Jackson Free Press

There's never a slow news week in Jackson, Miss., and last week was no exception. Here are the local stories JFP reporters brought you in case you missed them:

1. Michael Thomas, Vice President of Business and Finance at Jackson State University, spoke publicly Friday about the university's plan to build a 50,000-seat domed football stadium that will cost about $200 million to build.
2. Mississippi senators rejected the secretary of state's budget Thursday over an argument about paying lawyers to defend a proposed voter identification law.
3. House Speaker Philip Gunn, R-Clinton, sent letters Thursday to 14 gun manufacturers suggesting they should relocate. The companies are in Colorado, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and North Carolina.
4. Vicksburg Mayor Paul Winfield was granted bond Thursday after being arraigned on a federal bribery charge that says he was caught in an FBI investigation while seeking a $10,000 bribe for a city contract.
5. Blues musician Bobby Rush received a lifetime achievement award from the Mississippi Arts Commission Thursday during the Governor's Arts Awards ceremony at Belhaven University.
6. Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. announced Wednesday that Central Mississippi Crime Stoppers is offering rewards up to $500 for tips on felons with guns, and up to $1,000 for tips that lead to the arrest of violent criminals.
7. Dr. Tim Alford of Kosciusko told lawmakers that expanding Medicaid would help thousands of "working poor" Mississippi residents who don't receive health insurance coverage through their jobs. Alford said this includes cashiers, clerks, nurses' assistants, poultry plant workers, truck drivers, pulpwood haulers and others.
8. The Mississippi House passed bills Tuesday to borrow $120 million for universities, $25 million for community colleges and $3 million for a statewide community college headquarters. Members also agreed to borrow $5 million to preserve historic sites and $250,000 to improve the Mississippi Crafts Center in Ridgeland.
9. Former Gov. William Winter was honored for his public service on his 90th birthday Tuesday during a symposium at the old Capitol Museum in Jackson.
10. The Mississippi House on Monday passed Senate Bill 2806 by a vote of 93-22. The bill would provide sales tax rebates to the developer of an $80 million outlet mall scheduled to open in November in the Jackson suburb of Pearl.

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