Local Headlines

Jackson Human and Cultural Services asking for $10,000,000 to go towards repairs and upgrades

By Roslyn Anderson | February 4, 2020 at 6:59 PM CST – Updated February 4 at 6:59 PM

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – In 2021, Jackson will celebrate its bicentennial and the Capital City is looking to make improvements with major facilities that will attract visitors and host events.

Council members are turning to the legislature to get these projects done.

Jackson Human and Cultural Services division is hoping lawmakers will allocate $10 million dollars for repairs and upgrades at major attractions in the city.

Officials want continued overhauls and improvements for four projects before Jackson’s bicentennial.

They city will ask the legislature for $2 million dollars for the Russell C. Davis Planetarium, $3 million dollars for phase two of construction at Thalia Mara Hall, $3 million dollars for funds toward a new library and $2 million for renovations of Smith Park.

“We felt like this was something strong enough having had conversations with people kind of prior to the legislative session that the legislature felt comfortable with supporting city with,” said Human and Cultural Services Deputy Director David Lewis. “That’s why we put these together in this particular structure”.

The Jackson Bicentennial resolution passed unanimously.

City leaders also revised the 2020 budget for Human and Cultural Services to add $46,000.

This money will be used to install cameras and a security system at Thalia Mara Hall following over half a dozen night-time break-ins.

JPD gets just under half-a-million dollars to correct the 2020 budget that left off an item regarding vehicles.

“This just corrects that oversight and makes certain that the police department has sufficient money within its budget for necessary repair to police vehicles,” said Jackson Mayor Chokwe Lumumba.

The mayor said upgraded software will soon eliminate the oversight caused by human error when imputing data.

Law enforcement of all levels meet and greet in Jackson

By Chelsey Sellars | February 4, 2020 at 5:35 PM CST – Updated February 4 at 5:35 PM

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – Several seats were filled by federal to local law enforcement agencies at the Jackson Police Training Academy on Tuesday.

Hinds County Sheriff Lee Vance said strengthening these relationships will help to improve safety in the surrounding communities.

“You are much more apt to work with somebody that you know as opposed to somebody that you feel like is a stranger to you,” said Vance.

As the representatives mingled, Vance mentioned his latest project, including updates to the Hinds County Detention Center.

“I talked about this on the campaign trail a lot — short term goal is to get our jail in a condition where we can be taken off the consent decree list. The long term vision is maybe building a new one,” he said.

This was the first gathering hosted by the sheriff’s department but he hopes to keep this going on a monthly basis.

“We will limit the recurring meeting to the law enforcement people. The chiefs, the DAs, people that are actually involved in the day-to-day operation of the criminal justice system in Hinds County,” said Vance.

Miss. House of Reps honors Alcorn State football team

By Jacob Gallant | February 4, 2020 at 5:30 PM CST – Updated February 4 at 5:30 PM

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – The Mississippi House of Representatives honored the Alcorn State football team during a session.

House Resolution 12 was read aloud, recognizing the SWAC Championship-winning Braves. The resolution read:

A RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING AND COMMENDING THE ALCORN STATE UNIVERSITY BRAVES FOOTBALL TEAM UPON THEIR OUTSTANDING 2019 SEASON AND FOR WINNING THE SWAC FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP.

Braves football players were in attendance to hear this special honor.

Freedom Corner destroyed after car crash

By Jacob Gallant | February 4, 2020 at 3:42 PM CST – Updated February 4 at 3:42 PM

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – A monument at Freedom Corner was destroyed after a car crash last week.

It’s unclear how the crash happened or if any drivers may face charges.

Freedom Corner as it stood before the crash. (Source: WLBT)

The monument was put in place at the intersection of Medgar Evers Boulevard and Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive as a dedication to the two civil rights icons.

The monument has since been removed, and all that remains at the corner is brick.

Crossgates Lake in Brandon has dropped several feet. Here’s why.

By Summer Tadlock | February 3, 2020 at 10:35 PM CST – Updated February 3 at 10:55 PM

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – Crossgates Lake is no stranger to the Brandon Community.

The popular spot is a go-to for people to fish and hangout.

But with water levels dropping nearly 4 feet lately, neighbors say they want answers.

It’s a 60-year-old lake surrounded by trees, wildlife, and people admiring its beauty.

“We like to hangout here at the lake because we like to watch the ducks and see the beautiful scenery!”

But if you’ve driven past the lake lately, you might have noticed pumps sucking in water, dropping water levels.

It’s raising eyebrows for neighbors in the community like Alex Wright and her 3-year-old grandson.

“It looks like they are draining the pond out. I want to know what this is all about!”

Even though the lake flows through private property, the City of Brandon steps in when they need a helping hand.

Now the burning question lingers through town…. why is the Crossgate Lake dropping several feet?

“There are two pumps and some pipes that are pulling water in. We had a huge amount of rain a few weeks ago that topped the levee and on the east side of the levee it did some damage. So now we are doing preventative maintenance on it.”

Another question we took to Mayor Butch Lee: Will this impact the wildlife who call this place home?

“I hope this doesn’t do that much damage so it won’t hurt all the ducks and the fish.”

“It won’t have any impact at all on any wildlife. Just out from the levee it is 12 or 14 feet deep.”

This isn’t the first time the lake has been through a rough patch.

Mayor Lee say’s back in 2003 the same thing happened to the west side of the lake.

“They had to go in fill it, and drill some holes in the concrete. It developed a void in the concrete so they want us to fix that.”

Mayor Lee says this is what it will take to keep the lake around for another 60 years.

“Probably by the time they get through working on it, hopefully it will be a lot better.”

New business is only independent pharmacy in Jackson metro area

By Jacob Gallant | February 3, 2020 at 5:06 PM CST – Updated February 3 at 5:06 PM

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – A new business in the District at Eastover is looking to change the way people handle their prescriptions.

District Drugs and Mercantile opened its doors Monday as the only independent pharmacy in the Metro Jackson area.

Owners say customers can expect individualized service and more of a personal touch when it comes to business. They offer curbside pickup and free delivery.

“We just love being in this area because it’s very secure and very family friendly,” Pharmacist Whitney Harris said. “And that’s something that we really really looked for when we were looking for the perfect location.”

District Drugs and Mercantile is open from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. during the week and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays.

Miss. attorney steals show with Super Bowl commercial

By Jacob Gallant | February 3, 2020 at 3:01 PM CST – Updated February 3 at 3:32 PM

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – One of the most talked about Super Bowl commercials from Sunday night wasn’t even seen outside of Mississippi.

Richard Schwartz stole the show with his “Old Town Road”-inspired jam.

The ad sent social media buzzing, with many praising the creative ad.

I wish this Richard Schwartz commercial was national.

— SixPackSpeak (@sixpackspeak) February 3, 2020

In a Super Bowl filled with Baby Nut, a skinny Jason Momoa and Bryan Cranson swinging an axe a la The Shining, it was tough to stand out, but Richard Schwartz made sure he did.

Unfortunately, only those of us in Mississippi got to see the ad, so make sure to share it to your friends out of state!

CrimeStoppers: Flora police searching for Magnolia Carts and Equipment burglary suspect

By ShaCamree Gowdy | February 3, 2020 at 2:04 PM CST – Updated February 3 at 2:04 PM

FLORA, Miss. (WLBT) – The Flora Police Department needs help from the public in identifying a burglary suspect.

Officers were notified on January 18 of a burglary that happened at the Magnolia Carts and Equipment on Edwards Circle.

They learned that a 2016 EZGO TXT inferno red golf cart (serial #3180614) was missing.

Camera footage from a local grocery store was obtaining, showing a black Ford F150 with a trailer, occupied by a driver and passenger, pull into the parking lot.

A black male subject wearing a camouflage jacket and pants, white t-shirt, camo hat and red shoes was then seen getting out of the driver’s seat and going to the coke machine. The vehicle then pulled over to Magnolia Carts before blacking out. The vehicle is seen leaving the scene shortly after with the stolen golf cart on the trailer.

If you have information, you’re asked to call Crime Stoppers at 601-355-TIPS(8477), or submit a tip online. Anyone with information that could lead to an arrest in this case would be eligible for a reward of up to $2,500.

Family: ‘Thankful’ for final days before Ebbers’ death

By Jacob Gallant | February 3, 2020 at 11:21 AM CST – Updated February 3 at 1:15 PM

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – Bernie Ebbers died Sunday at the age of 78.

Ebbers was the former chief of telecoms company WorldCom, which was based in Mississippi before its collapse.

He was convicted of securities fraud and other charges for his role in one of the largest corporate accounting scandals in U.S. history in 2005.

The Ebbers family released a statement thanking Judge Valerie Caproni, as they got to spend Bernie’s final days with him:

On behalf of the Ebbers family, I want to express our sincere gratitude to Judge Valerie Caproni for her truly compassionate decision to release Dad from prison in December. He was released from the custody of the Bureau of Prisons on December 21, 2019. With great sadness, but still with gratitude, we announce that Dad died surrounded by his family on February 2, 2020.

When my sisters and I began our efforts to see our father released from prison, we watched as a 6’4”, 220-pound man continued to lose weight without explanation and his physical and mental condition deteriorated. In August 2019, our initial application for compassionate release was denied by the Bureau of Prisons. The US Attorney’s office in New York then opposed our Motion for compassionate release, stating that the BOP had the ability to care for Dad. However, the BOP had no diagnosis or treatment plan in place.

In October, Dad experienced a rapid decline and was transferred to a unit with 24-hour nursing care. We could get no answers from the medical staff. He was hospitalized multiple times in November and December, yet there was still no diagnosis or proactive treatment plan. When we arrived at the federal courthouse on December 18, we learned Dad had once again been admitted to the hospital. We were confident in our case, believing Dad’s situation was just what Congress had intended when they changed the compassionate release laws in the First Step Act.

I know many of the victims of WorldCom opposed Dad’s release. Many also wrote in support of release. Many stockholders and employees lost their investments in the fall of WorldCom. Many of our friends—and many in our family—did too. Thankfully, Judge Caproni agreed with us— keeping Dad in prison, especially in his unexplained and undiagnosed deteriorated condition, would not bring back anyone’s investments.

My family and I continue to pray for everyone affected by the fall of WorldCom. My family and I are thankful for the time that we had to be with and care for Dad in his final days. We are especially grateful for the team that helped us secure his release, and particularly Graham Carner, our attorney. Finally, we will forever be thankful for the compassion and courage shown by Judge Valerie Caproni in releasing Dad to us. Dad ran in to the arms of Jesus tonight, surrounded by his loving family, and not chained to a hospital bed without anyone he knew in the room. We will always be grateful for that.

We ask that the family’s privacy be respected at this time, and we covet your prayers. After we have had some time to grieve and heal, we intend to use this experience and our voice to advocate for those like Dad who are deserving of compassionate release to their families.

Ebbers had been in prison since 2006, serving a 25 year sentence.