Jackson Free Press

Yes concert review...

“I am pleased by Humana’s decision to extend coverage to the 36 counties in Mississippi that were originally excluded from Mississippi’s health exchange."

Several new releases are due for 7/23...

Jackson Mayor Chokwe Lumumba maintains that he is well enough to lead Jackson for the next four years, despite an article that appeared in Wednesday's edition of the Clarion-Ledger bringing his health into question.

Reporters raised questions Lumumba's health during the mayoral race, and notions that his well-being would interfere with his mayoral duties were dismissed by the campaign as rumors. But last week, the 65-year-old Jackson mayor withdrew himself from representing Archie Quinn, who is accused of killing Stacey Gray, 35, of Oktibbeha County, reportedly for medical reasons.

The Ledger article leaned heavily on the reporting of the Starkville Daily News, which reported that Lumumba withdrew for medical reasons, citing a "serious medical examination" scheduled for this week. The newspaper also reported that Lumumba had previously tried to resign from the case, citing a hefty workload from his new gig as mayor. Those motions were denied by Judge Lee Howard, who refused comment for the story.

Reached by phone Wednesday morning, Lumumba's press secretary Latrice Westbrooks released this statement, which also appeared in the Ledger article.

"Mayor Lumumba is healthy and while he dispelled any questions or concerns regarding his health, he, as anyone, has routine medical examinations, check-ups and consultations which are private. There is nothing that was stated during the Archie Quinn case that would indicate that he is nothing short of healthy and fit to serve the people of Jackson."

Lumumba beat prostate cancer in 2000, and has fully recovered from a bout with pneumonia, which landed him in the hospital last year.

The city of Jackson has issued two precautionary boil-water notices due to loss of water pressure during water-main repair.

Hood announced today that has joined a bipartisan coalition of 49 state attorneys general calling on the U.S. Congress to amend the Communications Decency Act.

Jackson Mayor Chokwe Lumumba is attempting to end his representation of another client, Reggae star Buju Banton, in Tampa, Fla.

The withdrawal comes on the heels of the news from Oktibbeha County, where Lumumba last week relinquished his role in the murder case against Archie Quinn, which was scheduled to begin Monday. Lumumba first filed a motion with the court saying his duties as mayor were too burdensome to continue his representation of Mr. Quinn, but that request was denied by the court. He then raised health concerns, according to an account in the Starkville Daily News.

According to the Tampa Bay Times, Banton, born Mark Myrie, is serving a 10-year prison sentence for helping set up a deal to buy and sell 11 pounds of cocaine.

Lumumba had already won Banton the dismissal of a gun charge and left one juror facing a misconduct charge for researching the case during trial.

Lumumba and Imhotep Alkebu-lan, his recent appointment as special assistant to the city attorney, both filed a motion Wednesday in U.S. District Court to withdraw, stating that their new duties "will prevent them from representing him in future proceedings."

Those requests were referred to a magistrate judge.

Regional picks the week...

Jackson Public Schools will see a $3.63 million increase in funding from the city in the upcoming school year.

Mississippi's 2013 Sales Tax Holiday begins Friday, July 26 and runs through Saturday, July 27.

Gov. Phil Bryant has accepted the resignation of Malcolm McMillin as chairman of the State Parole Board and named current parole board member Doug Davis as McMillin's replacement. Davis' replacement will be former U.S. Marshal Nehemiah Flowers, according to a news release from Bryant's office.

“I appreciate Malcolm’s service to the people of Mississippi. His dedication to public safety and law enforcement are deeply respected,” Bryant said. “I wish him and Delores the very best.”

Before joining the parole board, McMillin was sheriff of Hinds County and served as Jackson Police chief. Davis's chairmanship becomes effective August 1. Of Davis, a statement from Bryant's office states:

"Davis recently served as assistant vice president of First Security Bank, and he represented District 1 for two terms in the Mississippi Senate. While serving in the Legislature, Davis chaired both the Appropriations Committee and the Universities and Colleges Committee. He was recognized as Legislator of the Year by the Mississippi Troopers Association and the Mississippi Police Chief’s Association. Davis also serves on the boards of directors for the DeSoto County Economic Council and the Palmer Home for Children. He holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Mississippi College and is a member of Longview Point Baptist Church."

Of Davis' replacement, Flowers, Bryant said: “Nehemiah brings a vast amount of experience to the state parole board with more than 40 years of public service under his belt. His understanding of the criminal justice system makes him well-qualified to serve in this position.”

Bryant's statement also states: "Flowers served as the United States Marshal for the Southern District of Mississippi 2002-08. In 1973, he joined the staff of then U.S. Rep. Thad Cochran and later joined Cochran’s U.S. Senate staff. He is a graduate of Belhaven University with a degree in Business Administration. While serving as United States Marshal for the Southern District, Flowers formed the first ever Criminal Task Force, dedicated to pursuing criminals in and across state lines. He was named as 2008 Federal Law Enforcement Officer of the Year, retired Brigade Command Sergeant Major for the U.S. Army Reserve and is currently a board member for Mississippi Blood Services."

Flowers’ appointment must be confirmed in the Mississippi Senate.

The JFP brought home awards this month.

Tons of new music is due out tomorrow...

Go in any direction this weekend and you're likely to find some live music to get you in the back-to-school spirits.

There are a couple of festivals worth mentioning. The first is Secret Stages in downtown Birmingham. This is the festival's third year and it describes itself as a "music discovery festival." It sounds like a mini SXSW and could be making a mark as a closer alternative to that festival. The festival lasts from 8/2-8/3.

The other festival is at the Old U.S. Mint in New Orleans. It's the Satchmo Summerfest and will feature New Orleans legend Allen Toussaint. This festival is also 8/2-8/3.

The Goo Goo Dolls and matchbox twenty will rock Oak Mountain Ampitheatre in Pelham, AL on 8/2.

Regional favorite Cowboy Mouth plays the IP Casino in Biloxi on 8/2.

The House of Blues in New Orleans will feature The Plain White T's on 8/1 and Kevin Costner & Modern West on 8/3.

Safe traveling, TB

Conde-Nast Traveler's annual Readers' Choice Survey puts Jackson at No. 7 on its list of the 10 friendliest cities in the U.S.

"Visitors to Mississippi's capital—and most populous town—note that 'friendly people and great food' make it a worthy stop. Its streets are 'steeped in history' and dotted with 'green and pretty' public spaces," the survey site states. "Take an afternoon to sample 'wonderful barbeque' and chat with 'lovely' residents."

Mississippi's capital city tied Natchez on the Traveler list: "Known for well-preserved relics of pre-Civil War architecture, including 'very beautiful antebellum houses,' Natchez also boasts a sweetly Southern resident community. The hospitable population and slower pace of life make Natchez 'an amazing town to visit and relax.' In fact, this 'great undiscovered location' made one reader 'feel like a real Southern Belle.'”

When it comes to friendly, "southern hospitality shines on that front—in the Top 10, all but three of the cities are in the South," the site states.

Rounding out the list are: No. 10, Branson, Mo.; No. 9, Sonoma, Calif.; No. 8, Telluride, Colo.; No. 5, Austin, Texas; No. 4, Asheville, N.C.; No. 3, Savannah, Ga.; No. 2, Galena, Ill.; No. 1, Charleston, S.C.

Law enforcement in Hinds and Rankin counties and in the cities of Jackson, Ridgeland, and Pearl worked together with the FBI, the Mississippi Attorney General's office and the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics to rescue victims of sex trafficking in Mississippi and bring traffickers to justice.

The local action was part of Operation Cross Country VII, a three-day enforcement action to address commercial child sex trafficking throughout the United States that encompassed 76 cities.

A 17-year-old Mississippi girl was among the 105 children rescued in the sting. The Jackson-area operation included the arrests of 10 pimps. Officials have charged 24 others "with related state and local offenses," the FBI stated in a release.

“Child prostitution is a threat to children not just in other countries, but across America and right here in Mississippi,” said Daniel McMullen, special agent in charge of the FBI in Mississippi. “This operation serves as a reminder that the FBI and its partners in law enforcement remain committed to identifying and rescuing any child who is being victimized in this heinous enterprise.”

Rankin County saw a total of 14 arrests, and charged three men with human trafficking: Christopher Jermaine Armstrong, 28, of Hattiesburg and James Edward Williams Jr., 27, and William Charles Toliver, 48, both of Jackson. Tolliver faces two trafficking counts while Armstrong and Williams are each charged with one count of trafficking and marijuana possession.

Jackson authorities arrested eight people. Among them are Square Jefferson, 24, and Gerald Knight, 25, who are charged with aiding and abetting prostitution--pimping--a felony.

In Ridgeland, the sting netted 12, including four Jackson residents arrested for promoting prostitution: Adrian Harris, 26; Travis Minor, 29; Randy Roberts, 29; and Jasmine Taylor, 20.

Ridgeland Police Lt. John Neal told the Associated Press that Taylor and a second woman both had children with them at the time of their arrests. Police charged the other woman with prostitution.

"Each of them had their two small children with them. There was one that was four years old, the other that was two years old in the car while her mother was up offering services," Neal said.

The number of alleged pimps arrested in Mississippi was fifth-highest in the nation, the AP reported, behind the FBI divisions in Detroit (18), San Francisco (17), Atlanta (17) and Oklahoma City (13).

To learn more about Operation Cross Country and the Innocence Lost National Initiative, visit www.fbi.gov, www.justice.gov, or www.ncmec.org.

Get your questions answered about the Castle Doctrine and gun laws in Mississippi.

"We are all Tater Tots," Reeves said.

Unconfirmed reports indicate that The Clarion-Ledger has laid off 13 employees over the past two days. The report, from The Gannett Blog (which is not an official Gannett source), says that nationwide, the Gannett Company's U.S. Community Publishing newspaper division, the C-L's parent company, has fired an estimated 223 people at 37 sites. A few other subsidiaries are also affected, the blog states.

The Gannett Blog relies on its readers for layoff reports, and the post includes a link to a spreadsheet showing the specific numbers reportedly laid off at Gannett worksites. Hattiesburg, home of the Hattiesburg American, shows two layoffs.

"These figures remain preliminary and are almost certain to rise at least through Monday as more employees are notified," the blog states.

"Most of the job losses were through layoffs over the past 48 hours, with a much smaller number comprising open positions that have been permanently eliminated, according to these readers.

"It's unlikely Corporate will ever confirm these figures, because this round is being done under the radar. Asked for a comment yesterday, Corporate's chief publicist, Jeremy Gaines, told blogger Jim Romenesko only this: 'Some USCP sites are making cuts to align their business plans with local market conditions.'"

The blog entry is calling this round of layoffs "the biggest since about 700 newspaper employees were let go in June 2011."

Vertbatim release from the University of Mississippi Medical Center Division of Public Affairs:

WITH AGREEMENT SIGNED, UMMC PATIENTS WITH BLUE CROSS INSURANCE REMAIN IN NETWORK

JACKSON, Miss. – Leaders at the University of Mississippi Medical Center signed a one-year agreement today with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Mississippi, ending six months of negotiations with the insurer.

With the agreement in place, patients insured through Blue Cross can continue to receive in-network care at UMMC. The existing contract was set to expire Aug. 28.

“We’re glad that we were able to come to an agreement without any disruption in coverage,” said Dr. James Keeton, UMMC vice chancellor for health affairs and dean of the School of Medicine.

“We were very concerned about how this issue was going to impact our patients. While UMMC needs equitable reimbursement for the highly specialized services we provide, the last thing we wanted to do was to inconvenience or cause hardship for our patients.”

Citing reimbursement substantially below its peer institutions in neighboring states, Medical Center administrators engaged Blue Cross in negotiations earlier this year.

As the state’s only academic medical center, UMMC provides advanced care not available at other Mississippi facilities, including the state’s only Level 1 Trauma Center, only children’s hospital and children’s trauma services, only level IV neonatal intensive care unit and its only organ transplant services, among many others.

Together with the Mississippi State Department of Health, UMMC leads the state’s medical response during disasters. The availability of these services benefits all Mississippians.

As well, UMMC cares for the state’s most complex medical cases, which often require multi-disciplinary teams of experts and sub-specialists.

UMMC initially set a June 28 deadline to reach an agreement or terminate its contract. Negotiators extended it to July 17, and again through August 28.