by Rick Cleveland and Tyler Cleveland, Mississippi Today
July 30, 2025

Rusty Hampton was the sports editor at the Clarion Ledger for 11 years and worked there for 25 years in two different stints. He talks about some of the highlights, including Mississippi State’s amazing run to the 1996 Final Four.

Also discussed: a salute to Ryne Sandberg, the SEC preseason football poll, and Konnor Griffin, the newly elevated top prospect in professional baseball.

Stream all episodes here.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

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by Alex Rozier, Mississippi Today
July 30, 2025

Third-party water and sewer utility JXN Water clarified on Wednesday that its manager Ted Henifin isn’t considering a resignation following a dispute with the federal judge who appointed him to the role in 2022.

During a status conference Tuesday, Henifin told U.S. District Court Judge Henry Wingate he would weigh whether to step down after the judge pushed back on the manager over two issues, including a rate increase JXN Water first proposed five months ago to keep its daily operations funded.

“I think it has been a difficult week for JXN Water, specifically the leadership,” Aisha Carson, the utility’s communications officer, told Mississippi Today. “But I think (Henifin) is very much committed to the work we’re doing in Jackson. I just think he’s also very protective and can sometimes get frustrated by the process that decisions have to go through.”

Carson said Henifin cleared up any confusion to JXN Water staff after the status conference, adding it’s “safe to say” the manager isn’t considering resigning at this time.  

“We know (the rate decision) will continue to move through the legal process, and there’s really nothing we can do about it per se,” she said. “We trust the legal process no matter how frustrating it can be. We don’t want to regress on progress. (Henifin) is still acting as the interim third-party manager, and will be for the foreseeable future unless he states otherwise.”

Wingate said at another hearing earlier this month, and reiterated Tuesday, that he wouldn’t consider the rate hike before locating every dollar from a $90 million settlement the city of Jackson executed with Siemens in 2020. The judge argued it’s unfair to ask for more from Jacksonians when there may be more money that could help JXN Water. 

“Constantly I ask the question: Where is that money? Where has it been deposited?” Wingate said. “I’ve been disturbed about this matter, highly disturbed.”

Henifin, though, has repeatedly pointed out to Wingate that even if he had every cent from the settlement – which was $60 million after the city paid its lawyer fees – the utility would still need to raise rates. Jackson City Attorney Drew Martin also suggested at the last hearing that the city has already spent almost all of the remaining settlement money. 

The third-party manager is proposing a 12% rate increase, or about $9 per month on average, it says, in addition to 4% increases from 2027 to 2029 to cover costs of inflation. It would be the second time in as many years JXN Water has raised its rates.

The utility says it needs $148 million a year in revenue, which includes $115 million for operating expenses, about $24 million for debt payments, and $9 million to build reserves. Henifin has said the utility initially underestimated how much revenue it needed due to the poor accounting it received from Jackson officials when it took over after the 2022 water crisis. 

Henifin and Wingate also butted heads after the manager sent the judge a list of names for a potential voluntary board that would be needed if JXN Water were to borrow money through bonds. While Carson, JXN Water’s spokesperson, said Henifin did so merely to show the judge what the governance structure would look like, Wingate told the manager the board selection process should be independent of Henifin. JXN Water declined to share the list of names Henifin submitted. 

It’s unclear still when Wingate will rule on Henifin’s proposal for a rate increase. During Tuesday’s status conference, Jackson’s Deputy City Attorney Terry Williamson said he’s still reviewing documents from the Siemens settlement. Wingate issued subpoenas to several parties to track the funds down, most recently on July 22. Several of those subpoenas have yet to be returned, court filings show. 

Jackson’s City Council voted in April against the water rake hike, saying the utility first needs to improve its bill collection rate of 71%. Henifin, though, maintains that even with 100% collections JXN Water would be short of its revenue needs by at least $33 million this year. He said Tuesday that it would take three years to bring it up to 95%. 

Henifin also said Tuesday that the city itself owes about $4.6 million in water bills, and Wingate said the Jackson Zoo owes $2 million. 

Reporter Maya Miller contributed to this story.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post JXN Water says Henifin not serious about resignation, just frustrated by Wingate appeared first on mississippitoday.org

Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

This article presents a factual and balanced report on the ongoing dispute between JXN Water’s manager Ted Henifin and Federal Judge Henry Wingate regarding water rate increases and financial transparency. The language remains neutral, simply relaying statements from both parties and relevant officials without editorializing or taking sides. It highlights differing viewpoints on the utility’s financial needs and the judge’s insistence on accountability. The coverage focuses on procedural and financial details, maintaining an objective tone without promoting any ideological agenda, consistent with straightforward, centrist reporting.

by Devna Bose, Mississippi Today
July 28, 2025

As teenagers flooded into Callaway High School on Monday morning, one shirt that read “last first day” drew the attention of Jackson Public Schools administrators greeting students at the door.

“Last first day!” cheered Superintendent Errick L. Greene, prompting a smile from the senior striding past.

Across the city, students went back to school Monday for the start of the new year. For some, it was their first day in a classroom. For others, like Rakeem Burney, it would be the last time they celebrated the first day of grade school. 

“It’s my senior year, but it hasn’t really hit me yet,” he said, dressed sharply in sparkling white sneakers. “I’m just excited to meet all my teachers and embark on this journey and everything this year will bring. The fact that the superintendent came, too, means a lot to me.”

That was the goal, Greene said. By showing up on the first day, he wanted to show students his support and commitment to them.

“This is where the magic happens,” he said. “For all of the back of the office things I have to do, the most important thing is to be here, to observe what’s going on but also to be visible with scholars and team members. They need to know I’m part of this work on the ground.

“This fills my cup.”

The energy was high at Callaway — volunteers and cheerleaders shook pompoms as students meandered through hallways, greeting one another and checking out their schedule for the year — but district changes were also apparent.

As some students entered the high school with cell phone imprints clearly visible in their jean pockets, administrators warned them to put their devices in their backpacks, out of reach. 

Phones were already banned at JPS schools, but the board approved a stricter policy over the summer in an effort to curb bullying, violence and miscommunication with parents. 

It’s part of Greene’s vision for the school year — a safer, more scholastically successful and well-staffed district. He said academic excellence remains a top focus for JPS, but there’s also work to be done around district culture. That includes supporting teachers and strengthening communication with families.

And the work starts from day one, he said.

Just down the block at North Jackson Elementary School, preschoolers were learning for the first time how to behave in a classroom. Greene joined them later that morning, stacking rainbow blocks on a brightly colored rug, while principal Jocelyn Smith circled the classroom, troubleshooting and smiling at the young students.

Despite her cheeriness, by 9 a.m. on Monday, Smith had been awake for hours. 

“The first day for me is just like for the children,” said Smith, who’s been working in education for three decades. “I couldn’t sleep last night. I was too excited to see the children.”

For the elementary students, the first day is essential to the rest of the year, she said.

“They get an introduction to the curriculum … they learn our procedures and how to be safe,” she said. “But most of all, they start learning our expectations for them, and they start to build a relationship with their teachers.”

In a different classroom up the hall, Rakesia Gray was figuring out what her third graders would be interested in reading this year. She passed out a worksheet, and asked her students to circle the topics they liked best. 

“On the first row, tell me which one you’d rather read out,” she said. “Polar bears or penguins?”

The room was silent. Students shyly glanced at each other.

“Come on now,” Gray said, laughing. “Y’all have gotta talk to me!”

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post JPS superintendent visits on first day of school appeared first on mississippitoday.org

Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Centrist

This article presents straightforward, fact-based reporting on the first day of school in Jackson Public Schools, highlighting the superintendent’s involvement and district policies without promoting a particular political viewpoint. The tone is neutral and focused on community and educational themes, with no ideological framing favoring left or right perspectives. It covers administrative actions and student experiences in an objective manner, providing balanced context on policy changes like the cellphone ban and emphasizing educational goals. The coverage reflects standard local news reporting rather than advancing any ideological stance.