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Kenny Stokes Wants a Bridge Named for Frank Melton
By R.L. NaveBuried deep within the city council's 78-item agenda for Tuesday, is a proposed resolution from Jackson Councilman Kenneth Stokes to name the Pearl Street Bridge for the controversial late Mayor Frank Melton.
It's unclear what Stokes's motives are beyond the fact that he was an ally of Melton, who died on Election Night in 2009, and he seems to enjoy prolonging city council meetings as long as possible.
We'll try to find out more next week.
http://jacksonfreepress.com/users/photos/2015/may/29/21548/
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JFP Interviews
Cedric Morgan: ‘Citizen-Friendly’
Cedric Morgan wants to bring his tech savvy and management skills and become the next Hinds County circuit clerk.
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City & County
Yarber Wants Another Emergency Declaration
After asking the Jackson City Council to hold off on approving his civil-emergency declaration earlier, Yarber said Tuesday evening that he wants a second emergency proclamation.
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Person of the Day
Stephanie Parker-Weaver
Since 2008, one of Stephanie Parker-Weaver's main passions has been the nonprofit she founded, called Rebirth Alliance, which aims to educate the public about breast cancer—specifically, a rare and aggressive …
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City & County
Bold Requests from the ‘Bold New City’
Mayor Tony Yarber has talked to top Republican leaders, who he says seem most amenable to helping with Jackson’s public-safety needs.
Story
Hickingbottom Joins Ward 1 Race
The field is set for the special election to replace Quentin Whitwell as Jackson Ward 1 Councilman. The last man—all six candidates are men—in is Bob Hickingbottom.
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Biz Roundup
JRA Restarts Convention Center Bids, Gannett Splits, MUW Business Grant
Gannett Co. Inc., parent company of The Clarion-Ledger and many other media outlets, announced today that the company will split into two separate publicly traded companies, with one controlling Gannett's …
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Cover
Black is the New Black: How Blacks Changed the GOP Game
On the night of June 24, state Sen. Chris McDaniel took the podium from his fellow Mississippi state legislator Michael Watson after results came in for the Republican primary run-off …
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Business
Local Spirit: Jackson Businesses Struggle, Survive and Thrive
Unlike national and corporate chains, local businesses often do not have the same funds and resources. A relationship with the City of Jackson could be what keeps the lights on …
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Yarber: Insist on Transparency in City Hall
Bottom line: We will report the stories that the city would rather us not, regardless (ask the late Frank Melton, the master of trying to hide stuff).
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Cover
JXN Scavenge
This summer, let's recreate that fun with a Jackson-centric scavenger hunt that you can do one weekend.
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Person of the Day
Eddie Young
Eddie Young has been giving of himself since he first started volunteering 14 years ago at the YMCA on the corner of Farish Street, while he was attending college at …
Story
We Don’t Need Another Hero, Jackson
As we are faced with the challenge of moving forward after the loss of Mayor Lumumba, I recognize the appeal of being told there is someone who can save us. …
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City & County
Repayment of HUD Funds Emerges as Election Issue
An agreement between the city of Jackson and a federal housing agency over the apparent mishandling of $2 million in community-development block grant money could hamstring small development in the …
Entry
Francis P. Smith Qualifies for Jackson Mayor's Race
By R.L. NaveFrancis P. Smith Jr., pastor of Total Praise and Worship on Cedar Lane in south Jackson, has qualified for the race to be the next mayor of Jackson, information from the city clerk's office shows.
Smith competed as an Independent in the June 2013 general election for mayor, which late Mayor Chokwe Lumumba won in a landslide.
In an interview leading up to that contest, Smith told the Jackson Free Press: "I'm running for mayor, simply, to bring Jackson out of the slum, out of the abyss, out of the pits of hell."
Smith served as the Housing and Rehabilitation Manager for the city from 2002 through 2011 under Harvey Johnson Jr.'s administration and, later, the Frank Melton administration.
The JFP reported last year:
In that position, Smith supervised the Housing and Rehabilitation staff as they enforced city codes, executed community improvement projects, assured recipients spent Community Development Block Grants funds properly, and assisted elderly and disabled citizens with housing needs, such as roofing, electrical, plumbing and foundational repairs.
Smith is just the third candidate to officially qualify for the April 8 nonpartisan contest to replace Lumumba, who died late last month.
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City & County
City Veterans First to Launch Mayor Bids
The first two individuals to formally announce that they will participate in the special election for mayor of Jackson are both veterans of city government—former Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. and …
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City & County
The Blueprint
The capital city wants legislative funding to pay for emergency services the city provides to state buildings and agencies, to move to elected school-board members and the ability to appoint …
