IHL Names Bynum As the 11Th President For
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www.mississippilink.com VOL. 23, NO. 32 JUNE 1 - 7, 2017 50¢ Family friends and well wishers gather in support of Hinds County DA Smith faces a four count leveled against Hinds County ing and one for robbery. These eryone knows the players in this “This makes no sense to me,” indictment in Rankin County District Attorney Robert Schuler were fi led as two separate indict- case…I wrote the playbook,” said Pastor PJ Williams of Cor- Smith. ments. Hickingbottom said. “This kind nerstone MB Church in Jackson. By Othor Cain Smith, 46, of Jackson, is Bob Hickingbottom a long of foolishness has to stop…we “I’m calling on every pastor in Editor charged with two misdemeanor time political operative is con- must stop these games.” Jackson to get from behind the A group of well wishers gath- counts of simple domestic vio- vinced the charges against Smith Smith was indicted by a ered Wednesday evening to lence and two felony counts that are nothing more than a politi- Rankin County Grand Jury and Smith denounce the recent charges include one for aggravated stalk- cally motivated witch hunt. “Ev- turned himself in Tuesday. Continued on page 3 Smith JSU announces IHL names Bynum as the budget reduction 11th president for JSU and recovery plan The Associated Press Following months of careful review of the fi nancial JSU stakeholders voiced their concerns prior to the announcement issues at Jackson State University, interim President Rod Paige announced Wednesday the completion of a com- By Nina Brown, Intern prehensive Budget Reduction and Recovery Plan de- and Othor Cain, Editor signed to improve effi ciencies and move the university Wednesday proved to be a very toward fi scal stability. intense day for many stakehold- The plan includes implementing a hiring freeze, sus- ers of the beloved Jackson State pending all internally-funded travel, eliminating all un- University. With Tiger pride, be- fi lled positions, reducing spending on commodities, dis- gining at 9 a.m. and ending close continuing several terminable contracts, resizing satellite to 3 p.m., faculty, staff, students, campuses and academic and administrative restructur- alumni and community support- ing. Further, to achieve the necessary cost-cutting goals, ers gathered on the third fl oor the university is implementing a reduction in force that of the Student Center to listen will bring the FY2018 budget in balance and allow the to William Bynum, the current university to focus on rebuilding depleted cash reserves. president of Mississippi Valley “We did everything possible to avoid implementing a State University articulate his vi- reduction in force. However, due to an additional $4 mil- sion for JSU and how he would lion in cuts to our state appropriation in FY2017 – and govern and mend relationships. $1.8 million in additional cuts projected – it became in- The second gathering of the escapable,” Paige said. day was a press conference Forty-two fi lled positions have been recommended held at the M.W. Stringer Grand for elimination through this process; affected employees Lodge. Yolanda Owens, presi- will receive a 30-day notice. These included positions dent of the JSU National Alumni reduced due to the restructuring of academic and admin- Association, shared her displea- istrative units, resulting in the elimination of one dean, sure of the process used by IHL seven department chairs and one program coordinator. in its selection. No faculty was included in this reduction. The total cost “I’ve witnessed the IHL Board savings from these reductions are an approximate $2 of Trustees conduct a search pro- million. The earlier elimination of 65 vacant positions, includ- cess that was unorganized and Bynum unprofessional at best,” Owens ing faculty and staff who retired or resigned, equate to said. “That’s our position, the on the committee that gave of our by IHL. listened, never breaking compo- more than $4 million in savings bringing the total reduc- process is fl awed.” time and effort to this process,” Members of the Board of Trust- sure, never raising his voice and tion in payroll costs to $6 million. Former SGA President 2016- Bunch shared in an open letter to ees for IHL attended the sessions never breaking character. “The “I know these are tough changes, but they will leave 2017 Kendall Bunch expressed IHL. but did not comment, leaving By- concerns are valid and if you lis- the university in a much stronger position fi nancially and his disappointment with the The listening sessions contin- num in a very diffi cult spotlight tened, none of them were about will increase the effi ciency of the institution,” said Paige. Board not listening to students’ ued during the 15-minute press in which to shine. Yet, he rose me personally and given the The university solicited input from a broad representa- concerns. “I was extremely dis- conference. The most heated to the occassion. Not wavering chance, I will mend the distrust... tion of the campus community to develop effi ciency mea- appointed, not because of who sessions happened with students to the pressure and criticism that if we can’t agree on anything sures and make recommendations that are included in the was selected as the preferred can- and graduates of JSU, each group was misdirected towards him. didate, but rather because of the expressing their displeasure to “I understand their concerns... Bynum Budget blatant disregard for those of us Bynum about the process used all of them,” Bynum said as he Continued on page 3 Continued on page 3 A celebration of life during Man held in killing of 8 people home going for Kingston Frazier often threatened violence By Nina Brown By Jeff Amy and Joshua Intern Repogle Courageous, inquisitive, Associated Press energetic, kind and certainly BROOKHAVEN, Miss. – handsome. Willie Cory Godbolt, the man These expressions fall short accused of killing a sheriff’s of the many words that de- deputy and seven people he scribed 6-year-old Kingston knew in rural Mississippi, has Frazier. In the wee hours on led a life marked by violence, the morning of May 18, Frazier starting with his own parents. dawned his wings and gradu- Godbolt has been charged ated into the gates of heaven. with misdemeanor assault or He was shot to death as he slept similar crimes at least a dozen in the back seat of a car that had times and convicted in at least been stolen. six of them, Lincoln County Home going services for the court records show, since youngster were held at Morn- he was 17, when his mother ing Star Baptist Church at 12 shot and killed his father, a Godbolt p.m. May 26. Among those in Brookhaven police offi cer. attendance were Mayor Tony She had accused him of do- to manslaughter and burglary. and punching her, and putting Yarber, Jackson Police Chief mestic violence; but the charg- She is no longer in prison, his hand down her mouth so Lee Vance, Hinds County Dis- es were later dropped. Then, in Brookhaven Police Chief Bob- she couldn’t scream. trict Attorney Robert Smith, 1999, using her ex-husband’s by Bell said Tuesday. Investigators say his most police revolver, she shot him Frazier Last June, Goldbolt’s own Godbolt to death and pleaded guilty Continued on page 3 Frazier wife accused him of choking Continued on page 3 Murrah High Book Review: Share this issue with a friend School ranked My Daddy by mailing it to: No. 10 best Rules the World Inside high school in Mississippi Page 6 Page 18 LOCAL 2 • THE MISSISSIPPI LINK JUNE 1 - 7, 2017 www.mississippilink.com Business 0f the Quarter April 2017 Harmony Court Assisted Living The Mississippi Link Newswire derly but also by the youth in Jack- Harmony Court Assisted Living, son that operate a resident therapy located at 5411 I-55 North, owned by program for children. The couple gets brothers, Kevin and Ary Wright, has the utmost satisfaction when these been named Jackson’s Business of the youth graduate from college or thrive Quarter for April 2017. in other areas. In this former hotel, the Wrights Wright, also in past years, served opened the business in with fi ve as a motivational speaker to youths residents and presently the immacu- at various schools in Jackson. He also late facility of 105 rooms is 92 per- served as a volunteer baseball coach cent occupied. for his son’s baseball team through- Kevin Wright said thorough re- out the years. Currently he is the search was required prior to open- head coach at Callaway High School, ing, which included not only visiting where son Kevin II is a junior and other assisted living centers, but also highly touted player. working with city personnel to ensure The Wrights, who also have anoth- property permitting, zoning and all er son, Cameron, are blessed to have other requirements were met. He said fantastic family support which moti- the entire “City of Jackson Team” vates them even more to plan for the provided great assistance in the pro- Michael Davis, City of Jackson interim deputy director of Economic Development; Tony T. Yarber, City of Jackson Mayor; Angela next community service oriented ven- cess. Wright, Harmony Court executive director; Kevin Wright, Harmony Court co-owner; Vic Sexton, City of Jackson Small Business ture. Right now they are focused on Kevin, a realtor, said the impe- Outreach coordinator opening a similar facility in another tus for establishing the business part of Jackson, with later plans to ex- came from shadowing his uncle, Dr. to all residents at all times, in which physical therapy (in motion rehab), dents to doctor and other health and pand elsewhere.