Statewide News – Page 34 – The Mississippi Link

Miss. governor says he'll sign DUI ignition bill

Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant intends to sign a bill aimed at strengthening laws against drunken driving, his spokesman said Monday.

The response from the Republican governor came the same day the American Beverage Institute, based in Washington, D.C., urged Bryant to veto House Bill 481.

The group said it represents 80 Mississippi restaurants. It said if the bill becomes law, it would be expensive to enforce and would create too much work for Mississippi probation officers.

The bill is expected to hit Bryant’s desk in the next several days. With his signature, the bill will become law July 1, 2014. […]

Funk Brothers get star on Hollywood Walk of Fame

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Grenada native and Motown superstar Eddie “Chank” Willis and Jack Ashford of the Funk Brothers were recently honored for their musical contributions with a star of the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

“We are happy to honor The Funk Brothers on the Hollywood Walk of Fame!” stated Hollywood Chamber of Commerce President/CEO, Leron Gubler. “Many of us grew up with their amazing hit songs which they performed with some of the biggest stars of Motown!”

Gubler and guest speakers Stevie Wonder, Ray Parker Jr. and Mickey Stevenson helped The Funk Brothers unveil the 2,493rd Star in the Category of Recording at 7065 Hollywood Boulevard across from the Live Nation Building. […]

MDOC commissioner Epps honored for leadership

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Mississippi Department of Corrections Commissioner (MDOC) Christopher B. Epps has been honored by one of Jackson’s most historic churches for his transformative and innovative leadership.

Epps was the recipient of Mount Helm Baptist Church Anchor Community Award in Government. He and seven other recipients were honored on March 29 at the 2013 Resurrection Gala and Community Anchor Awards Banquet at the Old Capitol Inn in Jackson. […]

Myrlie Evers brings message of peace, justice and dialogue to Millsaps

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Civil rights icon Myrlie Evers filled the Robert and Dee Leggett Special Events Center in the A. Boyd Campbell College Center on Friday. April 5 for the 2013 Rabbi Perry Nussbaum Lecture Series, urging students to embrace and recognize the history of social justice at Millsaps College, while remembering her past in the capital city.

“Millsaps has stood tall since the very beginning of (civil rights) dialogue sessions in Mississippi,” she said. “For those of you that are students here, enjoy each and every moment and take in all the knowledge that is provided to you.”

The lecture series, which is dedicated to men and women who have stood against racial bigotry and religious prejudice, was endowed by Dr. John D. Bower, a renal pioneer, in 2008 in honor of Nussbaum, rabbi at Beth Israel Congregation in Jackson from 1954 until 1974.
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Former Mendenhall police chief arrested for witness tampering

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Donald “Bruce” Barlow, 50, who served as the Mendenhall, Mississippi chief of police until Oct. 2010, has been arrested by special agents of the FBI.

The arrest took place on March 7, around 12 p.m. at his residence in Mendenhall pursuant to an indictment filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi.

While federal officials would not release the details of the allegations against Barlow, they said he is charged with extortion and witness tampering. The arrest follows an investigation by the FBI, with support from the Mississippi State Auditor’s Office and the Simpson County Sheriff’s Office. […]

Bolivar County nurse arrested for taking drugs from hospice patients

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A Bolivar County nurse has been arrested and charged with taking drugs from patients at the hospice center where she worked.

Linda T. Kittle, 56, of Cleveland, a registered nurse (RN) and formerly Director of Nursing at Grace Community Hospice in Hollandale, turned herself in to Bolivar County authorities on March 25.
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Agriculture Deputy Under Secretary attends rural job event

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In late March, Rural Development Deputy Under Secretary Doug O’Brien met with local and regional officials to discuss ways USDA can help businesses create jobs and stimulate local economies.

The United States Department of Agriculture remains focused on carrying out its mission, despite a time of significant budget uncertainty.

“I am proud to support and highlight the great work under way here to bring economic opportunity to Mississippi’s rural communities,” O’Brien said during a Rural Jobs and Innovation Accelerator event at Mississippi State University. “Public-private partnerships are some of the best ways to leverage resources for job creation and business development.” […]

SMCC seeks edge to lure honor students

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Southwest Mississippi Community College will offer students scoring 27 or 28 on the ACT full tuition and a $500 bookstore voucher beginning this fall.

The students must maintain a 3.0 grade point average to continue to receive free tuition.

SMCC President Steve Bishop told the Enterprise-Journal that the change was recently approved by the school’s board of trustees as a means of attracting honor students to the two-year school in Summit.

Bishop says students who score 29 and above will receive full tuition, room, meals and a $500 bookstore voucher, provided they maintain a 3.0 GPA. […]

Death row inmate opposes setting execution date

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Death row inmate Willie Jerome Manning has told the Mississippi Supreme Court that he has more arguments to make, meaning now is not the time to be setting an execution date sought by the attorney general’s office.

Manning was recently denied an appeal by the U.S. Supreme Court in the deaths of two college students. The attorney general’s office asked the Mississippi court to schedule the execution for April 24.

In a brief filed on April 1, Manning’s attorney said there are issues pending before the state high court. Manning is seeking a new trial, arguing that a jailhouse informant had recanted his testimony; that Manning’s trial attorney was ineffective; and that blacks were improperly kept off his trial jury. […]

New 'personhood' initiative proposed in Miss.

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Abortion opponents are pushing for another Mississippi ballot initiative that would define life as beginning at conception, coming less than two years after 58 percent of voters in the conservative state rejected a nearly identical proposal.

Sponsors who filed paperwork for a new initiative said they believe people were misled about the measure that was defeated in November 2011.

Opponents call the move a waste of time.
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