Jackson Jambalaya

The AP's Jeff Amy reported in the Sun-Herald that contribution rates for PERS will increase:

Insurance Commish Mike Chaney issued the following statement.

Top-heavy is the verdict Steve Wilson gave for JPS over at Mississippi Matters.  He reported:

WAPT and Pippa Jackson of the Animal Rescue Fund did their good deed of the day yesterday.

JPD issued the following statement. 

One more tree fell in the the Lamar Adams Ponzi scheme wreckage.  A victim sued Pinnacle Trust Monday in Madison County Chancery Court but withdrew the lawsuit without prejudice Wednesday.  Pinnacle Trust was the trustee of her trust.  She accused Pinnacle of investing her money in the timber scam several years after it advised its clients not to invest in the same scam. 

UMMC issued the following statement. 

A Madison County grand jury indicted four men for dog fighting last month. Madison County deputies busted the ring on November 4, 2017 after receiving an anonymous tip.

The Jackson Public School District updated its list of projects that will be funded by the proposed $65 million bond issue.  The list is posted below. It appears that most of the projects are long-neglected maintenance.  The "fact sheet" claims that it will not "cause any increase in taxes paid by homeowners."  However, the taxes of Jackson homeowners will decrease five mills if there is no bond issue. 

In a 5-4 decision that strangely crossed traditional judicial ideological lines, the Supreme Court last week brought online sales and use tax law fairness to mom-and-pop merchants on Main Street who had long been at a seven percent price disadvantage in Mississippi in competition with out-of-state online retailers.

Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba will hold a press conference Thursday afternoon at 2:30 in the Ceremonial Room at City Hall to discuss "leadership changes" at JPD.  It appears JPD will get a new chief.  

The Jackson Public School District hauled in a record amount of property taxes in 2017 even though student enrollment continued to decline.   The annual audit states that JPS collected $95.4 million in property taxes while  enrollment fell to 26,206 students.

A Clinton man arrested for child pornography last month killed himself last Thursday. Police found the body of 73 year-old Terry Baum in the back yard of his Clinton home. He died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Hinds County tried to give $55,000 to the Jackson Zoo yet the money sits in the city of Jackson's coffers instead of going to the zoo.

State Auditor Stacey Pickering will resign to become the new Executive Director of the Mississippi Veterans Affairs Board.  The Clarion-Ledger reported this afternoon:

It's time for Matchbook Monday.  Some real Jackson history is posted below.  Feel free to add your stories or any information about them in the comments section as you enjoy these blasts from the past. Readers can email copies of any old matchbooks to kingfish1935@gmail.com.

The Eudora Welty Library might have new owners.  The Hinds County Board of Supervisors offered to purchase the building from the City of Jackson. Board President Mike Morgan stated in a June 20 letter addressed to Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba and the City Council:

Congressional District Candidate Whit Hughes penned the following letter to  voters in the 3rd District. 

Faith and family have always driven my decision-making. That certainly was the case with my entry into this Congressional race. But, honestly, a good bit of my motivation also has to do with that I feel the same way so many Mississippians do about how we handle politics.

JPD issued the following statements this morning. 

A British SAS soldier took on six Taliban members in a tunnel in the dark. The Daily Star (U.K.) reported:

"If you get where you are going, where are you going to be? Where does the road you are traveling on take you just now?" asked the late Dr. Frank Pollard in this 1990 sermon.  Enjoy it if you can't make it to church this morning.

"The defense authorization act is one of the most consequential bills that Congress considers each year," wrote Sen. Roger Wicker in the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal. "I championed several provisions in this year’s bill to advance our defense strategy and support the role that Mississippi plays in our national defense."

The Ridgeland Police Department issued the following statement.

The JPS $65 bond issue will apparently cost five mills if it is approved.  JPS revealed the amount of the millage at the April 15 meeting of the School Board.

Former JPD Commander James McGowan posted this message on Facebook Thursday:

U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves finally appointed a receiver to handle the Lamar Adams assets in S.E.C. v. Lamar Adams et al.  The winner is.....

Downtown Jackson Partners Presidente issued the following statement.

Somehow the driver survived.  WLBT posted this video.

Accused child molester Christopher Patton might get out out of jail after Judge Tomie Green reduced his bond due to a lack of indictment.  Christopher Patton was a Jackson Public Schools Bus Driver who was arrested for allegedly committing sexual assault against an elementary school student in early December.  WLBT reported he was charged with gratification of lust and sexual battery.

JPD issued the following statement. 

The Supreme Court reversed itself and ruled that state internet sales taxes are legal.  The vote was 5-4. Read it and weep. 

Never let it be said that Ridgeland is a quitter.  The Board of Alderman approved a Costco gas station this week. The Mississippi Business Journal reported:

Senator Roger Wicker, Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, and Representative Stephen Pallazzo issued the following statement.

Some parents take things waaaaaaaaaaay too seriously.

Video of the short but emotional hearing is posted below. 

So said Hinds County Circuit Judge Jeff Weill as he sentenced  Loran Blackwell to spend the rest of her life behind bars for participating in the murder of 81 year-old Lee Kendrick in 2015.  Judge Weill told the self-admitted prostitute "You, Loran Danielle Shell-Blackwell, are devoid of conscience."  A jury convicted her last week of capital murder. 

The Board of the Jackson Zoological Society held its first public meeting yesterday.   WJTV reported:

The Brandon Police Department issued the following statement.

For voters, the June 26 primary runoff elections are unfortunately looking like low turnout, low interest affairs that don’t promise much to voters in terms of the opportunity to substantially change their ballot choices in the Nov. 6 general election.

Don't move......

So how many times has this water line on Kings Highway been repaired?

Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba said at his weekly press conference yesterday that local non-profit company One Voice will lead a campaign to drum up public support for the JPS bond referendum.  The $65 million bond referendum is scheduled to take place on August 7.  Mayor Lumumba said it was "an opportunity to raise money without taxes going up." 

Mississippi real estate investor Ivan Spinner became the sixth real estate investor to plead guilty in connection with the ongoing investigation into bid rigging at public real estate foreclosure auctions in Mississippi, the Department of Justice announced.

Full disclosure- I did not vote for Donald Trump in the primary. I wasn’t overly enthusiastic about voting for him in the general election either. At that point, I was not 100% certain that he was the president I wanted, but I voted for him anyway.

On June 8th, Robert McElvaine wrote a piece for the Clarion Ledger titled, “Is this the president you want?” and asked readers to put aside party affiliation and who you voted for in 2016 while he lists his negative opinions about the man; implying Trump supporters were too stupid or too mesmerized by Trump to think about such things clearly.