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MDOT Officials Traveling Abroad On Taxpayers' Dime
An investigation in today's Sun Herald reveals a years-long trend of Mississippi Department of Transportation officials using taxpayer money for trips of dubious value. Over four years, Michael Newsom reports, …
College Board Loosens Firing Rules
Facing steep budget cuts this year and a bleak outlook for the next two years, the state College Board gave initial approval yesterday to a policy change that would allow …
Mark Chinn
Yes, he's a divorce lawyer, but if Mark Chinn has his way, that job description will sound less like a slur and more like an honor. Chinn, 56, wants to …
Budget Woes Overshadow City's Needs at Low-Turnout Confab
State budget woes cast a pall over the Jackson Convention Center yesterday, when city leaders solicited the support of state lawmakers over lunch. Hosted by the city's state legislative delegation …
House Approves Eminent Domain Limits
The Mississippi House of Representatives passed a bill yesterday restricting the use of eminent domain. The measure is similar to a voter initiative scheduled for the 2011 ballot and a …
Budget Battle Shows Barbour's Mettle
The state budget negotiations were like a summer blockbuster: expensive, full of strong language, boring and too long. Gov. Haley Barbour played a starring role, and like any diva, he …
Hosemann, Hood Push Pre-K Education
Early childhood education is central to safeguarding Mississippi's economic future agreed Republican Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann and Democratic Attorney General Jim Hood in separate speeches today. The two officials' …
Advocates Urge Proactive Approach to Homeless
Addressing homelessness in Jackson will require the active participation of communities, especially in the areas near downtown, the city's Homeless Program Coordinator Heather Ivery said today.
Council Set to Vote on Police Oversight
The Jackson City Council may decide today whether to institute a civilian review process for the Jackson Police Department. Long a pet item for Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes, a …
Judge Sets Rules For 'Inflammatory' Melton Trial Evidence
A federal judge heard arguments Friday on admitting evidence in the civil rights trial of Mayor Frank Melton and his former police bodyguard, Michael Recio. Most of the five-hour hearing …
Robert Graham: Positive Thinker
Robert Graham knows his way around a phone. The Hinds County Supervisor for District 1 keeps three cell phones and is not above using two at once, one on either …
A Delta Manhunt, With Booze and Guns
Federal authorities are investigating an Aug. 20 incident in which armed white citizens, using a military vehicle, helped search for an unarmed black burglary suspect in the Delta.
Animal Cruelty Bill Clears Major Hurdle
Cruelty to cats and dogs would become a felony in Mississippi under Senate Bill 2821, which the House Agriculture Committee voted unanimously today to approve. The bill to make "aggravated …
Tracey Clemons-Frazier
Tracey Clemons-Frazier knows that Jackson's McWillie Elementary School is something special. A 10-year veteran teacher at the school, Clemons-Frazier believes that committed parents, dedicated teachers, a strong administration and an …
Politics
Hosemann Distributes Disputed Sample Ballot, Hood Advises Against Its Use
The Associated Press is reporting that Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann distributed controversial sample ballots for November's general election to county election commissioners late Wednesday night. Three Mississippi Supreme Court …
Jackson Crime Stats for August 3-9
Jackson saw a significant reduction in major crimes last week, according to a weekly report (PDF) released at today's Jackson Police Department command staff meeting. Jackson police reported 200 crimes …
Business Roundup
The Jackson Police Department is restarting an initiative aimed at preventing crime around the city's hotels and motels and protecting visitors. Called Tourism Oriented Policing Strategies, or TOPS, the program …
Hinds Seeks $6 Million Fines
Lack of personnel and technology is preventing Hinds County from collecting over $6 million in outstanding fines, county supervisors learned at a work session yesterday. A discussion on improving the …
Youth Justice Project Sues Hinds County Schools
The Mississippi Youth Justice Project filed a lawsuit today against the Hinds County School District, alleging that the district unlawfully targeted a student for expulsion. The student, identified in the …
Ex-Bodyguards Challenge Ridgeway Restitution
Two former Jackson police officers are disputing the amount that federal prosecutors say they must pay in restitution for the 2006 demolition of a Ridgeway Street duplex. Marcus Wright and …
