Jackson Jambalaya

Secretary of State Eggbert Hosemann issued the following press release:

Get a copy of current issue of Northside Sun. Newspaper knocked it out of the park this week.

I sue you, you sue me.  So goes the Ballad of Rudy the Warnock.  Former Madison County engineer Rudy Warnock filed an amended complaint against his former client in U.S. District Court last Thursday as he claimed the county owed him $1.448 million.  Madison County said "we see you one lawsuit and raise you one lawsuit" as it sued Mr. Warnock and his firm in Madison County Circuit Court yesterday.

Will a state lottery become the pied piper of Mississippi as it plays a catchy tune but leads to ruin? The creation of a state lottery appeared  in the legislature this week as two amendments were attached to other amendments to bills that are still alive. Slipping such amendments into bills at the last minute when no one is looking is how Mississippi wound up with bad ideas such as the beef plant. The creation of a state lottery is no exception but it will continue the tradition of Mississippi yet again shooting itself in the foot.

When the 77th NCAA Tournament Final Four is completed next Monday, 308 teams will have competed in college basketball's ultimate showcase.

And here's what you need to know about that. Of those 308 teams, only one has been from the Magnolia State: the 1995-96 Mississippi State Bulldogs.

Doesn't this guy get it although it is San Francisco. Video says it all.

Update: Copy of termination letter is posted below. 

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the city of Jackson fired an employee who spoke to the media.  The Clarion-Ledger reported:

Ridgeland Police issued the following statement and mug shots:

Two amendments that would create state lotteries were slipped into Senate bills  that were passed by the Mississippi House of Representatives yesterday.   One amendment creates a state lottery and directs the proceeds into a scholarship fund for college students.  Who could be against education, right? The other amendment mandates half of the funds (after expenses) are spent on education while the other half is spent on "infrastructure improvements".   Will the Senate concur or will the bill go to conference?

State Auditor Stacey Pickering issued the following press release:

St. Andrew's Episcopal School sent the following update about its water system to parents today:

The Mississippi Court of Appeals overturned a contempt of court ruling against State Auditor Stacey Pickering today.  Harrison County Chancellor Jennifer Schloegel ruled he was in contempt of court after the State Auditor subpoenaed DMR records during the course of the DMR investigation in 2012.  Gulf Publishing, the owner of the Sun-Herald, sought the records. 

Tinseltown presents Tuskegee Airmen tonight at 7:00 PM. Many people gripe about the poor quality of movies now served up by Hollywood.  This is a good one to see. 



Meanwhile, Cinemark let us down by refusing to show another movie that is presented on other Cinemark screens this week:

The Mississippi Board of Medical Licensure is changing the maximum distance a nurse practitioner can operate under a supervising physician's supervision from 15 to 75 miles.  The Board filed an amendment to its current regulations yesterday with the Secretary of State.  The Board held up its end of an agreement made with the legislature last month after a bill with similar language passed the Senate Committee on Public Health.

Representative Kim Campbell stood up on her own two feet and swung at the Republican monolith last week on the floor of the Mississippi House of Representatives.  She is normally one of the more quiet members of the house, as the black Democrat has gained a reputation for avoiding racial politics while working with members of both parties and races.  However, the airport takeover bill was more than she could stomach so she spoke out against the airport bill during debate.  No punches were pulled as she crucified Republicans who had come to her for help in past years.  Watch the video.  It's always the quiet ones you have to watch out for and Ms. Campbell is no exception.

Empower Mississippi issued the following press release:

Central Mississippi Public Service Commissioner Cecil Brown issued the following press release:

It appears that Mississippi State's prize recruit got violent and stupid recently as he beat up a woman who was on the ground:

Jim Barksdale's new online newspaper went live today.  Check out Mississippi Today.  The organization hired several veteran reporters and editors.  The website states Mississippi Today is "incorporated in Mississippi as a nonprofit organization on Oct. 3, 2014, and was granted its exemption from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code on March 6, 2015."  Mississippi media and political junkies will recognize some names on the staff:

It seems Belgium has its own catch & release program for suspected terrorists. Brace yourself. The Wall Street Journal reported several cases of Belgian authorities dropping the ball when it came to nabbing those responsible for bombing an airport and subway last week:

It seemed fitting to post this plea for help on Easter Sunday.  The family of Lonnie Blue, Jr. set up a Gofundme page to assist with burial expenses.  Mr. Blue was killed by a suspect fleeing police last week.There has been a heated debate over police chases since Mr. Blue lost his life but regardless of fault, a family lost their boy and a child lost his father.  The goal is $3,000. Please donate.  Link to Gofundmepage.

Jackson Councilman DeKeither Stamps and several community activists held a press conference Friday at the corner of Capitol Street and Tennessee Avenue. The subject was police chases into Jackson by police departments of surrounding cities. Some highlights of his comments are:

Several thugs physically attacked Madison County Sheriff Randy Tucker and his son at Shuckers a few weeks ago.  The police incident report and mug shots are posted below.  The narrative is on page 4 and the mug shots are on pages five and six.

Madison County Coroner Alex Breland, Jr. confirmed what everyone suspected: Mississippi filmaking legend Jim Dollarhide died in a tragic fire at his house last week.   His family posted Harmonies: A Mississippi Overture on Youtube this week.  Mr. Dollarhide produced it for the Mississippi Development Authority back in 1994.  It is a celebration of all things Mississippi and perhaps in a way, of Mr. Dollarhide's life.  Enjoy

The House passed SB #2438 yesterday on a vote of 79-37.  The bill states:

JPD issued the following press release and mug shot:

The Mississippi Supreme Court issued this notice tonight:

The airport bill passed the Mississippi House of Representatives this afternoon on a vote of 74-46.  It is currently being held on a motion to reconsider.  The votes are posted below.  All Jackson representatives voted against the bill- except Bill Denny.  He just couldn't help himself.

The Democratic Caucus of the Mississippi House of Representatives issued the following statement:

Feel-good story for the day:

Jackson Police Chief Lee Vance called out the media for "erroneous" reports about JPD's participation in a Clinton police chase of a shoplifting suspect into Jackson Monday night.  The chase ended when the suspect crashed into a car driven by Lonnie Blue, Jr. at the intersection of Tennessee and Capitol Street. Chief Vance held a press conference yesterday to dispute Clinton PD's statements that JPD participated in the case.  It was also announced at the press conference that JPD will charge driver Donald Jones with second degree  murder once he is released from UMMC for the death of Lonnie Blue, Jr.

Hinds County Circuit Judge Winston Kidd issued a temporary restraining order against the Mississippi House of Representatives.  House Democrats have used the age-old tactic of asking for the reading of each bill before a vote is taken in an effort to slow the operations of the House to a crawl, or reduce it to the pace of the Jackson City Council in making decisions.  Representative Jay Hughes, The Oxford Don (although it is Oxford, Mississippi and not Oxford & Cambridge, although in Mr. Hughes' mind he probably does not distinguish between the two Oxfords), petitioned the court to stop the House leadership from using a supercalifragilisticexpialidocious speed reader that can make twoallbeefpattiesspecialsaucelettucecheesepicklesoniononasesameseedbun seem but a blur.

U.S. Attorney Greg Davis issued the following press release:

Will  a northeast Jackson carjacker go back to prison? Here is the MDOC record on John Gwegowy Rollins:

A New York federal appeals court slammed Jim Hood . Court documents also show the sister-in-law of the deceased Precious Martin dipping her beak, as she produced what can be termed bogus work for $112,500. Alan Lange covered this case over at Y'all Politics:

Basketball Hall of Fame coach Van Chancellor drawls on and on in superlatives when asked about Geno Auriemma and his Connecticut women's basketball juggernaut.

Hey, Van, is UConn the most dominant team in sports today?

Clinton police released videos of a chase that  ended in a fatality early this morning of an innocent bystander.  A controversy has arisen since the chase began in Clinton but ended in West Jackson.  Clinton officials and JPD dispute whether JPD was notified of the chase or participated. 

Secretary of State Catbert Hosemann issued the following press release:

Clinton police issued the following statement:

A Northsider was recently carjacked at a car wash business on I-55 Frontage Road.  The victim posted this message on his or her public Facebook page:

JPD issued the following press release:

Mayor Tony Yarber nominated Ward 1 resident James Stanley to the Jackson Municipal Airport Authority Board of Commissioners on February 23.  Mr. Stanley possesses a sterling resume: a  decorated combat fighter pilot, many years spent at Ergon in management, and more years spent as an engineer.  City Council President Melvin Priester, Jr. postponed his appointment to the board as he promised at the February 23 meeting that a confirmation hearing for Mr. Stanley would be held a week later. Watch his promise for yourself in this video:

Steve Wilson reported at Mississippi Watchdog.org:

Gun rights advocate Rick Ward filed several Freedom of Information Act requests in January with the city of Hattiesburg to provide him a list of all the guns seized by its police department since 1991. Some of those guns, Ward says, were taken in violation of state law.

He was told that the information would cost him more than $5,000, at $5 per page. Ward threatened a lawsuit and the city later reduced the price of the records to $78. Now the Mississippi Legislature is considering creation of a free, searchable databases of all seized property maintained by the state.