🌱 Unpaid Bills At Jackson City Council + Cracker Barrel Closes Doors

Hello, friends! I'm back with your fresh copy of the Jackson Patch newsletter. Here are all the most important things to know about what's happening in town.

But first, today's weather:

Nice with abundant sunshine. High: 86 Low: 63.

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Here are the top three stories in Jackson today:

1. Members of the Jackson City Council brought up concerns over unpaid city bills amidst the city's ongoing effort to hire a Deputy Director. The nomination for Deputy Director Sharon Thames died in Tuesday's council meeting due to not having a second for the motion, although she has been in the role for the past year. Council President Ashby Foote shared concerns about Thames' credentials, saying they would prefer someone with a CPA to oversee the city's finances. (WAPT)
2. After a heated debate, the Jackson city council voted to donate a property on Caspers Avenue to the Jackson Resource Center in order to provide wraparound services for the area's homeless population. Ward 5 Councilman Vernon Hartley was opposed to the plan due to a lack of feedback from his constituents. He was concerned about bringing homeless individuals to West Jackson, however, the resource center's executive director said, "The homeless are already in West Jackson." The property will need to be rezoned by city leaders. (WAPT)
3. Jackson's only Cracker Barrel closed on Monday after nearly 31 years of serving the community. A statement from Cracker Barrel's Media Relations Team said that the closure was due to a change in the store's volume and traffic patterns, which was attributed to the recent pandemic. Employees and managers at the Jackson restaurant were reportedly offered employment at the nearby Pearl location. Ward 2 Councilwoman Angelique Lee pointed to new businesses opening in the area soon, including a Quick Trip gas station and an Amazon Distribution Center. (WLBT)

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Today in Jackson:

• District Thursdays Live Music At The District At Eastover (6:00 PM)
• DIASPORA: Afro-Caribbean Nights At Briarwood Arts Center (7:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• The Mississippi Children's Museum has unveiled a new exhibit called Kareem's Dreamy Day. It includes a 12-foot treehouse climber, a play kitchen, and interactive exercise videos to teach children about healthy living and sleeping habits. (Mississippi Children's Museum via Facebook)
• This Saturday is Zippity Zoo Day at the Jackson Zoo! There will be Keeper Chats, arts and crafts, and animal enrichment activities from 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Learn more here. (The Jackson Zoo via Facebook)
• The Mississippi Museum of Art has several upcoming events. This Saturday at 2:00 p.m. is the Close Looking Tour, and there will be a Spotlight Talk on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. (Mississippi Museum of Art via Facebook)

Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Thursday. I'll see you soon!

— Nicole Fallon-Peek

About me: Nicole Fallon-Peek is a journalist and copywriter with a degree in Media, Culture and Communication from New York University. She has served as a freelance reporter, managing editor, copy editor, and editorial director for a variety of B2B news outlets. She currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.