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Good evening, Mississippi editors.
The news editor is Brian Schwaner (1-504-523-3931). The AP photographer is Rogelio Solis. If you have contributions for or questions about the Mississippi report, call 1-601-948-5897. To report technical problems: 1-800-469-1362. AP stories, along with the photos that accompany them, can also be obtained from http://www.apexchange.com. Reruns are also available from the Service Desk (877-836-9477).
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
XGR-UNION ORGANIZING
JACKSON, Miss. — Republican Gov. Phil Bryant on Wednesday signed three bills to limit union activities in Mississippi, saying he hopes they strengthen the state's reputation as a place where organized labor has little influence. "Just to be blunt about it: We just don't want unions involved in our businesses or our public sector," Bryant told reporters after he signed the bills, which become law July 1. Mississippi AFL-CIO president Robert Shaffer said in March that the bills will hurt low-wage workers. By Emily Wagster Pettus. SENT: 420 words.
THREE KILLED
NETTLETON, Miss. — Three people are dead after a shooting in Nettleton. Authorities say the shooting stemmed from a domestic dispute that apparently started at United Furniture's manufacturing plant. Lee County Sheriff Jim Johnson says four people were in a sports utility vehicle leaving the plant Wednesday. About 300 yards away, Johnson says one of the people in the SUV shot two of the vehicle's other passengers. Upcoming: 400 words by 8 p.m.
OTHER TOP STORIES
CRAWFORD-RAPE CONVICTION
JACKSON, Miss. — The Mississippi Supreme Court has set out a timetable for attorneys for a death row inmate to file briefs by late May supporting his appeal of a 1994 rape conviction. In refusing to set an execution date for Charles Ray Crawford in March, the Supreme Court said it would resolve the appeal of prior rape conviction first. By Jack Elliott Jr. SENT: 380 words.
HURRICANE CONFERENCE
ORLANDO — Emergency managers, forecasters and local government officials from Texas to Maine are meeting this week at the National Hurricane Conference in Orlando. The six-month Atlantic hurricane season starts June 1. This year, the hurricane center is trying new color-coded maps to clarify the dangers of storm surge for coastal residents. d and how high it would rise. The graphics will be posted online and will show how far from the beach the water would spread and how high it would rise. Separate storm surge warnings, similar to current tropical storm or hurricane warnings, will be rolled out in 2015. It's all part of an ongoing effort to improve how the hurricane center describes storm hazards. By Jennifer Kay. SENT: 390 words.
BUSINESS
EARNS-HANCOCK
JACKSON, Miss. — Regional banking company Hancock Holding Corp. is expected to report quarterly earnings after the close of U.S. financial markets. By Jeff Amy. SENT: 443 words.
SILVER AIRWAYS-MISSISSIPPI
GREENVILLE, Miss. — The U.S. Department of Transportation won't let Silver Airways abandon air service to Greenville until a replacement airline is found. The government notified the city of Greenville about its decision Tuesday. SENT: 130 words.
WHITE HOUSE HOTEL
BILOXI, Miss. — The historic beachfront White House Hotel in Biloxi is scheduled for reopen in July. Barrington Development LLC of Ridgeland bought the property in 2013 from White House Properties, held by the Love family for decades. The landmark hotel had sat vacant and dilapidated on the beach front for 24 years, and ended up on the city's blighted properties list. SENT: 217 words.
MISSISSIPPI NEWS IN BRIEF
BB KING-PERFORMANCE
ST. LOUIS — Blues guitarist B.B. King wants his St. Louis fans to give him another chance after an erratic performance led to a stream of audience catcalls and early departures. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer issued a public apology on Tuesday for what his publicists called "a bad night for one of America's living blues legends." SENT: 206 words.
CORINTH SCHOOLS
CORINTH, Miss. — The city of Corinth has sold the old West Corinth Elementary School property to the Siege and Battle of Corinth Commission for $1,499. The commission was the only bidder. The vacant West Corinth school sits on battlefield property across from the interpretive center and the National Park Service wants the land to become part of the Corinth Unit of Shiloh National Military Park. SENT: 285 words.
GAUTIER BUDGET
GAUTIER, Miss. — City leaders has trimmed the Gautier budget by $400,000 to address an expected in general sales tax revenues as they prepare to ride out a transition from the loss of a mall to the coming new Wal-Mart Supercenter and some accompanying new outlets. SENT: 175 words.
OBIT-HIGHT
LOUISVILLE, Miss. — Juanita McCown Hight, former editor the Winston County Journal in Louisville, Miss., died Wednesday. She was 100. Her death was announced for the family by the Mississippi Press Association. The cause of her death was not released. Funeral services are pending. A list of survivors was not immediately available. SENT: 126 words.
SANDERSVILLE MAYOR
SANDERSVILLE, Miss. — Two people, including the widow of the former Sandersville mayor, will be in an April 22 runoff. Complete, but unofficial returns show Alderman Bob White and Darlene Hill, widow of the late Mayor Jimmy Hill, were to top vote-getters in Tuesday's election. Former Mayor Walter Jack was the third candidate on the ballot. SENT: 92 words.
CARMICHAEL RELEASED
JACKSON, Miss. — State Sen. Videt Carmichael is back home in Meridian after being hospitalized in Jackson since March 31 with a head injury. Carmichael, a Republican from Meridian, has served 14 years in the Senate from Lauderdale and Clarke counties. SENT: 99 words.
OLIVE BRANCH SHOOTING
OLIVE BRANCH, Miss. — Olive Branch police have arrested three men in connection with the shooting death of 26-year-old NaCharles Taylor. The police department says in a news release that Taylor was shot in the chest during a disturbance outside of a home Monday night. He was taken by ambulance to Methodist Hospital in Olive Branch were he later died. SENT: 129 words.
NATCHEZ-HEADSTONES
NATCHEZ, Miss. — A 46-year-old Natchez man has pleaded guilty to swindling several buyers out of money for headstones. Mississippi Attorney General spokeswoman Jan Schaefer says Dwight Gibson entered an open plea of guilty to five counts of false pretense. SENT: 105 words.
SOUTHAVEN SMOKING BAN
SOUTHAVEN, Miss. — Southaven's proposed smoking ban is still being drafted, but that didn't stop people from voicing their opinions about it during a Board of Aldermen meeting. A resident and business owner voiced their opposition Tuesday night to the proposed smoking-free ordinance that could affect restaurants, bars and public working places. SENT: 130 words.
HORN LAKE-ALCOHOL SALES
HORN LAKE, Miss. — Horn Lake aldermen have voted to petition the Mississippi Alcoholic Beverage Commission to allow alcohol sales two hours earlier on Sundays. City Administrator Andrea Freeze says Tuesday night's vote would allow restaurants to make drinks containing alcohol available during brunch. SENT: 78 words.
FATAL HIT-RUN
JACKSON, Miss. — The Mississippi Highway Patrol is looking for a vehicle that struck and killed a Marine from Alabama. The highway patrol says 25-year-old Cason Bryant Park, of Gordo, Ala., was traveling west on U.S. 82 in Oktibbeha County early Sunday morning when his car broke down. Leaving the vehicle with the hazard lights flashing, he began walking down the highway. SENT: 130 words.
DISASTER AID
JACKSON, Miss. — Southwest Mississippi residents and businesses affected by severe weather and flooding that occurred on March 28-29 can apply for low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration. The declaration covers Wilkinson County, and the adjacent counties of Adams, Amite, and Franklin in Mississippi; and Concordia, East Feliciana and West Feliciana parishes in Louisiana. SENT: 242 words.
STOREFRONT GRANTS
PASCAGOULA, Miss. — The Jackson County Chamber of Commerce has presented grants to 20 small businesses. The $2,500 grants are part of the 2014 facade grant program, designed to encourage business owners to improve their storefronts' curb appeal. SENT: 111 words.
USM-GULF PARK
LONG BEACH, Miss. — The number of students getting a master's degree from the University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Park campus in Long Beach has reached an all-time high. During the spring 2014 semester, 361 students were earning a master's degree -- a record high for the Gulf Park campus. SENT: 121 words.
D'IBERVILLE DEVELOPMENT
D'IBERVILLE, Miss. — The city of D'Iberville has issued $16.5 million in building permits since the beginning of the year, which Hank Rogers, community development director, says is four times the amount by April 15 last year. SENT: 116 words.
CHILD PORNOGRAPHY PLEA
HATTIESBURG, Miss. — A Hattiesburg man is pleading guilty to child pornography charges. Grantham Armstrong Mitchell entered the plea Tuesday before U.S. District Judge Keith Starrett. SENT: 130 words.
MEMBER EXCHANGE
NATCHEZ RIVERFRONT
NATCHEZ, Miss. — A riverfront project for which the City of Natchez is hoping to enlist help of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to "complete" was finished nearly 20 years ago, a Corps spokesman said. Mayor Butch Brown asked the Corps last week for help to reconnect Silver Street to Roth Hill Road along the riverfront, which he said would complete a 1996 project that restored 11 of 22 acres. By Lindsey Shelton, The Natchez Democrat. SENT: 563 words.
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The AP-Jackson, Miss.
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