Jackson Jambalaya

 Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba called a meeting of the City Council for tomorrow at 10. Stay tuned. 

Update: The House passed the bill.  HB #1020 will be transmitted to the Governor for his approval. 

The Senate passed the final version of HB #1020 today.  The House of Representatives took up debate on the bill as well.  The bill is held on a point of order in the House.  The highlights of the bill are: 

 The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation issued the following statement. 

Ready for some Eye-talian cuisine? Zerobear Polybear conjured up a rather tasty recipe for some good ole fashioned beef bolognese with tortellini in his post this week.   If you're looking for something different to cook, check it out.  

 The double homicide that took place on Jefferson Street as the St. Paddy's Day Parade rolled through downtown Jackson shocked the Jackson metro area.  

 The Mississippi Department of Education issued the following statement. 

 Nothing like a blast from the past.....

 The Jackson City Council is meeting right now to discuss the expiration of the Richard's Disposal "emergency" contract.  However, the Council lacks a quorum as only Council members Virgi Lindsey, Angelique Lee, and Bryan Grizzell appeared. The meeting is streamed below.

We got us a showdown at 3 today at Jackson City Hall. It is not known if the loser must leave town. However, the proposed Richard's Disposal contract is posted below.

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

The Mississippi Energy Institute sponsored and authored this post. 

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

Check out what the city of Jackson posted on its Facebook page this afternoon. 

 The Mississippi Department of Education issued the following statement. 

 Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba issued the following statement. 

 The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency issued the following statement. 

My love of bakeries goes back as far as my episodic memory will allow. The earliest bakery recollection I can drum up comes from the Blue Ribbon Bakery in my hometown of Hattiesburg, Mississippi. In a kid’s eyes a bakery is a wonderland of shapes, sizes, colors, and all things sweet. In 1968 if you had given six-year-old Robert a choice between all the playthings he could snatch on the toy aisle at the Ben Franklin or all the sweets he could grab behind the counter at the Blue Ribbon Bakery, it would have been a tough choice, but the cookies and cupcakes would likely have won out (and that’s coming from a boy who loved toys).

A Hinds County grand jury indicted Carl Monte Reeves on August 26, 2022, for two counts of aggravated assault and one count of shooting into an occupied vehicle.  

 As a believer, I can attest to the absolute power of prayers and positive thoughts to affect comfort, help and outcomes. I respect the power of prayer – and I have been the direct beneficiary of the prayers of others in my own life.

 The controversial HB #1020 is still in conference committee.  Gone are most of the controversial provisions.  CCID residents retain the right to vote for their own judges while the CCID is expanded further into South Jackson.   The bill might change again before it stands for passage in both chambers.  The highlights of the bill are: 

 All but the shouting is over in the Battle of Briarwood 1 as building owner Mike Kohan agreed to bring the property up to code.   

 Nashville Police released a video of police officers taking down a trans terrorists who massacred three children and three adults at a Christian school yesterday.  The video is posted below.  Shoutout to the cops who did what the Uvalde cowards didn't do.  Good job, guys.  

The Mayor and City Council sparred over the expiring garbage contract yesterday although they didn't do it face to face.  Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba issued the following statement yesterday:  

 Hinds County Court Judge Johnny McDaniels denied bond for Jordan Cummins.  Cummins stands accused of the murder of Joshua Spann and Jubilee Simpkins Saturday near the St. Paddy's Day Parade. 

 Leftenent Governor Hibbit Hosemann issued the following statement. 

Pay online or at 15 payment centers listed below.  

JXN Water Manager Ted Henifin issued the following statement. 

 The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency issued the following statement. 

Andrea Dilworth authored the following post for UMMC. 

As a postdoctoral researcher, Dr. Matthew Morris studied pain and sensitivity in otherwise healthy black and white children.

 A comment was posted last Thursday in the trash talk post that deserved its own space.  The Mayor keeps bleating Richard's Disposal has the lowest cost.  Well, not so fast my friend.  Bids are judged on scores, not cost and there are good reasons for such practices.  Ever heard of low-ballin'?  A reader wrote: 

 WARNING: GRAPHIC VIDEO POSTED BELOW!!!

The accused killer of two people near the St. Paddy's Day Parade yesterday bragged about it in a video posted online today.  You read that correctly.  Jordan Cummins somehow got access to a smartphone and bragged about the murders in a video he posted online.  The video is posted below.  You have been warned. 

 Let's face it, between the St. Paddy's Day killings and the destruction wreaked across Mississippi, this weekend, really, really sucked.  If you want a break from the bad news, the perfect movie is on Youtube for free.  It has it all: suspense, drama, action, horror, and even a touch of romance - all while being kid-friendly.  Enjoy. 

Ever dealt with spiritual frustration? The late Dr. Frank Pollard explained why such internal civil wars are actually healthy and a sign of growth as he preached from Romans 7: 14-25. The 1995 sermon is one of his better ones.  Enjoy. 

The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency issued the following statements. 

 Ballot harvesting” becomes illegal on July 1 in Mississippi. Ironically, this comes as former President Donald Trump and several likely GOP presidential candidates support such activities.  

 Jordan Kyle Cummins surrendered to the Rankin County Sheriff this afternoon.  Cummins is a suspect in two homicides that took place on Jefferson Street near Amite Street as the St. Paddy's Day Parade rolled a few hundred yards away.  

 A massive tornado literally flattened Rolling Fork last night, killing 23 people.  More are missing and the death toll will probably climb.  Governor Tate Reeves declared a state of emergency.  MEMA issued the following statement this morning: 

Why spend money honeymooning in Niagara Falls when you can see the new Colonial Falls in Northeast Jackson?  Fireworks are even provided at night.  How romantic can you get?  Watch the video of the old Colonial Country Club's newest tourist attraction posted below.  Enjoy.

 Recently, I’ve read books by three men who will likely run for president in 2024. Senator Tim Scott, Governor Ron DeSantis, and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo have written about their own backgrounds and values presumably to introduce themselves to voters. All three have written excellent books. I highly recommend voters read each of these as well as any other candidates’ books to learn who our candidates are. 

Zerobear Polybear started a discussion of all things cornbread several weeks ago with his cornbread recipe.  A mention was made of Sciple's water-powered mill in Kemper County.  Visiting the mill is a step back in time as Sciple's makes flour, grits, and of course, corn meal, the old-fashioned way - make that the 1790's way.  Enjoy the trip to the past posted below.  Oh yes, the Bear included his peach cobbler recipe as well.  

The Clarion-Ledger reported yesterday a new development was coming to Ridgeland.  Check out the story posted below and pay attention to the highlighted words: 

 Jackson First Consul Chokwe Antar Lumumba issued the following statement. 

 This post covers the presentation of the preliminary audit to the Finance Committee of the Jackson City Council.  The actual audit will be covered in a later post.

The preliminary audit for Jackson's 2021 fiscal year states water/sewer services operated at a $27 million loss while garbage services suffered a $5.2 million loss as well.   Scott Hodges of Tann Brown and Russ, CPA presented the preliminary 2021 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report to the Finance Committee of the Jackson City Council on March 6. 

 Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens issued the following statement. 

 Governor Tate Reeves issued the following statement. 

 PraCon Global Investment Group issued the following statement. 

 The Clinton Police Department issued the following statement. 

 Travel is situational. I could almost end this column with that first sentence. That sums up everything I am about to cover in the next 1,000 words or so. But let’s have some fun and flesh out that three-word opening. 

The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation issued the following statement. 

François-Marie Arouet - known by his literary nom de plume Voltaire - was a French writer, historian, and philosopher who died two years after the signing of the U.S. Declaration of Independence.

And the Richard's Disposal hype machine begins.  This promotion appeared on the city of Jackson's Facebook page today.  

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

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

In a remarkable escalation of the nasty litigation in the fall-out of Express Grain's bankruptcy, attorney Don Barrett, representing farmers in Tallahatchie and Holmes Counties, has accused Horne LLP, the former auditors of EG, of contributing to the huge losses by the farmers, who delivered grain to EG, but were never paid for it.

 Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba issued the following statement. 

Update (3/21/23): The secretary sent a corrected version.  The meeting takes place at 6 PM tonight.  

Let's play spot the error in this announcement from Ward 6 Councilman Aaron Banks. 

 State Auditor Shad White issued the following statement. 

 Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba is holding his regular press conference right now.  It is live-streamed below.  The press conference was relatively short.  Mayor Lumumba provided quick updates on the city's cleanup campaign and the Mayor's food drive contest.  More information about the contest is posted below. 

 A massive study published in The Lancet on February 16 states Covid-19 infection is just as effective as the two-shot vaccine in providing immunity to the virus.  The study examined 65 studies from 19 different countries.  The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation funded the study.  

 Red Mountain Entertainment issued the following press releases. 

A new "movement" wants to transform Jackson into an independent nation.  Yes, you read that correctly.  An unknown group wants to create a "Republic of Jackson" free from any control by the racist federal and state governments. Ads promoting Jackson independence began appearing on Facebook yesterday. Hmmm...... are these Neo-Confederates?  Check out the screenshots of the website posted below. 

 Jackson Municipal Court Judge Jeff Reynolds ordered the demolition of the Hotel O on I-55 N frontage road Friday.  

What do the Marines, hypocrisy, and children have to do each other?  The late Dr. Frank Pollard braided them all together in a message of hope and grace for all as only he could.  Enjoy the 1995 sermon posted below if you missed church this morning.  

 Senate Bill 2224 introduced by Sen. Kevin Blackwell of Southaven passed the Senate by a unanimous vote. After adopting amendments, the bill passed the House by a vote of 111 to 5. The Senate unanimously concurred with the House amendments and sent the apparently uncontroversial bill to Gov. Tate Reeves for approval.

 The failure of SVB got quite a bit of attention this week as depositors got a nice little bailout from the Federal Reserve.  More than a few people blamed the relaxation of Dodd-Frank regulations for banks below $250 billion.   However, there is just one little problem with that hypothesis.  Want to guess what was not included in the stress tests for the "too big to fail" banks?   

Comparing Trump’s baseline economic numbers at the end of his term with Biden’s numbers today has no impact on the divisions in America. Likewise, comparing Trump’s work to prepare for the coming pandemic with Biden’s response to the pandemic has no impact on the divisions. Comparing Biden’s date-certain  plans to get American troops, citizens, and allies out of Afghanistan with Trump’s condition-based plans is all water under the bridge. So what if people died and were left behind under Biden’s plan?

One of the best war movies ever made popped up for free on Youtube.  What do you get when you combine the genius of Stanley Kubrick, the talent of Kirk Douglas, and the madness of war? Paths of Glory.  If you haven't seen this flick, you're in for a real treat.  Enjoy. 

Murder, domestic violence, and repeated-drug dealing took place over the years at a Braxton home where six Rankin County deputies stand accused of torturing two suspects. 

Federal Reserve officials may have known Silicon Valley Bank was playing with fire.  Bloomberg News reported (no paywall): 

Sharpen the sweet tooth and break out the insulin pump because Zerobear Polybear presents a chocolate cake recipe that is indeed from the devil.  Don't say you weren't warned.  Enjoy.  

You really can't make some things up.  Exhibit A: Raymond Road in South Jackson: 

 Even on the little things. 

 Hinds County Sheriff Tyree Jones issued the following statement. 

 Governor Tate Reeves issued the following statement. 

 Insurance Commish Michael Chaney issued the following statement. 

 Someone told me it's all happening at the zoo....

The Jackson Zoo continues to wither away as the aging collection of animals dies off.  WLBT's Brendan Hall and Anthony Warren dove deep into the weeds and produce a thorough report on the current state of the Jackson Zoo.  Some highlights are: 

The Mississippi Department of Transportation issued the following statement. 

Check out this Canton dispatcher as he works hard to eventually land a similar job at JPD. 

 Governor Tate Reeves issued the following statement. 

 Former FDIC Chief Sheila Bair slammed the bailouts for Silicon Valley and Signature Banks on the pages of the Financial Times this week: 

The Jackson Environmental Court's war on wayward hotel owners continued when a the owner of a neglected hotel went to jail yesterday.  

 Irish pubs have always intrigued me. The attraction doesn’t come from the typical things one expects from a pub. I’m not interested in Guinness on tap, or Irish whiskey, or any alcohol for that matter. I’m not a prude, and I’m certainly not against responsible alcohol consumption (it put both of my kids through college), but I’ve been clean and sober since 1983. Trust me the world is a better— and safer— place without drunk Robert stumbling around in it.

 For well over three decades, Mississippi has been home to a population that features the poorest citizens in the country paying the highest sales tax on food. The sales tax on food remains at seven percent.

 You can't make this up.  You just can't.   WLBT reported: 

Therese Apel is not the only woman who gets to ride around with the cops as the Canton Police Department apparently has its own ride-along program.  However, the program is not for reporters such as the Queen of the Dark Horse but is instead for friends and family.  

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

 The Gluckstadt Police Department posted several social media updates about the Friday morning shootout on Galleria Parkway: 

 or here today, gone tomorrow. 

The Blackmons pulled a good ole-fashioned Madison County switcharoo recently.   State Representative Ed Blackmon and his son Lawrence qualified to run for the House District #57 seat while State Senator Barbara Blackmon and their son Bradford both qualified to run for the State Senator's District #21 seat.  Does anyone want to guess what happened next?

 It appears Speaker of the House Phillip Gunn is going to go out with not a bang, not a whimper, but rather a plea as in a plea - or demand, depending on the perspective - for more money. 

 Meet Asia Lampkin and Darshena Marion, two student trainers who followed Coach Prime from the Jackson State University to the University of Colorado.  

Well, well, well,  this little job posting is going to make a few police chiefs and troopers mad.   Read it all the way through. ;-). 

 Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba issued the following statement. 

 The New York Stock Exchange stopped trading on Regions Financial Corp at least twice today.  Morningstar (not that Morningstar) reported today: 

 Red Mountain Entertainment issued the following press release. 

 A shooting took place last night at Club Vibe on Ridgewood Road.  WLBT reported: 

The sudden collapse of Silicon Valley Bank shocked the financial world last week.  To say many companies got caught with their pants down is an understatement.  Roku alone stands to lose half a billion dollars it deposited at the bank.  SVB is the 16-largest bank and the largest collapse since 2008. The Financial Times provided a pretty clear and concise explanation on how the bank fell apart so quickly:

Some Mississippi umpires had a rough go of it this weekend.  First up is the UNO-MVSU game.  Check out the last at-bat in the game. 

The Mississippi Senate wants to “fully fund” the Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP), well, sort of.

 What do you do when the music stops? Tis the question asked in Margin Call, a flick about a fictional Wall Street firm that discovers in 2007 its entire portfolio of mortgage-backed securities is worthless.  Sorry but there are no guns, no boobies, dragons, or car chases in this film. Boring? Not hardly as a good script combined with Jeremy Irons, Kevin Spacey and Demi Moore makes for a financial drama only rivaled by The Big Short.  The movie is free on Youtube and is posted below.  Enjoy.

The former Managing Director of the Greater Jackson Arts Council accused the organization of firing him after he reported Executive Director mismanaged over $500,000 in a lawsuit filed today in Rankin County Circuit Court.

 Update (4:00 PM): The Madison restaurant is open. Looking at it right now.  Cars in the parking lot, customers in the drive-thru lane it's open.  I was wrong. 

All Backyard Burgers in Jackson suddenly shut down today. 

This post and recipe were authored by JJ reader Zerobear Polybear. Many thanks to the Zero for his labor of love.  Enjoy. 

Update: Suspect vehicle was carjacked in Canton.  

A shootout took place during a police chase in Madison County last night.  

 Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey issued the following statement. 

 or...... The Mississippi Supreme Court unanimously vetoed Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba.

 The County Club of Jackson gained its freedom from Jackson's water system after Governor Tate Reeves signed SB #2433 yesterday. The bill allows CCJ to operate its own water system.  

Rankin County Circuit Judge Brad Mills sentenced Clint Pennington to serve five years in prison for aggravated domestic violence after Pennington slashed his wife with a knife. 

 Grifters gonna grift.  Fresh off the Metrocenter scam, Emily Sieferth-Sanders is trying her hand at a different gig.  Check it out. 

 The Justice Department issued the following press release. 

 Today is deadline day in the Mississippi House of Representatives.  Much attention is focused on SB #2889.  The bill transfers control of the Jackson water and sewer systems to a public utility authority governed by nine board members.  However, the bill has not come up for consideration by the body.  

Jackson Water Receiver Ted Henifin's plan to base water bills on property values continued on a head-on collision with the Mississippi Legislature today after the State Senate passed a bill barring him from doing so.  Mr. Henifin indicated at a federal hearing last month that he would sue to block such a bill from going into effect.  

 “Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of the earth.” –Henry David Thoreau, Walden

Of all the great debates I have held with friends over the years, most have been about music.  Beatles or the Stones? Bonham or Moon? Van Halen or Van Hagar? John or Paul? Paul or George? 1960s rock vs 1970s rock? Or 1980s vs 1990s? Though a topic that is also discussed often in these parts has to do with the seasons. The one I had the other day was, “Which season is best, Mississippi Fall or Mississippi Spring?”

HB #1020 finally passed the Senate but in a way that would have made Jackie Sherill proud after the body substantially, um, altered the bill.  The Conference Committee will hammer out the differences between the two versions and present the final bill to both chambers for passage.  

The Mississippi House of Representatives passed a bill yesterday that extends postpartum coverage for Medicaid mothers to twelve months.  SB #2212 awaits Governor Tate Reeve's signature.  

I attended a portion of the Mississippi Historical Society annual meeting on Friday at the “Two Museums” complex near the Mississippi Department of Archives and History in Mississippi’s capital city. Jackson has received a significant share of negative national media attention over the last decade for a myriad of problems.

 The Pearl Police Department issued the following statement. 

Store manager confronts shoplifter like a boss. 

 Concord Companies issued the following statement. 

Commercial real estate professionals Ted Duckworth, Breck Hines and John Michael Holtmann announce the formal process of launching Concord Companies – a commercial real estate brand encompassing six entities including:

First Consul Tate Reeves issued the following statement. 

Lieutenant Governor Delbert Hosemann issued the following statement. 

A Jackson Municipal Court Judge set bond at $2 million for accused rapist Xavier Yarbrough today.  

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

Water freedom for the Country Club of Jackson moved one step closer to reality after the Legislature passed SB #2433 last week.  The bill allows CCJ to operate its own water system.   

Red Mountain Entertainment announced: 

 A downtown building burned last night.   Thankfully the fire did not spread to neighboring buildings such as the Faulkner but it appears the building suffered a total loss.  Pictures of the fire and aftermath are posted below.   Great job by the Jackson firefighters.  They performed a herculean task in preventing the fire's spread.  

 What if your best is not good enough? What if it doesn't matter how hard you try? Pondering  such sentiments inspired Charlotte Elliot to pen the popular hymn, Just as I am.  The late Dr. Frank Pollard tied this tale into a sermon of hope and acceptance in one of his better sermons back in 1995.  Enjoy. 

Whoa.  Fedex made a nice little change in the 39204 zip code. WAPT reported: 

 The media does a great disservice to the people of Mississippi when it declares that a concurrent resolution under consideration in the Legislature would “restore the public ballot initiative process.” 

MDOC released a murder suspect who was arrested but never indicted in Hinds County.  WLBT reported last night: 

Learning about others may be one of the best ways to learn about ourselves. In her book “In Order to Live,” Yeonmi Park chronicled her escape from North Korea with her family to China and then to South Korea. As defectors from the hermit kingdom, Park and her family faced increasingly dangerous obstacles to reach freedom all along the way.

 Give a nice welcome to JJ reader Zerobear Polybear.  He graciously offered to submit a weekly recipe for your enjoyment so be nice as this is truly a labor of love for him.   Sometimes the simple things in life are the best and good ole cornbread is no exception.  Check out his recipe below.  

The Battle of Briarwood 1 continues in Hinds County Chancery Court after Chancellor Tamertrice Hodges stopped the demolition of the building or imprisonment of its owner, Mike Kohan, with a restraining order Tuesday. Jackson Municipal Court Judge Jeff Reynolds ordered the New York resident's arrest on February 14.

 This post is reprinted with the permission of The Taxpayers Channel (Greenwood).  It was published yesterday. 

Today, the federal judge presiding over John Coleman's personal bankruptcy case signed an order converting it from Chapter 11 to Chapter 7.

 The greatest film of all time returns next week.  Watch Casablanca in all of its glory on the big screens at Malco and Tinseltown. 

 An FBI raid always gets attention and Wednesday's raid on Advanced Infusion Systems facitilies in Ridgeland and Chunky were no exception.  The Fibbies are as tight-lipped as usual so it will probably be awhile before more is known about the raids.  However, two federal court cases might - repeat, might - provide some clues. 

The Institutions of Higher Learning  Board of Trustees issued the following statement. 

 Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens issued the following statement. 

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

The IHL Board of Trustees called an emergency meeting this morning to discuss a personnel matter at Jackson State University.  The Board is meeting in executive session right now.  

 The Mississippi Department of Transportation issued the following statement. 

 Hinds County District Attorney Jody Owens issued the following statement. 

Yet another business is closing in Jackson.  

Biting a cop is never a good idea, right?

 A whole bunch of Fibbies popped up at 623  and 625 Highland Colony Parkway in Ridgeland.  Crime scene tape was placed around the building.  The feds will be as tight-lipped as they always are so it will probably be quite some time before we know what took place today.  

 It’s February in the Pine Belt of South Mississippi. It’s 82 degrees outside, the azaleas are blooming, and the crawfish are in season. I’m not stupid enough to think that spring is already here, but it sure feels like it today. 

 Governor Tate Reeves issued the following statement yesterday. 

Mississippians have, like citizens in many Southern states, argued for a long time over the question of Medicaid expansion. The arguments run the gamut from financial to moral to philosophical to purely political and usually intensely partisan.