Jackson Jambalaya

Update (10:55 PM): Where is Clarence when we need him? The Clarion-Ledger reported tonight that City Attorney Monica Joiner recused herself from this case because she is engaged to Aaron Allen. 

A white former JPD officer sued the city of Jackson and Chief Lee Vance for racial discrimination in U.S. District Court on June 24.  The complaint states:

Mississippi Secretary of State Hulbert Hosemann issued the following press release:

Andre Kennedy filed a motion to reduce his bond in Hinds County Circuit Court yesterday.  Kennedy and his accomplice Edwin "Guttalife" Robinson (allegedly) kidnapped and robbed a doctor from his Ridgewood home early on a Saturday morning, May 16, 2015.  Robinson did not survive his life of crime as the victim managed to get his hands on a pistol and kill him.

It is a little known fact that William Faulkner, the most famous Mississippi bard, once played quarterback for Oxford High School, a tall task for someone who stood 5 feet, 5 inches short. This was long before face masks, and Faulkner, history tells us, suffered a broken nose. History tells us a lot more. Wrote Faulkner, ever so accurately : “The past is never dead. It's not even past.”

He was spot-on. We always should heed the past before considering the future, and that's important to keep in mind as we head into the 2016 college football season.

The Southern Poverty Law Center is attempting to knock charter schools out of business in Mississippi.  It sued Governor Phil Bryant, Jackson Public School District, and the Mississippi Department of Education in Hinds County Court recently as it seeks to block the funding of three charter schools in Jackson.  The SPLC is apparently waging a lawfare campaign against charter schools in Mississippi and other states.  SPLC attorney Will Bardwell whines to anyone who will listen that SPLC is not against charter schools per se, just their funding in Mississippi.  Uh-huh.  The SPLC fight against charter schools in New Orleans gives the game plan away.

Bennie Thompson just can't seem to tell the truth about Donald Trump and Clarion-Ledger reporter Jimmie Gates just can't seem to report the truth as well.  The Donald visited Jackson last week.  The Bolton Congressman and our favorite fraudster, Derrick Johnson, did not exactly roll out a welcome mat for Mr. Trump during the press conference they held during his visit:

The Jackson City Council met today to discuss a sexual harassment lawsuit that was filed against Mayor Tony Yarber and the city of Jackson.  All city council members except Kenneth Stokes attended the meeting.  Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Marshand Crisler represented the Yarber administration.  Some highlights of the meeting are:

The Mississippi Department of Education issued the following notice:

JPD fired officer Darryl Stasher a few weeks ago for trying to talk an underage girl into having sex with him while he was on duty, in uniform, and in his patrol car. The girl videotaped the encounter and posted it on her Facebook page (It is posted below.).  However, this incident was not Stasher's first foray into ****ing up.  JPD fired Stasher in 2010 but civil service reinstated him.  He was also suspended earlier this year.

The Mississippi Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks held its monthly meeting on August 17.  The complete video, all 34 minutes of it, and board packet are posted below.

Plaintiff Kimberly Bracey amended her sexual harassment lawsuit against Jackson Mayor Tony Yarber and the city today. Mrs. Bracey was the former Executive Assistant to Mayor Yarber.   The original complaint stated:

Speaker of the Dead Phillip Gunn issued the following statement:

Spiderman is going to jail.  Jonathan Dukes pleaded guilty in Hinds County Circuit Court to one count of armed robbery today.  Dukes wore a Spiderman mask while using a gun to rob the Waffle House on Highway 18 in 2014.  He will be sentenced next week.  The case is assigned to Judge Jeff Weill.  The file is posted below.

The Mississippi State Department of Health issued the following statement: 

This is the NWS bulletin for Hurricane Katrina that was published 11 years ago.  The bulletin was unfortunately dead on in its accuracy.

JPD issued the following press release: 

SJW gets into it with Lyft driver apparently over........... some Polynesian figurine that he attached to his dashboard:

Let’s get real.

Ignore political ideology for a moment.

Trump came to town.  Johnny D went Jim Morrison on a blogger.  Football season is about to start but Ole Miss is in the news for the wrong reasons.  Meanwhile, President Lincoln's favorite song, Dixie, will no longer be played at Ole Miss football games.  Can anything be done to improve the stoplight cycles on Old Canton Road in Fondren? Is Fondren Public still going strong? Check out Goku TV channel on Youtube.  Best kept commentary secret in Jackson.  It's hip, it's urban, and it's raw.  Does Sweet Daddy's have the best gas station bbq in the Jackson area?  Consider this an open thread to comment on anything. 

Some of you can't make it to church so here is Dr. Frank Pollard (deceased.).

 Needless to say, local comedians had a field day with Bracey v. City of Jackson, et al.  The lawsuit itself is a disaster for the city regardless of who is telling the truth.  Keep in mind the Mayor has not yet defended himself nor has any evidence been presented by either side.   However, the lawsuit is what it is and provides a great deal of material for those of a humorous bent as can be seen below.  

The Madison Police Department issued the following statement and photos:

Hinds County Circuit Judge Bill Gowan sent accused killer Darion Givens back to prison for four years. Givens was recently arrested for armed robbery.  Givens was arrested  a year ago for murder and was denied bond but was mistakenly turned loose where he allegedly and quickly went back to his life of crime. 

The Mississippi Department of Public Safety issued the following statement and picture :

Hattiesburg Mayor Johnny Dupree apparently shoved a camera held by The Hattiesburg Patriot as he attempted to ask the Mayor some questions on a public sidewalk:

The Mississippi Department of Public Safety issued the following press release: 

A former Deputy City Attorney for the City of Jackson says she was fired in December 2014 because she was white.  Lara Gill sued Jackson in U.S. District Court Wednesday for damages suffered caused by her wrongful termination and discrimination.

The city of Jackson issued the following press release: 

The Madison Police Department issued the following statement:

Attorney Generalissimo Jim Hood issued the following press release:

Jackson Mayor Tony Yarber issued the following statement:

Former Jackson employee Kimberly Bracey sued Jackson Mayor Tony Yarber in U.S. District Court today for sexual harassment.  The complaint also names the city of Jackson and several John Does as defendants. The complaint is posted below and is um, rather salacious in nature.  The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Daniel Jordan, III.  Mrs. Bracey is represented by the law firm of Watson & Norris. Today is going to be a wild one for the Jackson media.

Attorney General Jim Hood issued the following press release: 

Reverend Jeffery Stallworth will have to take his fight to stop the state takeover of Jackson's airports back to the airwaves after a federal judge kicked his lawsuit out of court.  Reverend Stallworth sued Governor Phil Bryant in April to stop the transfer of ownership of Jackson's airports from Jackson to a regional board of commissioners appointed by various officials and governments.

The Baton Rouge Area Chamber of Commerce estimated that the value of homes flooded last week was over $20 billion.  BRAC issued a report last week that provides a preliminary analysis of the damage caused by the catastrophe that took place last week.  Some highlights of the two-page report are:

Jackson Ward 2 Councilman Melvin Priester, Jr.  made several recommendations about how to fix Jackson's budget problems recently.  Most of these suggestions will sound very familiar to JJ readers.  Compare Mr. Priester's favorite option to what JJ posted a year ago.

Another domino fell in the Chris Epps scandal today.   A federal grand jury indicted Butch Evans for one count of fraud and one count of bribery on July 13, 2016.  Evans is a Ridgeland insurance agent.  The indictment was unsealed today and alleges the Evans paid kickbacks to Chris Epps in exchange for insurance policies Evans sold to MDOC employees.  The case was assigned to Judge Henry Wingate. The indictment states:

U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate recused himself from presiding over USA v. Carl Reddix.  The case was reassigned to Judge Daniel Jordan, III.

Progress on Court Street.  See for yourself.

Jackson Ward 2 City Councilman Melvin Priester, Jr. laid out possible options for Jackson after the Moody's downgrade on his Facebook page:

If you've never heard of Mississippi's Possum Bowl, you might want to listen in...

The Jackson Zoo resigned its accreditation with the American Zoological Society last Friday.  The AZA confirmed the Zoo's resignation and its website reflects the change.

Update (4:28 PM): The Jackson Zoo issued the following press release: 

JPD issued the following press release:

The Ridgeland Police Department issued the following press release: 

Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith turned up the heat on Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood last Friday.  The D.A. accused the Attorney General of arresting him because two of the A.G.'s prosecutors feared the D.A. was going to seek an indictment against them from a Hinds County grand jury.  Mr. Smith was arrested in June on six misdemeanor counts of improperly helping defendants and using a grand jury to intimidate a Circuit Court judge.

The Madison Police Department issued the following press release and mug shot:

Our friend Kamikaze was none too happy about the Brandon amphitheater project and said so on Facebook: