V13n30 Troubled Water Part II

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April 1 - 7, 2015 • jfp.ms

COURTESY LAMEES EL-SADEK

JACKSONIAN LAMEES EL-SADEK

L

amees El-sadek felt compelled to take action last February when a man shot and killed a Chapel Hill, N.C., family of three Muslims—Deah Barakat, Yusor Mohammad Abu-Salha and Razan Mohammed Abu-Salha—reportedly over a parking dispute. “Hearing about what happened at Chapel Hill gave me a sickening feeling,” El-sadek says.

She is a friend of Suzanne Barakat, Deah Barakat’s older sister. The sisters and their brother, Farris Barakat, are known in the American Muslim community for their activism. El-sadek says they have been fighting for a long time for equality in America.

El-sadek, 25, graduated from Millsaps College in 2011 with dual bachelor’s degrees, one in biology and a second in international health and economics. She earned a master’s degree in public health from Johns Hopkins University in 2013. Today, El-sadek works as an epidemiologist and evaluator for the Mississippi Department of Health.

She and fellow Muslim Millsaps alumnus Uzair Ali and senior Muzamil Khawaja reached out to Millsaps chaplain Christopher Donald to help organize an interfaith prayer for peace on the college campus. More than 120 people of all races, religions and ages attended the ceremony Feb. 21, which also dealt with recent issues in race relations.

“All the recent hate crimes based on religion that have been in the news, both in this

CONTENTS

country and internationally, made me see the need to host such an event,” El-sadek says.

Another factor that compelled El-sadek to organize the interfaith prayer was Duke University’s decision to cancel Muslim calls to prayer. Initially, Duke planned the prayers as a response to massive anti-Muslim sentiment following the Jan. 7 shooting at French satirical publication Charlie Hebdo. The school administration saw the calls to prayer as a way to reach the Muslim community and show that everyone was welcome at Duke. Instead, the university and its Muslim students received threats, and the administration reversed its decision within 24 hours of its announcement.

“I’m Muslim, and I’m American, and I feel very connected to this,” El-sadek says. “Anyone who is a human being in America and believes in our founding fathers should believe that all men and women are equal, (and) have rights and a responsibility to protect those rights for all Americans without exception. … Activism is the best response to fighting the empty feelings that come from the hatred shown by the attack at Chapel Hill and the outcry against religious equality at Duke University.”

El-sadek says that Millsaps has been a supporter of interfaith work for a long time, but before planning the event, she hadn’t met Donald. “It meant a lot to see a Christian man at a Christian facility organize such an event on behalf of the Muslim community,” El-sadek says.

—Dustin Cardon

Cover illustration by Kristin Brenemen

8 Looking for an Oasis

With the closure of a popular south Jackson grocery store, the people who depended on it are worried that their options for high-quality, healthy foods will dry up.

24 At the Chef’s Table

“… Isn’t that what a good meal should do? It brings folks together in a shared experience. At Chef’s Table (at 1908 Provisions), everyone enjoys the same dishes at the same time at a table with friends and strangers.”

—Julie Skipper, “Sitting at the Chef’s Table”

33 Have a ‘Night at the Museum’ Pieces in the Mississippi Museum of Art’s collection are coming to life.

April 1 - 7, 2015 • jfp.ms

4 ............................. EDITOR’S NOTE 6 ................................................ YOU 8 ............................................ TALKS 12 ................................ EDITORIAL 13 .................................... OPINION 15 ............................ COVER STORY 22 .................................... HITCHED 24 ......................................... FOOD 27 .............................. DIVERSIONS 28 ....................................... 8 DAYS 29 ...................................... EVENTS 30 ....................................... MUSIC 31 ....................... MUSIC LISTINGS 32 ..................................... SPORTS 35 .................................... PUZZLES 37 ....................................... ASTRO

COURTESY MMA; JULIE SKIPPER; COURTESY GAYLAND PRESTON

APRIL 1 - 7, 2015 | VOL. 13 NO. 30

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EDITOR’S note

by R.L. Nave, News Editor

An Open Letter to Our Teachers

I

was in remedial kindergarten. Every day after my regular kindergarten class, which ended around lunchtime, Mrs. Waterston sent me and some other kids to an adjoining classroom for 5-year-olds who needed a little extra learning help.

It was fun. That teacher—I think her name was Ms. Pearson—introduced me to zucchini. She also brought me books because I was the only kid in the class who could already read. I vaguely remember Ms. Pearson meeting with my mother one day and telling her that I didn’t need to be in the class because I was so smart. I don’t recall the resolution of that meeting except that I remained in the half-day class, so Ms. Pearson always brought me—and only me—books to read, presumably to keep me motivated, including one that used characters from the PBS show “The Letter People.” At the time, the olive-green and black book seemed to be the size and heft of a phone book, but it was one of my most cherished possessions then.

When I hear people talk about the state of public education and the need to purge bad teachers, it’s such a foreign concept to me. I don’t doubt for a second that there are bad teachers who just show up to collect a paycheck, but I can’t recall ever having a teacher who I didn’t believe cared deeply for all their students.

Some of the best include my secondgrade teacher, Mrs. Uhl (forgive me if that isn’t the proper spelling of her name; it was, after all, almost 30 years ago), who divided the class into three spelling groups.

The bluebirds were the top spellers. The redbirds were the mid-level spellers. The yellow birds were the spellers who needed the most help, but anyone who ever suggested they were dumb kids drew a sharp rebuke from Mrs. Uhl, a tall, elegant white woman who drove a silver Volvo. Secretly, I

wanted to be a redbird because of my deep love for our hometown baseball team, the St. Louis Cardinals, but as a bluebird, I got to learn how to spell words like C-Z-E-CH-O-S-L-O-V-A-K-I-A, which is no longer a country.

In third grade, I had Mr. Fields, a cheerful, diminutive black man who still dressed like it was 1975 a whole decade later. Mr. Fields also sought to challenge me and other advanced students with supple-

I can’t recall ever having a teacher who I didn’t believe cared deeply. mental learning materials, so he would periodically give us books from his TimeLIFE collection. Reading titles like “Africa,” “The Birds” and “The Plants” was, for me, a primitive form of surfing Wikipedia.

In subsequent years, I learned under Mrs. Kersting and Mrs. Green, two tough ladies who wouldn’t hesitate to give their students an affectionate punch in the arm, sometimes as a form of discipline and sometimes as a little extra motivation.

In middle school, civics teacher Mr. Villars taught us how the stock market works by having us pick out stocks and track their performance over the course of the year. (I want to take this opportunity to point out to my father that had he taken my advice and bought Dell in the early

1990s, we’d be loaded now.)

I had wonderful English teachers in high school with people like Mr. Calloway, who always believed in my writing and encouraged me to work toward getting published one day, and Mrs. Massey, who used every inch of available white space on the front and backs of writing assignments to give us feedback. If I had to credit one person with taking me from a kid who could write and making me into a writer, it would be Mrs. Massey.

I could probably go on and on, but I’ll cut to the chase: Back then, I had absolutely no grasp on the politics that no doubt affected the quality of the education I received. By some measures, perhaps some of my teachers were “bad” for hitting us, but even as a 9or 10-year-old, it just felt like it was coming from a place of love, not antipathy. I don’t really know if my district was rich, poor or middle-income compared to other school districts, or whether my schools were adequately funded, underfunded or had more money than they knew what to do with. I honestly can’t even say that my education was good, whatever that means.

And like we see year after year in Mississippi and at capitols and city halls across this country, there were undoubtedly spirited debates and nasty fights over curricula, how many Apple IIe computers to buy and which elementary school got new playground equipment and HVAC systems.

What I do know is that there were a lot of people, from my mom and dad to my teachers to principals and various other school administrators who, however they made it all work, seemed to create an environment where students were insulated from the adult nonsense. Resources, however scarce or abundant, were marshaled toward helping us kids.

This is not the point in the essay where I step up onto my soapbox and scold the

Republican-led Legislature for refusing to approve bottom-basement levels of funding for K-12 schools (or for cooking up a scheme to kill an education-funding statewide ballot initiative, a tool the state GOP loves when it comes to hawking Personhood and voter ID). I’m not interested in cheerleading for or skewering charter schools or private-school vouchers at the moment; plenty of data exist to do a thorough job of either. I still don’t fully understand Common Core, but I also suspect I’m no less informed than a lot of education policymakers around the state.

I just think back to a few years ago, shortly before I came to Mississippi, I met a man at a casino bar. A bigwig with a publishing company, he recoiled when I said I’d taken a job in the Magnolia State. “That’s where we send the dogs,” he told me, referring to jobs that didn’t make his company much money, and therefore, quality wasn’t of paramount importance.

The projects that mattered went to other states with better-educated, more skilled workers, he told me over beers.

Dogs—that’s what they still think of Mississippi’s educational system despite all the talk and so-called reforms of the past few years.

We clearly have work to do, but I worry whether, in the midst of all the policy debates, we’re doing enough as a state to simply create supportive, loving spaces for educators and their students that lead to success—whatever that is. My gut says it’s happening, and we often feature teachers, advocates and lawmakers doing the hard work of educating young Mississippians.

A few weeks ago, when I first started thinking about this piece, I thought I’d try to find Mr. Fields, but a Facebook friend responded that he’d passed away a years ago. We should remember to tell them how valuable they are and how much they’re appreciated. I plan to.

April 1 - 7, 2015 • jfp.ms

CONTRIBUTORS

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Zachary Oren Smith

Kelly Stone

Julie Skipper

Patty Limatola

Demetrice Sherman

LaTonya Miller

Imani Khayyam

Brandi Stodard

News Intern Zachary Oren Smith comes from a long line of storytellers and decided he might as well make a dime off the family business. And no, he’s probably not related to the Smiths you’re thinking. He wrote a news story.

Freelance writer Kelly Stone is an author from Brandon, Miss., who writes romance novels.

Her other passions include writing poetry and short stories.

She wrote a Hitched story.

Freelance writer and attorney Julie Skipper works and plays downtown. Ask her about it if you want an earful. She hopes to learn to cook one day, but mostly thinks of the kitchen as additional closet space. She wrote a food story.

Freelance writer Patty Limatola is a chef and resides in California. She has two teenage children, teaches cooking classes and owns the blog MmGood. com. She is well traveled and loves exploring life. She wrote a food story.

Freelance writer and Mississippi Delta native Demetrice Sherman loves animals, books, and chocolate, all in abundance.

Name a movie and chances are, she still hasn’t seen it. She wrote an arts story.

LaTonya Miller is a freelance writer who is passionate about music, photography, and all things positive. You can visit her anytime at her second home, online at etudelife.com.

She wrote a music story.

New Staff Photographer Imani Khayyam is a Jackson native and a graduate of Tougaloo College. When he’s not busy scheduling fashion models in New York, he’s snapping pictures for the JFP. He took photos for the issue.

Marketing Consultant Brandi Stodard is a Baton Rouge transplant who loves Ole Miss football, which is constantly breaking all preconceived notions. She has a passion for networking, promoting and connecting local businesses.

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April 1 - 7, 2015 • jfp.ms

IMANI KHAYYAM

SLICE O’ LIFE

Write us: letters@jacksonfreepress.com Tweet us: @JxnFreePress Facebook: Jackson Free Press

-OST VIRAL STORIES AT JFP MS

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The Zippity Doo Dah parade grand marshal, writer and director Randall Wallace, rides a float in the parade Saturday, March 28.

YOUR TURN

Response to â&#x20AC;&#x153;President Obamaâ&#x20AC;? by Bryan Flynn (see jfp.ms/people) meredithetc â&#x20AC;&#x153;What does frustrate me is where I see coaches getting paid millions of dollars, athletic directors getting paid millions of dollars, the NCAA making huge amounts of money, and then some kid gets a tattoo or gets a free use of a car and suddenly theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re banished. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not fair,â&#x20AC;? Obama told The Huffington Post.

I agree; colleges should pay athletes. Also, the present system helps widen the gap between the haves and the have nots. It also plays into the age-old notion of not educating black males, which isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fair, either. College athletes walk around campus with

Wells United Methodist Church Invites You To Join Us for Holy Week Maundy Thursday â&#x20AC;&#x201C; April 2 11:30 a.m. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Lenten Lunch Series Rev. Keith Tonkel and James Martin

7 p.m. - â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Service of the Upper Roomâ&#x20AC;?

A shared Last Supper experience

Good Friday â&#x20AC;&#x201C; April 3 7 p.m. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; â&#x20AC;&#x153;A Service of Darknessâ&#x20AC;?

April 1 - 7, 2015 â&#x20AC;˘ jfp.ms-

David B.â&#x20AC;&#x201D;meredithetc I agree. Some of that money should be placed each year in every student athletesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; individual retirement account, at least, and perhaps they should get a deferred compensation account to draw on after college, with a generous stipend while at college.

Please save the date for our 26th anniversary celebration:

Jackson 2000

Saturday, April 18, 2015, 7:00 p.m. - until At The Mississippi Museum of Art, Downtown Jackson The Annual Friendship Ball Gala will honor local heroes who have made a difference in race relations in the Jackson area.

The Seven Last Words of Christ (Featuring Wellsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; choir and Director of Music and Creative Arts, James Martin)

Revenue from this event will be used to support the work of our organization . . . specifically our Dialogue Circles.

Holy Saturday â&#x20AC;&#x201C; April 4 10 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 11:30 p.m. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Easter Egg Hunt

Plus, dinner, dancing, live music and fabulous fellowship with Jackson 2000 members and the general public!

Crafts, Snacks and Games for Children ages 3-12

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all the perks of stardom lacking financial gain. We have a generation of broke stars who will not be able to enter the labor pool.

The star athlete will be a thing of the past to their former Million Dollar coaches.

Easter Sunday â&#x20AC;&#x201C; April 5 6:30 a.m. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Sunrise Service â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Church Garden 8:30 a.m. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Early Morning Service 9:45 a.m. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Sunday School 11:00 a.m. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Midâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;Morning Worship

Visit www.jackson2000.org for more detail and to learn about sponsorship and host committee opportunities.

www.jackson2000.org Bringing the Community Together Promoting Racial Harmony and Facilitating Understanding

April 1 - 7, 2015 • jfp.ms

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3/20/15 9:43 AM

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Wednesday, March 25 At Iraqâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s request, the United States begins airstrikes in Tikrit in support of a stalled Iraqi ground offensive to retake the city from Islamic State fighters. â&#x20AC;Ś Nigeria confirms that Boko Haram extremists abducted hundreds of civilians, including many children, earlier this month and are using them as human shields as they retreat from the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s northeast.

Friday, March 27 The United Nations convenes an unprecedented meeting of defense officials from more than 100 countries to seek support for the largest peacekeeping effort ever deployed, with nearly 130,000 personnel in 16 missions. â&#x20AC;Ś In response to the co-pilot of Germanwings flight 9525 intentionally crashing a plane Wednesday, Scandinavian authorities report that Europeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s aviation safety agency recommends that airlines across the continent always have two people in the cockpit of a flying aircraft.

Saturday, March 28 American astronaut Scott Kelly and Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko leave Earth and move into the International Space Station for a marathon mission spanning an entire year. â&#x20AC;Ś Hundreds of people gather outside the Indiana Statehouse to protest a new state law that opponents say could sanction discrimination against LGBT people.

April 1 - 7, 2015 â&#x20AC;˘ jfp.ms

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Monday, March 30 A firefight erupts after two people in a car try to ram the gate of the National Security Agency headquarters at Fort Meade, Md. One of the attackers dies as a result.

Tuesday, March 31 The United States pledges to cut its greenhouse gas emissions up to 28 percent as part of a global treaty aimed at preventing the worst effects of climate change.

by Zachary Oren Smith

A

t 5 a.m. on a day in early February 2011, Gayland Preston rattled along Interstate 220 in her 2006 Dodge Durango from south Jackson toward her manager job at the McDonaldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on United States Highway 51 in Madison.

The truck had served her well. Just five months earlier, it had helped her family make the move from Covington, Ga., back to her hometown of Jackson. But a couple of miles after passing the Beasley Road exit, the Durangoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s blue hood began shooting billows of smoke. The Durango was done, but Prestonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s problems were only beginning.

close the Terry Road store on Feb. 28. The store had opened in November 1991 and, at the time of its closing announcement, it employed 109 people. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You have so few grocery stores in any given area,â&#x20AC;? Preston said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If you lose one,

other local food sellers, â&#x20AC;&#x153;but for food for my family? You canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t always trust the quality.â&#x20AC;?

Sociologists and the community activists who rallied to keep the Terry Road Kroger open have a phrase for the phenomenon that could befall the neighborhood that formerly housed the Kroger: food deserts. On its website, the U.S. Department of Agriculture describes food deserts as â&#x20AC;&#x153;urban neighborhoods and rural towns without ready access to fresh, healthy and affordable food.â&#x20AC;?

The agency defines â&#x20AC;&#x153;ready accessâ&#x20AC;? for a rural town as having a grocery store within 10 miles and, for an urban neighborhood, one mile. Rather than having access to healthy, affordable food choices, Fear of a Food Desert people who live in food deserts A mother of five, Preston have to depend on convenience mainly used her car to get back stores and the high-fat and heavily and forth to work and to go to processed food from fast-food resthe grocery store. Without a car, taurants. The USDA warns that Preston depends on JATRAN â&#x20AC;&#x153;(t)he lack of access contributes to buses to get to work, to her nursa poor diet and can lead to higher Since Kroger left south Jackson, Gayland Preston is ing classes at Hinds Community levels of obesity and other dietone of many residents the loss has affected.

College and to pick up food. With related diseases, such as diabetes no buses running after 6 p.m., and heart disease.â&#x20AC;? The USDAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Preston frequently has to pay for expensive what do those people in that area have to Economic Research Service estimates that taxi cabs, further restricting her budget and choose from? Where do I go now to feed my 23.5 million Americans live in food deserts her ability to work nights. children? There is no place easily accessible.â&#x20AC;? with more than half, 14.5 million, in lowAlthough it was a difficult trek to make In fact, several stores in the area sell food, income households. on the bus, the Kroger on Terry Road in south including drug stores and gas-station conveOne of the community groups that Jackson was a lifeline, offering high-quality, nience marts, but Preston said she had bad implored Kroger not to close was Working relatively low-cost staple foodsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;eggs, milk experiences with some of those stores, which Together Jackson. and fresh vegetablesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;for her family. Then is why she preferred shopping at Kroger. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We know the employeesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; names,â&#x20AC;? came the announcement that Kroger would â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sure, they have their benefits,â&#x20AC;? she said of Ward 6 Councilman Tyrone Hendrix

Gov. Phil Bryant Declares State of Emergency, Bails out The Clarion-Ledger

RL NAVE

Sunday, March 29 A two-day Arab summit ends with a vow to defeat Iranian-backed Shiite rebels in Yemen and the formal unveiling of plans to form a joint Arab intervention force.

Lost Grocery, Lost Opportunity

COURTESY GAYLAND PRESTON

Thursday, March 26 In rare bipartisan harmony, congressional leaders push a $214 billion bill toward House passage to permanently block physician Medicare cuts.

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by April F. Day

J

ust ahead of his annual summer-long vacation with the Obamas in Hawaii, Gov. Phil Bryant has declared a state of emergency at The Clarion-Ledger.

Bryant cited recent staff cutbacks, declining revenue, massive potholes in the newspaperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reporting, too many weird stories about fishinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and â&#x20AC;&#x153;almost too much USA Today coverage of Kim and Kanyeâ&#x20AC;? as his reasons for the declaration. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got to save this paper,â&#x20AC;? he implored. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Deborah needs as many as she can get her hands on for the papier mâchĂŠ replicas of

Tate Reevesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; head that she sells on Etsy.â&#x20AC;?

Bryantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s emergency declaration will help the C-L get a congressional appropriation from the office of U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran to hire an investigative sports editor.

Sources say award-winning journalist Charles C. Johnson, a favorite of Executive Editor Sam Hall, is rumored to be in line for the position.

Also, the bailout allows the newspaper to access funds from the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning to expand its coverage of everything north and east of Mississippiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s capital city.

Gov. Phil Bryant has declared a State of Emergency for The Clarion-Ledger.

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said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They know our kids. (Losing the store) isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just an economic issue, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a quality-of-life issue.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re talking not just groceries but things like pharmaceuticals for senior citizens and others who need them,â&#x20AC;? he added.

Rebuilding Blocks The loss of the store is a loss of what Ed Sivak, of Hope Enterprise Corporation, called a â&#x20AC;&#x153;community building block.â&#x20AC;? Along with schools, health centers and financial centers, a grocery store contributes to the overall health and viability of a community. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If you pull one of those elements, you are going to have more elements in the community put in distress,â&#x20AC;? Sivak said.

Households like the Prestonsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; cannot afford additional distress. â&#x20AC;&#x153;By not having grocery stores, you are taking away from

childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nutrition,â&#x20AC;? Preston said.

Sivak looks to examples like the reopening of Circle Foods in New Orleansâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

â&#x20AC;&#x153;If you lose one, what do those people in that area have to choose from? Where do I go now to feed my children? There is no place easily accessible.â&#x20AC;?

7th Ward after Hurricane Katrina. The original store was flooded with 5 feet of water following the levee failures in 2005, but in 2014, Circle Foods reopened. The key to its reopening was the use of economic-development tools. New Orleans provided $7 mil-

lion in disaster Community Development Block Grant funds toward the program, which Hope Enterprise matched. With this money, the city and Hope created the New Orleans Fresh Food Retailer Initiative, which aimed to increase access to fresh foods in traditionally under-served neighborhoods in the city, serving as a catalyst for neighborhood revitalization. The initiative invested $1 million in Circle Foods, and because the store continued the initiativeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rules for fresh produce, $500,000 of the investment was forgivable.

To bring back south Jacksonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s community building blocks, Sivak said the city needs to begin creating similar economic-development tools.

State Sen. David Blount, D-Jackson, proposed one this year. It would have authorized a â&#x20AC;&#x153;job tax credit for supermarkets locat-

ed in economically distressed communities.â&#x20AC;?

Companies can use job tax credits to reduce an employerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s state income tax liability. Such a tax credit would have incentivized grocers to locate in areas like south Jackson. Unfortunately, Blountâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bill died in the House on March 17.

Working Together Jackson and local officials are trying to recruit a replacement, but in the meantime, people in Mississippiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s food deserts, including Gayland Preston, will have to figure out how to move forward. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the big question,â&#x20AC;? Preston said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;How do you survive? Because you can go to the Family Dollar and buy 40 cans of Vienna sausages and 40 boxes of Ramen noodles and call it a day, but if you are trying to get quality, healthy food, you just canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get that anymore.â&#x20AC;?

Comment www.jfp.ms.

Emergency Declaration: Necessary or Nah?

by R.L. Nave

TRIP BURNS /FILE PHOTO

the low-interest MSDH loans. Rather, the sewer problems and wastewater back-ups, different, expedited procurement procecity must work with an engineer to develop a which are â&#x20AC;&#x153;obvious threats to public health.â&#x20AC;? dure than normal. plan before applying.

Yarber also stressed that the quality of the Ward 2 Councilman Melvin Priester Jr. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Cities apply for this all the time and water coming out of the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s water-treat- and fellow council members groaned about do not declare a state of emergency,â&#x20AC;? Sharlot ment plant remains high, but some residents not getting a heads up about the emergency told the Jackson Free Press. might see boil-water notices, which the city order; they found out around the same time Nancy Singer, a spokeswoman for the is legally required to issue when busted pipes as the local media. Priester, who chairs the Federal Highway AdminisBudget Committee, promptly tration, said accessing quickstarted reading the 22-page Misrelease funds usually involves sissippi state auditorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s guide to a disaster declaration from emergency procurement. Priester a governor. Yarber said last said if Yarber thinks declaring an week that Gov. Phil Bryant emergency lets his administration supported the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s declaracircumvent the emergency rules, tion, but Bryant has not isthen the mayor is mistaken. sued his own decree. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think anyone in The mayor told reportJackson disagrees that our iners last week that the city frastructure is at a critical stage can apply for an emergency right now, and we need to act loan from the Mississippi with a sense of urgency,â&#x20AC;? Priester State Department of Health said. At the same time, Priester, with the declaration. In adwho chairs the councilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Budget dition, the declaration could In response to Mayor Tony Yarberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s emergency declaration, Committee, believes Yarberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ward 2 Councilman Melvin Priester Jr. reviewed the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also give the city access to emergency procurement guidelines. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mistakes are not declaration puts the city in unso-called quick-release funds tolerated,â&#x20AC;? he said. charted waters. from the United States Deâ&#x20AC;&#x153;If you can declare an emerpartment of Transportation gency about aging infrastructure for failed or failing bridges, as well as the cause drops in water pressure. The Red when there hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been a tornado or hurriFederal Emergency Management Agency, Cross and Salvation Army could be called cane or breakdown at the water-treatment which the U.S. Department of Homeland upon to provide bottled water to area dor- plant, and magically be able to draw from a mitories for students who cannot boil their big pool of money with no strings attached, Security oversees.

Yarber went on to say that water main water, Yarber said. every municipality in Mississippi would have breaks can cause extensive damage to pubThe mayor also said declaring an done it,â&#x20AC;? Priester said. lic and private property, and could lead to emergency lets the city go through a Comment at www.jfp.ms.

April 1 - 7, 2015 â&#x20AC;˘ jfp.ms

J

udy Hughes owns less property than when she bought her southwest Jackson home three decades ago.

The loss wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the result of a real-estate transaction, but rather because a ditch behind her house on Brookhollow Drive has eroded 14 feet off her property over the years. When the ditch floods, Hughes and her neighbors are trapped; if thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a medical emergency, a patient might need to be airlifted to a hospital. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The city has known this problem that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re having for almost five years and has done nothing about it,â&#x20AC;? Hughes said during the Feb. 24 Jackson City Council meetingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s public-comment period.

Council President Deâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Keither Stamps, who represents Hughes and her neighbors in Ward 4, points to the Brookhollow problem as a public-health hazard that Mayor Tony Yarberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s March 26 emergency declaration aims to remedy.

Speaking to reporters last week, Yarber said the move was to protect the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s water quality and, with the declaration, he hoped to get access to federal funds that can expedite infrastructure repairs in the city.

An official signed declaration from the mayor might not have been necessary to get state and federal help, however.

Liz Sharlot, a spokeswoman for the Mississippi Department of Health, said Mississippi cities do not necessarily need to sign an emergency declaration to apply for one of

9

LEGISLATURE | WEEK 12

Mississippi’s Money Dance

by JFP Staff

M

April 1 - 7, 2015 • jfp.ms

Holy Week & Easter Services

10

April 2 - Maundy Thursday - 6pm April 3 - Good Friday - 12pm & 6pm April 5 - Easter Sunday - 10:30am April 11 - Annual Circulation Day - 9am - 12pm Looks like a rummage sale but everything is FREE! 650 E.South Street • Jackson • 601.944.0415 Sunday Services: 10:30am & 6:00pm

St. Alexis Episcopal Church

Black Lawmakers Frown on IHL Shenanigans While the contract dispute over Ole Miss Chancellor Dan Jones has dominated the news, another debate involving the State Institutions of Higher Learning flared, but barely got any attention.

On March 26, the Mississippi Coalition on Black Higher Education and members of the Legislative Black Caucus met to discuss what they called the lack of diversity on the IHL board. This year, board member Bob Owens’ term expires. A graduate of

Jackson State University, Owens has been the only representative on the board to have graduated from one of the Mississippi HBCUs connected to the 1975 Ayers lawsuit over segregation in state schools.

“For the first time in 50 years, (HBCUs) will not have a voice on the IHL board,” Sen. Kenneth Wayne Jones, DCanton, said. “We feel like it is disrespectful. We feel like it is disgraceful to overlook such a segment of the community that pays taxes—that (has done) everything they were supposed to, who were educated at these universities—to not be on that board.”

AMILE WILSON/FILE PHOTO

St. Alexis Episcopal Church Welcomes YOU!

ississippi lawmakers voted Monday to borrow $450 million for a range of needs. As usual, there’s very little for the city of Jackson’s legislative agenda, which included funding for public-safety, payment-in-lieu of taxes for state buildings and other requests. House and Senate members passed Senate Bill 2906, which contains $250 million in borrowing. The House also gave final passage to House Bill 1630, which calls for another $200 million in borrowing to be repaid by casino taxes, mostly for bridge work.

Projects in Jackson that did receive funding include $8.5 million for Jackson State University for campus buildings, $20 million for the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum and Museum of Mississippi History, $10 million for New Mississippi Trade Mart and renovations to the Mississippi Coliseum, $6 million for Blair E. Batson Children’s Hospital expansion and $1 million for the Jackson Zoo. House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jeff Smith, R-Columbus, admitted those were probably the “most critical” unmet needs. But, warning that Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves would not budge past the total amounts in bills, Smith argued that attempts to change the bill as Monday deadlines approached could endanger the chance of any borrowing.

In 2012, Reeves torpedoed the typically annual ritual of state borrowing, and Smith said he didn’t want to risk lawmakers going home in an election year without a bond bill.

Mississippi’s budget writers said over the weekend that the state’s overall budget will go up by more than 2 percent, for a total budget of about $6.3 billion. Precise figures remained unavailable Saturday, even as a deadline passed for agreement between House and Senate negotiators. Including fees, gas taxes and federal aid, Mississippi spends more than $20 billion a year.

— Associated Press reports

Sen. David Jordan, D-Greenwood, said African American lawmakers are willing to block future appointments to the state college board unless Gov. Phil Bryant addresses their concerns about the board’s lack of diversity.

Because of the controversy over education funding, representation on the IHL board is important to ensuring that the needs of all universities are met, the groups’ members argued. Preston Lee, MCBHE’s first vice president, believes that the problem of representation on the board is also about school pride.

“This is about passion for your university,” Lee said. “...When it comes down to the issue, I think people are going to have a passion for (their) university.

(When funding comes up,) I think you are always going to give the benefit of the doubt to your school.”

Lee and other members of the two groups want a more representative college board. JSU graduate Sen. David Jordan, D-Greenwood, added that Legislative Black Caucus members are prepared to vote against all three pending nominations.

“Whether they believe it or not—understand it or not—we represent one million people,” Jordan said. “To not include us in appointments … to leave out members of the HBCUs … is disgraceful and shameful, and we’re not happy about it.

“We want (Bryant) to go back to the drawing board and do it over … because we are all part of Mississippi.”

— Zachary Oren Smith

ANALYSIS | health

Obamacare: Five Years and Counting

by Ronni Mott

a screeching halt. Gov. Phil Bryant—who openly embraces the Tea Party’s anti-government rhetoric—made it clear that he would not support any effort to bring the new federal program to the state.

With Bryant’s vow to undermine the ACA, the feds concluded that a state-run exchange was untenable. In January 2013, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius turned down Mississippi’s application to run its own exchange, the only state she denied.

Four months after its launch and millions of federal grant dollars later, OneMississippi.com disappeared. In the administrative vacuum that followed, the Magnolia

cans stuck in disliking Obamacare, many enjoy the advantages of the law, including the elimination of pre-existing conditions clauses that prevented many from purchasing or switching plans in the past. In the first year, more than 8 million Americans enrolled, surpassing even the administration’s rosiest predictions. When the numbers are tallied this year, the government expects that number to exceed 11.7 million. Add in new Medicaid enrollees in states that expanded their programs, children who were able to stay on their parents’ plans until age 26 and other provisions of the law, and the net gain in insured Americans is roughly 15 million.

That’s a big chunk of the estimated 47 mil-

State achieved another dubious distinction: The numbers of uninsured Mississippians actually increased by 3.34 percent in the first year of the law’s enactment. From Alabama’s nominal 0.53 decline to West Virginia’s phenomenal 10.74 decline, every other state’s’ss numbers went in the opposite direction, decreasing people without health insurance.

Those trained to assist Mississippians to understand and buy coverage under the new law, health-care navigators, faced a tsunami of anti-Obamacare misinformation.

Many people didn’t know that the ACA and Obamacare were the same thing, or that the plans came from private, for-profit insurance agencies, not the federal government.

Since Congress passed the Affordable Care Act in 2010 via a partisan, Democratic majority (after a century of attempts to enact universal health care), House Republicans have pushed through 67 bills to repeal the law, the latest in February. The Senate has yet to endorse a repeal, though, and is short the votes needed to overturn an inevitable presidential veto.

But despite some 45 percent of Ameri-

lion uninsured before the ACA. Five years after the law’s passage, the dire warnings of the anti-Obamacare factions have simply not come true. There are no death panels. Insurance rates haven’t seen across-the-board increases. The government hasn’t collapsed—or become a communist dictatorship. The federal deficit hasn’t skyrocketed. The world has not come to an end.

And while the law still faces considerable challenges, including a pending SCOTUS opinion and enactment of its private business provisions, many prognosticators give the law a cautiously enthusiastic, if provisional, thumbs up.

In Mississippi, though, ideology continues to trump facts. Politicians rail against the federal government while comfortably raking in more than $3 for every dollar the state contributes year after year. “You might as well throw your political theories aside,” said Steve Holland, D-Plantersville. “That’s’ss a damn good deal. I wish all of my wages and all of my earnings and all three of my businesses got a return of $3.14 for every dollar.”

FLICKR/AUSTIN_HUFFORD

Five years after its passage, the Affordable Care Act hastened neither the end of the world nor the American way of life.

Roughly half the state’s annual revenues come from federal programs, including those propping up education and Medicaid.

Yet, many Mississippians see such largesse as a millstone instead of a blessing, an attitude that has deep historical roots dating back to the Civil War. Gov. Bryant and the state’s Republican-led Legislatures have refused the billions that would accompany Medicaid expansion, refusing even to hold public hearings on the subject. That rejection comes despite economic experts predicting from 9,000 to 20,000 new jobs, more than a half-billion in new revenues and $14 billion in new economic activity with expansion.

Certainly, the net cost of expansion—estimated to hit $96 million annually by 2025—is partially offset with the hospitals that will remain open and provide jobs in communities across the state. Mississippi has already seen hospitals close doors and lay off employees due to reductions in federal payments to care for uninsured patients. Under the premise that hospitals will care for more insured patients after ACA enactment, those payments decrease regardless of whether a state expands Medicaid.

Advocates of Medicaid expansion insist that Mississippi has the funds.

“It’s an urban myth that there’s no money in this state. If the budget people would come out and say it, this state is in the best shape, financially, since probably two years after gaming came into the state,” Holland said. “… Our coffers are full. Our rainy-day fund can’t take another penny.”

And then there are the 138,000 Mississippians who fall into the healthcare gap: They aren’t eligible for Medicaid under the state’s stingy and restrictive standards (among the lowest eligibility in the nation), and they don’t make enough for insurance under Obamacare. Most of those people work at low-wage service jobs such as waiting tables or child care, and would be covered under Medicaid expansion.

“I get so many phone calls every day of my life from people in desperation,” Holland said. “… And they’ve either presented themselves to an emergency room and been triaged and half-way treated and sent home sick as a dog, or they can’t get in to start with, or they have no access in any way to any health care. That’s just an 11 abomination to me.”

April 1 - 7, 2015 • jfp.ms

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ack in 2007, Gov. Haley Barbour reached out to his Sigma Alpha Epsilon frat brother Mike Chaney, Mississippi’s newly elected insurance commissioner, to float an idea. Barbour knew Mississippi was dead last in every health and wellness marker, but he understood that many small businesses couldn’t afford to provide health-insurance coverage.

His good idea came straight from the much-lauded conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation. To provide health insurance to Mississippians, Chaney should build a statewide, free-market health-insurance exchange where small business owners could pool resources to offer their employees affordable insurance, Barbour said.

A version of the plan was already working in Massachusetts under Gov. Mitt Romney.

“I went from not liking it to really falling in love with it,” Chaney told Kaiser Health News last year.

“You know, like you didn’t’tt like the girl in the third grade, and you ended up marrying her?”

With Barbour’ss full-throated support (and thus, tacit legislative approval), Chaney charged ahead with an online exchange dubbed OneMississippi.com. Even Blue Cross and Blue Shield, the state’s largest insurer with 80 percent of the market, assured Chaney it would participate. By fall 2011, Chaney was hawking the exchange from billboards, and a year later, the site went live. The only thing missing was a tie-in to the federal system under the new health-care law.

And then everything changed.

2007 was a year before voters swept Barack Obama into the White House, and three years before Obama’s signature legislation—the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare—became law.

What occurred after the 2008 election—a concerted conservative effort to vilify the president’s every action—wasn’t unique in Mississippi, and neither Barbour nor Chaney, both Republicans, liked the ACA. Before the U.S. Supreme Court decided in 2012 that states could reject Medicaid expansion, Barbour joined a multi-state lawsuit challenging the law. He even updated Ronald Reagan’s debunked meme of Cadillac-driving “welfare queens,” telling The Washington Post, “We have people pull up at the pharmacy window in a BMW and say they can’t afford their co-payment.”

Mississippi, though, added its own virulent tea party spin to debate, eventually resulting in Chaney’s’ss efforts coming to

Of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Scandal,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Empireâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; and Hot Chicken Wings

B

ig Roscoe: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Little Momma Roscoe conducted a Clubb Chicken Wing customer survey during last weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hot Wing Happy Hour. Our customers, who are fans of television shows like â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Empire,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; suggested that Clubb Chicken Wing have a weekly big flat-screen television viewing party and Hot Wing Happy Hour. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Little Momma Roscoe agreed with the suggestion, but she wanted to add a critical-thinking and media literacy session after the show. The customers were cool with Little Momma Roscoeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s idea. Therefore, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m proud to announce that starting next Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday night, Clubb Chicken Wing will have its â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Empire, Scandal and How to get Away with Murder Weekly Hot Wing Happy Hour Viewing Party,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; followed by a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Media Literacy and Critical-Thinking Session.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x153;Little Momma Roscoe has scheduled experts from the Ghetto Science Communications Commission to host the media-literacy and critical-thinking sessions. The purpose of the sessions is to empower passive recipients of media information and transform them into critical thinkers able to analyze and evaluate the gimmicky, slick use of the communications media to play on emotions. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Little Momma Roscoeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s desire is to raise the consciousness of individuals who are influenced by sugarcoated lies coming from the mean machine running the same game with another name. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Come join us at Clubb Chicken Wingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Weekly Hot Wing Happy Hour TV Viewing Party, Media Literacy and Critical Thinking Sessionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, where critical thinkers go to have a good time. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll see you there.â&#x20AC;?

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;planâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

April 1 - 7, 2015 â&#x20AC;˘ jfp.ms

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12

° *ACKSON -AYOR 4ONY 4 9ARBER ON THE STATE OF EMERGENCY HE ANNOUNCED FOR THE CITY´S INFRASTRUCTURE

Why it Stinks: Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not sure Yarber does have a plan. For one, he made the announcement during a regularly scheduled media briefing and, apparently, didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t give the city council a heads up before his press conference. It all sounds more like political grandstanding than anything. And if this is the mayorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s idea of planning, we are afraidâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;very afraid.

City Needs to Be Proactive, Not Dramatic

I

t might have sounded good last week when Mayor Tony Yarber stood before reporters and declared a state of emergency to try to squeeze more funds for infrastructure repairs out of official coffers (see page 9). But if thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s anything Jackson doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need to continue, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needing to panic at the 11th hour before the city administration and others werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t more proactive in fixing and planning for problems before they became a crisis.

Perhaps the most damning statement in that story is this comment from Judy Hughes to the Feb. 24 city council meeting: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The City has known this problem that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re having for almost five years and has done nothing about it.â&#x20AC;?

Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s right. Part of Jacksonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s culture has long been a get-to-it-later attitude that allows serious problems to blow up into even worse emergencies before taking action. What we need is a sense of urgency all the time about our problems, not sudden panic and certainly not official proclamations that could even make things worse.

Yarberâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s emergency declaration could be seen as stage drama, or even straight-up politics, or a sign that he is really waking up to residentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; infrastructure concerns. But that doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mean that it was the right approach. Yes, Jacksonians are concerned about water, sewer and other infrastructure problems, but we have been for a long time. And perhaps what residents are most concerned about now is what itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to cost the taxpayers because due diligence wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t paid along the way by our vari-

ous elected officials when, say, a pricey contract was signed with Siemens (see cover story, page 15-18).

(Not to mention, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to see the Yarber adopt the same urgent tone about actually sharing Siemens documents with the public so we can be fully involved in formulating a solution. He promised us transparency; we now need it delivered.)

Mississippi Department of Health spokeswoman Liz Sharlotâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s comments about the emergency declaration are also telling: What we need more than an emergency declaration is for the city to find an engineer to develop a plan before applying for funds.

What that says to us is that the city needs to do the hard, steady work day in and day out to deal with our problems in a smart wayâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;while avoiding drama of all kinds, especially the created type that comes from being miffed about being asked for public records. Just provide the dang records the law says that the public gets to have, and then get back to doing the day-in-day-out work of running a city wellâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;including getting in front of problems.

To us, whether under past mayors or the current one, sudden â&#x20AC;&#x153;states of emergencyâ&#x20AC;? say a lot about how the city is being run, or not run. We urge the mayor and other city leaders to take a hard look at themselves and how theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re managing our resourcesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and then make sure we have the information we citizens need to keep our public servants in check. Hand-waving and drama are a waste of everyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time and money.

Email letters to letters@jacksonfreepress.com, fax to 601-510-9019 or mail to 125 South Congress Street, Suite 1324, Jackson, Mississippi 39201. Include daytime phone number. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

Or write a 300-600-word â&#x20AC;&#x153;Your Turnâ&#x20AC;? and send it by email, fax or mail above with a daytime phone number. All submissions are subject to fact checks.

THABI MOYO

Editor-in-Chief Donna Ladd Publisher Todd Stauffer EDITORIAL News Editor R.L. Nave Assistant Editor Amber Helsel JFP Daily Editor Dustin Cardon Music Editor Micah Smith Events Listings Editor Latasha Willis Music Listings Editor Tommy Burton News Intern Zachary Oren Smith Writers Bryan Flynn, Shameka Hamilton, Genevieve Legacy, Michael McDonald, LaTonya Miller, Ronni Mott, Greg Pigott, Julie Skipper, Jon Wiener Consulting Editor JoAnne Prichard Morris ART AND PHOTOGRAPHY Art Director Kristin Brenemen Advertising Designer Zilpha Young Staff Photographer Imani Khayyam Contributing Photographer Tate K. Nations Design Intern Joshua Sheriff ADVERTISING SALES Advertising Director Kimberly Griffin Account Managers Gina Haug, Brandi Stodard BUSINESS AND OPERATIONS Distribution Manager Richard Laswell Distribution Raymond Carmeans, Avery Cahee, Clint Dear, Michael McDonald, Ruby Parks Bookkeeper Melanie Collins Marketing Assistant Natalie West Assistant to the CEO Inga-Lill Sjostrom Operations Consultant David Joseph ONLINE Web Editor Dustin Cardon Web Designer Montroe Headd

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"TTPDJBUJPO PG "MUFSOBUJWF /FXTXFFLMJFT

I

wear many hats in Jackson.

My bread and butter comes from managing social media for the Mississippi Film Office. But what I most enjoy doing is working on special projects like â&#x20AC;&#x153;#HappyMSâ&#x20AC;? with co-producers Nina Parikh, Philip Scarborough, Tom Beck and Terry Sullivan. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m also very much occupied with catching up on my reading for the Mississippi Black Leadership Institute and fulfilling my role as a volunteer media coordinator for the Cool Kids Movement, a youth organization in Grenada, Miss.

But lately, my attention has been focused on the 16th annual Crossroads Film Festival since I am its workshop and panel coordinator.

It hardly seems like it was 10 years ago that I graduated from Howard University in Washington, D.C., with a bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree in filmmaking and returned to Jackson to work with the Crossroads Film Festival. I was the first African American to coordinate the festival before leaving to work with the National Black Programming Consortium in New York City two years later. Then, in 2009, I returned to the festival to debut my first producer credit for the highly acclaimed feature documentary, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Prom Night in Mississippi.â&#x20AC;?

Now, this year, I am returning to launch the Independent Black Film Collective, an organization that aims to bring more diversity within the film-festival community. In more than a decade of working in the film industry in Mississippi, New York and abroad, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve observed a pervasive lack of diversity in film. Upon returning to Jackson in 2013, I knew I had to share the wealth of my experience with my community.

The IBFCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission is to deepen the engagement of people of color with existing film communities: film festivals, funders, film crews, etc. I am grateful to Crossroads Film Festival for becoming the first to enter into a professional partnership with the IBFC and for allowing me to launch during its 16th festival April 9-12 in Jackson.

The goal of the IBFC launch and festival partnership is to foster immediate interest and engagement with the African American community in Jackson and beyond. We hope that more members of the African American community will join the conversation

and learn about the resources and networks available to them, as well as how to navigate a festival in order to gain maximum benefit and to connect with films and filmmakers.

Within the next year, I plan to continue the roll out of IBFC, which will include special events in Mississippi and other locations. I hope to build a team that includes individuals and more community partners who will share in IBFCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vision. The main focus will be developing a solid program of annual events and securing funds to ensure that the organization will be sustained.

While working with the National Black Programming Consortium, I met Angela Tucker, an African American filmmaker who created the satirical documentary web series, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Black Folk Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t,â&#x20AC;? which examines and challenges common stereotypes, as well as the feature-length documentary, â&#x20AC;&#x153;(A)Sexual.â&#x20AC;?

I was inspired and impressed by her work within the film industry and filmfestival community, so I invited her to take part in the launch of the IBFC during the Crossroads Film Festival. The two organizations will host her workshop â&#x20AC;&#x153;In the Web with Angela Tuckerâ&#x20AC;? from 1:15 to 2:45 p.m. at Malco Grandview Cinema (221 Grandview Blvd., Madison, 601-898-7819). This event is free. The workshop will cover the ins and outs of producing a web-based series and will highlight Tuckerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s experiences directing â&#x20AC;&#x153;Black Folk Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t,â&#x20AC;? which is in its third season and which Time Magazine featured in its â&#x20AC;&#x153;10 Ideas That Are Changing Your Life.â&#x20AC;?

Those who plan to attend the entire festival should mention the Independent Black Film Collective at the Crossroads box office at Malco to receive the Crossroads Film Society Membership discount. For tickets or for more information about the festival, visit crossroadsfilmfestival.com or info@ crossroadsfilmfestival.com.

The IBFC is on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and you can find it under @collectiveblack. Whether you are a filmmaker, writer, producer, student, singer/songwriter, visual artist, carpenter, stylist, seamstress or film enthusiast, the IBFC invites you to be a part of the program. Anyone who is interested in working with IBFC, please email collectiveblack@gmail.com.

In Mississippi, New York and abroad, I had observed a pervasive lack of diversity in film.

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ALL STADIUM SEATING Listings for Fri 4/3â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Thurs. 4/9 Furious 7 PG13 Get Hard

R

Home

PG

3-D Home

PG

It Follows

R

Insurgent PG13

Do You Believe?

PG13

Cinderella

PG

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IMANI KHAYYAM

gies Divisionâ&#x20AC;? with the Jackson City Clerkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s office in late February.

back), requesting the rest of the materials or a written denial of the request as Mis-

Citing problems with a similar project in McComb, Ward 5 Councilman Charles Tillman is one of two city council members to vote against the Siemens contract. The other was then-Ward 3 Councilwoman LaRita Cooper-Stokes.

As this story goes to press, the city has only partially complied with the request (and thus state law), and the various city departments and officials involved have come across a little like the Abbott and Costello routine, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on First.â&#x20AC;?

The clerkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s office, which the city council oversees, says the public-works department, which falls under the mayorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s purview, hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t provided information domiciled there. Meanwhile, the Yarber administration says the clerkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s office is wholly responsible for filling records requests.

On March 17, the JFP emailed City Clerk Kristi Moore, Powell, Stamps and Yarber (the email to Powell bounced

sissippi state law requires in such cases. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I am checking into your request to see what the delay is on providing you with the information you requested. I will follow up with you as soon as I get the specifics,â&#x20AC;? Moore wrote the Jackson Free Press that day, but the office still has not fully complied with the request.

The Early Days Despite the foot-dragging of city officials in responding to the newspaperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s open-records request, the documents the city has provided shed a little more lighton PRUH :$7(5 VHH SDJH

April 1 - 7, 2015 â&#x20AC;˘ jfp.ms

the company pitched to the city as an easy way to raise cash that it could reinvest back in water and sewer infrastructure.

Over the years, various administrations have proffered a procession of creative solutions to pay for street, water and sewer repairs. These included a socalled meter fee on water bills that city officials removed in the early â&#x20AC;&#x2122;90s and the 1-percent sales tax, which city voters passed by referendum in January 2014 and was projected to raise $12 million to $15 million per year.

The Siemens contract is by far the most ambitious of these. In name, it is a performance contract that calls for replacing 64,998 water meters with new, ostensibly more high-tech accurate meters that require less hands-on maintenance. All together, the water meters and software overhaul cost taxpayers $65 millionâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;approximately $1,000 for every meterâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; while the rest, $26 million, is earmarked for updating water and sewer treatment facilities and sewer lines.

The project has been beset with problems. Water customers complain of receiving unusually large water bills after getting new meters and bad customer service from the city water department when they call about it. Others point to the flimsy, plastic lid covers as symbolic of the dubiousness of the whole deal, which, city budget writers say, will affect just about every other part of the Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s budget for the foreseeable future.

Hoping to get a window into how the Siemens contract was formulated, the Jackson Free Press submitted a public-records request for â&#x20AC;&#x153;any and all materials related to the Performance Contracting Agreement with Siemens Industry Inc. Building Technolo-

TRIP BURNS/FILE PHOTO

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early two months have passed since City of Jackson Department of Public Works Director Kishia Powell brought the water-meter installation project, the centerpiece of the Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s $91 million contract with Siemens, to a grinding halt over concerns about quality control. Since that time, no more meters have been installed, the water departmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s software upgrades havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t happened, subcontractors are getting anxious, the Jackson City Council wants answers, and the public is growing impatient.

In the meantime, outside consultants delivered a bleak report on the Siemens contract and the Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s water and sewer operations, and the city council launched an investigation into the water-sewer department and asked for a full review of the Siemens contract.

Then, this past Thursday, Mayor Tony Yarber pronounced the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s infrastructure to be in a state of emergency.

Flanked by the stone-faced heads of various emergency-response departments including Powell, Jackson Police Chief Lee Vance and Fire Chief R.D. Simpson, Yarber never mentioned Siemens during his remarks to media. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The city needs to look for creative ways to fund the restoration and repair of our infrastructure,â&#x20AC;? Yarber said March 26 at a press conference.

In the near term, that will involve the city applying for emergency loans and grants from state and federal agencies to protect the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s water system. Yarber has made no public announcements about his next move on the Siemens project, which

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;The council did not ask for any input from legal. They voted and approved it. Once the deal had been approved by the governing authorities, it was then handed to legal. We looked at the deal, and while the deal was legal, it didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t seem like a good business deal.â&#x20AC;?

Teeuwissen, who now serves as attorney for the Hinds County Board of Supervisors, says after the contract was authorized he, along with Steve Edds, an attorney from Baker Donelson, and Porter Bingham, the principal in the financial-advising firm The Malachi Group, renegotiated the contract to get a more favorable deal for the City.

Documents the City provided to the JFP show the Siemens contract was amended twice. The seven-page Amendment No. 1, which aims to â&#x20AC;&#x153;better enable the (City of Jackson) to finance the price of the agreementâ&#x20AC;? amends definitions in the contract, including â&#x20AC;&#x153;scope of work,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;changes and delays,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;acceptance,â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;work implementation periodâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;payment of scope of work.â&#x20AC;?

Amendment No. 2 makes changes to the scope of work, including removing a one-year supply of spare parts for ultraviolet reactor systems at the J.H. Fewell Water Treatment Plant and O.B. Curtis Water Treatment Plant, capping four water wells, inspecting and cleaning of six water storage tanks around the city, installing 10 security cameras at watertreatment plants and making a number of other technical changes.

Of the changing scope, Teeuwissen recalls: â&#x20AC;&#x153;While there may have been some projects that were eliminated because the

Former Jackson Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. says the problems with the Siemens contract came with its implementation after he left office in 2013.

Crunching the Numbers Under the terms of the energy-audit agreement, if Siemens uncovered potential savings, the city would hire an energyservice company to build a more efficient system. If the city went with Siemens, the cost of the audit would be included in the

The Siemens energy audit uncovered that, on average, water meters in the city of Jackson were only 88 percent accurate, records show. A city employee with knowledge of the contract, speaking to PRUH :$7(5 VHH SDJH

April 1 - 7, 2015 â&#x20AC;˘ jfp.ms

the origins of the Siemens contractâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and raises several new questions.

The saga begins in May 2012, when the Jackson City Council agreed to let Siemens audit the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s water system and evaluate the need for a new electronic water-meter system. Voting in favor of the performance audit were council members Quentin Whitwell, Chokwe Lumumba, Frank Bluntson, Tony Yarber and Margaret Barrett-Simon. The dissenting votes came from LaRita Cooper-Stokes of Ward 3 and Charles Tillman of Ward 5.

The JFP called each person who sat on the city council in 2012 about their vote, but only two members, Tillman and Bluntson, responded as of press time.

Five months later, in the last week of October 2012, the city council approved a contract with Siemens, and the Harvey Johnson Jr. administration immediately touted what it briefly called the Jackson Utility Management Program.

Johnson told the Jackson Free Press on March 9 that the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s legal department negotiated the contract. Pieter Teeuwissen, the city attorney during Johnsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s administration, said he wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t asked to help with negotiations until after the city council authorized the contract. He acknowledges another attorney from his office could have been involved although that would be highly unusual, he said.

Teeuwissen remembers vividly the meeting during which the council OKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d the contract: â&#x20AC;&#x153;This matter was passed at the second meeting of October in 2012. It was a night meeting. The deal was negotiated and done at that time and presented by public works to the council,â&#x20AC;? he said.

cost of the performance contract.

Unlike ordinary performance contracts, where an energy services company builds a system and pays all the upfront costs before taking its cut from savings on the backend, the Siemens-Jackson deal required the City of Jackson to raise the money, then immediately start a 30month payment schedule.

Qingbin Cui, an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Maryland at College Park, said itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not uncommon to have a pay-as-you-go performance agreement, especially when thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a complicated financing agreement to go along with it.

However, Cui adds, â&#x20AC;&#x153;the payment must be based on performance.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;For example,â&#x20AC;? he continued, â&#x20AC;&#x153;annual payment is calculated in accordance with energy (or) utility savings specified in the contract. Or a milestone payment is made after the construction is complete when the savings cannot afford the entire investment.â&#x20AC;?

To date, Jackson has paid out just over $70 million, nearly 80 percent of the contractâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s total value. The city started paying interest on the bonds in late 2013 and will start paying on the principal later this year, according to Trivia Jones, the city director of administration.

TRIP BURNS/FILE PHOTO

TRIP BURNS/FILE PHOTO

Former Ward 4 Councilman Frank Bluntson is one of three members of the city council who voted for the Siemens contract and eventually ran for mayor.

Bluntson said that he thought the deal would help Jackson upgrade its water system, but he now regrets voting for the contract.

State of Mississippi said certain aspects and certain projects couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t come under this contract, other projects were created and inserted in their place.

Neither amendment attaches a price for the deleted work, although Amendment No. 2 states that Siemens would allocate $2.3 million (up from $1 million in the original contract) for three additional sewer-line projects on Wilshire Drive, Sunset Drive at Christian Brothers Apartments, and Maple Street.

Johnson and two Siemens representatives signed the amendments on March 28, 2013. They were printed on stationery of Molly M. Foley, a New York Citybased Siemens attorney who specializes in performance contracting. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This agreement conforms to Mississippi Statute and was expressly approved by the state,â&#x20AC;? Siemens spokeswoman Amanda Naiman responded via an emailed statement. â&#x20AC;&#x153;After the contract was formalized and during project execution, extensive conversations between the city and Siemens resulted in an updated contract value. Both the city and Siemens conducted this in accordance with state law where Mississippi imposes stringent statutory constraints on these types of contracts.â&#x20AC;?

17

of metal water meter lids.

“As soon as they got the contract, (Siemens said,) ‘We want to use a different top.’ There was serious discussion about the top,” the city employee said.

ADAM LYNCH/FILE PHOTO

the Jackson Free Press on the condition of anonymity, said Siemens used a 10-percent sample to calculate the accuracy of the existing meters.

“A good statistician would laugh at

April 1 - 7, 2015 • jfp.ms

Pieter Teeuwissen was the city attorney when the Siemens deal was approved.

Teeuwissen was not involved with the initial contract negotiations. After the city council OK’d it, he and financial adviser Porter Bingham and attorney Steve Edds helped tweak the contract to get a better deal for the city.

18

that,” the city employee said. In the final contract, Siemens guaranteed their meters, manufactured by Mueller Water Systems, to be 98 percent accurate, resulting in a 10 percent bump from meter reads.

It’s not clear how the City and Siemens arrived at its revenue forecasts, which seemed to discount that people would likely conserve water when their bills went up. In addition, the city charges $3.21 per 100 cubic feet of water, with no partial charges, meaning that the user who uses 199 cubic feet of water pays no more than the user who uses 101 cubic feet, even with the more accurate meters. (Documents pertaining to the energy audit as well as financial analyses are among the Siemens-related documents the City of Jackson has failed to provide to the Jackson Free Press.)

The independent report that North Carolina-based Raftelis Financial Consultants completed for the City show that, in addition to the $26 million for the consent decree and $40 million for water meters, the contract included $1.1 million for development, $11.7 million for mobilization and $11.3 million for billing software.

The employee who spoke to the Jackson Free Press said after the contract was signed, Siemens immediately started looking for ways to cut costs, including the decision to use cheaper plastic instead

In June 2014, the City issued a request for proposals to sell the old meters and lids as scrap—the minimum price was 95 cents per pound, documents from the City show—but the city never went through with a sale, and the metal lids remain in storage.

Bailing Out Growing impatience among the city council has some making noise about getting out from under the Siemens contract, although they have made no formal moves in that direction. The experience of McComb, Miss. and another southern city, Monticello, Ark., could provide a roadmap should they decide to act.

In early 2015, the Monticello City Council unanimously voted to go into mediation to terminate that city’s contract with Siemens, as well as to recoup $7 million the city has already shelled out. “(S)ince this project has become so muddled over the course of this last year, the only way that we can move forward with this project is to move forward with mediation,” Monticello Mayor Zack Tucker told the council there Jan. 15, according to news website Southeast Arkansas Today. The newspaper also reported that Siemens responded to Monticello with a letter in November 2014, saying that “at no point has Siemens failed to

perform, or to tender performance of, any of its contractual obligations.

“Siemens has been, and remains, ready, willing and able to complete its work. The city has directed Siemens to cease work on the water line scope of work, which may affect the parties’ respective rights and duties,” Steven R. Shamash, an attorney for Siemens, wrote to that city.

McComb also sued Siemens in 2011, alleging failure to meet the benchmarks of a $4.5 million contract for 6,900 new water meters. That city signed its contract in 2009 under then-Mayor Zach Patterson, who also pushed for construction of a $34.4 million wastewater treatment facility.

In court documents, McComb argued that the company “failed or refused” to hit deadlines associated with a watermeter upgrade project similar to (if considerably smaller than) Jackson’s.

“Siemens,” the complaint reads, “agreed and guaranteed that (McComb’s) increase in billable water, through more accurate measure, will be equal to or exceed the total project costs,” or Siemens would pay the city the difference.

The complaint further alleged that Siemens’ “misrepresentations” caused financial harm to the city.

In the company’s response, Siemens denies McComb’s allegations, saying that the city “failed to mitigate its alleged damages.” Siemens also counter-sued for breach of contract, arguing in part: “Despite (Siemens’) earnest cooperation and efforts to achieve final completion of the contract, McComb wrongfully terminated (Siemens’) scope of work under the contract, and has refused to allow (Siemens) personnel to enter the site where work was to be performed under the contract.”

Siemens also says the company has implemented more than 1,000 guaranteed performance-based projects, resulting in $2 billion in energy and operational savings over the past 10 years.

McComb and Siemens settled their dispute in November 2012, with McComb agreeing to pay the company $2.5 million of the original $4.5 million contract price tag.

Whitney Rawlings, who succeeded Patterson as mayor, said he doesn’t have details about the initial negotiations.

Rawlings told the Jackson Free Press that his city originally bought a system similar to Jackson’s where meters could be read remotely, which would theoretically free up the money paid to meter readers.

In the end, that proved impractical, he said. “We were able to scale back the project and didn’t go with automatic meter reading,” Rawlings said. “We’re happy, and things have worked well.”

‘My God’ Johnson stresses that the problems with the Siemens project came during implementation, after he left office, and not with the crafting of the deal. Despite what he calls an inference that he’s to blame for the problems with the contract and water meter-project, he says his administration carefully weighed the contract before signing it—a delay that drew ire from some council members.

In fact, Bluntson cited what he calls Johnson’s indecisiveness as one of the reasons he opposed the sitting mayor in the 2013 mayor’s race. “Harvey Johnson would never do anything ’til he got ready to do it,” Bluntson said. He was one of three council members who voted for the Siemens deal who also ran for mayor in the 2014 special election. The other two were Ward 7 Councilwoman Margaret Barrett-Simon and then-Ward 6 Councilman Yarber.

One city council member voted against the Siemens contract was Ward 3 Councilwoman LaRita Cooper-Stokes, whose husband, Kenneth Stokes, preceded her in that same seat on the council and has now succeeded her after she won election as a county judge last year. Kenny Stokes has been among the most vocal critics of the Siemens contract since returning to the council.

The other was Ward 5 Councilman Charles Tillman, a Brookhaven native who was concerned about the similar Siemens project in nearby McComb.

Tillman told the Jackson Free Press that, while Jackson mulled the deal, he received a call from an acquaintance back home who was concerned with what was going on in McComb.

“I raised questions. I didn’t get the answers to believe they were trustworthy and (were) going to do the right thing,” Tillman says of his reservations and why he voted against the contract.

Looking back, Bluntson says he wishes he would have voted the same way as Tillman—against the Siemens contract.

“You know, Jackson needs so much, and I thought this was going to be a way to help us move us in a direction to get the water systems going better,” Bluntson said of his support of the contract at the time.

He estimates Siemens representatives appeared before the city council about 10 times but always allayed most members’ worries, including concerns over events unfolding in Pike County.

“In my mind, if a place as small as McComb’s got problems—my God,” Bluntson said.

Read Part I of the Troubled Water series at jfp.ms/water and comment on the story.

Email R.L. Nave at rlnave@jacksonfreepress. com. Watch for Part III coming soon.

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his year, as he has for many years, Brad Regan of Julep Restaurant & Bar received the Best of Jackson awards for Best Bartender and Sexiest Bartender. But that’s not the only good news in Regan’s life.

Two years ago, Regan considered himself to be a player. No one could have told him that he would fall in love with Hannah Acey, whom he met in October 2013.

Neither of them was looking for love; they feel as though it just fell into their laps.

“I’m not a shy person at all. I can usually just run my trap, but I was really shy about asking her out,” Regan says.

As Acey was leaving the restaurant that night, Regan asked her out to a car show, not knowing that they both had a love for cars. The two met at Regan’s house before riding his street bike to the event. That was the beginning of their relationship.

“Ultimately, there was just an unexplainable attraction,” Acey says. “This tingle in our guts that we still get every day.”

A four day hunting trip that Acey took in November 2013 to Kentucky revealed just how much they meant to each other. Although it had only been a month, Regan and Acey missed each other.

22

“I’ve never missed someone so much in my life. She’s my best friend,” Regan says. “And that’s why I want to spend the rest of my life with her.”

Acey was born in May 1989 to Terri Hall and Tim Acey and grew up in Terry.

She graduated from Terry High School in 2007. In 2010, she completed her studies at Hinds Community College in dental assisting and oral surgery. She currently works at All Inclusive Medical as a medical-products distributor.

Regan was born in January 1984 to Bradley Regan Sr. and Jin Joo Jung, who grew up in South Korea. Regan graduated from Northwest Rankin High School in 2002. He received his cosmetology license from the Academy of Hair Design in 2003. He works at Barnette’s Hair Salon as a hairdresser and at Julep as a bartender.

In January 2014, Regan began proposing to Acey every night for eight months, and each time she said, “Of course,” though she knew he wasn’t serious. Then, on July 1, Regan proposed to Acey in much the same way he’d done every night for the past eight months. Only this time, he slipped a three-carat Tiffany ring on her finger and proposed to her on one knee. Regan says he told Acey that he

Ceremony and Reception location: The South Warehouse (627 East Silas Brown St., 601-939-4518) Bride and bridal party attire: Designer Samantha Woo of Woo Couture (4570 Old Canton Road, Jackson, 601454-3262, woocouture.com)

Brad Regan and Hannah Acey will marry in May of this year.

wanted to be with her forever.

“I cried. I was in shock. I expected it to be like every other time,” Acey says.

Instead of candy and flowers for Valentine’s Day last year, Regan started a new tradition. Because he’s a longtime scuba diver, Regan thought it would be cool to take Acey to Miami and dive 35 feet under the ocean’s surface so that she could get her scuba-diving certification. To keep the tradition going, Acey, who is now certified,

Groom and groomsmen attire: Tuxedo Junction (153 Ridge Way, Suite B, Flowood, 601-992-4955, tuxedojunction.com) Cake: Cakes by Iris (431 Monterrey Road, Richland, 601-540-6347, cakesbyiris.com) Caterer, florist and decorator: Wendy Putt, Fresh Cut

surprised Regan this year with a trip back to Miami for Valentine’s Day. The couple is planning a May 2015 peacock-themed wedding at The South Warehouse in Jackson. Already devoted to one another, Acey and Regan don’t feel like much will change once they are married, other than the additional closeness they haven’t found, yet. They look forward to all the things they will experience with one another.

Catering and Floral (108 Cypress Cove, Flowood, 601-939-2215, freshcutcateringandfloral.com) Photographer: Josh Hailey (2906 North State St., 601-214-2068, joshhaileyweddings.com) Music: DJ Paul Hill (601-479-5999, pmproductionpaul@yahoo.com)

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  Sunday, April 5  11amâ&#x20AC;?3pm  Adults  $29.95    Children $15 Under 5 free Reservations Suggested 601.969.8544

King Edward Hotel King Edward Hotel 235 W. capitol Street 235 W. capitol Street

Wedding

Please Call for Appointment 601-454-3262 4570 Ole Canton Road Jackson, MS 39211

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Nikki Henry, Brock Freeman, Lori Scroggins, Liz Torres, & Claire Kinsey Mayronne 574 Hwy 51 N. Suite H, Ridgeland, MS 39157 601-856-4330 Like Us on Facebook

Feature Writer Wanted The Jackson Free Press is seeking writers to cover unique couples and weddings in the Jackson metro area for our Hitched section.

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Send letter of interest and writing samples to amber@jacksonfreepress.com.

242 Hwy 51, Ridgeland | 601.605.9393 Facebook: Repeat Street Metro Jackson Twitter: @RepeatSt | www.repeatstreet.net

T HURSDAY , A PRIL 2 7:00 pm Maundy Thursday Service F RIDAY , A PRIL 3 12:00 pm Good Friday Service (light lunch following the service) S UNDAY , A PRIL 5 6:30 am Easter Sunrise Service (outdoors) 8:30 am and 10:45 am Easter Sunday Morning Worship Services www.parkwayhillsumc.org

601-856-2733

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Madison MS

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AMERICAN/SOUTHERN CUISINE Basil’s (2906 N State St #104, Jackson, 601-982-2100) Paninis pizza, pasta, soups and salads. They’ve got it all on the menu.

Broad Street Bakery (4465 Interstate 55 N. 601-362-2900) Hot breakfast, coffee drinks, fresh breads & pastries, gourmet deli sandwiches.

The Feathered Cow (4760 I-55 North 769-233-8366) Simple and homemade equal quality and freshness every time. You never leave The Cow hungry!

Primos Cafe (2323 Lakeland 601-936-3398/ 515 Lake Harbour 601-898-3400) A Jackson institution for breakfast, blue-plates, catfish, burgers, prime rib, oysters, po-boys & wraps. Famous bakery!

Rooster’s (2906 N State St, Jackson, 601-982-2001) You haven’t had a burger until you’ve had a Rooster’s burger. Pair it with their seasoned fries and you’re in heaven.

Two Sisters Kitchen (707 N. Congress St. 601-353-1180) Lunch. Mon-Fri, Sun. PIZZA Sal & Mookie’s (565 Taylor St. 601-368-1919) Pizzas of all kinds plus pasta, eggplant Parmesan, fried ravioli & ice cream for the kids!

Mellow Mushroom (275 Dogwood Blvd, Flowood, 601-992-7499) More than just great pizza and beer. Open Monday - Friday 11-10 and Saturday 11-11.

ITALIAN La Finestra (120 N Congress St #3, Jackson, 601-345-8735) Chef Tom Ramsey’s downtown Jackson hot-spot offers authentic Italian cuisine in cozy, inviting environment.

BRAVO! (4500 Interstate 55 N., Jackson, 601-982-8111) Award-winning wine list, Jackson’s see-and-be-seen casual/upscale dining.

STEAK, SEAFOOD & FINE DINING The Islander Seafood and Oyster House (1220 E Northside Drive, Suite 100, 601-366-5441) Oyster bar, seafood, gumbo, po’boys, crawfish and plenty of Gulf Coast delights in a laid-back Buffet-style atmosphere.

The Manship Wood Fired Kitchen (1200 North State St. #100 601-398-4562) Transforms the essence of Mediterranean food and southern classics.

The Penguin (1100 John R Lynch Street, 769-251-5222) Fine dining at its best.

Rocky’s (1046 Warrington Road, Vicksburg 601-634-0100) Enjoy choice steaks, fresh seafood, great salads, hearty sandwiches.

Sal and Phil’s Seafood (6600 Old Canton Rd, Ridgeland 601-957-1188) Great Seafood, Poboys, Lunch Specials, Boiled Seafood, Full Bar, Happy Hour Specials Saltine Oyster Bar (622 Duling Avenue 601-982-2899) Creative seafood classics. Named one of Jackson’s Best New Restaurants.

MEDITERRANEAN/GREEK Aladdin Mediterranean Grill (730 Lakeland Drive 601-366-6033) Delicious authentic dishes including lamb dishes, hummus, falafel, kababs, shwarma.

Vasilios Greek Cusine (828 Hwy 51, Madison 601-853-0028) Authentic greek cuisine since 1994, specializing in gyros, greek salads, baklava cheesecake & fresh daily seafood.

BARBEQUE Chimneyville (970 High St, Jackson 601-354-4665 www.chimneyville.com) Family style barbeque restaurant and catering service in the heart of downtown Jackson.

Hickory Pit Barbecue (1491 Canton Mart Rd. 601-956-7079) The “Best Butts in Town” features BBQ chicken, beef and pork along with burgers and po’boys.

Pig and Pint (3139 N State St, Jackson, 601-326-6070) Serving up competition style barbecue along with one of the of best beer selections in metro.

COFFEE HOUSES Cups Espresso Café (Multiple Locations, www.cupsespressocafe.com) Jackson’s local group of coffeehouses offer a wide variety of espresso drinks. Wi-fi.

BARS, PUBS & BURGERS Bonny Blair’s (1149 Old Fannin Rd 769-251-0692) Traditional Irish pub food and live entertainment. Open 11am daily.

Burgers and Blues (1060 E. County Line Rd. 601-899-0038) Best Burger of 2013, plus live music and entertainment!

Cherokee Inn (960 Briarfield Rd. 601-362-6388) Jackson’s “Best Hole in the Wall,” has a great jukebox, great bar and a great burger.

Fenian’s Pub (901 E. Fortification St. 601-948-0055) Classic Irish pub featuring a menu of traditional food, pub sandwiches & Irish beers on tap.

Hal and Mal’s (200 S. Commerce St. 601-948-0888) Pub favorites meet Gulf Coast and Cajun specialties like red beans and rice, the Oyster Platter or daily specials.

Legends Grill (5352 Lakeland Dr. 601-919-1165) Your neighborhood Sports Bar and Grill.

Martin’s Restaurant and Lounge (214 South State Street 601-354-9712) Lunch specials, pub appetizers or order from the full menu of po-boys and entrees. Full bar, beer selection.

Ole Tavern on George Street (416 George St. 601-960-2700) Pub food with a southern flair: beer-battered onion rings, chicken & sausage gumbo, salads, sandwiches.

One Block East ( 642 Tombigbee St. 601-944-0203) Burger joint and dive bar located in downtown Jackson. Great music, tasty beverages and Bad Ass Burgers is what we do.

Time Out (6270 Old Canton Road, 601-978-1839) Your neighborhood fun spot! Terrific lunch special and amazing Happy Hour!

Underground 119 (119 South President St. 601-352-2322) Pan-seared crabcakes, shrimp and grits, filet mignon, vegetarian sliders. Live music. Opens 4 p.m., Wed-Sat Wing Stop (952 North State Street, 601-969-6400) Saucing and tossing in a choice of nine flavors, Wing Stop wings are made with care and served up piping hot.

ASIAN AND INDIAN Fusion Japanese and Thai Cuisine (1002 Treetop Blvd, Flowood 601-664-7588) Specializing in fresh Japanese and Thai cuisine, an extensive menu features everything from curries to fresh sushi VEGETARIAN High Noon Café (2807 Old Canton Road in Rainbow Plaza 601-366-1513)Jackson’s own strict vegetarian (and very-vegan-friendly) restaurant adjacent to Rainbow Whole Foods.

Sitting at the Chef’s Table

O

by Julie Skipper

rdering the same thing at your favorite restaurant can get old fast.

That’s why I was excited to learn about a new offering at the Fairview Inn’s 1908 Provisions: the Chef’s Table.

This monthly dinner premiered March 4 and will run through late fall. It allows chef Gary Hawkins to explore dishes not on the regular 1908 menu and offers diners a four-course meal and optional wine or cocktail pairings. At each event, Hawkins comes out of the kitchen to explain the dishes as guests receive them, and a sommelier JULIE SKIPPER

April 1 - 7, 2015 • jfp.ms

Paid advertising section. Call 601-362-6121 x11 to list your restaurant

LIFE&STYLE | food

At 1908 Provisions’ March 4 Chef’s Table dinner, Chef Gary Hawkins offered diners seasonal dishes such as this one made with heirloom tomatoes, burrata, prosciutto and basil.

discusses how the chosen wine pairs with it.

Hawkins came up with the idea as a way to play with flavors, interact with patrons and give them a chance to experience seasonal foods beyond what’s offered on the restaurant menu. “I don’t usually come out to the floor,” Hawkins says. “But it’s nice to get to be able to talk to guests about how and why I came up with the concept of a dish and how its elements work together.”

The format also gives folks an opportunity to interact with other people who enjoy food and wine. Chef’s Table dinners are limited to about 35 guests who are seated family-style around shared tables to encourage interaction.

For the inaugural dinner, themed Spring Fling, Hawkins used ingredients of the season, while sommelier Laura Collins chose complementary wines. My dining companion and I sat at a table across from a school-bus driver and a special-education teacher’s assistant from Simpson County.

The couple had come to Jackson for a special date night. I admired their commitment; they had to drive home to Simpson County and then rise at the crack of dawn.

(That might explain why they left most of their wine.) Further down our table, another

couple enjoyed a night out, and innkeeper Peter Sharp and his wife, Tamar Sharp, were at the dinner as well.

A long table in the center of the room accommodated more diners, and some of them clearly knew each other already. By the end of the night, others seemed to have kindled new friendships as they engaged in the boisterous conversation. And isn’t that what a good meal should do? It brings folks together in a shared experience. At Chef’s Table, everyone enjoys the same dishes at the same time at a table with friends and strangers. At our table, we may have started out talking about the food, but we ultimately found other common ground.

Those other conversations aside, the food provided plenty to talk about. The beginning course of heirloom tomatoes, burrata (a type of Italian cheese), prosciutto and basil was a plate full of color and freshness. It paired well with a Falanghina, an Italian white wine that played off the flavors of the burrata and prosciutto.

We moved on to the proceed course of quail breast, confit carrots and citrus verjus with a pinot noir rosé. The main course was Pacific salmon, forbidden rice—a purplish black heirloom rice—white asparagus and sweet-sour vinaigrette with a California pinot noir red wine. The final course was a crème fraiche mousse with gingerbread and burnt caramel, paired with a port (dessert wines are a favorite of mine, so I was most pleased with that choice).

As we ended our evening, my companion and I talked about returning for the next Chef’s Table dinner April 22. The price point is palatable: The cost is $49 per person for the dinner and an additional $20 for the alcohol pairings. The dinner made for a great date—a chic, warm setting, good company, tasty food and wine. The four courses were enough to be special, but not so much that we left feeling overly stuffed. Also, having started at 6:30 p.m., we were finished at a perfectly decent hour for a weeknight.

The next week, I visited 1908 during regular dinner hours and discovered that the special that night was a spin on the salmon dish from the Chef ’s Table.

That’s another fun thing about this concept: It gives Hawkins the opportunity to try out dishes and get feedback from a focus group of sorts. Don’t be surprised to find something you particularly enjoyed at a Chef ’s Table dinner featured on the regular menu later.

Look for announcements of upcoming Chef’s Table events on the Fairview Inn’s website (734 Fairview St., 601-948-3429, fairviewinn.com) and Facebook page. For more information, call 1908 Provisions at 601-9483429. Each dinner is $49, with an extra $20 for the alcohol pairings.

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Woodland Hills Shopping Center Fondren • 601-366-5273 Maywood Mart 1220 E. Northside Dr • 601-366-8486 English Village 904 E. Fortification St. • 601-355-9668 Westland Plaza 2526 Robinson Rd • 601-353-0089 Yazoo City 734 East 15th St. • 662-746-1144

April 1 - 7, 2015 • jfp.ms

• Ham and all the trimmings • Easter Lilies and flowers • Easter Candy • Fresh produce • Bakery fresh baked breads, pies and cakes!

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LIFE&STYLE | food

Treat Yourself PATTY LIMATOLA

by Patty Limatola

Sweet and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies I warn you: These cookies are super sweet and chewy. This recipe is great for making in advance, because the dough needs to be refrigerated. Make the recipe as directed, then after dinner, pop them in the oven, bake and serve.

Makes about 30 cookies.

Ingredients 1/2 cup butter, softened 1/2 cup shortening, softened 1 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup granulated sugar 3 ounces marshmallow cream

1 large egg 1 teaspoons vanilla 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 cups instant oats (blend in a food processor to make a flour) 1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans (optional)

Directions

Visit mmgood.com for more recipes.

Do not use a mixer for this recipe; instead, use a spatula or wooden spoon. In a small bowl, microwave butter and shortening for 15 seconds. Then, stir and repeat. The butter and shortening should be very soft but not melted.

In a large bowl, add the almost-melted butter and shortening, brown sugar, granulated sugar, marshmallow cream, egg, vanilla, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Stir until all ingredients are incorporated. Add the flour and oat powder in 1/2 cup increments to the mixture, stirring between pours. Then, add chocolate chips and nuts, and mix well. Divide the raw dough into two â&#x20AC;&#x153;logsâ&#x20AC;? and wrap them in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for at least three hours.

When youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re ready to bake, preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and place slices of the cookie dough on the paper. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. The cookies are done when they have slightly brown edges and a soft middle. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool before placing them on a cooling rack.

VASILIOS April 1 - 7, 2015 â&#x20AC;˘ jfp.ms

Where Do You Start, When Everything AUTHENTIC GREEK DINING Tastes Delicious?

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MON-FRI 11A-2P,5-10P SAT 5-10P

828 HWY 51, MADISON â&#x20AC;˘ 601.853.0028

8 DAYS p 28 | MUSIC p 30 | SPORTS pp 32-33

Bringing Art to Life

by Demetrice Sherman

O

April 1 - 7, 2015 • jfp.ms

COURTESY MISSISSIPPI MUSEUM OF ART, GIFT TO MMA FROM THE DUSTI BONGÉ FOUNDATION

n April 10, attendees at the Mississippi Museum “People will have to come see how we manage to do hopes that the focus of the spring benefit will help convey of Art’s 2015 spring benefit may experience a that,” Rankin says. what brings the art to life: each work’s unique story. sense of déjà vu as they take in the sights and In addition to attendees mingling with living versions of “Even though a lot of them are two-dimensional, sounds. A gentleman in full firefighter uni- art works, attendees will also hear live music from perform- they really are objects that have all the history of the artform, with helmet in hand, may remind them of Jason ers including Raphael Semmes & Friends with Jewell Bass ists who made them,” Rankin says. “(They have) a lot Bouldin’s “Portrait of Captain Jimmy Allgood, Lafayette performing outside on the CSpire stage. Local artist Ginger of stories to tell, so this is an opportunity for us to sort County Fire Department” (2002), a work that hangs Williams-Cook will give an art demonstration, and dancers of play with that idea and really bring them to life— near the gallery entrance. A lady dressed in pink across the room may look like the living incarnation of the woman in “The Pink Lady” a 1967 Marie Hull painting, also on display in the museum’s collection.

When they see the state’s Tourism Division Director Malcolm White appearing to nap, they may wonder, “Didn’t I just pass by a Richard Kelso painting of Mr. White napping—in that same chair?”

If it sounds like a scene from “Night at the Museum,” with works of art springing to life, it’s not by chance. Julian Rankin, the museum’s marketing director, says that the movie trilogy’s premise inspired the upcoming event, in part.

“In those movies, there (are) history and natural-science museums, so we just took that and spun it toward art,” he says.

“We don’t have dinosaur bones in here, but we’ve got a lot of cool people—like William Faulkner—who are in ‘The Mississippi Story,’ our permanent exhibition, and so we decided … (to) bring them to life and have some fun with that.”

While most of the roughly one dozen “living” works will be based on art from the museum’s permanent collection, during Mississippi Museum of Art’s Visitor and Member Services Coordinator Emily Summerlin styles the museum’s graphic the seated dinner in the Trustmark Grand designer Amanda Lucius after a 1943 Dusti Bongé painting titled “The Balcony.” The work is in the Mississippi Museum Hall, re-enactors will animate images from a of Art’s permanent collection and is one of many pieces that will come to life during the spring benefit, “Night at the Museum: Artworks Come Alive.” temporary exhibition, “Civil War Drawings from The Becker Collection,” on view at the museum through April 19.

“We’re going to bring some Civil War soldiers out, from Belhaven University will perform a routine. Guests and celebrate the fact that Mississippi art does have a life (bring them) to life (and) have them battling while people will also have the opportunity to participate in a silent auc- of its own.” are eating dinner,” Rankin says. tion to win art experiences, such as private art lessons from “Night at the Museum: Artworks Come Alive” is from The event will also feature abstract works and sculp- local artists.

7 to 11 p.m., Friday, April 10, at the Mississippi Museum of tures. One such work, “Hexflector,” is a 1989 James SeaRankin says that benefits such as this one are an impor- Art (380 S. Lamar St.). Tickets are $175 per person ($550 per wright sculpture consisting of 61 mirrored hexagonal pan- tant means of fundraising for the museum. The proceeds couple at the patron level) and are available from the museum els. Despite the seemingly daunting task of bringing such a support the work of the museum, including exhibitions, website (msmuseumart.org). Reserve tickets by calling the mu27 piece to life, volunteers appear to be up to the challenge. art classes, and social and community outreach events. He seum at 601-960-1515.

THURSDAY 4/2

SATURDAY 4/4

TUESDAY 4/7

The Stevie J Blues Listening Party is at Underground 119.

The Ag Museum Easter Egg Hunt is at the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum.

Rebirth of Dope is at Soul Wired Café.

BEST BETS APRIL 1 - 8, 2015

IMANI KHAYYAM

WEDNESDAY 4/1

Spring Farm Day is 9 a.m.-noon at the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum (1150 Lakeland Drive). Learn about farmstead life, take garden tours, attend cooking demonstrations, dig for worms and more. Additional events Thursday, April 2. $4-$6; call 601-432-4500; mdac.ms.gov/agmuseum. … Author Shannon Burke signs copies of “Into the Savage Country” at 5 p.m. at Lemuria Books (Banner Hall, 4465 Interstate 55 N., Suite 202). Burke holds a reading at 5:30 p.m. $24.95 book; call 601-366-7619; email info@ lemuriabooks.com; lemuriabooks.com.

THURSDAY 4/2

COURTESY J LEE PRODUCTIONS

Fondren’s First Thursday begins at 5 p.m. in Fondren. Studio Chane hosts the mostly monthly neighborhood event formerly known as Fondren After 5. It includes shopping, food vendors, live music, open houses,

Lucky Town Brewing Company brings a special, limited-time brew to the 8th annual Zoo Brew, Friday, April 3, at the Jackson Zoo.

FRIDAY 4/3

Zoo Brew is 5-9 p.m. at the Jackson Zoo (2918 W. Capitol St.). Enjoy more than 50 craft-beer samples, a wingeating contest and music. VIP tickets include early admission at 4 p.m., animal encounters and a firkin tapping at 4:30 p.m. For ages 21 and up. $30, $15 designated driver, $60 VIP (includes a keepsake, T-shirt and poster); call 601352-2580; jacksonzoo.org. …

“Cemetery Lane” Burlesque

BY MICAH SMITH Show is 8-11:30 p.m. at Duling Hall (622 Duling Ave.). Ardenland and Black JACKSONFREEPRESS.COM Hat Burlesque present the FAX: 601-510-9019 Addams Family-inspired show.

Seating is limited. $15 early DAILY UPDATES AT bird, $25 VIP; call 601-292JFPEVENTS.COM 7121; ardenland.net.

EVENTS@

April 1 - 7, 2015 • jfp.ms

SATURDAY 4/4

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Producer J. Lee presents a night of interactive dinner theater and music on Wednesday, April 8, at The Penguin Restaurant & Bar.

a pet adoption drive and more. Free; call 601-720-2426; visit fft.city. … Cosmos and Couture is 6-9 p.m. at Old Capitol Inn (226 N. State St.). Includes a fashion show featuring clothes from local merchants, cosmos, hors d’oeuvres and a silent auction. Proceeds benefit the Mississippi Burn Foundation. $40 in advance, $50 at the door; call 601-540-2995; email afontaine@msburn.org.

The Magnolia Roller Vixens Home Season Opener is 7 p.m. at the Jackson Convention Complex (105 E. Pascagoula St.). Family-friendly, hard-hitting roller derby action kicks off The Magnolia Roller Vixens 2015 season when the team takes on the Chattanooga Roller Girls. $12 in advance, $15 at the door, $5 children; visit magnoliarollervixens.com; call 601-624-2824; email info@magnoliarollervixens.com.

SUNDAY 4/5

Easter Brunch is 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. at Anjou Restaurant (361 Township Ave., Ridgeland). The special brunch menu features creations from Chef Christian, including

honey-glazed spiral ham and lamb shank baumaniere.

Limited seating. Reservations available. Prices vary; call 601-707-0587; anjourestaurant.com.

MONDAY 4/6

The Guest Chef Dinner is 6 p.m. at Saltine Oyster Bar (622 Duling Ave., Suite 201). Chef Renee Erickson teams up with Chef Jesse Houston for a six-course dinner with optional wine and beer pairings. Erickson signs her cookbook, “A Boat, a Whale & a Walrus: Menus and Stories.” RSVP. $75 per person plus drink pairings; call 601-982-2899.

TUESDAY 4/7

“The Barefoot Artist” Film Screening is 6:30-9 p.m. at Millsaps College (1701 N. State St.) on the west lawn.

The documentary is about artist Lily Yeh, who creates community art in some of the world’s most troubled areas.

Attendees also make crafts. Free; call 974-1000; kooxboon. com. … Mississippi Chambre Music Guild Concert is 7:30 p.m. at Broadmeadow United Methodist Church (4419 Broadmeadow Drive). The Exultate Ensemble presents contemporary and Baroque classical music. $20, $5 students; call 601-594-2902; email royce@castlemedia.net.

WEDNESDAY 4/8

J. Lee Productions’ Dinner Theater is 7-10:30 p.m. at The Penguin Restaurant & Bar (1100 John R. Lynch St.).

Enjoy interactive drama, a three-course dinner and music from Meika Shante’. RSVP. Must be seated by 6:45 p.m. Additional show April 9. $35, $200 VIP table of four. Call 601208-0965; email jleeproductions@yahoo.com; jleeplays.com

Zoo Brew April 3, 5-9 p.m., at the Jackson Zoo (2918 W. Capitol St.). Enjoy an evening of more than 50 craft-beer samples, a wing-eating contest and music. VIP tickets include early admission at 4 p.m., animal encounters and a firkin tapping at 4:30 p.m. For ages 21 and up. $30, $15 designated driver, $60 VIP (includes a keepsake, T-shirt and poster); call 601-352-2580; jacksonzoo.org.

#/--5.)49 Spring Farm Days April 1-2, 9 a.m.-noon, at Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum (1150 Lakeland Drive). Includes garden tours, cooking demonstrations, a worm dig and more. $4-$6; call 601-432-4500; mdac.ms.gov/agmuseum.

Lenten Lunch April 2, 11:30 a.m., at Wells United Methodist Church (2019 Bailey Ave.). The guest speaker is Rev. Keith Tonkel, pastor of Wells Church. Free; call 601-353-0658; email admin@ wellschurch.org; wellschurch.org.

Fondren’s First Thursday April 2, 5 p.m. at Fondren. Studio Chane hosts the mostly monthly neighborhood event formerly known as Fondren After 5. Includes shopping, food vendors, live music, open houses, a pet adoption drive and more. Free; call 601-720-2426; fft.city.

Jackson Audubon Society First Saturday Bird Walk April 4, 8 a.m.-noon, at LeFleur’s Bluff State Park (2140 Riverside Drive). An expert birder leads the walk. Meet at the picnic area. Free with $4.04 car entrance fee; call 601-832-6788; jacksonaudubonsociety.org.

Rankin County Democrats Monthly Breakfast April 4, 8:30 a.m., at Corner Bakery (108 Market St., Flowood). Open to the public. Free, with food for sale; call 601-919-9797; rankindemocrats.net.

Health Help Mississippi Small Business Seminar April 7, noon-1 p.m., at Eudora Welty Library (300 N. State St.). Learn about the small-business health-insurance marketplace called “One, Mississippi,” business tax credits and more. Registration required. Free; call 601354-3470; healthhelpms.eventbrite.com.

1 Million Cups Jackson Wednesdays, 9-10 a.m. through June 24, at The Hatch (126 Keener Ave.).

The purpose of the weekly program is to engage, educate and connect local entrepreneurs. Free; jackson.sites.1millioncups.com.

+)$3 Events at Ridgeland Public Library (397 Highway 51, Ridgeland) • Baby Bookends Storytime April 1, 10:30-11 a.m. The program for ages 0-2 includes stories, music, movement and more.

Free; call 601-856-4536.

• Ridgeland Readers Storytime April 1, 4-4:30 p.m. The program for ages 3-7 includes stories, music, movement and more. Free; call 601-856-4536.

&//$ $2).+ Guest Chef Dinner April 6, 6 p.m., at Saltine Oyster Bar (622 Duling Ave., Suite 201). Chef Renee Erickson of Seattle teams with Chef Jesse Houston to offer a six-course dinner with optional wine and beer pairings. Erickson also sells and signs copies of her cookbook, “A Boat, a Whale & a Walrus: Menus and Stories.” RSVP. $75 per person, wine and beer pairings sold separately; call 601-982-2899.

30/243 7%,,.%33 National Walking Day April 1. Americans are encouraged to lace up their sneakers and take at least 30 minutes out of their day to get up and walk. Free; heart.org.

It’s “Kool to Aid” Kids 5K Walk/Run April 4, 7 a.m.-noon, at Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Mississippi, Capitol Unit (1450 W. Capitol St.).

The event increases awareness about obesity and includes music, food and family activities. Benefits Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Mississippi. $25; call 601-850-8392 or 601-613-5449; active.com.

Go Deeper with DoTerra Essential Oils April 4, 1 p.m.-3 p.m., at Joyflow Yoga Studio (7048 Old Canton Road, Suite 2F, Ridgeland). Rasamayi Turturici teaches about the essential oil product line. Includes evaluation and free sample. Registration required. $15, $10 in advance; call 601-613-4317; joyflowyoga.com.

College (1701 N. State St.) on the west lawn.

See the documentary about Lily Yeh, a Philadelphia-based artist who creates communitybased art projects in some of the world’s most troubled areas. Attendees also make crafts. Free; call 974-1000; kooxboon.com.

The Rebirth of Dope April 7, 8 p.m., at Soul Wired Cafe (111 Millsaps Ave.). Enjoy soulinfused poetry featuring Mahogany Blue. $5; call 601-863-6378; email teamsoulwiredcafe@gmail. com; soulwiredcafe.com.

J. Lee Productions’ Dinner Theater April 8-9, 7-10:30 p.m., at The Penguin Restaurant & Bar (1100 John R. Lynch St.). Enjoy an interactive drama, a three-course dinner and music from Meika Shante’. RSVP. Limited seating. Guests must be seated by 6:45 p.m. $35 per person (couples’ tickets must be sold together), $200 VIP table of four; call 601-208-0965; email jleeproductions@yahoo.com; jleeplays.com.

(/,)$!9 Easter Bunny Photo Experience April 1-4, 10 a.m.-8:30 p.m., at Northpark Mall (1200 E. County Line Road, Ridgeland). Kids get to visit the Easter Bunny and take a picture with him. Appointments encouraged. Free; call 601957-3744; simon.noerrbunny.com.

Easter Egg Hunt April 2, 4 p.m., at Quisenberry Library (605 E. Northside Drive, Clinton). Children must bring their own baskets.

Includes a visit from the Easter Bunny. Free; call 601-924-5474; clintonms.org.

Breakfast with the Easter Bunny April 4, 9-10:30 a.m., at Jackson Zoo (2918 W. Capitol St.). The members-only event includes breakfast, a visit from the Easter Bunny, an Easter egg hunt for ages 1-12 and more. Children must bring baskets for the egg hunt. $5 members (pre-sale only); jacksonzoo.org; call 601-352-2500; email cwoodson@jacksonzoo.org.

Bunny Brunch April 4, 9-11 a.m., at Mississippi Children’s Museum (2145 Highland Drive).

Magnolia Roller Vixens Home Season Opener April 4, 7 p.m., at Jackson Convention Complex (105 E. Pascagoula St.). The Magnolia Roller Vixens kick off their 2015 season with family-friendly, hard-hitting roller derby action. The team takes on the Chattanooga Roller Girls. Doors open at 6 p.m. $12 in advance, $15 at the door, $5 children; email info@magnoliarollervixens.com; call 601-624-2824; magnoliarollervixens.com.

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“Fish Tale: The Story of Peter” April 2, 7 p.m., at Northminster Baptist Church (3955 Ridgewood Road). John Maxwell of Fish Tale Group Theatre presents the one-man play about the disciple of Jesus. The event is part of the church’s communion service. Free, donations welcome; call 9824703; fishtalegroup.org.

“Cemetery Lane” Burlesque Show April 3, 8-11:30 p.m., at Duling Hall (622 Duling Ave.).

Ardenland and Black Hat Burlesque present the Addams Family-inspired show. Performers include Ember Blaize, Roux La La, Baron Reinhardt, Reverend Spooky Le Strange and Lydia Treats. Doors open at 8 p.m. Seating limited. $15 early bird, $25 VIP; call 292-7121; email arden@ardenland.net; eventbrite.com.

“The Barefoot Artist” Film Screening with Ko’ox Boon April 7, 6:30-9 p.m., at Millsaps

Enjoy a hot breakfast and get a picture with the Easter Bunny. $25, $20 members; call 601981-5469; mississippichildrensmuseum.com.

Ag Museum Easter Egg Hunt April 4, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., at Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum (1150 Lakeland Drive).

Includes a celebrity egg toss, an Easter egg hunt for ages 12 and under at noon, games, food, pictures with the Easter Bunny, $1 rides and other activities. $6, $4 ages 3-18; call 601-432-4500; mdac.ms.gov/agmuseum.

New Vineyard Church’s Easter Community Celebration April 4, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., at New Vineyard Church (4207 Rainey Road). The event for ages 18 and under includes face painting, games, sports and raffles. Free; call 601-487-2330; email newvineyardms@gmail.com.

Easter Blues Bash April 4, 10 p.m., at Club Ebony (404 Hanna St., Indianola). Billy “Soul” Bonds performs. Doors open at 8 p.m. $25 in advance, $20 at the door; call 662-887-9539.

Events at Russell C. Davis Planetarium (201 E. Pascagoula St.) • "Perfect Little Planet" Sky Show MondaysSaturdays, 1 p.m., Saturdays, 4 p.m. through May 30. Discover our solar system through a new set of eyes: a family from another star system seeking the perfect vacation spot. $6.50, $5.50 seniors, $4 children (cash or check); call 601-960-1550; thedavisplanetarium.com.

• "Black Holes" Sky Show Mondays-Saturdays, 2 p.m., through May 30. Take a journey through one of the most mystifying, awe-inspiring phenomena in the universe. $6.50, $5.50 seniors, $4 children (cash or check); call 601960-1550; thedavisplanetarium.com.

• "Exploding Universe" Sky Show MondaysSaturdays, 3 p.m., through May 30. The film is about supernovae and other explosions that have shaped the universe. $6.50, $5.50 seniors, $4 children (cash or check); call 601-960-1550; thedavisplanetarium.com.

#/.#%243 &%34)6!,3 Stevie J Blues Fundraiser and Listening Party April 2, 7-10 p.m., at Underground 119 (119 S. President St.). Celebrate the local blues artist’s latest album, “Back To The Blues.” Sponsorships available. Sponsorships start at $50 for two tickets and a T-shirt; call 352-2322.

ReAwaken Who You Are: Sound Healing Concert April 4, 7 p.m., at Joyflow Yoga Studio (7048 Old Canton Road, Suite 2F, Ridgeland).

Enjoy New Age music from Image for Paradiso and Rasamayi. $25 in advance, $30; call 601613-4317; joyflowyoga.com.

Honey Island Swamp Band April 4, 9 p.m., at Duling Hall (622 Duling Ave.). The Americana band from New Orleans performs. Mississippi Rail Company also performs. Adults must accompany children. $10 in advance, $15, $3 surcharge for under 21; call 601-292-7999; email arden@ardenland.net; ardenland.net.

Mississippi Chambre Music Guild Concert April 7, 7:30 p.m., at Broadmeadow United Methodist Church (4419 Broadmeadow Drive).

The Exultate Ensemble performs contemporary and Baroque classical music. $20, $5 students; call 601-594-2902; email royce@castlemedia.net.

,)4%2!29 3)'.).'3 Events at Lemuria Books (Banner Hall, 4465 Interstate 55 N., Suite 202) • "Into the Savage Country" April 1, 5 p.m.

Shannon Burke signs books. Reading at 5:30 p.m. $24.95 book; call 601-366-7619; email info@lemuriabooks.com; lemuriabooks.com.

• "Pasture Art" April 2, 5 p.m. Marlin Barton signs books. Reading at 5:30 p.m. $16.95 book; call 601-366-7619; email info@lemuriabooks. com; lemuriabooks.com.

• "Seeds of Freedom: The Peaceful Integration of Huntsville, Alabama” April 7, 3:30 p.m.

Hester Bass signs books. $16.99 book; call 601-366-7619; email info@lemuriabooks.com; lemuriabooks.com.

• "The Thickety: The Whispering Trees" April 8, 4:30 p.m. J.A. White signs books. $16.99 book; lemuriabooks.com; call 601-3667619; email info@lemuriabooks.com.

“The Teeth of the Souls” April 7, 5 p.m., at Eudora Welty House and Museum (1119 Pinehurst Place). Steve Yates signs books. Reading at 5:30 p.m. $32.95 book; call Lemuria Books at 601-366-7619; lemuriabooks.com.

#2%!4)6% #,!33%3 Get Hooked Cooking Class April 4, 6-9 p.m., at Farmer’s Table Cooking School (Town of Livingston, 129 Mannsdale Road, Madison). Topics include roasting tomatoes for soup, slicing vegetables with a mandolin, making a vinaigrette, baking fish in parchment paper and more.

Registration required. $99; call 601-506-6821; farmerstableinlivingston.com.

Blacksmithing Class April 7, 6-8:30 p.m., at Mississippi Craft Center (950 Rice Road, Ridgeland).

Lyle Wynn is the instructor. Registration required. $35; call 601-856-7546; email education@ mscrafts.org; craftsmensguildofms.org.

"% 4(% #(!.'% Cosmos and Couture April 2, 6-9 p.m., at Old Capitol Inn (226 N. State St.). Includes a fashion show featuring clothes from local merchants, cosmos, hors d’oeuvres and a silent auction. Benefits the Mississippi Burn Foundation. $40 in advance, $50; call 601-540-2995; email afontaine@msburn.org.

Check jfpevents.com for updates and more listings, or to add your own events online. You can also email event details to events@jacksonfreepress.com to be added to the calendar. The deadline is noon the Wednesday prior to the week of publication.

April 1 - 7, 2015 • jfp.ms

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29

DIVERSIONS | music

J

ackson-native blues and soul artist Stephen JohnJohnson, 40, grew up playing music in the church, son decided to clear his name—or at least to eventually lending his guitar skills to gospel greats such as clarify it—about two years ago. Although he still Shirley Caesar. But it wasn’t until legendary bluesman Bobby answers to Stevie J, as Rush took him under his wing he’s done his whole life, he that he made the move to blues now performs as Stevie J Blues and southern soul. The two guiso that his fans can distinguish tarists met at Malaco Records in him from Atlanta-based Stevie 2001, shortly after Rush had a J (Steven Jordan) of the reality serious car accident in Pensacshow “Love & Hip Hop: Atola, Fla. Johnson joined Rush’s

by LaTonya Miller lanta.” That other Stevie J had backing band in 2002, and a fairly successful career as a played with the Grammy nommusic producer in the ’90s, inee for about five years before but since the 2012 premiere setting off for a solo career. of his TV show, Jordan has Armed with his soulful gained a questionable repuguitar licks and vocals, Johnson tation as an unabashed party released his debut album, “2 boy—and Johnson wants to Sides of a Man,” on Help Me separate his music from the Records in 2008. Johnson was TV host. But the blues guithe last artist that label owner tarist takes it in stride.

Senator Jones signed. Jones, a “It’s so funny because deejay and music industry veterbefore ‘Love and Hip Hop an responsible for the success of Atlanta’ came out, if you blues-and-soul artist Sir Charles, Googled ‘Stevie J,’ my picture passed away six months after rewould come up,” Johnson leasing Johnson’s debut album. says. “Every now and then, The single, “Because of Me,” somebody will hit me on still managed to reach No. 1 Facebook and ask me what Jackson native Stephen “Stevie J Blues” on the Southern Soul chart, deJoseline (Jordan’s wife) is do- Johnson presents new songs from his upcoming spite little promotion. ing, and I’m like, ‘Man, you album, “Back to Blues,” Thursday, April 2, at Fast-forward seven years Underground 119. got the wrong person.’” and two more albums (or three,

Back to Stevie J Blues

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if you count both discs in 2010’s “The Diversity Project”) and Stevie J Blues is preparing his next full-length recording project, “Back to Blues,” which is set for release this fall on Johnson’s independent label, PK Records.

“It’s heavily blues driven, but it’s going to play with different genres,” Johnson says, adding that his intention with “Back to Blues” is to expose the blues elements present in genres such as pop, rock ‘n’ roll and R&B. To give faithful fans a taste of what’s to come and bring new fans up to speed, Johnson will release a six-song EP this summer, offering four new tracks and two from his 2013 LP, “Unstoppable.”

In the past, some of Johnson’s lyrics have gotten him into trouble with his youngest brother, Jay Johnson, who is his pastor at Abounding Grace World Healing Church in Jackson. For instance, songs such as “Married Girlfriend” and “Stolen Wine” contain unambiguous tales of infidelity.

But the elder Johnson says that “Back to Blues” will deliver more radio-friendly lyrics.

Many of Johnson’s fans hail him as the new face of Delta blues and Mississippi’s best-kept secret, due to his passion for the history of his craft. All Access Magazine called him a “limitless bluesman” because he is so well versed in that history, and he shares it with fans whenever he hits the stage.

At any given show, Johnson says he gives audiences the blues “from yesterday, today and tomorrow.” He wants listeners to know that when they come to see him perform, they should “come expecting a history lesson in the blues.”

The “Back to Blues” fundraiser and listening party is 7 p.m. Thursday, April 2, at Underground 119 (119 S. President St., 601-352-2322). Sponsorships and VIP packages are available. Call 769-216-5128 for details. For more information, visit steviejmusic.com.

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MUSIC | live

31

DIVERSIONS | jfp sports

A Look Back at Mississippiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s HOME COOKINâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Basketball Season CAPSULE News and notes from all levels of the metro and Mississippi sports

by Jon Wiener

Lanier High School great and Dallas Mavericks player Monta Ellisâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; streak of 237 consecutive NBA games played ended March 29, after a calf injury during a game against the San Antonio Spurs.

The streak, dating to the Mavericksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 2012-2013 season opener, was the fourth longest in the NBA.

Alcorn State University did not renew the contract of head basketball coach Luther Riley. Riley went 3891 in four seasons at Alcorn after coaching at Provine High School.

Jackson Prep baseball (17-1) swept a three-game series with Columbia Academy by a combined score of 43-4. Collegiate Baseball ranks them No. 21 in the nation.

Millsaps College baseball retired the No. 14 jersey of former All-SCAC star Tait Hendrix (20062009), who died in a motorcycle accident June 2014. The Majors swept Centre College in a doubleheader March 28 to move to 19-4 overall and 10-2 in the SAA. Mississippi State University softballâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Alexis Silkwood became the SEC co-pitcher of the week after her no-hitter against the University of Southern Mississippi on Wednesday, March 25.

April 1 - 7, 2015 â&#x20AC;˘ jfp.ms

The College Series at Trustmark Park in Pearl continues Tuesday, April 7, at 6:30 p.m. with University of Mississippi vs. Southern Miss.

32

Jackson State University softball will host a three-game set with Alabama State University April 3-4.

Saturdayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s double-header marks Senior Day and starts at noon.

Jon Wiener is the host and producer of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Home Cookinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;? on ESPN 105.9 FM The Zone. He has a bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree in English and masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree in broadcast journalism.

T

he Final Four is here, and the book on Mississippiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s current basketball season has closed. It felt like a particularly mad March for Mississippi basketball fans, but it was a really fitting end to an eventful season.

I ranked the top 10 basketball storylines in Mississippi for 2014-2015.

10. Luther Lost in Lorman A promising marriage turned into a dysfunctional split when Alcorn State University head coach Luther Riley took a leave of absence from the team in January amidst reports of player mutiny. It spelled the beginning of the end for Riley, and the school fired him at the end of the season.

timately prevailed but emerged from the fray in disgrace because the public saw the organization as denying a special group of kids a unique opportunity.

6. Queen Victoriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ascendance People can surpass great expectations.

Scott County native Victoria Vivians entered her freshman season at Mississippi State University as the most popular recruit in program history and made a seismic impact. She led the SEC in scoring, powered Mississippi State to a school record of 27 wins and became the first freshman to win the Gillom Trophy.

home game with Ole Miss set a state record for attendance (7,326). The rise in popularity started with all three teams winning on the court, but the advent of the SEC Network and local stars like Vivians, combined with apathy toward the menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s teams, helped womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s basketball explode in popularity.

3. Ray Removed for Howland Almost every conversation about former Mississippi State coach Rick Rayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tenuous future started with, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Now, I think Ray is a good guy.â&#x20AC;? But each quickly turned to how bad his teams were. In the end, the latter outweighed the former. MSU fired Ray after COURTESY SEC YOUTUBE

Callaway High Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Malik Newman is the seventh player from Jackson to play in the McDonaldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s All-American Game at the United Center in Chicago. See the game on ESPN at 8 p.m. Wednesday, April 1.

by Jon Wiener

9. Holmes Makes History A pair of former Rebels made history as Bulldogs. Holmes Community College, coached by University of Mississippi greats Jason Flanagan and Jason Harrison, won the first Region 23 title in school history and advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCJAA Tournament for the first time 8. Summersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Senior Struggles Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wrong with Jarvis Summers?

The question plagued Ole Miss all season as its senior star never found the form he had in his Howell Trophy-winning junior year. Injuries hampered Summers early, but a clear loss of confidenceâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;along with his jump shotâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;plagued him late. He dropped from 17.3 points per game to 12 and finished with a career-low 33.1 shooting percentage.

7. MHSAA vs. Callaway High School State champion Callaway High School received an invite to play in the Dickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Sporting Goods High School National Tournament in New York City, but the Mississippi High School Activities Association would not amend a 1938 rule that prohibited the team from playing postseason games. Callaway protested, and the ensuing dispute became a hot-button public issue statewide. The MHSAA ul-

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This season, injuries and probably a loss of confidenceâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and his jump shotâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; plagued Ole Miss basketball star Jarvis Summers.

4. University of Southern Mississippi and NCAA violations A NCAA investigation poured fuel on a USM program already in flames in the wake of Donnie Tyndallâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s departure to the University of Tennessee. Tyndall won a school record of 29 games his final season in Hattiesburg, but the NCAA investigation revealed that he cut corners to do so. The violations made national headlines and ultimately cost Tyndall his job at Tennessee.

3. Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Basketball Wins Ole Miss, Southern Miss and Mississippi State each drew record on-campus crowds for a womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s game. MSUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s March 1

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three seasons in Starkville and hired former University of California, Los Angeles Final Four coach Ben Howland, who made fans quickly forget about Ray. 2. Ole Missâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s NCAA Dance There was never a dull moment with the schizophrenic Ole Miss basketball team.

The Rebels got scorching hot in January and played their way into the NCAA Tournament, only to collapse down the stretch and nearly play their way out. But the Rebels snuck in and staged a historic comeback against Brigham Young University in the first round. Fittingly, Xavier University blew Ole Miss out in the next round.

1. Malik Newmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Last Ride The Callaway High School superstar spent his senior year etching his claim as Mississippiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s greatest high-school player of all time. He dropped 50 points on rival Provine High School in the JPS Pepsi Tournament final and led the Chargers to a fourthstraight state championship. But Newman takes the top spot because the story isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t over yet. Where he chooses to play in college and how heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll fare will play out in the national eye of basketball fans in the months to come.

DIVERSIONS | jfp sports

Chasing Perfection

by Bryan Flynn

sion I teams have finished their seasons undefeated since 1976—ending the season perfectly seldom happens in college basketball.

Only five teams have finished the regular college basketball season undefeated before falling in conference tournaments or the NCAA Tournament. That includes the 1978-1979 Larry Bird-led Indiana State University Sycamores and the 1978-1979 Alcorn State University Braves, who weren’t even invited to the NCAA Tournament.

Bird and Indiana State lost to Michigan State in the title game. Alcorn State fell to Indiana in the second round of the NIT as the Hoosiers went on to win the whole tournament.

More recently, the best chance for an undefeated team came in the 1990-1991 season in the form of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas Runnin’ Rebels, who made it all the way to the Final Four undefeated. The team then lost to Duke, which won its

Follow Bryan Flynn at jfpsports.com , @jfpsports and at facebook.com/jfpsports.

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It is all or nothing for Kentucky: immortality for the Wildcats or a footnote in history.

first national championship to complete the rise of the Blue Devils’ program.

Last season, Wichita State University entered the tournament undefeated but lost to Kentucky in the round of 32 as the NCAA selection committee stacked the deck against the Shockers. Kentucky reached the title game, only to lose against the red-hot University of Connecticut team.

Currently, Kentucky has tied the team’s all-time record for most wins in a season with 38. The Wildcats set the record when it won the national title in the 20112012 season, finishing with a 38-2 record.

A win in the national semifinal against Wisconsin will set a new record at 39. If the Wildcats can finish undefeated, the team will have a perfect 40-0 record.

Kentucky faces the same task as the 2007 New England Patriots, who went 16-0 in the regular season but lost in Super Bowl XLII, finishing 18-1. Like the Patriots, the Wildcats must win everything, or the season will seem like a giant disappointment.

It is all or nothing for Kentucky: immortality for the Wildcats or a footnote in history.

E TH G

J

ust two games separate the 2014-2015 University of Kentucky Wildcats from immortality, and just three teams stand in the Wildcats’ way from joining eight others who had a perfect season.

The last time a Division I college basketball team went undefeated was 39 years ago when the Indiana University Hoosiers finished 32-0 in the 1975-1976 season. Kentucky hopes to be the next team to do that.

In another fitting twist, the Wildcats will try to remain undefeated in the state of Indiana —the location of this year’s Final Four—smack in the middle of Hoosiers’ territory. But the University of Wisconsin Badgers and either the Duke University Blue Devils or Michigan State University Spartans still have plenty to say about the outcome of the tournament.

While finishing undefeated in Division I college football happens pretty frequently—in fact, 35 Divi-

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Deadline: Mondays at noon.

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Interested in interviewing musicians, reviewing albums and networking within Jacksonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s music community?

The Jackson Free Press is looking for freelance writers interested in covering the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s music scene.

Please e-mail inquiries to

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Music Writing

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1029 Highway 51 N, Suite G2 Madison, MS 39110 Get a FREE quote – see what you can save!

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We’re your complete lawn maintenance service!

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Let’s make it April Foolin’ Around Day? (Tricks with lingerie, supplements, or gadgets make for an exciting day of harmless fun and games!)

175 Hwy 80 East in Pearl * 601.932.2811 M­Th: 10­10p F­Sa 10­Mid Su: 1­10p * www.shopromanticadventures.com