Hotel in Jackson, Mississippi Wees the International Ballet Competition - Marketwired (press release)

SOURCE: Marriott International

The Jackson Marriott Takes First Place Among Discerning Travelers for Its On-Point(e) Accommodations

JACKSON, MS--(Marketwired - May 29, 2014) - Forget football, baseball and basketball. When it comes to competitive sports, ballet takes first place for intensity and drama. Few sports require such drastic investments of practice, pain and competition. But events like the USA International Ballet Competition (IBC) make all that hard work worthwhile. Bringing together dancers from all over the world in a fiercely beautiful collection of performances, the IBC is the last word among ballet competitions. And of all the hotels near the Jackson Convention Complex, only one puts its guests just steps from the event while also serving as a haven of charm and comfort at the end of the day: the Jackson Marriott.

As the premier ballet competition among young dancers on their way to ballet careers, the quadrennial IBC occurs over a two-week, Olympic-style schedule and draws more than 34,000 visitors to the area. Dancers are not only competing for prestige during these events but also gold, silver and bronze medals; cash prizes; and company contracts.

With such high stakes involved, travelers arriving for the IBC this June will especially appreciate their stay at the Jackson Marriott. Few hotels in downtown Jackson, MS can match this property's convenience. Not only is it a short walk away from the Thalia Mara Hall, where all IBC performances take place, but it's also close to the state capital, the Mississippi Museum of Art and the Russell C. Davis Planetarium, which means guests have plenty of things to see and do when the dancing day is done.

Jackson Mississippi attractions notwithstanding, this hotel is a favorite among travelers for a variety of reasons. Its new lobby makes a stunning first impression; and its 303 guest rooms feature plush Revive bedding, high-speed Internet access and in-room coffee service, so guests can get a jump on each day. (Five concierge levels offer additional luxury for those who demand the finest.) The outdoor pool, which overlooks the downtown area, promises a cool respite from the Southern summer heat and distinguishes the property from other convention hotels in Jackson, Mississippi. And the Bistro Restaurant and Lounge welcomes guests for relaxed, regionally-inspired dining, whether they're looking to refuel before a big performance, or unwind after a day at the dances. Even competitive sports, after all, make a little room for relaxation.

About the Jackson Marriott
Located just 15 minutes from the Jackson Airport, the Jackson Marriott is a convenient choice for business and leisure travelers alike. The 30 meeting rooms afford 35,000 square feet of flexible event space, perfect for weddings and conferences, while five concierge levels and a full-service business center ensure every corporate traveler enjoys a productive stay. The hotel is also connected to Regions building via skywalk with government institutions and private businesses all positioned close to this downtown property. Guests traveling for leisure, meanwhile, will find themselves near such impressive destinations as the Old Capitol Museum, the Jackson Zoo and the Mississippi Children's Museum. And the hotel's other amenities, like the fitness center, outdoor pool and two restaurants, imbue every visit with just the right amount of Southern hospitality.

About Marriott Hotels
With 500 hotels and resorts in nearly 60 countries around the world, Marriott Hotels is evolving travel through every aspect of the guest's stay, enabling the next generation to Travel Brilliantly. Boldly transforming itself for mobile and global travelers who blend work and play, Marriott leads the industry with innovations, including the Greatroom, Future of Meetings and Mobile Guest Services that elevates style & design and technology. All Marriott hotels participate in the award winning Marriott Rewards frequent travel program that allows members to earn hotel points or airline miles for every dollar spent during each stay. For more information, visit http://ift.tt/HcrPQQ.

To join the ongoing Marriott conversation, like us on Facebook (http://ift.tt/19YlwGx) and follow us on Twitter (Twitter.com/Marriott, @Marriott).

Head of Miss. Environmental Agency to Resign - Jackson Free Press

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Trudy Fisher, Mississippi's chief environmental regulator, will resign her post at the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality at the end of the summer.

Fisher, 53, announced the news Wednesday to agency employees in an email obtained by The Associated Press. She said she will "explore options outside state government" after taking a break.

Fisher was appointed by Gov. Haley Barbour in 2007 and held over by Gov. Phil Bryant.

"I want to thank Trudy Fisher for her seven years of service as the executive director of the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality," Bryant said in a statement. "During her time with MDEQ her hard work has been critical to the state after disasters like Hurricane Katrina and leading the recovery from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill."

A former general counsel at MDEQ, the lawyer was working for the Jackson-based Brunini, Grantham, Grower & Hewes law firm when she was named. In a four-page statement posted to MDEQ's website, Fisher said she always intended to go back to private work.

"I have always been adamant that sitting directors should not entertain other professional opportunities and I still believe that," Fisher wrote. "For that reason, I will transition out of this role and hope to complete that transition by late summer."

Fisher and MDEQ have been leading planning efforts on how Mississippi should spend money from BP PLC — the RESTORE ACT funds — arising from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

"Fisher's departure will not affect any planning of the RESTORE Act funds," Bryant spokeswoman Nicole Webb said.

Fisher noted than $83 million in restoration projects for the Mississippi Gulf Coast have been approved, and the state is making plans to spend $356 million in money that will be conveyed by the National Fish and Wildlife Federation.

"Making one of the world's richest companies 'do right' by our state has been and continues to be a heavy lift, but one of the most meaningful efforts I have ever worked on," Fisher wrote in the statement.

MDEQ has faced a lawsuit by journalist and consultant Michael Rejebian, who sued the agency after it turned over heavily redacted records relating to how the state has spent more than $4.88 million on legal work relating to the oil spill since late 2010.

Bryant will appoint a new director, who must be confirmed by the state Senate.

Copyright Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Mona Nicholas - Jackson Free Press

Mona Nicholas, the newly appointed deputy director of the USA International Ballet Competition—one of the largest international ballet competitions in the world—,fell in love with dance the first time she saw a performance.

"I loved dancing so much I did it every day of the week," Nicholas said. "I grew up taking dance classes of all types all the way through college, and my mother also found me a dance teacher whose door was open anytime I wanted to dance. I danced in college to help pay for my tuition, I helped my college dance instructor teach other students, and I'm still dancing today."

Nicholas went to St. Aloysius High School in Vicksburg and practiced her craft at Debra Franco Preparatory School of Dance, where owner Debra Franco exposed students to a wide variety of venues by taking them to conventions and dance recitals. Nicholas went on to attend Millsaps College, where she majored in business administration. She remained in Jackson after college and became an account manager at Siemens Healthcare, where she worked for 22 years.

While still working for Siemens, Nicholas became involved with the USA IBC around 2012, when she helped revive and eventually became president of Friends of the USA IBC, a volunteer organization that supports the USA IBC financially and generates interest in the community for ballet through annual events such as membership drives and a fall fundraiser.

"Living in Jackson, I learned about the USA IBC and thought it was a wonderful way to promote the city and Mississippi," Nicholas said. "I helped revive Friends of the USA IBC because I knew I wanted to be involved in the competition any chance I could get."

As deputy executive director, Nicholas currently focuses on learning from Sue Lobrano, who has been executive director of the USA IBC for 34 years. Although she has no exact date planned, Lobrano intends to retire soon and wants Nicholas to take her place. Lobrano brought in Nicholas as executive director to assist in organizing this summer's USA IBC.

Nicholas said the USA IBC takes anywhere between 700 and 800 volunteers to run smoothly, and this year's competition needs more volunteers. The USA IBC is looking for transportation drivers, ushers at performances, and host families for the organization's Adopt-A-Dancer program. Adopt-A-Dancer host families encourage their "adopted" dancer during their time in Jackson and act as a point of contact for the dancer if they have any needs. Most host families bring a welcome basket in the first couple of days of the competition. Organizers also encourage they attend performances, and bring flowers and notes. Other possibilities include inviting the dancer for dinner out or at the family's home, or showing them around Jackson; however, dancers stay on campus at Belhaven University, not with host families. Volunteers can call 601-355-9853 or visit the USA IBC's website.

"I'm very excited about helping out with this year's competition because it means being able to do something I'm passionate about that helps the city and state at the same time," Nicholas said. "The hospitality out-of-country visitors find here in Jackson is one of the things that makes the USA IBC a favorite among dancers. I also love doing this because Jackson has such a great dance scene, with Ballet Magnificat! and the Metropolitan Ballet in addition to the USA IBC, and I want to get the word out about it. There are so many opportunities for people of all ages to study and practice dance right here in our city."

The USA IBC started in 1979 and takes place every four years in Jackson. This year's competition takes place from June 14 to 29 at Thalia Mara Hall, and will feature 95 visitors from 20 countries.

Nicholas and her husband of 21 years, Chris Nicholas, have two daughters who are both dancers: Avery, 14, and Anna Chris, 12.

Meal Programs Expand Summer Nutrition for Kids - Jackson Free Press

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A federal government-backed nutrition program seeks to provide two million meals to Mississippi schoolchildren this summer.

The program was announced Thursday by Department of Agriculture officials and community leaders.

"USDA's summer meal programs help fill the gap for children who depend on free and reduced-price meals when they are in school," USDA Food and Nutrition Service Administrator Audrey Rowe said in a news release.

The Summer Food Service Program will provide more than 30,000 meals a day in Mississippi—two meals a day per child—over the summer.

That's an increase of 12 percent over the 1.85 million meals—26,916 a day—provided last year at nearly 400 sites.

One-third of Mississippi's children live in homes where access to good, nutritious food on a regular basis is limited, according to the Department of Agriculture.

Meals will be provided at schools, mobile sites, low-income housing units, churches and other locations.

Other launch events are scheduled during June in Jackson, Hattiesburg, Greenwood, Biloxi and Tupelo.

Magnolia Health Plan, a unit of St. Louis-based Centene Corp.; the Public Policy Center of Mississippi; and Mississippi Department of Education's Office of Healthy Schools will sponsor regional events to promote the program.

The Agriculture Department targeted Mississippi and five other states to boost the program in 2014. The other states are Alabama, Illinois, Missouri, Nevada and Texas.

Copyright Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Florida Georgia Line: Hip-Hop Goes Country - Jackson Free Press

It's no secret that the influence of hip-hop—with its rhythmic spoken word vocals, its creative beats and its innovative production styles—is felt in many genres of contemporary music today. Even country music is getting into the act; country act Florida Georgia Line is pushing hip-hop even farther as a new influence.

The duo—Brian Kelley and Tyler Hubbard—fuses hip-hop into several songs on its debut full-length album, "Here's to the Good Times," and it isn't a gimmick.

"We both grew up listening to a lot of rap and hip-hop, and obviously country music, for sure, and rock," Kelley said in a phone interview. "You know, we just don't want to sound like anybody."

Creating a unique sound has been a priority since Kelley and Hubbard formed the duo four years ago after meeting as students at Belmont College in Nashville.

"That's what we've wanted to do from day one is have a sound that when people that haven't heard us say: 'Well, who is that? I need to know. It's not 'Well, they sound like (another band), because that's not going to work,'" Kelley said. "So we wanted to be ahead of the curve and create music that's fresh and create music that's real."

Whatever the duo is doing musically has obviously worked, as Florida Georgia Line is country's breakout act of the past year. But Kelley and Hubbard didn't just step off of the Belmont College campus and into the country-music spotlight.

The two stayed in Nashville, writing songs and playing acoustic duo shows to start before hiring a band. For more than two years, Kelley and Hubbard did a variety of day jobs—from installing bathroom stalls to mowing lawns—to pay the bills.

Slowly, but surely, the group's local audience grew. The duo put out a 2010 debut "Anything Like Me," which included a song, "Black Tears," that Jason Aldean later covered on his latest album, "Night Train." Now, Florida Georgia Line has released three EPs and one full-length album.

"Not much was happening for awhile," Kelley said, looking back on the duo's early struggles. "But you know, I think Tyler and I both knew deep down inside we had something special together that separate we wouldn't be able to do. We're both hard workers, and we said we're going to out-work everybody, and write when people are sleeping, and work when people are sleeping and do whatever it takes to make this thing run."

The album's first single, "Cruise," broke the record for most consecutive weeks at No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart. The group got a second chart-topper out of "Stay," while "Get Your Shine On," "Round Here" and the current single, "This Is How We Roll," have all gone top five on the Hot Country Songs chart.

It's not just radio that is putting Florida Georgia Line on the country music map. In 2012, the duo won two Academy of Country Music Awards: New Artist of the Year and New Vocal Duo or Group of the Year. Last year's accolades include a Academy of Country Music Award for Vocal Duo of the Year, and Country Music Association Awards for Single of the Year and Vocal Duo of the Year. For Kelley, the ACM awards are especially special because of the decision makers.

"The coolest thing about those awards is they are fan voted," Kelley said. "Just the loyalty of our fans and country music fans in general, just people voting day after day. They're committed to what we're doing, and they're committed to our sound. It's a humbling thing to have so many people believing in what Tyler and I are doing, and we owe everything to our fans."

Florida Georgia Line is giving back to fans by continuing to tour, and rocking tracks like "Cruise," "Tip It Back" and "Party People" get crowds fired up.

"We just try to bring the energy," Kelley said. "We're going a lot off of what our fans and what our crowds are doing. It kind of works hand in hand. So we're always running around sweating and trying to create moments that are memorable, create moments that visually look cool and moments that sonically sound good."

The energy of the live show is something the two musicians wanted to capture on "Here's to the Good Times." With the help of producer Joey Moi, Kelley feels he and Hubbard got that—and more—on the album.

"The energy is through the roof on our album, for sure," he said. "Everything's pretty rocking. Even if it's mid-tempo or somewhat of a ballad, it's still rocking, and it still sounds huge."

The This Is How We Roll Summer Series Tour comes to Mississippi May 31. Florida Georgia Line, Nelly and Chris Lane perform at 8 p.m. May 31 at Trustmark Park (1 Braves Way, Pearl). Gates open at 7 p.m. Tickets are $46.60 through Ticketmaster. VIP Packages are $199 and include access to a VIP viewing area, an autographed poster, an invitation to the pre-show VIP party and other goodies. Visit floridageorgialine.com.

Archie Manning - Jackson Free Press

If a Mississippian brings up "Archie," they are without a doubt talking about former Ole Miss and New Orleans Saints great Archie Manning, one of the most recognizable sports figures in Mississippi history.

Born in Drew, Miss., in 1949, Manning was a high school sports star in both football and baseball. Major League Baseball teams drafted him four times: first the Braves in 1967, followed twice by the White Sox and last by the Royals in 1971. But Manning never actually signed with any of those teams.

Instead, Manning decided to play football at the University of Mississippi.

In the first-ever prime-time televised college football game, Manning put on a show against Bear Bryant and the Alabama Crimson Tide, throwing for 436 yards while completing 33 of 52 passing attempts with two touchdowns, and rushing 15 times for 104 yards and three touchdowns. While it might have been the greatest Alabama-Ole Miss game in the history of the series, it was all in all a losing effort for Manning and the Rebels, who fell to the Tide 33-32 that night in 1969.

The New Orleans Saints drafted Manning with the second overall pick in 1971. He went on to play 10 full seasons for New Orleans and had a losing season nine times, finishing .500 just once, in 1979. Manning also made it into two Pro Bowls during his time with the Saints, in 1978 and 1979.

Manning finished his career playing for the Houston Oilers and the Minnesota Vikings. He retired as one of the few players to play more than 10 seasons, and without ever being on a team with a winning record or making the playoffs.

Manning was better known for his heroic efforts behind a leaky offensive line in New Orleans, which led to him taking a beating while trying to lead the Saints to victory. Current Saints fans might think being in the playoffs is a birthright, but older Saints fans know that pulling out a win on Sunday was something special.

On July 25, Manning will become the third person to receive the Rube Award for his lifelong contributions to sports in Mississippi. The Rube Award is named for Michael Rubenstein, the first executive director of the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum and longtime TV sports reporter in Mississippi.

Dave "Boo" Ferriss and Ben Puckett are the other two winners of the Rube Award. Manning will receive his award during the 2014 Hall of Fame induction class that includes Ruthie Bolton, Doug Cunningham, Dulymus "Deuce" McAllister, Steve McNair, Calvin Smith, Richard Williams and Robin Roberts.

Head of Miss. Environmental Agency to Resign - Jackson Free Press

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Trudy Fisher, Mississippi's chief environmental regulator, will resign her post at the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality at the end of the summer.

Fisher, 53, announced the news Wednesday to agency employees in an email obtained by The Associated Press. She said she will "explore options outside state government" after taking a break.

Fisher was appointed by Gov. Haley Barbour in 2007 and held over by Gov. Phil Bryant.

"I want to thank Trudy Fisher for her seven years of service as the executive director of the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality," Bryant said in a statement. "During her time with MDEQ her hard work has been critical to the state after disasters like Hurricane Katrina and leading the recovery from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill."

A former general counsel at MDEQ, the lawyer was working for the Jackson-based Brunini, Grantham, Grower & Hewes law firm when she was named. In a four-page statement posted to MDEQ's website, Fisher said she always intended to go back to private work.

"I have always been adamant that sitting directors should not entertain other professional opportunities and I still believe that," Fisher wrote. "For that reason, I will transition out of this role and hope to complete that transition by late summer."

Fisher and MDEQ have been leading planning efforts on how Mississippi should spend money from BP PLC — the RESTORE ACT funds — arising from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

"Fisher's departure will not affect any planning of the RESTORE Act funds," Bryant spokeswoman Nicole Webb said.

Fisher noted than $83 million in restoration projects for the Mississippi Gulf Coast have been approved, and the state is making plans to spend $356 million in money that will be conveyed by the National Fish and Wildlife Federation.

"Making one of the world's richest companies 'do right' by our state has been and continues to be a heavy lift, but one of the most meaningful efforts I have ever worked on," Fisher wrote in the statement.

MDEQ has faced a lawsuit by journalist and consultant Michael Rejebian, who sued the agency after it turned over heavily redacted records relating to how the state has spent more than $4.88 million on legal work relating to the oil spill since late 2010.

Bryant will appoint a new director, who must be confirmed by the state Senate.

Copyright Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Mona Nicholas - Jackson Free Press

Mona Nicholas, the newly appointed deputy director of the USA International Ballet Competition—one of the largest international ballet competitions in the world—,fell in love with dance the first time she saw a performance.

"I loved dancing so much I did it every day of the week," Nicholas said. "I grew up taking dance classes of all types all the way through college, and my mother also found me a dance teacher whose door was open anytime I wanted to dance. I danced in college to help pay for my tuition, I helped my college dance instructor teach other students, and I'm still dancing today."

Nicholas went to St. Aloysius High School in Vicksburg and practiced her craft at Debra Franco Preparatory School of Dance, where owner Debra Franco exposed students to a wide variety of venues by taking them to conventions and dance recitals. Nicholas went on to attend Millsaps College, where she majored in business administration. She remained in Jackson after college and became an account manager at Siemens Healthcare, where she worked for 22 years.

While still working for Siemens, Nicholas became involved with the USA IBC around 2012, when she helped revive and eventually became president of Friends of the USA IBC, a volunteer organization that supports the USA IBC financially and generates interest in the community for ballet through annual events such as membership drives and a fall fundraiser.

"Living in Jackson, I learned about the USA IBC and thought it was a wonderful way to promote the city and Mississippi," Nicholas said. "I helped revive Friends of the USA IBC because I knew I wanted to be involved in the competition any chance I could get."

As deputy executive director, Nicholas currently focuses on learning from Sue Lobrano, who has been executive director of the USA IBC for 34 years. Although she has no exact date planned, Lobrano intends to retire soon and wants Nicholas to take her place. Lobrano brought in Nicholas as executive director to assist in organizing this summer's USA IBC.

Nicholas said the USA IBC takes anywhere between 700 and 800 volunteers to run smoothly, and this year's competition needs more volunteers. The USA IBC is looking for transportation drivers, ushers at performances, and host families for the organization's Adopt-A-Dancer program. Adopt-A-Dancer host families encourage their "adopted" dancer during their time in Jackson and act as a point of contact for the dancer if they have any needs. Most host families bring a welcome basket in the first couple of days of the competition. Organizers also encourage they attend performances, and bring flowers and notes. Other possibilities include inviting the dancer for dinner out or at the family's home, or showing them around Jackson; however, dancers stay on campus at Belhaven University, not with host families. Volunteers can call 601-355-9853 or visit the USA IBC's website.

"I'm very excited about helping out with this year's competition because it means being able to do something I'm passionate about that helps the city and state at the same time," Nicholas said. "The hospitality out-of-country visitors find here in Jackson is one of the things that makes the USA IBC a favorite among dancers. I also love doing this because Jackson has such a great dance scene, with Ballet Magnificat! and the Metropolitan Ballet in addition to the USA IBC, and I want to get the word out about it. There are so many opportunities for people of all ages to study and practice dance right here in our city."

The USA IBC started in 1979 and takes place every four years in Jackson. This year's competition takes place from June 14 to 29 at Thalia Mara Hall, and will feature 95 visitors from 20 countries.

Nicholas and her husband of 21 years, Chris Nicholas, have two daughters who are both dancers: Avery, 14, and Anna Chris, 12.

Investigate the Hayne Cases, Gen. Hood - Jackson Free Press

Reading journalist Radley Balko's May 15 piece on Steven Hayne in The Washington Post reminded me, again, of our broken justice system.

If you're unfamiliar with Hayne, he's the doc who served as the Mississippi's de facto pathologist for some 20 years. By his own admission, Hayne performed 1,500 to 1,800 autopsies a year. Given his oft-discredited court testimony—several times during exonerations of death-row defendants—one would think Hayne might be behind bars instead of the people he testified against.

Balko outlines how Hayne's claims contributed to Christopher Brandon's 2009 conviction for depraved-heart murder. The jury heard only one controversial version of medical evidence in Brandon's trial for the death of his girlfriend's baby. During Hayne's testimony—that the child died of shaken baby syndrome—he cited a Harvard University study that no one has ever found, and gave opinions contrary to the findings of another study. In other words, Hayne, the state's star prosecution expert, seemed to just make sh*t up.

The court declined to provide funds the defense needed to put on dissenting medical experts—who can charge more than $550 an hour. They could have debunked Hayne on the spot. Hearing only the prosecution's experts, the jury returned a guilty verdict. Brandon is serving a life sentence.

Let me be clear: As in the case of Michelle Byrom, I don't know that Brandon is innocent. What seems clear from Balko's story, however, is that Brandon, like Byrom, did not receive a fair trial.

Our state Supreme Court upheld the Brandon conviction in 2013. He was not declared indigent, the justices reasoned, so he wasn't qualified to receive the court's assistance for expert witnesses. Furthermore, they wrote, the court "has consistently found that Dr. Hayne is qualified" as a medical expert.

That same year, the state Supreme Court overturned David Parvin's conviction for murdering his wife, Joyce, and again, Hayne's testimony played a key role. The doctor "fell woefully short of the requirements for admissibility" as a firearms expert, they wrote in the Parvin reversal. The same could be said for the court's reversal of Cory Maye's conviction, where Hayne testified two hands pulled the trigger in the killing of police officer Ron W. Jones in 2001.

The court holds Hayne incompetent in one area but competent in another. In 2008, Mississippi's Department of Public Safety removed Hayne from its list of approved forensic pathologists after Hayne came to national attention. The Mississippi Innocence Project called him "a danger to the public." Hayne sued the project for defamation. The Innocence Project settled the case, but did not recant. The suit was perhaps a nuisance worth making go away—the project has more important work to do.

Beyond putting Hayne out of a lucrative state job, Mississippi has taken no actions to investigate how deeply his "work" might have injured the cause of justice. It has made no effort to find out how many of his thousands of court appearances could have resulted in unfair trials.

Clearly, it would be a big, expensive process. But is it not worthwhile when Hayne's testimony has been central in so many convictions? We don't know how many innocent people might rot in prison because of Hayne's possible propensity for fantasy or even whether the state has executed people as a result.

What we do know is that Mississippi will continue to see the evidence of Hayne's handiwork for years to come. We do know that the Mississippi Supreme Court has dismissed claims of unfair trials because they hold he was "qualified" to provide expert forensic testimony. Attorney General Jim Hood has a duty to ensure that the state's justice system works. He has a personal stake in not wakening the Hayne sleeping dog. As a prosecutor, he often relied on Hayne. Whether he understood that Hayne was a questionable expert then, he must understand it now.

Yet, Hood fought against legislation mandating that counties only hire certified forensic pathologists—which further disqualifies Hayne. Investigating the Hayne cases is not convenient, politically or otherwise. Hood may not want to appear to be defending Hayne, but his inaction speaks volumes.

It's time to end the travesty Hayne perpetrated on the people of Mississippi. It's unacceptable, and we deserve better.

Ronni Mott is a freelance journalist in Jackson. Many credit her breaking stories on the Michelle Byrom recently for helping stop her execution.

Meal Programs Expand Summer Nutrition for Kids - Jackson Free Press

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A federal government-backed nutrition program seeks to provide two million meals to Mississippi schoolchildren this summer.

The program was announced Thursday by Department of Agriculture officials and community leaders.

"USDA's summer meal programs help fill the gap for children who depend on free and reduced-price meals when they are in school," USDA Food and Nutrition Service Administrator Audrey Rowe said in a news release.

The Summer Food Service Program will provide more than 30,000 meals a day in Mississippi—two meals a day per child—over the summer.

That's an increase of 12 percent over the 1.85 million meals—26,916 a day—provided last year at nearly 400 sites.

One-third of Mississippi's children live in homes where access to good, nutritious food on a regular basis is limited, according to the Department of Agriculture.

Meals will be provided at schools, mobile sites, low-income housing units, churches and other locations.

Other launch events are scheduled during June in Jackson, Hattiesburg, Greenwood, Biloxi and Tupelo.

Magnolia Health Plan, a unit of St. Louis-based Centene Corp.; the Public Policy Center of Mississippi; and Mississippi Department of Education's Office of Healthy Schools will sponsor regional events to promote the program.

The Agriculture Department targeted Mississippi and five other states to boost the program in 2014. The other states are Alabama, Illinois, Missouri, Nevada and Texas.

Copyright Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Florida Georgia Line: Hip-Hop Goes Country - Jackson Free Press

It's no secret that the influence of hip-hop—with its rhythmic spoken word vocals, its creative beats and its innovative production styles—is felt in many genres of contemporary music today. Even country music is getting into the act; country act Florida Georgia Line is pushing hip-hop even farther as a new influence.

The duo—Brian Kelley and Tyler Hubbard—fuses hip-hop into several songs on its debut full-length album, "Here's to the Good Times," and it isn't a gimmick.

"We both grew up listening to a lot of rap and hip-hop, and obviously country music, for sure, and rock," Kelley said in a phone interview. "You know, we just don't want to sound like anybody."

Creating a unique sound has been a priority since Kelley and Hubbard formed the duo four years ago after meeting as students at Belmont College in Nashville.

"That's what we've wanted to do from day one is have a sound that when people that haven't heard us say: 'Well, who is that? I need to know. It's not 'Well, they sound like (another band), because that's not going to work,'" Kelley said. "So we wanted to be ahead of the curve and create music that's fresh and create music that's real."

Whatever the duo is doing musically has obviously worked, as Florida Georgia Line is country's breakout act of the past year. But Kelley and Hubbard didn't just step off of the Belmont College campus and into the country-music spotlight.

The two stayed in Nashville, writing songs and playing acoustic duo shows to start before hiring a band. For more than two years, Kelley and Hubbard did a variety of day jobs—from installing bathroom stalls to mowing lawns—to pay the bills.

Slowly, but surely, the group's local audience grew. The duo put out a 2010 debut "Anything Like Me," which included a song, "Black Tears," that Jason Aldean later covered on his latest album, "Night Train." Now, Florida Georgia Line has released three EPs and one full-length album.

"Not much was happening for awhile," Kelley said, looking back on the duo's early struggles. "But you know, I think Tyler and I both knew deep down inside we had something special together that separate we wouldn't be able to do. We're both hard workers, and we said we're going to out-work everybody, and write when people are sleeping, and work when people are sleeping and do whatever it takes to make this thing run."

The album's first single, "Cruise," broke the record for most consecutive weeks at No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart. The group got a second chart-topper out of "Stay," while "Get Your Shine On," "Round Here" and the current single, "This Is How We Roll," have all gone top five on the Hot Country Songs chart.

It's not just radio that is putting Florida Georgia Line on the country music map. In 2012, the duo won two Academy of Country Music Awards: New Artist of the Year and New Vocal Duo or Group of the Year. Last year's accolades include a Academy of Country Music Award for Vocal Duo of the Year, and Country Music Association Awards for Single of the Year and Vocal Duo of the Year. For Kelley, the ACM awards are especially special because of the decision makers.

"The coolest thing about those awards is they are fan voted," Kelley said. "Just the loyalty of our fans and country music fans in general, just people voting day after day. They're committed to what we're doing, and they're committed to our sound. It's a humbling thing to have so many people believing in what Tyler and I are doing, and we owe everything to our fans."

Florida Georgia Line is giving back to fans by continuing to tour, and rocking tracks like "Cruise," "Tip It Back" and "Party People" get crowds fired up.

"We just try to bring the energy," Kelley said. "We're going a lot off of what our fans and what our crowds are doing. It kind of works hand in hand. So we're always running around sweating and trying to create moments that are memorable, create moments that visually look cool and moments that sonically sound good."

The energy of the live show is something the two musicians wanted to capture on "Here's to the Good Times." With the help of producer Joey Moi, Kelley feels he and Hubbard got that—and more—on the album.

"The energy is through the roof on our album, for sure," he said. "Everything's pretty rocking. Even if it's mid-tempo or somewhat of a ballad, it's still rocking, and it still sounds huge."

The This Is How We Roll Summer Series Tour comes to Mississippi May 31. Florida Georgia Line, Nelly and Chris Lane perform at 8 p.m. May 31 at Trustmark Park (1 Braves Way, Pearl). Gates open at 7 p.m. Tickets are $46.60 through Ticketmaster. VIP Packages are $199 and include access to a VIP viewing area, an autographed poster, an invitation to the pre-show VIP party and other goodies. Visit floridageorgialine.com.

Archie Manning - Jackson Free Press

If a Mississippian brings up "Archie," they are without a doubt talking about former Ole Miss and New Orleans Saints great Archie Manning, one of the most recognizable sports figures in Mississippi history.

Born in Drew, Miss., in 1949, Manning was a high school sports star in both football and baseball. Major League Baseball teams drafted him four times: first the Braves in 1967, followed twice by the White Sox and last by the Royals in 1971. But Manning never actually signed with any of those teams.

Instead, Manning decided to play football at the University of Mississippi.

In the first-ever prime-time televised college football game, Manning put on a show against Bear Bryant and the Alabama Crimson Tide, throwing for 436 yards while completing 33 of 52 passing attempts with two touchdowns, and rushing 15 times for 104 yards and three touchdowns. While it might have been the greatest Alabama-Ole Miss game in the history of the series, it was all in all a losing effort for Manning and the Rebels, who fell to the Tide 33-32 that night in 1969.

The New Orleans Saints drafted Manning with the second overall pick in 1971. He went on to play 10 full seasons for New Orleans and had a losing season nine times, finishing .500 just once, in 1979. Manning also made it into two Pro Bowls during his time with the Saints, in 1978 and 1979.

Manning finished his career playing for the Houston Oilers and the Minnesota Vikings. He retired as one of the few players to play more than 10 seasons, and without ever being on a team with a winning record or making the playoffs.

Manning was better known for his heroic efforts behind a leaky offensive line in New Orleans, which led to him taking a beating while trying to lead the Saints to victory. Current Saints fans might think being in the playoffs is a birthright, but older Saints fans know that pulling out a win on Sunday was something special.

On July 25, Manning will become the third person to receive the Rube Award for his lifelong contributions to sports in Mississippi. The Rube Award is named for Michael Rubenstein, the first executive director of the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum and longtime TV sports reporter in Mississippi.

Dave "Boo" Ferriss and Ben Puckett are the other two winners of the Rube Award. Manning will receive his award during the 2014 Hall of Fame induction class that includes Ruthie Bolton, Doug Cunningham, Dulymus "Deuce" McAllister, Steve McNair, Calvin Smith, Richard Williams and Robin Roberts.

Head of Miss. Environmental Agency to Resign - Jackson Free Press

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Trudy Fisher, Mississippi's chief environmental regulator, will resign her post at the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality at the end of the summer.

Fisher, 53, announced the news Wednesday to agency employees in an email obtained by The Associated Press. She said she will "explore options outside state government" after taking a break.

Fisher was appointed by Gov. Haley Barbour in 2007 and held over by Gov. Phil Bryant.

"I want to thank Trudy Fisher for her seven years of service as the executive director of the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality," Bryant said in a statement. "During her time with MDEQ her hard work has been critical to the state after disasters like Hurricane Katrina and leading the recovery from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill."

A former general counsel at MDEQ, the lawyer was working for the Jackson-based Brunini, Grantham, Grower & Hewes law firm when she was named. In a four-page statement posted to MDEQ's website, Fisher said she always intended to go back to private work.

"I have always been adamant that sitting directors should not entertain other professional opportunities and I still believe that," Fisher wrote. "For that reason, I will transition out of this role and hope to complete that transition by late summer."

Fisher and MDEQ have been leading planning efforts on how Mississippi should spend money from BP PLC — the RESTORE ACT funds — arising from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

"Fisher's departure will not affect any planning of the RESTORE Act funds," Bryant spokeswoman Nicole Webb said.

Fisher noted than $83 million in restoration projects for the Mississippi Gulf Coast have been approved, and the state is making plans to spend $356 million in money that will be conveyed by the National Fish and Wildlife Federation.

"Making one of the world's richest companies 'do right' by our state has been and continues to be a heavy lift, but one of the most meaningful efforts I have ever worked on," Fisher wrote in the statement.

MDEQ has faced a lawsuit by journalist and consultant Michael Rejebian, who sued the agency after it turned over heavily redacted records relating to how the state has spent more than $4.88 million on legal work relating to the oil spill since late 2010.

Bryant will appoint a new director, who must be confirmed by the state Senate.

Copyright Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Mona Nicholas - Jackson Free Press

Mona Nicholas, the newly appointed deputy director of the USA International Ballet Competition—one of the largest international ballet competitions in the world—,fell in love with dance the first time she saw a performance.

"I loved dancing so much I did it every day of the week," Nicholas said. "I grew up taking dance classes of all types all the way through college, and my mother also found me a dance teacher whose door was open anytime I wanted to dance. I danced in college to help pay for my tuition, I helped my college dance instructor teach other students, and I'm still dancing today."

Nicholas went to St. Aloysius High School in Vicksburg and practiced her craft at Debra Franco Preparatory School of Dance, where owner Debra Franco exposed students to a wide variety of venues by taking them to conventions and dance recitals. Nicholas went on to attend Millsaps College, where she majored in business administration. She remained in Jackson after college and became an account manager at Siemens Healthcare, where she worked for 22 years.

While still working for Siemens, Nicholas became involved with the USA IBC around 2012, when she helped revive and eventually became president of Friends of the USA IBC, a volunteer organization that supports the USA IBC financially and generates interest in the community for ballet through annual events such as membership drives and a fall fundraiser.

"Living in Jackson, I learned about the USA IBC and thought it was a wonderful way to promote the city and Mississippi," Nicholas said. "I helped revive Friends of the USA IBC because I knew I wanted to be involved in the competition any chance I could get."

As deputy executive director, Nicholas currently focuses on learning from Sue Lobrano, who has been executive director of the USA IBC for 34 years. Although she has no exact date planned, Lobrano intends to retire soon and wants Nicholas to take her place. Lobrano brought in Nicholas as executive director to assist in organizing this summer's USA IBC.

Nicholas said the USA IBC takes anywhere between 700 and 800 volunteers to run smoothly, and this year's competition needs more volunteers. The USA IBC is looking for transportation drivers, ushers at performances, and host families for the organization's Adopt-A-Dancer program. Adopt-A-Dancer host families encourage their "adopted" dancer during their time in Jackson and act as a point of contact for the dancer if they have any needs. Most host families bring a welcome basket in the first couple of days of the competition. Organizers also encourage they attend performances, and bring flowers and notes. Other possibilities include inviting the dancer for dinner out or at the family's home, or showing them around Jackson; however, dancers stay on campus at Belhaven University, not with host families. Volunteers can call 601-355-9853 or visit the USA IBC's website.

"I'm very excited about helping out with this year's competition because it means being able to do something I'm passionate about that helps the city and state at the same time," Nicholas said. "The hospitality out-of-country visitors find here in Jackson is one of the things that makes the USA IBC a favorite among dancers. I also love doing this because Jackson has such a great dance scene, with Ballet Magnificat! and the Metropolitan Ballet in addition to the USA IBC, and I want to get the word out about it. There are so many opportunities for people of all ages to study and practice dance right here in our city."

The USA IBC started in 1979 and takes place every four years in Jackson. This year's competition takes place from June 14 to 29 at Thalia Mara Hall, and will feature 95 visitors from 20 countries.

Nicholas and her husband of 21 years, Chris Nicholas, have two daughters who are both dancers: Avery, 14, and Anna Chris, 12.

Investigate the Hayne Cases, Gen. Hood - Jackson Free Press

Reading journalist Radley Balko's May 15 piece on Steven Hayne in The Washington Post reminded me, again, of our broken justice system.

If you're unfamiliar with Hayne, he's the doc who served as the Mississippi's de facto pathologist for some 20 years. By his own admission, Hayne performed 1,500 to 1,800 autopsies a year. Given his oft-discredited court testimony—several times during exonerations of death-row defendants—one would think Hayne might be behind bars instead of the people he testified against.

Balko outlines how Hayne's claims contributed to Christopher Brandon's 2009 conviction for depraved-heart murder. The jury heard only one controversial version of medical evidence in Brandon's trial for the death of his girlfriend's baby. During Hayne's testimony—that the child died of shaken baby syndrome—he cited a Harvard University study that no one has ever found, and gave opinions contrary to the findings of another study. In other words, Hayne, the state's star prosecution expert, seemed to just make sh*t up.

The court declined to provide funds the defense needed to put on dissenting medical experts—who can charge more than $550 an hour. They could have debunked Hayne on the spot. Hearing only the prosecution's experts, the jury returned a guilty verdict. Brandon is serving a life sentence.

Let me be clear: As in the case of Michelle Byrom, I don't know that Brandon is innocent. What seems clear from Balko's story, however, is that Brandon, like Byrom, did not receive a fair trial.

Our state Supreme Court upheld the Brandon conviction in 2013. He was not declared indigent, the justices reasoned, so he wasn't qualified to receive the court's assistance for expert witnesses. Furthermore, they wrote, the court "has consistently found that Dr. Hayne is qualified" as a medical expert.

That same year, the state Supreme Court overturned David Parvin's conviction for murdering his wife, Joyce, and again, Hayne's testimony played a key role. The doctor "fell woefully short of the requirements for admissibility" as a firearms expert, they wrote in the Parvin reversal. The same could be said for the court's reversal of Cory Maye's conviction, where Hayne testified two hands pulled the trigger in the killing of police officer Ron W. Jones in 2001.

The court holds Hayne incompetent in one area but competent in another. In 2008, Mississippi's Department of Public Safety removed Hayne from its list of approved forensic pathologists after Hayne came to national attention. The Mississippi Innocence Project called him "a danger to the public." Hayne sued the project for defamation. The Innocence Project settled the case, but did not recant. The suit was perhaps a nuisance worth making go away—the project has more important work to do.

Beyond putting Hayne out of a lucrative state job, Mississippi has taken no actions to investigate how deeply his "work" might have injured the cause of justice. It has made no effort to find out how many of his thousands of court appearances could have resulted in unfair trials.

Clearly, it would be a big, expensive process. But is it not worthwhile when Hayne's testimony has been central in so many convictions? We don't know how many innocent people might rot in prison because of Hayne's possible propensity for fantasy or even whether the state has executed people as a result.

What we do know is that Mississippi will continue to see the evidence of Hayne's handiwork for years to come. We do know that the Mississippi Supreme Court has dismissed claims of unfair trials because they hold he was "qualified" to provide expert forensic testimony. Attorney General Jim Hood has a duty to ensure that the state's justice system works. He has a personal stake in not wakening the Hayne sleeping dog. As a prosecutor, he often relied on Hayne. Whether he understood that Hayne was a questionable expert then, he must understand it now.

Yet, Hood fought against legislation mandating that counties only hire certified forensic pathologists—which further disqualifies Hayne. Investigating the Hayne cases is not convenient, politically or otherwise. Hood may not want to appear to be defending Hayne, but his inaction speaks volumes.

It's time to end the travesty Hayne perpetrated on the people of Mississippi. It's unacceptable, and we deserve better.

Ronni Mott is a freelance journalist in Jackson. Many credit her breaking stories on the Michelle Byrom recently for helping stop her execution.

Meal Programs Expand Summer Nutrition for Kids - Jackson Free Press

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A federal government-backed nutrition program seeks to provide two million meals to Mississippi schoolchildren this summer.

The program was announced Thursday by Department of Agriculture officials and community leaders.

"USDA's summer meal programs help fill the gap for children who depend on free and reduced-price meals when they are in school," USDA Food and Nutrition Service Administrator Audrey Rowe said in a news release.

The Summer Food Service Program will provide more than 30,000 meals a day in Mississippi—two meals a day per child—over the summer.

That's an increase of 12 percent over the 1.85 million meals—26,916 a day—provided last year at nearly 400 sites.

One-third of Mississippi's children live in homes where access to good, nutritious food on a regular basis is limited, according to the Department of Agriculture.

Meals will be provided at schools, mobile sites, low-income housing units, churches and other locations.

Other launch events are scheduled during June in Jackson, Hattiesburg, Greenwood, Biloxi and Tupelo.

Magnolia Health Plan, a unit of St. Louis-based Centene Corp.; the Public Policy Center of Mississippi; and Mississippi Department of Education's Office of Healthy Schools will sponsor regional events to promote the program.

The Agriculture Department targeted Mississippi and five other states to boost the program in 2014. The other states are Alabama, Illinois, Missouri, Nevada and Texas.

Copyright Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Florida Georgia Line: Hip-Hop Goes Country - Jackson Free Press

It's no secret that the influence of hip-hop—with its rhythmic spoken word vocals, its creative beats and its innovative production styles—is felt in many genres of contemporary music today. Even country music is getting into the act; country act Florida Georgia Line is pushing hip-hop even farther as a new influence.

The duo—Brian Kelley and Tyler Hubbard—fuses hip-hop into several songs on its debut full-length album, "Here's to the Good Times," and it isn't a gimmick.

"We both grew up listening to a lot of rap and hip-hop, and obviously country music, for sure, and rock," Kelley said in a phone interview. "You know, we just don't want to sound like anybody."

Creating a unique sound has been a priority since Kelley and Hubbard formed the duo four years ago after meeting as students at Belmont College in Nashville.

"That's what we've wanted to do from day one is have a sound that when people that haven't heard us say: 'Well, who is that? I need to know. It's not 'Well, they sound like (another band), because that's not going to work,'" Kelley said. "So we wanted to be ahead of the curve and create music that's fresh and create music that's real."

Whatever the duo is doing musically has obviously worked, as Florida Georgia Line is country's breakout act of the past year. But Kelley and Hubbard didn't just step off of the Belmont College campus and into the country-music spotlight.

The two stayed in Nashville, writing songs and playing acoustic duo shows to start before hiring a band. For more than two years, Kelley and Hubbard did a variety of day jobs—from installing bathroom stalls to mowing lawns—to pay the bills.

Slowly, but surely, the group's local audience grew. The duo put out a 2010 debut "Anything Like Me," which included a song, "Black Tears," that Jason Aldean later covered on his latest album, "Night Train." Now, Florida Georgia Line has released three EPs and one full-length album.

"Not much was happening for awhile," Kelley said, looking back on the duo's early struggles. "But you know, I think Tyler and I both knew deep down inside we had something special together that separate we wouldn't be able to do. We're both hard workers, and we said we're going to out-work everybody, and write when people are sleeping, and work when people are sleeping and do whatever it takes to make this thing run."

The album's first single, "Cruise," broke the record for most consecutive weeks at No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart. The group got a second chart-topper out of "Stay," while "Get Your Shine On," "Round Here" and the current single, "This Is How We Roll," have all gone top five on the Hot Country Songs chart.

It's not just radio that is putting Florida Georgia Line on the country music map. In 2012, the duo won two Academy of Country Music Awards: New Artist of the Year and New Vocal Duo or Group of the Year. Last year's accolades include a Academy of Country Music Award for Vocal Duo of the Year, and Country Music Association Awards for Single of the Year and Vocal Duo of the Year. For Kelley, the ACM awards are especially special because of the decision makers.

"The coolest thing about those awards is they are fan voted," Kelley said. "Just the loyalty of our fans and country music fans in general, just people voting day after day. They're committed to what we're doing, and they're committed to our sound. It's a humbling thing to have so many people believing in what Tyler and I are doing, and we owe everything to our fans."

Florida Georgia Line is giving back to fans by continuing to tour, and rocking tracks like "Cruise," "Tip It Back" and "Party People" get crowds fired up.

"We just try to bring the energy," Kelley said. "We're going a lot off of what our fans and what our crowds are doing. It kind of works hand in hand. So we're always running around sweating and trying to create moments that are memorable, create moments that visually look cool and moments that sonically sound good."

The energy of the live show is something the two musicians wanted to capture on "Here's to the Good Times." With the help of producer Joey Moi, Kelley feels he and Hubbard got that—and more—on the album.

"The energy is through the roof on our album, for sure," he said. "Everything's pretty rocking. Even if it's mid-tempo or somewhat of a ballad, it's still rocking, and it still sounds huge."

The This Is How We Roll Summer Series Tour comes to Mississippi May 31. Florida Georgia Line, Nelly and Chris Lane perform at 8 p.m. May 31 at Trustmark Park (1 Braves Way, Pearl). Gates open at 7 p.m. Tickets are $46.60 through Ticketmaster. VIP Packages are $199 and include access to a VIP viewing area, an autographed poster, an invitation to the pre-show VIP party and other goodies. Visit floridageorgialine.com.

Archie Manning - Jackson Free Press

If a Mississippian brings up "Archie," they are without a doubt talking about former Ole Miss and New Orleans Saints great Archie Manning, one of the most recognizable sports figures in Mississippi history.

Born in Drew, Miss., in 1949, Manning was a high school sports star in both football and baseball. Major League Baseball teams drafted him four times: first the Braves in 1967, followed twice by the White Sox and last by the Royals in 1971. But Manning never actually signed with any of those teams.

Instead, Manning decided to play football at the University of Mississippi.

In the first-ever prime-time televised college football game, Manning put on a show against Bear Bryant and the Alabama Crimson Tide, throwing for 436 yards while completing 33 of 52 passing attempts with two touchdowns, and rushing 15 times for 104 yards and three touchdowns. While it might have been the greatest Alabama-Ole Miss game in the history of the series, it was all in all a losing effort for Manning and the Rebels, who fell to the Tide 33-32 that night in 1969.

The New Orleans Saints drafted Manning with the second overall pick in 1971. He went on to play 10 full seasons for New Orleans and had a losing season nine times, finishing .500 just once, in 1979. Manning also made it into two Pro Bowls during his time with the Saints, in 1978 and 1979.

Manning finished his career playing for the Houston Oilers and the Minnesota Vikings. He retired as one of the few players to play more than 10 seasons, and without ever being on a team with a winning record or making the playoffs.

Manning was better known for his heroic efforts behind a leaky offensive line in New Orleans, which led to him taking a beating while trying to lead the Saints to victory. Current Saints fans might think being in the playoffs is a birthright, but older Saints fans know that pulling out a win on Sunday was something special.

On July 25, Manning will become the third person to receive the Rube Award for his lifelong contributions to sports in Mississippi. The Rube Award is named for Michael Rubenstein, the first executive director of the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum and longtime TV sports reporter in Mississippi.

Dave "Boo" Ferriss and Ben Puckett are the other two winners of the Rube Award. Manning will receive his award during the 2014 Hall of Fame induction class that includes Ruthie Bolton, Doug Cunningham, Dulymus "Deuce" McAllister, Steve McNair, Calvin Smith, Richard Williams and Robin Roberts.

Head of Miss. Environmental Agency to Resign - Jackson Free Press

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Trudy Fisher, Mississippi's chief environmental regulator, will resign her post at the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality at the end of the summer.

Fisher, 53, announced the news Wednesday to agency employees in an email obtained by The Associated Press. She said she will "explore options outside state government" after taking a break.

Fisher was appointed by Gov. Haley Barbour in 2007 and held over by Gov. Phil Bryant.

"I want to thank Trudy Fisher for her seven years of service as the executive director of the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality," Bryant said in a statement. "During her time with MDEQ her hard work has been critical to the state after disasters like Hurricane Katrina and leading the recovery from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill."

A former general counsel at MDEQ, the lawyer was working for the Jackson-based Brunini, Grantham, Grower & Hewes law firm when she was named. In a four-page statement posted to MDEQ's website, Fisher said she always intended to go back to private work.

"I have always been adamant that sitting directors should not entertain other professional opportunities and I still believe that," Fisher wrote. "For that reason, I will transition out of this role and hope to complete that transition by late summer."

Fisher and MDEQ have been leading planning efforts on how Mississippi should spend money from BP PLC — the RESTORE ACT funds — arising from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

"Fisher's departure will not affect any planning of the RESTORE Act funds," Bryant spokeswoman Nicole Webb said.

Fisher noted than $83 million in restoration projects for the Mississippi Gulf Coast have been approved, and the state is making plans to spend $356 million in money that will be conveyed by the National Fish and Wildlife Federation.

"Making one of the world's richest companies 'do right' by our state has been and continues to be a heavy lift, but one of the most meaningful efforts I have ever worked on," Fisher wrote in the statement.

MDEQ has faced a lawsuit by journalist and consultant Michael Rejebian, who sued the agency after it turned over heavily redacted records relating to how the state has spent more than $4.88 million on legal work relating to the oil spill since late 2010.

Bryant will appoint a new director, who must be confirmed by the state Senate.

Copyright Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Mona Nicholas - Jackson Free Press

Mona Nicholas, the newly appointed deputy director of the USA International Ballet Competition—one of the largest international ballet competitions in the world—,fell in love with dance the first time she saw a performance.

"I loved dancing so much I did it every day of the week," Nicholas said. "I grew up taking dance classes of all types all the way through college, and my mother also found me a dance teacher whose door was open anytime I wanted to dance. I danced in college to help pay for my tuition, I helped my college dance instructor teach other students, and I'm still dancing today."

Nicholas went to St. Aloysius High School in Vicksburg and practiced her craft at Debra Franco Preparatory School of Dance, where owner Debra Franco exposed students to a wide variety of venues by taking them to conventions and dance recitals. Nicholas went on to attend Millsaps College, where she majored in business administration. She remained in Jackson after college and became an account manager at Siemens Healthcare, where she worked for 22 years.

While still working for Siemens, Nicholas became involved with the USA IBC around 2012, when she helped revive and eventually became president of Friends of the USA IBC, a volunteer organization that supports the USA IBC financially and generates interest in the community for ballet through annual events such as membership drives and a fall fundraiser.

"Living in Jackson, I learned about the USA IBC and thought it was a wonderful way to promote the city and Mississippi," Nicholas said. "I helped revive Friends of the USA IBC because I knew I wanted to be involved in the competition any chance I could get."

As deputy executive director, Nicholas currently focuses on learning from Sue Lobrano, who has been executive director of the USA IBC for 34 years. Although she has no exact date planned, Lobrano intends to retire soon and wants Nicholas to take her place. Lobrano brought in Nicholas as executive director to assist in organizing this summer's USA IBC.

Nicholas said the USA IBC takes anywhere between 700 and 800 volunteers to run smoothly, and this year's competition needs more volunteers. The USA IBC is looking for transportation drivers, ushers at performances, and host families for the organization's Adopt-A-Dancer program. Adopt-A-Dancer host families encourage their "adopted" dancer during their time in Jackson and act as a point of contact for the dancer if they have any needs. Most host families bring a welcome basket in the first couple of days of the competition. Organizers also encourage they attend performances, and bring flowers and notes. Other possibilities include inviting the dancer for dinner out or at the family's home, or showing them around Jackson; however, dancers stay on campus at Belhaven University, not with host families. Volunteers can call 601-355-9853 or visit the USA IBC's website.

"I'm very excited about helping out with this year's competition because it means being able to do something I'm passionate about that helps the city and state at the same time," Nicholas said. "The hospitality out-of-country visitors find here in Jackson is one of the things that makes the USA IBC a favorite among dancers. I also love doing this because Jackson has such a great dance scene, with Ballet Magnificat! and the Metropolitan Ballet in addition to the USA IBC, and I want to get the word out about it. There are so many opportunities for people of all ages to study and practice dance right here in our city."

The USA IBC started in 1979 and takes place every four years in Jackson. This year's competition takes place from June 14 to 29 at Thalia Mara Hall, and will feature 95 visitors from 20 countries.

Nicholas and her husband of 21 years, Chris Nicholas, have two daughters who are both dancers: Avery, 14, and Anna Chris, 12.

Investigate the Hayne Cases, Gen. Hood - Jackson Free Press

Reading journalist Radley Balko's May 15 piece on Steven Hayne in The Washington Post reminded me, again, of our broken justice system.

If you're unfamiliar with Hayne, he's the doc who served as the Mississippi's de facto pathologist for some 20 years. By his own admission, Hayne performed 1,500 to 1,800 autopsies a year. Given his oft-discredited court testimony—several times during exonerations of death-row defendants—one would think Hayne might be behind bars instead of the people he testified against.

Balko outlines how Hayne's claims contributed to Christopher Brandon's 2009 conviction for depraved-heart murder. The jury heard only one controversial version of medical evidence in Brandon's trial for the death of his girlfriend's baby. During Hayne's testimony—that the child died of shaken baby syndrome—he cited a Harvard University study that no one has ever found, and gave opinions contrary to the findings of another study. In other words, Hayne, the state's star prosecution expert, seemed to just make sh*t up.

The court declined to provide funds the defense needed to put on dissenting medical experts—who can charge more than $550 an hour. They could have debunked Hayne on the spot. Hearing only the prosecution's experts, the jury returned a guilty verdict. Brandon is serving a life sentence.

Let me be clear: As in the case of Michelle Byrom, I don't know that Brandon is innocent. What seems clear from Balko's story, however, is that Brandon, like Byrom, did not receive a fair trial.

Our state Supreme Court upheld the Brandon conviction in 2013. He was not declared indigent, the justices reasoned, so he wasn't qualified to receive the court's assistance for expert witnesses. Furthermore, they wrote, the court "has consistently found that Dr. Hayne is qualified" as a medical expert.

That same year, the state Supreme Court overturned David Parvin's conviction for murdering his wife, Joyce, and again, Hayne's testimony played a key role. The doctor "fell woefully short of the requirements for admissibility" as a firearms expert, they wrote in the Parvin reversal. The same could be said for the court's reversal of Cory Maye's conviction, where Hayne testified two hands pulled the trigger in the killing of police officer Ron W. Jones in 2001.

The court holds Hayne incompetent in one area but competent in another. In 2008, Mississippi's Department of Public Safety removed Hayne from its list of approved forensic pathologists after Hayne came to national attention. The Mississippi Innocence Project called him "a danger to the public." Hayne sued the project for defamation. The Innocence Project settled the case, but did not recant. The suit was perhaps a nuisance worth making go away—the project has more important work to do.

Beyond putting Hayne out of a lucrative state job, Mississippi has taken no actions to investigate how deeply his "work" might have injured the cause of justice. It has made no effort to find out how many of his thousands of court appearances could have resulted in unfair trials.

Clearly, it would be a big, expensive process. But is it not worthwhile when Hayne's testimony has been central in so many convictions? We don't know how many innocent people might rot in prison because of Hayne's possible propensity for fantasy or even whether the state has executed people as a result.

What we do know is that Mississippi will continue to see the evidence of Hayne's handiwork for years to come. We do know that the Mississippi Supreme Court has dismissed claims of unfair trials because they hold he was "qualified" to provide expert forensic testimony. Attorney General Jim Hood has a duty to ensure that the state's justice system works. He has a personal stake in not wakening the Hayne sleeping dog. As a prosecutor, he often relied on Hayne. Whether he understood that Hayne was a questionable expert then, he must understand it now.

Yet, Hood fought against legislation mandating that counties only hire certified forensic pathologists—which further disqualifies Hayne. Investigating the Hayne cases is not convenient, politically or otherwise. Hood may not want to appear to be defending Hayne, but his inaction speaks volumes.

It's time to end the travesty Hayne perpetrated on the people of Mississippi. It's unacceptable, and we deserve better.

Ronni Mott is a freelance journalist in Jackson. Many credit her breaking stories on the Michelle Byrom recently for helping stop her execution.

Meal Programs Expand Summer Nutrition for Kids - Jackson Free Press

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A federal government-backed nutrition program seeks to provide two million meals to Mississippi schoolchildren this summer.

The program was announced Thursday by Department of Agriculture officials and community leaders.

"USDA's summer meal programs help fill the gap for children who depend on free and reduced-price meals when they are in school," USDA Food and Nutrition Service Administrator Audrey Rowe said in a news release.

The Summer Food Service Program will provide more than 30,000 meals a day in Mississippi—two meals a day per child—over the summer.

That's an increase of 12 percent over the 1.85 million meals—26,916 a day—provided last year at nearly 400 sites.

One-third of Mississippi's children live in homes where access to good, nutritious food on a regular basis is limited, according to the Department of Agriculture.

Meals will be provided at schools, mobile sites, low-income housing units, churches and other locations.

Other launch events are scheduled during June in Jackson, Hattiesburg, Greenwood, Biloxi and Tupelo.

Magnolia Health Plan, a unit of St. Louis-based Centene Corp.; the Public Policy Center of Mississippi; and Mississippi Department of Education's Office of Healthy Schools will sponsor regional events to promote the program.

The Agriculture Department targeted Mississippi and five other states to boost the program in 2014. The other states are Alabama, Illinois, Missouri, Nevada and Texas.

Copyright Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Archie Manning - Jackson Free Press

If a Mississippian brings up "Archie," they are without a doubt talking about former Ole Miss and New Orleans Saints great Archie Manning, one of the most recognizable sports figures in Mississippi history.

Born in Drew, Miss., in 1949, Manning was a high school sports star in both football and baseball. Major League Baseball teams drafted him four times: first the Braves in 1967, followed twice by the White Sox and last by the Royals in 1971. But Manning never actually signed with any of those teams.

Instead, Manning decided to play football at the University of Mississippi.

In the first-ever prime-time televised college football game, Manning put on a show against Bear Bryant and the Alabama Crimson Tide, throwing for 436 yards while completing 33 of 52 passing attempts with two touchdowns, and rushing 15 times for 104 yards and three touchdowns. While it might have been the greatest Alabama-Ole Miss game in the history of the series, it was all in all a losing effort for Manning and the Rebels, who fell to the Tide 33-32 that night in 1969.

The New Orleans Saints drafted Manning with the second overall pick in 1971. He went on to play 10 full seasons for New Orleans and had a losing season nine times, finishing .500 just once, in 1979. Manning also made it into two Pro Bowls during his time with the Saints, in 1978 and 1979.

Manning finished his career playing for the Houston Oilers and the Minnesota Vikings. He retired as one of the few players to play more than 10 seasons, and without ever being on a team with a winning record or making the playoffs.

Manning was better known for his heroic efforts behind a leaky offensive line in New Orleans, which led to him taking a beating while trying to lead the Saints to victory. Current Saints fans might think being in the playoffs is a birthright, but older Saints fans know that pulling out a win on Sunday was something special.

On July 25, Manning will become the third person to receive the Rube Award for his lifelong contributions to sports in Mississippi. The Rube Award is named for Michael Rubenstein, the first executive director of the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum and longtime TV sports reporter in Mississippi.

Dave "Boo" Ferriss and Ben Puckett are the other two winners of the Rube Award. Manning will receive his award during the 2014 Hall of Fame induction class that includes Ruthie Bolton, Doug Cunningham, Dulymus "Deuce" McAllister, Steve McNair, Calvin Smith, Richard Williams and Robin Roberts.

Head of Miss. Environmental Agency to Resign - Jackson Free Press

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Trudy Fisher, Mississippi's chief environmental regulator, will resign her post at the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality at the end of the summer.

Fisher, 53, announced the news Wednesday to agency employees in an email obtained by The Associated Press. She said she will "explore options outside state government" after taking a break.

Fisher was appointed by Gov. Haley Barbour in 2007 and held over by Gov. Phil Bryant.

"I want to thank Trudy Fisher for her seven years of service as the executive director of the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality," Bryant said in a statement. "During her time with MDEQ her hard work has been critical to the state after disasters like Hurricane Katrina and leading the recovery from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill."

A former general counsel at MDEQ, the lawyer was working for the Jackson-based Brunini, Grantham, Grower & Hewes law firm when she was named. In a four-page statement posted to MDEQ's website, Fisher said she always intended to go back to private work.

"I have always been adamant that sitting directors should not entertain other professional opportunities and I still believe that," Fisher wrote. "For that reason, I will transition out of this role and hope to complete that transition by late summer."

Fisher and MDEQ have been leading planning efforts on how Mississippi should spend money from BP PLC — the RESTORE ACT funds — arising from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

"Fisher's departure will not affect any planning of the RESTORE Act funds," Bryant spokeswoman Nicole Webb said.

Fisher noted than $83 million in restoration projects for the Mississippi Gulf Coast have been approved, and the state is making plans to spend $356 million in money that will be conveyed by the National Fish and Wildlife Federation.

"Making one of the world's richest companies 'do right' by our state has been and continues to be a heavy lift, but one of the most meaningful efforts I have ever worked on," Fisher wrote in the statement.

MDEQ has faced a lawsuit by journalist and consultant Michael Rejebian, who sued the agency after it turned over heavily redacted records relating to how the state has spent more than $4.88 million on legal work relating to the oil spill since late 2010.

Bryant will appoint a new director, who must be confirmed by the state Senate.

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Mona Nicholas - Jackson Free Press

Mona Nicholas, the newly appointed deputy director of the USA International Ballet Competition—one of the largest international ballet competitions in the world—,fell in love with dance the first time she saw a performance.

"I loved dancing so much I did it every day of the week," Nicholas said. "I grew up taking dance classes of all types all the way through college, and my mother also found me a dance teacher whose door was open anytime I wanted to dance. I danced in college to help pay for my tuition, I helped my college dance instructor teach other students, and I'm still dancing today."

Nicholas went to St. Aloysius High School in Vicksburg and practiced her craft at Debra Franco Preparatory School of Dance, where owner Debra Franco exposed students to a wide variety of venues by taking them to conventions and dance recitals. Nicholas went on to attend Millsaps College, where she majored in business administration. She remained in Jackson after college and became an account manager at Siemens Healthcare, where she worked for 22 years.

While still working for Siemens, Nicholas became involved with the USA IBC around 2012, when she helped revive and eventually became president of Friends of the USA IBC, a volunteer organization that supports the USA IBC financially and generates interest in the community for ballet through annual events such as membership drives and a fall fundraiser.

"Living in Jackson, I learned about the USA IBC and thought it was a wonderful way to promote the city and Mississippi," Nicholas said. "I helped revive Friends of the USA IBC because I knew I wanted to be involved in the competition any chance I could get."

As deputy executive director, Nicholas currently focuses on learning from Sue Lobrano, who has been executive director of the USA IBC for 34 years. Although she has no exact date planned, Lobrano intends to retire soon and wants Nicholas to take her place. Lobrano brought in Nicholas as executive director to assist in organizing this summer's USA IBC.

Nicholas said the USA IBC takes anywhere between 700 and 800 volunteers to run smoothly, and this year's competition needs more volunteers. The USA IBC is looking for transportation drivers, ushers at performances, and host families for the organization's Adopt-A-Dancer program. Adopt-A-Dancer host families encourage their "adopted" dancer during their time in Jackson and act as a point of contact for the dancer if they have any needs. Most host families bring a welcome basket in the first couple of days of the competition. Organizers also encourage they attend performances, and bring flowers and notes. Other possibilities include inviting the dancer for dinner out or at the family's home, or showing them around Jackson; however, dancers stay on campus at Belhaven University, not with host families. Volunteers can call 601-355-9853 or visit the USA IBC's website.

"I'm very excited about helping out with this year's competition because it means being able to do something I'm passionate about that helps the city and state at the same time," Nicholas said. "The hospitality out-of-country visitors find here in Jackson is one of the things that makes the USA IBC a favorite among dancers. I also love doing this because Jackson has such a great dance scene, with Ballet Magnificat! and the Metropolitan Ballet in addition to the USA IBC, and I want to get the word out about it. There are so many opportunities for people of all ages to study and practice dance right here in our city."

The USA IBC started in 1979 and takes place every four years in Jackson. This year's competition takes place from June 14 to 29 at Thalia Mara Hall, and will feature 95 visitors from 20 countries.

Nicholas and her husband of 21 years, Chris Nicholas, have two daughters who are both dancers: Avery, 14, and Anna Chris, 12.