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  • FBI: 3 Men Charged In $1M Mississippi Methamphetamine Bust

    FBI: 3 Men Charged In $1M Mississippi Methamphetamine Bust

    JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — The FBI says federal and local authorities have discovered 114 pounds (52 kilograms) of methamphetamine with a street value of approximately $1 million during an operation in Mississippi.

    The agency said in a statement Tuesday that 49-year-old Aaron Whavers, 64-year-old Gerald Jones and 43-year-old Sharard Collier were each charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. The suspects could face life in prison and fines of up to $10 million when sentenced.

    News outlets report federal agents, state narcotics officers and Harrison County authorities found the drugs during searches of Whavers’ Pass Christian home and an 18-wheeler parked at a truck stop in Long Beach.

    The three suspects made their initial appearances on Monday in the Southern District of Mississippi and were ordered to be held without bond pending hearings Wednesday.

  • Man, 29, gets 99 years as habitual offender for robbery

    GRETNA, La. (AP) — A 29-year-old Louisiana man has been sentenced to 99 years for robbing a 74-year-old man who was carrying Thanksgiving groceries into his house last year.

    In a news release, the Jefferson Parish District Attorney’s Office says a judge sentenced Wayne Norman of Marrero on Monday to 75 years but resentenced him Wednesday to 99, as a habitual offender.

    The statement says jurors convicted Norman last week. Prosecutors presented evidence that Norman followed the man from a bank to a grocery store, and then to the man’s driveway, where he was robbed.

    Shortly afterward, sheriff’s deputies chased a stolen vehicle, which hit a utility pole. Authorities say Norman ran, leaving some clothes in a backyard shed and hiding in a children’s closet, where he was caught with some of the robbery victim’s property.

  • GOP control expands in Mississippi Senate, steady in House

    GOP control expands in Mississippi Senate, steady in House

    JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Republicans will expand their majority in the Mississippi Senate and maintain supermajority-level control in the state House following Tuesday’s elections.

    In the Senate, Republicans will hold 36 of 52 seats, up from 33. Democrats will shrink from 19 to 16. In the 122-member House, Republicans are on track to control 75 seats, the same as before the election, including a lead in one of three uncalled races. The number of Democrats is on track to increase from 45 to 46, with one Democrat defeating Rep. Steve Holland, a longtime Democrat from Plantersville who pursued re-election as an independent. Rep. Angela Cockerham of Magnolia, another former Democrat, won re-election as an independent.

    In both chambers, Republicans will control 60% of seats, meaning they can pass tax changes and borrowing bills without any Democratic votes.

    In the Senate, Republicans picked up two seats in northeast Mississippi that had been held by conservative-leaning Democrats, while Melanie Sojourner regained her former Senate seat in southwest Mississippi. On the Gulf Coast, Republican Mike Thompson won a seat now held by Democrat Deborah Dawkins, who lost in the primary. Democrats got one back when Joseph Thomas Sr. won a seat now held by Republican Eugene “Buck” Clarke that was redrawn to give an African American a better chance of winning.

    The Associated Press hasn’t called three House races because of close margins. In District 12, now held by Democrat Jay Hughes of Oxford, Republican Clay Deweese narrowly leads Tiffany Kilpatrick. In District 40, incumbent Rep. Ashley Henley of Southaven narrowly trails Democratic challenger Hester Jackson McCray. And in District 64, Democrat Shanda Yates narrowly leads longtime Republican incumbent Bill Denny of Jackson.

    Party control would flip in all those races if the leaders hold on. Besides those instances and Holland’s loss, the only other district to change hands was District 122, where Republican Brent Anderson won the seat now held by House Democratic leader David Baria of Bay St. Louis. He didn’t seek reelection.

    Holland has been one of the most outspoken figures in the Legislature over his nine terms, with a sense of humor that sometimes drew national attention, like the time in 2012 that he filed a satirical resolution to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America trying to make a point about how he felt immigrants and Latinos were being demonized.

    The 64-year-old funeral home owner declared that “it’s been a wonderful 64 years and I have no regrets” in a Wednesday phone interview. By becoming an independent, Holland avoided a Democratic primary against Rickey Thompson, but lost to him in the general election. Holland, who is white, said Republicans had designed his district so that he would have to contend with African American candidates such as Thompson.

    “It has been premeditated by blacks and whites, Republicans and Democrats, and the racism is as severe as I’ve ever seen it,” Holland said. “Rickey Thompson is going to be my representative and I wish him the best.”

    Once-dominant white Democrats like Holland continue their retreat. The new Legislature is on track to have seven white Democratic House members and two senators. As late as January 2008, 15 white Democrats were sworn into the state Senate.

    The number of women lawmakers is on track to increase from 24 to 29 overall, rising from nine to 12 in the Senate and from 15 to 17 in the House. Mississippi had the lowest percentage of women lawmakers of any state legislature in the nation this year, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures , at 13.8%. Overall nationwide, 29% of state lawmakers are women.

    The additional numbers will push Mississippi’s percentage to 16.7%, which could push Mississippi past at five other states that don’t have elections this year. In Louisiana, which has elections later this month, 16% of lawmakers were women last year.

  • Vicksburg police get over $30,000 of marijuana off streets

    Vicksburg police get over $30,000 of marijuana off streets

    Police arrested Adrian Smith Jr. and charged him with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. Smith made his initial appearance in court Tuesday and his bond was set at $50,000.

  • Those other SEC teams scrambling for bowl eligibility

    TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — While LSU, Alabama and Georgia are working on their playoff credentials, much of the Southeastern Conference has more humble goals.

    Teams like South Carolina, Tennessee and Mississippi State are battling for bowl eligibility with 4-5 records. Ditto for Kentucky at 4-4. Missouri’s fighting for that status on two fronts: The Tigers’ record (5-3) and, more importantly, their appeal of an NCAA postseason ban for academic misconduct involving a former tutor.

    Vanderbilt, Arkansas and Mississippi have little or no margin for error — but could get a boost from their Academic Progress Rate scores to get into the postseason if they make it to five wins.

    The SEC has six teams who are already bowl eligible and four more spots to fill, not counting the College Football Playoffs.

    Potential playoff berths and titles are at stake when No. 1 LSU (No. 2 College Football Playoff rankings) visits No. 2 Alabama (No. 3, CFP) on Saturday. If two SEC teams were to get into the playoffs, it would make it even more of an uphill climb for the league to fill those bowl slots — which include a New Year’s Six game, with teams that have at least .500 records.

    Of course, the SEC would gladly embrace that particular predicament. Georgia is No. 6 in both the CFP and Associated Press rankings.

    Other SEC games might not be worthy of a presidential visit — President Donald Trump is expected to attend the game at Alabama. But they’re meaningful games for the teams and their fans, including the Kentucky-Tennessee matchup Saturday night.

    The stretch run could make a break a team’s season.

    South Carolina linebacker Ernest Jones said the Gamecocks don’t have “the feeling of a team that’s going to lay down because there’s no hope of winning the (SEC) East. Now, we’re playing for our seniors, playing for a bowl game. We’re going to go down fighting.”

    If the SEC can’t fill all its bowl slots with teams that are 6-6 or better, it can turn to a 5-7 team based on their APR scores. Vanderbilt is only 2-6 but leads the league in that category, ranking fifth nationally. Arkansas (2-7 and a huge longshot), is second in that group, followed by Ole Miss (3-6), Mississippi State, Missouri and Tennessee.

    So schools could get rewarded for their off-the-field work even if their on-field record is subpar, like Mississippi State did in 2016.

    Here’s a look at the teams still trying to become bowl eligible:

    — South Carolina still has work to do even with an upset of Georgia. The Gamecocks face once-ranked teams Appalachian State and Texas A&M and No. 4 Clemson.

    “We have to go out right for the seniors,” redshirt freshman quarterback Dakereon Joyner said. “I think that’s the biggest thing the underclassmen are focusing on.”

    — Tennessee has shown signs of life after a horrid start , winning three of the last four games, with the only loss coming at Alabama in a game that was competitive well into the second half. The Volunteers are at Kentucky and Missouri before closing at home against Vanderbilt. All seem like winnable games, but coach Jeremy Pruitt says the Vols aren’t looking ahead to their postseason chances.

    “I don’t have time to worry about that other stuff,” Pruitt said. “I think it’s kind of common sense, if we could get fifteen extra practices, that’s got to help you, right?”

    — Kentucky has dealt with quarterback issues since Terry Wilson went down with a season-ending knee injury in Game 2. The Wildcats host Tennessee, UT Martin and Louisville while visiting Vanderbilt — hardly the most daunting schedule.

    — Mississippi State does have a huge challenge in hosting the Crimson Tide next weekend and also faces Abilene Christian and Ole Miss.

    — The Egg Bowl could be about bowl eligibility for the Bulldogs and Rebels, especially if the SEC has room for a 5-7 Ole Miss team. Ole Miss hosts New Mexico State before facing LSU ahead of the in-state rivalry game.

    — Vanderbilt and Arkansas, which is 0-6 in SEC games, face long odds even with the strong APR. The Razorbacks’ closing stretch includes a visit to LSU. The Commodores, battling quarterback injuries, visit No. 10 Florida Saturday and would need to win out to reach .500.

    Florida coach Dan Mullen was Mississippi State’s coach for the 2016 team that went 5-7 before winning the St. Petersburg Bowl over Miami (Ohio).

    “There was an opportunity and they earned that opportunity because of what our team had done in the classroom as student-athletes,” Mullen said. “I thought that’s a pretty good way to figure it out.”

  • Sheriff: Murder Suspect Wrongly Freed, Caught 1 State Over

    Sheriff: Murder Suspect Wrongly Freed, Caught 1 State Over

    COLUMBUS, Miss. (AP) — Authorities in Mississippi say a man charged with murder was mistakenly free for days due to a clerical error.

    The Commercial Dispatch reports 26-year-old Malcolm Hill was found Foley, Alabama, five days after being released from a detention center in Columbus. A Lowndes County sheriff’s statement issued Monday says Hill was back at the center Saturday, and the employee responsible for the error no longer works there.

    Hill and his girlfriend, 24-year-old Victoria Slayton, are charged with capital murder in a 2018 slaying. Hill was on parole for burglary and larceny at the time and initially held on a parole violation. The statement says a detainer wasn’t placed on Hill for the new charge. It says jail officials are now reviewing other cases to ensure proper detainer documents are filed.

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    Information from: The Commercial Dispatch, http://www.cdispatch.com

  • City Council Approves $3.8 Million Pay Increase For Police

    City Council Approves $3.8 Million Pay Increase For Police

    LAFAYETTE, La. (AP) — A Louisiana city council has approved a $3.8 million pay increase for police officers, raising starting pay from $34,600 to $40,000.

    News outlets report Lafayette City-Parish Council unanimously approved the increase Tuesday for all Lafayette officers, except the chief. The department requested the raise to keep officers from leaving in search of better pay.

    Mayor-President Joel Robideaux previously said the entire $3.8 million won’t be taken from the state’s general fund.

    Chief Financial Officer Lorrie Toups says the 2019-20 budget is already expected to use more than $11 million from the savings.

    The council also introduced a pay increase ordinance for firefighters and Consolidated Government employees. The council is expected to vote on Nov. 19.

    Toups says the combined increase would cost $7.3 million, depleting the general fund by 2023.

  • 44 Percent Of Louisiana Schools Need Improvement Plans

    44 Percent Of Louisiana Schools Need Improvement Plans

    NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Five hundred seventy-one Louisiana public schools, or about 44 percent, have “persistently struggling groups of students” and are now required to develop improvement plans.

    Louisiana’s Department of Education released performance data Wednesday as part of the state’s compliance with the federal Every Student Succeeds Act.

    Among the 571 schools are 271 labeled as needing “comprehensive improvement,” for persistent low overall grades or poor graduation rates.

    Three hundred other schools — including some with high overall grades — must work to improve performance among sub-groups of students. Those groups include English language learners; low-income students and those with disabilities.

    The department pointed to promising findings, including more schools earning A and B grades. And the number of school systems earning A grades increased from four to nine since last year.

  • Strike Plans Unclear, Little Rock Teachers Hold ‘Walk-Ins’

    Strike Plans Unclear, Little Rock Teachers Hold ‘Walk-Ins’

    LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Little Rock teachers have given few clues on whether they’ll strike because of Arkansas’ decision to no longer recognize their union, but they’re staging other demonstrations aimed at drawing attention to the end of their collective bargaining rights and the state’s ongoing control of the local school district.

    Teachers, parents, students and other community members held “walk-ins” around the 23,000-student district on Wednesday, entering school buildings together before classes started to show their support for the union. The move follows other demonstrations that have included a sick-out organized by students last week and some teachers participating in a “work to rule” action where they don’t work extra hours. The Little Rock Education Association’s contract with the district expired on Thursday following the state Board of Education’s decision to no longer recognize the union as the district’s sole bargaining agent.

    “We feel that this is a symbolic statement that if we can all walk in together, we can all walk out together,” Teresa Knapp Gordon, president of the 1,800-member association, said. Gordon said the union hasn’t ruled out a strike and has other actions planned.

    Tensions have been high since the state Board of Education’s vote against the union last month. Arkansas has run the district since January 2015, when it was taken over because of low test schools at several schools. The state board voted to return the district to a local school board that will be elected in November 2020, but with the state maintaining some control. Aside from a return of collective bargaining rights, the union is also calling for an immediate return to full local control.

    “I’m ready for us to have our school district back,” Fran Carter, who was among dozens of parents who gathered in the rain for a walk-in at Little Rock Central High School. “Our whole community has been frustrated for five years. Nobody feels like they have a say.”

    Little Rock school officials have been lining up hundreds of substitute teachers and telling parents that schools will remain open even if there’s a strike. Superintendent Michael Poore said he viewed the walk-ins as a positive thing and a way to encourage even more involvement in the schools. Poore praised the teachers and staff, who he said have kept a positive learning environment despite the uncertainty.

    “To the best of my knowledge, we have gone on and done the job we’re supposed to do over the last several weeks, and we’ve had good learning environments,” he said.

    Before the contract expired, Little Rock was the only district in the state that had a teachers’ union with collective bargaining power. Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who appointed eight of the board’s nine members, has said he didn’t think Little Rock should be an exception. Supporters of the board’s decision have said more teachers will be represented by a “personnel policy committee” that will be set up in the district.

    Earlier demonstrations prompted the state board to back off an initial plan that would have divided up control of the district — an effort that critics said would split Little Rock schools along racial lines 62 years after Central High’s desegregation. Businesses and homes have been displaying “One LRSD” signs in support of the district regaining local control.

    The Little Rock demonstrations follow actions by teachers elsewhere, including in other conservative states such as Oklahoma and West Virginia, that have gained widespread support. One expert said the key to any action in Little Rock is presenting the issue as broader than just union recognition or benefits.

    “Only when teacher unions are able to frame their efforts as efforts to promote the common good are they really able to break out of that straight jacket,” said Joseph McCartin, a history professor at Georgetown University who specializes in labor history. “You already see in Little Rock ways of doing that.”

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    Follow Andrew DeMillo on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ademillo

  • Show Notes From November Sixth

    Show Notes From November Sixth

    Stuff we talked about today on 95 Country

    This video makes me want to break stuff.  Geaux Tigers!

    LSU vs Bama this Saturday!  Coverage starts at 12:30 p.m.

    Our Feel Good Story Of The Day

    The hearts at Krispy Kreme corporate’s Standards and Practices grew three times larger that day

    donuts

    Just Because You Can, Doesn’t Mean You Should

    Pringles releases “limited edition” turducken flavored potato chips.

    Charley Pride To Receive “Crossroads Award” at Mississippi Grammy Museum

    Mississippi has more Grammy-winning singers and songwriters than any other state, and Charley Pride just received the museum’s first-ever “Crossroads” award.

    charley pride single