U.S. Attorney Greg Davis issued the following press release:
Thursday, June 30, 2016
Ex-JPD cop pleads guilty to extortion
$150 million!!!
Attorney General Jim Hood issued the following press release:
Appeals Court rules against Watkins (Updated w/video)
Secretary of State Dibbert Hosemann issued the following press release:
Fund-raising for JJ
It's time for the annual fund-raising drive for Jackson Jambalaya.
Bedwetter alert
You can't make this up. The site Askamanager.com posted a letter that shows what happens when communism meets the real world:
D.A. tells DJP former employee can't testify in civil suit.
Downtown Jackson Partners filed a motion to compel Linda Brune's deposition yesterday in the County Court of Madison County. DJP sued Ms. Brune for the recovery of $40,439 she allegedly embezzled while working as a secretary. District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith told DJP that Ms. Brune could not testify because she was a "victim" in the criminal case his office is prosecuting against Ben Allen.
Nothing good happens after ____ AM
JPD issued the following press release and mug shot.
Wednesday, June 29, 2016
"The Superintendent does not provide effective educational leadership"
The Mississippi Department of Education blistered JPS in a recent audit. The violations are simply too numerous to mention in one post and aren't merely technical in nature. MDE reported JPS had dangerous schools, too many unlicensed teachers, graduated students who should not graduate, and a host of other serious problems. JPS faces a loss of accreditation, as MDE will downgrade the accreditation status of JPS from "accredited" to "probation". JPS violated 22 of a possible 32 standards as it flunked the audit. MDE notified JPS in a June 15 letter stating JPS could contest the findings within the next thirty days. MDE will present the findings to the Commission on School Accreditation on August 4. JPS can request a hearing to contest the findings.
JJ is going to cover this subject a little differently than others. The report is 247 pages and is simply too long to cover in one post while giving it the attention it deserves. The public needs to know how bad really things are at JPS. JJ is going to publish a series of posts about the audit. The full audit is posted below if you want to read ahead. Here are the first batch of highlights from the report.
Rick Cleveland: Jackson made Darryl Strawberry
What I remember most about Darryl Strawberry's one summer in Jackson was the explosive sound of his bat launching the baseball. It was shocking, really, no matter how many times you heard it. And we heard it often in 1982.
When “Straw” got hold of one, it sounded more like a rifle shot than a home run. His home runs left Smith-Wills Stadium so quickly and often went so high and far into those pine trees behind the right field wall. Remember? We called that area behind the right field fence “The Strawberry Patch.”
Tuesday, June 28, 2016
Stokes takes up for D.A.
Jackson Ward 3 City Councilman Kenneth Stokes defended Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith to WJTV yesterday:
Dr. Smith asks court to remove Jim Hood from office.
Dr. Arnold Smith asked a Hinds County Circuit Court to remove Attorney General Jim Hood in a complaint for Quo Warranto filed yesterday. Dr. Smith argues that the Mississippi Constitution places the Attorney General under the judicial branch and thus Mr. Hood can not serve in the executive branch of state government.
Ridgeland man convicted of child porn
Attorney General Jim Hood issued the following press release:
Monday, June 27, 2016
Clinton police arrest Aryan Brother, seek partner in burglary case
The Clinton Police Department issued the following press release:
Former Hinds deputy justice court clerk arrested
Attorney General Jim Hood issued the following press release:
Mississippi ranks ninth in AIDs cases
The Mississippi State Department of Health issued the following press release:
Cellphones will be added to no-call list
Public Service Commissioner Cecil Brown (Central District) issued the following press release:
Governor calls special session
Governor and Lord Protector Phil Bryant issued the following press release:
Click Here to Read More..
Sunday, June 26, 2016
DJP Board & Gibbs defend Ben Allen
Jackson Attorney Robert Gibbs and the Board of Directors for Downtown Jackson Partners defended Ben Allen in two reports attached to his motion to dismiss that was filed last week in Hinds County Circuit Court. A grand jury indicted the DJP Executive Director in March for ten counts of fraud and embezzlement. The Board hired Mr. Gibbs to conduct an investigation of the allegations made in the indictment. Mr. Gibbs and the Board said Mr. Allen was completely innocent and rebutted each count in the two reports. The reports are posted below. Copy of indictment. Some highlights of the reports are:
Bill Crawford: Without a Creator Can Men Be Created Equal?
Note: Mr. Crawford's column will be a regular feature at JJ.
Next week we celebrate our founding fathers’ 1776 decision to declare independence from England. In so doing they laid down the principles that would guide the new nation. Their Declaration of Independence began:
Ouch!
A Harrison County jury slapped MDOT with a $6.2 million verdict after a developer sued MDOT for an improper taking of property it owned south of I-10. The lawsuit was filed in 2009 in Harrison County Circuit Court. Anita Lee reported in the Sun-Herald:
Saturday, June 25, 2016
The Brex heard 'round the world.
Brexit shook the world yesterday as British voters voted to leave the EU. Markets tumbled and global snoots everywhere recoiled in horror as they struggled to comprehend a decision made by actual voters. Remember them? Fraser Nelson, the editor of the Spectator, attempted to explain the case for Brexit on the pages of the Wall Street Journal this morning in a thoughtful essay. Mr. Nelson wrote:
The world is looking at Britain and asking: What on Earth just happened? Those who run Britain are asking the same question.Click Here to Read More..
Friday, June 24, 2016
At least Fido didn't freak
A dog found a batch of 'shrooms and well, this is what happened:
M-I-C-K-E-Y, M-O-M-D-E
Mississippi Department of Education Deputy Superintendent Dr. John Q. Porter and contract employee Elton Stokes, Jr. went to a conference at Disneyworld on the taxpayer's dime. Steve Wilson reported at Watchdog.org this week:
Thursday, June 23, 2016
Weill disqualifies D.A.
Hinds County Circuit Judge Jeff Weill disqualified Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith from participating in any pending cases in his courtroom. Judge Weill said the order does not apply to other Hinds County prosecutors. Mr. Smith was arrested yesterday on six counts of illegally contacting defendants. One charge alleged that Mr. Smith tried to get a grand jury "to pressure a sitting judge" to drop charges against Christopher Butler. Judge Weill referred to a "sealed report" provided by Special Master Amy Whitten in his order.
Ben Allen files motion to dismiss
Ben Allen filed a motion to dismiss his indictment today in Hinds County Circuit Court. A Hinds County grand jury indicted him in March for alleged embezzlement and misuse of Downtown Jackson Partners' funds. Mr. Allen is the Executive Director of Downtown Jackson Partners. The indictment also charged Mr. Allen with making improper campaign donations to Mayor Tony Yarber's inaugural gala. The grand jury also indicted two State Auditor investigators for allegedly obstructing justice and spiking an investigation of Mr. Allen. The case is assigned to Judge Winston Kidd.
Hinds County & Justice Department settle over jail
U.S. Attorney Greg Davis issued the following statement.
Lock & load. 2 capital murder suspects escape.
Gerome Moore and Malcolm Landfair escaped from jail a few hours ago. Moore was recently sentenced to five years in prison for escaping from the Hinds County Detention Center. Both men currently await trial on capital murder charges. Don't shoot the wrong person and please practice firearms safety.
D.A. fires back at AG
Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith fired back at Attorney General Jim Hood yesterday afternoon after Mr. Smith was arrested by the Attorney General. Mr. Hood stated in a press release issued yesterday:
Ward 3 couple abandons children in Rankin County (Updated)
Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey issued the following press release:
Wednesday, June 22, 2016
Weisenberger pleads guilty
Attorney General Jim Hood issued the following press release:
Click Here to Read More..
AG: FBI helped bust Smith.
Attorney General Jim Hood issued the following statement and mug shot:
Hinds District Attorney arrested on six counts.
 |
| Arrest of Robert Shuler Smith (Credit:WAPT) |
Update (11:15 AM): The affidavit and six charges are posted below. Yes, they are related to the Christopher Butler cases that were reported only here on JJ. Nutshell version: The affidavit alleges the D.A. tried to help a convicted drug dealer get out of jail, visited him in jail, and tried to use a grand jury to get a circuit judge to drop a case against the drug dealer. Yes, it is alleged he tried to use a grand jury to intimidate a judge into dropping a case.
The affidavit states:
Click Here to Read More..
Do the crime, do some hard time in Madison County
Madison-Rankin District Attorney Michael Guest issued the following statement:
Clinton PD offers safe zone for internet sales
The Clinton Police Department issued the following press release:
Rick Cleveland is dictator for a day
For one day — and one
day only — I am the Commissioner of Sports. All sports. Things are going to
change around here.
Click Here to Read More..
Tuesday, June 21, 2016
Budget olive branch?
Mississippi House of Representatives Minority Leader David Baria (D-Gulf Coast) sent the following letter to Governor Phil Bryant.
Editorial: Anatomy of a Whitewash
There is simply no other way to put it: A whitewash took place on the Mississippi Today website Friday . The online newspaper funded by Jim Barksdale and Dickie Scruggs posted a story that whitewashed Mississippi Education Superintendent Dr. Carey Wright's awarding contracts to her cronies. Dr. Wright granted an interview to Mississippi Today Reporter Kate Royals, while avoiding JJ and the Clarion-Ledger when they published critical stories of how these contracts were awarded and who received them. Ms. Royals "reported":
Church's Chicken thief goes to the coop
JPD issued the following press release:
Now you see them, now you don't: Federal version
Remember the arrest of two men last fall at Ole Miss? The feds arrested Virgil Dennison and Kyler Campbell for possession of weapons on a school campus. The two men protested the vote to remove the state flag on October 22. They were escorted back to their vehicle by University PD. The police saw two shotguns in Campbell's truck and things went downhill from there for the two defenders of The Flag. It didn't help matters that "Campbell had pending felony charges". Police arrested them on October 23, 2015 after federal agents filed a criminal complaint. What the media did not report is the federales dropped the charges five days later.
Monday, June 20, 2016
One arrested, one sought in church burglary
The Rankin County Sheriff's Office issued the following statements and mug shots:
AG closes "Mississippi Burning" case.
"52 years later, we've done all we could do". That statement was made by Attorney General Jim Hood at a press conference today. Mr. Hood announced he was issuing a final report (posted below) on the "Mississippi Burning" case. Mr. Hood issued the following statement:
West Nile case in Hinds County
The Mississippi State Department of Health issued the following press release:
Latest crime stats
The Jackson crime statistics for the week ending May 22, 2016 are posted below. Burglaries of all types and grand larceny are down from a year ago. There are 133 fewer incidents of house burglaries as well. Amazing what happens when some of the perps are put in jail and kept in jail. Violent crimes are improved except for homicide. However, Jackson caught a break in May after a murderous April as there are only three more homicides than there were a year ago.
Sunday, June 19, 2016
Good job, Dad.
Well, step-dad. JPD issued the following statement and mug shot :
Click Here to Read More..
Food Fight!!!
Attorney Wilson Carroll and Mayor Tony Yarber had a nice gentleman's disagreement over the biosolids removal contract at a May meeting of the Jackson City Council. Mr. Carroll stood up at the podium during the public comments period of the meeting and argued that his client should have been awarded the contract because it had the lowest and best bid for the contract. Mayor Yarber fired back at him and said he got the maximum points allowed for presenting the best price. Watch the exchange for yourself.
Saturday, June 18, 2016
It could've been worse.
A WWL-TV reporter found himself in the middle of a fight in a not so nice part of New Orleans. Oddly enough, the story was part of a WWL "Stop the Violence" series. Watch the video for yourself.
Like a Boss
The Tchula Police Chief posted this interesting message on Facebook.
Friday, June 17, 2016
State Senator found innocent on DUI charge
Senate Pro-Tem Terry Burton (R-Knob Creek) was cleared of a second-offense DUI charge. Geoff Pender reporter in the Clarion-Ledger today:
Mississippi graduation rates improve
The Mississippi Department of Education issued the following press release:
Accused Temple killer says he was on spice, tries to toss "incriminating" statements
Hinds County Circuit Judge Jeff Weill denied a motion for a mental evaluation of accused killer Gerome Moore. Gerome Moore, Antwain Dukes, and Antreal Jones were indicted for capital murder in the death of Carolyn Temple in Belhaven in January 2015. Moore also filed a motion to suppress statements he made to the police. Moore was 17 years-old at the time of the murder.
Leroy Walker running for Mayor.
These mailers hit Jackson mailboxes over the last two days.
Thursday, June 16, 2016
Black Diamonds sued for sex discrimination.
A former manager at Black Diamonds filed against the club and its owner, Danny Owens*, for sex discrimination in U.S. District Court Tuesday. Plaintiff Fareeda Figgers seeks an unspecified amount of damages and lost wages.
MAC: Stop the Siemens project. Siemens: We paid MAC nearly $18 million.
MAC and Associates took its fight against Siemens to the Jackson City Council Tuesday. MAC asked the City Council to shut down the Siemens project or require Siemens to repay $9 million for alleged Equal Business Opportunity (EBO) violations. MAC is a subcontractor for Siemens. MAC sued Siemens in Hinds County Circuit Court for $37 million but Siemens removed the lawsuit to federal court. However, Siemens said it paid MAC 92% of the contract amount. Siemens sent this statement to JJ:
ATM bandits strike again (Updated)
JPD issued the following press releases:
Wednesday, June 15, 2016
Rick Cleveland: Mississippi & the U.S. Open
They will play the United States Open Golf Championship for the 116th time later this week at storied Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pa..
No native Mississippian has ever won the event, and that will remain the case this week. No Mississippian made the field.
Old Agency Road repairs & detour
The city of Ridgeland issued the following press release and map:
Tuesday, June 14, 2016
Superintendent's friends get nearly $600,000, behind closed doors.
Update: LinkedIn profiles have been removed.
Note: Dr. Wright did not respond to attempts to contact through emails or phone calls yesterday. Dr. Wright did send a statement to the Clarion-Ledger.
Dr. Wright came to Mississippi in the fall of 2013 to start her new gig
as State Superintendent of Education. Dr. John Q.
Porter followed her to Mississippi six months later and began to get
consulting gigs for his company and himself from MDE. MDE also put his
employee, Elton Stokes, Jr., on the consulting payroll. Dr. Porter
became the Deputy Superintendent/Chief Information Officer, and later
approved contracts for Mr. Stokes in his capacity as Deputy
Superintendent. All three individuals worked together at one time, in the Montgomery County Public School District administration. Dr. Porter's generosity even extended to Mrs. Stokes as she
got a consulting contract as well. It seems these foreigners are learning the Mississippi Way
very quickly, as the Mississippi Department of Education has paid over half a million dollars to Dr. Porter and his cronies since 2014.
Update on Burnley
The Rankin County Sheriff's Office issued the following statement:
We report, you decide: Convention Center predictions
Friday's post about the Jackson convention center prompted a reader to send an old column opposing the construction of the convention center written by Howard Ross. (R.I.P.) It was written in late 2004 and was very prescient.
Monday, June 13, 2016
Bedwetter alert
Best and brightest indeed. Yale English majors want to be protected from.... English writers. They submitted this petition to the English Department:
Sunday, June 12, 2016
Siemen's moves MAC lawsuit to federal court.
It appears MAC & Associates, LLC will get its day in court against Siemens Industry but that day will be in federal court. MAC sued Siemens on May 31 for $37million in damages in Hinds County Circuit Court. MAC is a Jackson minority subcontractor for Siemens under the $90 million water replacement contract. MAC is owned by Marcus Wallace. The contract was awarded in 2013. Siemens removed the lawsuit to U.S. District Court on June 3.
Sour grapes or hotel hijinks?
Is Don Hewitt a disgruntled developer or someone trying to blow the whistle on sweetheart deals? Anna Wolfe scored another story in the Clarion-Ledger yesterday and raised questions about the convention center hotel deal. Ms. Wolfe reported:
Saturday, June 11, 2016
Let the jaws hit the floor
Alphas are gonna alpha. 82 year-old man forgets he is 82.
Walnut Grove prison shutting down
The Mississippi Department of Corrections issued the following statement:
Friday, June 10, 2016
Update on Burnley case: Possible break.
The Rankin County Sheriff's Department issued the following statement:
Is the Convention Center a jewel or a money pit?
The Capital City Convention Center continues to lose money but is gaining ground this year. JJ obtained a copy of the 2015 annual audit and the most recent quarterly financial statements through a public records request. The audits are posted below.
Clinton man arrested on child porn charge
Attorney General Jim Hood issued the following press release:
Thursday, June 9, 2016
Kelly Williams: Corps building bigger floods
In 1946 the Southern Authors Literary Guild chose "Speeding Floods to the Sea" as the most outstanding book of the fall. Pretty racy stuff. A book about cut offs - on the Mississippi River. The author W.E. Elam lived in Greenville which was known for its writers. He was not a writer though. He was an engineer. But not just any engineer. He was the Chief Engineer of the Mississippi Levee District and a respected authority on floods. Floods were a big deal in Mississippi then. They had a big effect on its farm-based economy. So Elam wrote the book about how to prevent or moderate them.
It's pretty simple: just speed the floods to the sea. The idea is to straighten and shorten the river by cut offs. The faded paper jacket on the book shows the river's meandering Greenville Bends. They looked like a winding country road with a super highway cut off going straight through. Cut offs shortened the river about 150 miles. They sped up its flow and cut a steeper slope and deeper bed in many places. So the river carried more water at lower levels (stages).
Rick Cleveland: Mississippian first to knock down Ali
The black and white video, from Madison Square Garden in 1962, is beyond grainy, but you can easily make out that the graceful man in white trunks is future heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali.
More accurately, the slender, svelte guy wearing white trunks is the man who would become Ali. On Feb. 10, 1962, the day he fought a man named Sonny Banks on national TV, Ali was still known as Cassius Clay.
Wednesday, June 8, 2016
Read the AECOM proposal for yourself.
The Jackson City Council Rules Committee rejected a proposed contract for the management of the wastewater consent decree program last Monday. It is estimated that meeting the terms of the consent decree will cost Jackson approximately $400 million. JJ obtained a copy of the proposal and posted it below. Some highlights of the contract are:
Rejected!
The Rules Committee of the Jackson City Council rejected a contract for the wastewater program management required by a federal consent decree. The meeting grew contentious at times as Mayor Tony Yarber and the committee sparred over the proposed contract. Anna Wolfe reported in the Clarion-Ledger yesterday:
Tuesday, June 7, 2016
$10,000 reward for Burnley info
Central Mississippi Crime Stoppers issued the following bulletin and pictures on its Facebook page today:
AG indicts JRA board member for Medicaid fraud
Attorney Generalissimo Jim Hood issued the following press release:
Click Here to Read More..
Ridgewood roundup
Ridgeland and Jackson police officers arrested Kevin Boney at 5520 Ridgewood Road Sunday night for grand larceny. The police report and mug shot are posted below. A criminal complaint was filed against Boney in April. Ridgeland police officers discovered he was at the Ridgewood location and executed the warrant with the help of JPD. Hinds County property tax records state the home is owned by the estate of Michael L. Maloney*.,
Vance: Dukes is a serial killer
JPD Chief Lee Vance held a press conference yesterday about the arrest of Joshua Dukes in the 2015 murder of O'Reilly Auto Parts Manager Broderick Smith. Dukes and an unknown partner shot Mr. Smith to death when he couldn't open the store safe during a robbery. Dukes was charged with his fourth count of capital murder. His brother Antwain Dukes is charged with capital murder in the unrelated death of Carolyn Temple.
Monday, June 6, 2016
When Dan came to town
Dan Fogelberg once played in Jackson. The show was recorded by WZZQ and is posted on Youtube. Enjoy.
Burnley friends arrested.
The Rankin County Sheriff's Office issued the following statement:
Click Here to Read More..
Watchdog: MDE continues to grow
Steve Wilson reports at Watchdog.org that the Mississippi Department of Education has grown despite being removed from the oversight of the State Personnel Board:
The Mississippi Department of Education’s two-year hiatus from
oversight by the state personnel board — which is coming to an end July 1
— has resulted in a growing staff and higher pay and benefit
costs. That’s not exactly the “effective and efficient”
change envisioned by lawmakers or promised by state superintendent of
education Carey Wright when the exemption was granted in 2014.
According to records
obtained by Mississippi Watchdog, the number of MDE employees making
$100,000 or greater has increased from 16 on June 30, 2014 — when the
MDE was under civil service rules — to 20 as of May 31.
Search suspended
The Rankin County Sheriff's Office issued the following statement:
Sunday, June 5, 2016
O'Reilly killer is (allegedly) Dukes
JPD issued the following press release and mug shot:
Bicentennial KISS
Didn't get enough of KISS last night? Here is a 1976 recording of KISS playing in Jackson.
Rankin search underway for Sky Burnley
Update (4:00 PM): The South West Mississippi Search and Rescue has been included in the search team for missing Joseph Skylar Burnley. They will utilized special search K9’s.
The Rankin County Sheriff's Office issued the following press release:
Saturday, June 4, 2016
MHP goes Worldstar in Crystal Springs
A Facebook video posted a few hours ago shows the conclusion of a chase by the Mississippi Highway Patrol and other law enforcement officers. This incident took place near the south Crystal Springs Exit on I-55N. The suspect struck an 18-wheeler during the chase. The person who recorded this video saw her trip to Walmart (where she no doubt was getting an Ozark Trail Tumbler) turn into an episode of Cops.
Friday, June 3, 2016
YES
A vintage bootleg audio recording of the 1976 Yes concert in Jackson popped up on Youtube. Enjoy
Get a job!!!
The city of Jackson issued the following statement on the youth summer jobs program:
Who ya gonna trust, the voters or the elites?
Peggy Noonan analyzed the current state of affairs in another Wall Street Journal column several weeks ago. It set off conservatives such as National Review's Jonah Goldberg but it made some very good points. The conservative cocktail circuit has never been so unhappy. She wrote:
AP: Dr. Wright has a tough job.
The AP's Jeff Amy analyzed the tenure of Mississippi Superintendent of Education Dr. Carey Wright earlier this week and wondered why she would want to stay at her job given all the criticism and some alleged micromanagement. Mr. Amy wrote:
Thursday, June 2, 2016
Saratoga sightseeing
Some yewts decided to check out some homes late at night this week in the area of Saratoga and Suffolk in Northeast Jackson. They were seen going through back yards and casing homes. Security cameras provided the following photo and video. Keep an eye out for these guys.
Jackson pools now open
The city of Jackson issued the following press release:
Wednesday, June 1, 2016
Blast from the past
If you like the Allman Brothers, you might like this Youtube video of Greg Allman performing in Jackson back in 1983.
Byram capital murder suspect arrested.
Byram PD issued the following statement and mug shot:
Click Here to Read More..
Clinton auto burglars busted
The Clinton Police Department issued the following press release:
Archie goes jughead.
The Jackson City Council recently changed the public comments format of its meetings in order to handle city business more quickly. Public comments were taking up to 90 minutes before the council could address the rest of the agenda. Council President Melvin Priester, Jr. made a sensible reform. Comments that address specific agenda items are heard at the beginning of the meeting. The rest of the comments are allowed after the agenda is concluded. However, that didn't sit too well with one Mr. David Archie. Mr. Archie raised hell with the council in this video.
Rick Cleveland remembers our heroes.
This is written on Memorial Day morning, the morning after it was announced that both Ole Miss and Mississippi State baseball teams will host NCAA Regionals at once for the first time ever.
It is written on the day after Southern Miss's stirring 3-2 victory over tradition power Rice for the Conference USA Baseball Championship. Has a relay play from the outfield ever been executed more perfectly? I think not.
This is written on a day when we Americans take a day off from work to remember those who sacrificed to keep us free.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
