Stories related to: Mississippi

In Surprising Turn, Scruggs Pleads Guilty

Clarion-Ledger  |  Mar 14, 08 1:45 PM CDT

(Newser) - Dickie Scruggs, one of the nation's top class-action attorneys, entered a surprise guilty plea today in Jackson, Miss., to charges of conspiracy to bribe a judge, the Clarion-Ledger reports. Federal prosecutors said they would recommend 5 years in prison for Scruggs, who also faces a $250,000 fine. He pleaded guilty to attempting to pay a judge $40,000 to gain a favorable ruling. More »

Obama Goes Into Miss. as Favorite

Clarion-Ledger  |  Mar 11, 08 6:19 AM CDT

(Newser) - Barack Obama heads into today's Mississippi primary as the favorite in the last vote before Pennsylvania's on April 22. Mississippi has the largest percentage of African-American voters in the country—about half of the Democratic electorate is black—and the Obama campaign is expected to to add the state to its list of Southern successes, reports US News & World Report . More »

Superdelegates Waiting to Pick Sides

Washington Post  |  Mar 9, 08 10:58 AM CDT

(Newser) - Hillary Clinton lost Wyoming yesterday, but today the Washington Post has some welcome news for the Democratic underdog: Many superdelegates say they’ll wait until the end of the primaries to chose a candidate. “You’re going to see a lot of delegates remaining uncommitted,” said one neutral Democratic congressman. “There’s a sense that this is going to Denver not resolved.” More »

Ex-Gov. Helps Obama Sling Mississippi Mud

CNN  |  Mar 7, 08 4:10 PM CST

(Newser) - A Barack Obama radio ad airing in Mississippi ahead of Tuesday’s primary features the ex-governor arguing that Hillary Clinton looks down on the state, CNN reports. Entitled “Respect,” the ad refers to remarks Clinton made about a lack of elected female officials in Iowa, when she said, “How can Iowa be ranked with Mississippi? That’s not the quality.” More »

Tiny Monkey Fossil Spurs Scientific Flap

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette  |  Mar 4, 08 1:10 PM CST

(Newser) - A diminutive fossil recently found in Mississippi is the oldest primate discovered in North America, and its exact age is raising questions about the timing of prehistoric animal migrations, reports the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The existence of the tiny, tarsier-like creature, which could fit in the palm of a human hand, suggests that the primates migrated to North America across the Bering land bridge. More »

Giant, Diverse Texas Presents a Primary Riddle

New York Times  |  Feb 26, 08 2:40 PM CST

(Newser) - Trying to win a primary in Texas is “like running a national campaign,” a veteran strategist says one week before the pivotal vote. With its enormous size and diversity, its multitude of media markets, and a voting system so complicated it’s been nicknamed the Texas two-step, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have been campaigning at a breakneck pace, the New York Times reports. More »

Turning Red States Blue a Tall Order for Obama

Washington Post  |  Feb 24, 08 10:31 AM CST

(Newser) - Barack Obama's sweep of red state primaries has won converts to Obama's claim that he can redraw the political map in November and take states that Democrats have long written off as hopelessly red. Not so fast, warns the Washington Post— Dem primary voters do not reflect the general election demographic in such red zones as Kansas, Nebraska, and Idaho. More »

Tornado Survivors Recall Horror

Associated Press  |  Feb 6, 08 8:00 PM CST

(Newser) - As FEMA teams mobilized rescue efforts in the Southern states ravaged by yesterday's tornadoes, survivors combed through the wreckage today, sharing survival stories and clutching their faith. “It looks like the Lord took a Brillo pad and scrubbed the ground,” said Tennessee’s governor. The twisters, possibly spawned by a cooling of the tropical Pacific Ocean, claimed 54 lives—the deadliest storm system in 23 years, AP reports. More »

Deep Freeze Settles in South

Associated Press  |  Jan 19, 08 7:55 PM CST

(Newser) - Snow and rain fell on surprised Southerners today, slickening roads and forcing airlines to cancel hundreds of flights, the AP reports. Some Mississippians saw snow for the first time in 6 years as 5 inches fell in Alabama and experts warned drivers in Georgia to watch for icy roads. Freezing temperatures also hit parts of Louisiana, including New Orleans, which set in motion its freeze plan to shelter the homeless. More »

Wicker Will Step Into Lott's Shoes

Clarion-Ledger  |  Jan 1, 08 4:00 AM CST

(Newser) - Mississippi's governor has chosen Rep. Roger Wicker, a conservative Republican, to take Trent Lott's vacant seat in the US Senate until a special election can be called, the Jackson Clarion-Ledger reports. After 35 years, Lott quit this month, a year into his 6-year term. The timing of the special election is causing some friction in the state. More »

Katrina Spreads Cajun Cookin'

Associated Press  |  Dec 24, 07 12:14 PM CST

(Newser) - Until recently many residents of Monett, Mo., couldn’t even pronounce muffaletta. “They’d say, ‘I want that big sandwich with the big name,’” says chef Darren Indovina. Thanks to the Gulf's post-Katrina diaspora, small towns like Monett are getting their first taste of real Cajun cooking, the AP reports. Displaced chefs have opened restaurants in locales from Nevada to West Virginia. More »

Fallen Marine's Dog Heading Ho