Dianne Gatson-Riley Approved As New Hinds County Jail Administrator
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www.mississippilink.com Vol. 20, No. 11 JaNuary 2 - 8, 2014 50¢ Stories captured by The City banking on January 14 Mississippi Link in 2013 referendum for 1% sales tax increase By Ayesha K. Mustafaa 28 Mississippi Senate Seat (MS Editor Link Jan. 24-30, 2013) During the year 2013, The Missis- At a candidates’ forum held at sippi Link carried articles of historic New Horizon Church International, relevance to its readers. Standing out moderator June Hardwick (later in are these headlines: year named Municipal Judge for • Remembering the 1965 Lanier City of Jackson) posed collected High School National Champion- questions that ranged from how the ship Basketball Team - lost in the capital city is funded or lack there- turmoil of the times (MS Link Jan. of, candidates’ positions on charter 17-23, 2013): schools, the close of the only abor- tion clinic in the state of Mississippi, to issues on housing, welfare and child care. The District 28 election was held Feb. 26, 2013, when Sollie B. Nor- wood became only elected state Maurika McKenzie, engineer, holding 100-year-old cast iron Willie C. Bell, Interim Director of Public Works, and W. Hibbett Neel, President of representative of the year, filling the pipe PHOTOS BY AYESHA K. MUSTAFAA Neel-Schaffer with new pipe seat vacant at the passing of Sen. Al- … As the war over civil rights ice Harden. He was sworn in March By Ayesha K. Mustafaa and non-profit member groups raised on the 1 cent increase of crease, he said, “The people must Editor raged, few noticed a sports revolu- 4, 2013. and organizations, held meetings tax on a dollar? According to the decide. So it is important to edu- tion in the small city of Jackson, • Mississippi Alliance for Fair- Mayor Chokwe Lumumba is in November and December on city’s Department of Revenue, an cate and motivate and organize. In Miss. There were seven skinny ness at Nissan brings Danny Glover leaving nothing to chance in get- the 1% sales tax increase pros and estimated $15 million per year will 2010, we were shut down with a kids from Lanier High School, who to town (MS Link Jan. 31-Feb. 6, ting passed a 1% sales tax increase cons. And on Tuesday, Dec. 17, be raised. And what will it be spent major waterline break and the city dared to take on all comers. 2013) via referendum to be voted on with over 70 leaders present voted on? Jackson road repairs, street re- went into decline. We have said On March 6, 1965, … at the D a n n y January 14, 2014 in the Municipal unanimously to endorse the refer- surfacing, water, sewer and drain- the infrastructure repairs would be buzzer, the Lanier High School Glover came Special Election. endum. age projects. the new economic frontier.” Bulldogs prevailed 58 to 55 (against to Tougaloo Lumumba attended most of the For WTJ members, it was their The referendum vote is required The mayor said that contrac- the Bears of Booker T. Washington College Tues- Town Hall meetings scheduled to concern over the city infrastructure by state law before the tax is im- tors working on the projects will High School of Suffolk, Va.) … to day night, Jan. accommodate all seven wards, ex- repairs that took top priority, not- posed and a resolution adopted for be required to hire people from beat the team of the century and win 29, 2013, to plaining why the tax is needed and ing that “all of the money raised by intent to levy the tax. The referen- Jackson. He said, “These are not the coveted National High School join with the what it is that will be taxed. the sales tax increase will be spent dum must pass with a “yes vote” cosmetic changes and these things Basketball Championship, becom- Mississippi The meetings were set up on these necessary repairs.” from at least three-fifths of the vot- are not going to change on their ing “the best in the nation.” Alliance for throughout the metro area at park There are many things that will ing residents of Jackson. own. The U.S. government has They placed their national cham- Fairness at Nissan (MAFFAN), the districts, community halls and not be included in the sales tax During the last town hall meet- demanded that we do these repairs pionship trophy in the Lanier High Mississippi Student Justice Alliance churches, featuring five in the increase, among them groceries, ing on Dec. 23, Lumumba said the by a consent decree that will cost School trophy case where it set for (MSJA) along with political, reli- month of December 2013, the last prescription drugs, restaurant food increases in sewage and water fees $400 million over 17 years.” 48 years forgotten … but no more. gious and community leaders from one of the year Dec. 23 at St. John and beverages, hotel and motel in 2013 were not enough revenue He said the water supply for all Jackson businessman Johnny Mor- across the state, to build a growing M.B. Church, 4895 Medgar Evers rooms and subscription television to cover the huge cost of repairs of Jackson right now is depend- row demanded these men be recog- coalition of Nissan workers and reli- Blvd., for Wards 3 and 4. and internet services. What will be to streets, water and sewage lines nized and on Wed., Jan. 23, 2013, gious, civic, student and community Also Working Together Jackson taxed? Everything else. throughout Jackson. Tax increase the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame groups to expand Nissan workers’ (WTJ), a network of 35 religious How much money will be However, with the sales tax in- Continued on page 5 gave recognition with Joe Usry rights to unionize. Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram sponsor- International labor representa- ing championship rings to the 1965 tives attending included Vagner team members. Freitas de Moraes, president of CUT • Mississippi’s Myrlie Evers- (Central Unica dos Trabalhadores) - Williams made history at Obama’s the largest trade union in Brazil, and Dianne Gatson-Riley approved as 2nd inauguration; first woman, first Joao Cayres, the international affairs layperson to deliver invocation (MS secretary of CUT. Link Jan. 24-30, 2013) • Christopher Epps sworn in as new Hinds County jail administrator M i s s i s - president of world’s largest correc- By Ayesha K. Mustafaa sippi’s own tional association; W.K. Kellogg stroy a facility is common. These Riley said, “The 23-1 policy is for Editor Myrlie Evers- Foundation opens regional office in are people who do not obey the inmates who have violated proce- Williams, 79, Jackson (MS Link Feb. 7-13, 2013) In a special call meeting Dec. laws of the land and will do the dures. Others have to be given rec- widow of slain Story 1: 23, 2013, Hinds County Board of same in a facility. You have to be reation time and access to the day Mississippi Mississippi Supervisors approved the selection sure it does not get out of hand.” room. That means there are things civil rights Department for the new Hinds County Jail Ad- During the confirmation hear- that can be taken away when an in- leader Medgar of Corrections ministrator, Dianne Gatson-Riley, ing, Gatson-Riley addressed three mate violates procedures.” Evers, was first woman and first Commissioner with a 4 to 1 vote without going rounds of questions posed by each District 3 Supervisor Peggy Cal- layperson to give the invocation at a Christopher into private deliberations on hiring supervisor after which several su- houn moved to accept the nomina- presidential inauguration. She did so B. Epps was personnel issues. pervisors commended her on her tion for the new jail administrator, Mon., Jan. 21, 2013, at the request sworn in as the Gatson-Riley was selected for professionalism and knowledge of and it was seconded by McQuirter. of President Barack Obama’s inau- 102nd president of the American the job, according to Hinds County the job. The approval vote also set the guration planning committee. Correctional Association (ACA). Sheriff Tyrone Lewis, “by a com- She said her priorities were to starting date of Gatson-Riley tak- Evers-Williams called upon those He is a native of Tchula, Miss. The mittee from the Hinds County assure humane treatment for the ing the position as “immediately.” Gatson-Riley unique historical references that her ACA was founded in 1870 with Sheriff’s personnel office and inmates and maintain a safe and Gatson-Riley was part of the experiences would engender…, more than 20,000 members from 60 three members of the monitoring professional work environment transition team at the opening of son-Riley acknowledged that there marking the 150 years since the countries. Epps will lead the organi- team.” for the jail staff. These things can the Raymond facility in 1994, was “no big pool of money to take Emancipation Proclamation and 50 zation for two years. Supervisor Kenneth Stokes vot- be done, she said, if the facility is where she will now be chief ad- care of the whole county.” She said years since Dr. Martin Luther King Story 2: The W.K. Kellogg Foun- ed no, he said, because he was not in compliance with the American ministrator. For 16 years she she would maximize inmate labor Jr.’s March on Washington. dation (WKKF) Fri., Feb. 1, 2013, informed of who the other appli- Correctional Association (ACA) worked in corrections in Hinds, and the present staff. However, she She said, “One hundred and fifty launched the opening of the Foun- cants were for the position.