from staff reports
A lot of Meridianites have strong opinions on the smoking ordinance that was passed by the Meridian City Council Tuesday, and many of those Meridianites have been awaiting news on whether Mayor Cheri Barry will veto the ordinance.
Before Tuesday's meeting Barry said she was inclined to go with what the council passes, but that she wanted to see exactly what the ordinance says before making a decision.
But Barry was out of town at the U.S. Conference of Mayors on Tuesday.
After Tuesday's meeting Meridian Chief Administrative Officer Mark McDonald said Barry would not be able to read the ordinance passed until she returned to Meridian.
On Friday Barry said she couldn't veto it if she wanted to and that she does not have veto power in the case of the smoking ordinance because it has already been signed into law by someone else.
When Barry left town she said she appointed Council President Bobby Smith as acting mayor in her absence. She was gone Tuesday when the ordinance was passed by the council, and she was gone Wednesday when Smith signed it as acting mayor.
Smith, however, was not entirely sure that Barry truly lacks veto power. When asked Friday when the ordinance would go into effect, Smith said, "30 days from when I signed it, unless the mayor vetoes it."
Smith, who introduced the ordinance to the council's agenda, said he is "just proud that we finally passed it and I'm proud that we have a mayor who won't veto it."
If there is no veto the ordinance, which bans smoking in all public enclosed areas and some outdoor areas, goes into effect Friday, Feb. 19.
Calls to City Attorney Bill Ready, made this week pertaining to the smoking ordinance, were not returned.
Local News
Barry: No veto power on smoking ban
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Sanitation stalemate continues
Local politicians are soon going to have to do something that they often find excruciatingly difficult — find a way to agree.
If they don't come to some kind of agreement on the city's garbage pick-up contract, October will be a very stinky month in Meridian.
At Tuesday's city council meeting, the majority of the council engaged the mayor and the minority of the council in a game of garbage pick-up chicken. -
Public Hearing
Any time there's a tax increase, the public is going to protest it, and that's exactly what happened at a public hearing on Lauderdale County's proposed budget Tuesday evening.
The county plans to raise the property tax rate for FY2011 by 1.87 mills county-wide, and 3.95 mills inside the city limits. The proposed increase follows a millage decrease of 2.41 mills county-wide and 3.78 mills inside the city during FY2010. -
City passes FY2011 budget
The city of Meridian has managed to pass its FY2011 budget without raising property taxes and without much delay, but that doesn't mean it's going to be smooth sailing for the rest of the fiscal year, according to Finance and Records Director Ed Skipper.
"There are so many variables right now," said Skipper. "You always have the variables, and you don't know if what you're projecting is actually going to be." -
Arrest imminent in shooting
Authorities with the Lauderdale County Sheriff's Department said Tuesday afternoon they will likely arrest today the person of interest in Monday's shooting incident in Lauderdale.
LCSD Chief Deputy Ward Calhoun said until that arrest is made authorities will withhold the name of the suspect, said to be a 74-year old woman. -
La. and Miss. authorities looking for SUV
Louisiana and Mississippi law enforcement authorities are seeking information regarding a blue SUV from Lauderdale County that has been reported in the area of a trailer in Lake Charles, La., where four bodies were found Monday.
Law enforcement authorities are looking for a dark blue 2000 Ford Explorer XLT registered in Lauderdale County, with tag LCE 755. -
Earnest Workers’ Circle contributes to TEAAM
Dr. Mark Yeager was the speaker for the May meeting of the Earnest Workers' Circle of Kings Daughters and Sons, International. He is the Director of TEAAM (Together Enhancing Autism Awareness in Mississippi), which is the state-based autism organization.
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Meridian to celebrate Jimmie Rodgers birthday
In celebration of The Father of Country Music’s birthday today, locals and visitors are invited to tour the Jimmie Rodgers Museum and Sparkle & Twang: Marty Stuart’s American Musical Odyssey free of charge from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
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Holiday on The Links
Jake Sterling hits a shot from the 8th fairway as Ed Brown and John Rea watch during the championship rounds of the 2010 Labor Day Invitational at Northwood Country Club Monday.
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MPD looking for domestic violence suspect
Detectives with the Meridian Police Department Criminal Investigation Division are seek information on the possible whereabouts of Sedrick Bohannon.
Bohannon is a 24-year-old black male, standing about 5'07" and weighs about 150 pounds. He currently has a mini dread hairstyle. -
Evening shooting leaves one dead
A shooting at about 5:15 p.m. Monday left one person dead and another seriously injured.
The deceased woman's name is Lee Ann Temple, age 30.
The suspect, a 74-year old woman, is in custody. - More Local News Headlines
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Sanitation stalemate continues
