Better MS Report

David Hampton, editorial director, The Clarion-Ledger: The most contentious and divisive political issue in the country is abortion. It is a religious/moral/ethical issue that does not lend itself to logic, or reason, middle- ground compromise or practical politics. It also does not lend itself to voter initiatives, but that is what Mississippi voters face with [...]

The Clarion-Ledger: We might not want to call it the Mississippi Miracle just yet, but news that state revenue has perked up should end some “poor mouthing” by politicians that there won’t be enough money to adequately fund education next year. State government ended the fiscal year June 30 with about $62 million in the [...]

The Associated Press: A 39-year-old man is scheduled to plead guilty Monday in Mississippi in a telemarketing scam that allegedly targeted senior citizens around the country, telling them they had won cash prizes but had to pay taxes and fees to claim the money. Prosecutors say the scam netted tens of thousands of dollars from [...]

The Clarion-Ledger: The state’s watchdog group is questioning the Mississippi Department of Corrections’ oversight of the millions of dollars set aside to benefit the welfare of inmates. The PEER committee report, released Friday, doesn’t accuse MDOC of violating the law in the handling of the Inmate Welfare Fund. But PEER said MDOC, in at least [...]

The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal: Ten years after former Lee County Sheriff Harold Ray Presley was killed pursing a kidnapping suspect, his life and death are still providing life lessons to family and law enforcers. No one cherishes those lessons more than his nephew Brandon Presley and current Sheriff Jim Johnson. “He was more than [...]

The Clarion-Ledger: A judge has refused to throw out the indictment against Ethan Van Sice, charged with manslaughter in the death of a Madison-Ridgeland Academy teacher. Van Sice’s attorney, Bill Kirksey, recently argued that the indictment should be dismissed because he said it was “bare bones” and didn’t cite what negligent acts his client is [...]

The Clarion-Ledger: Rankin County pastor Brian Richardson and his son Jordan attended James Craig Anderson’s funeral Saturday, even though they had never met him. Anderson of Jackson died May 26 after allegedly being run down in front of Metro Inn Motel in Jackson by 18-year-old Deryl Dedmon of Rankin County. Police don’t have a motive [...]

THE NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI DAILY JOURNAL: A Monroe County man and former MSU professor was convicted in the murder of his wife following a five-day trial in Monroe County Circuit Court. David Parvin Jr., 71, was on trial for the Oct. 15, 2007 shooting death of his wife, Joyce B. Parvin. She was found dead while [...]

THE CLARION-LEDGER: Several questions from members of a packed audience during a Tuesday night political forum at Jackson City Hall focused on issues with the Hinds County jail. The forum, sponsored by Women for Progress, featured Democratic candidates for sheriff, circuit clerk and tax assessor. But the lion’s share of the attention was on the [...]

THE CLARION-LEDGER: Four men have been charged in connection with the theft of a Petal High School panther statue. The bronze statue, one of three at the school’s football stadium, was taken May 22. It had rested atop a brick pedestal and was almost 7 feet long and nearly 3 feet high. Jordan Thrash, 19, [...]