Jackson Jambalaya

 The city of Jackson issued the following statement. 

 The Pearl Police Department issued the following statement. 

 The city of Jackson issued the following statement. 

 The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency issued the following statement. 

Change is a'coming to Mississippi media.  Y'all Politics will transform into the Mississippi Tribune after Russ Latino purchased the YP operation from Alan Lange.  Mr. Lange wrote on Y'all Politics this week: 

 The price is right. 

 Southwest Airlines has managed to turn airports nationwide into another level of hell.  This post is making the rounds on Facebook.  Take it for what it's worth but it seems to jibe with what is reported in the news. 

The Mississippi State Department of Health fined Southern Sky Brands and ordered the destruction of marijuana plants worth hundreds of thousands of dollars and fined the company $20,000 recently.  

 Teresa Malone passed away Christmas Eve.  

 This post is reprinted with permission of The Taxpayers Channel. 

One of the most puzzling aspects of the Express Grain collapse is the $40+ million EG owes seven so-called "NMTC Lender" companies.

 Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba is holding a press conference right now.  It is streamed below. 

 Ag Commish Andrew Gipson issued the following statement. 

For the 22 years I have written in this space, I have always reserved the final column inches of the year to list my top ten meals of the previous 12 months. Here's this year's list.

 The Mississippi Department of Transportation issued the following statement. 

Frankly, neither Republicans nor Democrats hold much moral high ground on the issue of immigration. Historically, the issue has been a political football with both parties talking a lot but not taking much action in the halls of Congress.

Update (12/28/22): A son took out his um, emotions on his father's vehicle. 

Well, someone didn't like someone over at Renaissance.  

 A local restaurant legend passed away.  Primos Cafe announced on Facebook: 

 Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba will hold a briefing at 1 PM on the city's water crisis.  The presser is posted below. 

 A Hinds County grand jury indicted one Lance Moberg for business burglary on December 9.  The indictment states: 

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. This story is loooong but well worth reading.  Get a Fuentes Maduro.  Click on the link for more videos and diagrams in the story.

This article is co-published with The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan local newsroom that informs and engages with Texans, and with The Washington Post. 

 Bullets had pierced Eva Mireles’ chest as she tried to shield students from a gunman’s semiautomatic rifle. But the fourth grade teacher at Robb Elementary was still conscious when police carried her out of classroom 112 and through a hallway crowded with dead and dying victims.

 The city of Jackson issued the following statement. 

Will schools and cities have to raise taxes? 

PERS stuffed red-hot coals into the stockings of schools, cities, and counties alike with its 5% contribution rate increase last week. The increase is scheduled to take placet on October 1, 2023.  5% may sound a small number but it translates into a $15 million hit just to the budgets of local public schools.   JJ reviewed the budgets of most local governments and posted an estimate of their contribution increases below.  It is not a pretty picture. 

Large areas of South and West Jackson continue to lack water. 

Well connections are not affected. Distribution sites announced.

The city of Jackson issued the following statements

Whatever happened to Potter? 

 Hinds County Sheriff Tyree Jones issued the following statement and mug shots. 

Notice does NOT apply to those served by wells.  

Parts of city without water

The city of Jackson issued the following statement. 

Lost in all the deals at Christmas is the message that Christmas itself is a big deal.  The late Dr. Frank Pollard preached on  why Christmas is indeed a big deal.  Any sermon that start out talking about pimples and gray hairs can't be bad.  Enjoy the 1993 sermon posted below. 

 Resolved:  State government will only provide the services our people need and only tax enough to cover costs for these needs.

 Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba issued the following statement. 

The only thing standing between Jackson and $600 million to shore up its water system is President Joe Biden's signature. 

 The victim in the Richland Walmart hostage-taking Wednesday provided a public update on her Facebook page:

Put your thinking caps on. This time of year is good to think about last year and next year. Our thoughts may make a significant impact for next year as well as the rest of our lives. 

Rice University's band is anything but conventional.  "The Mob" spiked Brett Favre and Southern Miss at the Lending Tree Bowl.  It may not be a good idea to drink anything while reading this post. 

 The year-end omnibus federal spending bill moved one step closer to becoming law as it passed the Senate yesterday.   The Wall Street Journal reported: 

Flashback Friday pulls out from the archives this post that was originally published March 15, 2012. It seemed relevant after Anna Wolfe's story last week for some strange reason.  

 Some politicians think they are sooooooooo special, right, Vern? 

Mississippi Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith penned this column. 

The United States is blessed with one of the safest, most abundant and most affordable food supplies in the world, but it’s not a blessing invulnerable to threats. The ongoing pandemic, extreme weather events around the world and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, for instance, have contributed to supply chain disruptions and rapidly rising food costs.

 SBF's ______-buddies, oops, make that partners are turning on him.   The Wall Street Journal reported: 

WARNING: GRAPHIC VIDEO POSTED BELOW!!! 

The Mississippi Department of Public Safety issued the following statement. 

 Ruth Cummins authored the following press release for UMMC. 

As office parties, family and social gatherings, and holiday trips ramp up, there’s often a reason not to be merry: awkward or potentially contentious situations can spoil the fun.

Some local thugs won't be Krogering for a while. Hinds County Sheriff Tyree Jones announced the arrest of three suspects responsible for the Sunday night shooting in the I-55 Kroger parking lot at a press conference this morning.  

 Nothing quite matches the energy and excitement one experiences as a kid during the Christmas Eves of his or her youth. My family always ate a formal dinner the night before and my memories of those meals are so overwhelmingly positive. The food was great, sure. But my remembrances are partially slanted on the positive side of the scale because of the anticipation that hung thick in the air over what was to happen the next morning. It’s the one day in life where you wake up to magically delivered toys. 

 Having an opportunity to spend a little time with Mike Leach and experience the world through his filters – or lack of them – was a privilege for which I will always be grateful.

Will counties and cities raise taxes? 

Note: The usual post covering the PERS annual report will be published in a few days.  The rate increase is covered as a separate topic. 

The PERS Board of Trustees dumped a bunch of coal in the stockings of Mayors and legislators alike as it voted to hike the employer contribution rate from 17.4% to 22.4% today.  The rate hike will go into effect on October 1, 2023.

Oh Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree....   the Congressional Christmas tree is going to be very, very  good to Jackson.  The FY 2023 Omnibus Appropriations Package is up for a vote in Congress this week.  The bill contains some relief for Jackson's water system: 

A Mississippi State fan proposed a special helmet design for the Bulldogs in their Reliaquest Bowl game.

 State Auditor Shad White issued the following statement. 

The Jackson City Council will vote on a proposed rental ordinance today.   The proposed ordinance states: 

Pastor Dewayne Pickett is holding a community forum on the Capitol Police tonight.  The good Pastor sent out the following email three hours ago: 

 Madison County deputies busted an inside ring of thieves at the Nissan plant.  

 The Justice Department issued the following press release. 

Anna Wolfe published names and receipts as she delved into the ties between Supertalk and the Krewe of New in a story published at Mississippi Today:    

 Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba is holding his weekly briefing right now.  The press conference is streamed below.

Jackson Middle College also approved.  

The Mississippi Department of Education issued the following statement. 

A Rankin County grand jury indicted Makaylia Jolley for capital murder for the death of her eight-week old baby, Khalysie Lashay Jolley on December 8.  The indictment states: 

Update (12/19/22, 10:15 AM): Sheriff Tyree Jones said the victims were targeted.  

A shooting took place in the parking lot of Kroger on I-55 N.  Hinds County deputies are working the scene. Hinds County Sheriff Tyree Jones tweeted a few minutes ago that two individuals were injured and taken to UMMC.

Ok folks, let's get this lost dog home for Christmas. 

The late Dr. Frank Pollard took up the subject of abandonment as he preached from Romans 1:18-32 in the 1994 sermon posted below. He asked what happens when the good Lord turns away and leaves us to our own devices?  Are there consequences?  Tune in below to find out.  

 Do you know why Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey would make a great conservative alternative to Trump?

 The Mississippi Department of Public Safety released more information on how Dr. Amy Anderson killed two Bay St. Louis police officers.  The press release states: 

 The Mississippi Department of Public Safety issued the following statement. 

 David Lane is going to the pen.  U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate sentenced him to serve 51 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to bank fraud.   The court docket states: 

 The University of Mississippi Medical Center issued the statement.

Wednesday was a day of horror in Mississippi as a troubled veterinarian shot two Bay St. Louis policemen to death in front of her child.   Unfortunately, questions pile up while answers are few.   One clue may lie in prison where her ex-husband is serving a ten-year sentence for molesting one of their children.  

 The Madison Police Department issued the following statement and mugshots. 

The complaints are piling up against the King Edward Hotel online.  Check them out.  Apparently the hotel is suffering major staffing issues.  Posted below are some of the complaints. 

A friend and winemaker once convinced me that certain kinds of wines taste better with certain kinds of music, and that the wrong pairing makes for dis-chord.

 This video of a Madison County food fight actually aged pretty well. 

Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba is holding a town hall forum today to discuss a proposed revision of the Jackson rental ordinances.  A copy of the proposed ordinance is posted below.

Check out what took place in the Georgia AAA High School Football Championship Game between Sandy Park and Cedar Grove.  

"From each according to his ability to each according to his needs." Karl Marx. 

Property values, not water usage, might determine how much Jackson residents pay for water service if Jackson Water Manager Ted Henefin has his way.  WLBT reported December 12: 

Hinds County Sheriff Tyree Jones issued the following statement. 

 The Mississippi Department of Corrections issued the following statement. 

The Mississippi Supreme Court issued the following statement. 

 Music has always been a huge part of my life. It surprises me that— in the 23 years I have occupied this weekly space— I have never written about music. I am such an ardent admirer of all genres of music I could have been writing a bi-weekly column for the past 23 years and would still have a mountain of songs, artists, and albums I haven’t covered yet.

 The Mississippi Department of Public Safety issued the following statement. 

The debate over the recent prisoner exchange that brought about the release of WNBA star and two-time Olympic gold medalist Britany Griner’s release from a Russian prison is yet another example of a polarized, divided America and of bedrock political disagreements that make the political middle ground a bridge too far.

A Rankin County grand jury indicted Todd Mardis last week for aggravated domestic violence in the brutal beating of his wife at their Flowood home in October. The indictment states: 

 Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba issued the following statement. 

UMB Bank intends to completely shuck the Colemans after Express Grain ripped off the bank. The bank sued Dr. Michael Coleman for $38 million in U.S. District Court in Missouri on August 24.  Dr. Coleman owned 99% of Express Grain when the company collapsed last year.  

 Mississippi State Football Coach Mike Leach passed away last night.  Hailstate.com issued the following statement: 

SBF may not be making his media tours for quite some time.  The Bahaman authorities issued the following statement: 

Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba is holding his weekly media briefing right now.  It is live-streamed below.  

The Riddle of Steel returns to the big screen this week at Malco & Tinseltown.  Nietzsche, Oliver Stone, Darth Vader, and Arnold, a combo that is hard to beat.  Showtimes are posted below.

 UMMC said Mississippi State Football Coach Mike Leach is in critical condition. The coach was airlifted to the hospital from Starkville last night.  Prayers for the Coach. 

The Madison Police Department announced last week 11 dogs seized during an October traffic stop are now available for adoption.   Once meant to fight or serve as bait, these pups now look forward to a much better life.

It was nearly two years ago when Emily Seiferth-Sanders announced she bought Metrocenter for $10 million. JJ and WLBT did some digging and voila, we discovered she had been convicted of fraud several times in schemes that sounded eerily similar to the Metrocenter project. However, this being Jackson, no good deed goes unpunished. Facebook "celebrities" defended Sanders, due diligence be damned. WLBT viewers gave the tv station hell on Facebook and that is putting it mildly. See how well their comments have aged. Yours truly's comments are in italics.

A fire broke out on Jefferson street north of High Street.  A reader sent these pictures of the fire.  The house was vacant although it housed several members of the non-home population.  

What do woodpeckers, hogs, and Humpty Dumpty have to do with the Gospel?  The late Dr. Frank Pollard tied them all in together as he preached the Gospel in the 1994 sermon posted below.  Enjoy the Sunday Sermon. 

 The Capitol Police issued the following statement. 

 Get ready. Confrontational Sen. Chris McDaniel, the perennial might run candidate, has announced he may announce his candidacy for Lt. Governor. 

 The Mississippi Board of Medical Licensure temporarily suspended the license of Dr. Reginald Rigsby of Madison  on November for engaging in sexual contact with a patient.  No hearing was held on the suspension. 

I like a lot of things Ronald Reagan said during his two terms in the White House. “The nine most terrifying words in the English language are ‘I'm from the government, and I'm here to help.’” He also said, “I hope we once again have reminded people that man is not free unless government is limited. There's a clear cause and effect here that is as neat and predictable as a law of physics: As government expands, liberty contracts.”

 The Madison Police Department issued the following statement and mug shots. 

 File this under things that make you go hmmm.  James "Jimbo" Fischer is supposed to have a hearing this morning in Desoto County Justice Court on his June arrest for alleged careless driving and disorderly conduct.   The word "supposed" is used because prosecutors jerked Fischer back and forth over the hearing.  

 The Capitol Police issued the following statement. 

 Schoolhouse Rock composer George Newall passed away on November 30.  His cartoons were a staple of Saturday morning viewing.  A few episodes are posted below in his honor. 

 He might be in jail but the Polo-Napoleon-Cipher is still hustling away.....

 State Auditor Shad White issued the following statement. 

The Metrocenter Angel might be cast into a good ole Mississippi prison.   Jefferson County prosecutors filed a motion to show cause against Emily Seifert-Sanders Tuesday in Jefferson County Circuit Court after she failed to pay the majority of her restitution in her fraud conviction ten years ago.  Adams County deputies arrested her after the motion was filed.  

 The Madison Police Department issued the following press release and dog pics. 

December 6 will always be remembered as a Date of Infamy for John Coleman.  FBI agents arrested John Coleman yesterday after a federal grand jury indicted the former Express Grain CEO for six counts of wire fraud in the company's collapse.  The arrest took place after the Attorney General also unsealed an indictment against him for fraud and making fraudulent statements yesterday.  

Appetizers are often the most interesting part of a restaurant menu. I could live in the appetizer section, alone, and often do. There are several reasons for this. Starters are easier to develop. Center of the plate proteins need more focus, they cost more, and the gross profit is greater so more care needs to be taken when adding entrees to a menu. Starters are smaller in scale and scope, so chefs tend to spend more creative time developing them.

Suspect struck deputy with car 

Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey issued the following statement. 

  Somewhere from a place high on God’s mountain, lifetime Neshoba County resident Hugh “Boots” Harpole is smiling and bragging about his grandson Andrew Bailey, the newly-minted attorney general of the State of Missouri.

 The city of Jackson issued the following statement. 

Attorney General Lynn Fitch issued the following statement. 

State Auditor Shad White issued the following statement. 

 Apparently some people think Coach Prime buffaloed the Jackson State University.  Check out the video making the social media rounds.

 Will David Lane go to prison for his role in the HOA embezzlement scandal?  The U.S. District Court posted in the docket of U.S.A. v. David Luke Lane: 

 The city of Jackson issued the following statement. 

 Ruth Cumins authored the following press release for UMMC. 

 No, this post is not about Harvard.  

 Coach Prime took the Buffalos by the horns today and spelled out the new reality for his new team.  Good luck to the player who dares bring a cell phone to a team meeting.   Coach Prime went old school as he told his new young charges he was going to run off the quitters.  Watch for yourself. 

Elizabeth Holmes is going to a federal prison after ripping off investors in the Theranos fraud. Her dark wardrobe reflected the darkness of her soul as she lied and stole her way to a billionaire lifestyle only to see it all come crashing down once exposed to the sunlight.  It's a tale of how a one-time wonderkid manipulated the "best and brightest" out of billions and fawning media coverage. Cold Fusion tells the story of how she manipulated the "best and brightest" to perpetuate one of the largest corporate frauds in history in a short movie that is posted below. The movie is not a bad way to catch up on the scandal.  Enjoy. 

There is power in numbers and that applies to prayer, right? Prayer groups, prayer lists, prayer chains, you get the idea, right? Well, maybe not.  The late Dr. Frank Pollard disagreed with such in the 1994 sermon posted below.  Watch his take on the power of prayer.  Click on the little three dots next to the share button and you can read the transcript that automatically follows the sermon.  Enjoy. 

 In 1997 Ole Miss athletic director Pete Boone came up with a scheme to offer head football coach Tommy Tuberville a 10-year contract. The athletic foundation would fund and guarantee the contract to get around the state’s four-year employment contract limit. 

 Coach Prime will coach at the University of Colorado next year.  He broke the news to his team at an off-campus meeting this evening and posted it on Instagram. 

The magic of Jim Henson returns as The Dark Crystal appears on the big screen at Malco and Tinseltown next week.

 Police are hunting two Jackson men wanted for the murder of a convenience store clerk in Crystal Springs.  The Crystal Springs Police Department posted the following videos and statements on Facebook. 

 ESPN reports Coach Prime will be going to Colorado: 

 Who is "J.M." in the Canton Corruption case? The indictments of Rudy Warnock and Cleve Anderson state:

 The Office of Inspector General at the Environmental Protection Agency issued the following statement. 

 Senator Roger Wicker issued the following statement. 

 A homicide took place at Jackson State University.  Multiple law enforcement agencies as well as the Hinds County Coroner are on the scene.  More information will be posted when it becomes available. 

 The things an up and coming actor will do when young. ;-). 

The feds are paying a nice price for Jackson's new water bosses..   U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate approved an interim order that pays Jackson Water Interim Third Party Grand Poobah Ted Henifin $400,000 per year as part of a $3 million dollar operating budget that is funded by an EPA grant. 

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

 Hmmm...... what do you do if you find a deer sleeping in your driveway? 

 The city of Jackson issued the following statement. 

 A resolute Rudy Warnock pleaded and Canton Alderman Cleveland Anderson pleaded not guilty to corruption charges at their initial appearance yesterday in U.S. District Court.