Jackson Jambalaya

 The Madison County School District issued the following statement. 

 PERS "reform" is alive and well in the Mississippi Legislature.  The Senate passed SB #3231 this afternoon.  Highlights of the bill are: 

 Lieutenant Governor Delbert Hosemann issued the following statement. 

Senate Medicaid Chairman Kevin Blackwell delivered two conference reports to the House on healthcare reform signed by all three Senate conferees: one with the original Senate plan and the other with a compromise proposal.

 The Brandon Police Department issued the following statement and video. 

Last week, it emerged that the newly appointed head of America’s NPR (National Public Radio) hates the US Constitution. Speaking in 2021, she described the First Amendment which safeguards free speech as “a challenge.”

 Madison-Rankin District Attorney Bubba Bramlett issued the following statement and mug shot. 

And I love just about all of them, as I do just about everyone. I cook for them too, as evidenced by this tasty dessert, which is actually just mixed and not cooked.

 The Mississippi State Department of Health issued the following statement. 

 William McHenry of Madison Timber fame is back in jail after he refused to move after he lost his home. 

Looking at you, Chief Justice

Barack Patton (allegedly) raped, pillaged, and thugged his way through the Clinton area but has yet to face justice thanks to judges who refuse to do their job. 

As with most things, increased inflation over the last several years caused electricity rates to rise more sharply than the typical trend all across the U.S., including Mississippi. Over these same last few years, electricity demand has also risen more sharply due to changes in consumer habits and increased use of technology in the economy, namely data.

The Titanic's doom is a story told over and over, imprinted onto our collective memory.  Rarely remembered is Carpathia's near-suicidal dash through an ice field to save over 700 souls. The water that doomed Titanic forged a hero that night as Captain Arthur Rostron performed seamanship that was nothing short of legendary.  Rostron and his crew deserve their own movie.  Maybe we will get one when Hollywood gets tired of making comic book movies.  Until that time comes, enjoy the video posted below that tells the Carpathia's tale.  Enjoy. 

 Donna Floyd pleaded guilty to embezzling from the Brandon High School Band Booster Club yesterday in Rankin County Circuit Court.  

My advice to upcoming graduates: You are a few years away from beginning your professional life, but you are only weeks away from planning for it. The decision you make about your professional life should be the easiest decision you ever make — your career should be about one thing: passion.

 The city of Jackson issued the following statement. 

Back in 2018, the Supreme Court changed the way remote sales tax was assessed and collected, and in doing so, how government revenues will be impacted moving forward. The ruling came in a case styled South Dakota v. Wayfair.

 The Federal Trade Commission issued the following statement.  

 Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey issued the following statement. 

 It is said no good deed goes unpunished and such is true in Jackson. 

Update: suspect surrendered.   The victim is the brother of the 14 year-old recently killed in Jackson. 

 Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey issued the following statement. 

 Rankin-Madison District Attorney Bubba Bramlett issued the following statement. 

 The Justice Department issued the following statement. 

Ben Couey authored and sponsored this post.  Mr. Couey is the owner of Hempville CBD.  

Dau Mabil's widow and brother are squaring off in Hinds County Chancery Court over who should set the terms for an independent autopsy. 

"They don't make things as good as they used to" is a common complaint handed down from generation to generation.  However, the old adage is actually true when it comes to furniture.  The Wall Street Journal reported recently if you think your new couch is worse than the old one, it's not your imagination.  The sofas are worse than they used to be.  The Journal reported: 

Madison-Rankin District Attorney Bubbal Bramlett issued the following statement and mug shot on April 16.   

Protestors at Columbia University screamed "Burn Tel Aviv to the ground last night" as they pushed for a new Kristallnacht.

Congressman Bennie Thompson wants to strip former President Donald Trump of all Secret Service protection if he is convicted of a felony.  The Congressman from Bolton issued the following statement Friday: 

Sometimes churches become museums. Places where you go to look at pretty things, sort of admire somebody else's work and think isn't it nice, find some comfort there, find some diversion there and the church becomes a museum and stops being seed scatterers," preached the late Dr. Frank Pollard in the 1996 sermon posted below." Churches stop spreading the word and instead fossilize as they forget why they were created.   Enjoy the rest of the sermon.  

Thank you Jason White for the boost to my withering hope that good government conservatives may one day lift Mississippi off the bottom.

 State Auditor Shad White issued the following statement. 

Israel has been at war since October 7, 2023, when Hamas fighters in Gaza launched a surprise attack that initially massacred around 1,400 Israeli citizens, soldiers and foreign nationals living there or attending the Nova music festival. The attack started the current Israeli-Hamas war with total death counts from both sides ranging from 10,000 to more than 30,000 due to discrepancies from sources on each side.

 The recent sale of the Mayflower triggered memories of this post from April 22, 2019.  

 The late Dau Mabil's wife said she she did not receive notice of a hearing concerning her husband's remains that was held in Hinds County Chancery Court yesterday.  

A prison guard (allegedly) beaten by Barry Gilmer while he was in jail sued the attorney for damages related to an alleged assault that took place in the Madison County jail.  She suffered a broken collarbone, broken rib, and multiple contusions to her face when Gilmer allegedly attacked her as she served him his breakfast in the medical unit.  

Let's go ahead and get this out of the way. It ain't Isola, but Tuscany does have its charm. In his online gathering of information and trivial fact, Mr. Wikipedia tells us the region of central Italy, is known for scenic landscapes, rich history, artistic legacy, and its influence on high culture. Oh, and just like my granny's kitchen, it is known for excellent cuisine. 

 The Mississippi Department of Education issued the following statement. 

Lawrence County Sheriff says no foul play.  

A Hinds County Chancellor ordered the state crime lab to conduct an autopsy on the body of a man found floating in the Pearl River recently.  The identity of the deceased is the missing Dau Mabil. 

Every year, Mississippi lawmakers debate the amount to spend on education. As important, perhaps, is the question of how to spend the money.

Update: The Chancellor ordered an autopsy of the body. More to follow. 

 If you are reading this, it means I am sitting in chancery court watching an emergency hearing on the Dau Mabil case.  

The Mississippi Board of Cosmetology issued the following statement. 

 It will soon be a new day at the Mayflower Cafe. 

 The infamous David Luke Lane caught a break in federal court after U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate reduced his prison sentence.  Judge Wingate's April 16 order states: 

 Do you have what it takes to be a Trooper at the Mississippi Highway Patrol? Watch this video to see if you do? If so, email MHP at horndog@mhp.ms.gov for an application.  

Music has been a constant companion throughout my life. It has accompanied me in times of joy and sorrow and never let me down.

As Mississippi legislators head to conference on the state’s first sincere consideration of some form of Medicaid expansion, we’ve heard alarms sounded by the right and the left on why the state alternately should or should not expand Medicaid coverage for the state’s working poor.

It was a true tale of evil that was told in a Rankin County courtroom this morning as Rankin County Court Judge David Morrow held a preliminary hearing for Carly Gregg.  The 14 year-old Gregg stands accused of murdering her mother and shooting her stepfather at their home on March 19.  

Posing for the camera?

Head Goon Brett McAlpin filed a notice of appeal with in U.S. District Court yesterday.  

 JXN Water issued the following statement. 

 The war of words between Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba escalated yet again today at the Mayor's weekly press conference.  

 State Auditor Shad White issued the following statement. 

The Ivana Williams scandal claimed yet another um, scalp. The Mississippi Highway Patrol fired Master Sergeant Jeremy Lott after discovering the two troopers exchanged nude photos. MHP terminated Williams in February for sending nude photos of herself to other troopers as well as committing other infractions.  A synopsis of her case is published at the end of this post.  

Looking for a deal on a "starter rifle" for the kids? Palmetto State Armory knocked down the price of several models of the Ruger 10/22 rifle as it placed them on clearance.  

Eat, drink, and make merry.  Such is the way of our world as it worships the hedonistic lifestyle.  We will live forever after all, right?  The late Dr. Frank Pollard said we will indeed live forever but a judgment will determine what that forever will be.   Enjoy the 1996 sermon posted below as he discusses "soul insurance."  

The dog is awfully close to catching the runaway car – the dog being the Legislature and the car being PERS.

William Shatner appeared on Real Time with Bill Maher last night.  Needless to say, Captain Kirk stole the show even though he is the oldest person to ever appear on the program.  See for yourself.  Enjoy. 

 More drama at the Hotel O, brought to you by Noah Muthana and Ibrahim Khoder. 

At the risk of sounding a bit too simplistic, the most popular candidate in the 2024 presidential election will win. Those who’ve listened to some of the talking heads know seven swing states will likely decide which candidate wins the Electoral College. The seven swing states are Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Georgia, Arizona, Nevada, and North Carolina.

Fallout from the Ivana Williams scandal continues to spread at the Mississippi Highway Patrol. MHP fired Master Sergeant Julius Hutson on April 2 after it discovered he asked Williams to send him nude photographs of her to his phone even though he was her superior.  Williams sent him several nude photos.  MHP terminated Williams in February when it discovered she sent nude pictures of herself to several troopers.  

The Mississippi Department of Public Safety issued the following statement.

 It appears MHSAA does not want Mississippi athletes competing at the national level.  Check out Rule 7.22 in the 2023-2024 handbook. 

I do not claim to know the origins of the dish most of us call Shrimp and Grits. Some say it came from the coastal areas of Louisiana and others say the Tide Water or Low Country region of the Carolinas. Does it matter? All I know is the dish is mighty fine eating and I have a pretty good way of making it.

 JPD arrested Ibrahim Khoder this week and charged him with committing perjury in the Hotel O case.  

Hotel O. More pictures posted below.

 Mississippi is now entirely surrounded by states that have either passed, or are in the process of passing, laws that will give every family school choice.  A proposal to do something similar in our state never even made it to a full vote in the legislature.

 Let's step back into the 1980's.  The scene: everyone's favorite restaurant.  Notice anything different? 

Insurance Commish Mike Chaney issued the following statement. 

Murder suspect Marcus Johnson was arrested in Louisiana yesterday.  JPD issued the following statement Tuesday: 

Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba claimed last week Jackson would have to raise garbage collection fees because JXN Water is doing a poor job of collecting payments.  Well, JXN Water said not so fast, my friend, and issued the following statement: 

 Attorney General Lynn Fitch issued the following statement. 

The Goons were sentenced this morning in Rankin County Circuit Court.  The proceedings are posted below, courtesy of WAPT. 

BARBERINO-TAVARNELLE, TUSCANY— Naples is the birthplace of pizza. It’s an ancient and historic seaside city that can be a little scary at times these days, but it is Ground Zero for the savory pie the world has come to love. The Neapolitan version has been around Southwestern Italy for more than 500 years. Pizza eventually travelled across the Atlantic and through Ellis Island in the late 1800s. The first restaurant to sell pizza in America was Lombardi’s in New York.

It is a truism in the Mississippi Legislature that a bill can die three deaths before it is truly dead.  Such applies to the PERS "reform bill" the Senate killed last week. 

After more than 40 years of reporting and writing about crime and punishment in Mississippi, I’ve seen the pendulum swing from “get tough” to “out of sight, out of mind” to “who’s making money off the system now?”

 The House & Senate are squaring off over the MAEP formula.  

 Can you spot the mistake in this Clarion-Ledger story about the airport takeover that was published last week? 

 The Pearl Police Department issued the following statement and pictures. 

 Generation Z is saying to hell with four-year degrees and student loans as its members instead "pick up the tool belt."   The Wall Street Journal reported April 2: 

 Well, we kind of missed the eclipse yesterday thanks to some clouds that refused to cooperate with our plans.   Enjoy the heavenly event in all its glory in the videos posted below.

Wednesday will be yet another nail in the coffin for the Goon Squad as  Circuit Judge Steve Ratcliff sentences them after they pleaded guilty to various state charges in August.  U.S. District Judge Tom Lee sentenced them last month for their federal charges in the torture of Michael Jenkins, Eddie Parker, and Alan Schmidt.   The state charges and sentence recommendations are posted below. 

 Yet another business is leaving Jackson.  

 JXN Water issued the following press release. 

 State Bean-Counter Shad White issued the following statement. 

Coach Prime is having some problems with his players.  Start at 3:24 in the video.  

One of the best movies ever made returns to the big screen this week in the  Jackson area even if you don't give a damn.  Showtimes are posted below. 

Will there be signature achievements by the 2024 Legislature or just signature flops?

 The family of Tupelo High school track star Andrew Brown issued the following statement. 

 All this has happened before and it will all happen again. 

After weeks upon weeks and months upon months of disturbing news both here and abroad, Easter weekend and Resurrection Sunday in particular dawned with much needed hope for peace and resolutions of conflicts and divisions. We no longer live in an America where people are comfortable living and letting others live as they see fit within the confines of common sense. Most of us want to fix what’s wrong with everybody else.

 It's been thirty years since Kurt left us today.   Here is a little something to remember him by. 

The next 24 hours are going to be maddening for Andrew Brown as the Mississippi High School Activities Association decides whether to reinstate the freshman track phenom for the 2024 outdoor track season . 

There is a reason Jackson's Mayor is called "Lyin' Lumumba."  The Mayor's latest fairy tale involves Jackson's water system.  Anthony Warren at WLBT reported: 

Without going too deep in philosophy, let me say life has given us many lemons.

 The Justice Department issued the following statement. 

 Annie Oeth authored the following press release for Children's of Mississippi Hospital. 

 Well, that was fun.   MHSAA threw yours truly out of its building today when I tried to cover a hearing in the Andrew Brown suspension today.

The Sisters of the Order of Rukia are going to get a seat at the table in the Jackson water case.  U.S. District  Judge Henry Wingate approved the Poor People's Campaign and People's Assembly motion to intervene in the Jackson water case.  They filed a complaint asking the Court to give them oversight of the water system through a "community water board."  

America is now six months away from a Presidential election.  If current polls are correct and Donald Trump comes out ahead in the key battleground states, we could soon see a conservative in the White House, and a conservative-controlled Senate and House.

 Gary Pettus authored the following press release for UMC. 

As the Solar Eclipse of 2024 looms, be warned that the face of the sun may not be the only thing that will fade.

Jackson's water/sewer system will remain on the Lumumba plantation for yet another year after the House killed SB #2628 yesterday.   The bill  would create a new public utility district that would in turn purchase Jackson's water/sewer system from the city. 

BARBERINO-TAVARNELLE, ITALY— As a kid almost every restaurant in my hometown was independently owned and local. Granted, there weren't too many full-service restaurants in my hometown back then, but it’s all we knew. It wasn't until the 1990s that we began to see the influx of chain restaurants as the city expanded westward. We are inundated with chains these days.

 Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens issued the following statement. 

Daniel Porter Jordan Jr.’s passing was noted in many of the nation’s leading newspapers, including The Washington Post. Jordan, one of America’s most distinguished and respected historians, died March 21 of a heart attack was 85.

Lieutenant Governor Responds 

Speaker of the House Jason White issued the following statement. 

 Bill Maher had a little bit of reckoning for the Covidiots on his show Friday night.  Of course, by Covidiots, we mean the so-called Covidexperts who got so much wrong or as he called it, those who are "Stuck on Stupid."  Enjoy the skewering. 

 Rankin-Madison District Attorney Bubba Bramlett issued the following statement and mug shot. 

 Rankin-Madison District Attorney Bubba Bramlett issued the following statement and mug shot. 

Last week, the Senate Government Structure committee held a public hearing on House Bill 1590 which aligns Mississippi’s retirement board structure with national models and prevents the rate hike approved by the current board to increase by hundreds of millions of dollars what taxpayers contribute to the plan known as PERS (Public Employees’ Retirement System).

 The Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce issued the following statement. 

 Madison County caught a break.  Sheriff Randy Tucker said the county will recover at least $2.2 million of the $2.7 it lost to a bogus vendor recently.  The Sheriff announced the news at the regular meeting of the Madison County Board of Supervisors this morning.  

Andrew Brown may be one of the leading track stars in Mississippi but the MHSAA banned him from participating in the 2024 track & field season. His crime?  Brown dared to compete in the New Balance National Indoor Track & Field Championships in March, a non-MHSAA event. The Monolith was not pleased.  

Patterns are patterns and the owner of the Briarwood 1 Building definitely has a pattern.  Check out what Mike Kohan pulled recently.  WLUC (Michigan) reported: 

 The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation issued the following statement. 

It's Easter Sunday, the holiest day in Christianity.  It's a day of happiness, dressing up - sometimes once a year - for church,  and enjoying family dinners.  Good times.   Often forgotten is Crucifixion Friday or rather, the pain of Crucifixion Friday.  Standing at the pulpit in 1987, the late Dr. Frank Pollard preached they are two sides of the same coin, one side can't exist without the other although many want to skip over the pain to get to the pleasure.  Enjoy your Easter Sunday and the sermon posted below.  

The Legislature was going to make a serious effort to fix PERS this year. Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann called it “the major issue” for this session. House Speaker Jason White said, “we want to fix this long term.”

 It appears some form of Medicaid expansion will pass the legislature only to meet the Governor's veto pen.  Just one question.  During all of the horse-trading, how come no abolishment of the certificate of need was placed on the table?  Are the so-called conservatives in the legislature in that much of a hurry to expand Medicaid?  Just curious.  

 Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens issued the following statement. 

 Well that was interesting.  A bill that would help place a casino in Jackson died just as suddenly as it appeared in the Mississippi House of Representatives last week.  Text & history of bill.

In his gospel account, Luke records Jesus riding on a donkey into Jerusalem on Sunday of Passion Week.

 Looking for a new Mafia movie?  Check out Hoodlum.  This little gem popped up for free recently on Youtube.  It's not The Godfather but it rates a solid "B" as it tells the story of the war between Dutch Schultz and Bumpy Johnson in 1930's Harlem.  

 Lost in the discussion at the Capitol about PERS is this little nugget in the 2023 actuarial report: 

 Sometimes a gangster really is a gangster.  Exhibit A in the Daily Mail (UK): 

What would you most like to see Mississippi’s elected lawmakers do during the current legislative session?

Credit: Charlotte Gazette

 Actor Lou Gossett, Jr. passed away today.  Rest in peace, Sergeant Foley. 

I apologize to Marie for stealing the words she may or may not have uttered, but sometimes you simply must have a piece of cake. I guess must have pound cake would be more accurate.

 The Order of the Sisters of Rukia is at it again......

Update: JPD arrested and charged Siyaski Crawford with murder as well.  Crawford is 15 years-old. 

The accused killer of a 14 year-old Northwest Rankin Middle School student was denied bond yesterday in Jackson Municipal Court.  However, his alleged accomplice received bond although it was set at a mere $1.5 million.

 Rankin-Madison District Attorney Bubba Bramlett issued the following statement and mug shot.

Can you spot today's error in the Clarion-Ledger? 

The Jackson Police Department issued the following press release and mug shots. 

 PERS just can't seem to catch a break.  The PERS team scored several touchdowns in 2023 but fell behind on the scoreboard yet again as its funding level fell to a new low even though it enjoyed decent returns in the markets.  

 Birmingham-Southern College will close when the current semester ends in May.  Reverend Keith Thompson, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the college, announced yesterday: 

PETROGNANO, ITALY— It’s true that there’s no place like home, and I deeply and dearly love my hometown of Hattiesburg and my home state of Mississippi. I could live other places, but I never will. My roots are in South Mississippi. I am a seventh generation citizen of the Pine Belt and I am Mississippi to the core. Texans are known for being proud of their home state. For me, I have Texas pride— times ten— for Mississippi.

Mississippi Secretary of State Michael Watson issued the following statement. 

Mississippians watched along with the rest of the nation to see whether justice would prevail in the so-called “Goon Squad” cases in which six white former Rankin County law enforcement officers pleaded guilty to torturing and terrorizing two Black men for hours after breaking into a home without a warrant.

 The Justice Department issued the following statement. 

 The Mississippi Energy Institute sponsored and authored this post. 

Have you considered an electric vehicle for your next car, or maybe in the future? Maybe you own one of the 1.2 million EVs that was purchased in 2023, or about 7.6% of new car sales nationally, but chances are, you're among the vast majority of people who continue to prefer a gasoline-powered car or truck.

 The city of Jackson will soon have no engineers in its employ.  City Engineer Robert Lee (no relation) is moving on to bigger and better things as he tendered his resignation.  

 Ivana Williams is becoming quite familiar with the various court systems in Mississippi.  A Jane Doe sued former MHP troopers Williams and Brad McClendon in U.S. District Court yesterday.  

Madison-Rankin District Attorney Bubba Bramlett issued the following statement. 

 The container ship, Dali,  destroyed the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore last night. 

Madison County was scammed out of $2.7 million recently.  Madison County Board of Supervisors President Gerald Steen announced the fraud after an emergency meeting of the Board was held in executive session this morning.  

 Gabriel Prado took that eyesore of a gas station on Briarwood Drive by the frontage road and is turning it into something a little bit more nice.   Don Gabriel will open in the next few weeks.  

 MDOC finally picked up its boy out of the Rankin County jail.  

"Life is won or lost at a walk," said the late Dr. Frank Pollard.  However, walking is boring. Walking takes time.  However, walking builds foundations.  Walking is what makes the heavenly moments possible.  Dr. Pollard said this and more as he preached from Isaiah 40:28-31 (posted below) in the 1996 sermon posted below.  

During the season of Easter, Christians celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. What better time to reflect upon His key teachings – love God and love each other. Jesus told us that includes enemies, strangers, children, the sick, the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind.

 Many readers are keeping up with JJ's Goon Squad coverage.  Posted below is the Justice Department's sentencing memorandum for Christian Dedmon.  It was not yet public when he was sentenced Wednesday.  

 The Ballad of Rudy Warnock continues in federal court.   Former Canton Municipal Utilities engineer Rudy Warnock asked U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate to postpone his April 1 bribery trial.  

Americans have almost always defied definitions. From the beginning, others have struggled to separate patriots from loyalists. Today even MAGA means something sinister to those who used to wear “Make America Great Again” campaign buttons for Bill Clinton for president.

Yesterday was a day for justice as U.S. District Judge Tom Lee sentenced Brett McAlpin to serve 327 months in prison for his role in the torture and framing of two black men in Braxton last year.  McAlpin is the former Chief of Investigations for the Rankin County Sheriff's Office.

The only chance to survive is to choose a side.  Remaining neutral means death.  Are you Green or Black? 

 Many organizations these days say they want to promote diversity, equity and inclusion – often abbreviated to DEI.  What this means is instead of judging each of us as being an individual, we get categorized by our race, national origin or gender.  

 We try to go to the beach several times a year. We're not always successful making it down there but we consider it a noble cause worthy of daydreams. One of the reasons we want to be there because a condo on the beach is a wonderful place to enjoy a plate of Shrimp Freddy.

 The Justice Department issued the following statement. 

 Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey issued the following statement. 

 U.S. District Judge Tom Lee just sentenced Brett McAlpin to serve 327 months in prison for his role in the torturing of Michael Jenkins and Eddie Parker on January 24, 2023 in Braxton.   McAlpin was Chief of Investigations at the Rankin County Sheriff's Office.  More information to follow.  327 months translates to 27 years and 3 months.  

 Anthony Fox is going from defense to offense after getting out of prison.  The Clinton police officer sued the State of Missisisppi in Hinds County Circuit Court Tuesday.  

 Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey issued the following information on murder suspect 

 Dedmon.  It is a name that will forever symbolize the terror of modern-day racism in Mississippi.  Murder for fun, torture, sadism, and sexual abuse, all acts committed by Deryl Dedmon or his cousin, former Goon Squad member Christian Lee Dedmon.  

Chalk, Dedmon, Cory, Parker Artist: Bill Wilson for JJ & WLBT

 How prophetic this old Ted DiBiase turned out to be.

 State Representative Henry Zuber (R-Margaritaville) issued the following statement. 

VALENCIA, SPAIN— It was a tight spot. Not in the figurative sense in which one is faced with a challenging situation that needs immediate attention. Though this was a very challenging situation that needed immediate action, but it was also a literal tight spot.

 The Jackson City Council approved a six-year garbage contract with Richard's Disposal.  However, the contract does not include the mandatory use of his precious 96-gallon garbage carts.  WLBT reported: 

The Mississippi Legislature is purposefully and earnestly moving legislation through the Capitol that would make it easier to prosecute law enforcement officer misconduct. This effort is long overdue and represents unfinished business in our state.

 U.S. District Judge Thomas Lee sentenced Jeffrey Middleton to serve 210 months in federal prison in the Goon Squad case today.  

 Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey issued the following statement. 

Dedmon sexually assaults suspect 

The first Goon is sentenced and packed off to prison.  U.S. District Judge Tom Lee sentenced former Rankin County deputy Hunter Elward to serve 241 months in prison today in a packed courtroom as Rankin took its place next to Neshoba in Mississippi's sordid civil rights history.  

Elward, Holliman, Shabazz, Mrs. Jenkins

 It's a pitiful state of affairs when cops are locked up and killers are set free but such has been taking place in the courtroom of Hinds County Circuit Judge Adrienne Wooten.  A jury convicted T'Quaris Jones of murder recently but remains free after Judge Wooten threw out the verdict.  

 The Goon Squad sentencing starts today in U.S. District Court before U.S. District Judge Tom Lee. 

The old adage about auditors bayoneting the wounding remains true at JXN Water.  WLBT reported: 

Hinds County Sheriff Tyree Jones issued the following statement. 

 The Board of Trustees for the Mississippi Public Employees Retirement System issued the following statement. 

 Our Yankee blogger, Peter Santenello, wrapped up his fact-finding tour of the Mississippi Delta and moved on to where else but...... Jackson.  Thankfully, he didn't try to do a shock video but engaged a Jacksonian, Dr. Tommie Mabry, who provided some thoughtful commentary as they toured the Bold New City.  Check it out.  

No surprises in the March 12^th congressional and presidential primaries. Well, maybe a small one.

 Star Wars generated a herd of copycats such as Moonraker, Spaceballs, and..... Starcrash.  How bad was Starcrash?  It was too bad for even Joe Bob Briggs.  How bad is it? Let's just say Christopher Plummer should have never complained about being in The Sound of Music after taking part in this movie.   Fellow headliners David Hasselhoff and Caroline Munro headline the all-whatever cast.  Enjoy.

 JXN Water Manager Theodore Henifin issued the following statement. 

 Video of traffic stop and arrest posted below.

A Mississippi Highway Patrol Trooper got his job back after he was fired for cursing and tasing a motorist who refused to comply during a traffic stop. 

 Wonderful.  Just wonderful.  This little bit of urban street language is hanging by the side of Jacksonian Plaza.  

Text & history of SB #2628.  

The Mississippi State Senate passed SB #2628 Tuesday. The bill creates a new public utility district that will in turn purchase Jackson's water/sewer system from the city.   Although detractors claim otherwise, the bill is not a takeover but a buyout.  Jackson's water/sewer receiver, Ted Henifin, supports the bill.

Back in the 1970s, we lived in Cleveland, MS, where I worked for Baxter Healthcare. During our time in Cleveland, we became friends with a "good old Cleveland boy" and his family. He was a faithful husband, father, welder, frog grabber, fisherman, feral pig and deer hunter, and stew maker, although maybe not in that exact order.

 The Savannah Bananas are taking on the Party Animals down in Baton Rouge.  If you've never seen them before, check out the live-stream below. Jake, get them to Pearl next year. 

Sometimes looks are inversely proportional to intelligence.  Exhibit A. 

 Ridgeland Police charged Mark Wayne Williams with exploitation of children on March 9.  

 State Auditor Shadrack White issued the following statement. 

Do you want to keep your shoes in great shape? Get some cedar shoe trees if you have not done so already. They help the shoe or boot keep its shape but also absorb the moisture left by your nasty feet.  However, shoe trees run around $30 a pop so the cost can add up pretty quickly if you're trying to keep your investment from turning into an expense.  Fortunately, Woodlore has a nice 2 for 1 sale going for a few days right now.  Check it out..  The sale ends Monday.  You're welcome.  

Green pleads guilty to civil rights violation.  

The Pearl Police Department issued the following statement. 

You WILL  get a 96-gallon garbage cart!!! 

The city of Jackson issued the following statement. 

Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture & Commerce Andrew Gipson issued the following statement. 

MADRID— The motto of the Boy Scouts of America is to be prepared. That’s all well and good, except I got kicked out of scouting as a Webelo (the stage between Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts). I was never awarded a preparedness merit badge, and don’t even know if there is such a thing. Though I feel as if I have armored up for all potential setbacks while hosting over 40 groups of more than 1,200 people, through lots of European countries over a six-year period. In all those travels, I have never had a transportation problem.

 It appears our favorite drug dealer, John Dowdy, III, is getting some special treatment at MDOC.  While other drug dealers get to enjoy the luxuries of prison life at MDOC, Third gets to hang out at a local county jail.  

The current effort to make a partial expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act in Mississippi appears to have hit a legislative logjam in the State Senate over the issue of work requirements.

The Madison Police Department issued the following statement and mug shots. 

 Rankin-Madison District Attorney Bubba Bramlett issued the following statement and mug shots. 

Copy of lawsuit posted below.  Only available online at JJ. 

Former Mississippi State star quarterback Dak Prescott accused a woman of trying to extort him for $100 million in a lawsuit filed in Collin County, Texas yesterday.  NBCDFW reported: 

 A Mendenhall resident managed to videotape the SpaceX flight as it flew over Mississippi.  A sonic boom followed.  

 Did you know that Mississippi spends a higher share of our overall wealth on healthcare than almost any other state in America?  Yet despite this, we still have some of the worst health outcomes in the country.

 The Justice Department issued the following statement. 

 A Madison County grand jury indicted Charlie Bennett for arson and insurance fraud in December.  A video allegedly shows a man wearing a Bennett Landscaping" shirt pouring what appears to be fuel all over the interior of an excavator before he allegedly set it on fire.  The video is posted below.

 State Auditor Shad White issued the following statement. 

 Well, well, well, check out what our favorite ex-trooper posted on social media. Obviously it's a joke.  Right?

Black were the skies, black were the seas, and black was their fate as their ship was battered and broken.   There was no GPS.  Quadrants and sextants were centuries away.   All was lost or so it seemed when one lowly man, driven by faith, stepped forward.  The late Dr. Frank Pollard tells the rest of the story in the 1996 sermon posted below.  

The memoir of hall of fame entrepreneur J.L. Holloway illustrates the important role local entrepreneurs have played in job creation across Mississippi.

 Let's play spot the error in today's Wall Street Journal.  Answers will be withheld for awhile. 

From his creation, Satan’s reason for being has been to deceive and to divide. We don’t know much about Satan or angels who follow him. For that matter we know so very little about God our Creator, Lord of all and God of all. Nevertheless, God Himself has revealed everything we need to know about Him. In a nutshell, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.” Romans 1:18-19.

After getting her nose bloodied a little in court, Ivana Williams broke out the brass knuckles and started swinging last week.  A former female friend accused Williams of sexually assaulting her at her Brandon home last year in a lawsuit.  However, Williams charged in her response that the alleged victim was the aggressor and if anything, Williams is the victim. 

 A Taste of Mississippi is just around the corner.  

Rankin-Madison District Attorney Bubba Bramlett issued the following statement.

I have no idea who taught John how to hop. I'm not even sure who John Is, but I love the recipe named after the Hopping Dude named John that makes a tasty black eye pea and rice dish. If you ever had a bowl of Hopping John and liked it, you would likely love this hearty soup. 

 Sardines were stolen from a Jackson grocery but the police got their man, er, make that men.  Apologies for any improper language. Yes, there was a sardine-stealing ring waaaaaay back in 1954 Jackson but don't worry, the cops were on top of things back then. 

 Pearl Police arrested Christopher Dedmon and charged him with motor vehicle theft. 

Aaron Banks' reckoning with justice for his DUI arrest last month is postponed for another day.  WLBT reported: 

The Hinds County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to appoint Hinds County Public Information Officer Othor Cain to the Board of Trustees for the Jackson/Hinds Library System. 

 The Mississippi State Department of Health fined cannabis testing company Rapid Analytics, LLC $1 million for 200 violations of various cannabis regulations.