Jackson Free Press

Two days after a first-place finish in the Democratic primary for Hinds County District 4 supervisor, Jerry Hopkins has bowed out of the race.

On Tuesday, Hopkins edged out James "Lap" Baker, 353 votes to Baker's 316, setting up an Oct. 8 runoff.

This afternoon, Hinds County Democratic Executive Committee chairwoman Jacqueline Amos-Norris told the Jackson Free Press that Hopkins dropped out of the race because "he looked at the numbers" and didn't like his chances.

As a result, third-place finisher Mike Maldonado, who got 160 votes, will face Baker in the runoff. The winner of that race will face Republican Tony Greer in the November general election.

In District 2, Darrel McQuirter will square off against Willie Earl Robinson in a Democratic runoff Oct. 8. Both men are department heads for Hinds County. McQuirter oversees planning and zoning, Robinson the county's central repair division.

Mississippi State Sen. John Horhn was singing the praises of Mayor Chokwe Lumumba and the Jackson City Council Wednesday afternoon, a day after they moved forward on a motion to put to referendum vote a proposed 1-percent sales tax. He released this statement:

"I would like to applaud the Jackson City Council for its vote to proceed with a referendum to add a 1-cent sales tax on certain items in order to pay for much-needed improvements to our water/sewer system and for street re-surfacing. While I am not an advocate of higher taxes, as the author of this important legislation two years ago, I have long-advocated that the measure should be put before voters for an up or down vote to let people decide for themselves whether the increase was worthy of their support. My only regret is that this decision wasn't reached sooner, and I hope that the Mayor and City Council's resistance in the past has not soured voters' interest in approving the sales tax Increase."

The referendum will be put to the people on Jan. 14, 2014.

Verbatim Statement:

FBI Director James B. Comey has named Christopher Freeze as the Special Agent in Charge of the Jackson Division. Mr. Freeze most recently served as a Section Chief of the Foreign Terrorist Tracking Task Force in the Counterterrorism Division at FBI Headquarters.

Current Jackson Division Special Agent in Charge Donald Alway has been named Deputy Assistant Director of Training at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Va. Mr. Alway has been Special Agent in Charge in Jackson for more than two years.

Mr. Freeze entered on duty with the FBI in 1996. He was first assigned to the Richmond Division, where he worked public corruption, computer fraud, and financial institution fraud cases.

Throughout his career, Mr. Freeze has held leadership positions in the Houston Division and the Counterterrorism Division, and has worked extensively with the United States Intelligence Community. Mr. Freeze is a certified firearms instructor, and he has served as a member of the SWAT and Evidence Response Teams.

Mr. Freeze will assume this new role at the end of November.