Jackson Free Press

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder is stepping down, National Public Radio is reporting.

Holder is the nation's first African American AG and one of the longest-tenured members of first-black-President Barack Obama's cabinet.

According to NPR: "Two sources familiar with the decision tell NPR that Holder, 63, intends to leave the Justice Department as soon as his successor is confirmed, a process that could run through 2014 and even into next year. A former U.S. government official says Holder has been increasingly "adamant" about his desire to leave soon for fear he otherwise could be locked in to stay for much of the rest of President Obama's second term."

Holder shepherded the USDOJ through rocky times and made civil-rights enforcement a hallmark of his tenure.

Under Holder, several issues and cases out of Mississippi garnered national prominence.

In March 2012, Deryl Dedmon and two co-conspirators from Rankin County became the first individuals charged under a 2009 federal hate-crime law for the murder of James Craig Anderson, a black man from Jackson.

The case of Shelby County, Ala. v. Holder challenged the federal Voting Rights Act, which required a number of states that had histories with racial discrimination in voting. The U.S. Supreme Court decision in Shelby cleared the way for several states, including Mississippi, to implement voter-ID laws.

Civil-rights groups had argued, and Holder agreed, that voter ID represented an unconstitutional barrier to exercising voting rights. Mississippi's voter ID law, designed to stop election fraud, was first used in the June 2014 U.S. Senate primary, which resulted in multiple allegations of vote fraud that have yet to be resolved.

Mayor Tony Yarber continues the fight to obtain a Costco in Jackson, even after encountering setbacks in last month's zoning meeting, and now says that the location on Lakeland Drive is not the only location Costco will consider, WAPT reported.

"Whether it's there or other flourishing areas on (interstates) 55, 20 or 220, it remains to be seen," Yarber said. "Costco has made clear to us over the last couple of weeks that their commitment is to be in this market."

Since initial concerns from the community regarding the rezoning of green space north of Lakeland Drive near the I-55 intersection, the City's position was that if Costco were to come to Jackson, it would only be interested in that area. Costco has also expressed interest in two other locations along Lakeland Drive in Rankin County, but stringent liquor laws in that area makes them less desirable for the retailer.

The Jackson City Council is scheduled to discuss Lakeland Drive rezoning further on Oct. 20 at 2 p.m.

Verbatim release from City Hall:

The City of Jackson is pleased to announce that Clifford “T.I.” Harris will be in Jackson, MS on Wednesday, September 24, 2014 to raise awareness on key issues with youth in the metro area. T.I. will be delivering a message wrapped around the basic principles of being safe, being productive, and being better. The American rapper and entrepreneur will focus on galvanizing youth in several Jackson Public Schools to avoid making the same mistakes that he once made. T.I.’s awareness tour will end at Forest Hill High School at 2pm. T.I. is committed to continuing his “road to redemption” – an effort that was sparked by his passion to see kids progress and develop positively.

The City of Jackson will present T.I. with the key to the city for his unwavering dedication to seeing youth and young adults become positive influences within the community. The key to the city ceremony will be held on Wednesday at 9:30am and will feature Mayor Tony Yarber, Sherriff Tyrone Lewis, and the Sonic Boom of the South. The City of Jackson, in partnership with the Hinds County Sherriff’s Office, has committed to support T.I.’s message not only to raise awareness about safe living and productivity, but through a collective mission to eliminate crime in our communities.

T.I.’s message of safe, positive, and progressive living is a testament to the mission of National Night Out, which is an annual initiative held within the city. This year, the City of Jackson & the Hinds County Sherriff’s office have committed to “giving crime a going away party” together! This is the first time that both agencies have completely partnered in their efforts to raise awareness about crime prevention and create a safer living environment. The National Night Out Kick-Off event is Thursday, September 25, 2014 from 5pm till 9pm at the Mississippi Agriculture Museum.

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