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Posted Nov 2, 2024, 12:46 AM
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Registered User
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Join Date: May 2023
Location: JXN Mississippi
Posts: 1,276
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Completed Project: JACKSON ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY AMPHITHEATER
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After a competitive bid, DCS was awarded the contract for the construction of the Amphitheater at Mississippi’s premier Zoo. The project consisted of converting the former hippo pond into a child-friendly amphitheater. DCS is proud to be able to work with the Jackson Zoo as it continues to implement its master plan.
https://dcscorp.net/portfolio/jackso...-amphitheater/
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Jackson State University opens this HBCU-founded pizza restaurant location. What to know
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The Jackson State University community will soon be able to enjoy artisan pizza, TikTok-famous cinnamon rolls, wings and more as Slim + Husky's Pizza opens just in time to celebrate the university's homecoming.
Slim + Husky's will hold a grand opening for its new JSU location at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 31. After a ribbon cutting, guests can enjoy live music and prize giveaways.
The restaurant, an HBCU-founded pizza stop, has Southern roots. Tennessee State University alums Clint Gray, Emanual Reed and Derrick Moore opened the first Slim + Husky's Pizza in 2017 in Nashville.
In the seven years since its conception, Slim + Husky's Pizza has grown to include a total of 11 locations throughout Tennessee, Georgia and now, Mississippi.
The new location will sit in the Legacy, a dining hall inside the JSU Student Center, and will provide its signature atmosphere blending urban vibes and hip-hop music with a casual dining experience.
Customers can expect a full menu with signature artisan pizzas, salads, stuffed cheesy bread and cinnamon rolls. The restaurant also plans to add chicken wings to the JSU location for the spring 2025 semester. Wing options will include signature flavors like Lemon Pepper Steppers, Salt N' Peppas and Triple Sauce Mafia.
The JSU Slim + Husky's location opens just in time for the university's 2024 homecoming celebration week which ends on Nov. 2 when the JSU Tigers face the Arkansas Pine Bluff Golden Lions during the 2 p.m. game.
More on JSU's homecoming:JSU homecoming parade moves back to campus this year. See homecoming schedule here
In a press release announcing the new location, Gray, one of the restaurant's founders, said the trio is beyond excited to bring their business to the Jackson university. Slim + Husky's has one other HBCU location at Morehouse College in Atlanta.
"JSU holds a special place in the community, and we look forward to serving its students and creating a space that blends great food with culture, innovation and a strong sense of belonging," Gray said. "We have a deep appreciation for HBCU's and are proud to be a part of this historic campus. After our success at Morehouse College, this expansion will further strengthen our connection to Historically Black Colleges and Universities."
In the same release, Kamesha Hill, director of JSU Auxiliary Enterprises, said the grand opening marks a milestone for the campus' growing dining scene. A few months ago, the Legacy welcomed another new restaurant, AC Barbeque.
"We are excited to bring a fresh, community-centered dining option that not only celebrates the culture but also connects our students with the legacy of an HBCU-founded brand," Hill said. "This partnership with Slim + Husky's represents our commitment to offering dynamic student-life experiences with innovative spaces that feel like home."
https://www.clarionledger.com/story/...a/75919745007/
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See the state's argument for why Jackson should return Smith-Wills Stadium
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The second round of the battle for Smith-Wills Stadium is underway.
In a counterclaim filed on Oct. 25, Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch asked Hinds County Chancery Court Judge J. Dewayne Thomas to side with the state's argument that the property Smith-Wills Stadium is located on is not being used for recreational purposes. The 1944 deed of the property has a reverter clause that states the land shall be returned to the state if it weren't being used for those purposes.
In a letter sent to Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba on Sept. 13, Fitch said the city has violated the reverter clause and demanded return of the property. Lumumba, in response, vowed the city "will certainly defend our interests."
Fitch's most recent filing doubles down on that argument. She argues the city has violated the reverter clause by allowing a cigar shop to operate - Churchill's Smoke Shoppe - "as recently as May 2024," according to court documents. The cigar shop closed over the summer after 10 years in business.
Further, Fitch argues Kusche Sports Group's subleasing contract with G.V. Montgomery Veterans Affair Medical Center is more evidence of the city's violations. Kusche Sports Group, who manages Smith-Wills for the city and is headed by Tim Bennett, provides 234 parking spots at the stadium and shuttle services for the VA. That contract brings in just under $359,000 per year for five years.
Bennett previously told the Clarion Ledger the VA contract was to provide funds for needed improvements to Smith-Wills. He said his group spent millions on equipment and renovating the stadium over the past couple years, along with allowing Jackson Public Schools and universities such as Belhaven to play their baseball games for free at the stadium.
Regardless, Fitch disagrees.
"By permitting the two non-park uses…the City has failed to ensure that the Subject Property “shall only be used by the City of Jackson for park purposes and purposes incident thereto” as required by the condition imposed in the Reverter Clause contained in the 1944 Deed...," Fitch's filing states.
The AG's counterclaim follows the City of Jackson's initial suit filed in late September. Jackson attorneys argue the property is being used and has always been used for recreational purposes. The city cited that not only Smith-Wills, but Jamie Fowler Boyll Park and the Michael D. Johnson Memorial Baseball Field are all located on the 313-acre property.
Smith-Wills is also used for other civic events such as fireworks in July.
All of this came to blows due to a small, controversial provision added to House Bill 1983 that was passed this summer by Gov. Tate Reeves. At first glance, HB 1983 is a general obligation bond bill the Mississippi Legislature passes every year. A closer look at HB 1983 reveals a significant provision added on May 3 by Rep. Trey Lamar, R-Senatobia, who didn't disclose the exact details of the added provision to other lawmakers before the bill's passage.
That provision states the city has broken the reverter clause agreement and now designates the AG's office to facilitate the transfer of the deed from Jackson back to the state. Fitch is working under the direction of the HB 1983 provision.
In 1944, then Jackson Mayor Walter Scott paid the state $50,000 for the land. The Clarion Ledger reported the sale in May 1944, with the headline "313 Acres of Land For Proposed Park Deeded This City." In today's dollars, Jackson paid more than $890,000.
https://www.clarionledger.com/story/...t/75918278007/
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Jackson Zoo gets clean bill of health in latest USDA inspection report
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JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - The Jackson Zoological Park recently got a clean bill of health from USDA inspectors.
A September 2024 inspection of the park revealed no non-compliant items. It is the second time the zoo has gotten a clean report from the agency this year.
Jackson Director of Communications Melissa Faith Payne said she had not seen the report and could not comment.
The USDA conducts regular inspections of the park - a requirement for the city to maintain an exhibitor’s permit, which is needed to exhibit animals.
The city has been cited in the past for conditions at the park. In April, five non-compliant issues were found, with inspectors finding that the park’s walk-in cooler was not working, and a male klipspringer had been killed by an adult zebra.
The zebra had been moved out of the exhibit featuring the klipspringer after displaying signs of aggression but was re-introduced days later, the report stated.
The latest report, however, is more positive news for the historic West Jackson park.
Last week, for instance, the city had what Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba called a “successful event,” with Boo at the Zoo.
“There were so many vehicles trying to arrive at Boo at the Zoo that we had to call JPD out in order to help navigate some of the traffic,” he said at his Monday press conference. “That’s one of those welcomed problems that we haven’t seen in quite some time.”
Lumumba did not have attendance or revenues from the event on Monday but said it was the first major event held there since the park installed new credit card readers.
Those figures also had not been made available by Wednesday morning.
As for the credit card readers, the devices were put in place in early October.
In August, Director of Parks and Recreation Dr. Abram Muhammad said the devices were key to helping boost attendance and revenue at the park, saying staffers turned away hundreds of customers this summer because they couldn’t accept credit cards at the gate.
“In the month of May, we had to turn away 423 potential patrons,” Muhammad said. “That equates to $5,000 to $7,300 of revenue we missed out on just that month... In the month of June, we missed out on a potential $6,800 and in the month of July, we missed out on a potential $11,000.”
Typically, summer months are some of the busiest for the zoo. It’s not known how much has been made since the card readers have been put in.
https://www.wlbt.com/2024/10/30/jack...ection-report/
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Only Topgolf in the state nearing completion
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RIDGELAND, Miss. (WLBT) - Golfers, get your swings and your clubs ready!
Many that we spoke with are brushing up on their golfing skills, so they’ll be on point when it’s time to tee off.
“I’m really excited. I can’t wait. It was exciting to me to find out that they were going to come here,” said Ridgeland Mayor Gene McGee.
City officials are also excited about the new attraction becoming an economic booster in the area.
“It will definitely be a fun area to hang out with friends and definitely more jobs for sure,” said McGee.
Crews were out in full force putting the final touches on the state-of-the-art facility. The new venue is located on I-55 and Colony Park Boulevard.
Poles are now in place for protective netting and the exterior of the building is pretty much completed along with signage.
McGee says the venue is expected to draw in thousands of people, as well as revenue for the city and the state.
He says Topgolf is expected to employ more than 200 people.
“First of all, it’s going to increase tourism. When people come to participate in Topgolf, which they are going to do because it’s a very popular venue in America, they’ll come here and there will be people eating in our restaurants, and they will be shopping in our shopping centers, and they will be spending nights in our hotels,” said McGee.
Other developments McGee says will be built near the venue include a new hotel, grocery store and residential spaces.
“That shows that Ridgeland is a place of progress and people want to be here. We have some of the lowest taxes in Mississippi, yet our services are top-notch, which is what we need,” said McGee.
The venue is set to officially open in December.
https://www.wlbt.com/2024/10/30/only...ng-completion/
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Woodrow Wilson Project in Jackson
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The city of Jackson took a step toward the resurfacing of Woodrow Wilson Avenue from Mill Street to I-55, a project that has been discussed for seven years. The Jackson City Council authorized Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba on Oct. 22 to execute a memorandum of understanding with the Mississippi Transportation Commission about the project. The memorandum of…
https://www.northsidesun.com/woodrow-wilson-project-0
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Thalia Mara Hall Updates – Week 7
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10/21: Project Kick-off Meeting – The teams from the city, Guarantee Restoration, and CTEH met to prepare for deployment. Schedules and plans were coordinated, and start date was set for the for the following Wednesday.
10/23: Remediation Project Start!
Next Steps:
Awaiting return of full rigging inspection report, preliminary analysis is positive.
Previous Updates:
https://www.jacksonms.gov/thalia-mar...pdates-week-7/
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Plan to bring pro soccer to Mississippi stalls
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JACKSON, Miss. —
The Hank Aaron Sports Academy has announced it is suspending efforts to bring professional soccer to Mississippi for 2025.
The organization has been working since 2019 to bring the sport to the Magnolia State through a partnership with the National Independent Soccer Association. However, with the ongoing legal battles with the state’s request for the city of Jackson to relinquish its deed to Smith-Wills Stadium, the Hank Aaron Sports Academy is delaying plans until 2026.
According to Tim Bennett, CEO of the academy, the stadium needed some improvements, but he wanted to bring the sport to benefit the youth.
“We were bringing kids over from South America that would have been participating in the soccer organization, as well as baseball,” Bennett said. “This is somewhat of a major setback. It’s hard to fix something that isn’t broken, and if it is broken, we just need to know what it is so we can either get a resolution or figure out what’s next.”
In a statement from Joshua Prutch, Executive Vice President of expansion for the National Independent Soccer Association, "It is disappointing that after the efforts of Tim Bennett and his team that this will not come together for the city of Jackson in 2025. After working with Tim over the past five years, we at NISA believe that Tim is the right person to lead this project as proven by the Hank Aaron academy and other community-enhancing initiatives. We are still very energized to partner with him in bringing community-focused professional soccer to Jackson."
According to Bennett, well over 7 figures was invested into the stadium.
"I haven't asked either the city, the county or the state for any dollars. I've either made my own investments or I had other investors work that have worked with me to get this facility up and going to where it is not at least playable for professional sports organizations such as NISA." said Bennett.
Bennett also said he is excited to have the Mississippi Mud Monsters in Pearl and he hopes to get the same political support that they have in the future.
https://www.wapt.com/article/plans-t...talls/62766136
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Ice skating rink coming to Brandon
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BRANDON, Miss. —
Brandon on Ice, a large ice skating rink, will open later this month in Brandon.
The Exchange Club of Brandon announced that the rink will be open to the public from Saturday, Nov. 23, through Jan. 11. It will be open Tuesday through Saturday each week and open to private groups on Sundays and Mondays.
The ice rink will have a synthetic surface that will look and feel like ice.
There will be entertainment, activities, concessions and a fun zone many nights. A Christmas market is also planned for the weekend of Dec. 6-8. Live concerts are also planned.
“We can’t wait to bring Brandon on Ice to the community. Our club is looking forward to all the happy faces at the rink, while enjoying ice skating and all the other activities and fun that we’ll have,” said Mike Mann, President of the Exchange Club of Brandon MS. “We hope this is a great community event that we can host for years to come.”
The grand opening for Brandon On Ice is scheduled for 4 p.m. on Nov. 23, at 217 Woodgate Drive. The kickoff will feature a live concert from Burnham Road.
Entry to the park will be free most days and nights, and tickets for skate rental and use of the rink will range from $8.50 for children to less than $20 for adults. Online tickets go on sale Nov. 15.
https://www.wapt.com/article/ice-ska...n-ice/62788334
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Clinton working on upgrades to local parks
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CLINTON, Miss. (WJTV) – Officials with the City of Clinton are working to make improvements to the city’s parks.
In July 2022, residents approved a 2% increase in the restaurant tax to fund enhancements to city parks and community spaces.
According to the city, Parks and Recreation Director Courtney Nunn gathered feedback from local organizations and residents to guide priority improvements. During a September Board Meeting, the Board of Aldermen accepted the top bid for phase one of these projects, funded by the tax revenue.
Officials said phase one will bring several upgrades, including a new pickleball court, concessions, restrooms, and a pavilion at Kids Towne Park; renovated restrooms at Traceway Park’s baseball field 10 and softball fields 5 and 6; and updated, inclusive playground equipment at Brighton Park.
When additional funding becomes available, leaders said future improvements will address other projects, including a remodel of the Traceway softball fourplex and added restrooms and concessions at soccer field 5.
The pickleball courts at Kids Towne Park are undergoing renovations.
https://www.wjtv.com/news/local-news...o-local-parks/
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Crews work to level part of the Natchez Trace Parkway
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NATCHEZ, Miss. (WJTV) – There will be road work on the Natchez Trace Parkway in the Jackson-metro area.
The work will take place near mile post 88 to mile post 100 to level the sections of the pavement where soil movement has created driving hazards.
According to officials, the work will be done under a single lane closure with flagmen for traffic control.
The work will begin the week of July 15 and last until August 5.
https://www.wjtv.com/news/local-news...trace-parkway/
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Completed Project: Home2 Suites by Hilton Jackson Pearl
Completed Project: Fairfield Inn | Clinton, MS
Last edited by vetteking; Nov 2, 2024 at 1:03 AM.
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