Othor Cain’s Blog

Well another day of news about the Jackson Police Department….

According to those close to the situation…Officer Christopher Barnhart was on duty with the traffic division (JPD)to escort/patrol and or secure the arrival of our as nation’s First Lady Michelle Obama. Obama in town to promote her Let’s Move Campaign last week made two stops, one at Pecan Park Elementary School and Brinkley Middle School (I went to Brinkley…shameless plug).

Barnhart was posted up some where on the interstate awaiting her arrival and decided to post on his Facebook page.
When prompted by another poster to wave at Mrs. Obama, Barnhart replied with one finger or five? Wow…what an idiot?
The Facebook exchange continued with Barnhart ultimately calling Obama a BITCH!
Barnhart has since been removed from the traffic division to the dog pound but some of his colleagues says the chief should do more. According to some that work with him he is a known racist and this isn’t the first public outburst.
Another source shared that he hoped they wrote him up properly based on general orders that gives instructions to reading materials while on duty and being alert to your situation/environment at all times.

What are your thoughts…..

On another note….this blogger has been informed that Ron Sampson has received his letter of intent to be fired. We are investigating to see whether or not Sampson made a trip to a liquor store while on duty….or if he was off duty and just simply in his uniform?

We will keep you posted!

Also heard richard MaGahee has received his letter.

Here we go again…
I know by now you have heard about/talked about or even watched the video about JPD Officer Lateef Skinner.

What in the hell was he thinking? I certainly understand enforcing school safety zones…but give me a break…his efforts are tossed out the window based on his behavior!

Rude..obnoxious…out of control..self absorbed..abuse of power and dumb!

Is this another reason the council should consider a citizen’s review panel for JPD?
Is JPD more concerned with numbers (quantity) rather than service(quality)?

I’m told this guy has a history of rude behavior that is not indicative of JPD’s standards.

JPD is going down hill fast as it relates to respect….please don’t get it twisted..yes there are more good officers than bad ones…but the level of respect that citizens have with JPD is dwindling fast.

Leadership of JPD at this point should be questioned….I have so many questions for the chief….I’m still waiting on a rescheduled lunch date…we’ve got to get to the bottom of what is happening…..
This will be the focus of our show on Sunday, Feb. 28.. at 3pm on WRBJ
Join the discussion ….

read and watch video here:

http://www.wapt.com/news/22648952/detail.html

Ok…so I was reading Sunday’s Clarion Ledger and I read where some folk are calling on Mayor Johnson to name another black person to the JPS board of trustees.
Just because they are black and based on what I read those folk that want him to do that say..the city is 72% black…..JPS is 92% black…and having two white people on the board they say makes it 40% white.

Well I have a problem with this train of thought…..

But first here is what we know:

Mayor Johnson nominated and the city council confirmed

Mrs. Nolan (black)
Dr. Schimmel (white)

Mayor Johnson renominated Jonathan Larkin…but according to the CL report has not brought him before the council because he may not have the support. According to the CL Councilmen Frank Bluntson and Jeff Weill (surprisingly) agrees with the mayor along with Councilwoman Margaret B. Simon.

Those in opposition and want to the mayor to name someone black are Councilmen Lumumba, Stokes and Tillman.

Councilman Tony Yarber is the principal at Marshall Elementary School and would not vote during this process.

Ok, so we know that the school board is made up of five people. We know Mayor Johnson has implemented a very good rotating system for members to serve. We know there are folk serving expired terms.

Here are my questions:
1) What’s wrong with having two white people on the JPS board?
2) How would that affect the way the district is ran?
3) Aren’t there black members on the school board that shouldn’t be there?

In my opinion, I think the mayor has a right to name anyone to any board he so chooses.

I think some of the black members on the board now are useless and ineffective…and serving their own interests.

I think anyone that serves should do so with the best interest of the students of JPS at heart.

Right now there are those on the board who are trying to micromanage Dr. Edwards. They are meeting for hours and hours and accomplishing nothing…..some are just trying to build their resumes…..

If anything should happen in my opinion they should name seven members to the board one to represent each ward..perhaps it’s time to look at electing school board members for Jackson and cut out some of this political corruption.

Will the members of the board stand up and represent the children of our district?

Now that there is a new administration in city hall…all of a sudden Kenneth I. Stokes is having his weekly weekend press conferences.

Where did he disappear for the last four years?
Why every Saturday or Sunday now?
Wasn’t he extremely quiet during the Melton administration? He never raised his voice about one single issue?

Georgetown “where you at?”

Someone asked me to pose this question….Do we need a citizens review board for JPD? Perhaps to monitor what is happening within the department to officers? Monitor hiring and firing process?

What are your thoughts?

At the Hinds County SO? I was watching WJTV and it appears she alledgedly hit a lady and gave het a black eye at the night club Couples over the weekend….

Apparently she had a history of this….it’s a story I’m following! Any leads?

Because of the water situation and because of my involvement with this HBCU stuff, the chief and I haven’t connected!

I’m going to reach out this week to schedule a lunch meeting with her and a time she can be on the show live….I know you have a ton of questions…. But you’ve got to be respectful!!!!

Working to set it up this week! I have noted all of your previous comments!

I was so busy with this HBCU stuff that I didn’t address this problem….

I want to give big thank you’d to Thelman Boyd and all of the city employees in the Public Works Department that worked around the clock to help restore our water and get us thru this!

I for one was very impressed with Mayor Johnson’s leadership during this period…I said the other day, God gives us who and what we need at the right time and for this season, Mayor Johnson has been a God-send!

Thanks to all of our neighboring cities and towns for pitching on!!!

And to those idiots that tried to take advantage of our situation by marketing your resturants and products off of us and blaming our leadership—- you will not prosper!!! You will suffer, you will go down!!!

To those idiots that are trying to blame Mayor Johnson for this problem, wake up and smell the coffee! How dumb????

On MLK Day, supporters, alumni, family and friends took to the streets!
A very peaceful non-violent march from the fairgrounds to the south steps of the Capitol!
Under beautiful sunny skies hundreds of supporters gathered to voice concern over a proposed merger of Alcorn and Mississippi Valley State Universities into Jackson State University.

This proposed merger was suggested by Governor Haley Barbour…allbeit, the governor isn’t that smart and didn’t just wake up the morning of Nov. 16 with this on his mind. Seeds were planted by politicans and college presidents!

As you know education has always Bern and continues to be the very fabric that lifts our people from poverty. I dare the governor suggests balancing the states budget on the backs of those with so little—minorities and women!

We say no to any idea of a merger. We believe the real issue here is funding! And, we demand adequate and equal finding now.
We want those people responsible for shaping the budget and approving the budget to consider our HBCU’s as equall partners!!

On the first day of this legislative session our elected officials approved $35 million dollars as an incentive for a new plant!! My question is where will you get an educated trainable work force since you suggest making access to higher education difficult?

Senator Doug Davis introduced a bill yesterday aligning himself with the governor!
This is war….we will not sit back and just let this happen.

A group known as the HBCU Alluance is working hard to stop any of this nonsense! We need you and your support!

Please join us in our efforts!

Forgive any typos posting this from my iPhone!

Saw this last night on the local news….don’t really have details, what are your thoughts?