Jackson Free Press

The Mississippi Black Legislative Caucus will continue to slow down Republican lawmakers and the legislative process after House Bill 868 set off a debate Wednesday. Rep. Earle Banks, D-Jackson, said his caucus is not going to give up their slim majority and even after a meeting with the Speaker today, have not changed their position.

Rep. Banks said that House Bill 868, which would re-district Simpson County into the same Supreme Court district as Hinds and Madison counties, caused the caucus to vote to slow down the process yesterday. House Bill 868 prompted hours-long debate on Wednesday but ultimately passed to the Senate (after a tabled motion to reconsider).

Today, the Black Legislative Caucus opposed House Bill 14, which would create a moratorium on superintendent salary increases for school districts with C, D and F grades. They asked that the 431-page bill be read, after a long debate on the bill. The bill is still being read and has yet to be voted on. To listen to the live reading click here.

Below is the Black Legislative Caucus' press release in full, from Rep. Banks:

"During the 2016 Legislative Session, the Mississippi House Republicans have hosted one substantive hearing this session. That was on the election dispute involving Bo Eaton and Greg Tullos.

There, the Republican Leadership ignored the testimony of election experts; including the local election commissioners and the Secretary of State; and threw out 5 duly recorded votes. So it's not surprising that the House GOP has given up on the pretense of debating and vetting policy.

Instead, they have rushed out bills that would wreck public education; change voting districts; and throw up bureaucratic red tape for public health programs. Last summer, Speaker Phillip Gunn made a promise that he would not involve any democrats in the policy process. And so far, he has kept his word.

Now comes House Bill 868 which greatly reduces the black vote in the central district. Which in turn would insure a majority white representation from the Supreme Court to the Public Service commissioner. The current political climate in the State of Mississippi has changed like fall winter night as the Republicans have displayed their might in pushing bad legislation to the deferment of our State.

Today, caucus members met with Speaker Gunn to discuss our concerns. As a result, the Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus has not changed its position to slow down the process by which Republican lawmakers are passing bills we view as detrimental to Mississippians."

The Filmmaker's 'Black Tie & Blues' Bash event, which is Feb. 27, marks the end of the annual "It's About You" Film Festival. NMHS recently announced its lineup for the bash. Here is a press release from the organization, verbatim.

NMHS Announces Chef Line-Up for the Filmmaker’s Bash

(Jackson, MS) – NMHS Unlimited Film Productions recently announced the chef line-up for the “Filmmaker’s ‘Black Tie & Blues’ Bash” event. The Filmmaker’s Bash wraps-up the annual “It’s About You” Film Festival and is scheduled for Saturday, February 27 at the Mississippi Museum of Art. The Bash will feature a “Farm to Table” competition by several area chefs. Guests will be able to vote for their favorite chef in the “People’s Choice” competition. One chef will also be awarded the “Top Bash Chef” by a panel of judges. The 2016 event also includes the new “Top Chef Challenge” in which Nick Wallace of the Mississippi Museum of Art and Jesse Houston of Saltine cook-off using a secret ingredient. The evening will include entertainment by international touring blues artist Dexter Allen and the melodic melodies of Melvin “House Cat” Hendrex, a new silent auction and an awards presentation.

Featured chefs of the Filmmaker’s Bash include the 2016 Coordinating Chef, Nick Wallace with the Mississippi Museum of Art; Alex Eaton with The Manship Wood Fired Kitchen; Kendrick Gordon with One Guy Steak and Chicken; Jesse Houston with Saltine; Grant Nooe with Grant’s Kitchen; Damian Shelby with the Mississippi Museum of Art; and Mike Roemhild with Table 100.

“I am very excited to have such talented people participate in our fourth annual event,” said Wilma E. Mosley Clopton, Ph.D. of NMHS Unlimited Film Productions. “Several of our chefs are returning from the previous year and we are also welcoming new chefs. We already have three designated “Top Chefs” in this group and I cannot wait to see who will become the fourth addition. In this competition, each chef’s dish must include local ingredients, -more-

which focuses on our “Farm to Table” competition. I am thrilled to showcase our local talents utilizing our local ingredients.”

The black tie event begins with a VIP Reception from 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. VIP Reception tickets are $100 per person. The Bash and “Farm to Table” Competition will take place from 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. General admission tickets are $50 per person. Tickets can be purchased online at blackhistoryplus.com

The purpose of the film festival is to showcase films that highlight the rich contributions of Mississippi African Americans. To view a complete film festival line-up and event details, visit www.blackhistoryplus.com.

Thank you to our generous sponsors for their support: Jackson Convention and Visitors Bureau, ChefWorks, the Mississippi Film Office, The W.E.B. Du Bois Honors College, The Lanier Historical Museum and Arts Guild, Inc., The Lanier High School National Alumni Association, Women for Progress of Mississippi, The Jackson Advocate and Dependable Source Corp. This project is supported in part by funding from the Mississippi Arts Commission, …

On Feb. 23, the James Beard Foundation announced its 2016 America's Classics awards. Among the five restaurants that will receive this award, Bully’s Restaurant (3118 Livingston Road, 601-362-0484) is one. The JBF gives the award to restaurants that have "timeless appeal and are cherished for quality food that reflects the character of their community," the foundation said in a press release.

Tyrone Bully and his father, who are both trained masons, built the restaurant from the ground up. It serves dishes such as oxtail, macaroni and cheese, and sweet potatoes, and Bully's serves regulars that include police officers, city council members and state legislators.

Also on a James Beard Foundation note, chef Jesse Houston, who owns Saltine Oyster Bar, has been nominated for Best Chef: South, which is one of the highest awards in the American food world. The foundation will announce the finalists on March 15.

Congratulations go to Jesse for his nomination and Bully's for its award.

A news release from the Mississippi State Department of Health about City of Jackson drinking water is reproduced in its entirety below:

Today the Mississippi State Department of Health– after consultation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Environmental Protection Agency, is advising all residents who receive their drinking water from the City of Jackson Water System to take the following precautions:

· Before using tap water for drinking or cooking, run your tap on cold for one to two minutes; for more detailed information visit www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/tips/water.htm; · Households should never use hot water for drinking or cooking; · Any child five years of age or younger and any pregnant woman should use filtered water (NSF53 certified filter http//info.nsf.org/Certified/DWTU) or bottled water for drinking and cooking; · Baby formula should be “ready-to-feed” or prepared using only filtered water or bottled water; and · Parents with children six years or younger should contact their child’s pediatrician or primary care provider to ensure adequate lead screening and blood testing have been performed.

“Although the majority of home lead testing performed identified no lead, or lead below the action level of 15 ppb, we are issuing these recommendations as a special precaution for young children and pregnant women,” said State Epidemiologist Dr. Thomas Dobbs.

“It’s important to remember simple measures, such as flushing the faucet for one to two minutes, can markedly reduce lead levels in tap water,” added Dobbs.

The Mississippi State Department of Health will mail the above health recommendations about lead to all customers on the City of Jackson Water System, and will closely monitor the City of Jackson’s progress to reduce the corrosiveness of water. Corrosive water leads to leaching of lead in some older homes where plumbing contains lead pipes or lead solder.

“We believe these precautions should remain in place at least six months while the City of Jackson makes the necessary changes required to stabilize the alkalinity and pH levels in the system. These changes should ensure better optimization of corrosion in the Jackson Water System, which should lead to minimal leaching of lead in home plumbing,” said Director of Health Protection Jim Craig.