Jackson Free Press

Six months after Mayor Tony Yarber first introduced a slate of nominees for the Jackson Redevelopment Authority, the Jackson City Council approved four new JRA members at a special council meeting Monday.

It took 45 minutes before enough council members showed up to establish a quorum, but the confirmations went briskly, with each nominee drawing unanimous support from the four council members who attended.

While they waited, Council President De'Keither Stamps acted as a legislative whip, calling several council members to ask whether they would attend the meeting. He also addressed the nominees and their families about the importance of JRA, which finances economic-development projects with the City's backing.

"JRA can redevelop this whole city," Stamps told the audience.

Andria Jones, executive director of health-care education firm Access Training Inc., is the only new JRA commissioner from Yarber's original slate proposed in September 2014. Other new JRA commissioners include Rodrick Donaldson, whose family owns Donaldson Construction Inc., McKinley Alexander, an economics professor at Jackson State University and the pastor of Lanford E. Porter of Apostolic Restoration Ministry in south Jackson.

Commissioners join the authority as JRA remains embroiled in a number of legal disputes, including over the Farish Street revitalization project and a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development demand for the City of Jackson to repay $1.5 million spent on the project.

A new wrinkle has emerged recently with a developer objecting to JRA's sale of bonds for the proposed Westin Hotel project. The roughly $60 million development, slated for the site of the old Mississippi Valley Title building, calls for $10 million from JRA and other incentives.

Jackson-based developer Don Hewitt, who has opposed a number of high-profile projects in recent years through the courts, told the Jackson Free Press on April 6 that the Mississippi Constitution and several opinions from the attorney general's office say tax revenue cannot be used for private development.

Joseph Simpson, a principal with Capital Hotel Associates, the team working on the deal, told the Mississippi Business Journal that Hewitt's claims are "absurd" and, if true, would preclude such taxpayer-backed deals as the Canton Nissan plant and Trustmark Park in Rankin County.

Zoo Brew Still a Go

The Jackson Zoo's (2918 W. Capitol St.) eighth annual Zoo Brew, which Capital City Beverages Inc. presents, was originally scheduled for April 3. Due to weather, it was rescheduled for Friday, May 1, from 5 to 9 p.m. The event will have more than 50 craft beers to sample, live entertainment, free food samples and a wing-eating contest.

Tickets purchased in advance will be valid for May 1. The receipt of payment will serve as the ticket to the event. Print and save the receipt to present at admissions on the night of the event.

Tickets are still available for purchase online. General admission is $30, designated driver admission is $15 and VIP tickets are $60. VIP tickets include early admission at 4 p.m., animal encounters and a firkin tapping at 4:30 p.m. This event is for people ages 21 and up.

If you have any issues with the rescheduled date and need a refund, email [email protected]. For more information, call the Jackson Zoo at 601-352-2580.

U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation to Fund Young Entrepreneurs Academy

Startup funds are available through the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation to communities interested in bringing the Young Entrepreneurs Academy, an innovative national educational program, to the area.

YEA works to transform middle- and high-school students into confident entrepreneurs. In its 30-week entrepreneurship class, students generate business ideas, conduct market research, write business plans, pitch to a panel of investors and launch their own legally registered companies. The project-based program also includes guest speakers from the local business community and behind-the-scenes trips to local companies.

Currently, 112 communities in 38 states host YEA classes. 2,298 YEA students nationwide have launched more than 1,700 real businesses in America. In addition, 100 percent of students enrolled in YEA graduate high school on time, and 99 percent of the students choose to pursue higher education.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation is accepting applications from local chambers of commerce that want to start a YEA program at USChamberFoundation.org/YEA now through May 30. The foundation will select 30 chambers to receive up to $2,500 in startup funds. The funds come from donations from Sam's Club.

Durrell Design Group Opens in Clinton

On March 31, the Clinton Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon cutting for a new architecture firm in Clinton. Mayor Phil Fisher was among guests that joined Durrell Design Group, PLLC (851 E. Northside Drive, Suite B, Clinton) for the ceremony.

DDG owner Greg Durrell is one of a handful of licensed African American architects in Mississippi. He is the first African American architect from Mississippi to be born and educated in Mississippi and a practicing owner in the state. A native of Vicksburg, Durrell is a graduate of Mississippi State University with more than 10 years of experience with new project design, construction and renovation.

"We are proud to be able to call Clinton home for Durrell Design Group," Durrell said in a release. "We hope to make a positive impact in the Clinton community and the metro Jackson area. This is not only an awesome opportunity to build a business in Clinton but to also give back."

For information, visit durrelldesigngroup.com or call 601-708-4788.

Judge Blocks Hood's Google Investigation

On Monday, April 6, U.S. District Judge Henry T. Wingate granted Google's request for a four-month preliminary injunction against Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood's attempt to investigate the company, the Associated Press reported.

Google argued that a 1996 federal law called the Communications Decency Act, which gives Internet services immunity from lawsuits over what third parties using the services say, prevents Hood from going through with a subpoena meant to examine whether Google is facilitating others' illegal activities on its sites.

Wingate said that, at this point, Google has the stronger argument, although Hood says he wants to investigate Google's own conduct. Wingate set the case for further arguments later this year.