Jackson Free Press

The following is a verbatim statement from the Jackson City Council:

STATEMENT FROM THE JACKSON CITY COUNCIL

REGARDING INDIVIDUAL COMMENTS MADE BY COUNCILMAN KENNETH I. STOKES

Jackson City Council members reject Councilman Kenneth I. Stokes’ statements regarding violent acts against Law Enforcement

(Jackson, Miss.) –The following recent comments made by City Councilman Kenneth I. Stokes regarding high speed chases which enter the city limits of Jackson and potential acts against law enforcement, Jackson City Council members have collectively stated that Councilman Stokes' comments do not represent the Jackson City Council or the City of Jackson. In response to news of Councilman Stokes’ comments, City Council President Melvin Priester Jr. (Ward 2) said, “As President of the City Council I can say unequivocally that Councilman Stokes' comments are indefensible and do not represent the Jackson City Council or the City of Jackson. Following Councilman Stokes' comments, I have spoken personally with the other members of the council and we are in agreement that the Jackson City Council does not support any calls for acts of violence against those who serve as members of law enforcement.

Councilman Priester stated further, “Moving forward, it is imperative that we renew our efforts to work with surrounding communities to find common ground regarding regional pursuits and the safety concerns posed by high speed chases in the metro area. I hope that Councilman Stokes’ unfortunate and unacceptable words do not prevent us from achieving an effective regional pursuit policy throughout the metro area. The safety of the citizens of Jackson and the safety of those who work tirelessly to serve and protect is of utmost importance. While concern may be voiced over high speed pursuits within city limits and the legitimate danger they pose to innocent by-standers, such concerns do not justify calling for violence against law enforcement.”

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The Jackson Municipal Airport released updated flight delays and cancellations due to inclement weather in several destinations. Travelers are encouraged to check their airline for up-to-date flight information.

Arrivals: American Airlines Flight #4986 from Charlotte, NC CANCELED Delta Airlines Flight #5055 from Atlanta, GA DELAYED ETA: 4:50 p.m. Delta Airlines Flight #5508 from Atlanta, GA DELAYED ETA: 5:56 p.m.

Departures: Delta Airlines #5055 to Atlanta, GA DELAYED ETD: 4:54 p.m. Delta Airlines #5508 to Atlanta, GA DELAYED ETD: 6:21 p.m.

Check with air carriers for more up-to-date flight information.

Gov. Phil Bryant has filled both Mississippi Supreme Court vacancies, following the departure of Justices Randy Pierce and David Chandler. Former District 1 Court of Appeals Judge James Maxwell and tenth district chancellor Dawn Beam will join the state's highest court in the new year.

Chief Justice Bill Waller Jr. said in statement that Judge Maxwell's "energy and experience will serve the court and the citizens of the state well.” Waller expressed enthusiasm at Beam's arrival to the court. In a statement, he said Judge Beam has continued to go above standards in helping her court's district convert to an all electronic filing system. Beyond clerical duties, Waller said Beam "has tirelessly worked to resolve issues regarding placement and supervision of abused and neglected children.”

Judge Beam has been involved with her district's work to guarantee safe homes for all children and recently spoke at a community meeting in December praising the local Department of Human Services workers in Marion County for the changes they've made in their office--including upping personnel numbers. The increased personnel led to 160 children being removed from their homes due to court orders that cited deplorable living conditions or drug abuse at home.

Judge Maxwell was appointed to the district court by former Gov. Haley Barbour in 2009 and re-elected in 2014. He practiced civil law in Jackson and worked as an assistant U.S. attorney in the northern district of Mississippi.

Jackson Zoo officials have announced that a pack of feral dogs killed a gazelle and five springbok. Two geese were also hurt. The following is a verbatim description of the incident from the zoo:

Zoo staff discovered the animals had been attacked early Friday morning, and began to take measures of contacting Animal Control and catching the dogs before they attacked any other animals or escaped off property. The Zoo captured four of the five feral dogs believed to be involved in the accident. One dog escaped the premises; along with another dog spotted in the adjoining cemetery, not presently linked to the attack. None of the five medium size mixed breeds were wearing a collar for identification.

"This is a sad day, and the hardest thing about it is it didn't have to happen. The entire zoo's animal care staff work very hard to give the best care to the collection of animals here at the zoo, and to have them killed this way is tragic,” Zoo Director Beth Poff said, “There are people out there who have not taken responsibility for their dogs, and unfortunately we all have to suffer the consequences."

The Zoo lost 5 Springbok and 1 Addra Gazelle from its’ African Savannah area. Both species are part of antelope-gazelle family found in parts of Africa. The two spur-winged geese that were injured have been taken to the Zoo’s Animal Hospital for care.

Through a preliminary investigation there has not been a point of entry found on the fence line. The investigation continues as to where the dogs entered and one dog escaped the premises. The fence line is walked weekly to check for openings where dogs or other predators could enter.

The Zoo has 24-hour security, which has called Animal Control for dog sightings on zoo property eight times in the last five months, only three dogs have been captured from these calls.

Jackson Zoo staff continues to be vigilant in sighting loose dogs and monitoring the containment fences that surround the property. The zoo has contacted the City of Jackson today for assistance in containment, especially around possible drainage areas under the fence line.

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The city has hired a manager to oversee projects paid for with a 1-percent tax approved almost two years ago.

The Jackson City Council approved a contract with Jackson-based IMS Engineers for projects in the first year of the infrastructure master plan. IMS will help develop a comprehensive infrastructure plan, a 20-year blueprint to overhaul of the City’s infrastructure system of roads, bridges as well as water, sewer and drainage systems. IMS will also provide mapping and handle the public relations and outreach.

The selection of IMS came with relatively little controversy compared to other professional-services contracts that have gone before the city council in recent months. These include an agreement to remove sludge from the Savanna Wastewater Treatment Plant and switching health plans for city employees.

Mayor Tony Yarber said IMS did have the best scores from the City's evaluation committee, but two firms who scored higher had conflicts because the firms would have overseen work they previously committed.

Yarber has said hiring a program manager would be one of the last obstacles to overcome before spending from the 1-percent fund.

So far taxpayers have generated approximately $21 million from the 1-percent tax that voters approved through a referendum in early 2014. The first year of the tax added up to $15.1 million designated to begin repairs on some 2,000 miles of roadway, 881 miles of water main and 1,000 miles of sewer pipe.

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A real-estate website called Estately figured out the most Googled words for each state.

Apparently, the No. 1 search term for Mississippi was Ashley Madison, the online secret smash site for married folks that got hacked this year. I won't link to it here because I don't believe in pouring salt on wounds.

Plus, let's be honest, you probably already have it (so does Santa).

Other top hits for the Magnolia State included "Straight Outta Compton," the 2015 biopic about a Starter apparel loving musical group from Los Angeles, presumably due to the enduring popularity of the Jheri curl in some parts of Mississippi.

Also, the U.S. Supreme Court was popular because that's where most of the laws our Republican legislators pass eventually end up.

B.B. King for obvs reason none of which have anything to do with restaurants on Farish Street.

FOX news Megyn Kelly was another hot topic here. So was booty.

Rounding out the list were Bobbi Kristina Brown (daughter of singer Whitney Houston, who passed away in 2015) and Common Core State Standards Initiative.

It's interesting to note that given the fact that 2015 was an election year, none of the top search terms had anything to do with our political races.

In other words, booty was more popular "Phil Bryant," "Tate Reeves" or "School funding."

Marinate on that.

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The "No Child Left Behind" Act was overruled and replaced with the "Every Student Succeeds" Act this week. The new law signed will shift a lot of decision-making power for education policy back to the states. President Barack Obama called the law "a big step in the right direction," and its bi-partisan support in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate suggested that is was high-time for some change in education policy.

Mississippi senators, Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker both voted in favor of the act on Dec. 9. In a statement, Wicker said: "This is a huge accomplishment that puts students’ chances of success first. For the past several years, the Department of Education has been acting as a de facto National School Board. Education decisions should be in the hands of those who know best – parents, teachers, and governors."

The new law ends federally dictated accountability and improvement standards, but national math and reading exams are still in place. The law encourages states to limit the time students spend taking tests, however, and teacher evaluations will no longer be tied to student performance. The Every Student Succeeds Act also enables states to get rid of Common Core curriculum because the federal government is no longer able to mandate a national curriculum.

Now school goals, achievement and progress will all be calculated and measured by each state. In Mississippi, after a fight in November over the education funding-formula at the polls and a new study reminding Mississippi that the state paid more per pupil in 2008 than now (15.4 percent more), state legislators, teachers, advocates and students will have to come together to implement and pave the way for Mississippi students to get the best education possible.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The Mississippi Public Service Commission's Northern District Commissioner Brandon Presley issued the following statement about the approval of the state's first net-metering rule:

JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI - (December 3, 2015) – Today, the Public Service Commission unanimously passed a groundbreaking rule allowing net metering in the state. Net metering is the process by which individual utility customers who use solar panels or other renewable energy generators can sell back their excess power to the power companies. The electricity the customers produce can be placed back on the electric grid to offset what they otherwise would pay on their power bill.

In early January of 2011, the PSC initiated a study of the costs and benefits of net metering. Today’s decision is the culmination of nearly 5 years of work by the Commission.

“Mississippians are self-sufficient. They like to fix their own cars and grow their own food. They should be able to make their own power, too,” Presley said.

The rule requires that customers who produce excess electricity be compensated at the cost the utility will not have to spend each month, plus 2.5 cents for unquantifiable benefits. To assist low income customers, the Commission orders that each utility file a report on the feasibility of community solar by summer, 2016. Further, the first 1,000 low income customers will receive an additional 2 cents/kWh as a way of offsetting some initial costs. The order further protects consumers by establishing a joint working group to address all concerns raised in the docket. The effectiveness of the rule will be evaluated in 5 years.

“Passing this rule is a big step toward creating a solar market in our state; a step that could one day benefit all ratepayers. No one can predict what the cost of electricity or gas will be tomorrow but I can tell you that the sunshine will be free,” Presley concluded.

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Infant mortality rates have decreased by 15 percent in the past five years according to the latest report from the Mississippi Department of Health. The infant mortality rate in 2014 was 8.2 percent compared to 9.7 percent in 2013. Mississippi still has the highest rate in the country, however, and is ranked 50th in the country in infant mortality.

Racial disparities in infant deaths persist in the most recent report. Black infant mortality rates are double the white rate. According to a news release from MDH, most Mississippi hospitals have signed a pledge to eliminate early elective deliveries (unless medically necessary) which can lead to infant deaths. Premature births are the leading cause of infant mortality in the state, followed by birth defects in infants and unsafe sleep. Choctaw and Issaquena counties had the highest infant mortality rates in the state, while Rankin and Kemper counties boasted the lowest rates.

In a news release, state health officer Mary Currier said that special funding and partnerships with organizations, like the March of Dimes, have helped the state improve over the past five years.

"We know that much work must still be done, but Mississippi has the potential to continue our successful trend," Currier said in the release.

From the office of the Mayor Tony Yarber:

Motorists are advised of road conditions on the east bound lane of Woodrow Wilson Drive, heading toward Interstate 55. There was a break on a 36-inch water line in the area. The City's team is assessing the condition of the site continuously to keep it safe for motorists. However, if possible, motorists may want to select an alternate route.

An emergency declaration was signed to expedite the process of securing a consultant for design and construction. That process can take up to several weeks, but we’re now finalizing an agreement with an engineering firm to begin design work.

The water main has been left active because it is serving critical facilities. At the same time, city engineers are working to design the repair, which is more involved because of the location, the materials for the pipe and the laying conditions. This project requires a custom built new pipe as the break occurred on a 36-inch water line constructed in the 1960s. The repair cannot be made in house. The pipe needs to be encased, requiring engineering design and a contractor.

The City's team is assessing the condition of the site continuously to keep it safe for motorists. As soon as the design is completed, the city will receive quotes to get a contractor mobilized to make the repairs.

The following delicious news release is printed here verbatim:

Brenham, Texas, November 24, 2015 – Blue Bell Ice Cream will be available in Louisiana and Jackson, Miss., and its surrounding areas beginning Dec. 21. This is the second-to-last phase in the company’s five phase market re-entry plan.

“We are excited to announce phase four and look forward to expanding our distribution area,” said Ricky Dickson, vice president of sales and marketing for Blue Bell. “Our customers have shown great patience over the past several months and we cannot thank them enough.”

To begin phase four, Blue Bell will bring back 115 of its employees who were put on paid furlough earlier this year bringing the total number to approximately 1000 company-wide.

November has been busy for Blue Bell. At the beginning of the month the company entered phase two, less than two weeks later it announced phase three will begin in mid-December and its Brenham, Texas, production facility began making ice cream again on Nov. 18.

“We have made great strides over the past month,” Dickson said. “Our next big step is the phase three entry on Dec. 14. With the reopening of our Brenham plant in November, we are able to build enough inventory to enter phases three and four before the end of this year. Also, this will allow us to expand our flavor selection.”

For now Blue Bell is producing five flavors of ice cream in the half gallon and pint sizes: Buttered Pecan, Cookies ’n Cream, Dutch Chocolate, Homemade Vanilla and The Great Divide. More flavors will be added in the future. 12-pak Homemade Vanilla Cups and 12-pak Homemade Vanilla and Dutch Chocolate Cups are also available in stores.

For more information and to find out where Blue Bell is available visit bluebell.com.

From the Mississippi state Auditor Stacey Pickering:

JACKSON, Miss. –Roderick Nicholson, Mayor of Terry, pled guilty to five counts of embezzlement, and advised the court he would resign from his position as Mayor of Terry effective immediately.

From January 2011 through December 2012, the Mayor made personal credit card payments using the Town of Terry’s funds, as well as submitting false bills to be paid by the Town of Terry.

“Considering the size and limited budget of the town, this case is even more egregious,” said State Auditor Stacey Pickering. “My office has already issued a demand to the Mayor in the amount of $56,966.27, and I look forward to returning the money to the Town and justice being served in this case.”

Mayor Nicholson was arrested by Agents from the State Auditor’s Office in March for driving the Town of Terry’s vehicle to his federal job.

Circuit Court Judge William Chapman ordered Nicholson to be held in custody until sentencing December 7, 2015.

Jackson City Hall

Run-offs are old-school anyway, right?

The fate of District 79's representation in the House of Representatives will be decided on Friday by drawing straws, according to Mississippi election law. Rep. Bo Eaton, D-Taylorsville, has represented the district since 1996, but in this election he pulled in the exact same number of votes as his Republican challenger, Mark Tullos.

The two candidates tied with 4,589 votes each.

In a press release, Rep. Eaton said he will not challenge the result of Friday's straws. Technically, the loser on Friday has the right to challenge the vote and appeal to the House of Representatives, which would then decide who gets to take District 79's seat when they reconvene.

Eaton's press release said: "Whatever the outcome of the procedure, I will abide by the result and not challenge the election. I hope my opponent will agree to do the same thing."

The District 79 race straws will be drawn on Friday at 1:30 p.m. in the governor's office conference room in the Sillers Building when the governor and the secretary of state return from Israel.

The Times-Picayune in New Orleans is reporting that Rob Ryan, defense coordinator for the New Orleans Saints, has been fired after a particularly embarrassing 47-14 loss to Washington on Sunday.

Gov. Phil Bryant joined 15 other governors in pledging to refuse Syrian refugees should they be sent to Mississippi, following the terrorist attacks in Paris over the weekend that left 129 people dead and hundreds wounded in France.

Meanwhile, President Barack Obama has pledged to accept about 10,000 Syrian refugees and argued Monday that the United States needs to allow them because many are fleeing terrorism, and that they would undergo rigorous security checks before being admitted to the U.S.

"We also have to remember that many of these refugees are the victims of terrorism themselves. That’s what they’re fleeing. Slamming the door in their faces would be a betrayal of our values. Our nations can welcome refugees who are desperately seeking safety. And ensure our own security. We can and must do both," Obama said today at the G20 summit.

Mainly Republican governors from 16 states (including neighboring states Louisiana and Alabama) are responding to heightened concerns that terrorists might use the refugees as cover to sneak across borders after authorities said a Syrian passport was found near one of the attackers on Friday, according to an AP report. The Paris prosecutors' office says fingerprints from the attacker match those of someone who passed through Greece in October.

Bryant said in a statement that he is working with the Mississippi Department of Public Safety and the Mississippi Office of Homeland Security to determine the "current status" of any Syrian refugees that could be coming to Mississippi in the future.

Lavinia Limon, president and CEO of the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigration, told the Associated Press that under the Refugee Act of 1980 governors cannot legally block refugees. Each state has a refugee coordinator, a post created as part of that law and funded by the federal government. The refugee coordinator helps with resettlement efforts and directs federal funding for refugees in each state, Limon told the AP.

Gov. Phil Bryant's statement is below:

"I’m currently working with the Mississippi Department of Public Safety and Mississippi Office of Homeland Security to determine the current status of any Syrian refugees that may be brought to our state in the near future. I will do everything humanly possible to stop any plans from the Obama administration to put Syrian refugees in Mississippi. The policy of bringing these individuals into the country is not only misguided, it is extremely dangerous. I’ll be notifying President Obama of my decision today to resist this potential action."

A new study found that Mississippi has the highest percentage of at-risk hospitals, mainly rural facilities that are caught in the crunch of rising healthcare costs and less reimbursements while serving at-risk populations that need the care.

Researchers from the Center for Mississippi Health Policy, Mississippi State and the University of Memphis identified 31 hospitals (33 percent) of hospitals in Mississippi as "at-risk," and using the State Auditor's report and their own research, focused on solutions and the impact of the closure of the nine most at-risk hospitals. The report states that if those nine hospitals close, around 2,600 jobs would be lost along with $8.6 million in state and local tax revenue. If Medicaid were expanded in the state, the hospitals could compensate for some of the Medicaid Disproportionate Share payments that allow the facilities to offer services to uninsured patients. The State Department of Health’s Office of Rural Health has so far offered assistance to the rural hospitals and has grants available to help facilities implement financial recovery programs.

The 9 hospitals most at-risk for closure:

• Covington County Hospital

• Highland Community Hospital

• Holmes County Hospital & Clinics

• Tippah County Hospital

• Hardy Wilson Memorial Hospital

• Montfort Jones Memorial Hospital

• Natchez Regional Medical Center

• Noxubee County General

• Tallahatchie County General Hospital

The Mississippi Business Journal is reporting that Farish Street in downtown Jackson may soon have a new developer with plans to move forward with an entertainment district.

Mississippi has earned a D- grade on the Center for Public Integrity's 2015 investigation of state government transparency and accountability issues. The state's overall rank nationally is 33rd out of 50 states.

After this year's election, it should come as no surprise that Mississippi was ranked last in the campaign-finance category.

As early as the primary elections, disputes over personal campaign-finance spending raged. For example, Stacey Pickering, the state's auditor, used campaign-finance money to buy an RV and a garage door. He said at the time that the FBI was not investigating, despite reports to the contrary.

Advocacy organizations played important roles in the campaign-finance game too--especially in DeSoto County where four Republican legislators were ousted for their anti-charter school views when Empower Mississippi, a pro-charter organization, funded their opponents' successful campaigns.

The only regulations in place in Mississippi state law limit corporate donations to candidates or political parties. Individuals, lobbyists, political initiatives or political action committees are not limited in their spending on candidates or campaigns, an important factor in the Initiative 42 public-school funding campaign and the "Vote No" anti-42 campaign this last election. Dark money--donations made through or by organizations with no transparency about motivation or primary sourcing--influenced both sides of the Initiative 42 debate.

Mississippi also received failing grades in the following categories: public information access, electoral oversight, executive accountability and judicial accountability.

The report stated that Mississippi could rise from its last-place rank if legislators would examine and update campaign-finance laws in the state.

This is a full, verbatim statement from the City of Jackson:

Mayor Tony T. Yarber, Director of Public Works Kishia Powell and other representatives will hold a public meeting to address water billing concerns on Monday, Nov. 16, at Smith Robertson Museum at 6:30 p.m.

The City of Jackson recently implemented Phase One of its new Customer Care & Billing System (CC&B). The system went live across the City on September 1. The system is currently in the verification process, which allows the city to ensure account accuracy and that all of the new system’s capabilities are fully functional. During this phase, water bills are estimated based on an average of actual consumption from prior billing periods.

As the City of Jackson proceeds with the CC&B, representatives are addressing, and when necessary, correcting issues that arise during the Phase One implementation. Residents may call 601-960-2000 if they have questions about their bills. Residents are encouraged to attend the public meeting on Nov. 16 for more information about the new billing system.

Key benefits of the new CC&B include increased efficiency of meter reading and water billing, eventual elimination of the need for estimated bills, and a reduced need for personnel to enter property. The system will also be able to track usage patterns, allowing the city to potentially detect leaks on a property through abnormal usage patterns.