Jackson Free Press

Verbatim press release:

Attorney General Issues Opinion to Clarify Gun Carry December 5, 2013

Contact: Jan Schaefer Public Information Officer 601-359-2002 [email protected]

Jackson, MS- An opinion released by Attorney General Jim Hood outlines where concealed stun guns, revolvers and pistols can be carried by enhanced permit holders on public property even where the state or local governmental entity has posted signage prohibiting the carrying of weapons. While the Office of the Attorney General seldom does press releases on opinions released from the Opinions Division, Attorney General Jim Hood hopes the opinion will provide the public with a more definitive list of where they can and cannot carry with the enhanced permit.

“Our office has been asked to issue a series of opinions regarding the open carry, concealed carry and enhanced carry of firearms,” said Attorney General Hood. “I think this most recent opinion was a good effort to summarize our convoluted gun laws, and particularly our enhanced carry statutes. It contains a concise list of places a person with an enhanced carry permit may carry. I hope it will serve as a guide to advanced permitees, public officials and law enforcement."

The opinion, written to the City of Corinth, outlines the following places where the Mississippi statutes authorize a person with an enhanced permit to carry regardless of signage posted by a state governmental entity:

1. Any polling place. – (Other than the Section 45-9-101(13) prohibiting regular permit holders from carrying in polling places, Mississippi Code Sections 23-15-895 (relating to armed candidates) and 97-13-29 (military officer keeping armed troops within one mile of an election) are the only other state law restrictions regarding firearms in polling places.)

2. Any meeting place of the governing body of any governmental entity. – (It is the opinion of this office that the phrase meeting place means the room in which a meeting transpires as opposed to the entire building. Thus, although an enhanced permit holder would be entitled to carry a concealed pistol or revolver into a meeting place, that individual would not have unfettered gun carrying access to places within the building that are not generally open to the general public. See MS AG Op. Cantrell (Oct. 1, 2013)).

3. Any meeting of the Legislature or a committee thereof. – (Notwithstanding this language, it is the understanding of this office that the House and the Senate have each passed rules or regulations restricting the right of individuals to carry weapons at meetings of the Legislature or its committees.)

4. Any school, college or professional athletic event not related to firearms. – (This provision authorizes an enhanced permit holder to carry a stun gun, concealed pistol or revolver into non-firearm related events even if signage is posted pursuant to Section 45-9-101(13). However, if signage were posted relating to a firearm related school, college or professional event, enhanced permit holders would not be authorized to carry their weapons.)

5. Any portion of an establishment, licensed to dispense …

This week's regional picks and new releases...

Jackson Mayor Chokwe Lumumba has announced two more town hall meetings to discuss the need for the city to pass a 1-percent sales tax hike.

The first is set for 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 10, at the E-Center on the campus of Jackson State University at 1230 Raymond Road. The second is set for 6 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 19, at Word and Worship Church at 6286 Hanging Moss Rd.

The mayor has already hosted two such meetings in the past week, and called them "very well-attended and informative" at Tuesday's meeting of the City Council.

Jacksonians will vote on the referendum on Jan. 14, 2014.

Hello readers. You might remember me from my time at the JFP as the writer of the bi-monthly column “The Key of G,” where I covered local and national music, as well as just musing about different topics related to music in general.

One of the things I liked to do was to make top 10 release lists at the end of the given year. While I did enjoy that, I always felt a little disingenuous, because I don’t listen to that much new music; I spend most of my time digging for and listening to old records. Hence, my top 10 lists would barely be made, as I squeezed in a few listens right at the end of the year to go with the few albums from artists that I always check for. Further, I never kept a running list, so my top 10 would have omissions, on top of my already poor sample size. (For instance, I somehow left Robert Glasper’s “Black Radio” off of last year’s list).

But this year has been different. I made it my mission to listen to as many new releases as possible, and to document them. What I have now is a list of 60 new albums that I have listened to and ranked in order. Mind you, this list is not meant to be definitive; there is a lot that I didn’t listen to for several reasons, mainly just because there isn’t enough time in the day to hear everything. I did listen to almost everything from artists that I am a fan of, which is something I have done a poor job of over the years. I also branched out to some artists I never was a fan of before, even though I knew who they were and ignored them on purpose. The results are fairly predictable. I also discovered some new artists I had never heard of at all, which was quite nice in most instances.

So, over the next several weeks, I am going to present you all with a ranked list of the 60 albums I listened to this year. Again, this list is not intended to be definitive at all; it is just a list of what I listened to, ranked solely by my opinions. I am sure there will be some disagreement and head scratching, but some of you might also see some new things that interest you that you go check out. And that’s what it’s all about anyway. Thanks for reading and indulging my opinions.

Click HERE for 60-51

Click HERE for 50-41

40) Disclosure “Settle” If I were making a list of most impressive debut albums of 2013, “Settle” would probably be at the very top. These two guys, brothers from Surrey who are only 21 and 18 years old, came out swinging hard. Many reviewers have given “Settle” the title of best dance album of the year (or a close second to Daft Punk). In my estimation, …

This week's new releases...

Mississippi State’s Gabe Jackson, an All American guard rated at the top of his position by NFL draft experts, has been selected the first winner of the Kent Hull Trophy as Mississippi’s most outstanding collegiate offensive lineman.

Jackson will receive the Kent Hull Trophy at the C Spire Conerly Trophy banquet Tuesday night at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum in Jackson. Jackson, a fifth-year senior from Liberty, also has been named State’s finalist for the C Spire Conerly Trophy.

"The Conerly" honors Mississippi's most outstanding collegiate football player.

Some will remember the story the JFP broke back in May about a lawsuit a student brought against Northwest Rankin High School after she was forced to attend a religious event at the school. Well, the student won in federal court, and Northwest Rankin has a brand new policy on keeping religion out of the school.

In his judgement against the school, Judge Carlton Reeves said the school violated the establishment clause of the first amendment when it made attendance mandatory at the April 10, 2013 program.

The school was also told to pay the legal fees of the student, totaling $15,000.

The American Humanist Association released this statement earlier today:

A judgment has been entered by a federal court in a case brought by the American Humanist Association’s Appignani Humanist Legal Center on behalf of a student at a Rankin County, Mississippi high school challenging the proselytizing religious assemblies it staged for students earlier this year. The lawsuit was filed April 24, 2013 in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi against administrators of Northwest Rankin High School in Flowood, MS and the county school district.

The judgment includes an admission of liability by the defendants that they violated the Establishment Clause, the provision of the Constitution that requires separation of church and state. It also requires the school district to comply with a new policy that prohibits future such violations and orders the defendants to pay the plaintiff’s attorneys’ fees.

“A lot has been accomplished and I’m pleased with the outcome of the suit,” said Magdalene “Gracie” Bedi, the student plaintiff in the case. “I'm grateful for the school's maturity throughout this ordeal and I look forward to graduating with them on a positive note. No one should have to question their rights in a public school and I think Northwest [Rankin High School] realizes this now.”

Before filing suit, a letter was sent asking school officials to stop the practice, where a student representative of the Pinelake Baptist Church spoke of finding “hope” in “Jesus Christ,” but the assemblies continued with school administrators insisting the assemblies were “student-led and organized.” According to students present, however, those who attempted to leave were prevented from doing so. At the end of the presentation, the speakers led the students in a Christian prayer. Videos captured by students can be found here and here.

“We are pleased that the school’s administrators have admitted that they violated the Constitution and agreed to continuing court oversight to prevent future violations,” said William Burgess, legal coordinator of the Appignani Humanist Legal Center. “There was clear evidence that these Christian assemblies were endorsed and organized by the school. To continue to deny a constitutional violation had taken place was untenable.”

Hello readers. You might remember me from my time at the JFP as the writer of the bi-monthly column “The Key of G,” where I covered local and national music, as well as just musing about different topics related to music in general.

One of the things I liked to do was to make top 10 release lists at the end of the given year. While I did enjoy that, I always felt a little disingenuous, because I don’t listen to that much new music; I spend most of my time digging for and listening to old records. Hence, my top 10 lists would barely be made, as I squeezed in a few listens right at the end of the year to go with the few albums from artists that I always check for. Further, I never kept a running list, so my top 10 would have omissions, on top of my already poor sample size. (For instance, I somehow left Robert Glasper’s “Black Radio” off of last year’s list).

But this year has been different. I made it my mission to listen to as many new releases as possible, and to document them. What I have now is a list of 60 new albums that I have listened to and ranked in order. Mind you, this list is not meant to be definitive; there is a lot that I didn’t listen to for several reasons, mainly just because there isn’t enough time in the day to hear everything. I did listen to almost everything from artists that I am a fan of, which is something I have done a poor job of over the years. I also branched out to some artists I never was a fan of before, even though I knew who they were and ignored them on purpose. The results are fairly predictable. I also discovered some new artists I had never heard of at all, which was quite nice in most instances.

So, over the next several weeks, I am going to present you all with a ranked list of the 60 albums I listened to this year. Again, this list is not intended to be definitive at all; it is just a list of what I listened to, ranked solely by my opinions. I am sure there will be some disagreement and head scratching, but some of you might also see some new things that interest you that you go check out. And that’s what it’s all about anyway. Thanks for reading and indulging my opinions.

Click Here for 60-51

50) Arcade Fire “Reflektor” OK, I know I have this album placed way too low. I know that it is probably the greatest album of the year. I get that. While nowhere near as groundbreaking as the fanboys would like us to believe, it is sonically adventurous, taking the listener through many places and genres sometimes within a couple of jarring seconds. As corny as it sounds, they do a …

With less than two months left before Jacksonians head to the polls to decide the fate of a proposed 1-percent sales tax increase, Mayor Chokwe Lumumba is taking his message to the people.

Lumumba will host a town hall-style meeting at 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 1 at Pearl St. African Methodist Episcopal Church at 2519 Robinson St.

The Mayor will discuss the 1% sales tax proposal, and explain the use of the tax revenue to make infrastructure improvements. The meeting comes as Jackson's City Council debates whether to push the referendum vote to a later date in order to improve it's chances of passing with the 60 percent threshold it must have to become reality.

From the office of Jackson Mayor Chokwe Lumumba: "After two (2) consecutive days of clear water sampling, the citywide precautionary boil water notice has been lifted. The precautionary advisory only affected customers on the City of Jackson Surface Water System."

WJTV-TV reports that a Jackson woman is circulating a petition to rename the Ross Barnett Reservoir.

"The past of Mississippi is riddled with hate and racism. And, I’m trying to show everyone else that Mississippi isn't like that anymore," the woman told JTV.

For anyone needing a refresher, Barnett was a segregationist governor of Mississippi. Well, he was one of the state's segregationist governors, but Barnett was among the most vocal in his opposition to human rights for black people, and he happened in this lifetime. There are people living today who could have voted for him.

But never mind all that because the woman behind the petition is named TaJuana Byrd. If I know the Jackson-area media and blogosphere, the conversation in the coming hours and days will certainly devolve into attacking this African American woman for being the race baiter attempting to dredge up old, forgotten memories -- all over the name of a silly fake lake.

Stay tuned.

Bob Dylan's new video and new releases...

The Jackson Free Press received this notice from the city this morning:

Due to the recent loss in water pressure, the City of Jackson Water/Sewer Utilities Division has issued a precautionary boil water advisory until further notice for all customers on the City of Jackson Surface Water System. This notice does not affect customers served by Jackson’s Well Water System.

Due to a driver hitting a fire hydrant last night, a loss of pressure has occurred in the distribution system resulting in this precautionary boil water notice. The system should recover as repairs are completed.

City crews are currently performing repair work. Water pressure should be restored by the end of the day.

This is a precautionary advisory. This notice does not mean that the water is unsafe, but it does mean that customers must take precaution and boil the water before use. All customers are advised to boil their drinking water until adequate pressure is restored to the system. Water should be brought to a rolling boil for one minute for the following: cooking or baking, making ice cubes, taking medication, brushing teeth, washing food, mixing baby formula or food, mixing juices or drinks feeding pets, washing dishes and all other consumption.

Residents will be notified immediately when the advisory is lifted. For more information, call 601-960-2723.

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.

Hello readers. Garrad Lee here. You might remember me from my time at the JFP as the writer of the bi-monthly column “The Key of G,” where I covered local and national music, as well as just musing about different topics related to music in general.

One of the things I liked to do was to make top 10 release lists at the end of the given year. While I did enjoy that, I always felt a little disingenuous, because I don’t listen to that much new music; I spend most of my time digging for and listening to old records. Hence, my top 10 lists would barely be made, as I squeezed in a few listens right at the end of the year to go with the few albums from artists that I always check for. Further, I never kept a running list, so my top 10 would have omissions, on top of my already poor sample size. (For instance, I somehow left Robert Glasper’s “Black Radio” off of last year’s list).

But this year has been different. I made it my mission to listen to as many new releases as possible, and to document them. What I have now is a list of 60 new albums that I have listened to and ranked in order. Mind you, this list is not meant to be definitive; there is a lot that I didn’t listen to for several reasons, mainly just because there isn’t enough time in the day to hear everything. I did listen to almost everything from artists that I am a fan of, which is something I have done a poor job of over the years. I also branched out to some artists I never was a fan of before, even though I knew who they were and ignored them on purpose. The results are fairly predictable. I also discovered some new artists I had never heard of at all, which was quite nice in most instances.

So, over the next several weeks, I am going to present you all with a ranked list of the 60 albums I listened to this year. Again, this list is not intended to be definitive at all; it is just a list of what I listened to, ranked solely by my opinions. I am sure there will be some disagreement and head scratching, but some of you might also see some new things that interest you that you go check out. And that’s what it’s all about anyway. Thanks for reading and indulging my opinions.

60) Daft Punk “Random Access Memories” Oh yeah. You are reading this right. I have in fact put Daft Punk at the bottom of this list. You know right away this isn’t your average top 60 list, given that this album is sure to populate many top 5 lists this year. Someone had to be the sacrificial lamb in my last spot. Frankly, I just do not like this album. At all. I …

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.

Somebody in City Hall is listening.

The city clerk's office has posted the agenda for next Tuesday's City Council meeting, and it looks like Mayor Chokwe Lumumba plans to present two new Jackson Redevelopment Authority board members for council approval.

The first is Kemba Ware, a Data Information Manager at Jackson State University, and the other is attorney Jennifer Johnson. It is unclear which wards they will represent, but as we profiled in this week's cover story, there are three spots open. Neither of the nominees could be reached late this afternoon.

Bishop Ronnie Crudup, the board's chairman, has been out of term since Aug. 13, 2011 and two other members, Brian Fenelon and John Reeves, have been out of term since Aug. 13, 2012 and 2013, respectively.

UPDATE: It looks like the JFP once endorsed Kemba Ware as a young influential in 2005, which you can read here. And it looks like Jennifer Johnson would represent Ward 7, if approved.

Beatles, R.E.M., and Morningbell...

A different kind of BS is coming to the capital city.

In December, what organizers say is Mississippi's first ever bullfight charges into the Kirk Fordice Equine Center, next to the Jackson Coliseum, at the state fairgrounds.

I know, you're saying to yourself that bullfighting is cruel and barbaric. To that, the organizers say through a statement: "While traditional bullfighting ends in the killing of the bull in the arena (except in Portugal, that is illegal), this exhibition will NOT end in the bulls’ death. The bullfighting will be authentic in every way, but the bulls will NOT be killed."

That's not to say that the who isn't still muy peligroso as it still involves relatively tiny men taunting a 2,000-pound animal.

It'll be fun for the whole family. Admission is free for children 5 and under; for everyone over 6, it costs $25 to see "internationally known, professional award-winning toreros and matadors Alberto Valente and Alberto 'El Cuate' Espinoza of Mexico."

Tickets are available through Ticketmaster or at the box office.

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A run-down of what's going on this week in music...