Jackson Free Press

Sure it is November but that doesn't mean I won't dole out some late treats to you guys a day after Halloween. Before you settle in to see the Loser Gets Fired Bowl tonight night between the San Diego Chargers and the Kansas City Chiefs, I have two great stats I found this week for you.

The NCAA finally released penalties on the University of Southern Mississippi men’s basketball program and former coaches, including Donnie Tyndall, who are receiving the most severe penalties with the program.

Tyndall, who was given a 10-year show-cause penalty, earned the worst one. The show-cause penalty for him runs from April 8, 2016, to April 7, 2026. A show-cause penalty means the punishment for Tyndall follows him to any other NCAA school that hires him, unless the school hiring him can "show-cause” (prove a good reason) why it shouldn’t be penalized for hiring Tyndall.

Dave Bliss, former Baylor University men’s basketball coach, is the only other coach to be hit with a 10-year show-cause penalty. Here is why Bliss was hit with his punishment.

The NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions based the punishment on the fact that Tyndall acted unethically and failed to promote an atmosphere of compliance when he directed his staff to engage in academic misconduct. Tyndall was also accused of fabricating paperwork to justify payments to student-athletes.

The report from the NCAA says that Tyndall got members of his coaching staff to complete fake coursework for prospective players so they would be eligible to play as soon as they got on campus.

“The activity began within six weeks of the former head coach starting at the university, involved the majority of the former coach’s staff and involved approximately half of the prospects the university recruited during a two-year period,” the NCAA said in the report. “The former head coach directed two graduate assistants and a former assistant coach to travel to two-year colleges to complete coursework for prospects.”

Tyndall was also accused of paying players as well.

“One former high school coach mailed the money directly to the former head coach, who would then deliver the money to the student-athlete for university bills,” the report stated. It also said: “The former head coach also facilitated cash and prepaid credit card payments to two prospects from former coaches.”

While at USM from 2012 to 2014, Tyndall led the Golden Eagles to a 56-17 record and led the team to two NIT berths. While Tyndall was at Morehead State University in New York, the program was placed on two years probation due to activities by a booster.

Tyndall left USM for the University of Tennessee before the accusations of violations came out but was fired after the Volunteers administration found out the scope of his misdeeds. Currently Tyndall is an associate athletic director at NAIA school Tennessee Wesleyan College.

Direct from the NCAA report here is the penalties and corrective actions imposed by the panel which include:

A three-year probation period to run consecutive to the present probation period. The three-year period will begin on Jan. 30, 2017, and run through Jan. 29, 2020.

A two-year postseason ban for the men’s basketball team. The school will be credited for the self-imposed postseason bans during the 2014-15 and 2015-16 …

It’s official. For the first time since 1970, a Super Bowl rematch will start the new NFL season in week one on Thursday night, Sept. 8, as the Carolina Panthers go to Denver to face the Broncos.

That’s the first game of the season, but it loses a ton of luster with Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning walking into the sunset. That leaves Mark “Butt Fumble” Sanchez and Trevor Siemian as Denver’s only quarterbacks at the moment. Siemian who? He is out of Northwestern University, I had to look him up, as well.

Carolina should be a modest favorite in this game. Cam Newton will get another chance at a defense that harassed and victimized him in the Super Bowl.

While the first game of the season might be lacking in some respects, it's time to turn our attention to the New Orleans Saints schedule. Depending on how things play out, the Saints have the potential to reach the playoffs.

New Orleans has the fourth hardest schedule, which ESPN Stats and Info shows. The reason for the strength of schedule is the Saints face the AFC and NFC West divisions, which have been two of the best in the league the last few years.

Here is a week-by-week breakdown.

New Orleans gets the Oakland Raiders at home to start the season. The noon kickoff should be a bit of an advantage, with the Raiders playing at 10 a.m. PST. Oakland has gotten better but is still building around a young core of players.

Week two has New Orleans traveling to New York City or in reality in New Jersey to face the New York Giants. The Saints will not know what they are going to get with the recent up-and-down play from Giants quarterback Eli Manning. This game could be a stepping-stone to the playoffs for the winner.

New Orleans should be fired up for its week three matchup. The game is at home against the hated Atlanta Falcons. It is on Monday Night Football and on the 10-year anniversary of the reopening of the Superdome after Hurricane Katrina. Expect the dome to set a record for loudest crowd ever.

The Saints travel west in week four as they go to San Diego to take on the Chargers. Last season, the wheels fell off for San Diego as it went 4-12, but the team does have a franchise quarterback in Philip Rivers, so a quick bounce-back is possible. But will the Chargers stay focused with talk of moving out of San Diego each week?

New Orleans is on a bye during the fifth week of the season. It is early, but it's a chance to get healthy before some big games coming up.

Week six starts the make-or-break part of the Saints' schedule. New Orleans gets the defending NFC Champions Carolina Panthers at home. If the Saints are going to win the division, they will have to get past the …

The city of Cleveland had endured 52 years of sport agony. Sports defeats so gut-punching that they were given names, so most sports fans could recognize the moment of disappointment.

Red Right 88 was the play call that ended the Cleveland Browns' 1980-'81 season with an interception from the Oakland Raiders. The Drive was the Denver Broncos' 98-yard march to a win over the Browns in the 1986 AFC Championship Game.

The Fumble was the costly turnover from Browns running back Earnest Byner as the Broncos won the 1987 AFC Championship Game. But it wasn’t just football that broke Cleveland hearts.

Baseball moments include The Catch by Willie Mays in game one of the 1954 World Series between the New York Giants and the Cleveland Indians and Off Nagy’s Glove, a blown save from Indians closer Charles Nagy that gave the Atlanta Braves their only World Series win of the 1990s.

Basketball in Cleveland saw The Shot by Michael Jordan, beating the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the 1989 Eastern Conference Playoffs. The Shot ushered in the era of Jordan, as he victimized the Cavaliers including the 1993 Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Cleveland sports also suffered through The Move that saw the Browns move the Baltimore, Md. by owner Art Modell. The former Browns would become the Ravens and win two Super Bowls as the last Browns' title came in 1964 in the NFL Championship before the invention of the Super Bowl.

Of course there was also The Decision, when native son LeBron James left Cleveland for the Miami Heat. James won two titles with the Heat, as the Cavaliers became the worst franchise in the NBA after he left.

There were other moments in Cleveland history that didn’t earn names but left a mark—events like the 1994 MLB strike that ended one of the best Indians seasons in team history.

Even the NBA Finals last season saw the Cavaliers lose stars Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving before and during the finals. The Golden State Warriors ended up winning the NBA Championship.

Cleveland fans had to think that this finals would be just another moment of "almost," as the Cavaliers fell behind the Warriors 3-1 in the series. The Cavaliers got back in the series with Draymond Green being suspended in game five and a bit of a Warriors meltdown at the end of game six, as reigning MVP Steph Curry was ejected for the first time in his career.

Wins in game five and six allowed Cleveland to tie the series and force a game seven. Everything seemed in place for another sports moment that would rip the hearts out of Cleveland fans.

With the game tied 89-89 in the fourth quarter, every Cavaliers fan had to be thinking, "How would the sports gods gut-punch Cleveland?" But this time things were different, as what looked to be sure layup from Andre Iguodala turned into a game-changing block …

Yes, he did. The Washington Post is reporting that our esteemed governor, Phil Bryant, blamed working mothers for the problems in the education system:

Bryant was participating in a Washington Post Live event focused on the importance of ensuring that children read well by the end of third grade. In response to a question about how America became “so mediocre” in regard to educational outcomes, he said:

"I think both parents started working. The mom got in the work place."

Bryant immediately recognized how controversial his remark would be and said he knew he would start to get e-mails. He then expanded on his answer, saying that “both parents are so pressured” in families today. He also noted that America seemed to be losing ground internationally in regards to educational outcomes because other nations began to invest more in their own school systems and make progress.

And folks are worried about Chokwe Lumumba's views.

Following through on earlier promises, the newly configured Hinds County Board of Supervisors gave $2.1 million back to the Byram-Clinton Corridor project and earmarked another $1 million to make repairs at the Raymond Detention Center.

Over the past few months, some supervisors had made a habit of taking money out of the corridor-renovation fund for parks and recreation and improving roads in their districts.

The moves drew criticism from proponents of the corridor project, which is intended to draw economic development to the county. Those critics included then-candidates Darrel McQuirter and Tony Greer of District 2 and District 4, respectively

This morning, Greer said he hoped the $1 million allocation to the jail would help the county "get on track" with fixing problems at jail so that the sheriff could focus on crime prevention.

Stokes, long a vocal critic against the Byram-Clinton Parkway, was not in attendance this morning nor was a reason given for his absence.

In other board action, McQuirter asked that no new contracts be executed until he and Greer have a chance to review them. Also, at Greer's urging, the board will develop a policy for board leadership positions to rotate regularly. District 1 Supervisor Robert Graham has served as board president since January 2012; Stokes has served as vice-chair, also since January 2012.

The US Human Rights Network has announced it will honor Jackson Mayor Chokwe Lumumba and six others with the 2013 U.S. Advancing Human Rights Award. The Atlanta-based organization describes itself on its web site as "a team of thematic experts, organizers, education specialists, trainers, communications experts, and human rights activists."

It describes the award ceremony, set for Dec. 6-8 in Atlanta, as an opportunity to "recognize and celebrate six visionary people and one organization building and strengthening the human rights movement at the grassroots level."

To be considered, nominees must have had at least five years experience in grass-roots organizing in the area of immigration, environmental and climate justice, workers rights, or access to justice, as well as other areas such as racial justice, women's rights, disability rights, and economic, social and cultural rights.

Other award recipients include Haitian Women of Miami Executive Producer Marleine Bastien, Desis Rising Up and Moving Executive Director Monami Maulik, Texas Latina Advocacy Network Field Coordinator Lucy Ceballos Felix, Navajo Nation Corrections Project Supervisor Lenny Foster, Chicago Anti-Eviction Campaign Co-founder J.R. Fleming and Mossville, La. community organization Mossville Environmental Action Now.

Here's the full release from the Chamber:

Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership Announces Commission Appointments

With the recent passage of the Jackson Local Option Sales Tax Referendum, much needed work on Jackson’s infrastructure will be addressed. The next step to address the infrastructure issues is the creation of an Oversight Commission.

With input from the City of Jackson and other professional advisors, the Commission will establish a master plan for infrastructure projects to be accomplished, as well as ensuring all expenditures of the money collected comply with the master plan.

The Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership Board of Directors has confirmed its four appointees to the Commission. These four individuals will be joined by six additional members selected by City of Jackson Mayor Chokwe Lumumba, Governor Phil Bryant, Lt. Governor Tate Reeves and Speaker Phillip Gunn.

The Partnership’s representatives are:

• Dr. Beverly Hogan, President of Tougaloo College and former Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership Board Member • Duane A. O’Neill, President/CEO of the Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership • Dr. Carolyn Meyers, President of Jackson State University and current Greater Jackson Partnership Board Member • Mr. Godwin Dafe, Small Business Owner in Jackson

“We take the responsibility of these appointments very seriously” stated GJCP Chairman Andy Taggart. “After a thorough vetting process, we feel these Jackson residents will serve the community well on this important endeavor," Taggart added.

As we told you yesterday, state Sen. John Horhn officially joined the Jackson mayoral race this morning at Cade's Courtyard on Mayes Street. Horhn ran for mayor in 2009 and is known for drawing bipartisan and multiracial support.

Here is his 2009 JFP Interview when he was running for mayor: http://www.jfp.ms/horhn2009

We will post audio of his announcement shortly.

In other mayoral news, Albert Wilson and Kenneth A. Swarts have filed paperwork to qualify to run for mayor.

To date, six candidates have officially announced either at a press event and/or directly to the Jackson Free Press: Harvey Johnson Jr., Tony Yarber, Melvin Priester Jr., Regina Quinn, Chokwe Antar Lumumba and John Horhn. Margaret Barrett-Simon said she will decide by the end of the week. We are hearing that Robert Graham may run, but have not confirmed one way or the other. Jonathan Lee said he is not running.

We'll keep you posted on new developments. Follow this blog at http://www.jfp.ms/politicsblog for the latest.

CORRECTION ABOVE: I originally said that candidates have qualified. The city clerk corrected me to say that they have filed paperwork: "The commissioners are verifying the signatures and will qualify the candidates upon completion of their process." I apologize for the error.

More over, Personhood supporters. Public-education backers are working to put funding the Mississippi Adequate Education Program on next year's ballot—being that the Legislature simply refuses to fully fund it.

The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal is reporting that Jackson attorney Luther Munford has filed the initiative language on behalf of a group called Better Schools, Better Jobs:

The Mississippi Adequate Education Program is the formula passed in 1997 that determines how much funding each school district should receive. It has been traditionally underfunded, however, including a shortfall of more than $1.3 billion during the last six years. This year’s appropriation is more than $250 million below what the formula requires.

The state’s constitution leaves little recourse if legislators don’t fund MAEP, Munford said. The initiative would change that.

It would require Mississippi to use money from economic growth to fill the void. Its language says at least 25 percent of new growth of general fund revenue would go into MAEP over a period of years until it was fully funded. It does not require a new tax.

A plethora of new music...

On Thursday Night, the University of Mississippi will finally get to play in the Georgia Dome making Vanderbilt the only current SEC to have never played at the site. If you can't make it to Atlanta to watch the Rebels take on Boise State, there is a place you can go to watch with fellow University of Mississippi fans.

Below is a full press release of times, where to watch and other information:

Are You Ready for August 28th?

Jackson, Miss. (August 26, 2014) –The Ole Miss Rebels are ready to buck the broncos. They will be facing Boise State for their first game of the season on August 28th. While the Rebels will be gearing up at Atlanta's Georgia Dome, the Central Mississippi Ole Miss Rebel Club (CMOMRC) will be cheering them on in Jackson.

The CMOMRC will host a watch party for the game at 7 p.m. at Fondren Public. There will be door prizes and a Rebel of a good time. Anyone is welcome to come watch the game with their fellow Rebels and cheer on the football team.

“We are very excited to kick off another great football season. The CMOMRC is a great organization that celebrates all Rebel things,” said Bob Box, President of the Club. “We hope everyone will join us and come out to Fondren Public to cheer on our team.”

To learn more about your local Ole Miss Rebel Club, please visit OleMissAlumni.com/Clubs and Facebook.com/CentralMississippiOleMissAlumniClub. For more information on Fondren Public, visit their website at FondrenPublic.com.

This release came from the City this morning, verbatim:

Effective immediately, The City of Jackson has issued an emergency water conservation request for all customers served by the City’s Water System. The city’s Department of Public Works has determined that system-wide water conservation measures are needed at this time to allow the system to recharge and to improve areas of low water pressure. The city's water system is experiencing issues with high service pumps so there may be widespread water pressure loss.

While the emergency conservation notice is in effect, all water system customers are strongly urged to eliminate nonessential uses of water, which include the following:

· The use of hoses, sprinklers or other means for sprinkling or watering of shrubbery, trees, lawns, grass, plants, vines, gardens, vegetables, flowers or other vegetation.

· The use of water for washing automobiles, trucks, trailers, trailer houses or other type of mobile equipment.

· The washing of streets, driveways, parking lots, service station aprons, office buildings, exterior of homes, sidewalks, apartments or other outdoor surfaces.

· The operation of an ornamental fountain or other structures making a similar use of water.

· The use of water for filling swimming or wading pools.

The city greatly appreciates your assistance in ensuring that all customers will continue to receive safe, adequate and reliable water service.

If you have any questions or concerns, please call 601.960.2723 or 601.960.1777.

RePublic Schools Inc., the charter management organization that opened one of two charter schools in Mississippi, received a $9.6 million U.S. Department of Education grant. RePublic Schools was one of twelve organizations selected for a Charter School Program Grant this year.

The grant will be issued over a five-year period, and RePublic Schools Inc. was allotted $1.76 million in Year One. The Mississippi Charter Authorizer Board approved two more RePublic Schools, Smilow Prep and Smilow Collegiate, earlier this month. The schools will open in Jackson in August 2016.

In a press release, CEO Ravi Gupta said, "We are grateful to Secretary Duncan (the U.S. Secretary of Education) and his team for recognizing RePublic's efforts to expand high quality, 21st Century educational opportunities for children in Tennessee, Mississippi, and Louisiana."

RePublic Schools has opened schools in Tennessee and Mississippi thus far, but the press release mentions Louisiana as well.

Jackson State University announced some personnel shifts this morning. Dr. Kimberly Hilliard will transition from the Office of Community Engagement to work under President Carolyn Meyers as the Executive Assistant to the President for Special Initiatives.

Read the full press release below:

Dear JSU Family: As previously announced, Mrs. Sandra Hodge will assume the position as Interim Vice President for Institutional Advancement on March 15, 2016. Due to the transition, Dr. Kimberly Hilliard, Executive Director of the Office of Community Engagement will fulfill the role of Executive Assistant to the President for Special Initiatives. Dr. Hilliard has over 28 years of experience in the areas of engineering, urban planning, and community development. As the Director of the Office of Community Engagement, she has provided leadership in connecting JSU with local and state agencies, community-based organizations, and local residents and businesses. She obtained her Ph.D. in Urban and Regional Planning from Jackson State University in 2007 and has worked in various community-oriented roles for JSU since 2004. She holds several statewide and local board appointments. Please join me in welcoming Dr. Hilliard to this new position that will commence on March 15, 2016. She will also retain oversight of the community engagement work for the university and serve as a member of my executive leadership team. Carolyn W. Meyers President

Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves met with Louisiana Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser, both Republicans, in Cleveland, Miss., today to talk tourism.

The lieutenant governors met with members of the Mississippi Tourism Association to discuss tourism possibilities in the area and between the two states. The Delta Regional Authority is working with both Louisiana and Mississippi to promote the Mississippi River Geotourism Project, which will work on making the Delta a tourist attraction as well as create a website in coordination with National Geographic to to help tell the story of the longest river in North America.

Reeves and Nungesser toured the Grammy Museum while in Cleveland, one of the area's newest tourist attractions. The museum opened in March 2016, and it features not only exhibits but also a theater. Both lieutenant governors also praised development around the museum, including construction of the new Lyric Hotel in Cleveland, which will be a luxury hotel featuring a four-star restaurant, special event venue and spa.

“Our two states share a deep connection in so many areas, whether its food, music, history or a love of the outdoor sports,” Lt. Gov. Reeves said in a press release. “Through tourism, we can highlight the contributions of our talented citizens to these areas and grow the economies in our towns.”

Poet and playwright Claudia Rankine has postponed her lecture at Millsaps College due to inclement weather in New York. The 2016 McArthur fellow and Frederick Iseman Professor of Poetry at Yale University, was scheduled to speak on her book, "Citizen."

Fifty years ago today, Gov. Ross R. Barnett blocked African-American student James Meredith from enrolling at the University of Mississippi.

Meredith's appearance on the Oxford campus sparked violent protests and prompted President John F. Kennedy to dispatch federal troops to Mississippi.

Barnett was fined and, later, a body of water was named after him. Meredith got a statue erected in his honor, about which he told the Jackson Free Press in 2008:

Like all the other major schools in the country, they were put under heavy pressure to do a "Black Thing." The night before statue dedication, they did their "Black Thing," and asked me to come early and attend it. I've been trying for 20, 25 years to figure out how to bury James Meredith and go back to who God put me here to be. And I chose that night. And I told them in my presentation to them ... that for the last 10 or 15 years I've been fighting hard with the university to cut out the "black this, black that" thing. That is the worst thing in American education today, the "black this" and "black that."

http://jacksonfreepress.com/users/photos/2012/sep/20/8555/

Mississippi native Duvalier Malone has started a petition to remove the Confederate symbol from the Mississippi state flag. The online petition form has over 1,100 signatures. In a statement, Malone said he "wants to create enough momentum for Mississippi to have another referendum vote on the flag, which will hopefully result in positive change."

The petition is written in letter format, and Malone cites recent racially motivated violence in Jackson as well as the Charleston massacre, saying that positive change can come from such atrocities.

He writes, "Now is the time to join forces and face this issue, which has cast a shadow on our state for too long. Even Republican Mississippi House Speaker Philip Gunn agrees: Now is the time to leave the Confederate battle flag behind us -- before another innocent person is attacked in its name."

As previously reported by the Jackson Free Press, unless Gov. Bryant calls a special session, the flag debate will have to wait until January for the Legislature. If the petition turns into a ballot initiative, it would need a minimum of 107,216 signatures, with specific number requirements from each of the five congressional districts.

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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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