Clarksdale Board of Mayor and Commissioners voted unanimously to drop a lawsuit against the Clarksdale Press Register on Monday this week.
The vote came after the city sought a temporary restraining order from a Jackson judge with that court demanding the editorial be pulled from the Press Register website and distribution of the that edition of the paper be stopped. The move was seen as a blatant violation of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and prompted outrage from Clarksdale residents, media across the world and First Amendment advocates around the nation.
The editorial, written on the Opinion page of the Feb. 6, Clarksdale Press Register, disagreed with a hastily called special meeting by Mayor Chuck Espy where a resolution to seek a 2-percent levy on alcohol, tobacco and marijuana would be sent to the Legislature for approval. The press was not notified of that meeting.
While the city voted Monday to drop the suit and pay legal bills, the restraining order in front of Hinds County Chancery Court Judge Crystal Wise Martin was not remove until late Wednesday. The editorial has been placed back on the Clarksdale Press Register website and sales of newspapers containing that editorial was allowed.
In an unusual move, Ward 2 Commissioner Jimmy Harris stood as he made the motion to dismiss, with a second by Ward 3 Commissioner Willie Turner. Ward 1 Commissioner Bo Plunk and Ward 4 Commissioner Ed Seals supported the motion.
Under the city’s weak mayor form of government, where the mayor only votes in the event of a tie, Mayor Espy was not required to vote. Espy did say he fully supported the decision for the city to sue the newspaper when the vote was taken Feb. 13, and he also fully supported the vote to reverse the board’s decision on Monday, Feb. 24.
The lawsuit was sparked by the city’s desire to move the sin tax to Jackson before a legislative deadline.
The concept of the tax formed several months ago while Clarksdale was in the midst of a series of homicides and the shooting of a police officer at a local convenience store. The levy proposed by the city was initially discussed as a revenue stream to hire more police and to up the pay of police to attract potential officers to Clarksdale.
The resolution presented by the city at the special called meeting expanded that idea of using the funds for the fire department, emergency services and economic development.
The lawsuit announced two weeks ago, and the judge’s order to pull the editorial, was made public Feb. 18.
That move in a Jackson Chancery Court, saw a post on X get more than one million hits. The Clarksdale Press Register was contacted by the Associated Press, The New York Times, the Washington Post and CNN about the story this week. Those stories can be found online by searching Clarksdale lawsuit.
Attorneys for Emmerich Inc., Delta Press Publishing, doing business as the Clarkdale Press Register, and Floyd Ingram, said they are discussing their next step.
In Other Business
The following items were also handled at Monday’s Clarksdale Board of Mayor and Commissioner’s meeting:
• The Clarksdale Police Department responded to 360 calls over the past two weeks resulting in 34 arrests, with four of those being felony arrests. Police also issued 74 traffic citations and responded to eight motor vehicle accidents.
• The Clarksdale Fire Department responded to three house fires, four false alarms, lift assists and car fires.
• The Clarksdale Personnel Department and Mayor Espy are hosting a citywide clean-up day Saturday that starts at 9 a.m. at City Hall.
• Commissioner Harris presented a picture of Kenneth Bush and announced a marker honoring him will be placed near the courthouse.
• Tanekia L. Phillips approached the board wanting to host a MS Walk from Regions Bank to the Expo Center on Saturday, March 29.
• Milton Gardner said he has not seen improvements he has demanded at Care Station. Gardner also said he is filing a class action suit against the Clarksdale Press Register.
• The city purchased chemicals for the Park Commissioner to use on small parks in the amount of $3,210.
• The city voted to allow Lisa Fisher to conduct city business with PERS and voted to remove Cindy Doss from that post effective April 1.
• The city did not fill board appoints.
• The city voted to make line item budget changes, but did not make those changes public.
• The city voted to pay the following miscellaneous claims: Cornerstone, $5,237 for grant consulting; Bobby Williams $250; Pitney Bowes $496.83; Absolute Solutions, $70.42; Watkins Ward & Stafford $48,000, for city audit; Christopher Coleman, dba as “I Thing for You,” $1,500, for public relations consulting; Blackmon & Blackmon PLLC, of Canton, $5,000, fee for attending a hearing to sue the Clarksdale Press Register and any subsequent hearing and negotiations in the Chancery Court of Hinds County; Fiser Insurance Agency $135,740 for 10 separate policies for various departments, property and individuals; Fuelman, $6,250.36; Gale Dixon $580, for litter control
• Commissioners approved quotes received from Russell's Tree Service to remove trees at the following locations for the following prices: 856 Garfield, $2,000; 144 Catalpa, $2,500; 902 Garfield, $1,200.00.
• The city approved a pay increase for Kah'ya Loggins, in the Legal Department; hiring Alton Maddox as a laborer in Public Works; Shemar Burks to firefighter II in the Fire Department and effective February 21, 2025 in the Fire Department; hire Belinda Edwards as a police dispatcher.
• The city will post for an Administrative Assistant in the Public Works Department.
• The city voted to apply for a National League of Cities Southern cities Economic Inclusion Grant.
• The city acknowledged receiving bids for from Johnathan Tate Architect and Neel-Schaffer for design plans for the Sunflower Riverwalk. The city is proposing a new and improved walkway on both sides of the Sunflower River in downtown Clarksdale.
• The city approved Josephine Shorter, to serve alcohol and remain open until 2 a.m. for offices/daycare/event center at 526 Third Street.
• The city tabled a request from Dhane Burton to use a wooden building as a vape shop at 835 South Street.
• The city acknowledged receipt of the Planning Commission Minutes: To not limit the amount of liquor stores by altering the Zoning Ordinance; Sharda Johnson seeking a variance to open a mental health clinic and provide assisted living home services at 501 Desoto Avenue
• The city voted to recess until noon, Thursday, March 6, at City Hall. All meetings are open to the public and the community is urged to attend.
