Jackson Jambalaya

 Blogging would require yours truly to take a break from watching college football and that is not going to happen.  Sooo...... we will cheat a little bit and post this order from the Mitzi Bickers case in Atlanta.  She is scheduled go to to trial in February.   Sections III (A), (G), (I),  and (J) are particularly colorful reading. Remember while reading the documents posted below that Ms. Bickers is a minister.

 Shutting down businesses and schools felt to many people like a natural response to the COVID-19 pandemic. But the extended coronavirus lockdown of 2020 did not follow any widely accepted standard strategy. Lockdowns were sporadic and short-lived during the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, the most recent historical parallel. Encouraging and coercing tens of millions of people to shelter in place in 2020 was one of the most radical social engineering experiments in modern history, as novel as the coronavirus itself.

 Check out this little piece of tech in action. 

The mother of a former Pine Lake Baptist Church youth minister arrested last week for felony exploitation of a child established a Gofundmepage to defray the costs of her son's legal defense. 

 The Mississippi Supreme Court issued the following statement. 

 Surprise, surprise.  Express Grain President John Coleman won't talk during his bankruptcy proceedings.  The Taxpayers Channel (Greenwood) reported: 

 Jackson closed the zoo yesterday but then a few hours later reopened it after some common sense for once prevailed at City Hall.  The city issued this press release yesterday morning: 

 Everything else has failed so Georgia and Hope have decided to try couple's therapy.  Watch to see what happens.  

The Health Department is holding a press conference on Covid-19 right now.  It is  streamed below.

District Attorney to seek indictment against would-be cop killer

There is still no justice for a police officer who survived a deadly shootout at a South Jackson gas station 3 1/2 years ago.  Two men tried to shoot JPD Officer Mike Tarrio but he managed to kill one assailant and arrest the other.  He received an "Officer of the Year" award for his bravery under fire.  However, this being Jackson, such heroism did not go unpunished as Jackson suspended him with pay for over a year.  While Tarrio suffered, the man who repeatedly shot at him was never indicted and walks free today.  The Hinds County Catch & Release program is indeed alive and well in 2021. 

 For the past 20-plus years, my final column in December is always a list of the top dining experiences I enjoyed throughout the previous year. In a typical pre-2020 year, I spend a few months working in Italy and a good bit of time travelling across the United States doing research and development for our restaurants, which always made it an easy piece to write.

 Watch the Hinds County Board of Supervisors live below.  It's a good one. 

 Voters in California and Massachusetts have directly passed laws regulating the conditions in which pigs, hens, and calves are housed in industrial agriculture production facilities that may prove to be the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come for farmers, producers and consumers in the rest of the country.

 Stokes. 

 Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba issued the following statement. 

 In 2020, Americans learned that if emergency dictated, we could lock down, mask up, and blow out spending to temporarily stymie the impact of a global pandemic. We learned that if uncertainty required massive response, we could mobilize massive response, including the creation of new vaccines within one year. 

 Good job, CDC, good job.  MSN reported: 

 Governor Tate Reeves posted the following announcement on medical marijuana on his Facebook page. 

Enmity between farmers and banks is almost as old as the Good Book and the Express Grain fiasco is no exception.  A group of victimized farmers sued UMB bank in federal court in November. They accused the bank of keeping the bankrupt grain elevator afloat until it could seize the harvests after delivery.  However, UMB fired back at the farmers last week with a motion to dismiss the lawsuit.

 When we buy a bottle of a famed wine, we take it on faith that it's genuine and not a fake.

 Which is worse for kids: The Covid-19 virus or the Covid-19 policies?  A CBS reported minced no words yesterday in saying the policies are literally killing our kids and ruining their lives.  

 This upcoming legislative session promises to be a contentious but historic one as lawmakers allocate $1.8 billion in federal funds given to the state.

 The original Jack Sunn, Bill Hetrick, passed away. His obituary is posted below. 

Do social media posts provide window into case? 

The Flowood Police Department issued the following statement on Facebook. 

Missed church because you were recovering from Christmas this morning? Enjoy this 1995 Christmas Eve sermon presented by the late Dr. Frank Pollard (First Baptist - Jackson). 

 Join with me in a New Year’s prayer that we and our loved ones can stay out of hospitals and their emergency rooms during 2022.

Huh?

 A crazy Karen in training went crazy on a flight to Atlanta.

 The college football playoff semifinals go back to the future Friday. Once upon a time, sports fans went to the movie theater to watch sporting events. They will have the chance to do so again as Cinemark will broadcast the Cotton and Orange Bowls live on the big screen. Click here for more information. 

 The Pfizer booster might be somewhat of a dud in fighting the Xi variant of the Covid – 19 virus.  The UK Health Security Agency released a study Thursday that said booster effectiveness fell after only 10 weeks. The study stated:

 You're funneling the Kingfish's egg nog but need some music for the recreation.  No problem.  Check out the Trans Siberian Orchestra's recent performance in Orlando.  Enjoy.

 A bankrupt Express Grain Terminals wants to borrow $30 million to stay afloat but will continue to go a begging if Agriculture Commissioner Andy Gipson has his way and shuts down the company.

 Andrea Dilworth authored the following press release for UMC.

Hospitals across the state are caught up in yet another battle of supply and demand, and this time it’s not machines, gear, or even nurses. Instead, UMMC is one of many working feverishly to recruit and retain qualified respiratory therapists.

 The Y'all Lifestyle meets The Jambalaya with the Kingfish. That's right, none other than Bo Bounds appeared on the podcast. There was no shortage of topics as we discussed college football, early signings, NIL, Coach, and the local scene. Part one is posted below. The podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon. Enjoy.

 It appears the Mayor had quite a good time in Atlanta last weekend after the Celebration Bowl.

 The Department of Human Services issued the following statement.

 Do you need to buy a last minute Christmas present or stocking stuffer? Local artist Bill Wilson has these watercolors of the Mississippi Capitol for sale. 

 The Covid – 19 Xi variant may not be as harsh as previous versions although it is more easily transmitted. The Wall Street Journal reported today:

 The city of Jackson issued the following statement.

As a child I started thinking about what I wanted for Christmas around the Fourth of July. I reached a certain age where I was old enough for my mother to take me to her friend’s houses when she went for cocktails, but not old enough to stay home alone and trusted not to wreck the place. It was during those visits to my mom’s friend’s homes that I did my best Christmas dreaming.

 With super majorities in both houses of the Mississippi Legislature, the reveal of the state’s new congressional redistricting plan by Republican leaders drew predictably partisan reviews and criticisms from Democrats.

Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey issued the following statement. 

On Oct. 30, 2020, just days before the presidential election, Joe Biden tweeted, "I'm not going to shut down the country. I'm not going to shut down the economy. I'm going to shut down the virus." 

 The city of Jackson issued the following statement.

 Commissioner of Agriculture Andy Gipson wants to revoke the license for Express Grain Terminals, LLC after he discovered the company submitted phony financial statements to obtain a license.

 The Justice Department issued the following statement. 

 Governor Tate Reeves issued the following statement. 

 The Flowood Police Department issued the following statement.

 Mid – South Wrestling returned to Jackson today as David L. Archie tied it up today in the square circle at the Hinds County Courthouse. Just watch for yourself at 10:00 in the video posted below. Warning: do not have a drink in your mouth.

 Enjoy the second part of Judge Bill Skinner's interview on The Jambalaya with The Kingfish. Judge Skinner is anything but boring.  The former Hinds County Court Judge and JPD officer tells horror stories from youth court, unloads on Bennie Thompson, and calls out Tomie Green.  It's Judge Skinner, so the podcast will be anything but boring.

Express Grain submitted falsified financial statements to the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce when it renewed its license each year. Commissioner Andy Gipson stated in a letter sent to Lieutenant Governor Delbert Hosemann and Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Senator Chuck Younger last Friday:

If you want see what the kids are doing at Madison Central High School, check out the Jaguar News Network on YouTube. The junior Cronkites produced a little newscast last week that was quite slick in production. It is posted below. Enjoy.

If you got caught up in the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season only to miss church this morning, here is your chance to catch-up.  Enjoy the 1993 sermon presented by the late Dr. Frank Pollard that is posted below. 

“Transparency in government is critical to its integrity.” 

That may have been Phil Bryant’s most iconic statement as a politician. You see, transparency lets light into the often dim recesses of government exposing decisions and actions to the public, and not all politicians welcome that light.

 The Mississippi Department of Corrections issued the following statement. 

 As if we needed reminding that Americans don't trust the news media, a recent report by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at Oxford found that the United States ranks dead last in news consumer confidence out of 46 countries surveyed.

 Posted below is a video recording of some local yutes bragging about killing on face time recently.  To say they were shameless is an understatement. They cheerfully said they would kill each other and slammed each other for being lousy shots. Be warned, the video is filled with expletives in certain racially insensitive words.  Don't be surprised if you actually recognize any of them.

 A task force of law enforcement officers finally grabbed Joseph Brown and several accomplices yesterday . JPD charged him with two counts of murder and said he is a suspect in more homicides. He is also charged with two counts of aggravated assault and one count of drive-by shooting. He allegedly shot a pregnant woman to death Wednesday.

 Madison –Rankin Counties District Attorney Bubba Bramlett issued the following statement and mug shot.

Hmmmmm........ these guys look vaguely familiar.

 It appears Marshand Crisler struck out. Just read the short letter by Hinds County Circuit Clerk Zach Wallace posted below.

 Hinds County Sheriff Tyree Jones said Marshand Crisler's challenge of his election as Sheriff is  is illegal in a letter sent to Circuit Clerk Zach Wallace today.

 It's going to be harder to live at the Reservoir campgrounds. The Pearl River Valley Water Supply District issued the following statement today:

 The Justice Department issued the following statement.

The Unnecessary Roughness Instagram channel had a little bit of fun with the Ole Miss cheerleaders at the Texas A&M game. Feel free to define an Aggie in the comments.

 Well, well, well. It appears Marshand Crisler just can't face reality nor handle and ass-whupping. Check out what he filed with the circuit clerk two days ago.

 Coach Prime landed the top high school football recruit in the country. High school phenom Travis Hunter tweeted:

 The Mississippi Senate Committee on Agriculture will hold a hearing at 3:00.  The subject will be none other than Express Grain.  Watch it below or at this link.  JJ will live – blog the hearing.

 A recent study* states the Covid – 19 virus targets fat cells. The study is in pre-print form and has not been peer-reviewed but if the findings withstand scrutiny, it would explain the deadly link between Covid – 19 and obesity. The abstract states:

 My neighbors a few doors down started decorating their yard for Christmas a couple of decades ago. At first it just started with a small display in front of the house. Over the years they added new pieces, several new characters, scenes, settings, and festive holiday elements. This isn’t some cheap Clark Griswold-type Christmas yard display. It takes an entire crew a few days to set it up. Ultimately, I am grateful to know— and live near— people who put so much effort and so many resources into tastefully dressing up the neighborhood during the holidays. They have created an entire Christmas village on the street. It is very complex, intricate, and festive and attracts many passersby on a busy road. People even park their car, get out, and walk around posing for photos. 

 One of the more meaningful events during the observances last week of the 80^th anniversary of the Dec. 7, 1941, attacks on Pearl Harbor was the commissioning of the U.S. Navy’s newest guided-missile destroyer USS Daniel Inouye.

 It will cost more to take a drink or take a crap in Jackson after the Jackson City Council voted to raise water and sewer rates today. However, the City Council did reject a proposed increase in garbage collection fees. WLBT reported:

 As the Supreme Court determines whether to preserve the Court-created "right to abortion" under Roe v. Wade, those on the feminist Left have gone into full-blown panic mode. Women's rights, they insist, will implode without granting women the ability to abort their children; only that ability can equalize the natural inequalities of biology, by which women are saddled with the burden of childbearing and child rearing.

The city of Jackson issued the following statement.

 Attorney General Lynn Fitch issued the following statement.

 Mark Zuckerberg's PAC spent $200,000 to oust Orleans Parish Sheriff. The Times – Picayune reported:

 Political correctness is alive and well at the state newspaper. The Clarion – Ledger published a decent story on the history of the Jackson water system's problems. However, there is one particular sentence that was just downright funny as the reporters tried to follow their social justice code:

 Those involved in a close liaison with wine for decades make lots of demands on the wines we're happiest to consume.

John Davis wants to shut some people up as he prepares for trial in the DHS scandal.

 Attorney Don Barrett appeared on The Jambalaya with the Kingfish Friday. Mr. Barrett represents a group of farmers victimized in the Express Grain fiasco. The Express Grain bankruptcy is going to have a $100-$200 million effect on the Delta economy.  Mr. Barrett was quite candid the answer to any and all questions about the subject. Enjoy.

 Yet another attempted carjacking occurred in Belhaven Saturday night. A resident posted on social media:

More murder, more murder, more murder. The killing fields of Jackson show no signs of fading away as the bold new city recorded four more homicides last night. WLBT reported:

 The late Dr. Frank Pollard preached there are two ways of looking at insurmountable problems: your way and you know who's way. Enjoy this 1993 sermon if you couldn't make it to church this morning.

 "Back in the old days we didn’t write so meanly to each other,” wrote Wyatt Emmerich, publisher of the Northside Sun and president of Emmerich Newspapers. He recently published letters between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr to make his point, noting how polite the letters were. Of course, the outcome was a duel in 1804 that cost Hamilton his life and Burr his reputation.

 David Allen Coe in booty shorts.  Don't say you weren't warned.

 Remember those old DUI arrest of Beth Ann White? Well, she is trying to get at least one of them expunged.

 Democrats need to stop playing cute about the president's reelection plans. 

 A true classic returns to the theater tomorrow and Wednesday.  3-time Oscar winner On Golden Pond will appear at Malco and Tinseltown. Showtimes are posted below.

 This week's edition of Flashback Friday takes a look at the Jackson newspapers in the days following Jap sneak attack on Pearl Harbor. 

 Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey issued the following statement. 

 An insurance company paid $243,362 to the State Auditor for sweetheart spending by the CMU Board of Commissioners.  CMU Commissioners splurged on credit cards, paid illegal severance pay, and covered personal attorneys fees for commissioners. However, the commissioners and former CEO Kenny Wayne Jones are not off the hook because the insurance company sued them for repayment.

 State Auditor Shad White issued the following statement.

 How better things at the Clarion – Ledger? Apparently, not even the newspaper wants the newspaper.  WJTV reported:

 Can you stand some good news? The daughter-in-law of Kelley Williams., posted on social media:

It's time for another episode of The Jambalaya with the Kingfish.  Wild man and former Hinds County Court Judge William Skinner appeared on the podcast. We discussed all kinds of groovy topics such as gangs, the Capitol Street shootout, tales from the bench, and some rather unpredictable topics. Stay tuned for part two as it will be even better.

The Jackson Fire Department issued the following statement.

Have you ever wondered how the folks that SEC Shorts create those funny videos? Make no mistake, they work their asses off to bring you that five minute addiction every week.  Check out the magic behind the scenes.

 Note: This story originally reported UMC asked IHL for approval to buy the property.

 UMC is making a move into Ridgeland.  The  IHL Board of Trustees approved UMC's purchase of 36 acres by I-55 and Colony Park Boulevard for $14.2 million at its November meeting. The resolution stated:

 The FDIC fined former Renasant Bank Senior Vice – President Natalie Arnemann $5,000 and barred her from the banking industry. The June 2021 FDIC order states:

 As Mississippi Legislators work toward eliminating the personal income tax, they are looking for ways to recoup the resulting reduced revenue.  One possible source is the elimination of various tax deductions, exemptions, and credits.

 Jackson prep announced it is adding an elementary school to the Lakeland campus.

 The Clarion – Ledger reported on the lead problems in Jackson's water system. The article started on a decent enough track but then the newspaper help itself as it picked up the social justice spear and tramped through a jungle of ignorance. The newspaper reported last week: 

It is book season. For many people that’s the time of year when summer paperbacks are released, or the holiday cookbooks hit bookstore shelves. For me it’s the time of year when I take to the road on an always interesting, sometimes grueling, book-signing schedule. 

 What happens when a candidate loses by one vote?

 JPD issued the following statements.

This week, governments around the globe spun into full-scale panic thanks to the revelation of the so-called omicron variant of COVID-19. As of this writing, we know that omicron is likely more transmissible than prior variants. We have no evidence, however, that omicron is more deadly. To the contrary, Dr. Angelique Coetzee, chairwoman of the South African Medical Association, explained that the symptoms associated with omicron were "mild," explaining, "we don't see severely ill patients."

Seven Ole Miss Pikes were arrested for allegedly cyber stalking a former member of their fraternity.  The victim pressed charges against one of the defendants last year when a cleaning solution was poured down his throat during pledge week. The solution burned out his esophagus.  The charges also include witness intimidation. 

 Happy birthday to Vito Corleone.  He would have been 130 years old today.

 Hopefully, the person who should see this will see this. We can hope.

 What.... is..... real?

 It was 35 years ago today that Pelahatchie Bay blew up. A gas main under the Rez somehow blew up.  Flames shot up to 700 feet in the air as satellites notice the explosion. Thankfully, no one was hurt nor were any homes destroyed. Take a step back in time and check out the original news articles posted below.

 The Mississippi State Department of Health issued the following statement. 

JJ obtained the video of the bond hearing for Beth Ann White that took place last week. The video is posted below. White is charged with two counts of aggravated DUI – death after she allegedly plowed into another vehicle on Highway 18 a month ago, killing Allison Conaway and her infant son. Mrs. Conaway's two surviving daughters remain in the hospital.

 The season may be over but the folks at SEC Shorts are not through skewering us college football fans.

 Red Mountain Entertainment issued the following press release.

 This video aged very well.... on several levels.  

Missed church? Consider this post to be your remedial sermon.  Enjoy the 1993 sermon presented by the late Dr. Frank Pollard.  

Standing in line at the pharmacy. Watched a man pay $900 for a monthly prescription. Must absolutely need that medicine. Wondered what sacrifices he and his family make to pay that much. 

 The University of Mississippi issued the following statement.  

Albert Einstein probably never said, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.”

 Good job, JPD!!!

 Mississippi Ag Commish Andrew Gipson issued the following statement. 

 Year-end parties usually are liquid-y, so even before we reach the height of the celebratory season, which includes Christmas and New Year's Eve, a bit of planning may avoid hangovers -- and could well be a life-saving tactic.

 Clinton police arrested David Tyler for carjacking an 80-year-old woman yesterday at the Walmart on Highway 80. Tyler tried to make the crime a family affair as he brought his 15 and three-year-old nephews to the carjacking. 

 Hinds County Sheriff – Elect Tyree Jones will be sworn in as the new Sheriff today at 1:00. The ceremony will take place in Circuit Judge Faye Peterson's courtroom.

 Once the money man for many local politicians, a disgraced Porter Bingham faced justice yesterday in federal court as he pleaded guilty to wire fraud.  The former municipal financial advisor ripped off the city of Rolling Fork for $33,000 in a crooked bond deal back in 2015.  His former clients included the city of Jackson, Jackson Public Schools, Hinds County, and Canton public schools.

 JPD investigated a shooting at Willow Point apartment. Naturally, a knucklehead thought it would be a good idea to approach the police while screaming and tote in a rifle. Watch the WLBT video posted below.

 A national constitution ought to reflect a society's fundamental values by defining a set of legal principles that can be periodically adjusted in order to reflect a society's changing mores, culture and technology. By that standard, our Constitution is woefully out of date. 

 Keep an eye out for Kelly Williams' truck.  His daughter-in-law posted on social media last night:

 The University of Mississippi Medical Center issued the following press release.

This story was originally published by Propublica.  ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive their biggest stories as soon as they’re published. Alec MacGillis authored this story. This story is loooong but well worth reading.  Get a Fuentes Maduro.   

On the bucolic campus of Purdue University in Indiana, deep in America’s heartland and 7,000 miles from his home in China, Zhihao Kong thought he could finally express himself.

 The president of Express Grain Terminals told hundreds of customers the grain elevator was in "good shape financially" as the Greenwood company filed bankruptcy.

 The number of Jackson police officers continues to fall as the streets become more dangerous. The Northside Sun reported this week:

There are three constants that have been ever-present in my life from day one— food, music, and art. For the purposes of this column— and the release of my latest coffee table cookbook— I will focus on art. I am not an artist. Though I grew up in the house of an artist.

 Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens issued the following statement.

The global Covid-19 pandemic produced more than physical and emotional illness, suffering, and death over the last two years. The virus also brought global economic paralysis that impacted the global supply chain and created historic worker shortages.