V15n22 - Is Mississippi Progressing on Criminal Justice?

vol. 15 no. 22

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WAR OVER WASTEWATER Summers Jr., p 10

BEST OF: DOCTORS AND DENTISTS pp 24-25

MEET SALTINE’S NEW CHEF Helsel, p 26

Is Mississippi Progressing on Criminal Justice?

Dreher, pp 18 - 22

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JACKSONIAN Jillian Smart courtesy Jillian Smart

W

hen Jillian Smart, owner of Jackson Education Support, was growing up, she says her parents wanted their children to be productive. One summer when Smart was in middle school, she and her sister, Kristin Jackson, volunteered at United Way for 40 hours a week. That was her first exposure to mentoring and tutoring.

“Then, in about seventh grade, one of my church members asked me to tutor her son, and I just thought of it, like, ‘I’m just doing a favor for a family friend,’” she says.

She tutored him in math, and after that, she began to tutor more people in areas such as math and reading. When she was in college at the University of Mississippi, she tutored for the Boys and Girls Club and The Leap Frog Program in Oxford.

“I didn’t realize at that time that what I was doing was setting me up for what I’m doing now because at that time, I was really focused on research and … working as opposed to being an entrepreneur,” she says.

The Jackson native graduated from UM in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and then did a graduate assistant program at Jackson State University. She taught a chemistry lab and says she found it more fun than the rest of her coursework.

Health issues caused her to leave JSU in 2010. After a while, she started tutor-

ing again and eventually taught at chemistry and physical science at Provine High School for a short time.

She founded Jackson Education Support in 2012, while also working on her book, “Parent Support: 30 Ways to Support Your Child’s Education,” which she published in 2013, and her master’s degree in education, which she earned from the University of Phoenix in 2013.

Through JES, Smart, 33, says she focuses on building more independent learners, helping students learn the character strength and mindset to value and seek out the information that they don’t have.

“I feel like people are easily discouraged when it comes to learning,” she says.

“I feel like because, typically the students that I work with are … struggling, it’s a mindset issue. It’s not that you can’t or you don’t have the ability to learn this thing, whatever it is; it’s that you’ve put up a wall or your perspective needs to change.”

JES works with students in areas such as test prep, editing and writing, as well as in-person and online tutoring in literacy, math and science. The business also helps parents engage more with their children’s education and customizes lesson plans based on the student’s needs.

She and her husband, Toni Smart, live in Jackson.

—Amber Helsel

contents 6 ............................ Talks 14 ................... editorial 15 ...................... opinion 18 ............ Cover Story 24.... best of jackson 26 ........... food & Drink 30 ......................... 8 Days 32 ........................ Events 32 ....................... sports

6 MS LEG: “Blue Lives Matter” The Senate passed its version of a “Blue Lives Matter” bill last week. What’s next?

26 Saltine’s New Chef

“Everyone has to eat, no matter what. They’re going to eat, and if they’re going to eat, you’re always going to have a job.” —Nicole Medrano, “A New Executive (Chef) in Town”

34 ............................ arts 36 .......................... music 38 ........ music listings 40 ...................... Puzzles 41 ......................... astro 41 ............... Classifieds

36 Following Up Fanfare

Read up on the Fanfare Festival before attending it Feb. 9-11.

February 1 - 7, 2017 • jfp.ms

4 ............ Editor’s Note

Anne Miller Photography; Imani Khayyam; Imani Khayyam

February 1 - 7, 2017 | Vol. 15 No. 22

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editor’s note

by Donna Ladd, Editor-in-Chief

Sen. McDaniel, Meet the Real ‘Liberal Women’

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s I was consumed with Best of Jackson week last week, I kept getting emails and texts about a state legislator proving himself to be among the worst of Mississippi.

Sen. Chris McDaniel, R-Laurel, was not pleased to see hordes turn out in the nation’s capital, around the world and even packed around the Mississippi State Capitol for the Jan. 21 women’s marches.

His response was to belittle, stereotype and threaten women’s basic American rights.

“So a group of unhappy liberal women marched in Washington DC,” he posted.

“We shouldn’t be surprised; almost all liberal women are unhappy. Perhaps there’s a correlation.”

Ah, so we “liberal women”—defined broadly as any woman he disagrees with?— must be “unhappy” if we join joyfully with people of both genders to exercise our First Amendment rights. I see.

When women and men excoriated McDaniel under his post for his juvenile rant, he called them “angry instigators.” So, McDaniel is part of an infuriated, righteous Tea Party movement, but others are wrongfully “angry”? I’m surprised he didn’t talk about the protesters’ appearance and size of their butts and boobs the way many trolls go after women who speak out.

Oh, wait. “But I do have a question: If they can afford all those piercings, tattoos, body paintings, signs, and plane tickets, then why do they want us to pay for their birth control?” he posted.

Beyond being a goofy insult of physical appearances, that is a facile attempt to lump everyone at the Women’s March into one group to easily dismiss them. No, not everyone there had tattoos and piercings, took a plane or can’t afford birth control.

I know groups of Mississippi mothers who piled into mini-vans and drove to D.C. to protest the Trump-Pence approach to women’s rights. They went to push back both on Trump’s bragging about grabbing women’s crotches whenever he feels the urge, to Pence’s embrace of Personhood, which would not only make abortion illegal to save a mother’s life, but forbid the birth-control pill and probably in vitro fertilization (see jfp.ms/personhood).

The issues now aren’t about wanting “free” birth control (although it would

“Yell, curse, scream, threaten, and ridicule all you wish. I don’t care.” help the abortion rate keep dropping); this is more basic. This White House wants to box women into a small space with few outlets. They seem to believe that women’s only birth-control option is saying “no” until marriage and then having as many babies as possible, whether they can take care of them or not. Notice how little these gentlemen talk about “single fathers” refraining from sex, however. It’s always about us angry, supposedly irresponsible girls.

Of course, once all those babies are born, women must figure how to care for them with little or no public support, or if the father moves on to the next model. It’s kind of like an unfunded mandate: Force women (handmaids?) to have babies and

then make it near-impossible for them to earn enough or ask for help to raise them into healthy, well-adapted children, especially after the father bolts from marriage to affair to marriage, as Trump has long done.

If the woman is single, poor and of color, it’s worse. McDaniel-level logic assumes she is trying to raise young thugs, and this administration supports the kinds of policing that actually keeps them cycling into the system. Plus, the probable new education secretary supports dismantling public schools in favor of “school choice” for those lucky enough to be able to choose or get their kids into the vaunted schools.

It’s a cycle clearly set up for failure.

McDaniel’s rant continued: “You love free stuff. I get it. Unfortunately, in your quest for freebies, your so-called ‘revolution of love’ has become little more than intolerant hatred for anyone who disagrees. And that’s okay. You have that right.”

Wait. I’m clearly lumped with the “liberal women” McDaniel despises. And I support anyone’s refusal to use birth control or to get an abortion, but not Big Government deciding for us. So do many others.

In fact, I work with young people believed to be “at risk” of poor behavior constantly, and one of my primary goals is to help them believe they are bigger than society’s expectations for them.

I talk to young people about the pitfalls of promiscuity and learning when to say “no” to yourself and others. And I, like many others McDaniel belittles, believe in replacing hopelessness with opportunity so they don’t end up as children raising children they can’t afford, or in jail, or both.

Sen. McDaniel clearly doesn’t get this, but “liberal women” (and men) don’t just show up for protests and to slam other peo-

ple. Every one I know works on the ground somehow to improve this state or nation, whether starting nonprofits (like my friend Aisha Nyandoro and her fantastic nonprofit Springboard to Opportunities), or by being a mother or father to kids who need it. I think of the stories about Dak Prescott’s mama taking kids from the neighborhood into her trailer to feed, entertain and love them. I don’t know that single mom’s politics, nor do I care, but I know a woman’s “revolution of love” when I hear about it.

McDaniel whines about us wanting him to pay for abortion and birth control, while the real threat is making it illegal for women’s health insurance, even through private employers, to pay for medical services even to keep us alive. He gleefully promises “to defund Planned Parenthood and repeal Obamacare”—two more ways to limit women’s health-care options and increase the abortion rate, considering that Planned Parenthood offers birth control, mammograms and pap screenings (and no abortion services in Mississippi).

At the end of his rant, McDaniel proclaimed: “Yell, curse, scream, threaten, and ridicule all you wish. I don’t care.”

Back at you, Senator. You keep being childish and selfish, and we “liberal women” will just keep right on pushing this revolution of love and health you so despise.

And by the way, I do have a tattoo. It’s a sweet rose on my shoulder in honor of my single illiterate mother who worked in factories and raised me to be a strong woman who will talk back to men like you.

So, as you say, “bring it.”

Follow Editor-in-chief and CEO Donna Ladd on Twitter at @donnerkay. Read and hear her Women’s March speech at jfp.ms/laddmarch.

February 1 - 7, 2017 • jfp.ms

contributors

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Arielle Dreher

Kristin Brenemen

Tim Summers Jr.

Amber Helsel

Micah Smith

Dustin Cardon

Kimberly Griffin

Myron Cathey

News Reporter Arielle Dreher is working on finding some new hobbies and adopting an otter from the Jackson Zoo. Email her story ideas at arielle@jacksonfreepress.com.

She wrote the cover story.

Art Director Kristin Brenemen is an otaku with a penchant for dystopianism. She’s gearing up for next convention season with inspiration from the New Horizon Pluto flyby.

She designed the cover and much of the issue.

City Reporter Tim Summers Jr. enjoys loud live music, teaching his cat to fetch, long city council meetings and FOIA requests. Send him story ideas at tim@jacksonfreepress.com. He wrote about the Ben Allen trial.

Managing Editor Amber Helsel is the Demon Lady of Food.

She’s also a Gemini who likes adventures, art, food, music, cats and anime. Email story ideas to amber@jacksonfree press.com. She wrote about Nicole Medrano.

Music Editor Micah Smith is married to a great lady, has two dog-children named Kirby and Zelda, and plays in the band Empty Atlas. Send gig info to music@jacksonfree press.com. He wrote about Fanfare Festival.

Web Editor Dustin Cardon is a graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi. He enjoys reading fantasy novels and wants to write them himself one day. He wrote about Millsap’s College’s Community Enrichment Series.

Associate Publisher Kimberly Griffin is a fitness buff and foodie who loves chocolate and her mama. She’s also Michelle Obama’s super secret BFF. Now, maybe they’ll have time to hang out a bit more often.

Sales and Marketing Consultant Myron Cathey is from Senatobia. He is a graduate of Jackson State University and enjoys traveling, music, and spending time with family and friends.

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ummc_bpw_9x11.25.pdf

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“(Mental illness) is not something you get over; you don’t get cured from it, so this is a forever deal.”

— Rep. Becky Currie, R-Brookhaven, discussing her bill that would expand mental health courts statewide.

Thursday, January 26

Republican State Sen. Chris McDaniel calls hundreds of thousands of women who marched in Washington D.C. the day after Donald Trump’s inauguration “unhappy liberals” and insults their appearances and motives on his Facebook page.

Friday, January 27

Donald Trump bars all refugees from entering the United States for four months, and those from Syria indefinitely, declaring the ban necessary to prevent “radical Islamic terrorists” from entering the nation.

Saturday, January 28

U.S. District Judge Ann Donnelly issues an emergency order temporarily barring the U.S. from deporting people from nations subject to Donald Trump’s travel ban.

Sunday, January 29

An alleged white nationalist gunman named Alexandre Bissonnette attacks Muslim worshippers at the Quebec Islamic Cultural Centre during evening prayers, killing six people and wounding more than a dozen others.

February 1 - 7, 2017 • jfp.ms

Monday, January 30

Gov. Phil Bryant nominates Marshall Fisher, who has led Mississippi’s prison system the past two years, as commissioner of the state Department of Public Safety.

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Tuesday, January 31

The trial of the Downtown Jackson Partners President Ben Allen begins with opening statements and testimony from an attorney who formerly worked with the state auditor’s office asserting the money DJP collects from downtown property owners is public money.

Get breaking news at jfpdaily.com.

Ways the State Can ‘Back the Badge’

by Arielle Dreher

I

t is clear that lawmakers in both houses of the Mississippi Legislature intend to implement some sort of “Back the Badge” or “Blue Lives Matter” bill this session, but how such a law is written could be up for debate.

The Senate, for its part, passed the “Blue, Red and Med Lives Matter” bill on Thursday, Jan. 26, after an almost two-hour debate. The bill would change the state’s hate-crime laws to label misdemeanors and felonies against law-enforcement officers, firefighters and emergency responders as hate crimes.

Racial tensions either ran high or were not apparent at all, depending on which lawmaker was at the podium. Sen. Sean Tindell, R-Gulfport, one of the bill’s additional authors, handled the legislation on the floor, saying it was in response to the deadly police shootings in Baton Rouge and Dallas in 2016. Tindell said law-enforcement officers did not request the bill, and he took credit for coming up with it.

“The response I’ve received has been overwhelming and something they support, and I can tell you, because I do have friends in law enforcement, that morale is pretty low,” Tindell said on Jan. 26.

African American lawmakers questioned Tindell extensively and attempted to pass a few amendments to the bill that would give protections to victims of police violence or enable dash-camera legisla-

Imani Khayyam/File Photo

Wednesday, January 25

The GOP-led state House passes a bill that would require Attorney General Jim Hood, the lone Democrat to hold statewide office, to receive permission from a three-member board before filing any lawsuit that might have at least a $250,000 award.

The Hinds, Rankin County Wastewater War p 10

Sen. Barbara Blackmon, D-Canton, offered an amendment to protect victims of police shootings in Senate Bill 2469; her amendment failed, and the Senate passed the “Blue, Red and Med Lives Matter” bill on Jan. 26.

tion. Both amendments failed, but several lawmakers spoke against the bill before it went up for a vote. Sen. Barbara Blackmon, D-Canton, offered an amendment to protect victims of police violence, saying she believed the bill is another way that police officers can target young, black males.

“You haven’t walked in our shoes,” she told the Senate. “You don’t have to be concerned about when your teenagers are out and being stopped by police—I raised two sons. … Our concern was about our sons

making it home alive after being stopped by law enforcement.”

Sen. Chad McMahan, R-Guntown, spoke on the bill’s final passage, saying that the legislation was not about race, but about law-enforcement officers.

“This has nothing to do with race; this has to do with protecting officers in uniform,” he said.

Sen. Sollie Norwood, D-Jackson, spoke on the bill and said he thinks everyone in the Senate wants to support

Headlines That Don’t Exist—But Should

by Micah Smith A few pretty wild stories have come out in recent weeks—some certainly in the “not-so-good news” category. The JFP’s reporters have been hard at work to make sure you’re informed about important goings-on from the local to national levels. At the same time, we thought it couldn’t hurt to share a few headlines that would be more fun to see floating around the news world.

Welsh Duchess Leaves Fortune to Mississippi

Arts Commission

EdBuild Launches New Venture, EdBuild-a-Bear

Trump Builds

Mall,

Not Wall: Democracy ‘Much Easier’ State Allows Online Voting;

in 15 Minutes or It’s Free

S tat e Agencies’ Ban on Buying Vehicles Excludes Hoverboards

‘ L i t e r a l l y

Anything E l s e ’ to Replace Confederate Emblem on State Flag

Putin Admits to Rigging Election in Favor of Gary Johnson

“Although we haven’t had any situations like this in the state, you feel the need to enhance the penalties at this time?”

—Sen. Willie Simmons, D-Cleveland, asked on the Senate floor before they passed the “Blue, Red and Me Lives Matter” bill

“You haven’t walked in our shoes,” she told the Senate.

“You don’t have to be concerned about when your teenagers are out and being stopped by police—I raised two sons.

— Sen. Barbara Blackmon, arguing for legislation to protect citizens from police violence

School Choice, Sanctuary Cities Bills Still Alive

by Arielle Dreher

Question of Hate?

Louisiana passed a similar “Blue Lives Matter” bill last year that added law-enforcement officers to the privileged classes listed in the state’s hate-crime laws. Mississippi’s hate-crime law, which became law back in 1994, currently adds enhanced penalties for a person who commits a felony or a misdemeanor against a person because of their

Rep. Dana Criswell, R-Olive Branch, led the charge on several school-choice bills in the House Education Committee last week.

we’re going to have to pay that bond off, and I may be paying … maybe $300 more than the district next to me, so that student’s going to take $300 more than the student paying in that other district, and you’re going to take it across that line?” Rep. Richard Bennett, R-Long Beach, asked.

“actual or perceived race, color, ancestry, ethnicity, religion, national origin or gender of the victim.”

Senate Bill 2469 would double penalties for any misdemeanors against lawenforcement officers, which would include things like resisting arrest.

In September 2016, one man in Louisiana was charged with hate crimes against officers there after damaging public property, disturbing the peace and shouting slurs at police officers, Nola.com reported.

Later, the New Orleans Police Department said the charges against the man incorrectly applied the state’s new hate-crime law, but then deferred to the local district attorney’s office to make the decision of dropping the hate-crime charges or not.

The ACLU of Mississippi denounced

Criswell said the money used for bonds are excluded in the bill, but reiterated that “whatever money is being used to educate the child” is the amount that would follow the child to a transfer district. The bill passed by a voiced vote that seemed at least tied if not a “nay” vote, based on volume, but no one asked for a role call in time, and the legislation passed to the House Revenue Committee. By press time, the Revenue Committee had not met yet.

‘Hamstringing’ School Boards?

The House Education Committee also passed legislation that would make it more difficult for school districts to raise millage to pay for their schools, something districts are allowed to do up to 55 mills. Millage is the amount of ad valorem or property tax revenue a school district can leverage to help pay for school expenses.

Criswell introduced the bill, referring to his home school district of DeSoto County, saying the school board there often hides behind the county board of supervisors when asking for millage increases.

“What this does is any time the school board comes and asks for more money it will create a situation where (if) they need to raise the millage, then it goes to the vote for the people, so the people of the county get a say on whether they want to increase their taxes in order to go to the schools,” Criswell said.

Rep. Toby Barker, R-Hattiesburg, pointed out that other actions by county boards of supervisors or municipalities are not subject to such stringent regulations.

Senate Bill 2469, saying it does little to protect cops, citing Mississippi law that already has enhanced penalties for assault, shooting or killing a law enforcement officer.

Executive Director Jennifer Riley-Collins told the Jackson Free Press that “Blue Lives Matter” bills just add to the polarization of the police brutality-police killings debate.

“It has become an us-versus-them mentality that is being pushed, which is usversus-them rhetoric, when it’s not ‘Black Lives Matter’ or ‘Blue Lives Matter.’ The reality is that everyone has the right to be protected,” she told the Jackson Free Press in a January interview.

“There must be a balance, and so if such bills are being proposed, and if they do become laws, then those laws need to

more BILLS, see page 8

be balanced with laws that require special prosecutors for police-involved shootings.”

Cops ‘Under Attack’

The House saw several “Blue Lives Matter” bills introduced, but Rep. Andy Gipson, R-Braxton, who chairs the House Judiciary B Committee, decided to bring out a different bill, authored by Rep. Alex Monsour, R-Vicksburg, to increase penalties for capital or first-degree murder of lawenforcement officers and first responders.

“This version is preferable to me because I don’t want us to get distracted on what we’re trying to do here,” Gipson told reporters after a Judiciary B Committee meeting on Jan. 26. “We’re trying to emmore BADGE see page 8

February 1 - 7, 2017 • jfp.ms

law-enforcement officers. While the state might have some bad folks, he said, there are also some bad policemen who need to be weeded out, too.

“I have to be concerned when my children travel from county to county— voting against this legislation doesn’t mean I’m against law enforcement, but I have concerns,” he said.

Imani Khayyam

N

ever mind changing the state’s education-funding formula; both the House and Senate education committees have passed several bills that would affect student funding, school-board autonomy and a school’s responsibility to fly the state flag.

School districts would have to give away ad valorem dollars to whatever school district their students transfer to if House Bill 145 becomes law. The bill basically implements a “student-based” funding mechanism without touching the Mississippi Adequate Education Program.

Under current state law, students are allowed to transfer to any school district with consent from the receiving and the transferring district. This bill would require school districts whose kids are leaving to send ad valorem taxes to the receiving district on behalf of the children that district is accepting. Both Democrats and Republicans on the committee voiced concerns about the measure.

Rep. Dana Criswell, R-Olive Branch, said this bill would help school districts receive transfer students without hesitation because sometimes money concerns—such as how they would pay for students not contributing ad valorem taxes to the district millage—caused hesitation.

“I do know that there’s probably some children being hindered by this because the receiving counties can’t afford to take them,” Criswell told the House Education Committee Jan. 25.

Criswell said students usually transfer due to programs offered in one district but not in another. Lawmakers who live in counties that have voted to increase taxes to pay for their schools were concerned about the bill.

“In my district, we voted to pass a bond issue, and

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TALK | state

BILLS from page 7 Criswell said his goal is to give the “loudest voice for the people possible.”

“Don’t they have that voice when they elect their school-board member or the mayor who appoints them or the supervisor appoints them?” Barker asked.

“It’s my opinion that the school board hides behind the supervisors … so this puts them out front to say ‘we want it and here’s why,’” Criswell said.

The school board would have to pay for the referendum, so the taxpayers could vote on the increase, the bill says. Rep. Jarvis Dortch, D-Jackson, said the way he reads the EdBuild recommendations would mean local commu-

nities contribute more for education. With that in mind, he asked Criswell if the bill “hamstrings those districts, or makes it more difficult” for them to leverage those funds.

Criswell said his bill has nothing to do with the EdBuild recommendations but then said the short answer was “yes” to Dortch’s question. House Bill 203 barely got out of committee by a vote of 12-10, with both Democrats and Republicans voting against it. It will need to pass through the Ways and Means Committee too, which was meeting as the Jackson Free Press went to print.

State Flag Penalties?

School districts could lose their accreditation for not following the Mississippi Constitution and state code if House Bill 280 becomes law. Rep. Mark Formby, R- Picayune, introduced the bill, saying he wanted deal with anonymous complaints he gets from teachers and administrators

Other Bills to Watch House Bill 555: The House originally voted down this bill that would limit the attorney general’s power to pursue legal actions that would cost the State over $250,000 without permission from a commission made up of the governor, lieutenant governor and the secretary of state. After the bill failed, Rep. Mark Baker, R-Brandon, who has authored and introduced this bill in past legislative sessions, entered a motion to reconsider. The bill came up for a vote again, and this time passed by a vote of 63-56, with three lawmakers not voting. Now the bill heads to the Senate, where Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves holds its fate and will assign it to a committee.

Senate Bill 2567: This monster bill would move the state departments of health, mental health and rehabilitation services under the governor’s purview, as opposed to their current governance by individual boards. The bill would not dissolve the boards, but instead makes them advisory in nature only. The bill also removes the three state agencies out from under the personnel board. After a few questions, the Senate Appropriations Committee passed it out of committee last week.

Senate Bill 2611: This bill would abolish the Mississippi Arts Commission, dissolving the commission under the purview of the Mississippi Development Authority, creating an advisory council in its place. The governor, who controls MDA, would have control over the funds that go into arts in the state.

The goal of the bill? “To promote Mississippi’s economic development through the arts.” Whatever that means (tire plant art?). The Senate Appropriations Committee had not taken the bill up by press time.

The deadline for bills to come out of committee was Tuesday, Jan. 31, as the jackson free press went to press with this issue. Some bills may have died since then. Check jfp.ms/state for updates.

February 1 - 7, 2017 • jfp.ms

BADGE from page 7

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phasize our support of law enforcement in the state of Mississippi—that’s our numberone priority.”

House Bill 645, called the “Back the Badge Act of 2017,” is now on the House calendar.

Gipson did not want to bring up hatecrime code sections because he wanted his legislation to be focused on just protecting those in uniform.

“No one was born a law-enforcement

officer; they’ve made a decision and choice to put their lives on the line to protect people in the state of Mississippi and that’s different,” he said. “I think we need to focus on that and move on.”

Both Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves and Gov. Phil Bryant have voiced their support for “Blue Lives Matter” bills this year. Gov. Bryant opened his State of the State address saying “law enforcement is under attack.”

Assaults on police officers were up in 2015 compared to the previous year, with 50,212 officers assaulted in 2014, FBI statistics show. In recent years, police-officer assaults spiked in 2011 with more than 54,000 reported.

Senate Bill 2710: The return of the “sanctuary cities” ban bill has passed to the Senate calendar. It would delegitimize ordinances that some cities have adopted to disallow their law-enforcement officers to check a person’s federal immigration status. Sen. Sean Tindell, RGulfport, passed his bill out of his Judiciary A Committee last week. The bill does not have penalties but instead just makes those policies invalid and void if the bill passes. Similar measures with penalties for universities and entities with sanctuary policies were introduced in the House but it remains to be seen whether those will make it to the calendar or not.

who are fearful of retribution if they report illegal actions in their districts.

The bill gives districts 30 days to resolve a complaint before losing their accreditation if the Mississippi Department of Education find the district out of compliance with any constitutional provision. Lawmakers from both sides of the political spectrum took issue with this bill, and Dr. Carey Wright, the state superintendent, explained a process exists for vetting complaints.

“I get letters all the time … if it lists specifics, and there are many of those letters, then I forward them to the appropriate office, (and) they are investigated,” she told the House Education Committee on Jan. 25.

For federal violations, Wright said she had authority to enforce the rules, but districts and their superintendents usually resolve complaints about state regulations. Formby said his bill would give her the power to enforce provisions of Mississippi constitutional violations.

Rep. Dortch brought up the state flag as an example of something in the constitution that could draw school penalties.

“(Under this bill) you could bring a complaint against a district that chooses not to fly the state flag and have them lose their accreditation?” Dortch asked Criswell who explained the bill.

“… It is in the law, if you don’t, I mean, honestly, if you don’t like it you should repeal the law and not just let the people go around it,” Criswell said.

Wright told lawmakers she actually had received letters complaining that school districts were not flying the state flag, and because it is a violation, she notifies the district’s superintendent about the complaints. Beyond that notification, Wright has no authority to make the district comply, however.

Formby said this legislation would change that. The effort initially failed on a roll-call vote, but then someone called for a recount. The bill was then set aside because the meeting needed to end before the House went into session, and then when the committee came back later, it took up the bill and passed it. The proposed law will have to pass through the House Constitution Committee before Jan. 31 to get on the calendar in time. By press time, it was not clear if this would happen or not.

For more legislative updates and #msleg news visit jfp. ms/state.

FBI statistics also indicate that 41 law enforcement officers were feloniously killed in 2015. The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, which tracks lawenforcement fatalities, estimates that 64 officers were shot and killed in 2016, an increase and the highest peak since 2011.

Most viral stories at jfp.ms:

1. “Kicking the Hornet’s Nest” by Casey Purvis 2. “Best of Jackson 2017: Community & Culture” 3. “Best of Jackson 2017: People” 4. “UPDATED: ‘Kingmaker’ Bickers’ Name Surfaces in Atlanta Bribery, Intimidation Investigation” by Tim Summers Jr. 5. “Best of Jackson 2017: Food & Drink”

In 2011, 72 law enforcement officers were feloniously killed.

Email state reporter Arielle Dreher at arielle@jacksonfreepress.com and follow her Tweets at @arielle_amara.

Most viral events at jfpevents.com:

1. “MSO Pops II: Music of the Madmen Era,” Feb. 4 2. Jared & The Mill, Feb. 4 3. “Desperation Road,” Feb. 8 4. Dixie National Rodeo, Feb. 11-17 5. Legends of Southern Hip-Hop, Feb. 12 Find more events at jfpevents.com.

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Hinds, Rankin Battle for Wastewater Treatment

by Tim Summers Jr.

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‘Overly Dramatic’ The WRUA has hired an engineering firm, Pickering Engineering Services, to start the exploratory work necessary to begin construction, Keith Turner, the attorney representing the WRUA in these proceedings, said in a Jan. 27 interview.

Turner said the WRUA exercised its option to disengage from the contract with Jackson. “We believe that the new plant is good for the citizens of Rankin County,” he said. “It’s a good, cost-effective, efficient and long-term plan to deal with wastewater for the county, both financially and environmentally.”

Turner said Jackson has to replace the Savanna plant at some point anyway.

“As far as the impacts to the city, I think that Jackson is overstating the financial impacts,” Turner said. “They are being overly dramatic about it. We don’t agree with a lot of the suggestions.”

Turner added that the plant construction is likely years down the road. Turner said he did not want to comment too much on the present litigation in case the City of Jackson plans to follow its option to appeal straight to the state’s top court.

“The City has 30 days within which to file an appeal of this decision to the Mississippi Supreme Court,” the City of Jackson said in a statement.

“The City is weighing this option as well as other options to increase its customer base as a result of any lost customers of the West Rankin Utility Authority. The City will also be reassessing its plans for upgrading the Savanna Street Wastewater Treatment Plant under the Consent Decree to identify areas of savings that may be available as a result of any loss in some West Rankin Utility Authority customers.”

Aqualaw, a Virginia law firm that specializes in environmental law, represented

Jackson and WRUA funneled money to Jackson’s water/sewer fund, the largest of the pools of money the City uses to address infrastructure needs in the Public Works department. Turner argues that the current legal fight is over the money that the capital city could lose, asserting that the WRUA plant would make cleaner runoff than Jackson’s plant.

“We pay them several million dollars a year, obviously, to treat the wastewater,” Turner said of the City of Jackson. “And FILE PHOTO

SMG, manager of the Jackson Convention Complex, has issued a Request for Quote (RFQ) for

T

he City of Jackson’s monopoly on wastewater treatment for the region lost ground last week as a Rankin chancery court agreed with an earlier decision to allow the West Rankin Utility Authority to build its own wastewatertreatment facility on the Pearl River.

“The West Rankin Utility Authority currently has cost-effective wastewater treatment provided by the City of Jackson’s Savanna Street Wastewater Treatment Plant,” the City of Jackson responded to the decision in a Jan. 27 release.

“The City believes that the construction of a new wastewater treatment plant that discharges into the Pearl River is an unnecessary expense to all of its Savanna Street customers in Rankin, Hinds, and Madison Counties that will degrade the water quality of the Pearl River.”

Rankin Chancery Court Judge John C. McLaurin Jr., in his Jan. 19 opinion, said the Mississippi Environmental Permit Board was correct to issue the WRUA the permit to discharge treated wastewater into the Pearl River, the first step necessary to expand Rankin’s wastewater system.

The Savanna Street Wastewater Treatment Plant may no longer be the only such facility on the Pearl River as the West Rankin Utility Authority moves forward with its plan to build its own plant.

the City of Jackson in the proceedings. Justin Curtis, an attorney with Aqualaw, said by phone Jan. 31 that the City of Jackson intends to file with the Mississippi Supreme Court within the 30-day deadline.

Rankin’s Reluctance Rankin County wants to cut its dependence on Jackson to avoid the issues that have assailed the long-suffering Savanna Street Wastewater Treatment Plant.

In 2012, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Justice and the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality entered into a complicated settlement agreement with the City of Jackson, called a consent decree, to make significant repairs and renovations to the Savanna plant.

The goal is “to eliminate unauthorized overflows of untreated raw sewage and unauthorized bypasses of treatment … ” the EPA site about the consent decree states.

The EPA gave Jackson a series of rolling deadlines, the first of which is in late 2018.

Turner said the contract between

that money will no longer flow once our plant is up and functioning.”

After the permit board approved the WRUA application, the City of Jackson filed a lawsuit in Hinds County Chancery Court to stop the process from moving forward, arguing that constructing a new wastewater-treatment facility would degrade the quality of the water.

The WRUA successfully moved the venue for the proceedings to the Rankin County Chancery Court, where the judge decided that the permit was valid.

The City of Jackson’s Jan. 27 statement hinted that Jackson remains open to a partnership with the WRUA. “Finally, the City will continue to be open to any new, mutually advantageous relationship with the West Rankin Utility Authority that will maximize the existing treatment capacity at the Savanna Street Wastewater Treatment Plant and maintain the existing low cost of treatment, while planning for the future.”

Email city reporter Tim Summers Jr. at tim@jacksonfreepress.com.

11

February 1 - 7, 2017 • jfp.ms

TALK | city

Ben Allen Trial Kicks Off with Public-Private Debate

by Tim Summers Jr.

T

he trial of Downtown Jackson Partners President Ben Allen for mishandling resources began Tuesday with opening statements and testimony from an attorney who formerly worked with the state auditor’s office saying the money DJP collects from downtown property owners is public money.

A former special assistant attorney general, Melissa Patterson, testified first for the prosecution Tuesday, explaining

she had determined whether the money the organization requires property owners within the BID to pay is private or public. DJP is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit organization. “I determined that the funds were taxed funds and were public funds,” Patterson told the jury Tuesday.

This difference is crucial because the majority of the counts that Allen faces center around a public official misusing public money. Patterson told the court

explained to the jury before the opening statements that they could keep notes during the trial (unlike during the recent DA’s trial), but should not take in any media about the case or discuss the trial with anyone during the proceedings.

This morning, Kidd ruled that the jury could see a resolution that the board of Downtown Jackson Partners passed in support of Allen. That resolution includes an investigative report for DJP by attorImani Khayyam

A former special assistant attorney general, Melissa Patterson, testified against Downtown Jackson Partners President Ben Allen Tuesday, saying she believes that DJP collects public “taxes” from property owners within its business footprint in downtown Jackson. The case could hinge on whether DJP is a public or private organization.

February 1 - 7, 2017 • jfp.ms

her role in the original State Auditor’s Office investigation of the downtown business improvement district starting in 2014. She currently works at the Mississippi Department of Human Services.

Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith charged Allen with 10 counts, leading to a grand-jury indictment in early 2016, after Allen’s former assistant, Linda Brune, registered as a whistle-blower and provided documents she took from DJP to authorities as well as a Clarion-Ledger reporter. The indictment alleges that Allen spent organization funds collected from DJP member business owners on personal expenses and that the organization funneled campaign donations to an inaugural gala for Mayor Tony Yarber in 2015 after he won the special election for mayor.

Sue Perry, an assistant district attorney for Hinds County, asked Patterson if 12

that the money was public because the county tax collector collected and passed the funds through the city council to DJP. The kicker, though, was that when the money is added to private money already in the DJP coffers, Patterson said, all the funds become public as well.

“It’s my opinion the funds coming from the state, the tax collector and the City of Jackson are public funds,” Patterson said, citing state statutes and her “working knowledge” of the law. She compared the use of those public funds to being under the same laws as “trusts.”

“So when you put public money and private money together, it’s all public money. If you have private money, you should keep it in a separate account, and Downtown Jackson Partners did not, so it is all public funding,” Patterson said.

Hinds County Circuit Judge Winston Kidd is presiding over the case. He

ney Robert Gibbs that states that DJP is accusing Brune of embezzling more than $40,000 in forged checks on the organization’s corporate account. DJP is suing her in a Madison County court in order to collect the money it says she embezzled. DJP discovered the alleged embezzlement in August 2014, Gibbs states in his report to the board.

Documents filed with the court, including canceled checks and other documents, also show that DJP tried to get the Hinds County District Attorney’s Office to prosecute Brune for the alleged embezzlement, but it refused, scribbling that the case was “retaliation for whistleblowing” on a “Recommendation for No-Bill” dated May 29, 2015.

Assistant District Attorney Randy Harris had asked Judge Kidd through a motion to prohibit Allen’s defense from mentioning Brune’s alleged theft during

the trial because the effect “would certainly be more prejudicial than probative.” The judge has not yet ruled on that motion, but the alleged embezzlement accusation is part of the DJP resolution package now before the court. Brune is expected to testify for the prosecution.

In a hint of the defense’s anticipated strategy, the court issued a subpoena for Dr. Daniel Quon, a Jackson oral surgeon, to appear and produce business records to show why Brune allegedly wrote him checks on DJP’s account in 2009. The motion attached copies of the checks to Quon totaling over $2,500.

Brune has not consented to an interview, but wrote in a comment on the Jackson Free Press website that the DJP allegations against her are “bogus.”

She also had strong words for DJP’s board of directors, posting: “As for the Board who sprinkles their holy water on the shenanigans on Ben’s little Faux Pas, they are in it up to their hair follicles so they HAVE to back him...more trials to come on that one!”

Brune’s civil case in Madison County is scheduled for court after Allen’s Hinds County trial ends.

Smith, who recently went through his own trial for hindering prosecution that ended in a mistrial, delivered the opening statement for the prosecution.

He argued that the case’s key element is that Downtown Jackson Partners was a public entity using public funds.

Merrida Coxwell, Allen’s defense attorney, told the jury during his opening statements that DJP is a private organization and as such its internal expenditures and practices do not fall under the laws governing the use of public funds.

“It’s not public money,” Coxwell told the jury.

In the afternoon, however, Hinds County Tax Collector Eddie Fair testified that his office collects the assessment that go to DJP and gives it to the City, which then writes DJP a check. If the businesses do not pay their taxes, which include the assessment, his office will eventually place a lien on the business, Fair testified.

Email city reporter Tim Summers Jr. at tim@jacksonfreepress.com. Follow Ben Allen’s trial coverage, with documents, at jfp. ms/djp and on Twitter at @tims_alive

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13

Resolution and Revolution

T

his year promises to be filled with loud voices and screams of outrage. The bang of cries for justice, freedom and equality has already begun, and who do you think kicked it off? That’s right, women folk with a powerful Women’s March that took place all over the nation in various cities, including ours—Jackson.

The idea of solidarity to lift our voices for our rights as women still overcomes me. Millions of women raced to the streets in this nation’s capital and all over the world with signs that sang out to our concerns about being raped of our rights as women by our new presidential administration.

As I am still in resolution and revolution mode after the success of the Women’s March, I began to wonder what can be done to get more women of ethnic backgrounds involved in this fight. And not just to show up and march, but to also lend our concerns and our voices. As a black woman, I know that my struggles are not the same as women of other races. We all need to be at this table.

We need to be more inclusive in our community in many ways, but specifically when it comes to bringing women together to fight for ourselves. It’s imperative that all organizations working to advocate for women’s rights or providing services to improve the lives of women are included in events and activities that would lend to their efforts.

I’ve called upon a few of the women I know in Jackson who are activists for women’s rights, and their contributions spread far and wide. Together we are compiling a list of organizations in Jackson and throughout the state that will serve as a resource tool for people planning events, protests, etc. that concern all women. Any woman who needs a service or assistance can use this tool.

Everyone who cares about women’s rights and who works to see that our voices are heard, or who provides services to uplift and support us, should be included to see change happen! All voices should be and must be heard. It doesn’t matter what your racial background is in this fight. If you are a woman, this fight is yours.

If you know of any organizations that fit the bill, please send the following information to womenforallwomen@gmail.com: name of the organization, contact person and/or founder, brief description of the type of service or function, email address and website, and phone number (if available).

As a service to the community, we want to be what we need to be to best serve each other. Therefore, please send your thoughts, suggestions and questions to us as well. If you or someone you know is interested in assisting us, by all means, contact us.

Coretta Scott King said, “Women, if the soul of the nation is to be saved, I believe that you must become its soul.” We started out with a bang and it’s just the beginning.

People often ask, “What’s next?” after marches and protests. Well, this is one thing that’s next—unified organization. It’s the first step to what most of us want to see in this city and this state, racial reconciliation, open and honest communication, and equal rights for all who are being forsaken of it.

We have just begun, but there is much more to come. Our fight for our rights will not just fade away. The stronger we become together, the louder our cries, our voices, our chants.

Funmi “Queen” Franklin is a word lover, poet, a truth yeller and community activist. She is the founder of an organization that promotes 14 self love, awareness and sisterhood.

February 1 - 7, 2017 • jfp.ms

All voices should be and must be heard.

The Problem with EdBuild

T

here has been much hoopla this legislative session over the 80-page proposal from EdBuild suggesting that Mississippi move to weighted student funding to pay for its public-education system. The Legislature hired the New Jersey nonprofit back in October to create a simulator that hypothetically allows lawmakers to look at the various scenarios they could use to make the Mississippi Adequate Education Program a weighted formula instead.

Not much has happened since the few public hearings last winter and the recommendations presentation early in January—at least publicly. Then last week, the Associated Press published an analysis of EdBuild’s plan, saying it could send more state money to nearly 80 percent of the state’s school districts. Both Republicans and Democrats cried foul at the analysis.

Democrats, led primarily by Sen. Hob Bryan, D-Amory, pointed out that EdBuild’s proposals, which AP based its analysis on, used reduced budget numbers. Republicans, including House Education Chairman Rep. John Moore, R-Brandon, called the AP analysis “an absolute falsehood.” Moore’s point, made during announcements on the House floor last week, was that the Legislature’s proposal “will look significantly different than the consultant’s proposal.” EdBuild’s CEO told the us before the

AP analysis was posted that the numbers used in the recommendations were “for example only.”

Yes, numbers are important. But in weighted student funding, weights are what really matter.

How much funding goes toward each specific measure could easily tip the scales in favor of certain districts—or not—depending on several factors.

For example, if lawmakers decide to use a heavier weight for special-education students, districts with large populations of special-education students would hypothetically stand to gain more dollars from the proposal. But that’s a big “if.”

The real problem with EdBuild lies not with the proposal itself but with the lack of transparency throughout this entire process. In Georgia, after receiving input from EdBuild, lawmakers and other stakeholders on a commission took a whole year to put together a report on suggested weights. In Mississippi, several lawmakers have been left out of closed-door process of using the simulator to determine possible changes. As this went to press, the House Appropriations Committee passed a boilerplate bill for lawmakers to implement some of EdBuild’s recommendations. Now it’s crucial to pay attention to the weights because small things like changing how the State defines a “low-income” student, for example, could have monumental consequences for education funding down the road.

CORRECTIONS: In “EdBuild Plan A Path to Expanding ‘School Choice’?” (Vol. 15, Issue 21, Jan. 25-31), we wrote that Gov. Phil Bryant appointed Rod Paige as interim president of Jackson State. The IHL Board of Trustees appointed Paige. Also in that issue, we listed the wrong phone number for Best of Jackson story on Best Massage Therapist Tiffany Melton. The correct one is 601-317-1788. We apologize for these errors.

Email letters and opinion to letters@jacksonfreepress.com, fax to 601-510-9019 or mail to 125 South Congress St., Suite 1324, Jackson, Mississippi 39201. Include daytime phone number. Letters may be edited for length and clarity, as well as factchecked.

Joe Atkins

EDITORIAL Managing Editor Amber Helsel Reporters Arielle Dreher,Tim Summers Jr. JFP Daily Editor Dustin Cardon Music Editor Micah Smith Events Listings Editor Tyler Edwards Writers Richard Coupe, Bryan Flynn, Shelby Scott Harris, Sierra Mannie, Mike McDonald, Greg Pigott, Julie Skipper Consulting Editor JoAnne Prichard Morris ART AND PHOTOGRAPHY Art Director Kristin Brenemen Advertising Designer Zilpha Young Staff Photographer Imani Khayyam ADVERTISING SALES Sales and Marketing Consultants Myron Cathey, Roberta Wilkerson Sales Assistant Mary Osborne BUSINESS AND OPERATIONS Distribution Manager Richard Laswell Distribution Raymond Carmeans, Clint Dear, Michael McDonald, Ruby Parks Assistant to the CEO Inga-Lill Sjostrom Operations Consultant David Joseph ONLINE Web Editor Dustin Cardon Web Designer Montroe Headd CONTACT US: Letters letters@jacksonfreepress.com Editorial editor@jacksonfreepress.com Queries submissions@jacksonfreepress.com Listings events@jacksonfreepress.com Advertising ads@jacksonfreepress.com Publisher todd@jacksonfreepress.com News tips news@jacksonfreepress.com Fashion style@jacksonfreepress.com Jackson Free Press 125 South Congress Street, Suite 1324 Jackson, Mississippi 39201 Editorial (601) 362-6121 Sales (601) 362-6121 Fax (601) 510-9019 Daily updates at jacksonfreepress.com

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The Jackson Free Press welcomes thoughtful opinions. The views expressed in this newspaper are not necessarily those of the publisher or management of Jackson Free Press Inc. Š Copyright 2017 Jackson Free Press Inc. All Rights Reserved

Political Homelessness

O

XFORD—It’s hard not to feel a little politically homeless these days. I’m thinking of that old folk song, “Sometimes I feel like a motherless child.�

I see the cabinet nominees of President Trump, and if there ever was a group of “deplorables,� this is it: a Treasury secretary nominee whose nickname is “Foreclosure King�; a Labor nominee who prefers robots to workers because they don’t want vacations or pay raises; and a Commerce nominee who sees the “1 percent� as victims and helped transfer the U.S. textile industry to Asia.

Then I see this same president sign an executive order withdrawing from the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement, an Obamasupported secret deal that would have allowed private corporations to sue nations that pass environment or worker-friendly laws inhibiting their profits. Trump has also given notice that he may be targeting NAFTA, a similar bad deal for workers.

Those are good, long-overdue actions that neo-liberal, corporate-friendly Democrats like Bill and Hillary Clinton would have never done despite candidate Hillary’s shallow assurance that she had switched from supporter to critic of TPP.

On the Democratic Party side, I see a party truly in shambles with devastating losses not only in Washington, D.C., but also in legislative halls and governor’s mansions across the nation. A time for some good soul-searching and change in leadership and direction, right? Not so fast. A lot of the same old faces are still around, including 76-year-old U.S. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi.

Then there’s U.S. Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., in the news after suffering a “Twitter attack� from the president, who essentially told Lewis to mind the business of his district instead of telling everybody Trump was not a “legitimate president.� Lewis is a bona fide civil-rights hero, but let’s face it. He started that fight with Trump. Furthermore, Lewis diminished himself in my view during the campaign primaries when he questioned Bernie Sanders’ civil-rights credentials. Sanders was an activist in Chicago who was even arrested for his pro-civilrights protests. Where was Lewis’ preferred candidate, Hillary Clinton, in those days?

I know Democrats who applauded

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., when he sanctimoniously went after Trump’s secretary of state nominee, Rex Tillerson, during confirmation hearings for not declaring Russian President Vladimir Putin a “war criminal.� This is the same Marco Rubio who hired “The Vulture,� hedge fund billionaire Paul Singer, as his campaign finance chairman during the presidential election. Singer successfully soaked financially strapped Argentina for nearly $5 billion on a $50 million investment, helping that country spiral into economic chaos. By the way, for all his grandstanding, Rubio ended up supporting Tillerson’s nomination.

Here in Mississippi, the Republican takeover in Washington, D.C., has emboldened state GOP leaders like Gov. Phil Bryant and his kindred conservatives in the Legislature.

These so-called fiscal conservatives continue to squeeze the state budget, underfunding roads and highways and the state’s trauma-care system.

Now Bryant says it’s time for the state to consider instituting a lottery, a way to raise needed funds without raising taxes. As with casinos, a state lottery would just provide another excuse for lawmakers to cut taxes on corporations and the rich while letting the rest of us poor suckers spend our money in the hope of getting the lucky number.

The real hope out there are the activists on the front lines working hard for the people, not themselves or their friends, activists like Bill Chandler and his team at the Mississippi Immigrants Rights Alliance. These people-serving activists include the United Auto Workers and students at Tougaloo College, Jackson State University and the University of Mississippi who’ll be leading the March 4 “March on Mississippi� in Canton to protest voter-suppression efforts and the failure of Nissan to provide an intimidation-free atmosphere for unionsympathetic workers at its Canton plant.

What the populist revolts of both Trump’s campaign and the Bernie Sanders campaign in the Democratic Party showed was a deep revulsion against the political establishment. People indeed do want their country back. Like me, a lot of them feel kind of homeless these days, something the political establishment has rarely felt.

Joe Atkins is a veteran journalist, columnist, and professor of journalism at the University of Mississippi.

People indeed do want their country back.

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Reforming Criminal Justice

Is Mississippi Making Progress?

by Arielle Dreher

A

February 1 - 7, 2017 • jfp.ms

man walked up Highway 25, no belongings with him, just the clothes on his back on a rainy, dark night earlier this month.

He stuck his thumb out as cars flew by. A man then took pity on him and pulled over.

The driver asked the walker where he was headed. “Columbus,” the man answered, referring to a town 153 miles northeast of Jackson. The driver quizzed him to find out why he would be walking up a highway on a stormy night.

What happened to his ride?

They never showed up.

After several years in state prison, the man 18 was dropped in Jackson upon his re-

lease—most released prisoners get $20 and a bus ticket—where there was supposed to be another vehicle to take him home.

It never showed up.

So with nothing to wear over his thin T-shirt, the man just started walking.

The driver gave him money for a hotel room, and made sure he had a place to stay for the night—and enough money to get home.

U.S. District Judge Keith Starrett told this man’s story to the Mississippi Reentry Council on Jan. 20.

“We can’t fathom being that desperate that we would begin walking from Jackson to Columbus because we didn’t have anything else to do, but (there was) no other way to get there,” Starrett said.

“Folks … if we have the right programs in place in communities, I don’t think that would have happened.”

Starrett said the man’s story is an indicator of the broken systems and patchwork of services that Mississippi offers to inmates and those leaving prison—a pivotal time for re-offending. The lack of re-entry strategies and programs to help them turn a better direction is at least partly to blame for their recidivism.

The Reentry Council has been working to make it easier for inmates to find jobs and re-acclimate to life free from bars.

Starrett says the ultimate goal of the council is community safety. Because legislation is necessary for some of those changes to the state’s criminal justice system, and this ses-

sion lawmakers have taken a multifaceted approach, with several avenues for change to happen.

Halting Recidivism

In 2015, Mississippians leaving prison and then re-offending started to decline after the Legislature passed a massive criminaljustice reform bill, House Bill 585, in 2014, in order to address the overcrowded state prisons. Inmate population soon dropped from around 20,000 to 18,000. But now the numbers are rising again. The Mississippi Department of Corrections currently has 18,865 inmates in custody, as of Jan. 28, their daily inmate population shows.

MDOC Commissioner Marshall Fisher told a House appropriations sub-

U.S. District Judge Keith Starrett leads the state’s Reentry Council and has pushed reforms as essential to keeping recidivism rates and inmate numbers down.

people that are mental-health patients that just get off their medicine and did something where they ended up in jail,” Currie told the Jackson Free Press.

Currently, Currie said, too many people with mental-health needs are put into jail where they are not receiving mentalhealth care.

“It’s a disservice to the patient, and as a registered nurse, I see this a lot, and it’s a disservice to the taxpayers’ dollars that we’re incarcerating all of these people, and they

Criminal Justice Reform Bills to Watch House Bill 489: Mental Health Courts This bill would enable the Administrative Office of the Courts to roll out a statewide mental-health court program for defendants who suffer from mental-health illness. This bill is on the House calendar.

House Bill 1033: Re-entry Council Recommendations This bill includes several of the Re-entry Council’s recommendations from not jailing Mississippians who cannot pay their fines to not automatically revoking driver’s licenses for all drug offenses—unless the violation is driving related.

This bill is on the House calendar.

House Bill 920: Juvenile Sentencing This bill would prevent juveniles convicted of murder to be sentenced to death, instead revising the sentencing options to a 25-year minimum and 50-year maximum stay in prison. This bill needs to pass the Judiciary B Committee and then it will be on the House calendar.

Senate Bill 2302: ‘Ban the Box’ This bill would extend expungement opportunities for those who commit misdemeanors and nonviolent crimes (if it is not amended in committee). It would also prevent public and private employers from asking applicants about their criminal history until after the applicant is selected for an interview. This bill needs to get out of the Finance Committee on Jan. 31 to stay alive.

Senate Bill 2469: Blue, Red, Med Lives Matter This bill would make any crime or misdemeanor committed against a lawenforcement officer, firefighter or emergency medical technician eligible for double penalties as prescribed in the state’s hate crime laws. It passed the Senate on Jan. 26, and now goes to a House committee for consideration.

House Bill 515: Enhanced Penalties for Drug Sales This bill would enhance penalties for drug sales that happen within 1,500 feet of a rehabilitation facility—and possibly within 1,500 feet of a jail or prison.

The bill was set aside after debate over an amendment caused questions. The House had not brought the bill back up by press time.

just needed mental health(care),” she said.

Currie said it will take about a year to set up the program, and individual courts will have to opt in—the bill does not require courts to participate.

The Department of Mental Health and the Department of Corrections are both on board, Currie said, and the judges will need to buy in because the program will be optional for courts to implement.

Other states have tried this program and found it to work. In Louisiana, the state saved $36 million over a few years on medicine alone because the corrections department is required to pay for inmates’ health care. In MDOC’s case, health care for inmates is contracted out, in a pricey $149-million, three-year contract with Centurion, contracts on the Transparency Mississippi website show.

“(Mental illness) is not something you get over; you don’t get cured from it, so this is a forever deal,” Currie said. “And you know at some point we have to have some compassion, and this is to me a very com-

passionate bill and for people who don’t think it’s going to work or don’t get it on board, maybe you’ve lost your compassion for the mentally ill.”

Parole Problems?

The parole board meets in what could be a movie set. One oblong granite-topped conference table sits at one end of the room with five comfortable office chairs around it, one at its head for the chairman. The chairman’s seat faces a large-screen television that has an orb-like video camera sitting on top of it. The five-member parole board uses the apparatus for interviews with every single inmate who applies for parole.

The parole-board room has windows on one side, behind the TV, but otherwise, it is a narrow room that likely makes for long days. A pile of quality snacks—cheese puffs Oreos, chips—sits in the corner.

“There are days we come here at 9:30 (a.m.) and sit around this table and don’t more Reform, see page 20

February 1 - 7, 2017 • jfp.ms

‘A Forever Deal’

Rep. Becky Currie, R-Brookhaven, has introduced mental-health court legislation several times before this session, but this year, she has more support than in years past. With a little over 3,000 inmates currently receiving mental-health treatment, mental-health courts are a solution that

could catch those inmates before they even enter MDOC’s custody.

House Bill 489 authorizes courts around the state to start mental-health courts under the purview of the Administrative Office of the Courts. The program will work much like drug courts work now.

Mississippians charged with most nonviolent crimes (there are exceptions in the bill), who courts determined likely committed a crime due to mental-health conditions, are eligible for the program.

If a judge sentences a person to mental-health court, he or she must pay a minimal fine and comply with the court’s instructions. Funding for the bill would come from the additional money appropriated from the Legislature and separate appropriation bills, but no funds are directly attached to Currie’s bill.

Eventually, the strategy would pay for itself, like the drug courts do, and regional mental-health clinics would ideally supply the courts with a staff member to work with people in the program. Once offenders complete it, their felonies would be expunged, Currie said.

“We would not be locking up so many courtesy administrative office of the courts

committee in January that his top priority is recidivism—when a former criminal commits another crime and re-enters the corrections system—which is at least in part responsible for why the state’s criminal custody numbers stopped declining.

The current rate is at 38 percent, and Mississippi has the fifth-highest state imprisonment rate, an analysis of 2014 Bureau of Justice data compiled by the Sentencing Project shows.

Steven Pickett, the chairman of the parole board, told the Reentry Council on Jan. 20 that the biggest indicators he sees for bringing people back to the corrections system—whether that be having parole revoked and going back to prison or violating parole in general—are addiction, homelessness and then those who cannot “function in the free world.”

Parole revocation numbers also climbed in 2016, indicating that, as Fisher said, recidivism needs to be a priority for the department going forward.

Addiction is also common among inmates behind bars, Fisher told the subcommittee last week. He estimated that of the state’s 18,814 inmates at that time, 14,729 are suffering from a self-reported substanceabuse problem or a mental-health issue.

“We think it makes sense to revamp our alcohol and drug programs simply because of the numbers I just gave you,” Fisher told House lawmakers last week.

MDOC is doing a partner pilot program with the Department of Mental Health that will help inmates suffering from both a substance-abuse addiction and a mental-health disorder that about 90 inmates will start soon.

Of course, one program does not cover all inmates, and Fisher has repeatedly emphasized to lawmakers over the past year that he does not have the resources he needs to provide mental health care for inmates.

The majority of inmates at East Mississippi State Hospital suffer from sort of mental illness, Fisher told lawmakers this summer.

Often, inmates receiving treatment— or at least medicine—while in prison are discharged with no more than 30 days’ worth of medication, Fisher said.

It is difficult for MDOC to follow up with those inmates or ensure they are able to continue to get medical care and attention once they leave.

Expanding mental-health courts in the state could be a place to start.

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Reforming Criminal Justice from page 19

leave,” parole-board member William Townsend told the Jackson Free Press.

Chairman Pickett, who was a Hinds County deputy under now-deceased Sheriff Malcolm McMillin, says his team gets through all the cases they have each month, and that number can vary from month to month. In November, 1,200 inmates asked for parole; only 683 applied in December.

The governor-appointed board has managed to clear its backlog, meaning it can take cases as they come in.

The parole board has drastically increased its hearing numbers. In 2011, the

correctional facilities. The board only sees inmates again if they violate this contract.

Inmates violating parole must appear for revocation hearings. In 2016, the board had 3,123 hearings, and revoked parole of 1,443 of those former inmates, who had to return to MDOC’s custody. The board was able to send 473 of them to the technical violation center, sort of an in-between for those who violate parole but don’t need to be back in prison.

One of the biggest challenges when paroling inmates, board members said, is finding permanent housing for inmates. If

Imani Khayyam

A mental-health court bill by Rep. Becky Currie, R-Brookhaven, could finally see the light of day this session, after the House Public Health and Human Services Committee passed it to the calendar.

February 1 - 7, 2017 • jfp.ms

board heard just shy of 6,000 cases. Last year, it heard upwards of 10,000. Of those, the board paroled 6,089 inmates.

The parole process is complicated and complex. The parole board has hearings and interviews with victims, family members, law-enforcement officers and other witnesses. Almost like a jury, the board hears all sides of a story—a process that can wear on members emotionally.

Then members interview the inmate in prison, sometimes sitting with his or her lawyer, via satellite television from seats in the control room.

Once the board decides to grant an inmate parole, the prisoner must sign a statement of parole and agree to regularly report to a field officer, not change his or her address or leave the state, seek employment, 20 not possess illegal drugs or firearms, or visit

an inmate does not have a permanent place to go, the board really cannot parole that inmate. Commissioner Fisher told House lawmakers last week that his department is in dire need of more transitional beds for inmates in this exact predicament.

The department has 120 beds now, and Fisher told the House appropriations subcommittee that 191 more inmates are eligible now and have provisional parole but do not have a permanent residence plan.

No Longer Jailed for Fines?

When Jackson man Cedric Willis left the Mississippi prison system in 2006 after serving 12 years for a crime he didn’t commit, he walked out without a dime to his name. While he was in the system, he got

no education, no job training, and he did not know how to use a computer when he came home. He didn’t have a car waiting for him back in Jackson, and it took him days to get a driver’s license because his paperwork was out of date, he later told the Jackson Free Press.

“They didn’t give me nothing,” he later said of his release.

And Willis was innocent. The state has not historically had a transition strategy for former inmates whether they committed the crime or not.

Starting over is challenging for former inmates, especially with no job or money waiting back home. Transportation alone can pose enough of a challenge for former inmates looking for work.

In Willis’ case, Galloway Methodist Church in Jackson gave him a job and helped raise money for a car for him after his story came out in the Jackson Free Press— but most former inmates do not get those offers. In addition to those barriers, courtimposed fines and fees can lead to further incarceration if a person cannot come up with the money to pay off dues (for drug court or child support, for example), and they land right back in prison or jail.

Part of Rep. Andy Gipson’s re-entryreforms bill addresses this issue, prohibiting judges from throwing people in jail just because they are unable to pay their courtordered fines, like child support, drug court or other fees relating to a person’s charges.

Judges could set out a payment plan or assign community service in lieu of payment under the Braxton Republican’s bill.

“The goal of the judicial process ought to be to rehabilitate, so that when the offender has paid their dues and done their time, they come out and become a productive member of society again, become gainfully employed, become a taxpayer and move on and get off the cycle of incarceration,” Gipson told the Judiciary B committee, which he chairs, on Jan. 26.

Gipson’s bill contains more of the Reentry Council’s recommendations, including not taking away a person’s driver’s license for any drug violation. He told his committee that Mississippi is one of 12 states with a policy mandating that any drug violation means a person gets his or her license revoked.

“We would be joining 38 other states to say no to automatic revocation of driver’s licenses unless it’s a driving-related offense,” Gipson said Jan. 26.

The bill would also allow some inmates to be eligible for parole after serving at least 25 percent of their sentences—this

would not apply to violent crimes, drug trafficking or habitual offenders, however.

House Bill 585, passed in 2014, addressed in parole eligibility, but several lawmakers agreed at the House appropriations sub-committee meeting that some judges have started giving maximum sentences, knowing that the accused person will not serve their full time.

“From one county to the next, we have a sentencing disparity, for the same crimes, the same amounts involved, and in one county they’re getting two or three years, and someone right across the river (is) getting 30 years—justice is not being applied equitably,” Gipson said at an appropriations sub-committee in mid-January.

Rep. Charles Young, D-Meridian, and Rep. Angela Cockerham, D-Magnolia, both agreed that this was a problem with House Bill 585. The bill gave judges discretionary privileges because sentencing requirement was left open and flexible. The Legislature set maximum sentence limits but nothing else.

“So, in some cases, that discretion is being abused, and that’s why costs and recidivism (rates) have gone up,” Gipson said in that subcommittee.

Gipson brought this up in the Judiciary B Committee meeting on Jan. 26 and later told the Jackson Free Press that he plans to research which crimes draw the most disparities from judges. Gipson said the work will continue to figure out “how can we make sure we administer fair justice across the state, not in one district and not another one.”

House Bill 1033 passed out of committee last week, and Gipson said he believes the bill has broad support.

Juvenile Sentencing, Banning the Box

Sen. Derrick Simmons, D-Greenville, routinely introduces criminal-justice reform measures that routinely die on the vine. One of those bills, Senate Bill 2080, addresses juvenile sentencing, which was not brought up in the Senate Corrections Committee. While Simmons’ bill might not see the light of day on the Senate side, the House Corrections Committee did pass House Bill 920 onto its calendar.

The bill would set limits on how long a juvenile offender can be sentenced to prison. In the cases of first-degree or capital murder, minors can still get a life sentence or a 25-year minimum and 50-year maximum stay in MDOC’s custody. The bill more Reform, see page 22

21

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Reforming Criminal Justice from page 20

February 1 - 7, 2017 • jfp.ms

indicates that some employers might then eliminate black men from consideration altogether, giving “a clear advantage (to) white applicants who receive 23 percent more callbacks compared to otherwise identical black applicants.”

The study says this unintended consequence of the policies, implemented at

legislation would increase penalties for crimes.

Increasing penalties for crimes and felonies could add to the state’s growing number of inmates, and lawmakers are also looking at some bills this session that would increase penalties for crimes, including “Blue Lives Matter” legislation filed on Imani Khayyam

would bring Mississippi’s law in line with a 2012 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Miller v. Alabama that found that sentencing a juvenile to life in prison without parole eligibility violates the Eighth Amendment.

Rep. Robert Huddleston, D-Sumner, tried to pass an amendment that lowered those minimum sentencing years to 15 and 25, respectively, but his amendment did not pass. Rep. Charles Young, D-Meridian, voiced his concern in committee that the bill seemed to set a stronger sentencing standard for youth tried as adults, but Rep. Bill Kinkade, R-Byhalia, said the bill does just the opposite, and follows the Miller v.

Alabama precedent.

Simmons’ bill, Senate Bill 2080, would have gone much farther than House Bill 920. His legislation would allow youthful offenders who were sentenced to life imprisonment to be eligible for parole after serving 10 years of their sentence.

“That’s just something that we need to do, we need to treat our juveniles like juveniles and our kids like kids,” Simmons told the Jackson Free Press.

The Senate Corrections Committee passed a “Ban the Box” bill out of committee on Jan. 30, with the aim of helping former inmates find employment once released. The bill would allow any former inmate not convicted of embezzlement or a violent crime to get their record expunged, as well as prohibit any public or private employer in the state from inquiring into an applicant’s criminal record until they have been selected for an interview.

Sen. Brice Wiggins, R-Pascagoula, said he was concerned about the broad range of felonies that would qualify for the expungement portion of the bill as well as what research says about “Ban the Box” measures.

The committee voted to insert a clause in the bill that allows it to move forward but could easily kill it in the future, pending more research.

Research shows that jobs and employment can keep formerly incarcerated people from re-offending, and federal employment applications do not have the “box” because President Barack Obama banned them.

Neighboring states have also banned the box on state employment applications.

Two recent studies show that “Ban the Box” measures might lead to discriminatory practices in hiring, however. One from the University of Michigan found that “BTB may open doors to some applicants with records, but this gain comes at the expense of another group that faces serious employment challenges: black men.”

22 That is, without the box, the study

The House Corrections Committee passed a bill that would give judges further discretion in sentencing youth tried as adults for murder charges.

local, state and federal levels around the country, does not mean the BTB policies won’t work.

“[E]ven if (“Ban the Box”) increases racial discrimination by employers, it does not necessarily follow that it will increase racial disparity in employment on balance,” University of Michigan researchers wrote in their June 2016 study.

Researchers suggest that policymakers consider banning the box policies in accordance with other interventions in order to reverse the adverse effects against young men of color.

“Race-based statistical discrimination in hiring is unlawful, and if the hiring discrimination laws were effectively enforced or operated as an effective deterrent, BTB could not have this unintended consequence,” the Michigan study reported.

The Senate “Ban the Box” bill will have to make it out of the Senate Finance Committee in order to survive the legislative process, and it was not clear by press time if it would pass or not.

Countering Progress

Even as legislators are considering reform measures to stem the growing number of inmates—legislation probably not possible a few years back—other proposed

both sides of the statehouse and the political aisle as well.

The Senate passed the “Blue, Red and Med Lives Matter” bill to categorize assaults on law-enforcement personnel and even firefighters and security guards as “hate crimes.” Mississippi already has enhanced penalties for assaults on law-enforcement officials. Simple assault on a normal citizen earns a person a $500 fine and/or six months in jail. Simple assault on a law-enforcement officer, legislator, judge or some other state, district or public official or actor (like bus drivers and social workers) as defined in state law comes with a penalty of $1,000 and/or up to five years in jail.

For aggravated assault on a regular citizen, the punishment can be one to 20 years, but on a law-enforcement officer or other official or state actor, the punishment is a maximum sentence of 30 years with a possible $5,000 fine.

Some Democratic lawmakers argued this point when Senate Bill 2469 came up for a vote last week. The bill, which passed after almost two hours of debate, would double the penalty for any felony or misdemeanor—from resisting arrest to murder.

Critics of these policies say attacks on law-enforcement officers is not up, like many proponents of such measures say. FBI

statistics show that assaults and murders on law enforcement officers peaked in 2011.

In 2015, 41 officers were feloniously killed, FBI data show, while in 2011, 72 officers were killed.

The Legislature also is debating increased penalties for people caught selling drugs within 1,500 feet of a rehabilitation facility. Rep. Charles Busby, R-Pascagoula, authored the bill and explained it on the House floor on Jan. 24. He said one of this constituents called him about a situation with their family that inspired the bill.

Rep. Adrienne Wooten, D-Jackson, pushed back on Busby’s suggestions.

“Why do we not have a bill down here that takes care of both sides of this issue?”

Wooten asked, meaning rehab and sales.

“I view those who are selling it as a greater bad,” Busby said.

The bill, House Bill 515, was put aside after Rep. Mark Formby, R-Picayune, introduced an amendment that would increase the penalty for those selling drugs within the same distance of jails or prisons.

Democratic lawmakers pushed back on his amendment, and the legislation—and specifically Formby’s amendment—was still pending legal review at press time.

In addition to reforms, lawmakers must grapple with MDOC’s budget deficit this year even after the department reduced vehicle purchases, extra expenditures and their contract obligations. MDOC will post about a $10.4-million deficit in its current fiscal-year budget.

Commissioner Fisher is still requesting less money than he did last year, but he emphasized the need for money for his correctional-officer staff, which has a turnover rate of 38 percent, at the January House Appropriations subcommittee meeting.

Gov. Phil Bryant named Fisher the new commissioner of the Department of Public Safety on Monday, which the Senate will need to confirm. Pelicia Hall, the MDOC chief of staff, was named acting commissioner on Monday, Jan. 30.

How lawmakers will deal with budget deficits remains to be seen, but at least for now, some lawmakers have gotten serious about criminal-justice reforms getting onto the calendar. It is too early to tell which reforms will take hold and survive the legislative process.

Email state reporter Arielle Dreher at arielle@jacksonfreepress.com. Follow legislative developments on these bills and more at jfp.ms/state and for live updates follow Dreher on Twitter @arielle_amara.

Read the JFP’s ongoing series on violence prevention at jfp.ms/preventingviolence.

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1 5 th A n n u a l

Best of Jackson Doctors We all need doctors, dentists and sometimes a lawyer, so a couple of years ago, the Jackson Free Press added a special pop-up for Best of Jackson: Best Doctors and Dentists and Best Lawyers. Here is what Jacksonians and metro area residents had to say about the best in these vital categories.

Smiles on Broadway Dental Care, 5442 Watkins Drive, 601.665.4996

Quinn Healthcare, 768 N. Avery Blvd., Ridgeland, 601.487.6482

February 1 - 7, 2017 â&#x20AC;˘ jfp.ms

24

Finalists: Chad Brown (Brown Chiropractic Center, 4294 Lakeland Drive, Suite 100, Flowood, 601.936.6650, browndc.com) / Clayton Pitts (Norville Chiropractic Clinic, 1000 Lakeland Square Ext., Suite 400, Flowood, 601.398.9412, flowoodchiropracticcare.com) / Laura Stubbs (Body in Balance Healthcare, 5472 Watkins Drive, Suite C, 601.376.5636) / Leo C. Huddleston (Natural Wellness Center, 6500 Old Canton Road, Ridgeland, 601.956.7953, nutritionalhealthtesting.com)

969 Lakeland Drive, 601-364-6103

Finalists: Baptist Health Systems (1225 N. State St., 601-968-1000, mbhs.org) / Merit Health River Oaks (1030 River Oaks Drive, Flowood, 601-932-1030, merithealthriveroaks.com) / University of Mississippi Medical Center (2500 N. State St., 601-984-1000)

Best Nurse Practitioner: Alisha McArthur Wilkes Quinn Healthcare, 768 N. Avery Blvd., Ridgeland, 601.487.6482

Finalists: Alice Messer (NewSouth NeuroSpine, 2470 Flowood Drive, 877-554-4257, ns2.md) / Kimberly Loe (Baptist Medical Clinic, 1490 W. Government St., Suite 10, 601-825-1936, mbhs. org) / Kimberly Strong (Crossgate Family Doctors, 395 Crossgates Blvd., Suite 102, Brandon, 601-825-0003) / Suzanne Cockrell (G.A. Carmichael Family Health Center, 1547 Jerry Clower Blvd., Yazoo City, 662-746-6532, gacfhc.org)

courtesy alisha wikes

Foxworth Chiropractic, 2470 Flowood Drive, Suite 125, Flowood, 601.932.9201, drfoxworth.com

Best Hospital: St. Dominic Hospital

courtesy neely berry

Best Chiropractor: Dr. Neely Berry

Finalists: Adair Blackledge (Blackledge Face Center, 1659 Lelia Drive, 601-981-3033, blackledgefacecenter.com) / David Stickler (Mississippi Center for Plastic Surgery, 200 W. Jackson St, Suite 100, Ridgeland, 769-300-4055, msplasticsurgeon.com) / Shelby Brantley (Plastic & Hand Surgery Associations, PLLC, 2550 Flowood Drive, Flowood, 601-939-9999, faceandbodycenter.com)

courtesy st dominic hospital

Finalists: Carrie Nash (Baptist Medical Clinic, 1490 W. Government St., Suite 10, Brandon, 601-825-1936, mbhs.org) / Justin Turner (TurnerCare, 5240 Robinson Road Ext., 601.398.2335, turnercarems.com) / Rahul Vohra (Southern Physical Medicine, 2470 Flowood Drive, Flowood, 601-420-1930) / William Loper (MEA Primary Care, 323 Highway 51, Ridgeland, 601-898-9150)

Best Cosmetic Surgeon: Dr. Scott Runnels

The Runnels Center, 1055 River Oaks Drive, Flowood, 601-939-3223, runnelscenter.com

courtesy timothy quinn

Best Doctor: Dr. Timothy Quinn

Finalists: Keith Klaus (Tharp & Klaus Dental Clinic, 2695 Flowood Drive, Suite A, 601-9394100, smilesinjackson.com) / Terrance Ware (Terrance Ware DDS PLLC, 5800 Ridgewood Road, Suite 104, 769.251.5909, twaredds.com) / Wendy Lewis (The Winning Smile, 1350 W. Government St., Brandon, 601-825-3807; 4802 Lakeland Drive, Flowood, 601-936-0025; thewinningsmile.com)

courtesy scott runnels

Finalists: Charles Ezelle (Jackson Dental Care, 2665 Lakeland Drive, Flowood, 601.932.8212, jacksondentalcare.com) / Jim Ed Watson (Jackson Center for Smiles, 1437 Old Square Road, 601.366.7645, jxnsmiles.com) / Shenika KellyMoore (Kelly Family Dentistry, 514 E. Woodrow Wilson Ave., Suite G, 769.572.4425) / Terrance Ware (Terrance Ware DDS PLLC, 5800 Ridgewood Road, Suite 104, 769.251.5909, twaredds. com)

Jackson Center for Smiles, 1437 Old Square Road, 601-366-7645, jxnsmiles.com courtesy lamonica davis taylor

Best Dentist: Dr. LaMonica Davis Taylor

Best Cosmetic Dentist: Dr. Jim Ed Watson

courtesy jim ed watson

DOCTORS

1 5 th A n n u a l

Best of Jackson

Finalists: Eugene C. Brown (Smiles by Design, 5800 Ridgewood Road, Suite 103, 601.957.1711; 125 Jones St., Ridgeland, 601.427.9252) / Kenneth Walley (Kenneth Walley DDS, 2174 Henry Hill Drive, 601.922.3888; 208 Key Drive, Madison, 601.898.1788) / Priscilla Jolly (Jolly Orthodontics, 1000 Highland Colony Pkwy., Ridgeland, 601.605.2400)

Best Surgeon: Dr. Reginald Martin

St. Dominic’s Martin Surgical Associates, 971 Lakeland Drive, Suite 211, 601.200.4350

Finalists: Greg Wood (NewSouth NeuroSpine, 2470 Flowood Drive, 877-554-4257, ns2.md) / Jason Murphy (The Surgical Clinic Associates, 501 Marshall St., Suite 500, 601-948-1411, mbhs. org) / John Davis (NewSouth NeuroSpine, 2470 Flowood Drive, 877-554-4257, ns2.md) / Philip Ley (Mississippi Breast Center, 106 Highland Way, Suite 200, Madison, 601.200.7465, mbhs.org)

courtesy reginald martin

Smile Design Orthodontics, 201 Riverwind East Drive, Pearl, 601-965-9561

sterling photography

Best Orthodontist: Dr. Chandra Minor

Lawyers

LAWYERS

162 E. Amite St., 601.988.8888

Tanner & Associates, LLC, 263 E. Pearl St., 601.460.1745

courtesy Richard schwartz

Finalists: Mike Malouf (Malouf & Malouf, 501 E. Capitol St., 601.948.4320, malouflaw.com) / Richard Schwartz (Schwartz & Associates, 162 E. Amite St., 601.988.8888) / Wyatt Hazard (Daniel Coker Horton & Bell, 4400 Old Canton Road, Suite 400, 601.969.7607)

Malouf & Malouf, 501 E. Capitol St., 601.948.4320, malouflaw.com

Best Local Lawyer finalists: Eugene Carlos Tanner III (Tanner & Associates, LLC, 263 E. Pearl St., 601.460.1745) / Katrina S. Brown (Brown Bass & Jeter, PLLC, 1991 Lakeland Drive, Suite L, 601.487.8448, bbjlawyers.com) / Mike Malouf Jr. (Malouf & Malouf, 501 E. Capitol St., 601.948.4320, malouflaw.com)

Finalists: Richard Schwartz (Schwartz & Associates, 162 E. Amite St., 601.988.8888 / Carlos Tanner (Tanner & Associates, LLC, 263 E. Pearl St., 601.460.1745) / Merrida Coxwell (Coxwell & Associates, PLLC, 500 N. State St., 601.948.1600, coxwelllaw.com) / Richard Schwartz (Schwartz & Associates, 162 E. Amite St., 601.988.8888)

Best Local Law Firm finalists: Chhabra & Gibbs P.A. (120 N. Congress St., Suite 200, 601.948.8005, cglawms.com) / Malouf & Malouf (501 E. Capitol St., 601.948.4320, malouflaw.com) Tanner & Associates, LLC (263 E. Pearl St., 601.460.1745) / The Wade Law Firm, PLLC (321 Highway 51, Suite C, Ridgeland, 601.790.0043, wadelawfirmpllc. com)

Finalists: Richard C. Roberts III (Roberts Bridges & Boydston PLLC, 618 Crescent Blvd., Suite 205, Ridgeland, 601.607.4144) / Tametrice Hodges (Hodges-Childress Law, LLC, 199 Charmant Place, Ridgeland, 601.376.9604, attorneyhodges. com) / Teresa E. Harvey (Chhabra & Gibbs, P.A., 120 N. Congress St., Suite 200, 601.948.8005, cglawms.com)

Frank M. Youngblood Jr., Attorney at Law, 111 Office Park Drive, Suite A, Brandon, 601.825.5200

Finalists: Andy Segrest (Randall | Segrest Attorneys and Counselors, 992 Northpark Drive, Suite A, Ridgeland; 1900 Lakeland Drive; 301 Webster Circle, Suite 301, Madison; 601.856.2615, randallsegrest.com) / Jay Cooke (Jack W. Cooke Jr. Pa., 1437 Old Square Road, 601.981.1912) / Robert E. Moorehead (Robert E. Moorehead, Attorneys at Law, PLLC, 220 W. Jackson St., Ridgeland, 601.208.0569, lawyerm.com) / Sharon Plunkett (YoungWells Attorneys at Law, 141 Township Ave., Suite 300, Ridgeland, 601.948.6100, youngwells.com)

courtesy frank youngblood

Malouf & Malouf, 501 E. Capitol St., 601.948.4320, malouflaw.com

Robby Followell

Best Family Attorney: Melissa Malouf

Best Real Estate Attorney: Frank “Buddy” Youngblood Jr.

courtesy mike malouf

Best Plaintiff’s Attorney: Mike Malouf, Jr.

February 1 - 7, 2017 • jfp.ms

Best Defense Attorney: Eugene Carlos Tanner III

fulloflava photography

Best Local Lawyer; Best Local Law Firm: Richard Schwartz, Schwartz & Associates

25

LIFE&STYLE | food&drink

A New Executive (Chef) in Town

by Amber Helsel

T

Tell me about how you got into the restaurant industry.

In grammar school, we had a culinary program that we had after school, and then that kind of followed me into high school. The instructor that taught my elementary school ended up being the home (economics) teacher in high school, and … she had an afterschool program.

So for four years, my elective was home ec, and then I did her afterschool program, which was pretty awesome. It was through a program called ASM, which is an acronym for After-School Matters.

From then, I did a couple of internships and a little stage (or chef apprenticeship) here and there through that program, and it kind of got my foot in the door of … the restaurant business and (showed me) how it truly works instead of (me just) being behind the book.

February 1 - 7, 2017 • jfp.ms

What do you think drove you to cooking and food?

In all honesty, I was in a position where I knew I wasn’t going to go to college. I knew I was going to finish high school, and I knew I was going to have some college, but I knew I wasn’t going to finish. One thing that (my mentor) told me is: “Everyone has to eat, no matter what. They’re going to eat, and if they’re going to eat, you’re 26 always going to have a job.”

And that kind of stuck with me. I figured, if I’m going to do this, then I’m going to do it right. I’m going to not (just) collect a paycheck. I’m going to put all my train of thought into this and do something with it, and it worked. I enjoy doing it, too. It doesn’t feel like work. I love coming here, and I love my staff here, too.

What’s it like being the executive chef of a restaurant like Saltine?

It is challenging because Jesse was a great chef, so he … set the bar, basically.

Now I … just want to keep that going, and keep that bar set … keep it high for Jackson because Jackson needed a chef like Jesse, and like Alex (Eaton of

kind of thing, but it’s cool because I get to show my little sisters back home that from where they come from that they can do it, too, whether they’re male or female.

Imani KHayyam

hough chef Nicole Medrano has only been in Jackson for a year, she is making waves in the local culinary scene. After Jesse Houston stepped down as executive chef at Saltine Oyster Bar, Medrano took the helm in early January.

Medrano, who is a Chicago native with Mexican roots, met her husband, Hunter Spears, while he was working in Sears Tower there The couple moved to Memphis to be closer to his family in 2013, and while there, Medrano worked at restaurants such as Fleming’s Steakhouse, Flight, Hog and Hominy, and Porcellino’s Craft Butcher. She and Spears then moved to Jackson for his job as a filmmaker.

When Medrano began at Saltine in 2016, she was a sauté cook. She soon picked up more responsibilities and became the kitchen manager, then the sous chef, and now she is the executive chef.

The Jackson Free Press spoke with her to talk about stepping into her new role with Saltine.

Why is it important to you to add a Mexican flair here?

It’s important to me just to show a little bit of my background. … It’s just putting a little bit of flair. It’s important to me because my grandmother and my uncle, I’ve watched them cook my entire life and spend two days on a soup. (At Saltine earlier this month), we had our past ramen, which was pozole ramen, and I was telling our guests that I had made it because it was special to me because my grandmother only made it twice a year.

It had to be something special like your birthday or a holiday, and it just means bringing people together.

Nicole Medrano stepped into the role of executive chef at Saltine Oyster Bar in early January.

What made you want to work at Saltine?

My husband and I had brunch here, and we had the brunch loaf. It was awesome, and that got us hooked. Then we came back and had the oysters Lafitte. My husband loves those things. I read a little bit (when) Jesse (Houston) first got nominated as a semi-finalist for the James Beard award, and I was like, “Oh, man. I bet I can learn a bunch of stuff from him, and so that was (what) grabbed me.”

What is your personal aesthetic as a chef, and how are you going to bring it to Saltine?

It depends on what’s available at the time, the seasons. Spring is coming up, so peas are going to come in the season, and corn, so it definitely varies throughout the year of what vegetables are available during that time.

My thing is well, one, I am a big breakfast person. For my personal touches, just making a bigger brunch menu here, and (deciding) what Mexican food screams “breakfast”—Chorizo and eggs, papas fritas … and there’s the Delta tamales that are down here, too, that are somewhat similar. My personal touch is just making that brunch menu bigger and putting a little bit of that Mexican flair on it, just a little bit.

The Manship Wood Fired Kitchen) or Derek (Emerson of Walker’s DriveIn), and so they set that bar. It is challenging but fun at the same time.

How is it being a female executive chef?

It’s not as challenging as most women would think because 90 percent (of my kitchen staff is) men, and they all have my back. They’re amazing. I don’t really have that kind of challenge when it comes to that

What is your favorite dish to make?

I love to make quiches. Quiche is my favorite thing. … For one week straight, we had a different potpie everyday, and that was the bomb to me because it’s comfort food. … We have our regulars that come in sometimes, and they look forward to that potpie, and they’re just smiling the whole time, and they love and enjoy it, and they ask for me. Food … that just brings people together, it excites me.

For more information on Saltine Oyster Bar (622 Duling Ave., Suite 201, 601-9822899), visit saltinerestaurant.com. See more food coverage at jfp.ms/food.

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Woodland Hills

Shopping Center Fondren • 601-366-5273

Maywood Mart

970 High St, Jackson

(601) 354-4665

www.chimneyville.com

1220 E. Northside Dr • 601-366-8486

Westland Plaza

2526 Robinson Rd • 601-353-0089

Yazoo City

734 East 15th St. • 662-746-1144

English Village

904 E. Fortification St. • 601-355-9668

February 1 - 7, 2017 • jfp.ms

9G /CMG )COG &C[ 'CU[

29

THURSDAY 2/2

SATURDAY 2/4

WEDNESDAY 2/8

The “Baking Basics” cooking class takes place at Farmer’s Table at Livingston.

The 2017 SOUPer Bowl of Caring is at the Stewpot Community Center.

“The Illusionists—Live from Broadway” is at Thalia Mara Hall.

BEST BETS feb.

1 - 8, 2017 Kovno Communications

WEDNESDAY 2/1

Dylan LeBlanc performs at 7:30 p.m. at Duling Hall (622 Duling Ave.). The Shreveport, La., singer-songwriter performs. Sam Mooney also performs. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. $8 advance, $12 at the door, $3 surcharge for patrons under 21; call 877-987-6487; ardenland.net.

THURSDAY 2/2

courtesy Michael Farris Smith

Fondren’s First Thursday is at 5 p.m. in Fondren.

The family-friendly street festival takes place on the first Thursday of each month and includes live entertainment, food and drinks for sale, art and crafts vendors, pop-up art exhibits, pet adoption drives and more. Free admission; fondrensfirstthursday.com. … “A Tribute to Gospel Music” is at 7 p.m. at Thalia Mara Hall (255 E. Pascagoula St.).

Performers include Shirley Caesar, Beverly Crawford, Vanessa Bell Armstrong and Le’ Andrea Johnson. $25-$65; call 678-322-8098; ticketmaster.com.

“Mind/Game: The Unquiet Journey of Chamique Holdsclaw,” a documentary on WNBA star Chamique Holdsclaw, screens at Millsaps College on Wednesday, Feb. 8.

in marriage. $32.50; firstridgeland.com. … Speakeasy Soirée is at 8 p.m. at The Ice House (251 W. South St.). The Phoenix Club of Jackson is the host. Includes live music from the Patrick Smith Band, whiskey and bourbon tastings, and more. Proceeds benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Mississippi. $65 admission; find it on Facebook.

SATURDAY 2/4

“The Things I’ve Been Hiding” Pop-Up Art Show is from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. at Offbeat (151 Wesley Ave.). The pop-up

by TYLER EDWARDS exhibit showcases the latest work from artist Terrence Wells. Free admission; call 601-376-9404; jacksonfreepress.com offbeatjxn.com. … “Pops II: MuFax: 601-510-9019 sic of the Madmen Era” is at 7:30 Daily updates at p.m. at Thalia Mara Hall (255 jfpevents.com E. Pascagoula St.). Five by Design join the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra to perform the music of the 1960s. $15-$49; 601-964-1564; msorchestra.com.

February 1 - 7 , 2017 • jfp.ms

events@

Mississippi-based author Michael Farris Smith signs copies of his latest book, “Desperation Road,” at Lemuria Books on Wednesday, Feb. 8.

FRIDAY 2/3

“Deeper: A Married Night Out” is from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at The South Warehouse (627 E. Silas Brown St.).

Pastor and author Ted Cunningham combines humor with 30 practical advice for enjoying more connection and intimacy

SUNDAY 2/5

“Madagascar—A Musical Adventure” is 2 p.m. at New Stage Theatre (1100 Carlisle St.). Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe, Gloria the Hippo and the always-plotting penguins journey from New York’s Central Park Zoo to the beaches of Madagascar. Additional dates: Feb. 3, 7 p.m., Feb. 4, 2 p.m. $15; $10 children 12 and under; 601-948-3533

MONDAY 2/6

The Vienna Boys Choir performs at 7:30 p.m. at Belhaven University (1500 Peachtree St.). The group has been performing at Imperial Chapel in Vienna since 1926.

Proceeds benefit the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra. $35; call 601-960-1565; msorchestra.com.

TUESDAY 2/7

First Tuesday Lecture is from noon to 1 p.m. at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science (2148 Riverside Drive). The keynote speaker is John Gruchy, wildlife biologist and coordinator of private lands program at the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks. Free; call 601-576-6000; find it on Facebook. … Pint Night is from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Saltine Oyster Bar (622 Duling Ave.).

Each month, a different brewery takes over the restaurant’s taps, beer engine or randall. This month’s featured brewery is Samuel Adams. Prices vary; saltinerestaurant.com.

WEDNESDAY 2/8

Michael Farris Smith signs copies of “Desperation Road” at 5 p.m. at Lemuria Books (Banner Hall, 4465 Interstate 55 N., Suite 202). Reading at 5:30 p.m. $26 book; 601-366-7619; lemuriabooks.com. … The “Mind/ Game: The Unquiet Journey of Chamique Holdsclaw” film screening is at 6 p.m. at Millsaps College (1701 N. State St.). Tells the story of the basketball phenom, from her rise to WNBA stardom to her struggle with mental illness.

Free; 601-974-1019; millsaps.edu.

VANDERBILT

DUKE

EMORY

MILLSAPS COLLEGE

AUBURN

U OF FLORIDA RICE

TULANE

� FORBES.COM � Delicious Flickr www.millsaps.edu

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Best of Jackson 2017 Thank you Jackson for making us your:

Best Food Truck or Mobile Vendor

FONDREN:ÊÓnä£Ê Ê-Ì>ÌiÊ-ÌÊUÊ­È䣮ÊÓäÎ Ó£{{ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊRIDGELAND:Ê£Ó äÊ Ê Õ ÌÞÊ iÊ,`ÊUÊ­Èä£®Ê xÇ Ç{ÎÈ

February 1 - 7, 2017 • jfp.ms

Best New Restaurant

31

THURSDAY

THE

2/2

VEGABONDS 9 P.M.

FRIDAY

10 P.M.

SATURDAY

2/4

NAUGHTY PROFESSOR 10 P.M.

MONDAY

2/6

OPEN MIC NIGHT

$5 APPETIZERS (DINE IN ONLY)

TUESDAY

2/7

THE FUNKY KNUCKLES

(SNARKY PUPPY’S LABEL) 10 P.M.

UPCOMING SHOWS 2/9 - Lucero w/ special guest Esmé Patterson 2/10 - Andrew Duhon 2/11 - The Cedric Burnside Project w/ Trenton Ayers 2/17 - Wild Adriatic 2/18 - CBDB 2/21 - The Sweet Lillies 2/22 - Modern Measure (1320 Records) w/ ProJect Aspect 3/3 - The Stolen Faces (A Tribute to the Grateful Dead) 3/11 - Cory Branan (Bloodshot Records) 3/18 - Martin’s St. Paddy’s Blowout w/ Flow Tribe & more 3/20 - Joecephus and the George Jonestown Massacre 3/22 - Spoonfed Tribe 3/25 - Vibe Street February 1 - 7 , 2017 • jfp.ms

LITERARY & SIGNINGS

Fondren’s First Thursday Feb. 2, 5 p.m., in Fondren. The family-friendly street festival takes place on the first Thursday of each month and includes live entertainment, food and drinks for sale, art and crafts vendors, and more. Free; email fft@chane.com; fondrensfirstthursday.com.

Mississippi Writers Guild Middle Mississippi Monthly Meeting Feb. 4, 2-5 p.m., at M7 Coffee House (111 N. Wheatley St., Ridgeland).

Janet Taylor-Perry speaks on the topic, “Musts for Indie Authors.” Free; find it on Facebook.

2/3

UNIVERSAL SIGH

32

JFP-SPONSORED

4/6 - Papadosio (Pattern Integrities Spring Tour) 4/28 - The Weeks Record Release Show

See Our New Menu

WWW.MARTINSLOUNGE.NET

214 S. STATE ST. DOWNTOWN JACKSON

601.354.9712

COMMUNITY Back in the Day: A Celebration of Black History Feb. 2, 6 p.m., at New Hope Baptist Church (5202 Watkins Drive). Speakers include retired Gen. Augustus L. Collins, Sebronette Barnes-Aborom and Carl B. Mack. The New Hope Youth Choir, the Jackson Metro Retired Community Choir, the Mississippi School for the Deaf Choir, Paul Porter and Cynthia Palmer perform. Free; call 601-981-8696.

The 15th Annual Mississippi Child Welfare Institute Conference Feb. 8, 5-8 p.m., at Jackson Marriott Hotel (200 E. Amite St.). Speakers include Kristi Plotner, Wanda Reives, Dean Anna McPhatter and Mildred Muhammad. $45 for students, $175 for professionals; jsums.edu.

STAGE & SCREEN Madagascar—A Musical Adventure Feb. 3, 7 p.m., Feb. 4-5, 2 p.m., at New Stage Theatre (1100 Carlisle St.). Alex, Marty, Melman, Gloria and the penguins journey to Madagascar. $15 admission; $10 children 12 and under; call 601948-3533; newstagetheatre.com.

The Illusionists—Live From Broadway Feb. 8, 7:30 p.m., at Thalia Mara Hall (255 E. Pascagoula St.). The magic show includes multiple illusionists performing acts such as levitation, mind reading and escape. $32-$72; call 855985-4357; jacksonbroadway.com.

CONCERTS & FESTIVALS Events at Duling Hall (622 Duling Ave.) • Dylan LeBlanc Feb. 1, 7:30 p.m. The Shreveport, La.-native singer performs. Sam Mooney also performs. $8 advance, $12 at the door, $3 surcharge for under 21; ardenland.net.

• Jared & the Mill Feb. 4, 9 p.m. The Phoenix, Ariz.-native western rock band performs.

Empty Atlas also performs. $10 admission; call 877-987-6487; ardenland.net.

• Fred Eaglesmith Traveling Steam Show Feb. 7, 7:30 p.m. The alternative-country singer performs. $15 advance, $20 at the door, $3 surcharge for under 21; ardenland.net.

Tribute to Gospel Music Feb. 2, 7 p.m., at Thalia Mara Hall (255 E. Pascagoula St.). Performers include Shirley Caesar, Beverly Crawford, Vanessa Bell Armstrong and Le’ Andrea Johnson. $25-$65; ticketmaster.com.

Pops II: Music of the Madmen Era Feb. 4, 7:30 p.m., at Thalia Mara Hall (255 E. Pascagoula St.). Five by Design join the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra to perform the music of the 1960s. $15-$49; msorchestra.com.

The Funky Knuckles Feb. 7, 9 p.m., at Martin’s Restaurant & Bar (214 S. State St.). The Dallas soul and jazz band performs. Admission TBA; call 601-354-9712; email ryboltproductions@ comcast.net; martinslounge.net.

“Desperation Road” Feb. 8, 5 p.m., at Lemuria Books (Banner Hall, 4465 Interstate 55 N., Suite 202). Michael Farris Smith signs copies.

Reading at 5:30 p.m. $26 book; call 601-3667619; lemuriabooks.com.

SLATE

“The Things I’ve Been Hiding” Pop-Up Art Show Feb. 4, 7-11 p.m., at Offbeat (151 Wesley Ave.). The pop-up exhibit showcases the latest work from artist Terrence Wells. Free admission; call 601-376-9404; find it on Facebook.

BE THE CHANGE Speakeasy Soirée Feb. 3, 8 p.m.-midnight, at The Ice House (251 W. South St.). Includes food and drinks, music from the Patrick Smith Band, whiskey and bourbon tastings, and more.

the best in sports over the next seven days

by Bryan Flynn

Either the New England Patriots will win their fifth Super Bowl, or the Atlanta Falcons will win their first. The Patriots are making their ninth appearance, and Atlanta is making its second.

Thursday, Feb. 2

College basketball (8-10 p.m., SECN): The MSU women hit the road to face Auburn. … Documentary (8-9:30 p.m., ESPN): Remember when Vince McMahon started a football league?

This “30 for 30: This Was the XFL” will remind you.

Friday, Feb. 3

NBA (7-9:30 p.m., ESPN): Two rivals from across the country meet again, as the Boston Celtics host the Los Angeles Lakers in one of the NBA’s most tradition-rich games.

Saturday, Feb. 4

College basketball (2-4 p.m., ESPNU): The UM Rebels men look to move up in the SEC as they face Vanderbilt. … College basketball (2:30-4:30 p.m., SECN): MSU’s men try to stay at .500 in the SEC, as they host Tennessee.

Sunday, Feb. 5

NFL (5:30-9 p.m., FOX): Tune in for Super Bowl LI between the New England Patriots and the Atlanta Falcons.

CREATIVE CLASSES Baking Basics Feb. 2, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., at Farmer’s Table in Livingston (1030 Market St., Flora).

Participants learns to make winter ingredients into baked goods including angel biscuits, pumpkin bread, cranberry and orange scones and homemade bagels. $49; call 601-506-6821; farmerstableinlivingston.com.

EXHIBIT OPENINGS Four Seasons of The Cedars—“Winter” Art Opening Feb. 2, 5-8 p.m., at The Cedars (4145 Old Canton Road). The seasonal art show features works from artists Ellen Langford, Scott Cook and Elizabeth Robinson. Hangs through March 3. Free admission; call 601-366-5552; find it on Facebook.

Monday, Feb. 6

College basketball (6-8 p.m., SECN): The UM Rebels women hit the road and take on Florida. … College basketball (8-10 p.m., ESPNU): The Jackson State men look to climb in the SWAC against Southern University.

Tuesday, Feb. 7

College basketball (8-10 p.m., ESPNU): The MSU men try to stay in the postseason conversation on the road against Auburn.

Wednesday, Feb. 8

College basketball (5:30-7:30 p.m., SECN): The UM Rebels men need to start winning games to have a shot at the postseason, and on the road against Tennessee is a good place to start.

This Super Bowl could be one for the ages, as Tom Brady looks for his fifth ring for the Patriots. Matt Ryan of the Falcons will try to win his first ring— and the first for Atlanta.

Follow Bryan Flynn at jfpsports.com, @jfpsports Proceeds benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Mississippi. $65; find it on Facebook.

Bacchus Ball 2017 Feb. 4, 6:30-11:30 p.m., at Country Club of Jackson (345 St Andrews Drive). Includes Creole cuisine, music, art and jewelry. Proceeds benefit the Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi. $125; msdiabetes.org.

20th Annual SOUPer Bowl Feb. 5, 12 p.m.-3 p.m., at The Salvation Army Worship & Service Center (570 E. Beasley Road). Includes auctions, soups and desserts, and more. Proceeds benefit at-risk women and children in the Jackson metro area. $15, $5 for children; salvationarmy.org.

Check jfpevents.com for updates and more listings, or to add your own events online. You can also email event details to events@jacksonfreepress.com to be added to the calendar. The deadline is noon the Wednesday prior to the week of publication.

ThE WoRlD’S LaRgEsT SnAkE

JaNuArY 28 — ApRiL 23 MDWFP’s Museum of Natural Science’s newest exhibit, Titanoboa, features a 17-foot replica and two vertebrae casts made from the original fossils of the world’s largest snake. Known as Titanoboa, the world’s largest snake slithered in at 48 feet long and weighed an estimated one-and-a-half tons.

February 1 - 7, 2017 • jfp.ms

Titanoboa: Monster Snake is a collaboration of the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service, the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, the Florida Museum of Natural History, the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, and the Smithsonian Channel.

1000 Highland Colony Pkwy • Renaissance in Ridgeland •Between Sephora and Soft Surroundings • 601.366.5577 or 601.366.1849 • www.oldetymecommissary.com

33

DIVERSIONS | arts

This Is Enrichment

by Dustin Cardon wanted to enrich their lives by learning something new. The program officially began Oct. 9, 1972, and initially offered nine courtesy Millsaps College

P

atsy Ricks says she has a great love for Italy. After she retired from teaching in 2014, she started doing tours around the country with adults.

Ricks, who taught at Jackson Preparatory School for 12 years and St. Andrew’s Episcopal School for 15 years, had taken trips with students but decided to focus more on adult trips after her retirement. For the last 15 years, she has also been teaching This Is Italy for Millsaps College’s Community Enrichment Series.

Each year, Jackson area residents get to learn something new with the college’s Community Enrichment Series. Last year, participants took classes in subjects such as painting, drawing and mindfulness.

Eve Saunders, who was the wife of the academic dean of Millsaps College; Katherine Lefoldt, who was the college hostess; college President Edward M. Collins; and Dean Harvey Saunders created the program, which is a series of non-credit, informal and low-cost courses with a large focus on artistic skills such as painting, dance and literature, in the 1970s to help people who

Local celebrities and creatives such as Felder Rushing have taught classes for Millsaps College’s Community Enrichment Series.

short non-credit courses.

The first year of courses saw 57 students enrolled and was entirely volunteer-

February 1 - 7, 2017 • jfp.ms

WE SALUTE

34

and ALL THE VOTERS for choosing

BEST KIDS EVENT! www.jacksonzoo.org

Facebook/Instagram: @JacksonZoo

operated. The series now brings in local experts from around the metro area such as Ricks and Felder Rushing, in addition to Millsaps faculty and has grown to more than 1,100 participants per year.

“Ever since the program started, it’s grown and grown, going from nine to more than 80 different courses,” Nola Gibson, director of Millsaps’ Department of Continuing Education, says.

“It’s a great way to learn something new you can enjoy in a fun setting without a big investment of time and money. It’s always good to learn new things throughout your life, whether you’re a college student prepping for the ACTs or a 60-year-old looking to learn how to paint.”

Millsaps offers three Community Enrichment series in spring, fall and winter. All courses in each series are non-credit courses with no prerequisites or exams. Gibson says ideas for new classes come from requests, current trends and contacts with program directors of other colleges through the Learning Resources Network, which helps colleges and universities that offer continu-

ing education. The winter 2017 Community Enrichment series started on Jan. 23.

Gibson says that out of all the courses the series offers, dance is a popular option, with everything from Irish Céilí and ballroom dancing to adult ballet. The program also offers writing classes, arts courses such as knitting, painting and mosaic-making, and music courses such as guitar and harmonica.

The program also has personal-development classes for areas such as volunteering, mindfulness, meditation and yoga, and classes about subjects such as the basics of investing, social media and entrepreneurship. For Ricks’ This is Italy course, she says this year’s will have a focus on Italian history and art.

Classes vary in length and number of meetings, with most meeting on specific days of the week over a few months. For details on meeting dates, class lengths and costs for each course, visit millsaps.edu. For more information, email the Millsaps Office of Continuing Education at conted@millsaps.edu, call 601-974-1130 or visit millsaps.edu.

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35

DIVERSIONS | music

A Follow-up to Fanfare

by Micah Smith

G

February 1 - 7, 2017 • jfp.ms

Anne Miller Photography

iven the positive response to the Mississippi Cham- with performances from several local school ensembles at Even Mississippians who can’t make it to the Fanfare bre Music Guild’s inaugural Fanfare Festival in Duling Hall (622 Duling Ave.) from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Festival will be able to hear it soon, as the MCMG will 2016, a second installment isn’t that surprising. The event moves to the Old Capitol Museum (100 S. State record the performance and share the composition with However, the event wasn’t always so certain.

St.) at noon with the Mississippi College Brass Quintet pre- schools throughout the state, both in full-band and brass When Madison Central High School band director miering the bicentennial fanfare, which the MCMG com- quintet arrangements.

Chuck Reynolds first brought the idea of a weekend-long missioned James Sclater, a former music professor and an That afternoon, festivalgoers can stick around the festival to his friend Royce Boyer, who is the chairman of the ASCAP Award-winning composer, to write.

Old Capitol Museum for several events, including perguild’s board of directors, Boyer’s attention formances from the Bicentennial Honor was focused on the individual events that Choir, the Metropolitan Chamber Orthe organization presents each season. chestra’s woodwind trio and the Missis Thankfully for Jackson’s chambersippi Symphony Orchestra’s horn quartet; music lovers, Boyer and the rest of the and a dramatic presentation from New MCMG board came together last year to Stage Theatre. Mississippi Arts Commisplan and execute the festival’s successful sion Executive Director Malcolm White first outing. Now, the guild is preparing for will also deliver “The State of the Arts in an even larger event for this year’s Fanfare Mississippi” address.

Festival, which takes place Thursday, Feb. The festival closes Saturday evening 9, through Saturday, Feb. 11. with a concert that will feature graduate

“This is a big deal for us, and we students and faculty from the University think it’s quite a big deal for the arts, of Southern Mississippi at 7:30 p.m. at St. particularly in our community if not our Andrew’s Cathedral. Boyer says the guild state,” Boyer says. has developed a good relationship with

The festival begins with a guitar USM’s School of Music over the past two master class with this year’s featured act, years and hopes to emphasize it more in the Mobius Trio, at Belhaven University next year’s festival.

Center for the Arts (835 Riverside Drive) “I don’t think Mississippi realizes (Left to right) Matthew Holmes-Linder, Mason Fish and Robert Nance of San Francisco-based guitar ensemble Mobius Trio are the featured artists for the on Thursday, Feb. 9, at 4 p.m. The trio, they’ve got one of the best music schools in second annual Fanfare Festival, which takes place Feb. 9-11. which features guitarists Robert Nance, the country, and (USM has) a pipeline of Mason Fish and Matthew Holmes-Linder, Latino people coming in, probably about formed in 2010 while the musicians were studying at the Boyer and Reynolds, who is no longer on the guild’s 25 students from Guatemala, Venezuela, Cuba even, MexSan Francisco Conservatory of Music. board, have known Sclater for many years, and Reynolds ico and so forth, that are just outstanding performers.”

On Friday, Feb. 10, the Mobius Trio will perform a even took a theory class that Sclater led at MC. When the The concert also hints at what’s to come thematically, concert at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Cathedral (305 E. Capi- guild decided to commission an original fanfare piece for as the guild plans on doing a Latin music-centered Fanfare tol St.) at 7:30 p.m. The group, which will focus on acous- the festival and the Mississippi bicentennial, Sclater was an Festival for 2018’s installment, although Boyer says he’s fotic renditions for the festival, is known for its blending of obvious choice, Boyer says. cusing on getting year two in the books before setting his genres, often tackling styles such as classical, bebop, punk, For those unfamiliar with the term “fanfare,” don’t ex- sites on the future. folk and hardcore in a single performance. pect a lengthy composition. Sclater’s new work is about 45 “I don’t know what it’s going to be yet,” he says, “but

The group has commissioned pieces from many ac- seconds long, which was very much the intent, Boyer says. we’ve got a lot of time.” complished composers, including Latin Grammy-winning “It opens your ears, opens your eyes, and then you The 2017 Fanfare Festival takes place Feb. 9-11. All guitarist Sergio Assad and composer and vocalist Nick Va- play something else, or something else goes on,” he says. events are free except for the Mobius Trio and USM School sallo, a founding father of deathcore music.

“You don’t want something very long. It’s just to draw at- of Music concerts, which are each $10 or free for students. For

The festival’s biggest day, Saturday, Feb. 11, kicks off tention and excite you a little bit.” more information, visit mscmg.net.

Don’t forget to order sweets for your sweetie!

36

1491 Canton Mart Rd. • Jackson, Mississipp Mississippi • 601.956.7079

6270 Old Canton Rd, Jackson, MS 39211 (601) 487-8144 Happy Hour: 3 pm - 2 am 2 x 1 Margaritas 2 x 1 16 oz Draft Beer

Music of the

Get ready to go retro with vocalists Five By Design!

M I S S I S S I P P I

Tickets $18 & up / 601.960.1565

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Based on the DreamWorks Animation Motion Picture

Book by Kevin Del Aguila

Original Music and Lyrics by George Noriega & Joel Someillan

January 24-February 5, 2017 Directed by Francine Thomas Reynolds Musical Director Harlan Zackery, Jr.

For tickets: 601-948-3531 or newstagetheatre.com Sponsored by

MADAGASCAR TYA is presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International (MTI).

All authorized performance materials are also supplied by MTI, 421 West 54th Street, New York, NY 10019 Tel.:(212) 541-4684 Fax: (212) 397-4684 www.MTIShows.com

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A Dozen Roses $65 Half-Dozen Roses $45 Flowers & Trufï¬&#x201A;es $55 Mixed Spring Design $35 DELIVERY $10

37

Music listings are due noon Monday to be included in print and online listings: music@jacksonfreepress.com.

FEB. 1 - WEDNESDAY

COMING UP

_________________________

WEDNESDAY 2/1

Wednesday, February 1

DYLAN LEBLANC sam mooney

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Restaurant - Free _________________________

THURSDAY 2/2

JERRY BROOKS DUO Restaurant - Free

new album: “it’s a near flawless record, cohesive and self-assured” - no depression

Saturday, February 4

LUTHI AND FIDES Red Room - 9pm

Tickets:$5 advance $10 at the door Order tickets by phone at 877-987-6487 There will be a $3 upcharge for persons under 21 _________________________

FRIDAY 2/3

SWING DE PARIS

Restaurant - Free _________________________

JARED & THE MILL empty atlas

southwestern indie rock band formed in phoenix, arizona, whose music is influenced by their home’s blend of cultures

Tuesday, February 7

SATURDAY 2/4

NEON PAINT PARTY

PRESENTED BY DJ ROZZ & ENOUGH SAID EVENTS MISSISSIPPI This event is 18+ to enter and 21+ to drink! $20 entry which includes free glow items! _________________________

FRED EAGLESMITH Traveling Steam Show

canadian alternative country singer-songwriter

Thursday, February 9

RUNAWAY JUNE michigan rattlers

organic, three-part female harmonies, ringing strings and stories that speak the language of moden women

•••••••••••••• Thank You! For Voting Duling Hall

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BLUE MONDAY Restaurant - 7 - 10pm

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Alumni House - Pearl Jamz 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Char - Tommie Vaughn 6 p.m.

Duling Hall - Dylan LeBlanc w/ Sam Mooney 7:30 p.m. $8 advance $12 door ardenland.net Fitzgerald’s - Hunter Gibson & Rick Moreira 7:30 p.m.

Hal & Mal’s - Mark Roemer & Jamies Weems (rest.)

Kathryn’s - Larry Brewer & Doug Hurd 6:30 p.m. free Pelican Cove - Open Mic w/ Stace Shook 6 p.m.

Shucker’s - Silverado 7:30 p.m. free

FEB. 2 - THURSDAY Burgers & Blues - Jesse Smith Char - Tommie Vaughn 6 p.m.

F. Jones Corner - Blues Challenge w/ Dexter Allen 10 p.m.

Fitzgerald’s - Johnny Crocker & Jeff Reynolds 7:30 p.m.

Georgia Blue, Flowood - Aaron Coker 6 p.m.

Hal & Mal’s - Jerry Brooks Duo (rest.); Luthi w/ Fides 9 p.m. $5 advance $10 door ardenland.net Iron Horse Grill - Brian Jones 6 p.m.

Kathryn’s - Amanda Jones 6:30 p.m. free Martin’s - The Vegabonds w/ Alex Fraser 9 p.m.

Pelican Cove - Acoustic Crossroads 6 p.m.

Shucker’s - Larry Brewer & Doug Hurd 7:30 p.m. free Soulshine, Flowood - Ron Etheridge 7 p.m.

Sylvia’s - Thursday Night Live feat.

The Blues Man & Sunshine McGhee 9 p.m. free Thalia Mara Hall - Tribute to Gospel Music feat. Shirley Caesar, Beverly Crawford, Vanessa Bell Armstrong & Le’Andria Johnson 7 p.m. $25-$65

FEB. 3 - FRIDAY Burgers & Blues - Three-Hour Tour Castlewoods Country Club - Linda Blackwell & James Bailey 6-9 p.m. free Char - Ronnie Brown 6 p.m.

F. Jones Corner - The Blues Man 10 p.m. $1 Fitzgerald’s - Ronnie McGee & Andrew Pates 7:30 p.m.

Freelon’s - First Friday feat. DJ Traci Steele 10 p.m.

Georgia Blue, Flowood - Andy Tanas Hal & Mal’s - Swing de Paris (rest.) free The Hideaway - Sledgehammer 10 p.m.

Iron Horse Grill - Chris Gill 9 p.m.

Kathryn’s - Acoustic Crossroads 7 p.m. free Martin’s - Universal Sigh 10 p.m.

McB’s - Fannin Landin’ 8 p.m.midnight Next Level Experience - First Friday feat. DJ Finesse 9 p.m.-2 a.m.

Offbeat - Die With Nature, Jig the Alien, Stonewalls & Empty Atlas 9 p.m.

Pelican Cove - Jonathan Alexander 6 p.m.

Pop’s Saloon - Aaron Coker Band 9 p.m.

Shucker’s - Crocker & Reynolds 5:30 p.m. free; Hairicane 8 p.m. $5; Brian Jones 10 p.m. free Soulshine, Flowood - Southern Grass 7 p.m.

Soulshine, Ridgeland - Ron Etheridge 7 p.m.

WonderLust - DJ Taboo 8 p.m.2 a.m.

Thalia Mara Hall - MS Symphony Orchestra’s “Pops II: Music of the Madmen Era” feat. Five by Design 7:30 p.m. $15-$49 WonderLust - Drag Performance & Dance Party feat. DJ Taboo 8 p.m.-3 a.m. free before 10 p.m.

FEB. 4 - SATURDAY

FEB. 6 - MONDAY

Burgers & Blues - Jon & Angela 6 p.m.

Center Stage - Jonte Mayon & 4everElisha 9 p.m. $10 admission $15 reserved seating

Belhaven Center for the Arts - The Vienna Boys Choir 7:30 p.m.

Char - Tommie Vaughn 6 p.m.

Fitzgerald’s - Johnny Crocker 7:30 p.m.

Hal & Mal’s - Central MS Blues Society (rest) 7 p.m.

Kathryn’s - Joseph LaSalla 6:30 p.m. free Offbeat - Young & Heartless, Museum Mouth & Kississippi 7-10 p.m. $10 all ages

COURTESY SHIRLEY CAESAR

MUSIC | live

Shirley Caesar Duling Hall - Jared & The Mill w/ Empty Atlas 9 p.m. $10 ardenland.net F. Jones Corner - Big Money Mel & Small Change Wayne 10 p.m. $1; The Bailey Brothers midnight $10 Georgia Blue, Flowood - Brandon Greer The Hideaway - The Lacs 8:30 p.m. $20 advance $25 door Iron Horse Grill - 19th Street Red 9 p.m.

Kathryn’s - Fade2Blue 7 p.m. free Martin’s - Naughty Professor 10 p.m.

Pelican Cove - Jason Turner 6 p.m.

Pop’s Saloon - Radio Romance 9 p.m.

Shucker’s - Acoustic Crossroads 3:30 p.m. free; Hairicane 8 p.m. $5; Jonathan Alexander 10 p.m. free Soulshine, Flowood - Crooked Creek 7 p.m.

Soulshine, Ridgeland - Barry Leach 7 p.m.

Spacecamp - Launch Party feat.

Dream Cult, El Obo, Bob Chiz & Bad Magic 7 p.m. $5

2/2 - August Burns Red - House of Blues, New Orleans 2/3 - Sammy Adams - Rick’s Cafe, Starkville 2/4 - Angel Olsen - Republic NOLA, New Orleans 2/6 - Hiss Golden Messengter - Proud Larry’s, Oxford

FEB. 5 - SUNDAY Anjou - Sunday Brunch feat. David Keary 11:30 a.m.

Char - Big Easy Three 11 a.m.; Tommie Vaughn 6 p.m.

Pelican Cove - Ronnie Brown 11 a.m.; Hunter GIbson & Ronnie McGee 4 p.m.

Shucker’s - Andrew Pates 3:30 p.m. free Table 100 - Jazz Brunch feat.

Raphael Semmes Trio 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Wellington’s - Andy Hardwick 11 a.m.

FEB. 7 - TUESDAY Char - Tommie Vaughn 6 p.m.

Duling Hall - Fred Eaglesmith Traveling Steam Show 7:30 p.m. $15 advance $20 door ardenland.net Fenian’s - Open Mic Fitzgerald’s - Doug Hurd & Chris Link 7:30 p.m.

Kathryn’s - Stace & Cassie 6:30 p.m. free Martin’s - The Funky Knuckles 9 p.m.

St. Philip’s Episcopal Church - The Musical Europe feat. Hesperion XXI & Jordi Savall 4 p.m.

FEB. 8 - WEDNESDAY Alumni House - Doug Bishop 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Char - Tommie Vaughn 6 p.m.

Fitzgerald’s - Sonny Brooks & Chris Houchin 7:30 p.m.

Hal & Mal’s - New Bourbon Street Jazz (rest.)

Kathryn’s - Gator Trio 6:30 p.m. free Pelican Cove - Open Mic w/ Stace Shook 6 p.m.

Shucker’s - Sofa Kings 7:30 p.m. free

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February 1 - 7, 2017 • jfp.ms

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39

BY MATT JONES

43 Brando’s Nebraska birthplace 45 Word before clock or glass 46 “Match Game” emcee Rayburn 47 Dressing places?

49 Brunch drink orders, maybe 50 Small bills 51 Bouncy 53 Ancient road to Rome 55 “Do you sit there and watch your fish swim around? Ask your doctor if ___ is right for you.”

59 AL East athlete 63 Fool’s cap wearer 64 “Do you wish you lived on a massive rock at the southern tip of Europe?

Ask your doctor if ___ is right for you.”

66 Mischievous pranks 67 “Garfield” drooler 68 Luxury rental 69 Packs (away) 70 Sloth and avarice, for two 71 “Raiders of the Lost Ark” creatures

32 Place of refuge 33 Make up (for) 34 Palindromic pair 37 Eggplant or smiley, e.g.

40 Reputation hurter 41 Available, as retail goods 44 Gets angry against Bart Simpson’s wishes 46 Silverback, for one 48 ___ Lanka 52 Often-mocked cars of the 1980s 54 A goal of NOW 55 Throws in

56 Give up 57 Rescind 58 Skirt length 60 ___ Day and the Knights (“Animal House” band) 61 Item on a bedside table 62 First asteroid landed on by a NASA craft 65 Bulk foods container ©2016 Jonesin’ Crosswords (editor@ jonesincrosswords.com)

For answers to this puzzle, call: 1-900-226-2800, 99 cents per minute. Must be 18+. Or to bill to your credit card, call: 1-800 655-6548. Reference puzzle #809.

BY MATT JONES Last Week’s Answers

Down

“Ask Your Doctor” —these sound like legit meds.

Across

1 “Dracula” novelist Stoker 5 Rapper ___ Flocka Flame 9 Fundamental principle 14 Brain division 15 European auto brand 16 Desist’s companion 17 “Do you eat chocolate all day long?

Ask your doctor if ___ is right for you.”

19 Address the crowd 20 Role-playing game in the “Elder Scrolls” series 21 “Do you say things that are selfcontradictory? Ask your doctor if ___ is right for you.”

23 Agcy. under Elaine Chao, once 25 Concert boosters 26 Some butter 29 “The Mikado” costume element 31 Greetings from Hawaii 35 Albany-to-Buffalo canal 36 Important part of a news story that might get “buried” 38 Hearten 39 Fish and chips fish 40 “Do you watch movies on ancient technology? Ask your doctor if ___ is right for you.”

42 News and opinion website since 2014

1 Crunchy sandwiches 2 Corner piece 3 “Dear” advice columnist 4 Place of ’90s TV 5 Hypothetical space-time shortcut 6 Abbr. on military mail 7 Gambling game played with 80 balls 8 Amazon Echo’s voice service 9 Riboflavin’s group 10 Deodorant option 11 Coal valley in Germany 12 Math ratio words 13 Out in public 18 Frozen water, in Wittenberg 22 1950s singing star ___ Sumac 24 Encourages a felon 26 Bill of cowboy legend 27 Appetite stimulant 28 Music streaming service since 2014 30 State with an upright panhandle

“Kaidoku”

Each of the 26 letters of the alphabet is represented in this grid by a number between 1 and 26. Using letter frequency, word-pattern recognition and the numbers as your guides, fill in the grid with well-known English words (HINT: since a Q is always followed by a U, try hunting down the Q first). Only lowercase, unhyphenated words are allowed in kaidoku, so you won’t see anything like STOCKHOLM or LONG-LOST in here (but you might see AFGHAN, since it has an uncapitalized meaning, too). Now stop wasting my precious time and SOLVE! psychosudoku@gmail.com

GRAZIE ROA

Last Week’s Answers

y'all !

STED IN

MISSISSIPPI

February 1 - 7, 2017 • jfp.ms

C U P S E S P R E S S O C A F E.C O M

40

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AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):

Who would have guessed that Aquarian Charles Darwin, the pioneering theorist of evolution, had a playful streak? He once placed a male flower’s pollen under a glass along with an unfertilized female flower to see if anything interesting would happen. “That’s a fool’s experiment,” he confessed to a colleague. “But I love fools’ experiments. I am always making them.” Now would be an excellent time for you to consider trying some fools’ experiments of your own, Aquarius. I bet at least one of them will turn out to be both fun and productive.

In Shakespeare’s play “MacBeth,” three witches brew up a spell in a cauldron. Among the ingredients they throw in there is the “eye of newt.” Many modern people assume this refers to the optical organ of a salamander, but it doesn’t.

It’s actually an archaic term for “mustard seed.” When I told my Piscean friend John about this, he said, “Damn! Now I know why Jessica didn’t fall in love with me.” He was making a joke about how the love spell he’d tried hadn’t worked.

Let’s use this as a teaching story, Pisces. Could it be that one of your efforts failed because it lacked some of the correct ingredients? Did you perhaps have a misunderstanding about the elements you needed for a successful outcome? if so, correct your approach and try again.

ARIES (March 21-April 19):

Once upon a time, Calvin of the “Calvin and Hobbes” comic strip made this bold declaration: “Happiness isn’t good enough for me! I demand euphoria!” Given your current astrological aspects, Aries, I think you have every right to invoke that battle cry yourself. From what I can tell, there’s a party underway inside your head. And I’m pretty sure it’s a healthy bash, not a decadent debacle. The bliss it stirs up will be authentic, not contrived. The release and relief it triggers won’t be trivial and transitory, but will generate at least one long-lasting breakthrough.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20):

The coming weeks will be an excellent time to ask for favors. I think you will be exceptionally adept at seeking out people who can actually help you. Furthermore, those from whom you request help will be more receptive than usual.

Finally, your timing is likely to be close to impeccable.

Here’s a tip to aid your efforts: A new study suggests that people are more inclined to be agreeable to your appeals if you address their right ears rather than their left ears.

(More info: tinyurl.com/intherightear)

processed into food. But there was a problem: Because the cod were so sluggish during the long trips, their meat was mushy and tasteless. The solution? Add catfish to the tanks. That energized the cod and ultimately made them more flavorful. Moral of the story, according to Joost and Schulman: Like the cod, humans need catfish-like companions to stimulate them and keep them sharp. Do you have enough influences like that in your life, Leo? Now is a good time to make sure you do.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):

The city of Boston allows an arts organization called Mass Poetry to stencil poems on sidewalks. The legal graffiti is done with a special paint that remains invisible until it gets wet. So if you’re a pedestrian trudging through the streets as it starts to rain, you may suddenly behold, emerging from the blank grey concrete, Langston Hughes’ poem “Still Here” or Fred Marchant’s “Pear Tree In Flower.” I foresee a metaphorically similar development in your life, Virgo: a pleasant and educational surprise arising unexpectedly out of the vacant blahs.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):

When he was in the rock band Devo, Mark Mothersbaugh took his time composing and recording new music. From 1978 to 1984, he and his collaborators averaged one album per year. But when Mothersbaugh started writing soundtracks for the weekly TV show “Pee-Wee’s Playhouse,” his process went into overdrive. He typically wrote an entire show’s worth of music each Wednesday and recorded it each Thursday. I suspect you have that level of creative verve right now, Libra. Use it wisely! If you’re not an artist, channel it into the area of your life that most needs to be refreshed or reinvented.

Here are your five words of power for the next two weeks, Gemini. 1. Unscramble. Invoke this verb with regal confidence as you banish chaos and restore order. 2. Purify.

Be inspired to cleanse your motivations and clarify your intentions. 3. Reach. Act as if you have a mandate to stretch out, expand and extend yourself to arrive in the right place.

4. Rollick. Chant this magic word as you activate your drive to be lively, carefree and frolicsome. 5. Blithe. Don’t take anything too personally, too seriously or too literally.

CANCER (June 21-July 22):

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):

The 17th-century German alchemist Hennig Brand collected 1,500 gallons of urine from beer-drinkers, then cooked and re-cooked it till it achieved the “consistency of honey.”

Why? He thought his experiment would eventually yield large quantities of gold. It didn’t, of course. But along the way, he accidentally produced a substance of great value: phosphorus. It was the first time anyone had created a pure form of it. So in a sense, Brand “discovered” it. Today phosphorus is widely used in fertilizers, water treatment, steel production, detergents and food processing. I bring this to your attention, my fellow Cancerian, because I suspect you will soon have a metaphorically similar experience. Your attempt to create a beneficial new asset will not generate exactly what you wanted, but will nevertheless yield a useful result.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):

In the documentary movie “Catfish,” the directors, Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman, present a metaphor drawn from the fishing industry. They say that Asian suppliers used to put live codfish in tanks and send them to overseas markets. It was only upon arrival that the fish would be

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SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):

Many vintage American songs remain available today because of the pioneering musicologist, John Lomax. In the first half of the 20th century, he traveled widely to track down and record obscure cowboy ballads, folk songs and traditional African American tunes. “Home on the Range” was a prime example of his many discoveries. He learned that song, often referred to as “the anthem of the American West,” from a black saloonkeeper in Texas. I suggest we make Lomax a role model for you Scorpios during the coming weeks. It’s an excellent time to preserve and protect the parts of your past that are worth taking with you into the future.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20):

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R12 collecting dust in your garage? We Digital Media Intern buy cylinders and cases of cans of R12 Jackson Free Press seeks a part-time digital freon! Call for pickup (312)291-9169 sell@ media intern for content creation, SEO tasks, refrigerantfinders.com website editing and e-mail newsletter creation and support. This paid, hourly position is flexible and can be designed around classwork 1999 Chevrolet Silverado In excellent condition, 158,000 miles, 8 or other work for the right candidate. Write Cylinders, Automatic transmission, $ 2100. todd at jacksonfreepress dot com with your all: 8023681861 resume and your availability.

The mountain won’t come to you. It will not acquire the supernatural power to drag itself over to where you are, bend its craggy peak down to your level and give you a free ride as it returns to its erect position. So what will you do?

Moan and wail in frustration? Retreat into a knot of helpless indignation and sadness? Please don’t. Instead, stop hoping for the mountain to do the impossible. Set off on a journey to the remote, majestic pinnacle with a fierce song in your determined heart. Pace yourself. Doggedly master the art of slow, incremental magic.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):

Who can run faster, a person or a horse? There’s evidence that under certain circumstances, a human can prevail. In June of every year since 1980, the Man Versus Horse Marathon has taken place in the Welsh town of Llanwrtyd Wells.

The route of the race weaves 22 miles through marsh, bogs and hills. On two occasions, a human has outpaced all the horses. According to my astrological analysis, you Capricorns will have that level of animalistic power during the coming weeks. It may not take the form of foot speed, but it will be available as stamina, energy, vitality and instinctual savvy.

Homework: Even if you don’t send it, write a letter to the person you admire most. Share it with me at Truthrooster@gmail.com.

February 1 - 7, 2017 • jfp.ms

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):

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Maywood Mart, 1220 E Northside Dr #380, Jackson, (601)362-9553 Small batch confections do more than satisfy a sweet tooth, they foster fond traditions and strong relationships. Plus, enjoy sno-balls, gifts for any occasion and more!

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Maywood Mart, 1220 E Northside Dr #320, Jackson, (601)366-5676 McDade’s Wine and Spirits offers Northeast Jackson’s largest showroom of fine wine and spirits. Visit to learn about the latest offerings and get professional tips from the friendly staff!

Playtime Entertainment

1009 Hampstead Blvd, Clinton, (601)926-1511 Clinton’s newest high energy video gaming and sports grille destination.

-------------------- TOURISM/ARTS ----------------------Mississippi Museum of Art

380 South Lamar St. Jackson, (601) 960-1515 MMA strives to be a fountainhead attracting people from all walks to discuss the issues and glories of the past and present, while continuing to inspire progress in the future.

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Ardenland

2906 North State St. Suite 207, Jackson, (601) 292-7121 Jackson’s premiere music promoter with concerts around the Metro including at Duling Hall in Fondren. www.ardenland.net

February 1 - 7, 2017 • jfp.ms

Natural Science Museum

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2148 Riverside Dr, Jackson, (601) 576-6000 Stop by the museum and enjoy their 300-acre natural landscape, an open-air amphitheater, along with 2.5 miles of nature trails. Inside, meet over 200 living species in the 100,000 gallon aquarium network.

Mississippi Children's Museum

2145 Museum Boulevard, Jackson, (601) 981-5469 The Mississippi Children’s Museum provides unparalleled experiences that ignite a thirst for discovery, knowledge and learning in all children through hands-on and engaging exhibits and programs focusing on literacy, the arts, science, health and nutrition.

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4400 Old Canton Rd, Jackson, (769) 230-4648 Barnette’s specializes in custom hair color as well as beautiful precision cuts.

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