MISSISSIPPI ELECTION
Trump and Clinton win presidential primaries in Mississippi
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton won the presidential primaries Tuesday in Mississippi.
The Clinton win continues the former secretary of state’s strong performance in the South, fueled by the heavy support of African-American voters.
Trump gained a huge margin among Republicans who wanted a candidate who “tells it like it is,” while Ted Cruz ran strong among people who identify as very conservative and those wanting a candidate who shares their values, according to early results of exit polls conducted by Edison Research for The Associated Press and television networks.
Early results of the exit polls also showed black voters overwhelmingly chose Clinton over Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. She also won a sizeable majority among white voters, who were about a third of overall Democratic primary voters Tuesday.
Before Tuesday, Clinton had won primaries in every state that neighbors Mississippi.
MISSISSIPPI ELECTION-THE LATEST
The Latest: Kelly wins GOP nomination in 1st District
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – First-term U.S. Rep. Trent Kelly has won a Republican primary in north Mississippi’s 1st District.
Kelly, who lives in Tupelo, defeated Paul Clover of Olive Branch in Tuesday’s primary.
Kelly is a former district attorney who won a June 2015 special election to fill a vacancy left by the death of Republican Rep. Alan Nunnelee.
Clover, a Navy veteran, was making his first run for public office.
Kelly will face three challengers in November. Jacob Owens is a Democrat, Chase Wilson is a Libertarian and Cathy L. Toole is with the Reform Party.
CONFEDERATE FLAG-MISSISSIPPI
SC lawmaker: Remove rebel emblem from Mississippi flag
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – A South Carolina lawmaker is joining other black leaders in calling for Mississippi to change the last state flag that includes the Confederate battle emblem.
Democratic Rep. Justin Bamberg spoke Tuesday to more than 200 people for a change-the-flag rally outside the Mississippi Capitol. He says Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant can look to a Republican colleague – South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley – for courage on dealing with the issue.
Haley and South Carolina lawmakers removed a Confederate battle flag from the Statehouse lawn in Columbia last summer after nine black worshippers were massacred at a church in Charleston. The white man charged in the attack had previously posed for photos with a rebel flag.
A federal lawsuit filed last week seeks to force Mississippi to change its banner.
FATAL SHOOTING
No charges in teen’s death in Jasper County
LAUREL, Miss. (AP) – Jasper County investigators say the person arrested in connection with the weekend shooting death of a teenager will not face any charges.
Capt. Robert Morris tells WDAM-TV on Tuesday that the teen’s death has been ruled accidental.
The teenager, who was taken into custody Monday, has since been released.
Authorities were called to a mobile home in the Moss Community after a 911 call came in around 8:45 p.m. Sunday. Morris says the incident happened during a party. Morris said there was no altercation at the party, and about eight people were in attendance.
Authorities aren’t releasing the names of the victim, or the teenager who was questioned.
MISSISSIPPI ELECTION-STATE SENATE
Hosemann: Some voters mistakenly get special election ballot
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – Mississippi officials say some Madison County voters were mistakenly given ballots to vote in a special state election.
Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann, in a news release Tuesday, said an erroneous database affected voters in five precincts, some of whom were not eligible to vote in the Senate District 25 special election.
Former Sen. Walter Michel, of Ridgeland, and Bill Billingsley, of Madison, are running for the seat. The winner will fill the vacancy created when Will Longwitz was appointed by Gov. Phil Bryant to a Madison County court judgeship.
If the candidates contest the results, Hosemann tells WAPT-TV It will be up to the Madison County Election Commission to decide how to address the issue.
TUPELO-AIR SERVICE
Air service flying out of Tupelo airport gets name
TUPELO, Miss. (AP) – The company that will be providing air service between Tupelo and Nashville has picked a name and plans to reveal more details of that service later this month.
The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reports Corporate Flight Management will be flying its nine-passenger, twin-engine Jetstream planes via its new brand, Contour Airlines, a move that received approval from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
CFM has hired six employees for Contour in Tupelo. Matt Chaifetz, the company’s CEO, said the start of air service will be announced March 22.
The company will be paid for the Tupelo-Nashville service through the federal Essential Air Service program, which will pay the airline nearly $4.3 million a year for two years.
HATTIESBURG-ART FACILITY
Old newspaper building could become arts facility
HATTIESBURG, Miss. (AP) – The former Hattiesburg American building in downtown Hattiesburg may soon have a new purpose and new tenants – if city officials can find the money to get on board with a renovation project.
During Monday’s meeting of the Hattiesburg City Council, The Hattiesburg American reports (http://hatne.ws/1ntnnRX) council members heard Hattiesburg Arts Council officials’ proposed plans for the building, which has been vacant since the newspaper moved in summer 2014 to a new location. Under the proposition, Hattiesburg physician David McKellar, the owner of the building, would donate the 35,000-square-foot building to the city.
If and when council accepts the offer of ownership, HAC officials would ask the city to pay about $1.2 million over the next three years to help turn the building into a new Center for Community Arts Education.
METAL DETECTORS-GULFPORT
Harrison County adds metal detectors outside board meetings
GULFPORT, Miss. (AP) – Anyone entering a Harrison County Board of Supervisors meeting will be required to pass through a metal detector, one of a series of steps the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department is taking to better secure the courthouses.
The Sun Herald reports Monday was the first day with the metal detector outside the meeting room on the first floor of the Harrison County Courthouse in Gulfport. A similar setup is being installed in the Biloxi courthouse as well.
Harrison County Sheriff’s officials said the move wasn’t in response to any specific threats.
Metal detectors have been at both courthouses to limit second-floor access, where the courtrooms are, since 2002.
Neither Jackson County nor Hancock County use metal detectors at board meetings.
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