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MAE Endorses Green for District 72 Special Election
By adreherThe Mississippi Association of Educators has endorsed Synarus Green in the District 72 House of Representatives special election.
"For generations, the Mississippi Association of Educators has worked to build opportunities for the people and communities they serve," Green said in a press statement. "I'm honored to have the support of MAE's members and leaders, and proud to stand with them as a champion for all our students."
Green is one of four candidates running for the District 72 seat that was vacated when former-Rep. Kimberly Campbell announced she would be leaving the House after the 2016 legislative session to take a position as the state director of AARP.
Read interviews with all the candidates in the District 72 special election race here.
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Southern Living names Saltine a Best New Restaurant in the South
By Donna LaddSouthern Living magazine has named Saltine in Fondren one of the South's best new restaurants. The write-up begins:
"You might not think Jackson, Mississippi, when you imagine robust oyster culture. And you might not expect to find a sleek eatery in a repurposed schoolhouse. But Jesse Houston has created such a spot, where he is wholeheartedly supporting a resurgence of American oystermen, such as Murder Point Oysters off Dauphin Island, Alabama. Inside a former elementary school that was built in 1927 in the city’s Fondren District, Houston has turned a series of classrooms into a nautical wonderland worthy of Jules Verne—complete with a massive octopus mural."
Congrats to Jesse and the crew! Hard work and creativity pay off.
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Volunteers Sought as Race to Develop a Zika Vaccine Heats Up
Wanted: Volunteers willing to be infected with the Zika virus for science. It may sound bizarre, but researchers are planning just such a study — this winter, when mosquitoes aren't …
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Secretary Hosemann Reaches $4.7 Million Settlement with Morgan Stanley
By adreherThe Secretary of State reached a $4.7 million settlement with Morgan Stanley, after a years-long investigation into the Ridgeland branch office following complaints from customers who had investment accounts with financial representatives there.
Morgan Stanley did not admit or deny the Secretary of State's allegations but has agreed to pay the over $4.2 million back to investors, the majority of whom hold accounts in Mississippi. Additionally, Morgan Stanley will pay $100,000 in penalty fees to the state as well as $400,000 for the costs of the investigation.
“This is a significant settlement which is a culmination of hard work by the Division on behalf of investors,” Secretary Delbert Hosemann said in a press release. “It exemplifies the important investor protection role the Agency serves to safeguard our citizens through fair regulation and enforcement and hopefully deterrence.”
The fund Morgan Stanley must set up by next month to settle their dues with investors impacts 259 accounts--194 of those accounts are in Mississippi. Hosemann's office is sending letters to those Mississippians affected by the settlement so that they can participate in the fund and get their money back.
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2 Lochte Teammates in Robbery Probe Pulled Off Plane
Two Olympic swimmers were taken off their flight from Brazil to the U.S. on Wednesday by local authorities amid an investigation into a reported robbery targeting Ryan Lochte and his …
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Uber to Use Autonomous Cars to Haul People in Next Few Weeks
Uber passengers in Pittsburgh will be able to summon rides in self-driving cars with the touch of a smartphone button in the next several weeks.
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Jackson Featured in 'Living Blues'
By micah_smithThe August-September edition of renowned blues-music magazine "Living Blues" showcases a variety of significant figures from Jackson's thriving blues community, including King Edward, Dorothy Moore, Jesse Robinson, Louis "Gearshifter" Youngblood, Jarekus Singleton, Eddie Cotton Jr., jj Thames and Grady Champion, among others.
Story
Iran Acknowledges Russia Using Its Air Base to Strike Syria
In a move that could reverberate across the Middle East, Iran confirmed Wednesday that Russia is using its territory to launch airstrikes in Syria even as a second wave of …
Story
Clinton Shrugs Off Trump Shakeup, Attacks His Tax Plan
Hillary Clinton shrugged off Donald Trump's latest campaign shakeup Wednesday, saying he's the "same man" who would cut taxes for rich people while she would force the super-wealthy to pay …
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AP Sources: Manafort Tied to Undisclosed Foreign Lobbying
Donald Trump's campaign chairman helped a pro-Russian governing party in Ukraine secretly route at least $2.2 million in payments to two prominent Washington lobbying firms in 2012, and did so …
Story
Trump Campaign Shakes Up Leadership in Latest Sign of Tumult
Donald Trump announced a shake-up of his campaign leadership Wednesday, the latest sign of tumult for his struggling White House bid less than three months from his Election Day faceoff …
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Civil Rights
Within Our Lifetime
I recently spent three days in St. Louis with 10 brilliant people from the Within Our Lifetime Network strategizing on how to end racism. While we had planned this gathering …
Story
Face, Vote the Truth About Juvy Detention
With so much knowledge at our disposal, we are running out of excuses not to fix juvenile justice in Hinds County.
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City & County
From a War Zone to Pink Skies
One thing I've always liked about the world is its beauty. The skies are blue and pink. The palm trees, the landmarks, everything I notice about the world are beautiful …
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JFP Interviews
Kennedy: ‘Caring, Capable, Committed’ to District 72
Theresa G. Kennedy can't go far for long before coming home to Mississippi. She has never lived out of the state for more than a year, on purpose, she says.
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State
Twists, Turns, Rats and Secret Tapes
Who's ratting out the district attorney? That's just one of many questions swirling around Attorney General Jim Hood's arrest and investigation of Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith.
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State
Youth Judge Now Adhering to Fed Regs
For the last two years, the Hinds County Youth Court handcuffed children while they waited their turn to appear before Judge William Skinner II in direct violation of a federal …
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Jacksonian
Sarah Asmus
Beneath her professional exterior, Sarah Asmus, 38, is an avid lover of art who enjoys things such as gardening and cooking. Her life motto is short, sweet and to the …
Story
Crime
Jackson Teens Need Mentors, Opportunity
If Reeves and other state GOP officials really want to see crime come down in the capital city, are they ready to allocate resources to both academic education, early-education and …
Story
Music
Jackson R&B Fest: Bringing It to You
While working as a music program development manager for the Mississippi Development Authority, helping to create the Mississippi Blues Trail, Jackson native Alex Thomas noticed an unfortunate trend in his …
