Jackson Jambalaya

 Some people think they own everything.  

A man convicted and sentenced to three counts of rape in March was free to rape again and rape again he did (allegedly).  

 While Madison and Gluckstadt slug it out over the annexation of an area between the two cities, Madison asked the Mississippi Supreme Court to allow it to provide municipal services to the disputed area until the Court rules on the matter.  

Speaking to my friends at Smith County Republicans the other day, someone asked me what I most loved about moving to Mississippi from London.

Hattiesburg Attorney Corey Ferraez walked out of jail yesterday and straight to house arrest. 

 Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey issued the following statement. 

 The ZeroBear may be away but he is still with us in spirit.  This post is in honor of his recipes and all the stories he told.  

Robert Wilson of the Mississippi Scoreboard reported Jackson Academy got quite the transfer haul for its football team: 

Empower Mississippi's Grant Callen sits down with former Mississippi House Speaker Philip Gunn to trace his journey from Clinton’s small-town roots to state leadership. Gunn shares how a personal tragedy at Ole Miss Law upended his life, yet God’s faithfulness sustained him, strengthened his faith, and taught him resilience. From his 2003 House race to winning the Speaker’s gavel, he reveals lessons from the political trenches. They dive into his proudest wins: helping overturn Roe v. Wade, driving education reform, and changing Mississippi’s flag. Is a 2027 gubernatorial run next? Tune in for his answer and a vision for a thriving Mississippi where everyone can rise

 Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens issued the following statement. 

 Hattiesburg attorney Corey Ferraez will get to sleep in his own bed tonight after Perry County Chancellor Sheila Smallwood released him from house arrest today.  

 Hulk Hogan died of a heart attack today.  He was 71 years-old.   He lived a full life and probably had more fun than we all should be allowed to have. Hard to believe we lost Ozzy and the Hulkster in the same week. Meanwhile, Keith Richards rocks on.   

 There he was just a walking down the street.....

 A whistleblower told of troubles at the Mississippi Department of Corrections.  Barksdale Today reported: 

 It's the Frenchies.  What else do you expect?  The Wall Street Journal reported:

 JPD issued the following statement and mug shots. 

 It appears the prosecution of incarcerated attorney Corey Ferraez will proceed.  

The New Republic recently published an article on JXN Water Manager Ted Henifin.  Actually, a hit piece is a more apt description as shown by this rather misleading headline: 

 JPD issued the following statement. 

U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate is bound and determined to find out what happened to the Siemens settlement funds as he subpoenaed more records yesterday. 

My wife’s off on a girls’ trip, and my son happened to have two days off work. That was all the excuse I needed. I booked a flight, packed a bag, and headed north. A couple of days in Chicago with him? That’s time I’ll always take.

 What could possibly happen on a late weeknight in Jackson? 

Much of the legitimate news commentary and almost all of the social media missives praising or damning last week’s congressional approval of President Donald Trump’s $9 billion rescission package at least inferred that Trump was engaging in unprecedented actions and expanding presidential powers in a nefarious manner.

JPD released the following video and statement.  

 A true Hollywood classic will appear at the bijou next month.  A faded movie star, a jaded boyfriend, and a sensational murder all make for Sunset Boulevard.   

 The Prince of Darkness is no more.  Ozzy Osbourne passed away today.  Suffering from Parkinson's disease, Mr. Osbourne met his maker today surrounded by family.   To say he had a storied career is an understatement as he redefined what it was to be a "frontman" for a band.  He performed what was truly his farewell concert last week.  Retirement is not meant for some people.  

Thanks for the music, Ozzy, thanks for the music.   Some of his work is posted below.  

 It appears Rayden Smith will be sitting in jail for a while after he allegedly tried to kidnap and rape a woman on July 18.  

Pearl Mayor Jake Winham appeared on The Jambalaya with the Kingfish podcast to discuss the One Lake flood control plan.  Mr. Windham is the Chairman of the Pearl River Valley Drainage and Flood Control District (Levee Board).  Hizzoner discusses the latest hurdles thrown up by the U.S Army Corps of Engineers.  He also gives a brief update on Pearl at the end of the podcast.  

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

 It's a long way from partying with Hef in 2009: 

 You can't make this up.  Three years later and this video is still funny. 

 State Bean Counter Shadrack White issued the following statement. 

 Some people should forfeit their right to have pets.  Exhibit A: 

 What if time travel came to the SEC? 

 Yet another client accused Hattiesburg attorney Corey Ferraez of embezzling part of a settlement as another lawsuit was filed against the lawyer last week.   

 Patrice Guilfoyle authored the following press release for the University of Mississippi Medical Center.  

The Jackson Police Department issued the following statement .

Some anti-ICE protestors found blocking the bridge at the Kentucky-Ohio state line was not a good idea.

Once upon a time, a person would take off his clothes and put on new ones before baptism.  Doing so symbolized a shedding of the old, corrupt soul, a molting if you will, a transformation.   Gone would be the ways of lust and anger as one seeks peace.  The late Dr. Frank Pollard preached on what it means to wear a divine wardrobe in the 1997 sermon posted below.  

The U.S. Constitution was our founding fathers’ best effort to create a system where the “will of the people” could prevail. They established a congress of representatives of the people to provide that will. Of course, that only yielded the will of the congressional majority not of all people. Still, that was greatly preferred over the will of a monarch or ambitious president.

 Fred Haynes might be gone but he should not be forgotten.  Son of a slave, World War I veteran, longtime Hinds County Sheriff and Mississippi Valley Title employee, he lived quite a life.  He passed away in 1992.  I discovered his story while digging through the newspaper archives.  Enjoy reading about him.  

 Some are mad about the cancellation of The Late Show with host Stephen Colbert, blaming President Trump for the ax.  However, there is a much simpler reason.  The show was losing money and a great deal of it.  The Wall Street Journal reported: 

One year ago today we were eating breakfast at the Starkville Café. John came over to talk about politics. He asked what I planned to write that week.

 Apparently Corey Ferraez, Esq. finds jail life disagreeable.  The attorney filed a notice of appeal today. 

 ICE raided a local Mexican restaurant yesterday.  WLBT reported: 

 The mugshot says it all. 

Mississippi is shedding its image as an economic laggard. Over the past five years, the state’s economic output has grown more than it did over the previous fifteen years combined.

"He's out there operating without any decent restraint, totally beyond the pale of any acceptable human conduct." General Corman in Apocalypse Now. 

Attorney Corey Ferraez's long vacation from prosecution may finally be over.   

 The Zerobear is still on hiatus so in his honor, enjoy this recipe for some good ole drinkable cimmamin rolls. 

Update #2: Warnock currently resides at the Forrest County jail.*

Update #1: U.S. District Judge Kristi Johnson revoked Rudy Warnock's bond this afternoon after he tried to commit suicide yesterday. 

The city of Gluckstadt won't take no for an answer.  

 The Justice Department moved to revoke Rudy Warnock's bond today.  The motion states: 

 It's that time of year again so please support your favorite Jackson website.  Your support makes this website possible and it would not have made it this far without you. JJ led the way in reporting on the Jackson water crisis and covered stories the media would not touch, right.  However, the need for your support remains as strong as ever. 

Our favorite jailhouse attorney, Corey Ferraez, faces more problems in the courtroom after yet another client accused him of embezzling, er, make that improperly withholding her settlement funds.    

 Remember that alienation of affection lawsuit involving a State Senator?  The plot just thickened.  

 Rudy Warnock attempted to commit suicide after a jury convicted him on multiple counts of public corruption.  

SeaD Consulting tested shrimp served at Jackson-area restaurants and found some of them wanting. The company issued the following statement.

In the heart of Mississippi, far from coastal docks but deeply tied to Gulf seafood culture, a new investigation has uncovered what appears to be widespread deception in seafood sourcing. Genetic testing of shrimp dishes served in a substantial percentage of Jackson-area restaurants shows that a large majority of establishments are confusing consumers by serving imported shrimp presented as domestic wild-caught.Company website.

 The jury convicted Rudy Warnock on all counts. 

 You're seeing the sights in that big city when a buddy of yours says "Hey, I'm in town, meet me over at Niemen Marcus."  As you need some nice shoes, you happily oblige.  Unfortunately, the store has nothing you like, even in the $2,000 range.  Your pal says "Damn, I'm sorry.  I'll just get you a pair from the Allen Edmonds Shell Cordovan trunk show. " 

 The Mississippi Department of Health issued the following statement.  

 Corey Ferraez was a wanted man for nearly a month after a Perry County Chancellor ordered his arrest on June 19.  Despite being on the lam, the Hattiesburg attorney still managed to practice law despite covid, addiction, kidney stones, and depression.  Check this out: 

 Some things in life are constant. For some people it’s a favorite hymn or a favorite breed in a family dog. For me, it’s music, football, Mississippi—and pancakes.

 It was indeed a busy day in Jackson Municipal Court today as Judge Jeffrey Reynolds locked up thug after thug.   

Mississippians are generally a generous and empathetic people. We sincerely feel the pain of others struggling to deal with the suffering of natural disasters and communities that are ravaged by wind, water and unrelenting storms.

L.E. Ford would "fight a circular saw at the slightest provocation," as the Clarion-Ledger put it back in 1893 when it reported his hanging in a rather colorful story.   To call him a sumbtich is an insult to sumbtiches everywhere.  The current crop of street thugs had nothing on this guy.  

 Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey issued the following statement. 

 The University of Mississippi Medical Center sent the following letter written by Vice-Chancellor Dr. Louanne Woodward. 

 U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate is considering a proposed rate increase submitted by JXN Water.  WLBT reported: 

 Attorney Corey Ferraez spent the night in jail after Perry County Chancellor Sheila Smallwood took him to the woodshed yesterday in Chancery Court.  

 If you plan on using Highway 43 to cross the upper lake to get to Tommy's Trading Post this summer, you're out of luck.  MDOT issued the following notice: 

 Ever seen a fire tornado? 

 JPD issued the following statement. 

or The Case of the Missing $195, 168

Hattiesburg attorney Corey Ferraez is in jail.  

Corey Ferraez, Esq.

 Something you don't see in movies anymore.  

 Sylvia Weatherford is begging a Perry County Chancellor for relief after her attorney, Corey Ferraez disappeared.  

Corey Ferraez, Esq. (for now) Credit: WLBT

He's baaaaaaaaaaaaaack.  Remember, he is here to fight for you!

 Former MBI Officer John Winstead will  soon serve a 22-month prison sentence for beating a suspect in handcuffs.  Winstead pleaded guilty a year ago to after pleading guilty to deprivation of civil rights under color of law.  

 Attorney General Lynn Fitch issued the following statement. 

Have the fuss and factionalism that plagued this year’s legislative session gone away? No, they appear to fester.  

 JPD issued the following statement. 

 Two former CMU employees claimed they were fired because they would not talk to then-CMU engineer Rudy Warnock.  WLBT reported yesterday: 

 Season 3 of Foundation started on Apple TV last night.   Although the show is a loose adaptation of the Isaac Asimov series (and that's putting it mildly), it is probably the best sci-fi show on tv right now. Check out the trailer below. 

 Although the firefight that took place in the Brookhollow neighborhood Thursday horrified many, a Jackson Municipal Court Judge seemed unaffected by it all.  

I was reading one of my favorite daily writers, Jeff Childers, author of “Coffee & Covid” a Substack publication. Childers’ Monday June 30 article, “GIFTS AND GRIFTS” included the answer to a question I’ve been asking during the Trump era. “How does Trump do it?”

The Rankin-Hinds Pearl River Flood & Drainage Control District  issued the following statement. 

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently released its updated final draft Environmental Impact Statement on the flood control solution that the Capitol region has been waiting on for 45 years. The Rankin Hinds Pearl River Flood and Drainage Control District, the local body responsible for maintaining the levee system and the local sponsor of this project, calls into question the cost estimates developed by the Corps in the most recent report.

 Somebody's mom is proud of her boy even after he terrorized the Brookhollow neighborhood in a firefight yesterday . 

Thalia Mara Hall's Interim Manager Judson Vance  is quite the metalhead as well as an accomplished pianist.  Boasting, nearly 50,000 subscribers on his Youtube channel, Great Measures, Vance dissects metal songs on what else but that lovely Steinway piano at Thalia Mara Hall.  

 Some groundbreaking news for Mississippi!  With the passage of the One Big Beautiful
Bill, a federal tax credit is due to transform the school choice landscape in our state.
This new tax credit enables individual donors to fund scholarships for local Mississippi
families, who will now be able to select the schools that best suit their children. 

 The Capitol Police issue the following statement .

 Fireworks continued at the trial of Rudy Warnock and Cleve Anderson yesterday in federal court as prosecutors said the former CMU engineer spent over $160,000 to bribe Canton Ealdormen and CMU officials.  WLBT's Anthony Warren reported: 

 JPD issued the following statement. 

 State Auditor Shad White issued the following statement. 

A relatively new trend in public education are industry-specific schools.  Dr. Keri Ingraham discusses their success in helping students and businesses on the Empower Mississippi podcast with host Grant Callen.  Dr. Ingraham explains why these specialized schools are a timely solution to align education with labor market demands, offering students industry-recognized credentials and hands-on training at schools such as West Michigan Aviation Academy.  

 The Siemens settlement was apparently used to settle everything but the Siemens debt - all $90 million of bonds plus $102 million in interest.  

 Update: They squabbled over whether the prosecution could introduce evidence concerning boots Warnock allegedly purchased for Espy.  The prosecution won.  

Who knew CMU was just one big party?  WLBT's Anthony Warren is covering the public corruption trials of Rudy Warnock and Cleveland Anderson.  Warren reported last night: 

Where did the Siemens settlement funds go? Tis the question U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate wants answered and wants it answered now. 

 Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens issued the following statement. 

 JPD as well as the citizens of Jackson got some much welcome news at the meeting of the Jackson City Council yesterday. 

There were indeed fireworks in Philadelphia earlier this week. 

Sometimes I catch flak from my daughter. My wife gives me a hard time, too. They say I overshare on social media—pictures of sandwiches, sentimental nonsense, folksy food memories no one asked for. And I do. But they keep reading. They keep watching.

The seamy side of Canton politics is on full display this week in Rudy Warnock's federal trial downtown.  WLBT's Antonius Warren reported:  

 High on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is a curious edifice, the Old State Capitol (formally, after the 1994 restoration, the Louisiana Museum of Political History) is a Gothic architectural wonder built to resemble a castle.

 All good things come to an end, even in New Orleans.  The Palace Cafe announced on social media yesterday: 

 If at first you fail, fail, fail again in Madison County. Such is the case after the Madison County Board of Supervisors gave a raise to Comptroller Na'son White yesterday.   

 Some people just don't know when to stop, even on the golf course.  

 State Auditor Shad White issued the following statement. 

 The orchestra is warmed up, the lights are dimmed, it's time to dance.   

 JPD issued the following statement. 

 How hot is it outside? 

 First Consul Tate Reeves issued the following statement. 

Picture a cage match: The Publisher of the NorthSide Sun versus the CEO of Entergy Mississippi. No holds barred. Odds favor the CEO. My money’s on the underdog Publisher (think Charles Bronson in Hard Times). Last week’s NorthSide Sun reported the face-off in dueling editorials: “Tell it like it is and go for the gut” versus “spin it for the public and rope-a- dope.”

Update (9:30 PM): JPD issued the following statement: 

 Upon conferring with the Hinds County DA’s office, the charges on Cameron Russell, Justin Taylor were changed to Accessory After the Fact. Russell was given a $30K bond, Daniel Taylor received a $25K bond and Justin Taylor was given a $30K bond. Jaquavion Clark was denied bond. 

Clark was charged a year ago with possession of a handgun by a minor but was not indicted.   

 JPD arrested four men in the Cooper Road murder that took place Independence Day. 

 It seems some people just can't take a joke.  The two knuckleheads over at WYAB posted this photo on the morning of July 1, Mayor John Horhn's first day in office.  

It appears things didn't go too well for a resident of the Raymond Detention Center. 

 Check out the deadly rise of the Guadalupe River.  

The Capitol Police issued the following statement. 

As famously shown in Citizen Kane, William Randolph Hearst had a mania for collecting art.  Covetous man he was, he coveted several masterpieces of art and sent his agents to scour the world for them.  They were unsuccessful in their mission for a rather unusual reason. They told the media tycoon they were stored in his warehouse.  He already had them and didn't even know it.  The late Dr. Frank Pollard told this story as he discussed how we have the tools such as the Bible and prayer to help us in life but act as though they don't even exist.  Enjoy the 1997 sermon posted below. 

“The House remains resolute in its pursuit of commonsense, conservative legislation which is why you will see Education Freedom as the top priority in the House for the 2026 Legislative Session,” Speaker Jason White said as he announced appointments to a new Education Freedom Select Committee.

 Amid a wave of self-praise, the Lumumba administration announced the grand re-opening of Thalia Mara Hall Monday.  

Credit: Visit Jackson

On June 22, President Trump launched “Operation Midnight Hammer” that severely affected Iran’s ability to produce a nuclear bomb. The operation used more than 125 aircraft including the main strike force of seven B-2 Spirit Bombers supported by fourth and fifth generation fighters and dozens of air refueling tankers. Each of the seven bombers carried two GBU 57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) weapons.

 JPD issued the following statements. 

 JJ generally does not post divorce orders.  However, there is one in Rankin County deserving mention.  Special Chancellor Patricia Wise granted a divorce to the husband of Carly Gregg's attorney on grounds of habitual cruel and inhuman treatment.  

Trying to bribe a police officer is never a good idea.  Exhibit A: Hollie Peden of Rankin County.  

Newly-inaugurated Jackson Mayor John Horhn announced several appointments yesterday.  Read 'em and weep. 

Although ZeroBear retired from his weekly gig here, it seems a shame to give up the weekly recipe.  Check out the recipe for  Croissant-Wrapped Shrimp posted below.  

So much for leaving things better than you found it. Check out how the Lumumba crowd left the Hood and Porter buildings when they scurried away.

 Clinton does it right as the city celebrates Independence Day on Independence Day, not July 3 or June 28.  Check out the festivities posted below. 

 Shuwaski Young issued the following statement. 

 You better take extra care of that rental car or else you might get dinged for a few hundred - or thousand - dollars.   The New York Post reported: 

 State Auditor Shadrack White announced several successful prosecutions this week. 

Jackson Mayor John Horhn is holding a public "meet & greet' this morning.  

 It appears the adults are back in charge at Jackson City Hall.  Pieter Teeuwissen will serve as Chief Administrative Officer for Mayor John Horhn.  

 Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey issued the following statement. 

 Jackson Mayor John Horhn minced no words in his inaugural address yesterday as he spelled out the state of the city while offering hope to its beleaguered residents.  JJ knows you don't have all day to watch a twenty minute speech so it took the courtesy of clipping out a few minutes and posting it below.  Watch as the Mayor gives some unvarnished truth.  

We landed in New Orleans on Sunday, which isn’t when most people arrive in New Orleans unless they’ve made a mistake. It had been a quick trip to New York. In and out. Just two days. The main reason was a play I didn’t want to miss—a revival of David Mamet’s Glengarry Glen Ross. Bob Odenkirk, Kieran Culkin, Bill Burr, and Michael McKean—men who seem like they should be at entirely different cocktail parties, but who worked surprisingly well together. It was sharp, fast, and funny in that dark, uncomfortable way Mamet always nails.

 Walker's Drive In posted the following message on Facebook. 

 United States President Donald Trump nominated James "Baxter" Kruger to be the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi yesterday.  The White House website states: 

Mississippi U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith of Brookhaven is lending her time to an event on July 2 in Starkville that’s a fundraiser for the Scouting program in northeast Mississippi. At that event, she will receive an award noting her service to the youth in the program.

Stonehenge, black albums, and cucumbers are back as This is Spinal Tap returns to the big screen next week.  Yes, you get a chance to see one of the most influential movies yet again.  Get ready to smell the glove.  Showtimes are posted below. 

Damn, that was  quick.  

 Watch Mayor John Horhn's inauguration live-streamed below, courtesy of WLBT. 

 This public service announcement is brought to you by WTVA's Chelsae Simmons.  

 The Justice Department filed a bill of particulars this morning in U.S.A. v. Lumumba, Owens, and Banks. 

 The city of Jackson announced today's inauguration schedule.  

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