Jackson Jambalaya

Governors met in Washington, D.C. last week to discuss the repeal of Obamacare and the future of Medicaid expansion.  The meeting was rather sobering at times as they were presented with different proposals.  The financial blog Zero Hedge reported in a very good post: 

The Jackson Public School District issued the following press release.

Is HB# 1615 an attempt by Dickie Scruggs to stick Mississippi taxpayers with the bill for his "good works"? The bill states:

Leftenant Governor Tate Reeves issued the following statement.

Update: Priority One Bank contributed $2,500 to reward.  Reward is now $30,000.

Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey issued the following statement and pictures.

The University of Mississippi Medical Center announced that it will cut $24 million from its budget in an email sent to employees recently.  Vice-Chancellor for Health Affairs Dr. LouAnn Woodward blamed the budget cuts on a loss of DSH funds.*  The email states:

The Mississippi Department of Corrections notified Hinds County Circuit Judge Tomie Green that Blessed Adams was arrested in January for armed robbery in Ridgeland.  Adams pleaded guilty to two counts of armed robbery in August.  Judge Green sentenced him to two fifteen year prison sentences but suspended them after he completed the RID program.  Adams proceeded to mace a female liquor store clerk in the face and steal money from the store.  Adams is currently being held in the Madison County Detention Center on a $100,000 bond.

Jackson Mayor Tony Yarber announced last week that he will run for re-election.  He won office in 2014 after Mayor Chokwe Lumumba unexpectedly died.   The video is posted below.  Oddly enough, it was not reported in the media but for WAPT (unless the search engine gods have fallen). 

Update: Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey told JJ that Ms. Robinson died of strangulation and blunt force trauma. 

The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation issued the following alert for Alex Deaton. 

A Health Assurance crony pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI.  Michael Goddard was caught lying about payments regular payments he received from Health Assurance and other entities.  Mr. Goddard is a health care consultant for corrections facilities.  Health Assurance, LLC is owned by physicians Carl and Michael Reddix and is on Ridgewood Road in Jackson.  It was formed in 2001. The registered agent is attorney Charlene Priester although Judge Melvin Priester served in that capacity in previous years. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Alabama issued this press release:

JJ presents this sermon by the late Dr. Frank Pollard (in this case, a young Dr. Pollard) for readers who can not make it to church this morning.

The Tax Foundation expert legislative leaders brought in last fall to advise them on tax reform recommended a shift in the state’s tax burden – away from corporate and individual income taxes to user-based taxes.

Meet a true social justice warrior.

State Senator John Horhn announced last month he is running for Mayor of Jackson.  Watch his announcement in the video posted below.

A Florida police officer who shot to death a participant in a training exercise was charged with felony manslaughter earlier this week.  USA Today reported:

Ben Allen filed a motion for a j.n.o.v.* in Hinds County Circuit Court Wednesday. A jury convicted Mr. Allen of one count of embezzlement of Downtown Jackson Partner funds. He is the Executive Director of the business improvement district. The jury acquitted him on nine other counts of embezzlement. The motion states:

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled last week that citizens have the right to videotape police officers while they conduct arrests or perform other actions. The court ruled in Turner v. Driver that the right is protected by the First Amendment.  Technology leapfrogged ahead of the courts as the courts have been playing catch-up to the new-found ability of citizens to videotape the police with smartphones and then immediately post the video to social media.  The Fifth Circuit finally got a case that allowed it to take a crack at this issue.

Mr. Facebook himself visited Mississippi this week as he and his wife tour America.  Below are some posts of his excursion to the Magnolia state. 

Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney issued the following statement.

A rather intriguing public records fight is currently taking place in Rankin County Chancery Court over the Pinelands Public Improvement District.  The district covers the area surrounding the Hugh Ward Parkway in Rankin County.  The district sold bonds for $7.125 million to finance improvements.  The Pinebrook Homeowner's Association and several homeowners filed a lawsuit to obtain district records in November after the district did not respond to several public records requests.  The lawsuit states:

A Hinds County Deputy is currently residing at the Raymond Detention Center not as an employee but as an inmate.  Deputy -probably former Deputy-  Larry Taylor was arrested for possession of controlled substance with intent to distribute. 

Jackson Ward 2 City Councilman Melvin Priester, Jr.  defended the proposed $90 million loan that would be used to fix Jackson's infrastructure on his Facebook page yesterday:

The Jackson City Council discussed borrowing $90 million last night for infrastructure repair. Mayor Tony Yarber told the city council that it wanted to borrow $90 million against future 1% sales tax revenues. Councilwoman Margaret Barrett-Simon presided over the meeting and said a special meeting will be held before March 8 to vote on obtaining the loan.

Here we go again.  A third sexual harassment lawsuit was filed against Hinds County Sheriff Victor Mason in U.S. District Court yesterday.  Deputy Belendia Jones made several lurid allegations against Sheriff Mason in her lawsuit.  Lieutenant Tamekia Barnes and former Chief Deputy Cheryl Matory filed similar lawsuits against the Sheriff last month.

Crimestoppers issued the following bulletin and pictures. 

The college basketball season is heading ever so rapidly toward March Madness, which in Mississippi means the presentation of the C Spire Howell and Gillom trophies for the state's most outstanding players.

One winner would appear much more clear than the other.

Date: In the year of the Governorship of Phil Bryant (VI)

Governor Phil Bryant issued the following statement on Facebook. 

The city of Jackson issued the following press release. 

The Skybox drama continues as it's landlord kicked the Northeast Jackson dining establishment to the curb for failure to pay it's rent.  Ridgewood Jackson, LLC sued the Skybox and its owner, Raymond Kersh, in January for failure to pay rent on January 18.  The docket states the summons was served on Mr. Kersh on January 27.  Judge Larita Cooper-Stokes didn't waste any time but approved the eviction after the defendant did not appear for trial.  Her order stated:

The city of Jackson issued the following statement. 

A Mississippi Bureau of Investigation report concluded that the death of Gaming Commission Director of Investigations John Gorman was accidental.  Gorman was killed when MGC Special Agent Robert Sharp shot him in the chest with a loaded Glock during a training exercise.  The report (posted below) stated:

A woman saved a Baton Rouge police officer from harm while he was beaten by a suspect.  The Morning Advocate reported today:

All good things must come to an end.  Blues By Starlight, Take a Tasty Bite Out of Crime, The Zoo Party,  A Taste of Mississippi, Sante South, and other charity events were held for years at Highland Village.  Jacksonians enjoyed the events as the outdoor nature of the shopping center provided a nice venue for events while supporting local charities.  However, Highland Village's management has decided to cease support of those events and ticketed charity functions will no longer be held at Highland Village.

The Zippity Doo-Da parade is no more.  The parade was founded by the Sweet Potato Queens several years ago after they disassociated themselves from the St. Paddy's Day Parade.  However, the Fondren Renaissance Foundation posted this update on it's website:

If you want to see how the JPS school board thinks, watch this school board discussion on the hiring of Eric Stringfellow that took place earlier this month.  The school board wants to hire Mr. Strinfellow as a "con-sultant" for $24,000 for four months. He will provide media services and "community engagement" under the terms of the contract.  Keep in mind that JPS already has two employees who handle "media relations" as "communications specialists".   Two school board members questioned the need for this contract but the interim superintendent and school board President defended hiring Mr. Stringfellow.  The Interim Superintendent even went so far as to say that this contract would not cost the district any money since it came from money saved through employee attrition.You can't make this up.  Watch for yourself.  A transcript is posted below.  Your record-setting property tax dollars in action. 

Stuck in the mud is a term often used in Mississippi but the description aptly applies to our divorce laws.  The Clarion-Ledger's Geoff Pender reported yesterday how Mississippi law favors the wife-beaters while keeping their victims enslaved.  Some state senators are trying to change the law for the better yet face opposition from all corners. 
Article.

The story begins by telling the tale of a woman who repeatedly tried to get divorce but her husband refused to grant her one.  She was stuck for years in this unfortunate predicament until she finally moved in desperation to another state with more sensible laws.  Mr. Pender paints a picture that is all too often the reality in Mississippi:

If you are bored today and feel like watching paint dry, here is the Madison County road plan that was rejected by the Madison County Board of Supervisors recently.   Local engineering firm Neel-Schaffer created the plan. Fire away in the comments. 

If you can't make it to church this morning, enjoy this sermon by the late Dr. Frank Pollard.

CARA posted this message on Facebook.

Our Legislature faces deteriorating finances as they move to fund state government for next fiscal year.

Calling revenue collections for this fiscal year "disappointing," the Daily Journal's Bobby Harrison reported "revenue is $116 million or 4 percent below projections" for the year after falling another $18.5 million in January. In an earlier article he noted Governor Phil Bryant may have to cut existing state budgets again. Already the Governor "has been forced to cut budgets four times within a 12-month period and dip into the rainy day fund twice," wrote Harrison.

Never let it be said Man's best friend doesn't look after his friends.  Check out this video posted on Liveleak:

Karl Banks is down but not out.  Special Circuit Judge Henry Lackey breathed new life into the former Madison County Supervisor's election challenge Wednesday.  Mr. Banks lost his seat when David Bishop beat him by a grand total of two votes in the November 2015 general election.  Mr. Banks contested the results in court.  Judge Lackey  ruled that Mr. Banks is entitled to a trial by jury.  This correspondent wished for a trial by combat but unfortunately, the Mississippi Code does not currently allow for such niceties.  Judge Lackey stated in his opinion:

Secretary of State Hibbit Hosemann issued the following press release. 

Crimestoppers sent out the following bulletin.

Who can forget this oldie but goodie?

This sinkhole opened up yesterday at the corner of Ridgewood and Meadowbrook.

Mississippi Treasurer Lynn Fitch issued the following press release. 

A local store decided to have some fun with its sign.

Pizza Hut and Maywood Mart settled their lawsuit in January.   Maywood Mart is tried to terminate Pizza Hut's lease but Pizza Hut took the fight to court.   The settlement agreement was not disclosed.