May 2013 – Page 6 – The Mississippi Link

Miss. mayoral primaries narrow candidate fields

May 9, 2013 Kermit 0

Most Mississippi cities elect mayors this year, and party primaries Tuesday narrowed the fields of candidates.

Primary runoffs are May 21. The general election is June 4, with mayoral terms beginning July 1. A candidate must win 50 percent plus one to avoid a runoff, and otherwise the top two vote-getters advance.

In Vicksburg, The Vicksburg Post was reporting late Tuesday that Rep. George Flaggs, Jr., was easily leading five other Democratic candidates with all 11 precincts reporting. Unofficial results showed Flaggs had 2,590 votes, Linda Fondren had 1,515 and first-term Mayor Paul Winfield had 402. […]

4 incumbents out in south Mississippi

May 9, 2013 Kermit 0

Four incumbent south Mississippi mayors have lost their re-election bids.

WLOX reports that Gautier Mayor Tommy Fortenberry lost his Republican primary to Gordon Gollott. Gollott faces independent Edward Harding in the general election.

Mayor Jerry Alexander lost in Wiggins; Joel Miles won the GOP nomination there. […]

FBI agents arrest Canton alderman

May 9, 2013 Kermit 0

FBI spokesperson Deborah Madden confirmed Canton Alderman Louis Smith, who represents Ward 4, was arrested by agents at 2:30 Wednesday afternoon, WLBT reported.

Sheila Wilbanks of the U.S. Attorney’s Office wouldn’t confirm the specific charges against Smith but said a court hearing is scheduled for 1:30 Thursday afternoon. […]

List of Alcorn Commencement celebrities grows, Omarosa Manigault to attend

May 9, 2013 Kermit 0

The Reverend Omarosa Manigault, former star of the “Apprentice” and fiancée of the late Oscar-nominated star of “The Green Mile”, Michael Clarke Duncan will attend Alcorn’s 2013 Commencement Convocation.

Alcorn announced in March that Marc H. Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League – the nation’s largest civil rights organization, will deliver the 142nd Commencement Convocation remarks on Saturday, May 11 at 8:30 a.m. in the Davey L. Whitney HPER Complex. The Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degrees will be presented to Morial during the ceremony.

During the Commencement Convocation President M. Christopher Brown II will bestow five President’s Honorarii Alcornite Societatis Awards. The awards are given in recognition of an individual’s “distinguished service within their profession, discipline or other human endeavor.” Selection requires sufficient evidence of both “the knowledge and character emblematic of Alcornites, as well as a demonstrated interest and commitment to the University,” explained President Brown. […]

Manning granted stay of execution due to ‘flawed’ hair analysis

May 8, 2013 Kermit 0

A death row inmate convicted of killing two college students in December 1992 has been issued a stay of execution after his attorneys raised doubts as to what they call ‘new evidence.’

Willie Jerome “Fly” Manning had been scheduled to die by lethal injection on Tuesday, May 7 at 6 p.m. But just before 2 p.m., Mississippi Department of Corrections Commissioner (MDOC) Christopher Epps told a room of people waiting to witness the execution that Manning had been granted a stay by the Mississippi Supreme Court.

Manning was convicted for the brutal murders of Mississippi State University Students Tiffany Miller and Jon Steckler in Oktibbeha County. […]

Jackson mayor Harvey Johnson defeated in primary

May 8, 2013 Kermit 1

Local businessman Jonathan Lee will face city Councilman Chokwe Lumumba in a May 21 primary for the Democratic race for mayor.

Incumbent Mayor Harvey Johnson, who was facing 10 Democratic challengers on the ballot, conceded defeat Tuesday evening.

“I’m obviously disappointed in the results of the election, but this is the American way. We have to respect the Democratic process, we’ll do that and move forward,” Johnson said. “I’m looking at accomplishments. I’m looking at a legacy and I’m fairly sure whoever assumes the office of mayor in the next four years will build on that foundation we’ve built over the past 12 years.”

Businessman Jonathan Lee and Jackson Councilman Chokwe Lumumba advance to a mayoral runoff election on May 21. […]

Man killed after dispute at motorcycle show

May 8, 2013 Kermit 0

An Osyka man died after being shot Sunday during an apparent dispute over money.

Pike County Coroner Percy Pittman tells The Enterprise-Journal that Ladd B. Warren, 51, was pronounced dead shortly before 7 p.m.

Sheriff’s Detective Davis Haygood says Warren was shot once in the chest with a handgun.

Haygood says the shooting happened near the intersection of Pumping Station and Smith Alford roads. […]

1 teen dead, another missing after water sports accident

May 7, 2013 Kermit 0

One Pascagoula High School student is dead and another missing after an incident on the Pascagoula River Sunday. Caleb Sweeten was killed in a water skiing accident while his teammate Brandon Rich remains missing.

According to Jackson County Sheriff Mike Byrd, the accident occurred about 3:30 p.m. on the Pascagoula River, just north of the U.S. 90 bridge. Byrd says the teens were boogie boarding when one teen fell off and the other went into the water, WCBI reported.

Sweeten was a sophomore, a part-time starter at linebacker and was expected to start next football season, WCBI said. […]

Super load to move through State today

May 7, 2013 Kermit 0

The Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) has issued a permit allowing the Parrott Transport Company to move a 77.5 ton ‘super load’ through the southern part of Mississippi on Tuesday, May 7.

Beginning 30 minutes after sunrise, The Parrott Transport Company will move an 80 foot long, 20 foot wide, and 13 foot, 6 inch high ‘upper structure’ from the Louisiana state line at Highway 26 to the Alabama state line at Interstate 20. Local law enforcement officers will be on scene to assist in escorting the load across the state. […]

Alcorn student turns “stumbling blocks into stepping stones”

May 7, 2013 Kermit 0

Rhonda Price’s road to graduation from Alcorn was not easy. But you will never guess that this smiling young lady with a beautiful singing voice had to overcome many obstacles and “turn stumbling blocks into stepping stones” to become one of the top students in the Department of Fine Arts, earn many awards and recognitions, and travel around the country with Alcorn State University’s Concert Choir performing and entertaining audiences of all ages.

A Detroit, Michigan native, Price came to Alcorn in 2004 as a freshman music performance major. She was happy to be here eagerly learning from her instructors, earning high grades, making friends and performing all over the state of Mississippi and across the nation.

“I was in my third year at Alcorn, when I got seriously sick,” shared Price. “I had to withdraw from school, go back to Detroit to have surgery and to be under the supervision of my dad.” […]