Corps Unveils Mississippi Gulf Coast Plan
In the works since the devastating 2005 hurricane season, The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile Division, has drafted an exhaustive plan to protect the Mississippi Gulf Coastspecifically, Hancock, Harrison and Jackson countiesfrom future hurricane damage.
Salmonella Confirmed in Mississippi
The Mississippi Department of Health reports seven confirmed cases of Salmonella typhimurium infections in the state, including one each in Hinds and Rankin counties.
Jackson Businessman and Wife Hospitalized, Doctors Killed In Head-On Collision
Stuart Irby was in critical condition this morning; Karen Irby was in serious condition.
University Medical Center officials confirmed today that they admitted Jackson business man Stuart Irby and his wife Karen after a head-on collision on Old Canton road around 10:30 p.m. last night.
Nativist Lobby Makes Demands for Stimulus Bill
The Mississippi Business Journal reported yesterday that nativist lobby group FAIR, the Federation for American Immigration Reform, is pushing Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) to include language in the economic stimulus bill to "ensure that the jobs created go to legal U.S. workers only."
Thinking Abundantly
To get love, you have to give it.
Nature abhors a vacuum. Start with a hole and sure enough, something comes along to fill it, whether that's water from a storm, leaves from the trees or an enterprising rodent looking for a safe hiding place from a cat.
Low-Cost Heart Health Screening
If you or your loved ones are concerned about heart health, take advantage of the Baptist Health System's low cost heart health screening, offered Monday through Friday at the Baptist Medical Center in Jackson and at the Baptist Cardiology Clinic in Madison.
Shred It Friday
[verbatim from the Attorney General's office]
Jackson, MS-Attorney General Jim Hood, Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann and Better Business Bureau President Bill Moak are together again with a host of private partners to help Mississippians fight against identity theft.
Smoking On the Way Out
See: Jackson Smoking Ordinance, Defined on Jackpedia
Untrivializing God
Finding common ground for the world's religious fundamentalists may be the most important step the human race can take in the 21st century. Without it, it may be impossible to move toward a combined global effort to end terrorism and address global ecology.
Acupunture Bill Needs Your Support
[Verbatim from the Mississippi Oriental Medicine Association:
Murrah Junior Dies in Crash
A few minutes after 3 p.m., Friday, Jan. 23, 16-year-old Murrah High School junior LeChristopher "Chris" Ulmer was returning to school with three of his basketball teammates for a game. The green Ford Explorer was reportedly travelling around 70 miles per hour on Riverside Drive, twice the posted speed limit of 35.
Think You're Not Creative?
"You're so creative," they'd say. "I wish I could be creative."
Back in my last life, I worked as a professional marketer, writing and designing advertising and materials to sell stuff. It used to make me totally nuts when people would look at what I did and then bemoan the fact that they were not creative.
Don't Let the Economy Add Pounds
It's not an accident that Mississippithe state with the lowest individual and family incomesis also the fattest. Ounce for ounce, highly processed food is usually cheaper than fresh, wholesome foods. The problem is that low food prices often come with lots of salt, sugar, refined grains and unnecessary additives that tend to pile on the pounds.
Reflections on Martin Luther King Day
In my e-mail this morning, I came across a message from Burns Strider of the Eleison Group about what this day means to him:
FBI: Jackson Violent Crime Decreases in 2008 over 2007
Jackson's overall rate of violent crime decreased slightly for the first six months of 2008 as compared to the same period of 2007, according to the FBI's preliminary Uniform Crime Statistic report released Jan. 12. Numbers for murder and aggravated assault rose slightly, while rapes and robberies fell. The report shows a total of 729 violent crimes in the capital city from January through June 2008, as compared to 760 for the same period in 2007. The city's overall 4.1 percent decrease in violent crime is in line with the FBI's national statistic of a 3.5 percent drop in violent crime.
Acupuncture Licensing Proposed: Capitol Event Jan. 22
Mississippi is one of seven states that do not license acupuncturists. Instead, state law says that only medical doctors and dentists can perform acupuncture, and that with a minimal amount of training, about 200 hours.
Innocence Personified
At 13, Lior Liebling is a kid with a great sense of humor. He is innocence personified, pure joy and happiness, living fully in the present moment. His favorite joke? April Fools, where he can tell a little white lie just to see your reaction.
Barbour Furloughs Rapist, Then Retracts
Leslie Bowlin lay in wait for his young victim, watching her roommates leave their shared apartment in the Canterbury Townhouses in Starkville one by one for the Christmas break. When she was finally alone, Bowlin broke into the apartment and raped her at gunpoint.
Nicole's Been Sprung
Dancer Nicole Marquez left the hospitalhopefully for goodon Thursday. Jacksonian Marquez, who was featured in a JFP cover story in November, moved to New York City about a year ago to pursue her career as a dancer and actress. Last Aug. 30, her building super found Nicole in an airshaft after she fell six stories from the building's roof, breaking her neck, back, pelvis and half her ribs. She has been in the hospital since then, with a few brief furloughs in the past couple of months.
Hinds Firefighter Jailed for Domestic Violence
Charged with domestic violence for allegedly beating his wife of 10 years, Hinds County deputies arrested Jackson firefighter James McCaffery, 30, on New Year's Eve. Due to the extent of the wife's injuries, the Sheriff's department upped the charge to felony aggravated assault Monday.
Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank CEO to Speak at Southern Miss Conference
WHAT: Second annual Economic Outlook for South Mississippi Conference at Southern Miss.
SPECIFICS: Dennis P. Lockhart, president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta will be the keynote speaker during the annual Economic Outlook for South Mississippi conference hosted by the Southern Miss College of Business Bureau of Business and Economic Research.
Great Deal for Tuesday's To-Do List
If getting fit and healthy plays a role in your New Year's resolution, put Make It Fit on your to-do list for tomorrow.
Clinton and Palin Encourage Women Politicos
Women believe that Sen. Hillary Clinton and Gov. Sarah Palin crashed a few glass ceilings in the Nov. 4 general elections. Despite the media treating them unfairly, concentrating far too much on hairstyles and clothing, the majority of women voters say that the two politicians have paved the way for more women to run for office in the future.
Resolutions that Work
With every New Year, there are some resolutions that predictably fall flat by Valentine's Day, if not a several weeks sooner. Topping the discard list: Lose weight and exercise more.
Third World Mississippi
New housing construction will boost Mississippi's lagging economy, says Housing Mississippi, an alliance of low-income housing advocacy groups. The organization plans to stimulate building projects through a housing trust fund specifically targeted to assist low-income Mississippi households (those making $29,000 or less annually).
Resolved: A Toxin-Free 2009
Everyone has a start on their New Year's resolutions, right? A lot of folks will be adding "Be More Green" to their lists this year, and here's a corollary to that one: "Get Rid of Toxins."
Text Message Scam Warning
(verbatim from the attorney general's office)
Jackson, MS–A scam text message has apparently been circulating that targets area credit union members, announced Attorney General Jim Hood today.
Industry Denies High-Fructose Corn Syrup Unhealthy
The president of the Corn Refiners Association sent an e-mail to JFP contributing writer Brandi Herrera Phrem about her story "Healthy Holiday Eating," stating that "the suggestion that high fructose corn syrup is an unhealthy ingredient is misleading."
Gift for the History Buff
If you're looking for a last-minute gift for your favorite history buff, "Chimneyville" is just the thing. Written by Mississippi historian H. Grady Howell, Jr., the book is a veritable banquet of wood cuts, photos, maps and newspaper clippings covering the first 100 years of Jackson's history. Howell, who lives in Madison, self-published this lavish volume, but it's far from his first book, having published several previous historical accounts of the state and its people. At $49.95, the volume has heirloom potential. Contact Howell at [e-mail missing] for more information.
George Street Once Again
Locals Jason and Shannon Cockrell, owners of Sam's Lounge, are the proud new owners of 416 George Street. They've been renovating the circa 1910 building, which once housed the George Street Grocery, since last October and have renamed it the Ole Tavern on George Street.
Recipe Contest
Do you have a stellar, favorite holiday recipe using organic ingredients? If so, enter it for a chance to win a prize and the Organic Valley Family of Farms will also donate $1 to the Earth Steward non-profit organization of your choice. Sounds like win/win to me.
Seale's Staying In Jail
JFP Dee-Moore Coverage
Advertising = Obesity
Quick: How can the U.S. (and Mississippi) reduce childhood obesity by 18 percent and reverse the current trends? Education? Better food in schools? Nope. It's simpler than that. Just ban fast-food advertising.
Mississippi Ad a ‘Misstep'?
Calling marketing an art, not a science, an editorial in yesterday's Sun Herald tells the story of an ad run by the Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention and Visitor's Bureau, attempting to attract visitors coming into New Orleans for the upcoming Sugar Bowl.
Detroit and Buggy Whips
Back in the days when personal computers, internet use and e-mail was in the process of becoming ubiquitousnot so very long agoI heard a lot of talk about buggy-whips. In the business I was in at the time, graphic design and typesetting, we had a somewhat haughty opinion about all this new-fangled technology, allowing the untrained and untalented to produce amazingly ungainly advertising and marketing materials.
The Busy Person's Guide to Saving Time
Who isn't busy this time of year? Between scheduling relatives, parties, caroling, etc., etc., etc. the season can be pretty crazy-making. Leo Babauta over at the Zen Habits blog offers The Essential Time-Saving Guide for Busy People, dividing his tips into Work, Computer and Home categories. And he should know about busy; Babauta is the father of six.
Don't Let Holiday Deals Become Holiday Debt
The Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Jackson cautions consumers to avoid impulse purchases this holiday season. [Verbatim from press release.]
Mississippi Loses Bio Lab to Kansas
The Department of Homeland Security selected Manhattan, Kansas, over Flora, Miss., and four other sites for its proposed $451 million Bio and Agro-Defense Facility. The lab, which will focus primarily on communicative animal diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease, often called simply FMD, will replace an outdated 1950s lab currently located on Plum Island, off the coast of New York.
Big 3 Bailout Still Contentious
The proposed Congressional bailout of Detroit's Big 3 Automakers is proving to be fraught with landmines of opposing opinion. In today's New York Times, Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell says that the proposed bailout is "deeply flawed":
Fitness: A Growth Industry
On the heels of yet another piece of bad economic news, here's a bit of brightness: Whether you're just starting out in your career or you're considering a change, take a look at the fitness industry. This is one industry expected to see a lot of growth in the coming years, reports The New York Times. Here's an excerpt:
Half-Million Jobs Cut in November
The Washington Post is reporting job losses of 533,000 in November, affecting construction, computer makers, auto dealers, clothing stores, banks and insurance companies. Here's a snippet from the story:
Jackson's Crime Rate
Jackson's crime rate put Mississippi's capital city at the No. 23 spot of 385 U.S. cities, according to "City Crime Rankings, 2008-2009," released by the CQ Press earlier this month. The city's ranking puts it in a better light than New Orleans, which had the highest crime rate, followed by Camden, N.J., Detroit, St. Louis, Oakland, Calif., and 17 other U.S. cities.
Seale Under Review
The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has scheduled its en banc review of the James Ford Seale case for the week of May 18.
We-the-Fat
On Tuesday, speakers from the Coalition for a Healthier Mississippi unveiled their plans for the third annual Mississippi Health Awareness Day, scheduled for Jan. 15, 2009.
Use It or Lose It (Your Brain, that is)
We all know that if we exercise our bodies, our muscles and bones will stay strong, right? Did you know that your brain needs exercise, too?
Countrywide settlement
If you or someone you know has a mortgage with Countrywide, relief could be on the way. {Verbatim from the Attorney General's office}:
Recession Declared: Market Down 680 Points
The New York Times is reporting that the rumors of a recession are true:
Secret of Happiness Revealed!
Harvard psychologist and author of "Stumbling on Happiness," Dan Gilbert espouses that the secret of happiness is contained in these four tips:
State Not Good for Business?
Mississippi's competitive environment is the worst in the U.S. So says the "Eighth Annual State Competitiveness Report," from the independent, non-partisan Beacon Hill Institute, an economic research organization at Boston's Suffolk University.
Oakley Training School: A 'Bad Model'
Mississippi is wasting time and money in its attempt to bring the decrepit Oakley Juvenile Training School up to humane, livable standards. Calling large-scale, centralized juvenile facilities ineffective, Bear Atwood, director of the Mississippi Youth Justice Project, is advocating for the state to close Oakley permanently in favor of small community-based programs.