Melton Recovering; McLemore Acting Mayor
[Verbatim from city] Mayor Frank E. Melton is resting comfortably this afternoon after undergoing a medical procedure at a Jackson hospital Wednesday morning. His physicians indicated that the procedure was successful and they were pleased with the outcome. At present, the Mayor is alert and communicating with family and members of his staff.
Melton to Have Heart Surgery Wednesday
The story has changed dramatically since former Mayor Dale Danks told the media that his client, Mayor Frank Melton, was fine and overheated when he fainted at a county swearing-in. Today, Danks told The Clarion-Ledger that Melton will remain in the hospital to have a cardioverter-defibrillator inserted into his heart on Wednesday, meaning that doctors must fear that Melton is in danger of going into cardiac arrest. Danks told the Ledger that he didn't expect it to take long for Melton to recover, that he would only be incapacitated for half a day and then "be back at work shortly thereafter."
Reeves Gives Up Fight and Goes Home
The Clarion-Ledger is reporting that John Reeves, the Republican legislator from South Jackson, said today that he is no longer planning to challenge Adrienne Wooten, a Democrat who defeated him in November, in the Legislature.
McCain Wins GOP N.H. Race; Obama and Clinton Close So Far
CNN has called the GOP side in New Hampshire for John McCain. Early returns are showing Clinton slightly ahead of Obama, and Edwards trailing a distant third. CNN also projects that John Edwards will come in third.
Are Obama Comparisons to JFK Unhealthy ‘Baby-Boomer Reminiscing'?
New York Times blogger Matt Bai argues that it's time to move forward instead of backward, as all the Kennedy comparisons do:
UPDATE: House Speaker McCoy Wins in 62-60 Vote
The Legislature is in session, and the House will vote on a new speaker shortly. Keep an eye out here for the outcome of the contentious battle, with Gov. Haley Barbour watching from the sidelines to see if his efforts to oust McCoy will pay off. Watch for a full report from Adam Lynch right here later today. Meantime, read his Jan. 2 legislative analysis and preview here.
NOW Clinton Is Worried About Young Voters?
Since Barack Obama proved that the under-30 vote mattered in Iowa, and could well be a deciding factor in the presidential election, Hillary Clinton is adjusting her strategy to start trying to appeal to them. Does she really think that young voters are going to fall for that when it's obvious she's doing it just to get their vote? If she cared about them, she would have shown it already. This shows exactly why I'm not a Clinton fan—she is a political machine, who cares more about strategy then getting out there and really getting real with the voters. I'm fully on the Obama wagon now. This did it for me, not that I needed much of a nudge.
Obama, Huckabee Win Iowa
And they're off. The Associated Press reports:
Ledger Outsources Customer Service to South Carolina
Clarion-Ledger Publisher Larry Whitaker sent the following letter to employees this week, talking about the challenges and changes the paper faced in 2007:
Boss Queen to Sign New Book Today at 5 p.m.
Sweet Potato Queen hell will break loose today, Jan. 3, at 5 p.m. at Lemuria when Jill Conner Browne signs her new book, ""The Sweet Potato Queens' Guide to Raising Children for Fun and Profit." Read Kelly Smith's Dec. 26 JFP review of the book here: "From Potty Training to Penii."
Radio JFP: Kaze, Ladd, Stauffer on ‘Brand New Day'
JFP columnist Kamikaze with join Radio JFP hosts Donna Ladd and Todd Stauffer Friday, Jan. 4, at noon to discuss the state of the city and what needs to happen in 2008, a topic inspired by Kamikaze's current JFP column, "Can You Feel A Brand New Day?" Feel free to post questions here before or during the show, which is on WLEZ, 103.7 FM, and streams live at http://www.wlezfm.com.
Happy New Year! Resolution, Lesson Learned?
Happy new year, all. The JFP office is closed today, which may be the first time ever we've been closed on a business day. (We've often been open on holidays!) But the staff deserves a rest before this crazy legislative session kicks off! And don't worry: We put the legislative preview to bed Friday, so the paper is on its regular schedule.
What a Moe-Ron
Mike "Yuck Yuck" Huckabee is, sadly, starting to sound more like George W. Bush every time he opens his mouth:
Resolve to Write! 2008 Classes Forming Now.
Happy new year, all. And be sure to express yourself in 2008.
Sign up now for my 2008 creative non-fiction writing classes. The next round starts Jan. 3, and I have still have a couple slots in that class (until I hear from all you gift-certificate recipients!). Yes, I do gift certificates year-round (sold one today to a mother buying the class for her daughter), and you can use those anything throughout the year. You can see details about upcoming classes here, as well as costs, etc. In 2008, we will start meeting in the brand-new JFP classroom next to the JFP offices (or, as Doctor S likes to say, in the "JFP tower") here in Fondren. Please e-mail me at class (a) jacksonfreepress (dot) com to get on the class mailing list for updates.
Kamikaze, Guests to Examine Women's Views of 2007
Dec. 28, 2007—Today at noon, Kamikaze will guest host Radio JFP on WLEZ (103.7 FM). His guests will be singer/songwriter Laurel Isbister and JFP operations manager Ronni Mott. They will discuss the news and events of 2007 from a women's perspective. WLEZ shows stream live here.
Benazir Bhutto Assassinated in Pakistan
Bhutto was leading an opposition rally to George Bush's buddy, Pervez Musharraf. Read the New York Times story here. Read her obituary here:
Toyota Building Eco-Friendly Plant in Mississippi
[verbatim release from governor's office] Toyota Motor Corp.'s designation of its Mississippi plant as a worldwide model of environmentally-friendly operations is a dramatic statement of confidence in the Mississippi project, Governor Haley Barbour said today. "Toyota has designated its Blue Springs plant as a model that will emphasize the importance of nature in creating production sites that harmonize with their natural surroundings," Governor Barbour said. "This puts Toyota and Mississippi on the leading edge of a totally new concept in building automotive manufacturing plants that can truly live in harmony with the environment and local community."
Bah Humbug Update
Fa la la la la.
On an earlier post, I talked about hearing from the inside that The Clarion-Ledger not giving bonuses this year and how staffers are disenchanted as a result. Well, it's bleaker than we thought. I didn't know that the "bonuses" are not cash—they are gift certificates. Last year, they were $60 each, I'm told. This year, the Ledger staffers get nothing. No gift certificate. No Christmas party. Nothing. Meantime, the coffee drinkers there have to pay $10 a month to partake in office coffee—and the publisher is getting new hardwood floors installed.
Kamikaze and Matt Allen on Radio JFP Friday
Rapper Kamikaze and attorney Matt Allen will join Todd Stauffer on Radio JFP this Friday, Dec. 21, to discuss a new group of "young progressive minds" they have formed. Tune in at noon to WLEZ FM 103.7 FM or listen to a live feed here. An audio file will be posted here later that day.
Sherr-ief, Please Scoop the Poop
OK, that's it. We just saw the Fondren deputy-horse in our parking lot, and as adorable as he is, we are really tired of the trail of poop that he is leaving behind in this, the best walking community in the city. It's in the parking lot in front of our building, and it is lining the parking lot leading up to Jerusalem Cafe. I stepped in it last week near Lenny's.
Just in: Teneia Sanders at Fenian's TONIGHT
Singer/songwriter Teneia Sanders—a JFP and Chick Ball favorite—is back home for the holiday and will perform tonight (Wednesday, Dec. 19) at Fenian's starting at 9 p.m. No cover. This will be BIG fun, and if you haven't seen Teneia, trust us on this.
At Least One Teen Killed in Brandon Car Wreck
At least one student from University Christian School has been killed in a one-car crash in Rankin County, and another is in critical condition at University Medical Center, sources say. The students were in a white Chevrolet Trailblazer on Scenic Drive that was traveling at a high rate of speed when it ran off the road and then flipped. A third student also went to UMC, but the injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
URGENT: Vote TUESDAY in District 71 Re-Vote
If you live in District 71, please remember to go to the polls Tuesday to vote in the re-vote between Adrienne Wooten and John Reeves. Polls will be open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. in these locations: Baker Elementary School, Oak Forest Elementary School, Victory AME Zion Church and Lakeshore Baptist Church. Pass the word.
Clarion-Ledger Drops Southern Miss Beat?
Fa la la la la.
Isn't this special? SportsJournalists.com is reporting that The Clarion-Ledger is dropping their Southern Miss sports beat. That's interesting news considering that the Ledger supposedly relies on its sports beat to keep readers, as the rest of the paper goes to pot. Also, staffers over there are complaining that they're not getting Christmas bonuses for the first time this year—and that the publisher is getting a new hardwood floor put in his office, creating lots of construction noise.
BREAKING: Supreme Court Reinstates Re-vote
The Mississippi Supreme Court has granted Rep. John Reeves' emergency petition and reversed Hinds County Judge Winston Kidd, who ruled earlier in the week that the re-vote in the election between Adrienne Wooten and Reeves in District 71 was canceled. Writing for the Court, Justice Oliver E. Diaz Jr. vacated Kidd's Writ of Mandamus and Writ of Prohibition: "[T]he re-vote should be allowed to proceed as directed by the Hinds County Election Commission." The Court denied requests by both sides for oral argument, and said it will issue an opinion "in due course."
Lounge and Croon with the JFP Dec. 13 and 14
Join the JFP for the monthly Lounge Thursday night, from 7 to 10 p.m., in Hal & Mal's non-smoking Oyster Bar–come chat and fellowship with other creative Jacksonians. Free admission and munchies. Then on Friday, join Todd and Donna back at Hal & Mal's for Southern Fried Karaoke after the Dirty Santa Pub Quiz (it starts at 8 p.m. and costs $5 to play). The karaoke mics should go live around 10 p.m. Free.
Protecting God's Green Acre
I didn't go to church Sunday, but I did recycle. It wasn't until after dark when Todd and I made our twice-weekly (thrice lately as we've been moving into a new place) foray to the alley behind the Rainbow Coop. We love doing this. We started and recycling years ago in Colorado Springs, where we would stop off at the microbrewery next to the recycle plant and get a refill of our "growler" of amber beer.
Should a Woman Be Pardoned for Killing Her Abuser?
That's the question the Salon "Broadsheet" (a blog for women—get it?) is asking on the topic of self-defense in domestic violence. The post starts:
Just Days Left to Vote in Best of Jackson - Until Dec. 15
OK, all, the voting in the JFP's 6th Annual Best of Jackson reader's choice awards closes Saturday at midnight CST. If you're voting online, do it before then. If you're mailing a ballot, it's got to be postmarked by Dec. 15. So stop your procrastinating, and get 'er done.
Time to Put Duckworth Rumors to Bed
A JFP investigation is showing that those accusations were false.
You may have seen some of the back-and-forth over the last week between Othor Cain and me and others about accusations he made on Ben Allen's WLEZ-FM radio show, then on this Web site and on his own blog and WMPR radio show that downtown developer Ted Duckworth taking HUD money to put low-income housing in buildings he's developing, but not putting in the housing.
Judge Kidd Rules Against John Reeves
Judge Winston Kidd has just ruled that the election results in the District 71 race between Adrienne Wooten and incumbent John Reeves should be certified, and that no special election need occur. Reeves was challenging Wooten's win due to voting irregularities.
The Clarion-Ledger ‘Forgot' Dee-Moore Case
OK, Ledger, at least be honest in your assessment of "cold case" efforts in this country. You may have done some good work in the past when you used to care a little about being a newspaper, and you deserve credit for that. However, today's editorial is extremely disingenuous and revisionist. You write today:
Henry Phillips' Bond Set for $200,000
Hinds County Judge William Barnett has set a $200,000 bond for Henry Phillips, who police say have admitted shooting his ex-girlfriend Doris Shavers, in the head. According to The Clarion-Ledger, Barnett has sent the case to a grand jury for "possible indictment." In the case of Heather Spencer, profiled by the JFP along with Doris Shavers, the man accused of murder is in jail without bond.
Vote in JFP Best of Jackson Poll Until Friday, Dec. 15
Remember: Time is running out. Get those ballots in! Vote here.
The C.I.A. Tape Affair
This controvery is taking on a huge life on the blogosphere. Read a round-up.
43 Events Today; 50 Events Saturday; Holiday Events Mania
If you're looking for exciting things to do this weekend, holiday or not, the new JFP events calendar is packed full of daily events, and categories of stuff to do from holiday to shopping to literary. You'll also find extensive gallery listings and movie times over there.
Kamikaze on Radio JFP Today at Noon
Kamikaze will join Todd Stauffer and Donna Ladd today at noon on WLEZ to discuss the slow pace of Farish Street development.
Big Dawg Croom SEC Coach of the Year
Mississippi State released a statement an hour ago about this well-deserved honor for Coach Sylvester Croom:
D.I. Your Own Damn Self
One of my favorite responses to the Katrina crisis was a headline—from The Onion, I think—about a man who had decided to just drive a semi-trailer full of ice down to the Coast his own damn self, considering how poorly the Bush administration was responding to people in need.
[Fly] Write A Cool Holiday Letter
You know those awful, boring, photocopied letters with hokey snowmen that fall out of your Christmas cards from friends and relatives each year? Yeah, those.
Charlie Ross Running for Congress
No surprise, but an e-mail just came from Charlie Ross confirming that he is running for Chip Pickering's congressional seat. The verbatim e-mail is posted at StateDesk.
Clarion-Ledger Back in Neshoba County
Cheers to The Clarion-Ledger for going back on its statements that Edgar Ray Killen—and then James Ford Seale—were going to be the end of the line for investigating old civil rights murders. We'd heard that Jerry Mitchell was back in Neshoba County looking at Billy Wayne Posey's role in the 1964 murders of Chaney, Goodman and Schwerner, and we applaud him for doing it. The Clarion-Ledger, and Mitchell, have spent way too much time in recent years saying that the investigations of old cases were "over," as we've pointed out numerous times. That newspaper has been sitting on files for years in these cold cases; it's time that they put a lot of energy into bringing more information forward. It should not be up to The Clarion-Ledger decide when it's "over"; as long as one civil rights murderer is still alive, it should not be over. For more info on the "last" case rhetoric, Dredging Up the Past: Why Mississippians Must Tell Our Own Stories.
Memorial Service for Latasha Norman
Norman's memorial service will be at the Rose Embly McCoy Auditorium on the main JSU campus.
Jackson State University is hosting a memorial service at noon today (Monday, Dec. 3) for murdered student Latasha Norman. Police found Norman, a 20-year-old accounting major from Greenville, dead Thursday. She had been missing for more than two weeks. Her ex-boyfriend, Stanley Cole, is in jail without bond. Norman reported on Oct. 9 that he had punched her in a parking lot in Pearl, but he was not arrested for that incident until Nov. 15, two days after Norman was reported missing. When he showed up for his hearing on Nov. 29 for that incident, police took him in for questioning. He reportedly led them to her body.
Tuesday, Dec. 4 – Center for Violence Prevention Christmas Gala
Help fight domestic abuse at a Christmas Gala to benefit The Center for Violence Prevention, which provides programs, housing and services to victims of domestic violence. Heavy hors d'oevres; cocktail/business attire. The JFP is a silver sponsor. Sponsorships still available, and items needed for a silent auction. Bon Ami, Maywood Mart, 220 East Northside Drive, Suite 230, $50, starts at 6 p.m.
Events Coming Out Our JFP Ears! Send 2008 Dates Now ...
Be sure to check out the JFP's new online events calendar (just remember JFPEvents.com for the most comprehensive events listings in central Mississippi. And while you're there, click on the categories to the right for full listings of, say, holiday events, JFP sponsored events or even big local shopping events.
Is It So Difficult to Imagine, Ledger?
The Clarion-Ledger has an editorial today crediting Acting Chief-Sheriff Malcolm McMillin with dealing with the Latasha Norman case quickly and effectively, which seems a bit forced (they must have also heard that he may well not have enough Council votes for confirmation), but we don't have a problem throwing kudos their way. We'd probably hold out until we know more about how the investigation was initially handled. But the part about the Ledger editorial that perplexes is the following. First they write:
Huh? What the Hell Are They Saying!?!
The Clarion-Ledger today outdoes its own pitiful editorial-writing with a bizarre ode to John Grisham that is ostensibly about the Dickie Scruggs arrest for bribery. Beyond simply terrible writing, the edit-boyz state the following as fact:
Domestic Violence Expert on Radio JFP
Sandy Middleton, director of the Center for Violence Prevention, will join Donna Ladd and Todd Stauffer today—Friday, Nov. 30—at noon on WLEZ-FM 103.7. In the wake of another domestic murder of a young woman, allegedly by her by-then-ex-boyfriend, we will discuss the horrifying issue of domestic abuse and violence in Mississippi, one of the most deadly states for women. The show streams live at http://www.wlezfm.com; we will post an audio file later today. Please join us, and post questions and comments under this post during the show.
Dickie Scruggs Arrested on Bribery Charges
The Sun-Herald is reporting that the feds have arrested Scruggs and others for trying to bribe a judge:
Ben Allen and Mike Peters on Downtown WLEZ-FM
Ben Allen and Mike Peters are on the radio right now at WLEZ-FM (103.7 FM)( talking about the potential of downtown development RIGHT NOW. Streams live at http://www.wlezfm.com.