-Point Lead
The New York Times seems to be turning on the Democratic candidate they endorsed, saying she took the "low road to victory":
Forthcoming U.S. Chamber ‘Lawsuit Climate' Report a ‘Phony'?
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce's "Institute for Legal Reform" plans to release a report Wednesday ranking Mississippi as the 48th worst "legal climate" in the country. In response to "Lawsuit Climate 2008: Ranking the States,", the Mississippi trial-attorney group, the Mississippi Association for Justice, released the following statement today, headlined the "U.S. Chamber's Phony 'Rankings' Serve Extreme Corporate Agenda." The statement, e-mailed to the JFP, follows verbatim.
Bands (And Others): Build Your Own Jackpedia Page!
Now that the new JFP site is up, it's a perfect time to ensure that you, your band, your company, your business, etc., has its own Jackpedia listing. Just go to Jackpedia, sign in (your same user name probably works) and have at it. Remember that the JFP's second annual user-generated print version of Jackpedia comes out in August, so we need your help getting Jackpedia more loaded up than ever. Pass the word.
Sid Salter Lets Hood Hatred Boil Over on Blog
Today Sid Salter stooped to the level of garden-variety anonymous bloggers today with his belittlement of Attorney General Jim Hood's legitimate concern about the corporate media that pays his paycheck. Nice effort to change the subject, Sid; I'm surprised you didn't find a way to work Jesse Jackson into your whine.
Come Fly With Us on Earth Day
Happy Earth Day, Jackson! Last week's print edition of the JFP was devoted to all things green—and positive actions you can take to give back to this great planet we've been loaned—from urban farming to holding clothes swap parties. For great ideas, visit our Culture Blog, and read Brandi Herrera Pfrehm's fun, but serious cover story about Jackson recycling. Meantime, tell us what you're doing to live more green.
WAPT: Former JSU Student Shot, Recovering
WAPT is reporting that former Jackson State student Lamar Smith, 24, of Lithonia, Ga., was shot once last night. He was treated and released from St. Dominic-Jackson Memorial Hospital.
Former Planned Parenthood Head Faye Wattleton Honored Tonight Downtown
[verbatim invitation) In the Spirit of Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics) We seek to support minority businesses and downtown Jackson revitalization, Women For Progress of Mississippi, Inc.and Southern Rural Black Women's Initiative Cordially invite you to attend a reception honoring Ms. Faye Wattleton, co-founder of the Center for Advancement of Women.
Update: State Wants Berry Executed on May 5 ... His Birthday
As Earl Berry's attorneys continue their protests that the state's method for killing inmates is flawed, Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood filed a motion yesterday to reset the execution of Earl Berry for the 1987 murder of Mary Bounds to May 5—incidentally Berry's 49th birthday. Hood's announcement came after the U.S. Supreme Court lifted Berry's stay of execution Monday after ruling last week that lethal injection is not unconstitutionally cruel. "The higher court's ruling has cleared the way for us to move forward in the Berry case," Hood said in a statement. "Our filing today will request that an execution be set to take place within 30 days." Berry's attorneys, however, argue that the court's decisions does not render Mississippi's lethal-injection method constitutional.
AP Poll: Obama ‘Best Hope'
A new Associated Press poll finds that, despite petty controversies like the dust-up over his preacher, Barack Obama has become the candidate that most Democrats believe has the best chance of beating John McCain in November. And that is despite the fact that 15 percent actually believe he is Muslim:
ABC Disgraces Itself During Debate
The world is talking today about how poorly ABC's George Stephanopolous and Charles Gibson handled themselves during last night's Democratic debate. Over on The Root, Marc Lamont Hill writes:
Karl Rove Called to Testify About Probes, Including Minor and Diaz
The House Judiciary Committee today requested that presidential adviser Karl Rove appear to testify "concerning the troubling issue of the politicization of the Department of Justice during this Administration." It also released a report (PDF/323kb), "Allegations of Selective Prosecution in Our Federal Criminal Justice System," that talks in detail about the stringent prosecution of attorney Paul Minor and Supreme Court Justice Oliver Diaz, raising concerns that the prosecutions might have been a way for Republicans to weaken Democrats in Mississippi. Minor was convicted and is serving time in federal prison; Diaz was acquitted.
Best Insult Ever
This post by a long-time JFP-despiser is so fabulous that I'm not sure what else to say. I'm taping it to my office door right now. :wow:
Snark: Gran, You're on the Internets!
The Clarion-Ledger re-re-re-designs its Web site and finds itself in logo limbo.
Mississippi Beats Louisiana; Now Most Unhealthy State
CQ Press has released its annual list of unhealthiest states—and Mississippi comes out the winner, taking out last year's winner, Louisiana. And the reasons couldn't be more direct:
Scruggs Takes the Fifth 19 Times
The Sun-Herald is reporting that attorney Dickie Scruggs is refusing to incriminate himself in a bribery trial in Oxford:
Courthouse Fitness Opening in Jackson Place Downtown
[Verbatim statement] April 15, 2008—Parkway Properties Inc. (NYSE:PKY) announced today that the Courthouse Racquet and Fitness Center has signed a five-and-a-half year, 10,000 square foot lease to bring a premier fitness facility to downtown Jackson. The facility will be located in the Shops at Jackson Place, on the ground floor of the newly renovated Parking at Jackson Place facility.
Need Feedback on N-Word Episode
Hey folks, I need your feedback. I'd love to hear some response to this analogy I posted in response to an alt editor's use of the n-word when referring to a white friend of his (this analogy was suggested by JFP staff members during a conversation about this incident, to give credit where its due):
No ‘Unnamed Sources,' Ledger? You sure?
Cledger-Ledger honchos have been known to declare that the paper does not use "unnamed sources." We already know that's not true due to mucked-up stories like the one by Ledger Washington Bureau reporter Ana Radalat (OK, they called her that before the muck-up) where she wrote a story based on an MBN memo in 2003 "obtained from" Frank Melton, who was then an unnamed source. Ledger Metro editor Grace Simmons accepted the piece, despite the supposed policy against unnamed sources—and, alas, the memo turned out to be largely false, blah, blah.
My Statement About Mike Lacey's Use of Racial Slur
April 18, 2008—When I first heard that one of AAN's highest ranking executives had used the n-word to jokingly refer to a deceased friend of his, I assumed his friend was black and was shocked. When I learned that the friend was white, I was just as appalled. The issue, to me, is not who he was talking about; it was about his use of the most notorious white supremacy label as a flippant term of endearment. Even more puzzling to me is why Mr. Lacey, or other white men, would even consider doing such a thing considering the baggage that word continues to carry for so many Americans, black and white.
Village Voice Media Owner Offends with Racial Slur
OK, so this was not the best moment for the alternative-news industry. The owner of the alternative newspaper industry's most corporate chain, Mike Lacey, accepted an award from the Phoenix Society of Professional Journalists on the anniversary of Martin Luther King's death. At the podium, he referred to his deceased (white) friend, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Tom Fitzpatrick, as "my n*gger." In the audience were black journalists, as well as an 82-year-old mother of a deceased black sports journalist there to accept a special award on his behalf.
The Animals We Love
Little River For years now, Todd and I have delightfully referred to the delightful creature as just "Don Potts' horse." And Little River is definitely a miniature horse, and most certainly not a "pony." Now that we've moved to Fondren, my morning walking routes are planned around visits to Little River, as I've learned the horse is called. And I even got special permission from mom Becky to give Little River a wedge of organic apple from Rainbow divided into thirds at certain times. Let's just say that Little River isn't quite as stand-offish anymore to Big Donna.
Who's Got the Biggest Fallacy?
The MississippiforMcCain Web site is truly acting like a cyber-moron at the moment. We just turned up this general swipe at "another lefty"—who, it turns out, is a guy with radical, inconsistent (at best) views at best who wrote a letter to the Ledger the McCain crowd doesn't like. George Lambus wrote to the Ledger complaining that:
JPS Superintendent Earl Watkins Resigning
After months of controversy stemming from a sexual harassment charge by a male educator, JPS Superintendent Earl Watkins announced tonight that he is resigning, effective June 2009.
Barbour Declares State of Emergency, Includes Jackson
2:45 p.m.—(JACKSON, Mississippi) - Governor Haley Barbour today declared a State of Emergency for 12 Mississippi counties following a severe weather system and tornadoes which hit parts of Central Mississippi, including the Jackson Metro area. The Governor announced the State of Emergency while touring neighborhoods in Northeast Jackson, which were among the hardest-hit areas from Friday's storm and tornadoes.
Need ‘Famous' Jackson Pets
OK, what animals do y'all know of in the community that are "famous" in some way—meaning have to know people beyond their owners. Pets that live in businesses? Pets with lots of friends? You get my drift. Need fast!
snark >:-(
As if having charges dropped against the woman who allegedly stayed in the house with their beaten-to-death young relative wasn't bad enough, the family of Heather Spencer was hit with a March 26 Clarion-Ledger article that was riddled with errors, including one of the most chilling fashion. Ledger reporter Nicklaus Lovelady actually gave the last name of the victim to the mother of George Bell, who has admitted to bludgeoning Spencer to death last year, referring to Robbie Bell as "Robbie Spencer."
The JFP Bloggers' Guide to Success in Life and Business
Thanks to a conversation that started about tipping over on under Kaze's column about race dialogue, I promised I would start a thread so that JFP readers could discuss tips about etiquette in life and and business (and continue the tip conversation if they want). So here is my thread, as promised. I'll start with a few random things I've learned from running my own business in Mississippi; feel free to add your own and discuss:
Associated Press: Gregg Harper Wins GOP Run-off
Gregg Harper defeats Charlie Ross for the Republican nomination in the Third Congressional District.
Why Women Back Obama
Especially younger ones. This is extremely well said, and captures something that resonates with me—I like the way he treats women. The Clintons seem to come from another generation, when men sh!t all over their families, and their wives blink lovingly back at them, no matter what. And, as the writer points out, Obama promises change on so many levels—from the personal to the most public. And that's what so much of the American public craves. Money quotes:
Obama Picks Up Two More Mississippi Delegates
Yesterday Secretary of State Delbert "Low to Moderate Turnout" Hosemann certified the results of the Mississippi Democratic Primary, giving him essentially two new delegates because he made it over the 62.5 percent margin that draws him yet another at-large delegate. According to DemocraticUnderground.com, Obama ended up with 62.512 percent of the vote (even with all those DeSoto County Republicans crossing over for Hillary Clinton). The final numbers were:
Bill Clinton—Carville's Mafia Boss?
Does James Carville really think that people should make political decisions based on loyalty above all else? No matter what someone does? No matter who else comes along who is more impressive, and inspirational to a new generation of voters? Carville's "Judas" comment—and this column today in The Washington Post showing no remorse for it—shows how hopelessly out of touch both he and the Clintons are. You don't run a country, or elect a president, based on loyalty. That is patently absurd and and an insult to the American people. Good he's honest about what he's all about, though. This should cost the Clintons even more votes (and watch for the part where he makes it sound like Bill Clinton was the mafia boss who "made" him). This is gross:
Republicans Singing the Blues?
A New York Times Magazine piece chronicles the depression that is setting in for Republicans now that the strategies that gave them temporary power are starting to turn off new generations of voters:
Hillary Clinton Crosses the Right-Wing Line
I tell you, I'm really starting to believe that Hillary is scum. I'm sorry to put it that way, but she is starting to turn me off in entirely different ways than her husband did. And the two of them together is a lethal combination of ambition and hubris. Joe Conason writes in Salon:
Melton Vetoes Use of Eminent Domain
[Verbatim release] Mayor Frank E. Melton issued a veto today that will prohibit the use of eminent domain by the Jackson Redevelopment Authority to acquire owner-occupied residential property located west of Jackson State University. The controversial proposed University Park Project-Phase I, consists of single-family homes and apartment complexes that would be constructed on at least 50 acres near the Jackson State University campus and anchored by Dalton Street and J. R. Lynch Street.
"Policing Jackson: Problems & Solutions" – Questions?
Post your questions for the panel or specific panelists below.
The Jackson Police Officers Association and the Jackson Free Press are presenting a town-hall meeting with police officers and other concerned citizens for real talk on fighting crime in Jackson. JFP Editor Donna Ladd will moderate the discussion in the Department of Education auditorium (the old Central High School) at 359 North West Street in Downtown Jackson (print map here) on Thursday, March 27, at 6:30 p.m. A reception and fellowship will follow.
Philadelphia Coalition Calls for More Justice
Statement of the Philadelphia Coalition
The Philadelphia Coalition—the multi-racial group in Philadelphia, Miss., that called for the prosecution of Edgar Ray Killen for the 1964 Klan murders of Chaney, Goodman and Schwerner—want further justice in the case. This weekend they are issuing the following statement, verbatim:
Olga's Moving to Jackson
It's Flowood's loss and Jackson's gain when Olga's Fine Dining re-opens in the city of Jackson—in the old Posh location next to Habana Smoke Shop—on May 1. It'll be BYOB. Here's to Olga and her fine Russian cuisine.
The Clintonian ‘Divide-and-Conquer' Strategy
Both David Brooks and Maureen Dowd are skewering Hillary "I ducked, really I did" Clinton in New York Times columns today. Dowd even accuses her to trying to muck it up for Obama, so that she can run against McCain in four years. What's sad is that it seem plausible for the Clinton's style of trailer-park politics. Dowd writes:
DA and AG Dismiss Case Against Robbie Bell
Attorney General Jim Hood
[Verbatim statement from the AG's office] "The criminal case against Robbie Bell was dismissed today for lack of evidence in the case. The decision was made by both the Hinds County District Attorney's Office and the Office of the Attorney General after an exhaustive investigation and finally, discussion with the victim's family."
New National Articles on the Jackson Free Press
The magazine, Next American City, just published an article about the Jackson Free Press in their new issue. It also quotes Ben Allen, Harvey Johnson and Kamikaze about the JFP and what's going on in Jackson. (In the piece, Ben Allen—who first came up with "JFP Nation" to describe our readership—adds ads yet another descriptor of the JFP when he called us "urban warriors" in the piece. We like it.)