Jackson Free Press

Mother Jones posted a piece back after the Aurora shootings that has now been updated in light of the Sandy Hook murders that happened on Friday. Their point -- the country now has 300 million guns in circulation; up from 200 million in 1995. At the same time, there's a definitive increase in laws that have loosened gun owners abilities to carry those guns in more and more places.

The question is... have all of those guns and gun laws made us any safer? The gun lobby says yes. The analysis, however:

In the wake of the slaughters this summer at a Colorado movie theater and a Sikh temple in Wisconsin, we set out to track mass shootings in the United States over the last 30 years. We identified and analyzed 61 of them, and one striking pattern in the data is this: In not a single case was the killing stopped by a civilian using a gun. Moreover, we found that the rate of mass shootings has increased in recent years—at a time when America has been flooded with millions of additional firearms and a barrage of new laws has made it easier than ever to carry them in public. And in recent rampages in which armed civilians attempted to intervene, they not only failed to stop the shooter but also were gravely wounded or killed.

So, if we're still waiting for that one time that all of these guns and all of these gun laws actually brings down a mass murderer -- might now be a time to consider other measures aimed at keeping guns out of the wrong hands? (And, perhaps, getting people more mental health help?)

An email is circulating Jackson asking voters to write in the name of Ward 1 Councilman and lobbyist Quentin Whitwell, a Republican, for mayor in the June 4 general election.

The email implores supporters to back Whitwell but to keep it on the low, meaning not to spread the news via the Internet and social media.

The message, which someone forwarded to the Jackson Free Press, states:

"We need your help! A week from today we have one last chance to vote in a mayor that will work for us! We need each of you to text, send emails, to at least 20-30 people in Jackson to go write in vote Tuesday June 4th for Quentin Whitwell! We believe that the turn out for Chuckwe [sic] will not be huge, due to the fact he thinks he already has won. We have to keep this off Facebook, and on the low until the actual day June 4th! That day we need as many volunteers, to help get out the vote for Quentin. We need each of you to tell your neighborhood associations to send out an email, go door to door Monday and Tuesday. We will need signs made to hold up in ridgewood , Old Canton , and anywhere else. I truly believe if we all can do our part we can pull this off! Please let me know if you are willing to help in anyway!"

We left a message with Whitwell to get his response.

The entertainment value of tonight's city council meeting just skyrocketed.

Stay tuned.

Editor's Update: The Clarion-Ledger stooped to new levels of bad journalism when one of its reporters tried to denigate R.L. Nave's coverage of this effort. Read all about it at http://www.jfp.ms/brianeason

Social media is buzzing today about a New York Times article that features a lot of amazing personalities and locally owned businesses that make our city great—many of which started in the city's last decade of progress. This is the kind of media we need to see more of about the city—not the whole metro, but the city itself—and it's up to all of us to create the kind of place that national media want to cover. Cheers to all of you, especially the folks we love who ended up in the article. Nice going, Jackson!

My only regret about it is that the reporter didn't look around more parts of our city for cultural points and businesses to include. One that I believe should be in any article about Jackson's progress is Koinonia Coffee House, which is not only an excellent restaurant, but has become a gathering place for diverse Jacksonians. I like to think of it as our own tiny Busboys & Poets. And now that city election season is nearly over and emotions running less high, it's going to be even more fun to hang out in again. In fact, I just got off the phone with a St. Louis organization that brings a diverse group of black and Jewish students to Mississippi every summer, and they just assume that is where they will gather at least one time during the trip. Go there if you haven't!

Any other spots y'all think they missed? Feel free to add them below.

• The Barnett Reservoir Foundation and the Pearl River Valley Water Supply District will host a Memphis Barbeque Network (or MBN) judging class at the Rankin Reservoir Community Center from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. It's $80 to enter, but this is awesome because A) An MBN team will cook ribs and pulled pork on site, and B) You get to eat it and learn how to judge the results. There are only 30 spots in the class, so check out the web site. The Barnett Reservoir Foundation and Pearl River Valley Water Supply District is holding an MBN contest called "Smokin’ on The Rez" on Nov. 1-2 at Old Trace Park at Barnett Reservoir.

• One of the best kept secrets in Jackson is Blue Monday at Hal & Mal's hosted by the Central Mississippi Blues Society. It's a celebration of the blues, and musicians are invited to come jam. That's every Monday night, 7:15-8:15 Front Porch acoustic hour, followed by CMBS's Blue Monday Band at 8:45 'til 11PM. Check out their web site here.

• One thing I've always enjoyed as a reporter is Friday Forum, an informational meeting held every Friday morning at Koinonia Coffee House. It's co-hosted by former mayoral candidate Jonathan Lee, and always has interesting guests talking about topics of interest. This week's guest is Kathy Times, Vice President/ COO of WhereToGo411.com. Times will be speaking about the State Institutions of Higher Learning's Minority Economic Opportunity Initiative/WhereToGo411 Partnership. Should be fun so come on out.

A Human Rights Campaign press release acknowledges the efforts from the Holly Springs Mayor and Board of Alderman to welcome its LGBT community. The release reads:

Jackson—Last night, the Holly Springs, Mississippi Mayor and Board of Aldermen passed a resolution recognizing the dignity and worth of all city residents - including those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT). The city joins eight other communities in the Magnolia State whose leaders have acknowledged and valued its LGBT residents.

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Mississippi Director Rob Hill released the following statement in response to the city’s actions:

“We applaud the Mayor and Board of Aldermen for taking an active step to create a welcoming space for LGBT Mississippians who call Holly Springs home. Leadership requires courage and the board’s decision represents the true values of Mississippi. This is a clear example of elected officials putting the Golden Rule into action.”

During last night’s meeting, Alderman at Large Timothy Liddy stated the following:

“For the City of Holly Springs to attract good citizens, home owners, students, businesses, and employees, we need to stay competitive with other communities in Mississippi and throughout the nation. A Resolution Affirming the City of Holly Springs Commitment to Diversity is one step in achieving this goal.”

Announced in April 2014, HRC Mississippi is part of HRC’s Project One America, a lasting investment concentrated in the Deep South by making progress on three fronts--changing hearts and minds, advancing enduring legal protections, and building more inclusive institutions for LGBT people from the church pew to the workplace.

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. HRC envisions a world where LGBT people are embraced as full members of society at home, at work and in every community.

The much-anticipated Senate bill that would change the governing authority of the Jackson airport has attracted most of the attention in the airport "takeover" fight between Republican lawmakers and Jackson city officials and citizens, but Rep. Mark Baker, R-Brandon, filed a second airport bill earlier this week in the House of Representatives.

The House bill would dissolve the "municipal airport authority located in a municipality with a population of 173,514 according the 2010 federal decennial census" by June 2017. The only city in the state with that population is Jackson. Rep. Baker's bill goes on to describe a nine-member commission that would replace the municipal airport authority. The new "municipal-regional airport authority" would be made up of a representatives from 9 municipalities.

Rep. Baker's bill does not name municipalities; instead it uses 2010 Census figures to describe each separate municipality that would get representation on his proposed commission. Using 2010 Census numbers, the"municipal-regional airport authority" would be made up of one representative each from Jackson, Madison, Ridgeland, Flowood, Pearl and Brandon. There would be one Hinds County Board of Supervisors commissioner and two Rankin County Board of Supervisors commissioners if Baker's bill passes.

The bill was referred to the House Judiciary A Committee (which Rep. Baker chairs) and the House Ports, Harbors and Airports Committee.

Ward 7 Jackson Councilwoman Margaret Barrett-Simon has announced that she will not seek re-election this spring for her council seat, which she's held for 32 years. Barrett-Simon released the statement below, regarding her decision:

"Fellow Jacksonians,

It has been my deepest honor and blessing to serve Ward 7 as your elected representative on the Jackson City Council for the last 32 years. After much consideration and discussion with Al and the rest of our family, I have decided that the time has come to seek new challenges. I will not seek re-election this spring.

Ward 7 is perhaps the most diverse part of our city. One of the true blessings that I have had in this job is the opportunity to meet so many wonderful people from such varied backgrounds. I have come to love these friends so much, and this is what I will miss the most. I would also like to thank all of my colleagues on the City Council and in city government with whom I have been privileged to serve.

I intend to remain engaged in our local affairs as we move forward together, and I look forward to joining with all of you as we all strive to build a better and more prosperous city for all of our residents. I also encourage each of you to take an active role in making Jackson and Ward 7 the best that they can be. The future of Jackson is bright because of you.

Dr. Albert Simon and I would like to offer our most sincere thanks to each and every one of you for your support and friendship over these many years. We won't be far away."