Top Stories – Page 99 – The Mississippi Link

Ole Miss trailblazer, James Meredith to receive Harvard award

Dean Kathleen McCartney has announced that Civil Rights activist, author, and political adviser James Meredith will receive the Harvard Graduate School of Education Medal for Education Impact, the highest honor given by the school, and speak at the 2013 Convocationceremony on May 29.

“Just over 50 years ago, Mr. Meredith walked through the doors of the University of Mississippi, becoming the first African American to enroll in the previously segregated school. In doing so, he forced America to look in the mirror and become a better nation. Fifty years later, he is still working to address inequality in America’s schools,” McCartney said. “At HGSE we know that education is a civil right. James Meredith endured beatings and bullets to fight for that right. His courage and determination cannot be overstated. Today, we all walk in his footsteps and through the doors he opened.”

According to Meredith, the award will be the first he has accepted in 50 years. […]

Woman found shot to death in Duck Hill home

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Residents of Duck Hill were shaken Friday night when a young woman was found shot to death in her home in the 700 block of Melissa Circle. Shayla Miers, 23, was pronounced dead at the scene by Montgomery County Assistant Coroner James Wagner.

Montgomery County Sheriff Jerry “Bubba” Nix said Miers had been shot multiple times.

Nix said the Miers’ mother made the grim discovery.

“Her mother came in the house and found her around 6:30 on the living room floor,” he said.

Nix said Miers lived in the home with her parents and her 5-year-old daughter. […]

Civil rights activist, Euvester Simpson, among those to get Hamer Award

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Civil rights activist, Euvester Simpson, who was just a teenager when she was jailed with Fannie Lou Hamer in Winona, Miss. in 1963, is one of five people who will be honored by The Fannie Lou Hamer Institute on April 19 at Jackson State University.

The four other humanitarian award recipients are:

Rev. John Earl Cameron of Jackson, a civil rights activist who ran for Congress in 1963; Alvin O. Chambliss, an attorney who represented Jake Ayer Sr. in the landmark lawsuit over desegregation in Mississippi’s higher education system; Jackson attorney Robert McDuff, whose work has include voting rights issues, civil rights and criminal law; and Nsombi Lambright, director of Resource Development and Communications for One Voice and former director of the Mississippi ACLU. […]

State auditor recovers $19k for Vicksburg

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State Auditor Stacey Pickering presented a check for $19,416.10 to officials with the City of Vicksburg. This recovery follows an investigation into embezzlement of public funds by former Assistant City Clerk, Katrina McCloud. The amount recovered includes $18,842.53 in total funds embezzled and $573.57 in interest expense.

“In light of the recent headlines in Warren County, I am pleased that the Office of the State Auditor can provide some positive news to the City of Vicksburg,” said State Auditor Stacey Pickering. “The money returned…should restore funds that the City can use for the betterment of its future.” […]

Video shows suspect killing police detective

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Details continue to emerge into the shooting death of a Jackson police detective and the suspect he was questioning. Detective Eric Smith, 40, was killed in the line of duty early Thursday evening while questioning 23-year-old Jeremy Powell. Powell was being charged with April 1 murder of Christopher Alexander.

Alexander was found dead on Greenwood Avenue near Daniel Lake Boulevard early April 1. He had been stabbed to death.

The Associated Press (AP) said authorities have a video from the police interrogation room that shows Powell shot Smith to death before killing himself with the officer’s gun. […]

Miss. lawmakers OK partially state-funded pre-K

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Mississippi government would directly fund a limited preschool program for the first time under a bill on its way to Gov. Phil Bryant.

The House and Senate on Tuesday passed Senate Bill 2395, which would send money to regional groups of preschool providers. The House favored the measure 97-17, while the Senate voted for it 37-11.

The state would create a preschool program that could serve 1,325 4-year-olds in its first year, using a $3 million appropriation. Groups of preschool providers would have to apply for grants and would use private donations, federal money or other funds to match the state money. […]

Murder suspect shoots cop dead inside police station

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A murder suspect being interviewed at the Jackson police headquarters shot a detective Thursday and those who came to investigate the gunfire found both men dead, authorities said.

The suspect, who was not identified, was being questioned on the third floor of the building when the shooting happened, Police Chief Rebecca Coleman said.

Police did not release any details on the sequence of what happened but scheduled a news conference for later Thursday night.

The officer was identified as Eric Smith, a homicide detective. […]

Concerted effort to reduce crime in central Mississippi

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Operation Bunny Hop a major success

By Othor Cain

Special to The Mississippi Link

Hinds County Sheriff Tyrone Lewis described ‘Operation Bunny Hop’ as a major success as the operation wrapped up a fourth year over the past Easter weekend…. […]

Reed moves to Mississippi SBA district office in Jackson

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The Mississippi Link Newswire

Gary K. Reed, branch manager in the Small Business Administration (SBA) Gulfport office since 2011 has been selected as the new deputy district director for the U.S. SBA in Mississippi. As deputy district director, Reed will be second in command and responsible for supervising the activities of 12 employees in the Mississippi District located in Jackson and Gulfport branch offices…. […]

Healthcare CEOs join volunteers at Habitat Build

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By Peggy Hampton

Special to The Mississippi Link

Healthy homes build healthy communities. That’s why four major health care institutions in the Metro Jackson area are joining together to build a healthy home for a local family.

This is the first time health care institutions in the area have collaborated to build a Habitat for Humanity/Metro Jackson home…. […]