Jackson Jambalaya

When I first began to consume wine as a novice in the 1960s, I had no idea how many forms it could take and how complicated the subject can be once you get into it even on a cursory basis.

 The Department of Human Services issued the following statement. 

More fireworks took place at Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba's press conference today. Chief of Staff Dr. Safiya Omari said Ward 3 City Councilman Kenneth Stokes was an abuser of women as she fired at him with both barrels.  However, the smoke from her barrage had not yet cleared when the Mayor stepped into the fray and said members of the City Council, including Mr. Stokes and Ward 1 Councilman Ashby Foote, were taking bribes to steer the garbage contract.  Watch the first few. minutes of the press conference.  

 State Auditor Shadrach Blanc issued the following statement. 

 Former Booneville police officer Dustin Rambo will serve 16 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to violating civil rights and making false statements. 

 Emergency contract bans most garbage cans.

Will the whatever time be a charm for Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba?  Hizzoner placed the matter of awarding an emergency one-year garbage collection contract to Richard's Disposal on the agenda for Tuesday's meeting of the Jackson City Council.  The resolution and proposed contract are posted below.

 This post is reprinted with the permission of the Taxpayer's Channel in Greenwood. 

UMB Bank was the highest bidder for the assets of Express Grain at the bankruptcy auction held Friday morning, according to multiple individuals who observed the auction.

The late Dr. Frank Pollard preached from Matthew 11: 27-30 in this 1993 sermon at First Baptist Church (Jackson). If ya didn't get to church today, enjoy the remedial sermon.

“The era of authoritarian imperialism is back with a vengeance,” a Wall Street Journal editorial proclaimed hours before Russia invaded Ukraine.

When people argue, onlookers often say the truth is likely somewhere in the middle. The Truth does not reside somewhere in the middle between the sides. From the beginning we’ve made wrong decisions even when the right choice has been graciously provided. The Truth abides far above the highest intellects and imaginations of humanity. 

First Consul Tate Reeves issued the following statement. 

 The fight for Jackson's garbage contract is going to court - again.  Waste Management sued for an injunction against the city of Jackson and Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba in Hinds County Circuit Court yesterday. 

 Franklin D. Roosevelt, scion of one of the wealthiest families in American history, was worth about $67 million in today's dollars. He attended the prestigious Groton boarding school, Harvard College and Columbia Law. He was relatable to the masses despite his privileged background. In the words of a PBS documentary, he was "a patrician who spoke the language of the dispossessed."

Check out The View's resident idiot this morning.

 Bigger Pie Forum's Ashby Foote discusses Europe's electricity problems with Douglas Carson of the Mississippi Center for Public Policy.

 This post is a paid advertisement. 

 Real war broke out in Ukraine after Russia invaded the country but the Ukraine people are fighting back. Apparently no one wants to spend time as a Russian prisoner.  The news is moving fast so consider this an open thread on the subject.  Comment here, post videos and links as you see fit. 

Sudie Jones indictment posted below. 

Several readers got a little peeved when JJ and WLBT referred to Sudie Jones as a former drug "kingpin" when she was indicted in the Toni Johnson case recently.  Well, take a look at some news articles from the early 1990s. 

 The Mississippi Development Authority submitted a claim for $750,000 in the Express Grain bankruptcy case on February 16.  

 War broke out between Jackson Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes and Chief of Staff DR. Safiyah Omari during a discussion of the garbage contract today.  Curse words were used while Ward 7 Councilwoman Virgi Lindsey's voice became even more tortured as she begged them to stop yelling at each other.  This exchange is one for the books. 

 This article is reprinted with the permission of the Taxpayer's Channel. 

Early this morning, armed agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation raided the offices of Express Grain at the oil mill in Greenwood, as well as EG President John Coleman's home on Robert E Lee Drive. 

Bill Gates is sad over natural immunity. 

Last year should have been a great year for PERS as its investments generated nearly a 33% return.  Let the good times roll. Time to party like it's 1999. The markets finally came back and PERS can invest its way to success.  Well, not so fast my friend.  While PERS killed it on Wall Street, a plethora of factors blunted the PERS progress to stability as the funding level rose less than a point.   

 Will there be a showdown at high noon at Jackson City Hall? The City Council will meet tomorrow to discuss the Mayor's garbage state of emergency.  Check out the competing agendas posted below. 

Gary Pettus authored the following UMC press release.

 Every morning on his way to medical school, Brittain Heindl learned a lot about the lives of patients before he ever got to class.

Some yewts got into a shootout yesterday but managed to get away.  WLBT's Christopher Fields reported on his Facebook page yesterday: 

It doesn't take much to make me happy these days. My wife might argue with that statement, but it’s true. It’s not that I have reached some state of self-actualization and have rocketed up to the summit of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs or anything like that. It's just that— surprisingly— monetary and material things have taken a backseat to the spiritual and relational things in my life over the past several years. It’s a good place to be.

KF Correction: The "verdict" was actually a settlement. Article

Does the stunning $73 million verdict against gun manufacturer Remington in the 2012 school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut, that claimed the lives of 20 first-graders and six educators signal a sea change in litigation against gun makers?

 Let's face it.  Most people hated the Seinfeld finale. Unfortunately, not too many popular tv shows are able to stick the landing and that's not including the ending of you know what.  The Seinfeld finale lived on in infamy as something best forgotten.  However, the Seinfeld team made things right and put together a reunion show ten years later but with a twist - they buried it in another show on HBO.  If as yours truly, you were not aware of this little blast from the past, enjoy.

     This week, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the lightweight, unpopular elected leader of a country with a 93% vaccination rate for those over 60 and a total vaccination rate of 84%, announced that he would invoke the Emergencies Act in order to crack down on the Freedom Convoy -- a group of protesters opposed to government vaccination mandates for truckers. Trudeau breathily announced that invocation of the law was in fact "reasonable and proportionate." His public safety minister, Marco Mendicino, said that the actions were required thanks to "intimidation, harassment, and expressions of hate."

 State Supreme Bean Counter Shadrach White issued the following statement. 

 Madison-Rankin District Attorney Bubba Bramlett issued the following statement. 

 The Lumumba administration did not take too kindly to Waste Management's threat to take legal action after the Mayor declared a state of emergency so he could award a garbage contract to Richard's Disposal of New Orleans.

 Posted below are the Mississippi Bar's disciplinary actions  for the second half of 2021.  They were obtained through a public records request.

In an unexpected outbreak of journalism, the New York Times  busted the CDC for hiding large amounts of Covid-19 data it collects. The newspaper of record reported today: 

 When you buy a French Chablis, it will be made only from Chardonnay grapes grown in a small district in France, because that is required under French law. 

 The Pearl Police Department issued the following statement. 

 The Landmark Center on Capitol Street now belongs to the Mississippi Regional Housing Authority.   MRHA purchased the building from Landmark Property Company, LLC in July 2021.  

 Lanier High School's enrollment continues to collapse. Bulldog enrollment is only 566 students for the 2021-2022 school year. Lanier's student population fell 36% over the last decade, mirroring the abandonment of Jackson Public Schools. Once the largest public school district in Mississippi, JPS has less than 20,000 students today. 

Breaking Points dived into the weed, er, make that weeds of the medical marijuana industry last week.  The report focused on surprise, how big business is trying to rig the regulation of medical marijuana in each state and squash competition.  Forget rich guys in Arkansas, major corporations such as Miracle-Gro and Coke are jumping into the game.  Get read to watch Mary Jane's wild, wild, west.  Enjoy. 

If you overslept and missed church, enjoy this 1993 sermon as the late Dr. Frank Pollard pours out some scripture.  

 “Where have all the real men gone?” asked Enterprise-Journal Publisher Jack Ryan in a recent editorial.

 And...... socialist Russell Brand makes the same points as D.L. Gardner buuuuut in a slightly, just ever so slightly, different fashion about the boy prime minister up north.  

Those who live above us, who have authority over us, may not know how the rest of us really feel about being forced to do things we not only don’t want to do, but also things that will harm us, especially when those making the rules exempt themselves from those rules. Freedom loving Americans are fed up as are Canadians, French, British, Belgians, Australians, and New Zealanders. STOP IT!!!

 Hinds County Election Commissioner Toni Johnson and Cedric Cornelius are still in jail after they were arrested by the State Auditor's investigators yesterday. 

 Waste Management fired back at Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba today after he declared a state of emergency yesterday so he could award a one-year garbage contract to Richard's Disposal of New Orleans. 

 Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba was not the first Jackson Mayor to lie about the state not paying its water bills.  Mayor Harvey Johnson said the same thing which was not in 2010 as well.  JJ busted the current Mayor for the lie and busted Harvey for the lie as well with you guessed it, a public records request.  Check out this August 16, 2010 JJ post: 

Remember Harvey's little threat to cut off the state's water because it owed Jackson "millions" in unpaid past-due water bill?

The State Auditor's investigators arrested Hinds County Election Commissioner Toni Johnson this morning in Clinton. She is currently in custody at the Raymond Detention Center. More information will be posted when available.

Update (1:00 PM): State Auditor Shadrick White issued the following statement:

 WLBT concluded it's three-part series on Jackson's water problems last night.  Reporters Anthony Warren and C.J. Lemasters quizzed the efforts to help the water system stay, well, above water in a ten-minute video.  The story is good local journalism that is worthy of your time.  They spent several weeks putting this package together and it shows in the production.  Watch it here.

 Nissan to invest $500 million in Canton plant

Governor Tate Reeves issued the following statement. 

Jackson Lord Protector Chokwe Antar Lumumba issued the following statement. 

WARNING: GRAPHIC & DISTURBING PHOTO POSTED BELOW

 A 15-year old sophomore at Murrah High School committed suicide yesterday.  

 It's Mardi Gras season and you know what that means.  Randazzo's King Cakes are back at Nandy's Candy.Want the real thing? Swing by and get one.  Phone reservations are welcome.  Available flavors are blueberry & cream cheese, pecan praline, Fluer de Lis (Cream cheese, apple, strawberry, cherry), cream cheese, and of course, traditional.  You can call and reserve one or pre-order as well. Enjoy.  

 Annie Oeth authored the following UMC press release. 

The incredibly shrinking Clarion-Ledger is going to shrink some more as reporters desert, well, we were going to use "in droves" but there are not enough reporters at the "state newspaper" to use "droves."  

 Water, water, everywhere.... not if you live in Jackson or Byram.  Jackson's water disaster is well-known as the city struggles to provide such a basic service.  WLBT's C.J. Lemasters and Anthony Warren took a look at Jackson's water problems in a three-part series that broadcast this week.   These are not one-minute segments designed for the typical news broadcast but are over six minutes each as WLBT covers the story at a deeper level. 

 So, there’s this thing called a “Mississippi Pot Roast.” I’ve seen it pop up on my social media over the last several years and I have seen other people comment on it and offer their thoughts online after preparing and eating it. 

 The Justice Department issued the following press release. 

  Mississippi Supreme Court Chief Justice Mike Randolph believes that non-violent offenders who find themselves in trouble with the law over drugs, mental health issues or veterans’ issues should have alternatives available to them that eclipse the old “lock them up and throw away the key” variety.

 The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel returns to Prime Friday night.  Amazon dropped one last trailer a few days ago.  Enjoy. 

 Madison-Rankin County District Attorney Bubba Bramlett issued the following statement and mug shot. 

 Joe Rogan must be stopped.

Things might not be so fine and dandy over at Fine & Dandy Restaurant as it tries to stave off eviction from The District while the landlord and tenant trade accusations of fraud.

 Willie Nelson is coming to Brandon on May 7. He may be 88 years old but he is still going strong.  Concert info is posted below. 

 Attorney General Lynn Fitch issued the following statement. 

 Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey issued the following statement. 

 You'd think that the 2022 U.S. wine-grape harvest ended months ago, but curiously it's now harvest time in a small number of northern hemisphere areas with conditions that couldn't be stranger.

Although ignored by the media, black flight from Jackson continues unabated as blacks who can afford to get out of Jackson are indeed doing so.  JJ first discussed this local phenomenon waaaaaaaay back in 2013 when it reviewed the racial composition of Jackson area schools.  The trend was clear in 2013 and even more clear in 2022 as black student populations doubled and even tripled in all adjacent high schools. It's not too hard to figure out where those students came from as JPS cratered to less than 20,000 students this year. What does it mean? It means blacks are getting the hell out of Jackson and not looking behind. 

 It appears one Sovie won a round against JPD at a roadblock this weekend. A gentleman posted on Facebook Friday:

Want to get an ex taken out?

JPD arrested Keshun Chamber last week and charged him with carjacking.  Chamber used a female accomplice to lure victims through a dating app to a location.  Chamber and another male would rob the victim at gunpoint, strip him naked, and leave with his car, wallet, phone, and other valuables.  They brutally beat a victim in one case.

Overslept and missed church? Your remedial sermon is posted below.  Enjoy the sermon presented by the late Dr. Frank Pollard in 1993.

 “Legitimate political discourse” – remember those three words. They will be with us for a while.

 Check out Russell Brand's evisceration of CNN's Brian Stelter.  Be prepared to laugh. 

“Red-Handed” is a book written by Peter Schweizer who discloses a number of cozy connections between very high government office-holders in Washington, D.C., and very high government officials and business leaders in China. It’s a timely book in light of so many trouble spots around the world attracting a lot of attention from our leaders in Washington. 

The official song of Jackson should be the chirping of crickets, a sound commonly heard by business owners when they ask for help from the city.   A property owner's negligence, bums, and a rising tide of trash are swamping the property of USA Pawn Megastore on I-55 South Frontage Road (by E. McDowell Road.).  USA Pawn Managing Partner Nick Fulton vented his frustration:

Special Judge Jess Dickinson recused himself from the John Davis case today.  Davis is the former Director of the Department of Human Services.  A Hinds County grand jury indicted him for fraud, embezzlement, and conspiracy in 2020.  

 How easy should it be to sue a newspaper or other news outlet for defamation? Thanks to a 1964 Supreme Court decision and the proliferation of constitutionally dubious "anti-SLAPP" laws, it's virtually impossible for someone who accuses a media company of lying about him or her to get to trial, much less win a damage award. If your local paper decides to smear you, the truth is, there's not much you can do about it.

 Check out this current resident at the Raymond Detention Center.

The Mississippi State Department of Health announced at a press conference today that Covid-19 oral anti-viral medication is available in Mississippi.  The press conference is posted below. 

Express Grain was born in fraud, lived in fraud, and died in fraud yesterday. Agriculture Commissioner Andrew Gipson revoked the warehouse licenses to Express Grain Terminals yesterday for repeatedly submitting phony financial statements to obtain the licenses.  

 Note: The live stream is on the JJ Instagram page. 

The Ridgewood Park Homeowners Association and Ward 1 Councilman Ashby Foote will host a town hall meeting at 6 PM at the Ag Museum to discuss the proposed improvements to the M-Bar.

 The Justice Department issued the following statement. 

 How awesome was German engineering? Check out this colorized 1902 footage of a "flying train" by the Wupper River. 

 Governor Tate Reeves issued the following statement. 

Update: The Mayor pulled the garbage contract from the agenda after the City Council came out of executive session. 

It's time for another edition of Trash Talk as the Jackson City Council takes up the garbage contract yet again.  Will the third try be the charm for Richard's Disposal of New Orleans? How many times will the Mayor raise his voice? What is the over/under on Virgi whining or whatever it is when she speaks in that ever so tortured voice?  Will the Prom Queen bring a full deck of race cards? Does she actually play with a full deck?  You might have to wait a while to find out because....... the City Council immediately voted to go into executive session to discuss possible litigation with its attorney, Roy Campbell.

 A Johns Hopkins study reported St. Dominic Hospital had the worst score of 375 hospitals in its overuse index for wasteful healthcare at  US hospitals. The study appeared on the JAMA website.

 Hinds County Senior Circuit Judge Tomie Green reassigned the case of former DHS Director John Davis to another judge.  Her order states: 

 The Pearl River Valley Water Supply District issued the following press releases. 

The Jaguar News Network is back with another episode of the goings-on at Madison Central High School.  Check out the junior Cronkites as they cover MC sports, Duling Hall, the weather forecast, senioritis, and yes, Jacksons water problems.  The episode is posted below.  

 The Jackson City Council will hold a special meeting tomorrow.  Would anyone like to guess what is one of two items on the agenda? 

Express Grain Terminals moved one step closer to losing its warehouse licenses after Agriculture Commissioner Andrew Gipson held a revocation hearing Friday.  

I really don’t know when it started, or who came up with the idea. It could have been me. Or it may have been one of our chefs. All I know is that when we roll out King Cake Bread Pudding around this time of year, it’s all we can do to keep up with the demand. 

 Is Mississippi on solid fiscal footing for the future as the Republican leadership of both houses of the Mississippi Legislature take slightly different paths in their march toward a massive tax cut?

Note: This column was written last week. 

This week, former award-winning actress and highly decorated blowhard Whoopi Goldberg made a fool of herself. This came as no surprise; Goldberg does that quite regularly on "The View." The good news for Goldberg is that no one notices -- trying to identify which fatuous host takes the cake for most imbecilic comment on any given day is an exercise in multivariate calculus, so Goldberg often tends to meld into the wallpaper of daftness.

This post is a paid advertisement. 

State Treasurer David McRae launched the 2022 College Savings Mississippi Art Contest. All PreK-12 students are eligible to enter. Contest winners will receive a scholarship worth up to $500 in the form of a Mississippi Affordable College Savings (MACS) account.

 The Justice Department issued the following statement. 

 After a fire took place at the O.B. Curtis water treatment plant on April 30, 2021.  Jacksonians assumed the Lumumba administration was making the necessary repairs but unfortunately, such was not the case.  Jackson did not order the necessary parts until last month - after the Health Department forced it to do so.

The dustup over Joe Rogan comes as no surprise as the media jealously guards its power and woe to anyone who dares compete with it.  Google "New York Times" and "Substack."   The media failed to land a punch on America's favorite podcaster after firing a round of hit pieces at him last year.  However, the media is just as strident in dealing with pagan infidels as is any religious fanatic, true believers in themselves are they.  Breaking Points decided to tear down the curtain today and report on the money behind the would-be takedown of Joe Rogan.  As usual, follow the money.

Living in the heart of Sonoma County wine country gives me direct access to winemakers, occasionally in grocery stores or parking lots.

Two weeks ago, I bumped into a friend, a winemaker for a small winery, who bemoaned that prices for merlot grapes were rising a lot higher than he had anticipated, which made his job more difficult.

There will be a town hall meeting Thursday night about the improvements to M Bar.

 The CDC is going to change the protocols for the Moderna and Pfizer Covid-19 vaccines to decrease the risk of um, heart inflammation in the immunocompromised.   Fox News reported: 

Red Mountain Entertainment announced country music star Kenny Chesney will be coming to Brandon.  Check out the press release posted below. 

The Raymond Detention Center moved ever so closer to federal control after U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves decreed Hinds County was in civil contempt of court last Thursday.  

An Israeli study reports vitamin-D deficient patients suffer worse Covid-19 symptoms and are at a higher risk of hospitalization if infected with the virus.  

 The pre-school lobby at First Baptist Church was struck by gunfire over the weekend. Senior Pastor Chip Stevens send the following email to his congregation today. 

 Any sermon that opens with a five-minute recitation of Dr. Seuss rhyme can't be bad.  The late Dr. Frank Pollard opened this 1993 sermon is such a fashion while peppering the rest of it with his own thoughtful rhymes.  Enjoy. 

 “This is nuts,” began a Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal headline on a story about proposed election law changes in Mississippi.

 Check out this funny little exchange during Coach Kim Mulkey's post-game press conference last Sunday.

While answering roll call the first day of class, my students state why they are famous. It really doesn’t matter what they say. They are introducing themselves to me and their classmates so we can remember their names and something about them. Those first few minutes of class set the tone for the whole semester, plus students give their first speeches without even knowing it.

 The city of Clinton issued the following statement about the Chick-Fil-A shooting last night.

 Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey issued the following statement. 

 Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba issued the following statement. 

 Nearly a decade ago, the Edward Snowden revelations prompted a national debate about data security. Polls show that a growing number of Americans take data security precautions such as choosing different passwords for online accounts and using encrypted communications platforms such as Signal. Eight out of 10 people believe companies should be required to obtain direct consent to collect or sell their data.

 The trailer for the Jackson-based movie, A Day to Die, dropped on Youtube.  Check it out.  I'm almost scared to allow comments on this one.  

Update (12:20 PM): The City Council discussed the January 25 EPA letter in executive session.  It adjourned without discussing the garbage contract. 

Update (11:12 AM) The City Council votes to go into executive session to discuss the fourth item on the agenda, potential litigation.  The garbage contract was the second item on the agenda but City Council skipped over it.  Will it be discussed? 

The Jackson City Council is taking up yet again the garbage contract for Richard's Disposal of New Orleans.  What the fun below. 

City orders water plant parts nine months after fire. 

 JJ reported yesterday that Jackson has not fixed the hi-pressure pumps at the O.B. Curtis water treatment plant after a fire damaged the electrical panel that controls the pumps.  Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba said the city ordered the parts but they were delayed due to supply-chain issues.   Yours truly commented on the post:

 It seems just yesterday that UMC and Blue Cross settled their little feud. Well, 2018 is back.  UMC notified employees and patients that UMC will be forced out of the Blue Cross network if an agreement is not reached by March 31.  The letter is posted below.

 The city of Jackson issued the following statement. 

The fiddling continues as Jackson's water system continues to implode.  A fire at the O.B. Curtis Water Treatment plant knocked out all five of the high-service pumps in April, 2021.  However, Jackson still has not fixed the pumps even though it is plagued by water pressure problems that leave substantial parts of the city without water for days and weeks at a time.  JJ obtained a copy of the letter through a public records request.  

 The Jackson City Council will meet tomorrow at 11:00 AM.  Does anyone want to guess what is on the agenda? 

 The Mississippi Department of Human Services issued the following statement. 

D'Allen Washington walks the streets again after the Mississippi Parole Board released him from prison.  He pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact of kidnapping in the Kingston Frazier case.  

The wheels of justice turned slowly but turned they did for would-be cop-killer Chauncy Reed.  A Hinds County grand jury indicted Reed on January 13 for first-degree murder and attempted murder of a law enforcement officer that took place on May 18, 2018. 

Governor Tate Reeves signed the medical marijuana bill today. The Governor announced on Facebook: 

Karen Bascom authored the following press release for UMC.

A trio of scientific papers on the effects of COVID-19 in children emphasizes its risks and the strong benefits of vaccination.

 The following post was published on The Taxpayers Channel Monday.

Today, the Farmers group, which represents almost all the farmers in the Express Grain bankruptcy case that are represented by attorneys, filed a "Motion for Summary Judgment," asking the court to throw out the warehouse receipts held by UMB Bank, StoneX Commodity Solutions, and Macquarie Commodities (USA) Inc. as invalid.

 Update (5:30 PM): Cancelled. 

The Jackson City Council will meet tomorrow to vote on what else but the garbage contract for Richard's Disposal.   

For the 22-plus years I have written this weekly column I have focused mainly on food and travel. Occasionally I have ventured into family stories, especially when my kids were young and there was a lot of material to mine.

Jerry Mitchell authored this article for the Mississippi Center for Investigative Reporting. It is reprinted with his permission.  

The number one thing the city of Jackson needs to do to solve its water crisis?

 Mississippi lawmakers rather quickly and decisively agreed on a medical marijuana program that didn’t earn universal agreement, but it did take the Legislature out of the unenviable position of not being responsive to the wishes of some 74 percent of state voters participating in the 2020 statewide elections.

 Bill Maher had enough and called out the loony left Friday night.

 Philosopher Robert Bellah once posited that modern Western human beings identify themselves in a peculiar way: as emotional cores, surrounded by baser material. According to Bellah, we are expressive individualists -- meaning that "each person has a unique core of feeling and intuition that should unfold or be expressed if individuality is to be realized." This mode of self-definition wars with older, more traditional modes, which suggest that our identities lie in how we interact with the world and society around us. Expressive individualism, by contrast, suggests that we are not truly ourselves unless the world confirms all of our feelings and intuitions. As professor Carl Trueman points out, this viewpoint is essentially solipsistic; he explains, "When identity is psychologized, and the pursuit of happiness becomes a subjective, psychological matter, anything that challenges that paradigm is deemed damaging and oppressive."

 Leftenent Governor Gilbert Hosemann issued the following statement. 

 The Jackson proposed garbage contract failed on a 3-3-1 today.  Council members Ashby Foote, Kenneth Stokes, and Vernon Hartley voted against the contract while Virgi Lindsay, Angelique Lee, and Edward Grizzell voted for the contract.  Aaron Banks abstained.  Comment in the post below.

Recap of last week's discussion, Live feed of today's discussion posted below.  

Mayor says Council questioning contract because Richard is black.

Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba wrangled with the City Council over the garbage contract yet again last week.  No votes were taken although several rounds of heated rhetoric were exchanged.  

 The Bolivar County Sheriff's Office issued the following statement and mug shot.

Will the Senate Judicary B Committee protect Buddy today? Buddy is a sweet dog that was set on fire by an 12 year-old child last year.  Unfortunately, the little demon could not be prosecuted because of his age last year.  However, Senate bill #2261 aims to fix that problem but it may die in committee today. 

Today is qualifying deadline for judicial races and the candidates are lining up in Hinds County.  Who is running for what?