Dan Blumenthal
Fast cars have been a passion for Dan Blumenthal since he was a little kid. He inherited the bug from his father, and was reading Road &Track magazine at age 7.
Hood: Governor's Vetoes Improper
Two of Gov. Haley Barbour's recent budget vetoes violate the Mississippi constitution, according to Attorney General Jim Hood. The non-binding opinion points out that the constitution does not allow vetoes on the conditions of how funds can be spent, reports the Sun Herald.
Wife Says Pickering's Affair Ended Career, Two Marriages
Leisha Jane Pickering, estranged wife of former Republican U.S. Rep. Charles "Chip" Pickering, filed a complaint in Hinds County Circuit Court this morning against Elizabeth Creekmore-Byrd for alienation of affection. Leisha Pickering alleges in the suit that her husband and Creekmore-Byrd had a long-standing relationship that began and ended once before the Pickering marriage, and resumed during Chip Pickering's congressional career in Washington, D.C.
Additional Shot Required for Mississippi Students
Students enrolled in Magnolia State schools will need to have had two chicken pox vaccines when they begin classes this fall. Known as the varicella vaccine, the requirement was waived in 2008 because of low availability, reports WAPT.
Perkins Named Johnson's Chief of Staff
BREAKING NEWS: Mayor Harvey Johnson's office has confirmed that Sean Perkins, 35, formerly a branch manager for Regions Bank and director of 100 Black Men, has been named as the new administration's chief of staff. He is a 1992 graduate of St. Andrews Episcopal School and a 1997 graduate of Jackson State University. He replaces Marcus Ward, former Mayor Frank Melton's chief of staff.
The Dawn of a New ‘Daily'
This past week we flipped the switch on a new "product" that's been brewing in the JFP labs for the better part of six months: JFP Daily.
Chris Mims
Director of communications is one of the first administrative positions that Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. filled when he took office earlier this month. His choice for the job was Jacksonian Chris Mims.
Sports Hall of Fame to Induct Six in 2009
The Mississippi Sport Hall of Fame is inducting six new members at a banquet to be held at the end of the month.
Judy Lewis
Mississippi Public Broadcasting's board of directors unanimously appointed Judy Lewis, 59, as its new executive director last week. Lewis, a native Mississippian from Morton, holds a doctorate in higher education from the University of Mississippi and a bachelor's and master's degree in education and speech communication from Mississippi College. She succeeds Marie Antoon, who announced her retirement in May, and will begin her new job Aug. 1.
Mississippi Swine Flu Cases Over 200
The Mississippi State Department of Health reports that H1N1 flu, known as swine flu, continues to spread rapidly in Mississippi. Since the first confirmed case May 15, the count has now reached 212. Additionally, residents have seen 73 cases of seasonal flu since the end of April.
Some Soldiers Ineligible for GI Benefits Under New Bill
For many people, having access to GI benefits after serving their country is a primary factor behind joining the service. But some guard members are finding out that they're not eligible because of a glitch in the new GI bill.
New Club, King Edward to Open Downtown
Even in the midst of an economic downturn, enterprising entrepreneurs take advantage of opportunities. A new downtown club and the reopening of a venerable Jackson landmarkafter decades of abandonment and decaytestify to the entrepreneurial spirit of the capitol city.
Amani Floyd
For students at Jackson's Bailey Magnet School, Amani Floyd's dedication as a teacher has paid off well. Floyd, a student in the Mississippi Teacher Corps program at the University of Mississippi, helped the kids raise their American history test scores by 10 percent, with 95 percent of students passing the state exam. That's the highest rate of inner-city students passing the exam in four years.
New Orleans Frequently Downgrades Rape Charges
In the wake of the much-touted FBI Uniform Crime Rankings for violent crime, the way New Orleans police report rapes highlights the reasons why the FBI warns the media against using their numbers as benchmarks. A story appearing in Saturday's Times-Picayune says that New Orleans police classify more than half of all sexual assaults against women as noncriminal complaints.
Leaks Caused JPD to Dump Sergeant Exams
Civil Service Commission members said questions from the Jackson Police Department's recent sergeant's exam might have found their way to the officers prior to testing, causing the city to trash all of the recently completed tests. The commission discovered after administering the test to 180 officers that it was identical to an earlier, leaked version, despite instructions to the testing company to rewrite the exam.
Jerzy Leszczynski
Jackson State University professor Dr. Jerzy Lesczcynski is one of 22 educators in the nation to receive the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring. President Barack Obama named the honorees yesterday, recognizing educators for their work in "furthering the educational advancement of our nation's young people and encouraging and inspiring our next generation of leaders," according to a White House press statement.
Special Session Agenda: Utility Watchdog Agencies
The Mississippi Legislature is back in Jackson this morning for another special session, this time to decide the fate of the state's utility watchdog agencies. Lawmakers were unable to get a budget bill to fund the Public Service Commission and the Public Utilities Staff on the governor's desk during the regular session or during the first special session called after the regular session ended.
Beth Kander
In response to the news that state Sen. Lydia Chassaniol was the "surprise speaker" at the recent Council of Conservative Citizens meeting in Jackson in June, Jackson playwright Beth Kander announced on Facebook that she will be hand delivering a letter and flowersto the senator.
Public Safety Forum Tonight
Jackson Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. and his transition team will hold a public forum tonight at 6 p.m. on the subject of public safety. The forum will take place in the City Council Chambers in City Hall at 219 S. President Street.
Mississippi Port Expansion Project Begins
Today at 2 p.m., the Mississippi State Port Authority at Gulfport will hold a ground-"making" ceremony, kicking off a $570 million expansion project. Gov. Haley Barbour, who diverted the funds for the project from money originally targeted to rebuild housing on the state's Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina ripped across the area, will be on hand for the ceremony.
Parting The Curtain
Mississippi Values: It sounds innocuous, even noble; yet under the pens of Alex A. Alston Jr. and James L. Dickerson, the phrase takes on an ominous ring. Magnolia State residents "have a long history of being against whatever the rest of the nation is for," the authors write in "Devil's Sanctuary: an Eyewitness History of Mississippi Hate Crimes".
Mississippi Special Session Starts Friday
It's official: Gov. Haley Barbour has called state lawmakers back to Jackson for another special session to deal with the 2010 state budget. The session begins on Friday, July 10, at 10 a.m.
Report Predicts Slow Recovery for Mississippi
The June 2009 issue of the "Mississippi Economic Review and Outlook," a twice-yearly report authored by Marianne Hill, senior economist for the Institutions of Higher Learning, says the state's recovery from the current recession will be slow. Hill predicts that it will be 2014 before employment rates are back down to where they were in 2000.
Landfall Hurricanes Likely on Mississippi Coast
Since 1900, 16 hurricanes have hit the Mississippi coast, nine of them category 3, 4 or 5, making them "major" storms. That means that of the 40 total Gulf hurricanes during that time span, 40 percent have hit the Magnolia State, according to Examiner.com.
Bluntson is Jackson City Council President
With a unanimous vote from the new Jackson City Council, Ward 4 Councilman Frank Bluntson was installed as council president this afternoon, with Ward 5 Councilman Charles Tillman as his vice president.
Barbour to Testify Against Clean Energy
Today, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee begins major hearings exploring how to reduce global warming and build a clean energy economy. The Waxman-Markey bills and related legislation is on the agenda. At the top of the Republican witness list is Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, according to the Center for American Progress Action Fund.
Music Awards Honor Local Artists
The 35th annual Jackson Music Awards, hosted by WLBT sports anchor Rob Jay, recognized a talented selection of Jackson's finest musicians and entertainers last night at the Jackson Marriott downtown. Congratulations to all of the honorees and nominees, especially to the following 28 top award winners.
Economy Blamed for Postponing Mayor's Meeting
Organizers for the Gulf Coast Black Mayor's Conference, originally scheduled for July 12–15 in Baton Rouge, are pointing to the recession for postponing the meeting, according to the Sun Herald. Planners are hoping to reschedule the meeting for next month.
Mississippi Opens New Burn Center
Crossgates River Oaks Hospital in Brandon opened the doors of the first burn center in the state since 2005, when a Greenville facility closed its doors, reports WLBT. With the Greenville closure, burn patients in Mississippi had to travel out of state for care.
Jackson Music Awards Tonight
Join the fun at the 35th Annual Jackson Music Awards tonight at Marriott Hotel starting at 6 p.m. Tonight's program, "Music, Its Magic," honors the best of Southern soul and hip hop, with awards in 32 categories.
Hood Says Power Companies Forced PSC Shutdown
Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood and power industry watchdogs suspect power companies shut down a state regulating agency expressly to remove a new means of regulation from the table.
McNair: The Darker Side of the Dream
Former National Football League Most Valuable Player Steve McNair lived what many would see as a dream life. Born in the Mississippi town of Mt. Olive, McNair began his football career on the smallest of small-town teams. Graduating in 1991, he was named SuperPrep All-American quarterback and defensive back at Mt. Olive high school, and went on to be a record-setting QB for Alcorn State, winning the Walter Payton Award at a top player in Division 1-AA in 1994. He was the only player in NCAA history with more than 16,000 yards in career total offense, reports the Houston Chronicle.
McNamara Dead at 93
Robert McNamara, U.S. Secretary of Defense under Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson, died this morning at his home in Washington, D.C. He was 93.
Second Special Session Starts Friday
Gov. Haley Barbour plans to call a second special session of the Mississippi Legislature for Friday, reports NEMS360. The session, which will begin at 10 a.m., will deal with funding for the Public Service Commission and the Public Utilities staff.
It's a Capital 4th
You won't have to look far for activities this Independence Day weekend. Today, start your holiday by celebrating the inauguration of Mayor Harvey Johnson Junior. The activities began early with a prayer service, but the whole town is invited to the inauguration, a reception following and the party tonight, all held at the Jackson Convention Complex, downtown.
Utility Watchdog Employees Furloughed
Among the budget bills that failed to get to the governor's desk earlier this week were appropriations to fund the Public Service Commission and the Public Utilities agency. Without funding, the two state organizations are sending most of their employees home. The PSC is keeping on a skeleton crew of about 12 people, while Public Utilities shut its doors.
Governor Vetoes Appropriations
Gov. Haley Barbour has vetoed a number of appropriation bills and parts of bills, leaving some doubt as to what the next steps will beor even whether there are next stepsfor completing the state's $6 billion budget for the 2010 fiscal year, which began yesterday.
Johnson Welcomes Public to Inaugural Events
Tomorrow, July 3, marks the official inauguration for acting Jackson Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr., with public events starting as early as 8 a.m. and continuing throughout the day until midnight. All of the events are free and open to the public; however, the inauguration celebration is limited to those 18 and over.
Mississippi No. 1 in Obesity, Again
At 44.4 percent of children and 32.5 percent of adults, Mississippi leads the nation in obesity. According to the 2009 edition of "F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies are Failing in America," "The obesity epidemic is harming the health of millions of Americans, contributing significantly to skyrocketing health care costs and threatening the country's productivity."
Dee, Moore Lawsuit Goes Forward
Read the JFP's Dee-Moore archive here for background and complete stories.
Welcome to FY 2010: Where's the Budget?
At around 8 p.m. last night, the Mississippi House approved a $60 million hospital tax promoted by Gov. Haley Barbour to fund the state's Medicaid program, after a nearly two-and-a-half hour readingout loudof the 81-page bill, reports the Memphis Commercial Appeal. The tax will increase by another $30 million over the next three years to reach the original $90 million figure the governor wanted.
Medicaid Agreement Reached
Around 11 p.m. last night, House Speaker Billy McCoy, D-Rienzi, announced from the House floor that the special budget committee has reached an agreement with Gov. Haley Barbour on the final sticking point holding up passage of the 2010 Mississippi state budget: Medicaid.
Lawmakers Pass Another Tobacco Tax
After years of not raising taxes on cigarettes, yesterday Mississippi lawmakers approved the second cigarette tax hike this year. Even more surprising, Gov. Haley Barbour, a former tobacco lobbyist who vetoed raising the state's excise taxes numerous times in the past, said he would sign the bill into law.
Millsaps Named ‘Best Buy'
[verbatim] Millsaps College is one of only 24 private colleges nationwide and the only college in Mississippi named a "Best Buy" in the 2010 edition of Fiske's Top Financial Finds on the College Tuition Market.
Hood Provides Microsoft Settlement FAQs
Subsequent to Mississippi's $100 million anti-trust settlement with software giant Microsoft June 10, Attorney General Jim Hood has posted a list of frequently asked questions on the Attorney General Web site. Among the questions answered are:
Johnson to Hold Public Forums
As part of the incoming mayor's transition to Jackson's top spot after his July 3 inauguration, Harvey Johnson Jr. and his transition team will be holding a series of public forums beginning tomorrow and running into July. Each forum begins at 6 p.m. in the City Council chambers, City Hall, 219 S. President St., and will last approximately an hour and a half.
[Evans] A New Model for Cutting Medical Costs
Word is that Harvard Professor Dr. Atul Gawande's article on McAllen, Texas, is required reading in the White House. Published in the June 1, 2009 issue of The New Yorker, the Boston surgeon asks why McAllen's health care costs are the second highest health care costs in the nation, behind Miami. His conclusions have much to teach us about the problems with America's health care system today.
Making Weekend Plans?
It's Friday, y'all, and you know what that means: It's time for weekend planning. As always, the Jackson Free Press is here to let you know what's happening, who's in town and where the "don't miss" events are taking place.
Governor Adamant About Port Expansion
Despite pleas to reconsider his earlier decision to divert money from funds designated for rebuilding housing on Mississippi's Gulf Coast, Gov. Haley Barbour told reporters yesterday that he's not changing his mind. The $570 million will go toward expanding the commercial Port of Gulfport instead.
Governor Chides Lawmakers for Unfinished Business
Gov. Haley Barbour took time off from nationwide GOP fundraising efforts to announce that he has no plan to call a special session to address the state's non-existent budget just yet. Barbour, who is not a legislator, told the Senate to reject a $5 billion budget plan it had reached with the House this week.