v8n30 - Renaissance Man

Vol. 8 | No. 30 // April 8 - 14, 2010

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April 8 - 14, 2010

jacksonian

As the second youngest of 13 brothers and sisters, Dr. Juanita Sims-Doty grew up in Canton “holding and picking cotton” until her sophomore year of college.

Now the southeastern regional director of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., Sims-Doty spends her time encouraging young women to serve others and embrace educational opportunities.

Sims-Doty was determined not to leave school until she earned enough degrees to make a good living. She received her bachelors and master’s degree in sociology from the University of Southern Mississippi and a doctorate in early childhood education from Jackson State University in 1985.

Her sister Shirley, the first in her family to become a member of AKA, encouraged SimsDoty to become a member in 1962. Howard University students founded the organization in 1908, making it the first African American Greek-lettered sorority in the United States.

“God puts people and organizations in your life so that you can use your skills in a better way, so Alpha Kappa Alpha is that vehicle for me,” she says.

As AKA’s southeastern regional director, Sims-Doty, 57, lives in Jackson but spends most of her time traveling throughout the country encouraging sorority members to get involved in service. She oversees 53 graduate and 48 undergraduate chapters in

WRIJOYA ROY

juanita sims-doty Alabama, Tennessee and Mississippi.

She was responsible for organizing the sorority’s 78th southeastern regional conference last month, which brought 2,300 AKA members to Jackson. DotySims estimates it brought a $1 million economic boost to the city.

Sims-Doty has played an important role in securing $400,000 for universities in the southeastern regions over the last several years.

She also set up the Juanita Sims-Doty Scholarship Fund at Jackson State University and she has helped raised $2 million dollars for the sorority’s education, health and literacy program.

The money from the program is allocated to various communities. In Jackson, for example, Walton Elementary School received funding from the sorority for an after-school reading program for children.

When Sims-Doty does motivational speeches and speaks at various conferences she focuses on the principles she lives by: “Seek divine purpose, have self-esteem, excel, have a heart to serve others, educate yourself and remain humble.”

Sims-Doty attributes her commitment to serve others in her community to her Christian faith. “Serving is one thing I feel that everyone should do. I feel in order to be a great leader, you have to serve first. How do you know how to lead those who serve, if you haven’t done it?” she asks.

— Ashley Hill

Cover photograph by Troy Catchings Apr il 8 - 14, 2 0 1 0

VOL.

8 NO. 30 JACRO VACEK; AMILE WILSON;; CHANNELLE RENEE ; COURTESY IDW PUBLISHING

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Firing Back

New School Costs?

Sound of Harmony

Rib-tickling Aliens

Sheriff Malcolm McMillin defends his reputation in an exclusive interview.

The Mississippi Legislature wants new charter schools to replace failing schools. Are there hidden costs?

Combining hip-hop and rock ‘n’ roll gives AJC and The Envelope Pushers a sound everyone can dig.

“Groom Lake” makes graphic comedy out of Area 51 and 1950s-era aliens. Just say, “Chocolate, Sex, Smoke.”

INSIDE THIS ISSUE: 4 Editor’s Note 27 JFP Events

4 Slow Poke 30 Music

7 Talk 31 Books

12 Stiggers 32 Music Listings

12 Editorial 34Body/Soul

24 8 Days 36 Food

26 Arts 41 Astro

jacksonfreepress.com

contents

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publisher’snote

Ward Schaefer JFP reporter Ward Schaefer came to Mississippi to teach middle school, and is now a journalist.

His hometown of Chevy Chase, Md., was not named for the actor.

He is slowly learning to play banjo. He wrote the cover story.

Troy Catchings Born in Abbeville, Troy Catchings is a Jackson State graduate and a freelance photographer living in Clarksdale. He’s won many Mississippi Press Association awards and had a photo exhibition at the Carnegie Public Library in 2006.

He photographed the cover story.

Donna Ladd JFP and Boom Jackson editorin-chief and co-founder Donna Ladd is a Neshoba County native who graduated from Mississippi State and the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism. She interviewed Sheriff Malcolm McMillin for this issue.

Adam Lynch Award-winning senior reporter Adam Lynch is a Winona native and graduate of Jackson State.

He and his wife live in North Jackson. E-mail tips to adam@j acksonfreepress.com, or call him at 601-362-6121, ext. 8. He wrote Talks for this issue.

Jesse Yancy Jesse Yancy is a long-time editor and award-winning writer in the Jackson area. Yancy is also a former chef and caterer who lives in Belhaven. He wrote the food piece.

Carl Gibson Fresh out of Kentucky, Carl Gibson is a recent college graduate. In his scant amounts of spare time, he enjoys playing drums on Farish Street, seeing local bands, buying local, and riding his bike around the reservoir. He wrote music and arts pieces.

Ashley Hill Editorial intern Ashley Hill is complex, in a totally normal way.

Born and raised in Chicago, she is a junior mass communication/ multimedia journalism major at Jackson State University. he wrote the Jacksonian.

April 8 - 14, 2010

ShaWanda Jacome

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Assistant to the editor ShaWanda Jacome was born in Jackson and raised in California. Family is everything to her and she hopes one day to travel to London, Canada and Jamaica. She wrote the Body & Soul piece

by Todd Stauffer, Publisher

Chronicling Jackson’s BOOM

I

t just occurred to me when I sat down to write this that the Saints won the Super Bowl within weeks of the King Edward reopening—after both had suffered roughly four decades of discontent. I guess the Saints and King Eddie were using the same cold month in hell to make a few “never gonna happen” things ... happen.

A few years ago, the idea of Jackson experiencing revitalization on the scale we’re seeing was another “never gonna happen”-type thing.

Many railed against the possibilities over the airwaves and in letters to the editor.

In revenue-challenged Mississippi, in the capital city that the rest of the state loves to hate, it seemed impossible that old buildings would become new; arts neighborhoods would flourish; and that jobs, universities, medical centers and local retail might thrive.

That’s pretty much the space we were in when the JFP launched the first annual edition of BOOM Jackson magazine in 2008—there were tons of projects on the drawing board, but relatively few of them completed. Stories on the convention center, JSU’s University Place and the Pinnacle building ran with architects’ renderings, not photos.

The photos we had of Fondren Place and the Duling School showed ongoing construction that didn’t yet house Bank Plus, the Ramey Agency or the Auditorium.

In the second annual issue of BOOM, we were seeing the fruits of revitalization. I recall telling people that BOOM 2009 would have “more photos and fewer renderings” because so many projects had come or were coming online. The Pinnacle and Fondren Place were a reality; the Walthall was renovating; King Eddie was inching closer; and the ink was dry on new tenants for Farish.

We bundled up the pages on BOOM 2009, sent it to the printer ... and started to realize something about Jackson. A lot changes over the course of a single year.

Translation: We needed to publish BOOM more often. And as with many entrepreneurial ventures, it was going to end up happening sooner rather than later.

So, starting with the June 2010 issue, BOOM Jackson will go from an annual to a quarterly, with a new issue for every season.

Publishing quarterly will give us room to do stories not just about buildings and plans, but about people—our business leaders, risktakers and entrepreneurs, and to talk more frankly about our strengths and challenges.

I’m calling BOOM Jackson the city’s first “business + lifestyle” publication—equal parts Fast Company, Dwell and Good magazines (shaken, not stirred) but produced in Jackson by people who live in and love this town, champion local business, engage in creative pursuits, love great food and style, and relish seeing progressive ideas put into action.

Oh, and an observation about those leaders, risk-takers and entrepreneurs: They’re younger now. Jackson is experiencing a generational shift with Generation X (about

30-45 year olds) taking the reins of businesses and organizations—small and large—while Generation Y/Millennials (18-30 or so) continue to enter the workplace as professionals, knowledge workers, independent contractors and business owners in their own right.

That shift is why we think JFP Inc. is well positioned to produce this “business + lifestyle” publication—what the JFP has done for city news, investigative features, arts, music, food and politics in Jackson, BOOM Jackson is ready to do for local business, entrepreneurship, urban dwelling and smart development.

We’ll offer a unique perspective, tell things like they are, and we’ll cover “business + lifestyle” with an emphasis on the young and the young-at-heart who insist not just on adding to the bottom line, but practicing “social entrepreneurship” in a way that leaves their community a stronger, better place to live.

One way we’re going to do that is by bringing in a young firebrand of an assistant editor for BOOM Jackson quarterly—former JFP assistant editor Natalie Collier rejoins our crew this month after a stint as a fellow at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and as managing editor of N’Digo magazine, a glossy urban pub in Chicago. The Millsaps grad’s move home gives us a chance to once again put her talents to use telling Jackson’s ongoing story with style, smart narrative and excellent reporting.

BOOM Jackson as an independent quarterly publication falls under the purview of Donna Ladd as editor-in-chief, so you’ll see strong editorial guidance there as well.

Along with full-time work on the JFP and as a non-fiction writing coach, Donna has recently found herself at the front of the boardroom, consulting on topics like long-term planning,

mission building for organizations, building diversity and management techniques. She’ll emphasize those topics in BOOM Jackson, just in time for the sea change that is the modern, mobile, millennial, purpose-driven, post-“Great Recession” business world.

Part of BOOM Jackson’s mission will be collaborating with key organizations that you’re going to hear more about, like JCDC (Jackson Community Design Center), YP Alliance (Young Professionals of Greater Jackson), Young Leaders in Philanthropy (YLP) and the young social entrepreneurs of the West Jackson Leadership Academy (WJLA).

These groups and others are already helping shape the BOOM editorial mission in an advisory capacity, and you’ll hear more about their efforts, challenges and successes in the pages of BOOM. Perhaps most importantly, these groups (and many others) embody the values of smart growth and economic opportunity, and extend the “boom” felt in Downtown and Fondren to all parts of Jackson—south, west, east and north.

By chronicling the exciting boom times in Jackson, BOOM Jackson will be exactly the magazine that will lure visitors and professional workers—call it a stealthy recruitment tool that will, as Donna teaches in writing classes, show people why they should visit or move here, not just tell them.

This is gonna be fun! Visit www.boomjackson.com, follow @boomjackson on Twitter and become a Facebook fan.

Watch for upcoming Boom lectures and parties. Like the King Edward and (hopefully) the Saints ... we’re just getting started.

To suggest stories for BOOM or to freelance, write natalie@boomjackson.com. For advertising info, write todd@boomjackson.com.

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April 8 - 14, 2010

JARO VACEK

McMillin Talks on Irby ‘Conspiracy’

Sheriff Malcolm McMillin is firing back at “ignorant” accusers.

H

inds County Sheriff Malcolm McMillin this week fired back at accusers who say he led a conspiracy to go easy on Karen Irby, whose intoxication and high-speed driving killed two doctors and seriously injured her husband, Stuart, and herself after leaving the Jackson Country Club the evening of Feb. 11, 2009. Police reports show that she crossed five lanes of traffic in her black 2006 Mercedes-Benz CLS 500 and hit a Chevrolet Silverado C1500 pick-up truck head-on; it burst into flames, killing Drs. Mark Pogue and Lisa Dedousis.

McMillin, who was serving both as Jackson police chief and Hinds sheriff at the time, said he knew immediately upon hearing about the tragedy that he had to stay far away

to avoid the appearance of impropriety, since Stuart Irby and his brother had contributed nearly $10,000 to his last sheriff’s campaign.

“I made it a point not to be involved, not to be briefed,” he said in an interview in his downtown office Monday. He does not deny having a “close personal relationship” with Stuart Irby whom he calls “a friend,” but emphasizes that he had held elected office long enough to know that he should not go near the investigation. “I wanted to make sure there was not any implication of impropriety on my part in the handling of this case.”

However, McMillin did not deny that police officers, or at least one, made serious mistakes during the crime-scene investigation that evening, but blasted claims of local anonymous bloggers that he intentionally sent an unqualified investigator to the scene after hearing that the Irby family, friends and campaign contributors, were involved.

“With all probability, I was home in bed,” McMillin said.

The sheriff contacted the Jackson Free Press last week to offer an exclusive interview about his side of the story after Hinds County District Attorney Robert S. Smith told WLBT that he was calling for an investigation of the handling of the case, which he said was the reason he had to plead Karen Irby to a lesser charge of two counts of manslaughter, rather than the “depraved heart” murder charge he had brought against her. That charge required that prosecutors prove her crime was “done in

by Donna Ladd

the commission of an act eminently dangerous to others and evincing a depraved heart, regardless of human life.” Smith had the burden of proving that Irby acted recklessly, a tougher standard to prove than negligence.

McMillin seemed intent on correcting unsubstantiated rumors that he had intentionally set up a bad investigation to help a campaign contributor—which he characterized as a smear campaign by someone “who sees black helicopters, conspiracy theories or is just ignorant.” No one who has anonymously accused him of being in cahoots with the Irbys has contacted him for an interview or comment, he added.

McMillin seemed particularly concerned because, as he pointed out, some local media outlets seemed to be following irresponsible bloggers down a conjecture-filled rabbit hole—stomping his good name in the process. “I don’t intend to get into a war of words with a fool who has a computer and a blog,” he said, “but these are the facts.”

The sheriff offered more than an indictment of the smears against him, however. The interview, which included access to personnel with knowledge of the case and supporting data compiled by investigators, indicated that there was more to the story than has been revealed by bloggers, the DA or other media.

WLBT reported last week that the district attorney had pled Irby to two counts SHERIFF, see page 8

by Interns

Question: Gov. Barbour is threatening to sue the federal government over the passage of the health-care reform bill. What do you think about that?

BUTT

DISAPPOIN

TED

“I think that’s really silly. … I feel like Republicans won’t be too mad at him.” —Samantha Ledbetter, 20, Jackson “It’s an unfortunate decision. Mississippi is one of the poorest states in the nation, and there are many of us without health care. He should support the law that the president passes instead of spending the state’s resources on a baseless lawsuit.”

—Diandra Hosey, 29, Byram “I can’t believe that he is not wanting to improve health care. Does he care? It’s like we’re a third-world country.”

—Brittany Tait, 22, Jackson

“When I imagine prom, I don’t see seven students. I see my junior and senior class being there and being able to hang out with your friends on a special night. I was very disappointed.” —Itawamba Agriculture High School lesbian Constance McMillen after her classmates held a separate prom and did not invite her.

“I wish Gov. Barbour all the success. This is not one of the great powers of the constitution; the supremacy clause does not apply.”

—Doc, 66, Jackson

Standing Firm, p 11

Wednesday, March 31 International donors meet at the United Nations to pledge up to $4 billion to rebuild Haiti. … Police watchdog-group SafeCity closes citing financial issues.

Thursday, April 1 In a speech in Maine, President Barack Obama needles Republicans over apocalyptic predictions about the health-care reform bill. … Gov. Barbour announces he will wait for Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum to file a multi-state lawsuit against health-care reform before he joins in.

Friday, April 2 Tokyo prosecutors indict New Zealand anti-whaling activist Peter Bethune, 44, with five criminal counts for boarding a Japanese whaling ship in February. …

Soldiers wearing uniforms similar to those of the U.S. Army slit the throats of 25 members of an Iraqi family near Baghdad. …NAACP President Derrick Johnson speaks out against a recently passed bill that would allow charter schools, citing that it will hurt public education funding. … The Jackson Zoo holds a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new Sumatran tiger habitat.

Saturday, April 3 Farm workers beat South African white supremacist Eugene TerreBlanche, 69, to death after an argument over unpaid wages. …Mississippi State University basketball center Jarvis Varnado wins the Lefty Driesell Award for setting the NCAA record for most blocked shots.

Sunday, April 4 In the third day of violence, three suicide car bombings aimed at diplomatic targets kill dozens of people in Baghdad.

Monday, April 5 Jackson Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. reveals that he will appoint Monica Gilmore-Love and Otha Burton to serve on the Jackson Public Schools Board of Trustees. … A group of 30 students from Pecan Park Elementary School in Jackson join President Barack Obama for the 2010 Easter Egg Roll at the White House.

Tuesday, April 6 The death toll in Monday’s coalmine explosion reaches 25, making it the worst U.S. mining accident in 25 years. … The Jackson City Council approves the purchase of the former Dillard’s at Metrocenter Mall for $38,500.

jacksonfreepress.com

news, culture & irreverence

Among 2009 U.S. college graduates, 80 percent moved back home with their parents after graduation, up from 77 percent in 2008, 73 percent in 2007, and 67 percent in 2006.

7

It’s time for a new Spring Wardrobe!

2475 Lakeland Drive, Flowood

April 8 - 14, 2010

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8

SHERIFF, from page 7

of manslaughter due to mistakes by a Jackson police officer on the night of the crime, including waiting too long to reconstruct the accident and miscalculating Irby’s speed, showing that it was 114 miles per hour.

Smith had asked a second investigator, who WLBT identified as Mike Huff and said had been present the night of the accident, to do another reconstruction of the accident two weeks before Irby was set for trial last month.

That investigator found that Irby might only have been driving about 70 miles per hour, and he could not verify that the doctors were not wearing seatbelts, as original investigator Christopher Barnhardt had indicated.

“This was the most I’ve ever seen in terms of mistakes,” Smith told WLBT on March 29. “We’ve never seen mistakes to this degree.” Smith has not returned numerous calls from the Jackson Free Press.

The media reports got several facts wrong and did not include others, according to McMillin and other personnel that he asked not be named at this point. For one, McMillin said that Smith asked Huff, who works for the sheriff’s department, to look at the reconstruction again because original investigator Christopher Barnhardt became mired in controversy this spring after getting in trouble for Facebooking negative comments about first lady Michelle Obama during her visit to Jackson and while he was part of the security detail. The sheriff indicated that Huff had only days, not two weeks, to prepare a follow-up report.

WLBT reported that Huff was “an experienced investigator who was on the scene the night of the crash, but can’t explain why he wasn’t asked to conduct the investigation.”

But information provided by McMillin shows Huff was not on the scene that night, but first saw the evidence nearly a week later. McMillin also indicated that Barnhardt was on the schedule for reconstruction duties that night, contrary to the WLBT report. It is correct that Barnhardt had not passed the test to qualify him to testify as an expert witness, but that does not mean that he was not qualified to do reconstruction, McMillin said.

Regardless of Barnhardt’s “certified” status that night, though, McMillin emphasized that no one has provided evidence that he had anything to do with which investigator was

called to the scene. “I had no idea who was on duty,” he said.

The TV station also quoted Smith saying that Barnhardt was “not certified” to do accident reconstructions. McMillin’s data, however, indicated that he was certified on three different levels to do accident reconstructions; thus, his presence that night was not unusual.

Smith also told WLBT that Barnhardt “waited three hours to give Irby a blood-alcoFILE PHOTO

talk

DA Robert Smith blamed JPD for having to plead Karen Irby to a lesser crime.

hol kit and used an expired kit to do so.” The tube in the kit, Smith said, was expired.

McMillin’s explanation showed truth to this assertion, but not the whole story. Irby underwent two blood tests that night: the first by University of Mississippi Medical Center when she arrived there shortly after the accident. That test showed a blood alcohol count of 1.3%. Then, three hours later after the reconstruction was complete, Barnhardt requested another blood sample. He provided a blood-sample kit that had an expired tube for the blood, which officers say means that the preservative inside the tube may no longer be good. That test found Irby’s BAC to be .9%—meaning that it had fallen in the three hours since the earlier test, which McMillin said is not unusual.

In his follow-up report, Huff also found that the original investigators had photographed the scene, but had not taken photos of the tire marks left by the Mercedes—a serious error. McMillin said this meant that Huff was limited in what he could ascertain about the minimum speed Irby was traveling more than a year after the accident when investigators had used the actual tire marks to claim she

was driving a minimum of 114 mph. Thus, Huff’s second report said he could only say she was driving at least 70 mph, well over the speed limit on Old Canton Road, but that she might have been driving faster.

McMillin said he had sent Huff back to the scene six days after the crash, on Feb. 16, to help collect road data to computerize for future use, because JPD then had no one who could operate the equipment.

In the WLBT interview, DA Smith blamed the assignment of Barnhardt for his decision to allow Irby to plead. “[Barnhardt] should never have been called out to conduct the reconstruction,” he said.

Data gathered by McMillin indicated, though, that the plea could have resulted from an overly ambitious charge of depraved heart murder. He said JPD showed that JPD had presented a strong case for indicting Irby on three counts of aggravated DUI—which can bring up to 25 years for each murder or maiming (as in her husband’s injuries).

Instead, Smith re-indicted Irby for gross negligence manslaughter, which officers claim is more difficult to prove and will likely bring a lighter sentence than aggravated DUI. Officers who spoke to the JFP about this case believe that despite mistakes the night of the investigation, the DA could have taken Irby to trial on aggravated DUI. Regardless, they say, the media should not tar an entire department for errors that night. “That’s one person, not a whole department,” one said.

After sharing what he calls missing details that he learned about the investigation, McMillin returned to the conspiracy allegations against him, emphasizing that the public should weigh his credibility against that of people who spread rumors without using their names. He said that since the accident, he has seen Stuart Irby twice at local restaurants and exchanged pleasantries, and that no one associated with the Irbys have attempted to contact him about the case, and that no one has presented evidence to the contrary.

“After 30-something years in public service and 20-something years holding public office, I’ve never had my honesty and integrity challenged,” he said.

Updates and comment at jacksonfree press.com. If you have information on this case, write ladd@jacksonfreepress.com.

citytalk

PPSJ is now recruiting for the 2010 PLI Class!

by Ward Schaefer

Homeless Day Shelter Closes WRIJOYA ROY

Congratulations on 20 years of commitment!

W

hen the Opportunity Center, the only daytime homeless shelter in Jackson, closed Friday, it left the city’s homeless without a community base that gave structure to many of their lives.

“Now, the place where the homeless could be during the day isn’t there anymore,” said Heather Ivery, the city’s homeless program coordinator. “They’re going back to the parks. There are going to be more people walking around, because there’s nowhere for them to go.”

The shelter opened in 2007 as a way to coordinate the efforts of multiple social service agencies to reach the city’s homeless.

“It was a central place for our mental health services, social services, to meet with clients,” Ivery said. “Now they have to go through the whole process of making appointments and getting to the place.

Transportation, of course, is an issue (for the homeless).”

The shelter, which was operated by Stewpot Community Services, offered a variety of social services. On a daily basis about 175 homeless men and women could use laundry and shower facilities, receive mail and phone calls, and seek day-labor work. The shelter had a dedicated voicemail account for job-seekers, which would allow them to list a phone number on job applications without revealing that they were homeless.

“The idea of telling the homeless to get a job—what you need to make that happen is not available right now,” Ivery said.

Stewpot Community Services CEO Frank Spencer told the Jackson Free Press that a lack of grant money forced Stewpot to close the center.

“We just couldn’t afford to keep it going, not being sure what kind of funding was going to come in, if any,” Spencer said. “We were hemorrhaging money for Opportunity Center. We’re way over what we thought we’d spend for it this year.”

The day shelter costs approximately $160,000 annually to operate. Stewpot typically covers between one-fourth and one-third of that cost with its own funds, relying on outside grants from the city, the state Department of Human Services and other organizations like the United Way, for the remainder.

Stewpot allocated $50,000 for the Opportunity Center in its budget this year, but

by March it had spent $80,000 on the shelter to make up for the lack of grant funds. It became clear two weeks ago that the shelter would have to close, Spencer said. The center will reopen if Stewpot can find sufficient outside funds, he added.

“It’s really tough to close a ministry you started,” Spencer said. “It killed us to close that place.”

Spencer did not make a public call for donations. Such an effort would not bring in enough money to keep the Opportunity Center open, he said.

“You can’t just go out and scream, ‘We need money; we need money.’ We need money all the time,” Spencer said. “It’s donor fatigue, I suppose. I’m not going out and making an appeal to the public for funds to run the Opportunity Center.”

Stewpot is in the middle of a $4 million capital campaign. Trying to save the day shelter with another public fundraising effort would detract from that, he said.

“We cannot take one ministry and highlight it when we’ve got other fundraisers going on,” Spencer said.

Lee Harper, who owns Koinonia Coffee House near the Opportunity Center, was ambivalent about the shelter’s closing. When the shelter opened in 2007, it drew homeless people from other parts of the city to the neighborhood around her business. The increased traffic and loitering in the area, especially in nearby Poindexter Park, made many residents and business-owners uncomfortable. “(The Opportunity Center) didn’t give too much thought to the neighborhood itself,” Harper said. “All it did was be a magnet for the homeless and more homelessness.”

Harper said Monday that she had not noticed any change in the amount of foot traffic near her business since the shelter closed.

Linda Townes, director of the Mississippi State Hospital’s Stubbs Homeless Program, said that she expects to see more homeless people outdoors in the coming months, until summer heat drives them to seek shelter elsewhere.

“It was the only day shelter in town,” Townes said. “So now they’re going to be spread out. … You’ll probably see people going back into the parks. And when it gets hot, if nothing has been done by the time summer gets here, they’ll probably be getting out of the heat any way that they can.”

For 20 years, Parents for Public Schools of Jackson has worked to keep our public schools strong, empower parents as leaders for positive change, and engage the community in supporting our public schools.

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jacksonfreepress.com

The Opportunity Center on West Capitol Street closed Friday due to lack of funds.

9

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educationtalk

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NAACP state president Derrick Johnson said a new charter-school law awaiting the governor’s signature would add new bills to straining school-district budgets.

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ormer Jackson Public Schools Superintendent Earl Watkins said a new charter school law that both the House and Senate approved last month will carry additional costs to the local public-school districts, which already have strapped budgets. “These new schools will have a new list of bills, and when they come due, they’ll turn to the local district for money,” Watkins told the Jackson Free Press.

Awaiting a signature by Gov. Haley Barbour, the New Start School Program and Conversion Charter School Act of 2010, SB 2293 creates a new process for transforming some failing state public schools into “New Start Schools” and “Conversion Charter Schools.”

Charter schools, as envisioned by SB 2293, are independent of traditional school districts in some rules and regulations, with their own independent boards elected by parents, instead of appointed by a city council or mayor.

The law allows the Mississippi Recovery School District to act as a state body to take over habitually failing schools. The district can turn the failing school into a school sharing some charter characteristics, upon approval of more than 50 percent of parents or guardians of students attending the school.

Rep. Cecil Brown, D-Jackson, said legis-

lators who are advocates of public education made a point to adapt the new charter-school law so that charter schools and public schools won’t compete for the same funding.

“The state steers no money out of public education to these new charter schools created by the bill,” Brown said. “These schools are not competing for the same money. In fact, one of the reasons we passed the bill we did was because there wouldn’t be any additional money needed.”

Brown added that the political atmosphere at the state Legislature made a charter school expansion unavoidable, so legislators “worked to get the best charter law we could that wouldn’t affect public schools.”

But the language of the charter law suggests that the schools—although independent of local school district governing power—will still look to the districts for extra funds when necessary. The bill points out, for example, that the local management board may extend the school day or even extend the number of school days in a year, adding considerable costs to district annual expenses. The district must also purchase textbooks and reading materials that may or may not be included in the textbook bundle already owned by the local district.

In addition, the law requires the district to contract a for-profit or non-profit organization that has “operated a successful public school in any state or the District of Columbia,” to run the new school if the school board deems it necessary. Watkins warned that importing an organization to run a fledgling charter school will not be cheap, and that when the bills come, due the board will turn to the local school district for payment.

“If the local board chooses to go with an organization to run the school, you have to ask yourself how many organizations have been successful at running a school around the U.S., and how many are seated in Mississippi? You’ll be hard-pressed to find somebody, so these organizations will have to transition into the state,” said Watkins, who left his post at JPS last year to become an education consultant.

“A for-profit has to make money, so there are

implied additional costs that could eventually impact the district.”

Another cost referenced in the new bill is that the local district board must provide the management board of a conversion charter school with the same legal representation provided to the local school board. Watkins said the extra work required of the attorney to keep the management board from making unlawful decisions could double the district’s costs.

Many of the state’s schools at risk of failure—and thus more likely to be candidates for charter school conversion—tend to exist in districts with low revenue, making the potential new costs even more daunting.

Charter schools tend to require from the students’ parents an application for attendance, and don’t accept every application.

NAACP President Derrick Johnson criticized traditional charter schools, arguing that they siphon resources from public education.

“Charter schools undermine public education,” Johnson said at a public forum April 2. “Anytime you use public resources to provide a quality education for a limited number of children and the rest of the children are left behind, you undermine public education.”

But the new law does not create charter schools in the traditional sense. The new Mississippi law, forces any new charter school arising from the ashes of a failed school to enroll the same body of students who attended the school under the old school name.

Watkins said the design of this legislation offers legislators and parents a chance to truly put to test the charter-school formula: “We’ll be able to see if it is truly a reform strategy because they’ll have to use the same students in the district that they had before.”

Barbour told reporters last month that he would sign the bill, but admitted that he had hoped for a different charter school law. “I’m going to sign it because I think it’s better than nothing, but I do think we shouldn’t have to have failing schools that are taken over by the state before you have the right to have a charter school in your community,” Barbour said.

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10

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by Adam Lynch

Chaney Critical of Insurance Hike Request “What makes Mississippi so much more risky? We’ve got better fire protection than many other states. We’re making it hard for the insurance companies to justify their rate increases,” Chaney said.

This is not the first refusal the company has gotten out of Chaney. Allstate requested a 65.1 percent statewide rate increase last December, but Chaney said he nixed the request Jan. 6.

Sen. David Baria, D-Bay St. Louis—a coastal resident and frequent insurance-industry critic since the 2005 damage of Hurricane Katrina—said earlier this year that he suspected some insurance companies were attempting to price themselves out of the Mississippi market by raising rates to intolerable levels.

“If they pull out and home-owners can’t get insurance and businesses can’t get insurance, you’re going to see the recovery on the coast take a whole lot longer,” Baria told the Jackson Free Press in February. “You don’t build without insurance.”

Despite the state’s need for home-owner insurance, Mississippi and its comparatively low population constitutes a small proportion of Allstate’s nationwide customer base.

Chaney said his rate-increase denials could prompt the company into moving its business out of the state, but he added that pulling out

would not be as easy for any company thanks to the state forging a kind of influence pool with neighboring states.

“I’m working with all the other commissioners in the South. We all work together to bolster our influence with the insurance companies. We’re sticking together, so you’re seeing some changes in the way we do business,” Chaney said. “And if they move on, we can replace them.”

The Allstate rate-increase request, aimed specifically at Mississippi home insurance in this case, follows a national trend of insurance companies requesting rate increases for home and health insurance.

Anthem Blue Cross made news in February after word got out of the company seeking to raise health-insurance premiums on some California customers by 39 percent on March 1. The rate increase stirred argument in the debate leading up to the March passage of health-care reform, and prompted Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to write a letter to the company, demanding detailed justification for the increases.

Sebelius and Democrats in Washington exploited the rate increases and successfully pushed for the passage of reform, in March.

Anthem Blue Cross issued a February

State Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney says he won’t approve the 44 percent rate increase requested by Allstate Insurance.

response to Sebelius, blaming the rate increase on the tanking economy and “fewer people, often with significantly greater medical needs, in the insured pool.”

But the profits of Anthem Blue Cross’ parent company, WellPoint Inc., soared in 2010, even without the rate increases the company requested. The company earned $2.7 billion in the last quarter of 2009, and quarterly sales went from $15.1 billion to $19 billion—a 26 percent increase.

Allstate, the largest publicly traded U.S. home and auto insurer, reported a betterthan-expected fourth-quarter profit in February. Total revenues for the fourth quarter of 2009 were $8.1 billion, an increase of 22.7 percent from the fourth quarter of 2008.

Operating income rose to $592 million from $518 million a year ago.

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The Coffee Roastery offers free Wi-Fi, and The Coffee Roastery according to owner Debra Griffin, her love for coffee inspired her to open her restaurant’s doors in March 2008.

“I am a former hospital administrator and love good coffee,” says Griffin. “I started the Coffee Roastery thinking that opening and operating a viable business would give me an opportunity to share good coffee and become financially independent.”

In fact, the Coffee Roastery also has a presence at the Jackson Convention Complex. In March 2010, Griffin started operating an espresso cart there that is open for business during special events.

So, what makes the Coffee Roastery stand out from others?

“Coffee is a product that begins to die after roasting,” says Griffin. “We roast our coffee on-site and as needed to give our customer the best and freshest cup possible. We only buy Arabica coffees.”

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jacksonfreepress.com

A

llstate has submitted its request for a home-owner rate increase on more than 50,000 Mississippi homes because of higher expenses in the state.

Allstate spokeswoman Allison Hatcher said the company filed to increase homeowner rates in the Allstate Property and Casualty Insurance Company by 44 percent and homeowner rates in the Allstate Indemnity Company by 25 percent to keep pace with the rising cost of doing business.

“We’re continuing to see an increase in the number of claims and the costs associated with paying claims throughout the state,” Hatcher said. “There continues to be an increase in the number of non-model catastrophes—home fires, home burglaries, water damage and liability claims—in Mississippi.”

Mississippi Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney said he has no intention of approving the 44 percent rate-increase.

“They’re not getting 44 percent out of me. The court might give it to them, but they’re not getting it from me,” Chaney said last week.

If Chaney follows through, the company could protest his rate-increase refusal at a commission hearing or file a suit in Hinds County Chancery Court. But Chaney said he felt confident he had a good argument for the judge.

11

jfp op/ed

opining, grousing & pontificating

EDITORIAL

Recovering our Confidence

I

n the first glimmer of good news Mississippi has seen over its lagging tax revenues, the State Tax Commission reported an increase in collections of about a half a percentage point over the previous month. After 18 months of gloomy news about falling revenues and budget cuts, it could have been an opportunity to allow a little light to shine in the darkness of the current recession.

Instead, Gov. Haley Barbour chose to sent out an immediate warning against any kind of optimism, once again solidifying the Republican Party’s nickname: “The Party of No.” “I caution against thinking this one month means our economy has turned the corner and that our budget problems are cured,” Barbour wrote in a statement. “In March, corporate income taxes inexplicably exceeded the estimate by $30 million, or 22 percent. The tax commission is examining possible causes for this spike.”

Granted, a half-percent increase isn’t a lot to celebrate, but at a time when more than 12 percent of the people in Mississippi are unemployed and even more are underemployed, the people would welcome a little good news, even if it is cautiously delivered.

On a national scale, the jobless recovery seems to be catching up to the growth in America’s economy. The later has been growing for the past six months, while jobs continued to stagnate or fall. In March, the nation saw small employment gains in manufacturing, construction and many service industries, according to the Brookings Institution, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit public-policy organization.

Part of Mississippi’s recovery, like the revival of the nation as a whole, must be a rebuilding of the people’s collective confidence. We’ve been buffeted on all sides for far too long by bad economic news and joblessness. As we begin the long, slow climb back to prosperity, it’s in our best interest to do so with our eyes open wide, vigilant for the kind of unregulated overspending and mindless optimism that got us into trouble in the first place.

It’s never that simple, of course, but leaders have a choice in how they will react to good news: They can continue to bang the drum of gloom and doom, or they can begin to help us restore the confidence we need to move forward. Mississippians will rise to the challenge of rebuilding our communities—smarter, better and stronger than before, tempered by adversity instead of weakened by it.

How quickly we rise will be, in part, a reflection of the leadership we follow. Should Barbour decide to be that leader, citizens would welcome it. If not, we should look around to find someone who will.

KEN STIGGERS

Little Bit of Change

April 8 - 14, 2010

M

12

iss Doodle Mae: “Finally, it looks like this winter’s cold spell has broken. Trees covered with white blossoms decorate the ghetto landscape. The street corners and hangout spots are alive with unemployed folk, winos and beggars. Longer days provide more time for children to play on the playground. Roller-skating seems to be a popular recreation for teenagers. Some adults have already made plans for seasonal barbeques and picnics. DJ M-Dog drives his chandeliered hoopty with loud music blasting out of the large speakers. Mister Ice Creamy Man has plenty of gas for his truck and lots of frozen treats for pleasurable consumption.

And Grandma and Grandpa Pookie’s ghetto wonder garden is abundant with fresh veggies. Yes, indeed, spring has sprung in the ghetto.

“Jojo and the entire staff love this time of year—as the cycle of life flashes new pictures of hope. While preparing for my shift at the cash register, Jojo said to me: ‘Despite the cold weather, hard-hearted people, tough times and limited funds, warm, sunny days and the presence of people bring me joy—resulting in a lot of customers shopping at Jojo’s Discount Dollar Store!’

“This season Jojo’s Discount Dollar Store has added two new vendors: Momma Root Doctor’s Herbal Remedy Emporium and The New and Improved Brotha Hustle Juicy Juice on Ice and Smoothie Bar. So bring a big ole smile and that little bit of pocket change to spend at Jojo’s, where everything is a dollar.”

CHATTER

Comments from www.jacksonfreepress.com

“Free Speech or Bad Behavior?”

“I don’t like the Obamas simply because I don’t agree with their politics. Do not read anything into that statement. I am white but first and foremost I am an American. … The officer should have been doing his job and not fooling around with a cell phone. He had a responsibility. As much as I dislike (Michelle Obama), she is still our first lady for the next four years, and it would have looked really bad for something to happen to her on our watch. Think about it. We are, after all, Mississippi and, well, you know how the rest of the world sees us. … I think the woman should stay at home and take care of her kids. My opinion.”

—Charliegal “With all due respect, charliegal, this is 2010, not 1910. I’m confounded enough by why you felt you needed to say you were white, but American, as if that excuses anything. It also blows my mind that anyone in this day and age would hold such an archaic opinion of any woman of any race, much less a woman as highly educated and professionally qualified as Michelle Obama. … You’re right to say that the officer in question was wrong, but then to say that he shouldn’t have done it to spare Mississippi’s reputation is just ludicrous. How about dereliction of duty, conduct unbecoming, etc. If he was on duty his personal bigotries have no place in the matter. Period. And if he’s as bigoted as he sounds, he has no place on any police force.”

—RonniM “… Anytime I see the phrase “I don’t like the Obamas simply because I don’t agree with their ‘politics,’” I automatically replace the word “politics” with “skin color.” Because, well, let’s stop fooling ourselves here.”

—LoriG “… Believe it or not some people actually do disagree with the president’s politics regardless of his skin color. It’s not like if Obama were another color there would suddenly be no division between Repubs and Dems. However, I kind of think I know what you are talking about when people it phrase it like you said. That is the old ‘I’m not racist, some of my best friends are black’ disclaimer before they start spewing bigoted venom.”

—WMartin “Big time hate is going around and breaking many hearts. I guess many whites still need time to reconcile blacks breaking from the cotton and cornfields and sitting in high positions. I could understand this if the Emancipation Proclamation occurred in 1863 and the most effective and enforceable civil-rights bills occurred in the 1960s, but they didn’t. Personally, I try to be nice and speak to everyone no matter our racial, political, social or other differences.”

—Walt

E-mail letters to letters@jacksonfreepress.com, fax to 601-510-9019, or mail to P.O. Box 5067, Jackson, Miss., 39296. Include daytime phone number. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

Or, write a 300-600-word “Your Turn” and send it by e-mail, fax or mail above with a daytime phone number. All submissions are subject to fact checks.

NATALIE A. COLLIER

Rearing Ain’t for Everybody

GRANDVIEW A M A LC O T H E AT R E South of Walmart in Madison

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P

icture it: A woman is rolled into Choose-a-Patron-Saint’s-Name Hospital, writhing in pain, cursing men and pleading with God for mercy. The contractions are coming closer together and are more difficult to bear. After 40 weeks or so, it is finally time. The little bundle of joy (or terror, whichever the case may prove to be) is on the way to make a mark on the world.

“We’re going to take care of you, Ms. Smith. Just let me swipe your identification card, and we’ll be on our way,” a nurse says.

Because I am committed to the progression of this state and hope to see it eventually taking its position as a leader in all things sapient and pioneering, I have a proposition: procreation licenses.

We all know it’s true: Everyone should not bear the responsibility of rearing children. Some people just aren’t cut out for it.

And since they aren’t, they shouldn’t have to.

The issue is, however, that some of these same people don’t know they aren’t fit to be parents, and many of us are too chicken to tell them.

And because of a new agency I’m proposing, we won’t have to. They, the Department of Procreation Qualification (DPQ) will take care of informing them.

Naysayers will rise up against me, and I’m prepared for that. But to soften the blows I’m sure are to come, I present this to you in jest.

Sort of.

I can hear the critics already: “You’re nothing short of a nouveau natural selectionist.” I even think I just heard one of you think: “She’s a communist.” But I’m neither. I’m committed to humanity’s wellness. Procreation licenses will ensure it.

The DPQ will only give licenses to bear children to those individuals who take and pass the exam it administers. Questions on the “Not Everyone Should: Are You One?” child-rearing capability exam will measure various forms of intellect. Think of the test as a Myers-Briggs Type Indicator meets Weschelr Adult Intelligence Scale meets the MayerSalovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test, measuring one’s personality, intellectual and emotional capabilities. This comprehensive exam will evaluate an individual’s readiness to rear children.

The critics are now thinking: “So this is just another test to oppress women in a society where we still have so far to go.” But that’s where you’re wrong. The DPQ will require this exam (and subsequent licensing or denial) by law for any person (female or male) interested in parenting a child. That’s right: Guys and even domestic partners, be ye male or female, if your significant other is interested in rearing a child and passes the test and you don’t, until

conditions change it means the two of you cannot have a child together.

There will be only one requirement to take the exam: Test takers must be at least 18 years of age. (If I had my druthers, the minimum age would be 21, but you can vote and go to war at 18, so it’s illogical to wait until 21 to have a baby.)

Unlike a driver’s license—once you’ve got it, you’ve got it—every five years, one must reapply for their procreation license.

Violators who are found with babies sans license will be fined greatly for each infraction, escalating the cost for subsequent violations.

It’s just that simple.

For those who take and fail the exam, there is no need to fret if having or adopting a baby is of utmost importance to them. Because of the DPQ’s desire to see wholly capable individuals, children and families, it will also offer cognitive behavioral, group and other types of therapy, in addition to life-coping skill workshops, GED, trade and associate-level degree program classes, and other equipping and empowering tools. The newly passed health-care bill will, of course, cover all of these options.

You’ve probably viewed a scene like the one I saw recently in Kroger. As I stood in line behind a woman who looked too young to have three small children (one crying uncontrollably) with a basket overflowing with chips and sugary juices, she snapped in frustration at one child pleading for a bag of Skittles to put the bag back on the rack. The dejected looking little boy took his hand off the rainbow-colored bag and found something to stare at on the floor.

She caught me looking, chuckled, then asked, “Do you have children?”

I shook my head no.

“You’ll understand one day,” she said with a “don’t judge me” attitude in her voice, and then she put the gallon of Sunny D on the conveyor belt to be rung up.

The truth is, I was judging her. She was the impetus for creating the DPQ. I wasn’t thinking how horrible of a mother she is; my thought was: “She wasn’t ready to have children.” And I could empathize because I’m not certain if I took the child-rearing licensing exam, I’d pass either. But I know that it isn’t until we have the best of ourselves to offer a child (or anyone else, for that matter) that we have nothing but pieces to give. And since children don’t come with how-to guides, pieces do not a good operator make.

Natalie Collier is the assistant editor of BOOM Jackson magazine. Write her at natalie@boomjackson.com.

Everyone should not bear the responsibility of rearing children.

Some people just aren’t cut out for it.

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13

YC TRO GS HIN ATC

by Ward Schaefer

April 8 - 14, 2010

What possessed you to run for governor?

“Possessed” may be the right word for it—a combination of events and push. I do a speech about the Delta where I quote Fannie Lou Hamer, who said, “I’m sick and tired of being sick and tired.” I wrote a paper in college when I majored in American government at the University of Virginia about the cycle of poverty in Mississippi. Here we are: I was an 18-year-old (then); I’m 62 (now), and I could turn that paper in tomor14 row. We try, but we don’t quite get there. That, and friends of mine urged me to run

Biography TROY CATCHINGS

I

n Clarksdale, Miss., Bill Luckett may as well already be governor. An attorney by training, he seems to have a hand in nearly every significant activity in town.

Down the road from his law office, a revitalization effort is afoot in downtown Clarksdale. Ground Zero Blues Club and Madidi Restaurant, two ventures Luckett owns with actor Morgan Freeman, are central to this progress. Luckett is in the middle of renovating two more historic structures, the McWilliams Building and the Alcazar Hotel.

While he hires work crews for larger projects, Luckett will spend Saturdays repainting windows. When he checks on progress at the Alcazar halfway through our interview, he can’t resist lifting a bulbous skylight from the floor, where it’s waiting to be installed. He clambers through a window onto a roof that workers are resurfacing, apparently oblivious to the chipped paint and sawdust sticking to his pinstriped suit.

Luckett, 62, has never held public office, though he served on the Coahoma County Democratic Party Executive Committee from 1974 to 1983. He formed a political action committee, Progress for Mississippi, in June 2009; in September, he confirmed his intention to run for governor in 2011.

Candidates must wait until January 2011 to file qualifying papers, and Luckett is spending much of the intervening months boning up on issues and making trips to other parts of the state. He seems both eager and serious when we meet in his law office for an interview. On his desk near his right hand, he has a stack of policy reports covering economics, prisons and education. To his left, Luckett keeps his pilot’s log. Luckett flies his own twin-propeller Cessna 4414 to speaking engagements around the state.

Age: 62 Born: Houston, Texas Family: wife, Francine; four children; seven grandchildren Education: University of Virginia, 1970, B.A., American Government University of Mississippi, 1973, J.D. Occupation: lawyer, developer, business owner

because they know me from various positions of leadership on different boards like hunting clubs and banks.

That’s different from many Democratic politicians in this state.

I have a very strong work ethic. I’m so pleased to know that Mississippi is number one for getting off welfare to work. I read that statistic the other day. Most people don’t like being welfare recipients. They want to have a meaningful job. And they do better, frankly, off of welfare. They get some sense of purpose in theirs lives. But a lot of people don’t have that chance. You’ve got to be able to move your mindset (to imagine) growing up one of these neighborhoods over here, born to a 15- or 16-year-old mother, and right back repeating that cycle of poverty and the whole system of schoolhouse, to courthouse, to jailhouse that we’ve got going on. Mississippi and Louisiana are the two worst states in the world in terms of incarceration rates. Russia’s second. We spend three times as much per year, per prisoner, than we do per year, per student. I’m not soft on crime here; I’m just pointing out that if we could eventually transform those numbers and get prisoners more productive in terms of doing things that help society while their freedom is restricted, and get students an earlier opportunity, we’ll start seeing fewer prisoners.

I’ve had these epiphanies come to me sometimes. Even one came at an Ole Miss football game. I was thinking, “Here I am.

It’s $55 a ticket, and you have to pay a lot more than that just to get good seats.” How many Mississippians could afford to do what a lot of us take for granted?

COURTESY BILL LUCKETT

How do you feel the climate is for a Democrat statewide?

I’m the underdog, let’s put it that way. We’ve got one elected Democrat out of 10 in statewide office. The other nine are Republicans. But I’m into entrepreneurship and business as well. I (believe in) giving people a leg up and not a handout, but a hand up is important, too. When you’re in a part of the state that just lags, we who are more blessed than others—I really just feel a social urge to help people. Maybe it’s part of being an Episcopalian; maybe it’s a part of doing hard work as a kid. I was a janitor at the office of the building I now own. I was a house painter. I painted the nicest houses in this town. I’m still a house painter. I was a house painter through law school: I painted (former Ole Miss Chancellor) Robert Khayat’s house when he came there as a young civil-procedure professor. I had five law students working for me as house painters, making a living with me, while I was in law school with them. So I’ve always been busy, entrepreneuring, coming up with ideas.

RE FO E B

R TE AF

conclusion I came away with is that the students were already behind when they got to that class. In other words, a first grader was really operating at what a pre-K (student) should have been operating at, and an eighth-grader was operating at a fifth-grade level. …

Education is my long-term, passionate, get-us-off-the-bottom goal. It’s going to take a number of years. It’s going to be more than any one, two, three or four terms in office before I think we see some tangible results. We’ve got to start. I know there are efforts underway. Just about every politician you hear talks about: “Let’s improve education; let’s improve education.” I think I may (have) more of a passion than others.

Have you come up with any ideas?

One of the big areas is getting into early childhood education. Again, this is not novel.

There are a lot of groups out there doing it.

It’s still pretty novel for Mississippi.

Well, in a way it is. We don’t even have mandatory kindergarten, although I think 97 percent of the eligible kids actually attend. But we’re already too far behind by the time kids get to kindergarten, unless they’ve been educated in a home setting—read to, pushed to start making words, pronounce things and do simple addition. A lot of these students don’t have that benefit.

One of the solutions I see is in involving and engaging our faith-based organizations, our non-profits, just get a good system of volunteers from the PTA involved. I think we’re going to have to teach some parents how to be better parents in this process.

We’ve got a lot of formidable problems, and they’re multi-faceted. It’s going to take a multi-faceted approach to solve them. But with the lack of revenue like it is, to try to press pre-K, formal education classrooms, we’re going to have to involve the volunteer sector.

Are there groups or people—in state or out of state—that you’re looking to as sources of advice or positive examples?

I welcome every opportunity I find to talk to the Mississippi Association of Educators, Mississippi First, Mississippi Building Blocks, the Barksdale Reading Institute folks. I welcome the opportunity to talk, and sometimes I’ll initiate the discussion. So I’ve been meeting with people like this fairly frequently.

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At Koinonia Coffee House, you mentioned that you’d visited the KIPP charter school in Helena, Ark. What impressed you about that?

One year, over at Madidi Restaurant, we were doing a fundraiser, if you will, for You’re going back to school?

Teach for America. It was an appreciation, I’ve been going back to school. I have “but bring the check, please”—one of those a passionate concern about our ranking Luckett refurbished the old Bank of Lyon outside Clarksdale and converted it into things. And part of the program was a couple nationally in just general education. While an apartment building. of people who came from Helena, Arkansas, we have pockets and pockets of places in and introduced themselves as working for Mississippi that excel educationally, we KIPP: Knowledge Is Power Program. It’s a also have a lot of places where we fail, or near fail, on a consistent basis. I know we’re ranked 50th in education. And I think we’re charter school, founded by some former Teach For America teachers. … The numbers they explained to us just floored me. … They said their scores nationally and statewide (at first) ranked—correspondingly—first in poverty. They’re intractably related.

So I’ve been going to classrooms here at different schools—here in the city school sys- put them in the bottom one-fifth percentile. They were 81 or something. Four years later, tem primarily. I’ve been witnessing first-hand what’s going on in the Clarksdale Municipal those same students were in the 19th (or) top one-fifth percentile. Their counterparts back in the public school system were still in the bottom one-fifth. Now, every one of those 26 School District. graduates is going to college. It’s an impressive story.

My first stop when I got home that night was to Google KIPP and start reading about What have you noticed?

What I noticed surprised me. I thought that class participation, student-wise, was it. Then I called some friends of mine in Clarksdale who I know are concerned like me. excellent. The teachers seemed qualified and earnest and eager. They had good control of … We started looking for certain parts of the state, like around here in Clarksdale, to try the classrooms. I was impressed at how good it looked. I walked out of each of the classes to get an opportunity to open a charter school. The more I discussed, the more pushback shaking my head, like: “Why are we 50th nationally, and why is this school failing, or near we seemed to get. I thought: “Well, if it works in a charter school, why won’t it work in a failing?” A lot of the Delta systems are like that, and other parts of the state are as well.

I started digging deeper and drilling down, and as I got more into it, I came away Luckett, continued on page 16 ô 15 with one conclusion for sure and a few others that aren’t so clear or definite, yet. The one

óLuckett, from page 15

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whole public-school system?” So I embrace that concept. It’s not rocket science what they do. It’s quite simple actually. The teachers—there’s a bit of cheerleader in them. There’s a little “ra-ra” going on. But they work longer hours; they raise the expectations bar higher.

They get shorter summers and (work) Saturdays. It’s just more of a concentrated effort.

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TROY CATCHINGS

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You mentioned the challenge the state faces in getting revenue. Are there changes to the state should make on that, changes to the tax code?

I do sympathize with our elected officials in the House and the Senate.

They’ve got a certain amount of revenue to deal with and they’ve got people tugging at them from every perspective: “Fix our roads”; “we want more police”; “We need better schools.” It’s a tug-of-war going on.

What I don’t seem to be seeing any of are studies geared toward looking at alternative sources of revenue. And I don’t mean increasing taxes. But perhaps looking at collecting the taxes that are actually legally due on purchases made on the Internet (from) out of state. Maybe it’s just a lack of personnel at the Tax Commission, Luckett prides himself on his work ethic but when you or I buy a book on Amazon, and still restores old houses himself in his free time. or you or I buy something from L.L. Bean, we’re not only not doing business with our local retailer, we’re sending that business out of state, but we’re not paying state and local taxes on it. When I learned that Black Friday, which is typically the biggest retail day of the year, was exceeded this year by Cyber Monday, which is the Monday right after the Thanksgiving Black Friday, I thought: “Look at the revenue we’ve probably lost, and the business, generally, to keep the retailer down the street, on Main Street, open.”

When you hit that “Enter” button, and you pay with a credit card, and you get something out of state sent to you, you didn’t favor the local guy—your neighbor. Those wages were lost that would’ve gone to the worker locally, who would’ve processed your order or handled the sale, and we don’t collect a penny of tax.

Do you know how much Mississippi might be losing per year?

I don’t know. I’ve got a very good Forbes magazine article about this very thing. We’re not the only state that’s suffering.

Are there other states that have implemented the tax?

There’s a compact of a certain number of states who have pronounced or said they’re on board with a flat tax nationally. But to enforce the collection of a tax when you’re buying something from, say, Wisconsin or Maine, is difficult. The Mississippi State Tax Commission can only reach so far.

But there is a law on the books that’s a use tax that we’re supposed to pay anyway when something comes in across state lines. You’re usually caused to pay that when there’s an automobile purchase. When you get your tag, they catch you there. Or if you bring an airplane in and you seek to register it, they catch you there.

Those are big-item sales, and sure that’s the bigger item, tax-wise. But the bigger volume—everything from books to clothes that we buy over the Internet—is just escaping tax. It bears some study, and it may prove it’s not workable. But I don’t see an effort to collect those things that could already be collected.

You’ve mentioned your interest in solar power before. How would the state get involved in that?

Well the state could provide some incentive to do it: some tax breaks, some research and development, some university involvement. That’s just one of the things I think about.

None of these are novel or exclusive to me, but I’ve just been pretty well convinced that it’s something we should look at real hard.

I want to ask you about another aspect of revenue. What do you think of the state’s approach to economic development?

Well, I do like the effort, but I don’t think we make enough of an effort at cultural tourism. We have a wealth of that that we offer the world. I like the efforts being made by Luckett, continued on page 19 ô

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óLuckett, from page 16

the Mississippi Development Authority and the sub-set of that called the Tourism Department. I wish more were being done there, because I think it’ll pay us rich dividends.

I chair a group here in Clarksdale called Clarksdale Revitalization Inc., and we had our monthly meeting last night. There’s an effort underway to get a site where Aaron Henry’s drugstore was located made into a museum-type setting. Move his personal residence onto the site where his drugstore burned down and make a museum out of it. People are asking me all the time: “Where’s Aaron Henry’s drugstore?” That’s the same thing that led me and a couple others to open Ground Zero Blues Club. All the tourists come into Clarksdale wondering where they can hear some live music.

TROY CATCHINGS

How did you meet Morgan Freeman?

I met him in the mid-’90s when he called to get my help as a lawyer and as a construction-educated person with a house project he had going on at the time. I not only practice law; I think I’m a frustrated architect. I used to buy cabins and creek houses on the bank as a kid, and I’ve always had some form of renovation of old buildings.

We just became very good, very quick friends through that. That project took us about three years to get it finished. By then we were visiting each other back and forth in each other’s homes. So that’s when the idea (for Ground Zero Blues Club) came up. We started talking about seeing all these tourists on the street, wondering where they could hear music. And we said: “Let’s start a juke joint.”

Initially, we had music two nights a week; now it’s four nights a week. We opened Madidi Restaurant first. We opened Ground Zero Blues Club on May 11, 2001. Before that, you could’ve taken a deer rifle and fired a bullet here down either the parking lane of Delta Avenue and not hit a single car. You would’ve ended up in the berm of the railroad track, having hit nothing. Now you get 60 cars down the street. It’s hard to get a parking spot some nights. From no restaurants on Delta to five restaurants now—we kind of became those anchors, and this town has grasped that little bit of an opportunity.

year, in 1966, a young lady entered the ninth or 10th grade in my high school as the first integration effort. My parents were tolerant, moderate people. But Clarksdale was divided with a railroad track, like many southern towns. We weren’t unique by any means, but Aaron Henry was following in the footsteps of Martin Luther King Jr. Aaron Henry was nonviolent, although he was treated with violence—firebombs, bricks through his front windows. I was at his daughter’s wedding at his house, hoping nobody would throw a brick through to ruin the day for his daughter’s wedding. But I never have seen a Ku Klux Klan person in a robe or sheet. We haven’t had fire hoses and tear gas going on in Clarksdale. Aaron Henry settled matters and resolved issues differently. That was good for this town. We weren’t scarred so much as other places were. We didn’t have the hangings and shootings that went on.

Is there any kind of example there for how the state can approach its own development?

Well, a lot of people I hear comment about me: “If he’ll do for the state what he’s done for Clarksdale, we need him in there.”

But what would happen to Clarksdale if you left?

Well, I’ve got Clarksdale. It’s well in hand now. I’m still involved in some projects here. Other people have picked it up.

It just takes leadership. It takes a little bit of risk. You’ve got to be an entrepreneur.

With gain comes pain. Without risk, what do you have? Not everything works, necessarily, to make a profit. But all of it works to start jobs and get a little buzz going. People feel the vibe, and now Yazoo Avenue is coming back to life.

You mentioned civil-rights leader Aaron Henry. Did you know him?

I knew him well. He took me under that proverbial wing when I was a 25-year-old lawyer coming back here to practice law with my father in 1974. He may have seen something in me; I don’t know. He said: “Let’s work together. Let’s build a better town. Let’s build a better state.” He got me involved, early on, in the Democratic Party, as co-chair with him. I think I said in that speech I gave the other day: What that meant was he found somebody to do a lot of the work. But I’m not lamenting that fact at all. We worked well together, and he gave me a lot of the insight that he had. … I did that ‘til 1983.

What was Clarksdale like during your high school years?

Clarksdale was a segregated town, with white schools and black schools. My senior

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Luckett, continued on page 20 ô

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óLuckett, from page 19

What work does the state need to do in terms of race relations?

I wish I could wave a magic wand. I tell you, what really needs to keep happening is somehow subtly just get black and white people together more. Find some common themes. We’ve found it with music at Ground Zero Blues Club. People are there just having a good time. Most of the time, we have a good mixed-race crowd. It’s usually got a crowd of locals and foreigners from both directions, east and west. It’s a great unifier. Kind of like the “Invictus” movie, with (Nelson) Mandela, with Morgan (Freeman) playing him.

They got behind a rugby team.

So it’s prosperity then? With prosperity comes better race relations?

I would hope so. I know that living in the poorest state in America, and living in the poorest part of the poorest state in America, we have a long way to go to be prosperous. I’d love to see everybody in this state prosper and get us beyond this one-third of us who are at poverty or below. With that, when everybody prospers, we all share in the tax burden better or equitably. There’s less inequality.

We have a flat, five percent state income tax. Everybody pays the same rate, not necessarily the same amount, but if everybody were prospering, it helps us all. I try to get that

“We’ve got a lot of formidable problems, and they’re multi-faceted. It’s going to take a multi-faceted approach to solve them.” message; I think it ought to resonate. It helps you to want your guy—your fellow man across town or down the street—do well.

How do you think being from the Delta affects your candidacy?

I think it gives me more drive and more determination. When you’ve been exposed to the poorest part of the state, the yearning to get out past it is stronger. But bear in mind, the Delta is just a microcosm of the entire state. The entire state is the poorest in America.

We just happen to be in the poorest part of it.

I’m afraid, from my research, that the gap is widening between 50th and 49th in a number of areas. Some of the research I’ve done is startling: A white male in Washington, D.C., has an average life expectancy eight years longer than a white male in Mississippi.

Eight years. An average citizen in Coahoma County has an average life expectancy six years less than an average person in Rankin County in Mississippi. These numbers are staggering, and they’re depressing. Black males in Mississippi earn about a third as much as a black male in Maryland. The white males in Mississippi are 48th (in average income) and black males are 50th. (White males are) not that much better off. They earn far less than blacks in most other states.

We’re all in this boat together and a rising tide can float all the boats. I just see that we’ve got a ways to go, and I want to help get us there.

April 8 - 14, 2010

Before Gov. Barbour, not a lot of people looked at the governor’s seat as an especially strong position. He seems to have wielded the veto and things like that powerfully. How do you feel about the amount of power he’s amassed for the position?

I think that history tells us in the way we’re constitutionally arranged, the way we’re set up as a state government, that the governor and the executive branch are supposedly no stronger than the other two branches. I think Haley is a very astute politician, and he’s been successful most of the time at reaching the result he wants. I think that some of the strengths in the governor’s office are the fact that the governor can call a special session, which puts a lot of focus—media and just the fact that there’s a single focus involved—and gets everybody looking at a single issue at the same time, which has got to have some strength or value there.

Plus, the governor’s office has the proverbial bully pulpit for drawing attention to things. There are ways to take what’s available to that office and put it to good use.

20

How did you feel about Barbour’s resistance to accepting the stimulus funds for unemployment insurance?

I wish he had accepted it, because it was going to the unemployed, who are typically around the Delta and in any of the heavy agricultural areas of the state are seasonally unLuckett, continued on page 22 ô

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employed. A lot of them depend on that to get them over the hump. … (In agricultural communities) there are about four to six months a year when people are laid off, so to speak. They’re seasonally unemployed. And I know that his position seemed to be: “Well, this isn’t just free money. We’ve got to pay it back some day.”

A lot of those types of later payback expectations never get realized. There are ways those somehow get forgotten. Post-Katrina, the state owes debt. A lot of the political entities owe debt back to the federal government for rebuilding the infrastructure. A lot of them are hurting. I know Bay St. Louis was extremely debilitated in terms of all the energy systems, the utility poles, and they’re really worried with the population not coming back like they’d hoped. I hope there’s some forgiveness in there.

I thought the same thing, but I probably would’ve made a different decision. I know the decision that was reached, but I would’ve looked at it a lot harder.

What do you think of Barbour’s plans to sue the federal government over the health-care bill?

Well, I hope he doesn’t, but I know he wants to. I hope that’s not the case. I don’t think the health-care bill is by any means perfect. There are parts of it that I just really took issue with, but I think generally we have to provide our citizens with some way to get help when they’re sick.

I really wish we would put a lot more emphasis on the preventive side of it so they don’t get sick. But when you’ve got 600,000—a quarter of (Mississippi’s) population without insurance—and I’ve got a stepson in this very situation. He falls in a crack between not making too little and not making quite enough, and he doesn’t get insurance. It’s a very difficult, real problem for a lot of people. When you get up close and personal with those who don’t have it, it comes back at you, you see it firsthand.

I’ve read compelling arguments in both directions on it, but when we’re number one, in the United States, in health care expenses, and we’re 37th in quality of care, according to the World Health Organization, there’s something wrong with that picture, in my mind’s eye. … Sickness doesn’t respect persons. It hits anybody, anytime. For most people—even if you have insurance—it could wreck you financially. Those are risks that I think ought to be shared.

I’ve seen you getting down on the dance floor at the 930 Blues Café. I don’t think I’ve known of a gubernatorial candidate to be that uninhibited on the dance floor.

I’m not wild. My wife and I just like to dance. We have a good time. Francine’s a great dancer; I just try to keep up with her.

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BEST BETS April 8 - 15

by Latasha Willis events@jacksonfreepress.com Fax: 601-510-9019 Daily updates at jfpevents.com

SATURDAY 4/10

The annual festival Arts, Eats & Beats in Fondren is from 5-8 p.m. Get a JFP T-shirt at Studio Chane. Free admission; call 601-981-9606. … Pianist Jade Simmons performs during the “Kandinsky and Scriabin: Hearing Color, Seeing Sound” presentation at the Mississippi Museum of Art (380 S. Lamar St.) at 6 p.m. $10; call 601-960-1565. … The Auditorium has music by Tiger Rogers at noon and Larry Brewer from 7:30-9 p.m. Call 601-982-0002. … Mike & Marty perform at Shucker’s from 7:30-11:30 p.m. Free. …

Jackie Bell, Norman Clark and Smoke Stack Lightning return to 930 Blues Cafe for an 8 p.m. performance. $5. … The Blues at Sunset Challenge Band play at F. Jones Corner from 8 p.m.-midnight. Free. … Jarekus Singleton performs in Hal & Mal’s Red Room at 9 p.m. Call 601-948-0888.

NatureFEST! at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science (2148 Riverside Dr.) is from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. $5, $4 seniors, $3 children 3-18, free for members and children under 2; call 601-354-7303. … The Township Jazz Festival at the Township at Colony Park (1111 Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland) is from noon-7 p.m. and includes music by Mose Allison, Lisa Palmer and the JSU Jazz Ensemble.

Free; visit townshipjazzfestival.com. … See Rachael Ray in person at the Mississippi Coliseum (1207 Mississippi St.) at 1 p.m. or 6 p.m. $17.50-$67.50; visit ticketmaster.com. …

Harmony & Grits and the Magnolia Ramblers perform at the Mississippi Opry (2420 Old Brandon Road, Brandon) at 6 p.m. $10, children under 18 free; call 601-331-6672. … The Mississippi Symphony Orchestra presents “Chamber IV: Chamber in the Chapel” at Tougaloo College (500 W. County Line Road, Tougaloo) in Woodworth Chapel at 7:30 p.m. $15; call 601-960-1515. … BeBe and CeCe Winans perform at the Jackson Convention Complex (105 E. Pascagoula St.) at 8 p.m. $37; visit ticketmaster.com. …

Hal & Mal’s features music by Yella with Chick French in the restaurant and comedy by Mike Jewell in the Red Room.

Call 601-948-0888. … Know Your Enemy performs at Fire at 9 p.m. … Martin’s will have music by Shake It Like a Caveman and The Dead Gaze at 10 p.m. $5. … Hillbilly Deluxe performs at Pop’s. Call 601-961-4747.

COURTESY DEE GARDNER

THURSDAY 4/8

Knight Bruce performs during brunch at Sophia’s at 11 a.m. Call 601-948-3429. … The opening reception for the Power APAC student exhibit at the Arts Center of Mississippi (201 E. Pascagoula St.) starts at 2 p.m. Free; call 601-960-1557. … Weekly self-defense classes begin at Butterfly Yoga (3025 N. State St.) from 1:30-3 p.m. $60 series, $15 per class; call 601-214-2782. … Tim Avalon and High Water perform at Shucker’s from 3-7 p.m. Free. … Jazz, Blues and More at Atwood Elks Lodge (3100 W. John R. Lynch St.) is from 7-9 p.m. $5. … Open-mic poetry at Cultural Expressions starts at 8 p.m. $5.

April 8 - 14, 2010

The Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Festival at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science (2148 Riverside Dr.) is from 6-9 p.m. The festival continues April 11 from 2-4 p.m. $5, $4 seniors, $3 children 3-18, free for members and children under 2; call 601-354-7303. … Ballet Magnificat’s “The Hiding Place” at Jackson Academy’s Performing Arts Center (1908 Ridgewood Road) is at 7 p.m. Also see “The Scarlet Cord” April 10 and “Deliver Us” April 11. $10-$30; call 601-977-1001. … The Belhaven String Chamber Orchestra performs at Belhaven University Center for the Arts (835 Riverside Dr.) at 7:30 p.m. Free; call 601-965-7044. …

Reggae, Hip-Hop and Old School Night at Cultural Expressions starts at 10 p.m. $5. … Number 2’s CD release party at 24 Ole Tavern is at 10 p.m. Call 601-960-2700.

TUESDAY 4/13 The play “Dividing the Estate” at New Stage Theatre (1100 Carlisle St.) is at 7:30 p.m. with additional shows through April 25. $22, $18 students/seniors; call 601-9483531. … Scott Albert Johnson performs at AJ’s Seafood from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Call 601-856-2844. … The Extremez play at Shucker’s from 7:30-11:30 p.m. Free.

WEDNESDAY 4/14 Enjoy music by Hal and Connie Jeanes at Hal & Mal’s at 8 p.m. Free. … Nathaniel Smith and Jeremy Kittel perform at Underground 119 from 8-11 p.m. Free. … Snazz plays at the Regency Hotel at 8:30 p.m. Call 601-969-2141.

Jesse Robinson performs during Lumpkin’s blues lunch from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., and Sherman Lee Dillon performs during F. Jones Corner’s blues lunch starting at noon.

Free. … Radio JFP with Donna Ladd and Todd Stauffer begins at noon on WLEZ 101.1 FM and wlezfm.com. Call 601-362-6121, ext. 17. … Come enjoy a “Creative Class” martini at the JFP Lounge at Sal & Mookie’s Pi(e) Lounge (565 Taylor St.) from 6-10 p.m. Free admission; call 601362-6121, ext. 11. … Music by the D’lo Trio at Cherokee Inn starts at 6:30 p.m. Call 601-362-6388.

More events and details at jfpevents.com.

See the cast of “Dividing the Estate” perform at New Stage Theatre April 13-25.

COURTESY SHANNON FROST

FRIDAY 4/9

The New York-based piano duo Continuum performs at Millsaps College (1701 N. State St.) in the Ford Academic Complex Recital Hall at 7:30 p.m. $15, $5 students; call 601-974-1422. … The Central Mississippi Blues Society Jam at Hal & Mal’s is from 8-11 p.m. $5.

THURSDAY 4/15

SUNDAY 4/11

Bat expert Rob Mies will give a demonstration during NatureFEST! at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science on April 10.

MONDAY 4/12

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(BUDWEISER & BUD LIGHT)

25

arts

by Carl Gibson

LACEY MCLAUGHLIN

Spoken Word in the City

Travon “T. Patrick” Williams recites a poem he wrote during open-mic night at Cultural Expressions.

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April 8 - 14, 2010

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he chatter in the colorful, dimly lit back room at Cultural Expressions in West Jackson hushes to a whisper as Mariama Guice calmly approaches the vintage microphone. The audience leans forward, captivated by Guice’s unapologetic, in-yourface delivery. Her voice resonates off the brick walls adorned with paintings from local artists.

She recites her poem from memory with a determined tone, wrought with emotion. Purposefully stepping away from the mic, Guice spits her verse from memory, using only the echo of the room to pierce the silence.

“My feelings insufficient, but I’m not a bank account / Nor do you take them into account, so I guess I’ll always be broke, / You son of a joke, I wish you would have choked / The second your name exited your mouth from your throat / Because you are just so inconsiderate.”

Guice says the best poetry comes from the heart of the poet, and the truest verse is written for the writer, not for an audience.

“I think a lot of artists really try to do things that they think people want to see or hear, and they don’t stay true to who they are, and they don’t stay true to what goes on in real life,” Guice says.

Guice is one of many local poets, singers and rappers who “spit,” or perform spoken word and slam poetry each week at the Millsaps Avenue art studio. She says Cultural Expressions’ live open-mic and poetry slam, dubbed “Spoken Word in the City,” provides a place where poets can perform their craft in front of a live audience, while aiming to defeat cultural stereotypes.

“The ‘Spoken Word in the City’ thing is making it a really bigger movement than what it’s been,” Guice says. “Because when people come out to that, they’re like, ‘Wow, we’ve got some talented people in Mississippi, not just some country bumpkins.’”

Cultural Expressions has experienced a plethora of setbacks and relocations.

After moving from its original location on Capitol Street in 2004, Seven*Studios made Millsaps Avenue its home; the venue changed its name in late 2009. Now, the art studio features local photography, paintings

and sculptures throughout the building. A lounge in the back provides plenty of space for local poets, singers, rappers and dancers to perform for audiences.

Singer Cornelius Wilcox, known under his stage name “Jagwar the Human Jukebox,” says the venue’s seen a rise and a downfall, and is now experiencing what he calls a rebirth.

The entire neighborhood is filled with undiscovered artistic talent, he says, that relies on Cultural Expressions for a performance space and gallery. Jagwar points out an eclectic-looking black table in the lounge, which changes colors like a mood ring upon human contact.

“The neighbors across the street, they’re welders. That’s something that they made,” Jagwar says. “Other neighbors in another building down the street, they’re woodworkers. We all work together, we all coincide.”

Jagwar says Jackson has plenty of creative people, but not nearly enough places that welcome and foster creativity: “We’re like a bunch of crabs in a bucket. Steppin’ on each others’ backs, trying to get out, trying to be heard. And we ain’t goin’ nowhere.”

Jagwar is worried about what would happen to Jackson’s penchant for creativity without performance spaces getting local support.

“We need to bring it back to what it was, to where it used to be—to where, on Sunday night, you couldn’t find a seat back there for poetry. On Thursdays, for Jazzoetry, you couldn’t find a seat back there,” he says. “There’s more talent in this state than we know, and it’s undiscovered.”

For Jackson poet and singer Matthew Simmons, Cultural Expressions has helped him grow as an artist, by offering him a place to improve his craft through performance.

He compares the local arts community to a tight-knit family.

“I did poetry; I wrote songs in high school, but I never had a venue to express myself,” Simmons says. “When I got here, this became my home. Artists who came before me, they mentored me. Like, ‘If you need my help, I’m here. This is what I think you could improve on.’”

Simmons says while cities like Atlanta, Austin and Philadelphia are known for encouraging creativity, Jackson could join that list if city residents come together to support local artists.

“You see an influx of new talent, but a lot of the talent that you see is a lot of talent that’s been here for a while,” he says. “It hasn’t been discovered because it wasn’t on the forefront. But you can hear it here every Sunday, and it’s drawing people back.”

For Jagwar, local artistic venues like Cultural Expressions are the best way to encourage diversity and understanding.

“Art, music, it transcends races, colors, nationalities, creed, orientation,” Jagwar says. “It’s your character, it’s what you bring out there. Because your true self comes out on that mic.”

jfpevents Radio JFP on WLEZ ongoing, at WLEZ 100.1 FM and wlezfm.com. Join Donna Ladd and Todd Stauffer every Thursday from noon-1 p.m., where they discuss vital issues, play local music and feature special guests. Call 601-362-6121, ext. 17.

Arts, Eats and Beats April 8, 5 p.m., at Fondren.

Fondren’s spring arts celebration will showcase Jackson’s best in art, antiques, gifts, apparel, interior design, furniture, food and music. Get your JFP T-shirt at Studio Chane. Free; call 601-981-9606.

JFP Lounge at Pi(e) Lounge April 15, 6 p.m., at Sal & Mookie’s (565 Taylor St.). Enjoy a special JFP “Creative Class” martini, free munchies, and lots of fellowship with Jackson creatives and progressives. Free admission; call 601-362-6121, ext. 11.

Earth Day Celebration, April 16, 5-8 p.m., at the Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership (201 S. President St.). The event includes a 5K run/ walk, a half-mile kids’ fun run, live music and refreshments. Bring your old T-shirts and running shoes to donate to charity. Registration by April 13 at msracetiming.com/Earth_Day.php is required for any of the races. $20 5K run/walk, $10 fun run; call 601-948-757 Operation Spring Fling: A Benefit for Operation Shoestring April 16, 7 p.m., at the Mississippi Museum of Art (380 S. Lamar St.). Slap on your favorite blue jeans, sample some delicacies and dig the sounds of Horse Trailer at 7 p.m. and Wiley & the Checkmates at 9:15 p.m. to benefit Operation Shoestring. Tickets are available at ticketmaster.com, BeBop and at the door. $25; call 601-353-6336.

Southern Fried Karaoke - “May Day” Edition May 1, 9 p.m., at Hal & Mal’s (200 Commerce St.). Todd Stauffer and Donna Ladd are the hosts.

All singers welcome; great singers are hugged, kissed and sometimes make it into documentary films!

Free, call 601-362-6121, ext. 16.

3rd Annual Zoo Brew May 14, 6 p.m., at Jackson Zoo (2918 W. Capitol St.). Enjoy beer and wine samplings, food from the Tyson Hot Wing CookOff and live music by Time to Move. Buy a raffle ticket and get a chance to win a vacation package.

You must be 21 or older to participate. $40, $35 members, $5 raffle; call 601-352-2580.

COMMUNITY Free Tax Counseling and Filing AARP volunteers will do electronic filing at four locations. Please bring all necessary documents. Joint filers must come together.

• April 12, at Richard Wright Library (515 W. McDowell Road) from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Call 601372-1621.

• April 13, at Willie Morris Library (4912 Old Canton Road) from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Call 601987-8181.

• April 14, at Margaret Walker Alexander Library (2525 Robinson Road). Call 601-354-8911.

• April 8 and 15, at Clinton Public Library (111 Clinton Blvd., Clinton) from 1-5 p.m. Call 601924-5684.

Events at Millsaps College (1701 N. State St.).

• Mexico City Symposium April 9, 12:30 p.m., at the Ford Academic Complex, room 215. Veteran reporters and authors John Ross and David Lida, along with Andrew Paxman, assistant professor of history at Millsaps, will discuss what it is like to live in Mexico City. Free; call 601-974-1334.

• Delta Symposium XVI: Region and the Politics of Culture April 9, 5:15 p.m., at the Ford Academic Complex in the Mockingbird Room of the Reng Student Services Center/Student Union.

The keynote speaker is photographer and writer Roland L. Freeman, who will give a presentation of pictures he took of the civil rights march called

“The Mule Train: A Journey of Hope Remembered.” Free; call 870-972-3043.

• No Fuss Lawn Care April 12, 7 p.m. Felder Rushing will cover selecting the right kind of grass, mowing, fertilizing, weed control, and designing with a smaller lawn in mind through the use of ground covers and mulches. $40; call 601-974-1130.

Events at Jackson Medical Mall (350 W. Woodrow Wilson Ave.). Call 601-982-8467.

• Habitat for Humanity Homebuyers Meeting April 8, 5 p.m. The meeting will be in the Community Meeting Room.

• Certified Nursing Assistant Training Center Graduation April 9, 11 a.m., The ceremony will take place at Center Stage.

Building Better Programs with Outcomes Measurement April 8, 9 a.m., at the Mississippi Center for Nonprofits (921 N. President St., Suite C). The workshop will teach you how to create a visual presentation of how your program should work using logic models. $60 members, $110 non-members; call 601-968-0061.

Cellular South Howell Trophy and Gillom Trophy Presentation April 8, 5:30 p.m., at the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame (1152 Lakeland Drive).

The Howell Trophy in men’s college basketball and the Gillom Trophy in women’s college basketball will be given to deserving players. The reception is at 5:30 p.m., and the ceremony starts at 6:30 p.m. $75, $25 skybox; call 601-982-8264.

Highway 80 Corridor Public Forum April 8, 6 p.m., at Johnnie Champion Community Center (1335 Hattiesburg St.). Participants will discuss issues facing the corridor and future goals in sectorspecific focus groups. Call 601-981-1511.

Computing at Minority Institutions Symposium April 8-10, at the King Edward Hotel - Hilton Garden Inn (235 W. Capitol St.). Sponsored by the Association of Computer and Information Science and Engineering Departments at Minority Institutions, the theme is “The Winds of Change in Computing.” Sessions are from 6-8 p.m. April 8, 7 a.m.-9 p.m. April 9 and 8 a.m.-9 p.m. April 10. $225-$280, $120 one day only; call 601-979-2105.

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Precinct 2 COPS Meeting April 8, 6 p.m., at Jackson Police Department, Precinct 2 (711 W. Capitol St.). These monthly meetings are forums designed to help resolve community issues or problems, from crime to potholes. Call 601-960-0002.

Mississippi Association of Healthcare Quality Spring Conference April 9, 8:30 a.m., at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (2500 N. State St.), in the Norman C. Nelson Student Union. The educational conference features some of the nation’s foremost experts in the field of quality and safety. Conference hours are 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.

Continuing Education credits are available. $75; visit missahq.org.

American Society of Training and Development Luncheon April 9, 11:30 a.m., at River Hills Country Club (3600 Ridgewood Road). The guest speaker is Wes Holesapple, president of BDS Institute, who will discuss the topic “It’s Who You Know: Successful Networking Strategies and Techniques.” $15 lunch; e-mail dgreen@greaterjacksonp artnership.com.

Criminal Justice Conference April 9-10, at Roberts Walthall Hotel (225 E. Capitol St.). The theme is the issue of conflict of interest. The conference is 6-9 p.m. April 9 and 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. April 10.

Registration is required. Free; call 601-354-3408.

Scholarship Banquet April 9, 7 p.m., at Mississippi e-Center (1230 Raymond Road). The Jackson State University National Alumni Association, JacksonHinds Chapter, is the host. The chapter will award several scholarships to area high school seniors.

District 72 State Representative Kimberly Buck

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JFP-SPONSORED EVENTS

More EVENTS, see page 28

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jfpevents

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is the speaker. $30, $180 reserved table of six; call 601-668-2064 or 601-331-3278.

Roll Off Dumpster Day April 10, 8 a.m., at various Jackson locations. The City of Jackson’s Solid Waste Division is encouraging Jacksonians to take yard debris and household items to one of their designated locations. Tires, chemicals and gas tanks are not accepted. Free; call 601-960-0000 for locations.

NatureFEST! April 10, 10 a.m., at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science (2148 Riverside Drive). Interact with animals, dig for fossils, take tours of the museum’s collections and research labs, and explore the trails and native plant garden. $5, $4 seniors, $3 children 3-18, members and children under 2 free; call 601-354-7303.

Rachael Ray April 10, 1 p.m., at the Mississippi Coliseum (1207 Mississippi St.). The Food Network star will appear live to cook, share personal stories and give healthy living tips. Chef Luis Bruno will join her on stage. Show times are 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. $17.50-$67.50; visit ticketmaster.com.

“History Is Lunch” April 14, noon, at the William F. Winter Archives and History Building (200 North St.). Historian Warren Calhoun presents “A Piano Teacher and an American Hero: The CarterCrumpton Families of Mississippi and Alabama.”

Bring a lunch; coffee/water provided. Free; call 601-576-6850.

Grant Development Program Call for Applications through June 15, at Jackson Convention and Visitors Bureau (111 E. Capitol St., Suite 102). The Jackson Convention and Visitors Bureau’s grant program is open to any nonprofit tourism-related entity, such as attractions and events, in the city of Jackson. Potential applicants are required to attend a grant writing workshop on April 14 at 3:30 p.m.

The application deadline is June 15. The grant period is from September 1, 2010, to August 31, 2011. Call 601-960-1891.

Greater Belhaven Market ongoing, at Mississippi Farmers Market (929 High St.). Be sure to stop by and buy some produce or other food or gift items.

The market is open Saturdays from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. until Dec. 18. Free admission; call 601-506-2848 or 601-354-6573.

STAGE AND SCREEN Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Festival On Tour April 9 and 11, at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science (2148 Riverside Drive). See some of the best in environmental filmmaking and get inspired to become involved in conservation efforts in Mississippi. The festival will feature films for an adult audience on April 9 from 6-9 p.m. and family-friendly films on April 11 from 2-4 p.m. $5, $4 seniors, $3 children 3-18, members and children under 2 free; call 601-354-7303.

Quality Shirts under $100

April 8 - 14, 2010

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Ballet Magnificat! Annual Spring Concert Series April 9-11, at Jackson Academy (4908 Ridgewood Road) in the Performing Arts Center.

The series includes “The Hiding Place” April 9 at 7 p.m., “The Scarlet Cord” April 10 at 7 p.m. and “Deliver Us” April 11 at 3 p.m. $10-$30; call 601-977-1001.

Belhaven University Spring Dance Concert April 9-17, at Belhaven University, Bitsy Irby Visual Arts and Dance Center (1500 Peachtree St.). See a display of unique choreography by dance faculty and guest artists, presented by the Belhaven University Dance Ensemble. Shows are on April 9, 10, 15, 16 and 17 at 7:30 p.m. with an additional matinee performance on April 15 at 11 a.m. $10, $5 seniors and students, free for children; call 601-965-1400.

“A Saturday with Shakespeare” April 10, 1 p.m., at Manship House (420 E. Fortification St.). All ages are invited to see the Mississippi College Tribal Players perform scenes and monologues from Shakespearean plays. Free; call 601-961-4724.

“Dividing the Estate” April 13-25, at New Stage

Theatre (1100 Carlisle St.). Members of a hilariously dysfunctional family go head to head to see who might claim the biggest piece of the pie. Show times are 7:30 p.m. April 13-17 and April 21-24. 2 p.m. matinees are on April 18 and April 25. $22, $18 students and seniors 60 and up; call 601-948-3533.

“Between Floors” April 13, 7:30 p.m., at Millsaps College, Ford Academic Complex (1701 N. State St.), in room 215. The movie is about a group of people stuck in five elevators and their reactions to the predicament.. Free; call 501-974-1384.

“Herb and Dorothy” April 15, 6 p.m., at Mississippi Museum of Art (380 S. Lamar St.) in Trustmark Grand Hall. The film tells the story of Herbert and Dorothy Vogel, who managed to build one of the most important contemporary art collections in history with very modest means. A cash bar will be available. Free admission; call 601-960-1515.

“Murder in the Cathedral” April 15-17 and April 21-24, at Belhaven University Center for the Arts (835 Riverside Dr.), in the Blackbox Theatre. The drama tells the story of the martyrdom of Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury. Show times are Wednesdays-Fridays at 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 2 p.m. $10, $5 seniors/students; call 601-965-7026.

MUSIC “Kandinsky and Scriabin: Hearing Color, Seeing Sound” April 8, 6 p.m., at Mississippi Museum of Art (380 S. Lamar St.). Pianist Jade Simmons pairs the music of Russian composer Alexander Scriabin with the artwork of Russian painter Wassily Kandisnsky. A 30-minute social gathering will precede the concert. $10; call 601-960-1565.

Events at Belhaven University Center for the Arts (835 Riverside Dr.), in the concert hall.

Call 601-965-7044.

• Belhaven University String Chamber Orchestra Concert April 9, 7:30 p.m. The Belhaven String Chamber Orchestra will present “Serenade, Op. 11” by Dag Wiren and “From Holberg’s Time: Suite for String Orchestra” by Edvard Grieg along with solo performances. Free.

• All State Strings Concert April 10, 3 p.m. Be inspired by the fourth annual Belhaven University and Mississippi All State Invitational Orchestra, which is comprised of the top string students in the state. Free.

• Jazz and Percussion Concert April 13, 7:30 p.m. The Belhaven University and Jackson Community Symphonic Band perform in honor of Jazz Appreciation Month. Free.

“Chamber IV: Chamber in the Chapel” April 10, 7:30 p.m., at Tougaloo College (500 W. County Line Road, Tougaloo), in Woodworth Chapel.

Pianist Jade Simmons plays a bravura performance of Brahms’ “Piano Quintet” with the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra String Quartet. $15 and up, $5 children 4-18; call 601-960-1515.

Continuum Piano Duo April 12, 7:30 p.m., at Millsaps College, Ford Academic Complex (1701 N. State St.). The New York-based ensemble features pianists and co-directors Joel Sachs and Cheryl Seltzer. $15, $5 students; call 601-974-1422.

LITERARY AND SIGNINGS Events at Lemuria Books (202 Banner Hall, 4465 Interstate 55 North).

• “Undead Much” and “You Are So Undead to Me” April 8, 5 p.m. Stacey Jay signs copies of her books, followed by readings at 5:30 p.m. $8.99 for either book; call 601-366-7619.

• “Princess for Hire” April 10, 1 p.m. Lindsey Leavitt signs copies of her book. $16.99 book; call 601-366-7619.

• “Bending Toward the Light” April 10, 2 p.m.

Members of the group Poets Anonymous sign copies of the book. $9.95 book; call 601-3667619.

Mississippi Writes April 10, 10 a.m., at G. Chastaine Flynt Memorial Library (103 Winners Circle, Flowood). 15 Mississippi fiction writers will sign books and do readings. Refreshments will be served.

Profits from book sales benefit the Mississippi Association of Adult and Continuing Education. Book prices vary; call 601-992-9831 or 601-992-4691.

CREATIVE CLASSES Shut Up and Write! April 10-June 19, at JFP Classroom (2727 Old Canton Road, Suite 224). Sign up for the workshop series of JFP editor-in-chief Donna Ladd’s popular non-fiction and creative writing classes. The class will be held every other Saturday from 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Men and women are welcome. Gift certificates are available. $150 (including materials), $75 non-refundable deposit required; call 601-362-6121, ext. 16.

Self Defense Essentials April 11-May 30, at Butterfly Yoga (3025 N. State St.). The classes are from 1:30-3 p.m. on Sundays, excluding April 25 and May 2. Learn to recognize and avoid dangerous situations, how to mentally prepare yourself to respond to an attack, and basic offensive and defensive techniques. $60 series, $15 per session; call 601-214-2782.

Portrait Drawing Class April 14-May 5, 6 p.m., at Gallery 119 (119 S. President St.). The fourweek class will be taught by Jerrod Partridge on Wednesdays. Space is limited. $150; e-mail painterjerrod@gmail.com.

Jewelry Making Class ongoing, at Dream Beads (605 Duling Ave.). This class is offered every Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon. Free; call 601-664-0411.

Belly Dance Class ongoing, at Lumpkin’s Restaurant (182 Raymond Road). The class is held every Saturday at 9:30 a.m. Monique Davis is the instructor. $5; call 601-373-7707.

GALLERIES “Songs of Innocence/Songs of Experience” April 8-May 6, at Gallery 119 (119 S. President St.). Jerrod Partridge’s artwork on paper and canvas will be on display. An opening reception on April 8 will be from 5-8 p.m. Free admission; call 601-969-4091.

Lea Barton Exhibit April 8, 5 p.m., at Fischer Galleries (3100 N. State St., Suite 101). Barton’s latest artwork will be on display during Arts, Eats and Beats. Free admission; call 601-366-8833.

2010 Exhibits through Dec. 31, at One Blu Wall (2906 N. State St.). Featured artists include Katie Drummonds, Kyle Goddard, Allan Inman, LaTricia Graves and more. Photography by Christina Cannon, Howard Barron, Roy J. Gattuso, Gerard L. Howard, William Patrick Butler and others is also on display. Free admission; call 601-713-1224.

EXHIBITS AND OPENINGS Events at Arts Center of Mississippi (201 E. Pascagoula St.).

• All-Level Visual Arts Exhibit April 8-May 5, at Arts Center of Mississippi . Art by Power APAC students will be on display in the Atrium Gallery. This exhibit coincides with the Ask for More Arts display. The Visual Arts Department will host a gallery opening reception on April 11 from 2-4 pm. Free; call 601-960-5387.

• “Just Dance” Call for Entries through April 30. To commemorate the International Ballet Competition’s return to Jackson, the Greater

Jackson Arts Council is calling for entries to its juried invitational in media such as painting, drawing, photography, sculpture, film/video, mixed media and installation. $25 entry fee; call 601-960-1557.

LIFE of Mississippi’s 3rd Annual Expo-Tential April 8, 5 p.m., at Mississippi Craft Center (950 Rice Road, Ridgeland). The work of Mississippi artisans with disabilities will be on display and available for purchase. $15, $25 couples; call 601969-4009.

Power APAC Exhibit of Scholastics through April 18, at the Mississippi Museum of Art (380 S. Lamar St.). Artwork by gold and silver key winners of the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards is on display. Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. TuesdaySaturday and Sunday from noon-5 p.m. on Sundays. Free; call 601-960-1515.

“Mound Bayou: The Promise Land, 1887-2010” through April 30, at Smith Robertson Museum (528 Bloom St.). See photographs about the founding of the city. Museum hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Monday-Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. $4.50 adults, $3.00 seniors, $1.50 children under 18; call 601-960-1457.

“Home Sweet Home” Exhibit through May 13, at Mississippi Museum of Natural Science (2148 Riverside Drive). Two beloved American icons, Smokey the Bear and Woodsy Owl come to life in the interactive exhibit. Hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday. $3-$5, free for members and children under 3; call 601-354-7303.

“Growing Up In Mississippi: 1857-1888” through April 30, at Manship House (420 E. Fortification St.). Hands-on activities teach children what life was like for nineteenth-century Check jfpevents.com for updates and more listings. To add an event, e-mail all details (phone number, start/ end date and time, street address, cost, URL, etc.) to events@jacksonfreepress.com or fax to 601-510-9019.

The deadline is noon the Thursday prior to the week of publication. Or, add the event online yourself; check out jfpevents.com for instructions.

BE THE CHANGE Buffalo Peak’s “About Four Mile” Trail Run April 10, 8 a.m., at LeFleur’s Bluff State Park, Mayes Lake (115 Lakeland Terrace). Registration begins at 7 a.m. The race includes door prizes and giveaways. Mailed entry forms must be postmarked by April 5, and forms may be brought to Buffalo Peak Outfitters until April 9. Proceeds benefit the trail preservation fund for the Natural Science Museum. $25; call 601-366-2557.

Literary Luncheon April 10, 11:30 a.m., at the Regency Hotel (400 Greymont Ave.). The event is part of National Library Week (April 11-17). The guest speaker is Dr. Jerry Ward.

Proceeds benefit programs such as Operation Shoestring, Stewpot and the United Negro College Fund. $30, $300 table of 10; call 601842-3219 or 601-982-0751.

“Speak Out Against Child Abuse” April 14, 10 a.m., at Jackson Medical Mall (350 W. Woodrow Wilson Ave.). Sponsored by the Mississippi Department of Human Services, the program includes a performance by the Bailey Magnet High School Show Choir and a personal testimonial. Free; call 601-982-8467.

Ultimate Fashion Show and Champagne Brunch April 15, 11 a.m., at Country Club of Jackson (345 St. Andrews Drive). The show features spring fashions, the Patty Peck “Car for a Cure” giveaway and Camp Kandu models. Proceeds benefit the Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi. $60; $25-$200 car giveaway entry fee; call 601-957-7878.

jacksonfreepress.com

• “Miss Julia Renews Her Vows” April 13, 5 p.m.

Ann Ross signs copies of her book; reading of the book at 5:30 p.m. $24.95 book; call 601-3667619.

• “Fading Echoes (Warriors: Omen of the Stars #02)” April 13, 5 p.m. Erin Hunter signs copies of her book. $16.99 book; call 601-366-7619.

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music

by Carl Gibson

O

n a crowded stage with a six-piece band jamming behind him, AJC, clad in a black vest and tie, jumps up and down. The black and white crowd at Hal & Mal’s Red Room lingers near the stage, moving, shaking and shuffling to the drummer’s beat. AJC signals the band with his right hand, cueing the musicians into the second verse, as he raps a verse from “The Battle of Success.”

“Executives count the money from the lies that they sold, As the accountants run and hide because their cover was blown, Americans figured out that you reap what you sew, And hurry to tell the real seamstress get back to their post.”

Adam James Collier transforms from a bank teller in Madison by day to the charismatic, energetic Jackson hip-hopper AJC of the Envelope Pushers by night. His reason for playing music is to bring people together.

“Mississippi is one of the worst when it comes to black and white people afraid to get together,” AJC says. “It’s not a black or white thing, it’s a music thing. We’re supposed to support each other; that’s what God would want us to do. That’s how humanity should do it.”

AJC believes Jackson has a long way to go before the city’s local music scene becomes a truly integrated society.

“When I first hit the white, Caucasian crowd, they accepted me with open arms.

But we’ve had some trouble with the black community,” AJC says. “I’m not afraid to

CHANNELLE RENEE

Musical Harmony, Cultural Acceptance

Adam James Collier, AJC, brings together a diverse audience to his shows where he combines hip-hop and rock.

say it, but a lot of our black artists here in Jackson just don’t support each other.”

Collier says the Jackson music scene is colloquially referred to as “the crab bucket.”

“It’s people not just stepping on each other, but snapping at each others’ ankles, trying to pull them down for whatever reason,” he says. “That was a lot of what I went through when I first hit the scene, but it wasn’t enough to make us want to quit.

“It’s like, ‘I’ve gotta get it before you, and if you’ve got it, then I’m jealous,” AJC says.

Now, the 25-year-old rapper says, Jack-

son is undergoing a cultural renaissance, where young, new, up-and-coming musicians and artists make it a point to support each other.

“I got to Fondren, and met all these people with these new sounds,” he says. “I called the band, and said, ‘I think this is where we need to launch from into Jackson.’”

Giving credit to Fondren talent like Lizzie Wright of The Bachelorettes, Collier says the Fondren scene expanded into the city’s mainstream bars and restaurants after performing in venues like Seven Studios/ Cultural Expressions, the Eudora Welty Commons, North Midtown Arts Center, Flood’s Bar and Grill, and Sneaky Beans.

“We just kind of formed our own music scene. We support each other. If 200 people are at my show, the same 200 people are going to be at their show,” AJC says.

“We just turned our music into a loving community … no matter what, we were going to be with each other.”

The Envelope Pushers formed just over a year ago, incorporating an array of musical genres and influences into AJC’s rapping.

The seven-piece ensemble includes Jerrell Moore on keys, Gerald Morgan on saxophone, Nashville resident Chris Wheeler on lead guitar, Keefe Pennymon on percussion and AJC’s longtime best friend Frank White on drums. The lead singer and MC says the finishing touch was the addition of Brandon Jackson on bass guitar.

“He’s one of the best bass players I ever had. I mean, he can even play lead guitar

with a bass. This dude is killer,” AJC says.

Still fresh to Jackson’s live music scene, Adam James Collier and the Envelope Pushers performed their first official show of 2010 in Hal & Mal’s Red Room in early March after a six-month hiatus.

He says each performance is a unique event that he and his band are overwhelmingly thankful for.

The Envelope Pushers treat the audience to a spectacle of a jam-packed stage led by the formidably enthusiastic AJC, who sweats through the entire show, jumping and dancing and shouting.

“I’m not thinking about anything.

At the end of the night, I’m like, ‘OK, I wonder what happened, because I’m just in a zone where nothing matters,” he says.

“I kind of let my heart, my soul and the adrenaline just get in there and mix up together, and we just do it.”

While seeing the potential for Jackson’s music scene to become as vibrant and active as Austin or Philadelphia, AJC says it will likely be later than sooner. Before fans will come out to enjoy local music, he believes, local music communities first have to unite and believe in each other.

“We’re going to keep supporting people who don’t support us, and we’re going to keep on supporting people who do support us,” AJC says. “Just because.”

Adam James Collier and the Envelope Pushers will perform in Hal & Mal’s Big Room in May. To see upcoming shows and hear songs visit AJC’s Web site at myspace.com/musicbyajc.

Movie Star Moonlighting

April 8 - 14, 2010

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30

beautiful harmonies. One can hear pangs of Dusty Springfield and Michelle Phillips in Deschanel’s voice, while Ward’s harmonies provide a perfect counterbalance.

Thematically, the lyrics can bounce between heartbreak and playfulness without missing a beat.

Deschanel’s voice throughout the record exhibits an inherent vulnerability that adds to the poignancy of the songs. What she lacks in vocal range, Deschanel more than makes up for in expressiveness. In “Thieves,” the album’s opener and one of its most inspired songs, her vocal fragility and subtle vibrato inflections sells us on, and invests us in, her emotions.

The duo never let up after this early highpoint. “Don’t Look Back” could easily pass for 1950s girl group pop in both production and vocals, which I am assuming She & Him would take as a great compliment. The Caribbean beat on “Lingering Still” is a great change of pace and offers some of Deschanel’s most assured lyrics.

“Gonna Get Along Without You Now”

TAEA THALE

to separate itself from their celebrity member. Billy Bob Thornton had a wellby Rob Hamilton documented meltdown on a radio interview when the here are many reasons for She & host mentioned his film career while inHim’s “Volume Two” to be ter- troducing the band. Deschanel strives to rible. To begin with, the face of buck these trends with She & Him, and the group is Zooey Deschanel. For she is overwhelmingly successful. those unfamiliar, she is the actress who She & Him is a collaborative between had lead roles in “(500) Days of Summer” Deschanel and folk musician M. Ward. and “Yes Man.” She is the latest actress Putting herself under Ward’s musicianto be held up as the paradigm of “cool,” ship and tutelage was a smart move. She supplanting such previous luminaries as willingly lets her vocals take a back seat Kristen Bell and Scarlett Johannsen. The to the music. The instrumentation and media increasingly look to these actresses production is always foremost on “Volume for insight into new-wave offbeat style and Two.” Ward presents us with a slightly Deschanel, apparently drinking her own minimized and countrified Wall of Sound.

Kool-aid, has not let them down.

Deschanel’s voice blends beautifully with Movie stars taking up music is a the sound, allowing it to become part of well-worn idea that rarely pays off the sonic tapestry as opposed to attemptcreatively. Their albums are usually ing to sail over it. either straight-up bad, as was the case Aside from the standard country and with Johannsen’s dreadful Tom Waits’ folk instruments, the production features cover album, or the band is never able lush, symphonic instrumentation and

Actress Zooey Deschanel (right) has made a successful foray into the musical world as a singer with Mr. Ward (left), a success that has eluded others attempting a crossover.

and “Home” both present a playful side to the group. You can almost hear Deschanel smiling as she sings over both these songs.

She & Him’s “Volume 2” is one of the most satisfying pop albums of the year.

What it lacks in ingenuity it more than makes up for in inspiration. As someone who has never been a fan of Deschanel the actress, I have left “Volume 2” firmly in support of Deschanel the singer. Perhaps it’s time for her to quit her day job.

books

by M. Landis

Shhh ... It’s Top Secret

COURTESY IDW PUBLISHING

less than honorable plans for poor hapless Karl Bauer. They also have the most jaded staff you’re likely to come across since your last visit to a fast food drive-thru. Apparently hanging around with aliens all day will do that to you.

Exceptionally cynical is Roberta Lazar, (“I told you. ... I just don’t give a sh*t”), who plays tour guide to Karl and introduces him to this menagerie of misfits.

Roberta’s nonplussed, hohum indifference toward her job—despite its bizarre nature—and life instantly gains Karl’s awkward affections. Watching him fumble through romantic overtures with Roberta is painfully funny. You’ll find yourself hoping he gets the girl, or any girl.

But this is a buddy comedy, after all, and it isn’t long before Karl and Archibald take their act on the road, so to speak.

Informed that the world is brimming with sex, chocolate and cigarettes (Karl cites Paris as an example of all three in one place), Archibald excitedly wants to see all this. “Smoke sex smoke sex smoke sex chocolate,” he says.

Of course, you don’t just waltz out of a top-secret government base for a little sightseeing; you have to have a hastily concocted plan of escape that wreaks potential havoc.

How else are you going to get to a chase scene involving fighter jets, robot invasion forces, and probably the end of the world? Besides, what girl wouldn’t be impressed by a guy in a flying saucer on the run from nefarious agencies charged with keeping all this under wraps from an unsuspecting public? Not to worry, though, because “Archibald has a plan!”

After a chase scene worthy of any sci-fi movie blockbuster, readers are treated to a spectacularly silly ending that manages to tie up a loose end you never sees coming. Just remember, if you encounter little gray men, just give ’em a smoke or some chocolate.

Templesmith’s extremely loose, scratchy, monochromatic images work to give the story an unreal, otherworldly feel. If you aren’t familiar with his work he is a singular trailblazer in the field of comics. Templesmith turns comic-book convention on its head with scrawly, intuitive drawings melded with a bit of Photoshop to create images that are dreamlike in execution, but somewhat nightmarish in context. Eschewing the four color mandate of most comics, his washed monochrome style delivers more evocation than the best DC or Marvel have to offer. As a testament to his vision, Templesmith is starting to see trendhopping imitators spring up in his wake.

Find “Groom Lake” at these local comic book shops: Action Island (601-856-1789), Van’s Comics and Cards (601-898-9950) or Heroes and Dreams (601-922-3100).

BANDS WANTED vocalist looking for band im a rock vocalist looking for a band in need of a lead singer please call at any time my name is shane (601) 940-0510

BANDS/DJS FOR HIRE Disc Jockey (DJ) Service Professional DJ - 20 Years Experience - Holiday Parties/Weddings/Birthdays/Private Parties, Lights/Fog/Etc available, Photography Services Available, Live Band Availble (601) 850-4380

GEAR Warwick bass 4 sale Warwick Corvette Standard bubinga 4 string passive with gig bag, warranty, manual, hercules stand, and acoustic B20 practice amp. $850. obo (601) 278-7854 Bach stradivarius trombone Bach Stradivarius professional trombone w/ F -rotary valve, Excellent condition. Dynamic tonal quality. $1,600.00 Call:- 769 232 2415 Bass gear Quality professional gear. Swr Silverado combo.

350 watts RMS. $400. New aoustic 200 watt bass head $200. Two Swr 1 15’ and horn cabinets $250 ea. Loud and Clean Sold seperately or together.

(601) 214-4412 Professional Sound Engineers Need sound equipment or just a couple of engineers at your next event call Daniel 601.488.0436 any venue large or small anywhere in the south.

Complete PA Huge carvin pa for sale, all accessories, cables, processors, mics, stands, lights, amps, etc. Over $20,000 in gear to sell for best offers. Equipment is in as new condition. (225) 341-9391 Guitar Gear - Must Sell!!

Vox AD120VTH Valvetronix Stereo Head $400, 1x12 and 2x12 cabinets- $80-$125. (601) 540-1739

MISCELLANEOUS Grand Piano Needed Children’s Charity Organization needs small grand piano for its teaching space. Tax deductable! Call Royce, 601-594-2902 (601) 594-2902 Need A Few Good Musicians Interested in helping to set up music non-profit organization (centered around the BLUES) for disadvantaged youths in the Jackson metropolitan area? If so, I am looking to talk to you. Need musicians who can teach everything from banjo, guitar, dobro, mandolin, fiddle, accordion, harmonica, piano, etc., etc. COME BE A PART OF THIS GREAT PROJECT! (601) 924-0210.

MUSICIANS AVAILABLE Rock Singer Available Male Rock/Metal Singer looking for experienced cover band. Many years experience. Contact myspace or facebook: Crystal Quazar. Phone: 601-572-6253 Drummer Available Mature/seasoned drummer available. Have played everything from country to Christian Contemporary. Would like to join existing band or form new one with seasoned musicians ONLY...no beginners please! Would like to play classic rock, blues and/or contemporary. Call if interested.

(601) 613-5835

Looking to Start Band I am a bass player new in town and looking to start a band in Jackson area...need guitarist..drummer...and lead vocals.......no specific genre preferred but will be based on rock and metal.(no death or black metal)...ive played in several bands and played out hundreds of times.....i can get gigs...if interested or for more info please call Chris @ 386-365-2944 Female Vocalist Seeking Band I am a 16-year-old female vocalist seeking a synthpop or rock band. Ages of band members preferrably 25 years or younger due to parental objections. Contact by email at freezepopforever10 29@hotmail.com.

Old Drummer Available!

Drummer available: most recently, I have played with the veterans of foreign bars band. Interested in playing blues, funk, soul, maybe country. I am an older guy and settled in for the duration.

I would be interested in a steady band, fill-in, and, possibly, a new start-up. Let me hear: mcdrum89@yahoo.Com or call 601-832-0831 Musician Available 25 Years experience playing Drums, Guitar & Bass.

Recently relocated to Jackson from Memphis, TN. All genres of music. Contact Tim at 601-665-5976.

Or email: reeves@cgdsl.net Serious inquires only.

Drummer Looking For Band I’m an experienced drummer looking to form/join a band. I have mostly played metal, but I am open to rock/hard rock/metal, etc. Call Dave at (769) 226-0845.

MUSICIANS WANTED A New Sound Need original band. Old Deftones/old Clutch/ She Wants Revenge. www.myspace.com/anzalduasongs Radio-play. Album on iTunes. anzaldua@mail.com (512) 787-7840 Deathcore guitarists Metal band looking for 2 exp’d guitarists. Influences include WhiteChapel, Carnifex, Opeth, etc.

Call David for more info (601) 201-3815 Metal Singer & Bassist Wanted AnnX is looking for a Experienced Energetic METAL Vocalist and a Bass Player to play shows and write new material. (601) 383-4851 Become our Next Instructor Major Scales Studio is accepting applications for a classical or rock or jazz guitar teacher. Must have professional appearance. Please email your resume to Majorscales@aol.com.

Cellist Needed For Album/tour Cellist needed for my album and possibly to tour shortly after. I am signed with South City Records. I need to start recording ASAP! Must be reliable and dedicated. Please contact me at scorpiano31@gmail.com Drummer/Bassist needed - Metal We are in need of a drummer and a bassist. Experience in metal (death, black, etc.) is preffered, but not completely necessary. Call Buddy at (601)5025647. Thanks for reading. -Buddy Bass Player Needed for electric cover band that features pedal steel guitar. -Vocals a plus- want to gig once or 2x a month and have lots of fun -buck owens to remcall 601 488 6907 +leave msg

Looking for band mates? Wanting to sell your gear?

Advertise here for free! Visit JFP Classifieds.com.

If you are interested in sponsoring the Musicians Exchange call JFP Sales at 601-362-6121 ext. 11.

jacksonfreepress.com

T

hey’re out there—the aliens. You may not want to believe, but I have seen proof. It’s all there in black and white, and myriad shades of gray, in “Groom Lake” (IDW Publishing, 2009, $19.99), written by Chris Ryall (“Zombies Versus Robots”) with art by the inimitable Ben Templesmith (“30 Days of Night,” “Wormwood: Gentleman Corpse” and “Conluvio”).

This project started out as a fairly straightforward science-fiction story, according to Ryall, that had been rolling around in his head for five or so years.

It wasn’t until Templesmith showed him early sketches that he saw the comedic potential. Thankfully, Ryall had the good sense to enlist Templesmith to do the art on this book, the comedy is all the better for it.

Played straight, this tale would be just another variation of the “The X Files” laid out for much of current sci-fi. Yet, it falls more along the lines of “Men In Black” meets “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.”

In “Groom Lake,” finally, the long-term cover-up of Area 51 gets blown wide open, thanks in no small part to average, ordinary hillbilly Karl Bauer and his new pals from the secret underground base where the government houses some of our stranger tourists.

Even if you don’t believe in little men from outer space, don’t let that deter you from one of the funniest additions to alien lore. Ryall pulls out all the stops in this tour de farce.

Virtually every trope of science fiction movies gets turned on its head by the end of the tale.

At heart, Groom Lake is a buddy comedy—perhaps the kookiest take on that theme in the history of odd couples. The aforementioned Karl Bauer meets a colorful cast of 1950s era sci-fi monsters, including a rampaging giant robot bent on man’s destruction who speaks in binary code, a couple of blobs reminiscent of the one that gave Steve McQueen so much trouble and an archetypal gray alien.

You know the type: little, gray, big glassy-black eyes, prone to probing and cattle mutilation.

Except this grey, named Archibald, is more concerned with smoking, chocolate and human copulation. He finds it all amusing. The little guy is one of the funnier characters to grace a science fiction story in a while: endearingly innocent and completely warped at the same time. Think E.T. on peyote.

It isn’t long before Arch and Karl form a friendship, and if you ever find yourself teamed up with an alien of questionable sanity, well, just sit back and enjoy the ride; he probably knows what he is doing. Probably.

The government agency responsible for all of these otherworldly shenanigans wears the black hat in “Groom Lake,” and they have

31

livemusic 8

around S A Lthe O Ocorner N

Country and Rock Music OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK - 4 P.M. ‘TIL

HAPPY HOUR 5-7, MON -THURS

WEDNESDAY - APRIL 7

LIVE MUSIC CALENDAR

Karaoke w/ Mike Mott

ALL SHOWS 10PM UNLESS NOTED

LADIES NIGHT (FREE DRAFT CUP 9-11)

WEDNESDAY

GRAVITY 4/7

LADIES NIGHT LADIES DRINK ALL YOU CAN 8PM-12AM FOR $5 - NO COVER THURSDAY

THURSDAY - APRIL 8

FRIDAY - APRIL 9

WILLY WAGGS SATURDAY - APRIL 10

HILLBILLY DELUXE

4/8

80’S NIGHT

DIFFERENT THEME EACH WEEK FRIDAY

4/9

SPACEWOLF (MEMBERS OF ROOSEVELT NOISE)

SATURDAY

4/10

SUNDAY - APRIL 11

All Male Revue 8-10pm TUESDAY - APRIL 13

Pool League Night 2636 S. Gallatin Jackson, MS 39204

601-961-4747

APRIL 8, THURSDAY F. Jones Corner - Sherman Lee Dillon (blues lunch) free; Blues at Sunset Challenge Band 8-12 a.m. free Lumpkins BBQ - Jesse Robinson (blues lunch) 11:30-1:30 p.m. free Miss. Museum of Art - Hearing Color, Seeing Sound: Scriabin/ Kandinsky - Jade Simmons (classical piano) 6 p.m. $10 930 Blues Cafe - Jackie Bell, Norman Clark & Smoke Stack Lightning 8 p.m. $5 Underground 119 - Howard Jones New Orleans Jazz Trio 5:30-7:15 p.m. free; Swing de Paris 8-11 p.m. free Hal & Mal’s Red Room - Jarekus Singleton 9 p.m.

Fenian’s - Spirits of the House (Irish Dance) 8:30-11:30 p.m.

Footloose - Karaoke 8-12 a.m.

Soulshine, Township - Fingers Taylor & friends 7-10 p.m. free The Auditorium - Tiger Rogers (lunch); Larry Brewer 7:30-9 p.m.

Shucker’s - Mike & Marty 7:30-11:30 p.m. free Cherokee Inn - D’lo Trio (Americana) 6:30 p.m.

Regency Hotel - Karaoke 7 p.m. free Pop’s Saloon - Gravity 9-1 a.m.

Kathryn’s - Shane & Fraizer 6:30-9:30 p.m. free Poets II - Karaoke 10 p.m.

Electric Cowboy - DJ Cadillac 9 p.m.

McB’s - Karaoke 7 p.m. free Bellweather Church - SonSoul, Goodwether Eli’s Treehouse, V’burg - Karaoke 8 p.m.

www.myspace.com/popsaroundthecorner

APRIL 9, FRIDAY

Shake It Like a Caveman w/ Dead Gaze

SUNDAY

4/11

KARAOKE MONDAY

4/12

OPEN MIC JAM TUESDAY

4/13

MATT’S LATE NIGHT KARAOKE $2 MARGARITAS $1 HIGHLIFE & PBR WEDNESDAY

4/14

April 8 - 14, 2010

LADIES NIGHT 32

LADIES DRINK ALL YOU CAN 8PM-12AM FOR $5 - NO COVER 214 S. STATE ST. • 601.354.9712 DOWNTOWN JACKSON WWW.MARTINSLOUNGE.NET

Support Your Favorite Local Band In The

2010 TACO BELL Battle of the Bands Every Friday Night at 7pm at Fire

TOPTEN SONGS THIS WEEK 1 FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH - Walk Away 2 BREAKING BENJAMIN - Give Me A Sign (Forever and Ever) 3 GODSMACK - Cryin’ Like A Bitch 4 SICK PUPPIES - Odd One 5 DROWNING POOL – Feel Like I Do 6 CHEVELLE - Letter From A Thief) 7 ALICE IN CHAINS - Your Decision 8 SEVENDUST - Unraveling 9 BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE - Your Betrayal 10 SEASONS AFTER - Cry Little Sister

Martin’s - Spacewolf (members of Roosevelt Noise), Furrows 10:30 p.m. $5 Hal & Mal’s Red Room - Villians of Groove 9 p.m.

Hal & Mal’s Restaurant - Swing d’Paris (gypsy jazz) 9 p.m. free Fenian’s - Electric Co. 9 p.m.

930 Blues Cafe - Blues/Jazz 5:30-8 p.m.; Jackie Bell, 9 p.m. $10 Ole Tavern - Number 2 (cd release) 10 p.m.

Underground 119 - Common Ground Blues Band 9-1 a.m.

The Auditorium - Tiger Rogers (lunch); Shaun Patterson 7:30-9 p.m.; Eddie Cotton (blues) 9:30 p.m.

Welty Commons - Contra Dance: The Scramblers (string band/ Appalachian) 7:30 p.m. free/ donation Shucker’s - Yankee Station 8-1 a.m. $5 Soulshine, Township - Chris Gill 8 p.m. free Soulshine, Old Fannin - Ben Payton (blues) 6:45 p.m. free Haute Pig - Larry Brewer 6-9 p.m. free McB’s - Home Remedy Pop’s Saloon - Dylan Moss Project Little Willie’s, Fannin Market - Gravity 6-10 p.m.

Electric Cowboy - DJ Terry 9 p.m.

Footloose - Karaoke 9-1 a.m. free

Dick & Jane’s - Show Night/DJ Allen 9 p.m. $6; 18+ $10 Regency Hotel - Fade 2 Blue Cultural Expressions - Reggae/HipHop/Old School Night 10 p.m. $5 Reed Pierce’s - Trademark 9 p.m. free RJ Barrel - Virgil Brawley 8 p.m.

Two Rivers - Shane & Fraizer 9 p.m. free Bottleneck, Ameristar - Billy Currington / Dr. Zarr’s Funkmonster 7:30 p.m. $45

APRIL 10, SATURDAY Woodworth Chapel, Tougaloo – Miss.

Symphony Orchestra presents Chamber IV (Brahms Piano+String, Brass & Woodwind Quartet) 7:30 p.m. $15, 601-960-1565 Jxn Convention Complex - BeBe & CeCe Winans (Grammy Winning Gospel/R&B) 8 p.m.

Martin’s - Shake it Like a Caveman, The Dead Gaze 10 p.m. $5 myspace.com/deadgazetunes Fire - Know Your Enemy (Rage Against the Machine Tribute) 9 p.m. myspace.com/knowyourenemy504 Hal & Mal’s Red Room - Mike Jewell (comedy) 9 p.m.

Hal & Mal’s Restaurant - Yella w/ Chick French 9 p.m. free Township @ Colony Park (outside) - Mose Allison, The Vamps, Lisa Palmer, Raphael Semmes, JSU Jazz Ensemble 12-7 p.m. free, townshipjazzfestival.com F. Jones Corner - Scott Albert Johnson (blues/juke) 11:30-4 a.m. $5 Underground 119 - The Juvenators (blues rock) 9-1 a.m.

Fenian’s - Blackwolf (rock) 9 p.m.

Kathryn’s - Emma Wynters & Mark Whittington 7-10 p.m. emmawynters.com 930 Blues Cafe - Blues/Jazz 5:30-8 p.m.; Jackie Bell, 9 p.m. $10 Shucker’s - PFC 3-7 p.m. free; Yankee Station 8-1 a.m. $5 Cultural Expressions - Kamikaze & Yardboy (hip-hop/Soul) 9 p.m. $5 Fitzgerald’s - Chris Gill 8-12 a.m.

The Auditorium - Robby Peoples 7:30-9 p.m.

McB’s - Rainmakers 8-11:30 p.m.

Pop’s - Hillbilly Deluxe Hunt Club - Gravity 9-1 a.m. myspace.com/musicgravity Huntington’s - Ralph Miller 6-9 p.m.

Pelican Cove - Fulkerson/Pace 6-10 p.m. free Dick & Jane’s - House Party/DJ Allen 9 p.m. $6; 18+ $10 Regency Hotel - Fade 2 Blue Petra Cafe, Clinton - Karaoke 8 p.m.

Pearl Community Room, Old Brandon Rd - Miss. Opry: Harmony & Grits, Magnolia Ramblers 6 p.m. (bluegrass/gospel) $10, under 18 free, 601-331-6672 Reed Pierce’s - Trademark 9 p.m. free RJ Barrel - Karaoke 7 p.m.

Bottleneck, Ameristar - Dr. Zarr’s Funkmonster Silverstar, Choctaw - Roy Clark & Glen Campbell 9 p.m. 866-44PEARL

4/07 Yeasayer - Hi-Tone, Memphis 4/09 Vampire Weekend - House of Blues, N.O. 4/09 The Black Lips - Hi-Tone, Memphis 4/13 Ani DiFranco - New Daisy, Memphis 4/15 Acid Mother’s Temple - Hi-Tone, Memphis 4/16-18 Coachella Music Festival - Indio, CA coachella.com 4/17 Elvis Costello & the Imposters - IP Casino, Biloxi

APRIL 11, SUNDAY King Edward Hotel - Howard Jones Trio (jazz brunch) 11-2 p.m.

Warehouse - Mike & Marty Open Jam Session 6-10 p.m. free Fitzgerald’s - Andy Hardwick 11-2 p.m.

Sophia’s, Fairview Inn - Knight Bruce 11 a.m. (brunch) Shucker’s - Tim Avalon & High Water 3-7 p.m. free Pelican Cove - Will & Linda 3-7 p.m. free Fenian’s - Jill Chambliss & Scooter Muse (Celtic) 7-9 p.m. $10 Atwood Elks Lodge, Lynch St - Jazz, Blues & More: The Musicians 7-9 p.m. $5 The Hill - Open Blues Jam 6-11 p.m.

Footloose - Karaoke 7-11 p.m. free Cultural Expressions - Open Mic Poetry 8 p.m. $5

APRIL 12, MONDAY Ford Academic Complex Recital Hall, Millsaps - Bell Piano Series: Continuum (NY Piano Duo) 7:30 p.m. $15, $5 students Hal & Mal’s Restaurant - Central Miss. Blues Society Jam 8-11 p.m. $5 F. Jones Corner - Stevie J free Fitzgerald’s - Hunter Gibson & Rick Moreira 8-12 a.m. free Martin’s - Open Mic Free Jam 10 p.m. free Fenian’s - Karaoke 8-1 a.m.

Dreamz - Marley Mondays/DJ (world) 6 p.m.

APRIL 13, TUESDAY F. Jones Corner - Amazing Lazy Boi free Hal & Mal’s Restaurant - Pub Quiz 8 p.m.

Fenian’s - Open Mic 9 p.m.

AJ’s Seafood - Scott Albert Johnson (blues/juke) 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Martin’s - Karaoke 10 p.m. free Bonnie Blairs Irish Pub - Shaun Patterson 7-10 p.m.

Shucker’s - The Extremez 7:30-11: 30 p.m. free Time Out - Open Mic 8 p.m.

McB’s - Karaoke 7 p.m. free Final Destination - Open Mic Delta State Student Union - Gzosh, G.A.V. Gospel Choir 7 p.m. free, 662-402-0927

APRIL 14, WEDNESDAY F. Jones Corner - Sherman Lee Dillon (blues lunch) free Hal & Mal’s Restaurant - Hal & Connie (Americana) 8 p.m. free Fenian’s - Jason Bailey (blues) 9 p.m.

Kathryn’s - Hunter Gibson 6:30-9:30 p.m.

Underground 119 - Nathaniel Smith & Jeremy Kittel 8-11 p.m. free Shucker’s - DoubleShotz 7:30-11:30 p.m. free The Auditorium - Karaoke 9-12 a.m.

Regency Hotel - Snazz 8:30 p.m. myspace.com/snazzband2 Footloose - Karaoke 8-12 a.m. free Electric Cowboy - Karaoke State Theatre, Starkville - Red Hill City 8 p.m.

venuelist Wednesday, March 7th Fusion Coffeehouse Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland, 601-856-6001 Garfield’s Restaurant & Pub 6340 Ridgewood Court, Jackson, 601-977-9920 Gold Strike Casino 1010 Casino Center Drive, Robinsonville, 888-245-7529 Grand Casino Biloxi 280 Beach Boulevard, Biloxi, 228-436-2946 Grand Casino Tunica 13615 Old Highway 61 North, Robinsonville, 800-39-GRAND The Green Room 444 Bounds St., Jackson, 601-713-3444 Ground Zero Blues Club 0 Blues Alley, Clarksdale, 662-621-9009 Grownfolks’s Lounge 4030 Medgar Evers Blvd, Jackson, 601-362-6008 Hal & Mal’s 200 S. Commerce St., Jackson, 601-948-0888 (pop/rock/blues) Hamp’s Place 3028 W. Northside Dr., Jackson, 601-981-4110 (dance/dj) Hard Rock Biloxi 777 Beach Blvd., Biloxi, 228-374-ROCK Hat & Cane 1115 E. McDowell Rd., Jackson, 601-352-0411 Hauté Pig 1856 Main St., Madison, 601853-8538 Here We Go Again 3002 Terry Road, Jackson, 601-373-1520 The Hill Restaurant 2555 Valley St., Jackson, 601-373-7768 Horizon Casino Mulberry Lounge 1310 Mulberry St., Vicksburg, 800-843-2343 Horseshoe Bar 5049 Hwy 80 West, Jackson, 601-922-6191 Horseshoe Casino Tunica, 800-303-7463 The Hunt Club 1525 Ellis Ave., Jackson, 601-944-1150 Huntington Grille 1001 E. County Line Rd., Jackson, 601-957-1515 The Ice House 515 S. Railroad Blvd., McComb, 601-684-0285 (pop/rock) JC’s 425 North Mart Plaza, Jackson, 601-362-3108 James Meredith Lounge 217 Griffith St. 601-969-3222 Julep Restaurant and Bar 105 Highland Village, Jackson, 601-362-1411 Kathryn’s Steaks and Seafood 6800 Old Canton Road, Ridgeland. 601-956-2803 Koinonia Coffee House 136 S. Adam St., Suite C, Jackson, 601-960-3008 LaRae’s 210 Parcel Dr., Jackson, 601-944-0660 Last Call Sports Grill 1428 Old Square Road, Jackson, 601-713-2700 The Library Bar & Grill 120 S. 11th St., Oxford, 662-234-1411 The Loft 1306 A. Washington St., Vicksburg, 601-629-6188 The Lyric Oxford 1006 Van Buren Ave., Oxford. 662-234-5333 Main Event Sports Bar & Grill 4659 Hwy 80 West, Jackson, 601-922-9987 Manda’s Pub 614 Clay Street, Vicksburg, 601-638-6607 Martin’s Lounge 214 S. State St., Jackson, 601-354-9712 (rock/jam/blues) McB’s Restaurant 815 Lake Harbor Dr., Ridgeland, 601-956-8362 (pop/rock) Mellow Mushroom 275 Dogwood Blvd., Flowood, 601-992-7499 Mississippi Academy of Ancient Music 103 Magnolia, Edwards, 601-977-7736 Mississippi Coliseum 1207 Mississippi St., Jackson, 601-353-0603 Mississippi Opera P.O. Box 1551, Jackson, 877-MSOPERA, 601-960-2300 Mississippi Opry 2420 Old Brandon Rd., Brandon, 601-331-6672 Mississippi Symphony Orchestra 201 East Pascagoula St., Jackson, 800-898-5050 Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium 2531 N. State St., Jackson, 601-354-6021 Monte’s Steak and Seafood 1855 Lakeland Dr., Jackson, 601-362-8182 Mugshots 1855 Lakeland Dr., Jackson, 601-713-0383 Okasions 1766 Ellis Avenue, Jackson, 601-373-4037 Old Venice Pizza Co. 1428 Old Square Rd., Jackson, 601-366-6872 Ole Tavern on George Street 416 George St., Jackson, 601-960-2700 Olga’s 4760 I-55 North, Jackson, 601-366-1366 (piano) One to One Studio 121 Millsaps Ave., in the Millsaps Arts District, Jackson

One Blue Wall 2906 N State St., Jackson, 601-713-1224 Peaches Restaurant 327 N. Farish St., Jackson, 601-354-9267 Pelican Cove 3999A Harborwalk Dr., Ridgeland, 601-605-1865 Pig Ear Saloon 160 Weisenberger Rd., Gluckstadt, 601-898-8090 Pig Willies 1416 Washington St., Vicksburg, 601-634-6872 Pool Hall 3716 I-55 North Frontage Rd., Jackson, 601-713-2708 Pop’s Saloon 2636 Gallatin St., Jackson, 601-961-4747 (country) Proud Larry’s 211 S. Lamar Blvd., Oxford, 662-236-0050 The Pub Hwy. 51, Ridgeland, 601-898-2225 The Quarter Bistro & Piano Bar 1855 Lakeland Dr., Jackson, 601-362-4900 Que Sera Sera 2801 N. State St., Jackson, 601-981-2520 Red Room 200 S. Commerce St., Jackson (Hal & Mal’s), 601-948-0888 (rock/alt.)

Reed Pierce’s 6791 Siwell Rd., Byram, 601-376-0777, 601-376-4677 Regency Hotel Restaurant & Bar 420 Greymont Ave., Jackson, 601-969-2141 Rick’s Cafe 318 Hwy 82 East, #B, Starkville, 662-324-7425 RJ Barrel 111 N. Union 601-667-3518 Sal and Mookie’s 565 Taylor St. 601368-1919 Sam’s Lounge 5035 I-55 N. Frontage Rd., Jackson, 601-983-2526 Sam’s Town Casino 1477 Casino Strip Blvd., Robinsonville, 800-456-0711 Schimmel’s Fine Dining 2615 N. State St., Jackson, 601-981-7077 Scrooge’s 5829 Ridgewood Rd., Jackson, 601-206-1211 Shuckers on the Reservoir 116 Conestoga Rd., Ridgeland, 601-853-0105 Silver Star Casino Hwy. 16 West, Choctaw, 800-557-0711 Soop’s The Ultimate 1205 Country Club Dr., Jackson, 601-922-1402 (blues) Soulshine Pizza 1139 Old Fannin Rd., Brandon, 601-919-2000 Soulshine Pizza 1111 Highland Colony Parkway, Ridgeland, 601-856-8646 Sportsman’s Lodge 1220 E. Northside Dr. at I-55, Jackson, 601-366-5441 Steam Room Grille 5402 Interstate-55 Frontage Road. 601-899-8588 Stone Pony Oyster Bar 116 Commercial Parkway, Canton, 601-859-0801 Super Chikan’s Place 235 Yazoo Ave., Clarksdale, 662-627-7008 Thalia Mara Hall 255 E. Pascagoula St., Jackson, 601-960-1535 Thirsty Hippo 211 Main St., Hattiesburg, 601-583-9188 (indie/ alt.rock/jam/world) Time Out Sports Bar 6270 Old Canton Rd., 601-978-1839 Top Notch Sports Bar 109 Culley Dr., Jackson, 601- 362-0706 Touch Night Club 105 E. Capitol St., Jackson, 601-969-1110 Two Rivers Restaurant 1537 W. Peace St., Canton, 601-859-9979 (blues) Two Sisters Kitchen 707 N. Congress St. 601-353-1180 Two Stick 1107 Jackson Ave., Oxford, 662-236-6639 Tye’s 120 N. Congress St., Jackson, 601949-3434 Under the Boardwalk 2560 Terry Rd., Jackson, 601-371-7332 (country/ classic rock) Underground 119 119 S. President St. 601352-2322 VB’s Premier Sports Bar 1060 County Line Rd., Ridgland, 601-572-3989 VFW Post 9832 4610 Sunray Drive, Jackson, 601-982-9925 Vicksburg Convention Center 1600 Mulberry Street, Vicksburg, 866-822-6338 Walker’s Drive-In 3016 N. State St., Jackson, 601-982-2633 (jazz/pop/folk) The Warehouse 9347 Hwy 18 West, Jackson, 601-502-8580 (pop/rock) Wired Expresso Cafe 115 N. State St. 601-500-7800

Ladies’ Night w/ Snazz 8:30 p.m. - Guys’ Cover $5

BUY 1, GET 1 WELLS Thursday, April 8th

Weekly Lunch Specials Parking now on side of building

Bike Night w/ Krazy Karaoke 7:00 p.m. - No Cover

$2 MARGARITAS! Fri. & Sat., Apirl 9th & 10th

FADE 2 BLUE 8:30 p.m. - $5 cover Exquisite Dining at

The Rio Grande Restaurant

Open for dinner Sat. 4-10pm thursday

APRIL 8

LADIES NIGHT with MR. NICK! LADIES DRINK FREE WELLS & PONIES 9PM-2AM

friday

APRIL 9

Number 2 400 Greymont Ave., Jackson 601-969-2141 www.regencyjackson.com

BASEBA LL SEASON IS HERE! WATCH YOU TEAM @ THE LODGE lunch specials $7.95 - includes tea & dessert

Smoke-free lunch

weekdays 11am-3pm

WED. LADIES NIGHT & KARAOKE

$10 Buckets of Beer during Tournaments

THURS. $1.50 BEER (BUD, BUD LIGHT, BUD SELECT & ULTRA)

(CD RELEASE) saturday

APRIL 10

BOOM CHICKA BOOMS

w/ Rooster Blues tuesday

APRIL 13

FRI.

CALVIN WEBSTER 9:30PM - 1:30AM

OPEN MIC

COLLEGE NIGHT

with Cody Cox

SAT.

*DOLLAR BEER*

NO COVER CHARGE

BRING STUDENT ID

NCAA

BASKETBALL

MON. S.I.N. NIGHT TUES. JACKPOT TRIVIA $2 DOMESTICS

ON SUNDAY, BLOODY MARYS $4 & MIMOSAS $3 THURSDAY 2-FOR-1 MONDAYS, $1.50 PINTS ON

wednesday

APRIL 14

Kick Ass Karaoke with KJ JOOSY FREE WiFi Open Mon-Sat, Kitchen open Mon-Fri 11 am-10 pm & Sat 4-10 pm

jacksonfreepress.com

61 South - Rainbow Casino 1380 Warrenton Rd., Vicksburg, 800-503-3777 88 Keys 3645 Hwy. 80 W in Metrocenter, Jackson, 601-352-7342 930 Blues Cafe 930 N. Congress St., Jackson, 601-948-3344 Alamo Theatre 333 N. Farish St, Jackson, 601-352-3365 Alley Cats 165 W. Peace St., Canton, 601-855-2225 Alumni House Sports Grill 574 Hwy. 50, Ridgeland, 601-855-2225 America Legion Post 1 3900 W. Northside Dr., Jackson, 601-605-9903 Ameristar Casino, Bottleneck Blues Bar 4146 Washington St., Vicksburg, 800-700-7770 Beau Rivage Casino 875 Beach Blvd., Biloxi, 800-566-7469 Belhaven College Center for the Arts 835 Riverside Dr, Jackson, 601-968-5930 Bennie’s Boom Boom Room 142 Front St., Hattiesburg, 601-408-6040 Borrello’s 1306 Washington St., Vicksburg, 601-638-0169 Buffalo Wild Wings 808 Lake Harbour Dr., Ridgeland, 601-856-0789 Capri-Pix Theatre 3021 N. State St., Jackson, 601-981-9606 Central City Complex 609 Woodrow Wilson Dr., Jackson, 601-352-9075 Cerami’s 5417 Highway 25, Flowood, 601-919-2829 Char Restaurant 4500 I-55, Highland Village, Jackson, 601-956-9562 Cherokee Inn 1410 Old Square Rd., Jackson, 601-362-6388 Club 43 Hwy 43, Canton, 601-654-3419, 601-859-0512 Club City Lights 200 N. Mill St., Jackson, 601-353-0059 Club O’Hara 364 Monticello St., Hazlehurst, 601-894-5674 Club Total 342 N. Gallatin St., Jackson, 601-714-5992 The Commons Gallery 719 N. Congress St., 601-352-3399 Couples Entertainment Center 4511 Byrd Drive, Jackson, 601-923-9977 Crawdad Hole 1150 Lakeland Dr., Jackson, 601-982-9299 Crickett’s Lounge 4370 Hwy 80 West, Jackson, 601-922-0500 Crossroads Bar & Lounge 3040 Livingston Rd., Jackson, 601-984-3755 (blues) Cultural Expressions 147 Millsaps Ave., Jackson, 601-665-0815 (neosoul/hip-hop) Cups in Fondren 2757 Old Canton Road, Jackson, 601-362-7422 (acoustic/pop) Cups in the Quarter 1855 Lakeland Dr., Jackson, 601-981-9088 Davidson’s Corner Market 108 W. Center St., Canton, 601-855-2268 (pop/rock) Debo’s 180 Raymond Road, Jackson, 601-346-8283 Diamond Jack’s Casino 3990 Washington Street, Vicksburg, 1-877-711-0677 Dick & Jane’s 206 Capitol St., Jackson, 601-944-0123 (dance/alternative) Dixie Diamond 1306 Washington Street, Vicksburg, 601-638-6297 Dollar Bills Dance Saloon 103 A Street, Meridian, 601-693-5300 Edison Walthall Hotel 225 E. Capitol St., Jackson, 601-948-6161 Electric Cowboy 6107 Ridgewood Rd., Jackson, 601-899-5333 (country/ rock/dance) Executive Place 2440 Bailey Ave., Jackson, 601-987-4014 F. Jones Corner 303 N. Farish St. 601983-1148 Fenian’s 901 E. Fortification Street, Jackson, 601-948-0055 (rock/Irish/folk) Fire 209 Commerce St., Jackson, 601592-1000 (rock/dance/dj) Final Destination 5428 Robinson Rd. Ext., Jackson, (pop/rock/blues) Fitzgerald’s Martini Bar 1001 E. County Line Road, Jackson, 601-957-2800 Flood’s Bar and Grill 2460 Bailey Ave., Jackson, 601-713-4094 Footloose Bar and Grill 4661 Hwy 80 West, Jackson, 601-922-9944 Freelon’s Bar And Groove 440 N. Mill St., Jackson, 601-353-5357 (hip-hop)

33

by ShaWanda Jacome

read more Body&Soul stories and the blog at jacksonfreepress.com

COURTESY CMA MEDIA PRODUCTIONS

The Siren Song of Food

April 8 - 14, 2010

T

34

he world first met the vivacious Mandisa, with her powerful voice and mega-watt smile, during the fifth season of “American Idol” in 2006. Unfortunately, she also became known for Simon Cowell’s negative comment at her audition: “Are we going to have a bigger stage this year?”

Mandisa continued to offer stellar performances, and she eventually told Cowell: “You hurt me, and I cried, but I want you to know that I’ve forgiven you.” Cowell was instantly humbled and apologized. She came in ninth that season.

Since “Idol,” Mandisa has released three records—”True Beauty,” “It’s Christmas” and “Freedom”—and is at work on a new record. Now 33, Mandisa has received two Grammy nominations, attending the ceremony for the first time in 2009. “I was like, I’m really here right now. It blew my mind that I was a part of such an amazing night,” she says in a telephone interview with the JFP. She also wrote a book, “Idoleyes: My New Perspective on Faith, Fat & Fame” (Tyndale House, $14.99, 2008), about her “Idol” experience, her childhood and her struggles with weight. She has lost about 85 pounds.

“I (had) this goal of losing 100 pounds,” she says, “and I’ve been driving myself crazy with that. I think I’ve been focusing so much on the scale and on the number. Now I’m getting back to just doing what’s right, doing what’s healthy, and not killing myself to achieve this number.”

For Mandisa, born Mandisa Lynn Hundley it’s more than just weight loss. “It’s a food addiction for me,” she says.

“I think if you look at it like you would alcohol, there is something physiological in an alcoholic’s mind. … I don’t want to say they can’t stop, but it’s a force that is very, very strong,” she adds. “It’s not just a matter for me of ‘Oh I just won’t eat that.’ It really is like warfare when I am tempted to eat something I know is not the best for me. “ Kostas Matheos, clinical director of A Bridge to Recovery in Ridgeland, has worked with a number of food addicts throughout her career. “Food addiction is a compulsive behavior like any other addiction, whether it’s sex, gambling, drugs or alcohol, and usually there are consequences,” she says.

Despite the health risks involved, food addiction is not something that can be just willed away. “It’s constantly thinking of food, just like a crack addict is thinking about how they’re going to score their next fix,” Matheos says. “It’s the same process that goes on. … Most food addicts that I’ve worked with are addicted to sugar, there’s that craving. It’s kind of like an alcoholic coming off of

alcohol … the same chemicals go on in the brain.”

There is hope, however, for the food addict. Research suggests that approximately 80 percent of compulsive overeaters recover with the proper counseling or therapy.

“You have got to deal with the issues that had you turn to food to begin with,” Mandisa says of her recovery. “In my case, it had to do with childhood abuse and just finding that food was a comfort for me. You can’t ignore that … you have to deal with the root issues before you’ll ever find long lasting success in that area … That’s been the most difficult part of it, but the most important part of it for me.”

Matheos, who is also trained to work with trauma patients, echoes that sentiment. “There’s a lot of trauma, sexual abuse, abandonment issues, lots of grief and loss, and food is a great way to avoid,” she says.

Mandisa has learned that it’s not just about what you eat, but having a healthy mind, body and spirit. But it’s still a challenge. “The thing that makes it harder is that I have to face food every single day. Food is what I always turn to for comfort and to fill this void. I think that’s a true sign of an addiction, if you turn to it in order to cover up something or medicate something. … It really is more powerful, and it takes a lot of strength and help from the Lord to resist doing things that I know are not the best for me,” she says.

Matheos agrees: “It’s got to be a spiritual recovery process or else it’s got a huge missing link.”

Through her weight-loss journey, some universal tips have emerged for Mandisa. “One is to not diet, but to find healthy eating focusing on whole grains, fruits, vegetables and real food as opposed to processed food. Physically … If you’re going to maintain it for a long time, the rest of your life, finding something (exercise) you enjoy is an important thing.”

Mandisa exercises regularly, and does Zumba because it allows her to get fit while doing her favorite thing, dancing.

Are you a food addict?

Food addiction can manifest in several different ways: • Excessive food or compulsive overeating.

• Binge eating or lack of control with food.

• Insufficient, restricting or an avoidance of food.

• Constantly thinking about food and avoiding it at the same time.

• Over exercising.

Complications of food addiction or binge-eating disorder include: depression, suicidal thoughts, insomnia, obesity, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, high blood cholesterol, gallbladder disease and other digestive problems, heart disease, joint and muscle pain and headaches, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Signs and habits of the food addict • Weight gain; however, food addicts don’t appear to eat a lot in public. (Weight gain can also be associated with a thyroid problem or other physical ailment; therefore, consult your physician before beginning a weight loss regimen.)

• Hiding or sneaking food.

• Eating full meals, not just snacks, multiple times a day.

• Obsessing over body image.

She sings from the heart, and her songs coincide with her personal experiences. Asked about her favorite song on “Freedom,” she named “My Deliverer.” “[I]t spoke to my testimony … (when) I was in the thrust of being set free from the food addiction,” she says.

“And to be able to proclaim that my Deliverer is setting me free from all that has held me captive is just amazing. It’s a song that makes me want to get up and exercise.”

Mandisa will perform Saturday, April 17, at the Extraordinary Women Conference that starts April 16 at First Baptist Church in downtown Jackson. For tickets and information, visit www.ewomen.net or call 1-800-526-8673. Tickets are $69-$89.

Getting Help

T

herapist Kostas Matheos recommends a whole-person treatment plan for those dealing with food addiction. A Jackson native, Matheos is a licensed professional counselor, licensed professional art therapist and certified sex-addiction therapist, earning her master’s degree in art therapy from Southwestern College in Santa Fe, N.M. Get to the root of the problem After losing weight, some bariatric (gastric bypass) patients begin to abuse alcohol and drugs, swapping one addiction or compulsive behavior for another.

Ask questions She encourages clinicians to ask lots of questions. Is there a history of gambling, over-shopping or other compulsive behavior? Many people are cross-addicted; they may be “binging and purging” with food, sex, or with alcohol and drugs.

Twelve steps Matheos encourages food addicts to attend 12-step meetings like Overeaters Anonymous, and she helps her clients learn how to find boundaries: “We help people learn that they can go to Baskin-Robbins and get a scoop of ice cream, but they don’t need to have a quart of ice cream sitting in (the) freezer or go every day.”

Healthy eating, not diet Don’t diet. Rather, it’s about getting on a healthy eating plan tailored to your specific needs, and learning how to have a healthy relationship with food.

Exercise Matheos and her team have introduced yoga as the exercise component of their program. But each person has to find something they enjoy. Exercising with a buddy can help, too. “The incredible thing with our clients has been that they partnered up. … They’re out there with a friend and building more of a community,” she says.

For information about A Bridge to Recovery, visit www. abridgetorecovery.com or call 601-977-9353. To find out more about Overeaters Anonymous, visit www.oa.org.

Find a local OA meeting: St. Andrews Episcopal Cathedral, 601-914-9598; St. Philips Episcopal Church, 601942-5781; St. James Episcopal Church, 601-942-5781.

Self Defense Essentials Series

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Massage offers another path for our bodies to heal.”

April 11 & 18 May 9, 16, 23 & 30 Sundays 1:30 - 3pm

Simple, Effective Self Defense Techniques can save your wallet, your Children and your life!

Learn to recognize and avoid dangerous situations, and how to mentally prepare yourself to respond to an attack. This series of classes is geared toward people with no previous experience in martial arts.

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Gilly MacMillan, BSN LMT #1500 PREGNANCY SWEDISH SHIATZU THAI YOGA REFLEXOLOGY

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AFTER:

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jacksonfreepress.com

BEFORE:

35

dining

by Jesse Yancy

KRISTIN BRENEMEN

Penny Eggs

P

ews tend to be stiff and unyielding, so those who belly up to a Bible Belt bar on a Sunday morning drink with the certainty that their stool is much more comfortable.

Bartenders who work Sunday mornings know their customers well, and more often than not the harkening faces at the

rail know a thing or two about the bartenders, too. They’re always telling on one another, and if it’s a really friendly bar, they’ll do it aloud, especially when not that many people are in the bar and the music’s low.

It’s a special sort of bonding ritual that you just won’t find along an aisle.

Jake and I enjoy basking in these secular exchanges. We manage to steer clear of most petty imbroglios; oh, we’ll put our two cents in on something especially outrageous (or at least I will), but most of the time we just talk to each other.

Jake grew up in upstate New York; I grew up in north Mississippi. He was probably pulling my leg when he told me that his parents once sent money to a charitable organization whose mission was to improve the lot of ignorant, parasite-infested southerners, but I bristled anyway and reminded him that they did that once already (with taxes) and with a less-than-charitable intent toward the majority of my ancestors. He in turn reminded me that his folks came over on the Concorde and that his parents don’t pay taxes. At this point, I should have bolted, but bearing in mind Faulkner’s mandate of “love despite faults,” we both endured and have come to learn that we have much in common.

Take Vienna sausages, for instance: an iconic southern nosh if ever there was one. Never in a million years would I have thought Jake knew of (much less ate) them as a child. But one Sunday morning at the bar he told me about penny eggs.

“My mother,” he said, “would take Vienna sausages, slice them crossways and put them in our scrambled eggs. She called them penny eggs.”

Suddenly I could hear a woman’s voice from a kitchen down a hall. “Do you want penny eggs for breakfast?” Or: “Hurry up or you’re going to miss your penny eggs.”

What child would not be stirred? Pudgy little fists would begin to rub sleepy eyes, and soon the breakfast table would be surrounded by mouths eager for spoonfuls of eggs strewn with penny-like slices of mild sausage. If I live for another 800 years, I don’t think I’ll ever feel anything as warm or hear anything as charming as that childhood memory coming to light in a dingy, musty bar on a rainy Sunday morning.

Of course, he found nothing endearing about my Vienna memories, which involved fishing for crappie on Grenada Lake and untangling barbed wire from MDOT bush hogs that had run over an old fence.

“You were sweating,” he said with disdain.

“They were like sodium suppositories.”

After reminding him that we ate them, I tried to interject some romance into my remembrances.

“Jake,” I said. “Imagine that you’re in a leaky aluminum boat with a stuttering motor in the backwaters of a north Mississippi reservoir. It’s an early Saturday morning and sunny. You’re 8, fishing with a couple who have been married for 40 years. You have your little baseball cap on, but your nose gets burned anyway. You catch one fish, a little one, to their 20 big ones. You get to drink all the Cokes you want, and pee off the side of the skiff. And for lunch, well before noon, you get saltines, a big piece of rat cheese, sardines, if you want them, and a can of Vienna sausages.”

“Surrounded by venomous snakes no doubt,” he said. “And please tell me you didn’t eat the fish.” At this, I realized romanticizing barbed-wire foul-ups on bush hogs was useless.

I try to keep Viennas on hand, and Jake, despite his admission of a childhood fondness for them, has consigned them to what he calls the redneck corner of the cupboard, where he puts my canned fish and saltines. He lets me keep my red cheddar in the fridge, bless his heart.

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April 8 - 14, 2010

DJ SINATRA APRIL 7

36

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Pizzas of all kinds, munchies, calzones, grilled hoagies, salads and more make up the extensive and “eclectic” menu at Mellow Mushroom. And that’s not even to mention the award-winning beer selection. Dine in or carry out.

COFFEE HOUSES Cups Espresso Café (Multiple Locations, www.cupsespressocafe.com) Jackson’s local chain of coffeehouses offer high-end Arabica beans, a wide variety of espresso drinks, fresh brewed coffee and a selection of pastries and baked goods. Free wi-fi!

Wired Espresso Café (115 N State St 601-500-7800) This downtown coffeehouse across from the Old Capitol focuses on being a true gathering place, featuring great coffee and a selection of breakfast, lunch and pastry items. Free wi-fi.

B.B.Q., Blues, Beer, Beef & Pork Ribs Saturday & Friday Night Blues Band Coming Soon!

Italian Done Right.

Remember you can buy our lasagna by the pan!

910 Lake Harbour Dr. Ridgeland | 601-956-2929 Monday - Saturday | 5 - until

Lunch & Dinner Hours: Tuesday - Thursday 11a.m. to 8p.m.

Friday & Saturday 11a.m. to 10p.m.

932 Lynch Street in Jackson (Across from the JSU Baseball Field)

BAKERY Broad Street (4465 Interstate 55 N. 601-362-2900) Hot breakfast, coffee espresso drinks, fresh breads and pastries, gourmet deli sandwiches, quiches, soups, pizzas, pastas and dessert. A “see and be seen” Jackson institution!

Crazy Cat Bakers (Highland Village Suite #173 601-362-7448 & Fondren Corner Bldg) Amazing sandwiches: Meatloaf Panini, Mediterranean Vegetarian, Rotisserie Chicken to gourmet pimento cheese. Outlandish desserts. Now open in Fondren Corner on North State Street.

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BRAVO! (4500 Interstate 55 N., Jackson, 601-982-8111) Wood-fired pizzas, vegetarian fare, plus creative pastas, beef, and seafood specials. Wonderful atmosphere and service. Bravo! walks away with tons of Best of Jackson awards every year.

Ceramiʼs (5417 Lakeland Drive, Flowood, 601-919-28298) Southern-style Italian cuisine features their signature Shrimp Cerami (white wine sauce, capers artichokes) along with veal, tilapia, crawfish, chicken and pasta dishes. Now with liquor license!

Fratesiʼs (910 Lake Harbour, Ridgeland, 601-956-2929) “Authentic, homey, unpretentious” that’s how the regulars describe Fratesi’s, a staple in Jackson for years, offering great Italian favorites with loving care. The tiramisu is a must-have!

BARBEQUE Hickory Pit Barbeque (1491 Canton Mart Rd. 601-956-7079)

2003-2010, Best of Jackson Cozy Bar Inside, Covered Patio Outside

Lumpkins BBQ (182 Raymond Rd. Jackson 866-906-0942) Specializing in smoked barbeque, Lumpkin’s offers all your favorites for on-site family dining or for catered events, including reunions, office events, annivesaries, weddings and more.

Rib Shack B.B.Q. & Seafood (932 J.R. Lynch Street, Jackson, 601-665-4952) Hickory-smoked BBQ beef or pork ribs, BBQ chicken, giant chopped BBQ beef or pork sandwiches. Fried catfish, pan trout, fried shrimp, po boys. Tues-Thurs (11-8pm) Fri-Sat (11-10pm).

BARS, PUBS & BURGERS Alumni House (574 Hwy 51 Ridgeland 601-605-9903, 110 Bass Pro, Pearl, 601-896-0253) Good bar food, big portions and burgers (with “blackened” as an option) known for their sweet buns. Televisions throughout, even small tubes at your table. Po-boys, quesadillas; good stuff!

Fenianʼs Pub (901 E. Fortification St. 601-948-0055) Classic Irish pub featuring a menu of traditional food, pub sandwiches and beers including Guinness and Harp on tap. Free live music most nights; Irish/Celtic bands on Thursdays.

Cool Alʼs (4654 McWillie, 601-713-3020) A standard in Best of Jackson, Al’s stacked, messy, decadent, creative burgers defy adjectives. Or try pineapple chicken, smoked sausage...or the nationally recognized veggie burger.

Fitzgeralds at the Hilton (1001 East County Line Road, 601-957-2800) Bar favorites with a Gulf Coast twist like Gumbo Ya Ya, Shrimp Cocktail and Pelahatchie artisan sausage and cheese antipasto. Plus grilled oysters, tournedos of beef, chicken pontabla and of course the fried stuff—oysters, catfish, shrimp, seafood or chicken. Did we mention the bar?

DINE LOCAL, see pg. 38

TAKE- OU T AVAIL ABLE

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Come see Why We Were Voted One Of Jackson’s Best Mediterranean Restaurants

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The “Best Butts in Town” features BBQ chicken, beef and pork sandwiches along with burgers and po’boys. Wet or dry pork ribs, chopped pork or beef, and all the sides.

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Hal and Malʼs (200 S. Commerce St. 601-948-0888) Pub favorites meet Gulf Coast and Cajun specialties like red beans and rice, the Oyster Platter or each day’s blackboard special. Repeat winner of Best of Jackson’s “Best Place for Live Music.”

Last Call (3716 I-55 N. Frontage Road 601-713-2700) Burgers, sandwiches and po-boys, plus sports-bar appetizers and specialities. Try chili cheese fries, chicken nachos or the shrimp & pork eggrolls. Pay-per-view sporting events, live bands.

Martinʼs Restaurant and Lounge (214 South State Street 601-354-9712) Lunch specials, pub appetizers (jalapeno poppers, cheezsticks, fried pickles) or order from the full menu of po-boys and entrees. Full bar, massive beer selection and live music most nights.

Shuckerʼs Oyster Bar (116 Conestoga Road, Ridgeland 601-853-0105) Serious about oysters? Try ‘em on the half shell, deep-fried, charred from the oven or baked in champagne. Plus po-boys, pub favorites, burgers, mufalettas, pizza, seafood and steaks!

Sportsmanʼs Lodge (1120 E Northside Dr in Maywood Mart 601-366-5441) Voted Best Sports Bar, Sportman’s doesn’t disappoint with plenty of gut-pleasing sandwiches, and fried seafood baskets. Try the award-winning wings in Buffalo, Thai or Jerk sauces!

The Regency (400 Greymont Ave. 601-969-2141) Reasonably priced buffet Monday through Friday featuring all your favorites. Daily happy hour, live bands and regular specials.

Time Out Sports Café (6720 Old Canton Road 601-978-1839) 14 TVs, 1 projector and two big-screens. Daily $9 lunch specials, pub-style appetizers, burgers, seafood and catfish po-boys, salads, and hot entrees including fish, steak and pasta.

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 and weekly lunch specials. Plus, happy hour 4-7pm Monday through Friday.

Pelican Cove Grill (3999A Harbor Walk Drive 601-605-1865) Great rez view! Shrimp and seafood appetizers, soups, salads, burgers and sandwiches, plus po-boys, catfish baskets, and dinners from the grill including mahi-mahi and reggae ribs.

Underground 119 (119 South President St. 601-352-2322) Jumbo lump crabcakes, crab quesadillas, beef tenderloin parfaits, orange-garlic shrimp, even “lollipop” lamb chops. Add a full bar and mix in great music. Opens 4 p.m.-until, Wed-Sat.

ASIAN Tokyo Express (5050 I-55N 601-957-1558 and 900 E County Line 601-899-8838) Lunch or dinner hibachi orders (chicken, shrimp, steak, scallops) and cooked sushi rolls (snow crab, philly, crawfish, dynamite, titanic) along with fried rice and appetizer.

Ding How Asian Bistro (601-956-1717, 6955 Old Canton Rd, Suite C, Ridgeland) Dishes from Thai; Chinese; Japanese and Korean. All the dishes are prepared with healthy ingredients, offering low oil, low salt, no MSG cooking. Hong Kong-style dim sum on weekends.

STIX (109 Marketplace Lane off Lakeland Dr Flowood 601-420-4058) Enjoy the quick-handed, knife-wielding chefs at the flaming teppanyaki grill; artful presentations of sushi; the pungent seasonings and spicy flavors of regional Chinese cuisines.

Nagoya (6351 I-55 North #131 @ Target Shopping Ctr. 601-977-8881) Nagoya gets high marks for its delicious-and-affordable sushi offerings, tasty lunch specials and high-flying hibachi room with satisfying flavors for the whole family.

Ichiban (153 Ridge Drive, Ste 105F 601-919-0097 & 359 Ridgeway 601-919-8879) Voted “Best Chinese” in 2010, cuisine styles at Ichiban actually range from Chinese to Japanese, including hibachi, sushi made fresh with seafood, and a crowd-pleasing buffet.

Julep (1305 East Northside Drive, Highland Village, 601-362-1411) Tons of Best of Jackson awards, delicious Southern fusion dishes like award-winning fried chicken, shrimp and grits, blackened tuna and butter bean hummus. Brunch, lunch, dinner and late night.

Primos Cafe (515 Lake Harbour 601-898-3400 and 2323 Lakeland 601-936-3398) A Jackson institution featuring a full breakfast (with grits and biscuits), blue plate specials, catfish, burgers, prime rib, oysters, po-boys and wraps. Save room for something from the bakery.

Sunioraʼs Sidewalk Cafe (200 South Lamar Street 601-355-1955) Homecooking, soul food, buffet and pizza for lunch in downtown Jackson. Soup and salad bar every day, plus daily lunch specials. “Mama’s in the kitchen!” Mon-Fri, 11am-2pm.

Sugarʼs Place (168 W Griffith St 601-352-2364) Hot breakfast and weekday lunch: catfish, pantrout, fried chicken wings, blue plates, red beans & rice, pork chops, chicken & dumplings, burgers, po-boys...does your grandma cook like this?

The Strawberry Café (107 Depot Drive, Madison, 601-856-3822) Full table service, lunch and dinner. Crab and crawfish appetizers, salads, fresh seafood, pastas, “surf and turf” and more. Veggie options. Desserts: cheesecake, Madison Mud and strawberry shortcake.

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Two Sisters Kitchen (707 N. Congress St. 601-353-1180) 2010 Best of Jackson winner for fried chicken offers a sumptious buffet of your choice of veggies, a salad bar, iced tea & one of three homemade desserts. Lunch only. M-F 11-2, Sun. 10:30-2.

FINE DINING Huntington Grille at the Hilton (1001 East County Line Road 601--957-1515) Chef Luis Bruno offers fresh Gulf seafood, unique game dishes and succulent steaks alongside an expansive wine selection; multiple honors from Best of Jackson, Wine Specator and others.

Schimmelʼs (2615 N. State St. 601-981-7077) Creative southern fusion dishes at attractive prices make the atmosphere that mush more enticing. New appetizer menu, “Martini Night Football” and others bar specials for football season!

Steam Room Grille (5402 I-55 North 601--899-8588) Great seafood featuring steamed lobster, crab, shrimp and combo patters. Grilled specialities include shrimp, steaks, and kabobs. Fresh fish fried seafood, lunch menu, catering, live music.

MEDITERRANEAN/MIDDLE EASTERN Aladdin Mediterranean Grill (730 Lakeland Drive 601-366-6033) Delicious authentic dishes including lamb dishes, hummus, falafel, kababs, shwarma and much more. Consistent award winner, great for takeout or for long evenings with friends.

Jerusalem Café (2741 Old Canton Road 601-321-8797) Yes, it’s a hookah bar in Jackson, which also happens to have a great Meditterean menu, including falafel, lamb shank, feta salad, kabob, spinach pie, grape leaves and baba ghanouj.

Kristos (971 Madison Ave @ Hwy 51, Madison, 601-605-2266) Home of the famous Greek meatball! Hummus, falafel, dolmas, pita sandwiches, salads, plus seasoned curly fries (or sweet potato fries) and amazing desserts.

Petra Cafe (104 West Leake Street, Clinton 601-925-0016) Mediterranean and Lebanese cuisine in the charm of Olde Towne Clinton. Stuffed grape leaves, spinach pie, shrimp kabobs, greek salads, hummus and more. Lunch and dinner served seven days a week.

PIZZA Mellow Mushroom (275 Dogwood Blvd, Flowood, 601-992-7499) Pizzas of all kinds, munchies, calzones, grilled hoagies, salads and more make up the extensive and “eclectic” menu at Mellow Mushroom. Award-winning beer selection. Dine in or carry out.

The Pizza Shack (1220 N State St. 601-352-2001) 2009’s winner of Best Pizza offers the perfect pizza-and-a-beer joint. Creative pizza options abound (“Cajun Joe, anyone?”), along with sandwiches, wings, salads and even BBQ. Sal & Mookieʼs (565 Taylor St. 601-368-1919) Pizzas of all kinds plus pasta, eggplant parmesan and the local favorite: fried ravioli. Voted Best Chef, Best Kid’s Menu and Best Ice Cream in the 2009 Best of Jackson reader poll.

CARRIBBEAN Taste of the Island (436 E. Capitol, Downtown, 601-360-5900) Jerk chicken or ribs, curry chicken or shrimp, oxtails, snapper or goat, plus bok choy, steamed cabbage and Jamaican Greens, Carry out, counter seating or delivery available. 11a-7p.

VEGETARIAN High Noon Café (2807 Old Canton Road in Rainbow Plaza 601-366-1513) Fresh, gourmet, tasty and healthy defines the lunch and brunch options at Jackson’s vegetarian (and vegan-friendly) restaurant. Weekly lunch specials push the envelope on creative and healthy; wonderful desserts!

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WEDNESDAY 4/7

Seth Libbey (Blues)

THURSDAY 4/8

Spirits of the House (Irish Dance) FRIDAY 4/9

The Electric Co. (Classic Rock Party) SATURDAY 4/10

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Open 11am - Midnight MONDAY 4/12

Karaoke w/ Matt April 8 - 14, 2010

SATURDAY, APRIL 10 College football, Southern Miss spring game (6 p.m., Hattiesburg): The Black and Gold conclude spring practice at The Rock.

SUNDAY, APRIL 11 College baseball, Ole Miss at Georgia

Open Mic

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1428 Old Square Road in Jackson 601.713.2700 lastcallsportsgrill.com

(1 p.m., Athens, Ga., 97.3 FM): Will the Rebels finally end their Sunday losing streak? … Pro golf, The Masters (1 p.m., Ch. 12): Will Tiger Woods win this thing?

Will he even make the cut? Either way, it’s going to be all Tiger, all the time.

MONDAY, APRIL 12 Pro baseball, Tennessee at Mississippi (7:05 p.m., Pearl, 103.9 FM): Former Atlanta Braves hero Javy Lopez will be on hand to throw out the first pitch.

TUESDAY, APRIL 13 College baseball, Northwestern State at Jackson State (6 p.m., Jackson): The Tigers entertain the Demons in a non-conference showdown.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14 College baseball, Millsaps at Belhaven (6 p.m., Smith-Wills Stadium, Jackson): Put off doing your taxes by watching the Majors and Blazers battle in a Maloney Trophy Series game.

The Slate is compiled by Doctor S, who’s gonna miss Jack, Chloe and the rest of the CTU gang. You can check out JFP Sports 24/7 at www.jacksonfreepress.com.

Curses, Foiled Again

Wish Come True

Police said Eugene Edward Palmer, 40, tried to rob a bank in Brunswick, Fla., but gave up after yanking futilely on the locked door, failing to realize the branch was drivethrough only. Police Lt. Leon Tucker said Palmer was armed and wore a ski mask during the attempted robbery but took off the mask in frustration when leaving, giving witnesses a good look at his face. (Jacksonville’s Florida Times-Union)

A Florida judge sentenced Sylvester Jiles, 25, to 15 years in prison for violating his probation by trying to climb a 12-foot fence to break into the Brevard County jail. Jiles, who accepted a plea agreement on manslaughter charges before his release, had begged jail officials to take him back into custody because he feared retaliation from the victim’s family.

(Associated Press)

Driven to Distraction How Expanded Playoffs Thin the Herd Urologists reported a spike in men scheduling vasectomies during college basketball’s March Madness so they can avoid work and chores to watch games while recovering. The American Medical News reported that some clinics have started giving vasectomy patients recovery kits that include pizza coupons and sports magazines. “We suggest the guys ice it and stay off their feet for 24 hours. Some will take it a little farther than that,” said Dr. Bill Utz, whose clinic in Edina, Minn., gives patients a brochure showing a man recovering in a recliner while his wife waits on him. (St. Paul’s Pioneer Press)

What About the Mortgage Payment?

TUESDAY 4/13

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THURSDAY, APRIL 8 Pro golf, The Masters (3 p.m., ESPN): You might have heard that Tiger Woods is going to play golf this week. All the waitresses in Augusta are very excited. …

College basketball, presentation of Howell and Gillom trophies (6:30 p.m., Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum, Jackson): Both these trophies are going to Starkville. You read it here first. … Pro baseball, Tennessee at Mississippi (7:05 p.m., Pearl, 103.9 FM): The MBraves open the season against the Smokies.

Welcome back, fellas.

FRIDAY, APRIL 9 College baseball, Arkansas at Mississippi State (6:30 p.m., Starkville, ESPNU, 105.9 FM): The Dogs and Hogs begin a weekend SEC series.

The Reuben- $8.99 Marianara Chicken Sandwich- $8.99

Doctor S sez: Are you sick of this ceaseless coverage of the Tiger Woods sex scandal?

Me, neither.

Sheriff ’s investigators in Dodge County, Ga., said James Clarence Davis and Sandra Davis, both 36, made their 14-year-old daughter perform “sexual favors” for Wayne Bearden, 66, the manager of Shorty’s Used Cars, so they wouldn’t have to make the $281 monthly payment on their 1998 Dodge Caravan (Macon Telegraph)

A man driving from the passenger seat while the woman driver was shaving her bikini area caused a two-vehicle crash in the Florida Keys, according to state police. “She said she was meeting her boyfriend in Key West and wanted to be ready for the visit,” Trooper Gary Dunick said after charging Megan Mariah Barnes, 37.

After her 1995 Ford Thunderbird slammed into the back of a 2006 pickup truck on Cudjoe Key, Barnes drove another half-mile, then switched seats with her ex-husband, Charles Judy, who claimed he was driving. Burns on Judy’s chest from the passenger-side airbag disproved their story. (Key West Citizen)

Enemy of the Drinking Class Announcing that anyone caught selling, drinking or brewing alcohol in Sudan would receive 40 lashes, President Omar Hassan alBashir declared, “I don’t care about the U.N. or human rights organizations.” The president, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court to answer charges of war crimes, spoke while campaigning for re-election. (Agence France-Presse) Compiled from mainstream media sources by Roland Sweet. Authentication on demand.

BY MATT JONES

ARIES (March 21-April 19) It would be a good week for you to perfect your ability to crow like a rooster, Aries.

I also recommend that you practice your skill at leaping out of bed in the morning fully refreshed, with your imagination primed and ready to immediately begin making creative moves. Other suggested exercises: being on the alert for what’s being born; holding a vision of the dawn in your heart throughout the day; and humorously strutting around like you own whatever place you’re in.

I got a spam e-mail containing supposed words of wisdom from the Dalai Lama. “We spend more, but have less,” it said. “We have more conveniences, but less time; more experts, yet more problems.” It went on like this for a while. I was suspicious. It seemed to contain too many pop platitudes to have been uttered by the Dalai Lama. With Google’s help, I did some research and discovered that the passage was actually the handiwork of pastor Bob Moorehead, who resigned from his Seattle church under a cloud of allegations about misconduct. I urge you to make similar investigations of the ostensible truths you receive this week, Taurus. You may find discrepancies as major as the differences between the Dalai Lama and Bob Moorehead.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) A life-long dream of mine came true recently, and I didn’t even know it was a life-long dream until it happened. It struck unexpectedly on a Tuesday afternoon.

My daughter called on the phone from her college dorm room, wanting to discuss an essay she’d been assigned for her History of Modern Art class. She really liked it, but there were some points she wanted to understand better, and she thought my input might help. The essay? The “Surrealistic Manifesto,” formulated in 1924 by the writer André Breton. Years ago, it was a crucial document in my own development as a young poet. The opportunity to share its heady brew with the beloved child I used to push on a swing was startlingly blissful.

I predict a similar event for you in the coming days, Gemini: the fruition of a life-long dream you didn’t even know you had.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) It’s probably true for a lot of celebrities that their public personas are not accurate reflections of their private lives. One striking example is actress Megan Fox, who’s famous for being a sex goddess. But the fact is, she told Harper’s Bazaar magazine, she has only slept with two men in her life, and it makes her ill to even contemplate having sex with someone she doesn’t love. While it may not bother her to have a reputation that’s so different from her inner world, I wouldn’t say the same about you—especially now. I urge you to do what you can to create more harmony between the version of yourself that you project outward and the version of yourself you actually live in.

occasions, you may be hard at work while lying down.

In fact, I suspect that the law of reversals will be in full bloom. Things that have been last will be first, at least temporarily, and influences that have calmed you down will rile you up. What has been crazy may be quite sane, and what has been in the shadows will come into the light. Tight squeezes may turn into expansive releases and heavy-duty commitments will get a dose of slack—and vice versa. Always vice versa.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Every one of us in engaged in some ongoing battle with ourselves. Maybe there’s a conflict between our heart and head. Maybe we’re trying to stop expressing some behavior that we know is self-destructive but seems all too natural and easy to do. Maybe we feel guilty about or resentful toward some event from the past and are constantly fighting with its after-image. Whatever your version of the civil war might be, Scorpio, the coming weeks will be an excellent time to reduce the heat of the strife. But you’ll have to be ingenious as you reframe the way you think about the situation, and you’ll have to locate a reservoir of willpower that has been hidden in your depths.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) This would be an excellent time for you to take inventory of what brings you pleasure. According to my reading of the astrological omens, you’re due for an update and upgrade. Some of your tried-and-true strategies for generating joys and thrills are fraying at the edges. You should consider refurbishing them, even as you also think about going in quest of fresh sources of delight. For extra credit, see if you can gain access to an experience that could accurately be described as “a blessed state of bliss.”

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) It would be smart for you to whet your appetite, but please don’t go too far and spoil your appetite. Imagine and plan for the feast to come; make sure the evolution of the feast is on track; but don’t try to actually enjoy the entire feast, yet. It’s not ready, you see. The cooking isn’t complete. To dive in now would be like eating a chocolate cake that has only been baking in the oven for ten minutes. In conclusion, Capricorn, strike a balance between practicing watchful patience and cultivating protective excitement.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22)

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

In her poem “The Gift,” Chinese poet Shu Ting writes, “I dream the dream of a pond who lives not just to mirror the sky but to let willow trees on the bank drink me up.” This would be an excellent dream for you to dream in the coming week, Leo. It would also be empowering for you to render its themes in your waking life. I think you will derive great pleasure and sound teaching from mirroring a soaring archetype and feeding an intimate primal force. (Shu Ting’s poem was translated by Tony Barnstone and Newton Liu.)

Your key word for the week is “fulcrum.” It’s derived from a Latin verb meaning, “to prop up, support,” and its definitions include the following: (1) the stable point on which a lever pivots; (2) the crux of a percussionist’s grip as he or she holds a drumstick; (3) an agent through which vital powers are exercised. I suggest you meditate on where the metaphorical fulcrums are in your life, and then take creative measures to give them extra care and enhance their strength.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Are you an athlete? If so, I suspect that you will soon make an adjustment in your training or technique that will improve your game. Are you an artist, musician, writer, performer or dancer? I bet you will get a sweet insight about the creative process that could revolutionize your work in the months to come. Are you a pilgrim on a meandering long-distance quest to a promised land whose location you’re not exactly sure of? Any minute now, you’ll uncover a clue that will dramatically narrow down the possibilities of where the promised land is.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) There may be times in the coming week when you will in a sense be dreaming while standing up. On other

“So Many Words”—throwin’ em out at random for you.

Across 1 Rd. crossers 4 Scone, basically 14 Petting zoo critter 16 With courage and boldness 17 Electronics brand 18 They help you look formal with little effort 19 Rapper who formed St. Lunatics 21 IRA for the self-employed 22 Good News! manufacturer 25 “I won’t miss it” 29 Overwhelms 31 Ending for switch 32 Son of Aphrodite 35 Swedish university city 38 1993-94 Stanley Cup winners 39 “Deadwood” entrepreneur 40 Get into a culture 41 Daytime TV shows, in old slang 42 Ten-code user 43 Broadway actress ___ Rene Scott 45 Mortal ___ 48 Sign out?

52 Jungian self 54 Frighten, like a horse

55 “Weird Al” Yankovic album featuring “Addicted to Spuds” 60 Kings of ___ 61 “Have we met?”

62 Dorothy the goldfish’s owner 63 Amphetamines user 64 U-turn from NNE

Down 1 The word on the street?

2 George with a notable 2008 wedding 3 Wee 4 Shopping network that turns 25 in 2011 5 Ending for sex or text 6 “___ You Better Before You Were Naked on the Internet” (From First to Last song) 7 Make do 8 Estonian currency 9 Drum for a beatnik 10 DeVito/Midler black comedy 11 Triage scale for ERs (hidden in RESIDENCE) 12 “A.M. ___” (1990s SNL ad

©2010 Jonesin’ Crosswords (editor@jonesincrosswords.com) For answers to this puzzle, call: 1900-226-2800, 99 cents per minute.

Must be 18+. Or to bill to your credit card, call: 1-800-6556548. Reference puzzle #0455.

Last Week’s Answers

BY MATT JONES

Last Week’s Answers

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) I’m wearing a replica of an ancient Egyptian atef, a white crown surmounted by two ostrich feathers. A Wiccan priestess sewed my white cashmere robe, decorated with Qabalistic sigils, for me. My wand is shaped like the head of a Kalao bird and once belonged to a shaman from Burkina Faso. Aided by these accessories, I gaze into my magic mirror and conjure the spirit of my deceased great-uncle Felix, a successful businessman born under the sign of Pisces. He has always been a reliable source of inside info for me in the past. “Dear ancestor,” I murmur, “do you have an oracular revelation for my Piscean readers?” And he replies: “Tell them their money mojo is stronger than usual. Urge them to bargain aggressively and make sure they get a percentage of the gross, not just of the net profits.”

Listen to two versions of the song “You Taste Delicious” at bit.ly/YouTasteDelicious. Tell me your favorite at Truthrooster@gmail.com.

“Sum Sudoku” Put one digit from 1-9 in each square of this Sudoku so that the following three conditions are met: 1) each row, column, and 3x3 box (as marked by shading in the grid) contains the digits 1ñ9 exactly one time; 2) no digit is repeated within any of the areas marked off by heavy black lines; and 3) the sums of the numbers in each area marked off by heavy black lines total the little number given in each of those areas. For example, the digits in the upper-leftmost square in the grid and the square directly to its right will add up to 12. Now quit wastin’ my time and solve!!!

jacksonfreepress.com

TAURUS (April 20-May 20)

product) 13 Functional introduction 15 He played Dauber on “Coach” 20 Distressed dog, for example 23 They may be taken with a guide 24 Throws out 26 Get on the soapbox 27 Like some calculators 28 Gets high 30 Area of southern England 32 Major jerk 33 Filmdom’s “one man army” 34 Tribute to the recently departed: abbr.

36 Indian bread variety 37 Pigtails, for example 44 Town crier’s repeated shout 46 World Chess Champion Viswanathan ___ 47 With a ___ the hat to (acknowledging, on blogs) 49 Yuletide tunes 50 Rugmaker’s devices 51 “___ what I mean, Vern?”

53 Bryn ___ (Pennsylvania college) 55 Hockey game pts.

56 Alley-___ 57 Polygraph indication 58 “Shall I compare thee ___ summer’s day” 59 Laugh syllable

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April 8 - 14, 2010

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Visit www.jfpclassifieds.com, call 601.362.6121 ext. 1 M-F, 9-5 or fax to 601.510.9019.

Deadline: Mondays @ 12 noon.

ADOPTION Pregnant? Considering Adoption?

Talk with caring agency specializing in matching Birthmothers with Families nationwide. LIVING EXPENSES PAID. Call 24/7 Abby’s One True Gift Adoptions 866-413-6293 APPLIANCES Washer/Dryer Washer/Dryer $375 or make offer.

Run great. White Westinghouse.

White color. Top load. Heavy duty, super capacity. 601-667-7083 AUDIO, VIDEO, AND CAMERA 3rd gen. Ipod shuffle $45 never opened. Includes: 3rd generation green ipod shuffle, earphones, & dock in original sealed packaging. pinksylk82@t mo.blackberry.net if interested ART/MEDIA/DESIGN $199 Web Design Four pages only $199 for a personal site. Contact us about our specials! 90 day guarantee.

(601) 941-8866 BUSINESS OPPS Homebased Info Consultants!!!

Legitimate work-from-home business opportunity looking for local information consultants to assist in building a real-time database for nationwide company. Get paid up to $1.25 for each license plate entered into an online system. Small amounts add up like Google, Visa and MasterCard every time you use them. Many are making thousands per month with the payout leverage that this company offers. Call Stephanie for more information. (601) 566-5673

ALL CASH VENDING! Be the boss of your own local route with 25 new machines and candy for $9,995. Call today 1-800-920-9563. Multivend, LLC. BO#200003 CABLE/SATELLITE FREE 6-Room DISH Network Satellite System!

FREE HD-DVR! $19.99/mo, 120+ Digital Channels (for 1 year.)

Call Now - $400 Signup BONUS! 1-877-415-8163 CARS/TRUCKS Solara Convertible 2006 Beautiful car needs a good home: Convertible Solara, red with black top/black and silver interiors; automatic with shift option transmission; 6 CD changer/cassette; two new tires; new wiper blades and a few extras (car cover, windshield reflector, etc.). This car is my baby but I am moving overseas; just selling it for what I owe on it.

It runs great, has a great sound system and has been maintained well (maintenance history available). Asking for 17,000 obo. Call Edwin at 361-658-8142 or email ampithoe1@yahoo.com CHILDCARE Need A Babysitter In the surrounding Jackson Area Just for a few hours or a couple of days I will come sit for you.

I am available Mon - Fri. 6: 30 pm - until *Saturday 8am - until*Sunday 1:30 pm - until My sitting fee : $10 hour single child $2 for each additional child Short Notice Welcomed call Sheena (601) 316-2535

CLEANING Dixie Diva’s Cleaning Service Home Cleaning services for the Jackson Metro area (601) 500-0458 Christian Cleaning Service We clean Houses & Offices.

All Areas! Free Estimates! Contact Laura For Details! Jackson Area Code. (769) 226-9123 COMPUTERS Get 2 Computers For Price Of One! Bad/Credit? NO PROBLEM! Starting at $29.99/week. Up to $3000 credit limitGuaranteed Approval!

Call Now! 888-510-9008 Build, Sell, and Repair Computers, set up Home Entertainment Systems, and can even build custom Desks/Entertainment Centers.

Anywhere in the greater Jackson Area.Call (386)344-1530 Plan Plotter Hewlett Packard Designjet 450C very good condition $300.00 601-939-4141 DATING SERVICES Dating Service.

Long-Term/Short-Term Relationships, FREE-2-TRY! 1-877-7220087 Exchange/Browse Personal Messages 1-866-362-1311. Live adult casual conversations 1-877599-8753 Meet on chat-lines.

Local Singles 1-888-869-0491 (18+)Text “GIRL” to: 755555 1-800-GAY-LIVE Call now!

Hook up with hot local guys. Talk to Gay, Str8, Curious and Bi men in hundreds of cities across the country.

Fast, Discreet, and Easy! Premium FREE trial use promo code: NEWS4

EDUCATION High School Diploma!

Graduate in just 4 weeks!! FREE Brochure. Call NOW! 1-800-5326546 Ext. 97 www.continentalac ademy.com Free Advice!

We’ll Help You Choose A Program Or Degree To Get Your Career & Your Life On Track. Call Collegebound Network Today!

1-877-461-5940 HEALTH Free Diabetic Supplies Free Home Delivery. Free Glucose Meter. Must have Medicare. Shipping Paid. Call 800-965-1715 HELP WANTED $$$HELP WANTED$$$ Extra Income! Assembling CD cases from Home! No Experience Necessary! Call our Live Operators Now! 1-800-405-7619 EXT 2450 www.easyworkgreatpay.com VOLUNTEER Volunteers Needed Virtual Volunteers needed for DV Helpline e-mail k.anderson@dahmw.org Can volunteer from home MISCELLANEOUS Affordable Handy Man Heating & Air Conditioning Services. Tile & Hardwood Floor installation. Sheet metal Fabrication & Design. Soffit & Fascia Repair. Pressure Washing. Welding & Repair. Guaranteed lowest prices Free Estimates 24/7 (601) 506-1843

Free Advice!

We’ll Help You Choose A Program Or Degree To Get Your Career & Your Life On Track. Call Collegebound Network Today!

1-877-892-264 Miss Michelle Psychic Reader and Spiritual Advisor Specializing in Palm, Tarot and Crystals. We accept all major credit cards 2327 Hwy 80 East in Pearl. Call now, 601-9334113 Gain National Exposure.

Reach over 5 million young, educated readers for only $995 by advertising in 110 weekly newspapers like this one. Call Jason at 202-289-8484. This is not a job offer.

HOUSING WANTED NEED HOUSE Need rental house in Ridgeland, Ms. Have HUD voucher. Will take care of property. Have references from previous landlord. 601-9199157 OFFICE/COMMERCIAL Jackson Office Space for Lease Affordable office and meeting space for rent near downtown at 531 West Capitol Street. Call Lee Unger for info at 601-969-3088.

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE Clinton Duplex Apartment Spacious living/dining, kitchen, bedroom, den; hardwood floors, CH/A; five minutes to MC. $600/ month, no pets; call 601-3556548, leave a message.

309 Catalina Circle 3 BR / 2 BA Fixer upper, Owner Financing or Cash Discount, $1000 Down, $430 a Month, 1-803-403-9555 Contractors Special 234 Keener Ave, 3 BR / 1 BA Fixer Upper, Owner Financing or Cash Dis, $500 Dn, $171 a mo, 1-803254-0474 RENTALS Fondren/Med Center Area Newly renovated 2 Br,1 BA apts in quiet 4plex. Credit ck/lease required. $500, $650/month. Call Karen 601-201-4795.

All Areas - Houses For Rent.

Browse thousands of rental listings with photos and maps. Advertise your rental home for FREE! Visit: www.RealRentals.com ROOMATES All Areas - Roommates.com.

Browse hundreds of online listings with photos and maps.

Find your roommate with a click of the mouse! Visit: www.Roommates.com. room for rent In Ridgeland-500 a month plus 500 deposit - utilities included - private bath- close to walmart and northpark mall. call Cynthia (504) 338-2506 Professional Female Roommate Share home w/professional women(20ish)in Belhaven area: Master Bedroom w/bath Rent: $525 ócall 601-954-5598

$2 OFF INK REFILL (min. purchase $10)

$5 OFF TONER REFILL (min. purchase $30)

One per customer. Not valid with other offers.

Code JFPCPN. Location Name: Madison & Flowood | Madison: 601-603-2314 and Flowood: 601-939-3373 www.cartridgeworldusa.com

jacksonfreepress.com

WHY PAY MORE TO PRINT?

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VIC’S STORE FIXTURES

Tony’s Tire & Automotive, Inc.

Supplying the Jackson Metro Area with Quality Store Fixtures to Organize, Improve, and Start-Up Your Business

Glass Showcases • Displays • Clothes Racks • Hangers • Hooks and more...

Oil Change and Tire Rotation

AC Charge and Leak Detect

$4999

$4999

• Foreign/Domestic repairs • AC & coolant repair • Timing Belt • Brakes

• Major engine repair • Batteries • Towing/Recovery • New & used tires

2010 Best Salon Best Hair Stylist THANK YOU FOR THE VOTES!

Want a better deal than that? Go to www.halfoffdepot.com/Jackson to save half off on your next visit to our shop (will apply to specials).

2469 Livingston Road | Jackson, MS 39213 601-454-7464 www.vicsfixtures.com

1935 Lakeland Dr. 601.906.2253

Owners - Tony Murphy, Sr. and Tony Murphy, Jr. 5138 N State St. Jackson, MS 39206 • Phone: 601-981-2414 • Fax: 601-981-2435 Hours of Operation: Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Space available for Showers, Engagement Parties & Weddings

mmmmmmmmmmmm coffee • culture • community

mmmmmmmmmmmm File Chapter 7 Bankruptcy for $999! ($299 Federal Filing Fee Included!)

Interest Free Payment Plans Available

Neil B. Snead

A  C A L Jackson • (601) 316-7147 FREE BACKGROUND INFORMATION AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST

Security Cameras • Attendant On Duty Drop Off Service • Free Wi-Fi

1046 Greymont Ave. (behind La Cazuela) CALL US AT 601-397-6223!

Virus and Spyware removal + 1 year of Kaspersky or McAffe Internet Security :$129 Laptop screen replacement: $150 Serving all Open Jackson Area.

6610 Old Canton rd.

Ridgeland MS.

601-960-3008 koinoniacoffee.com

daily 10 am-8pm

601-977-1008

136 S. Adams Street in Jackson (Adams & Metro Pkwy between Downtown & JSU)

Meet fellow Jackson creatives in Sal + Mookie’s Pi(e) Lounge Thursday, April 15th 6 - 10 PM FREE entry and munchies!

At J.D. Byrider, you get: • 18 Month/ 18,000 mile limited warranty • Fast financing • On-site service department • Affordable payments based on your budget • Branded title check backed by Experian® The solution to getting a better car right now is J.D.Byrider.

We don’t rely on outside banks for approval, so we really can deliver the same day you apply.

2521 Highway 80 East • Pearl, MS

Call Janet: 601-939-7151