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This Hour: Latest Mississippi news, sports, business and entertainment

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POLICE OFFICER-CHARGED

Another ex-Jackson officer charged with bribery

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - Federal authorities have charged another former Jackson police officer with bribery.

Robert Nikita Shegog was charged Wednesday in a criminal information, a type of charge usually filed when a defendant plans to plead guilty.

The document was filed in U.S. District Court in Jackson. It says Shegog solicited and accepted bribes valued at more than $5,000 in transactions related to the department from December 2009 to September 2010.

No attorney was listed in court records.

Authorities say the case is related to the bribery charge against another former officer, Tony Davis, but it's not clear exactly how.

Davis was indicted Oct. 3, but the case was just made public this month.

Court records say Davis tried to bribe another officer related to city transactions. Davis has pleaded not guilty.

STORM SURGE-COMMUNICATING THE DANGER

Hurricane center: Beware of the storm surge

MIAMI (AP) - During a hurricane, storm surge is 1 of the greatest threats to life and land, yet many people don't understand the dire warnings from forecasters to get out of its way.

This season, forecasters hope to offer easy-to-understand, color-coded maps and change the way they talk to the public.

Simply put, storm surge is the abnormal rise of sea water. Predicting it is far more complicated, and so is explaining it. Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center in Miami discovered that again during a review of Superstorm Sandy.

Forecasts during Sandy were exceptionally accurate, but often confusing. Perhaps because so many things contribute to storm surge: intensity, pressure, forward speed, size, where it makes landfall and other factors.

UNDERAGE DRINKING LAWSUIT

Judge declines to dismiss lawsuit

ABERDEEN, Miss. (AP) - A federal judge won't dismiss a lawsuit that argues the city of West Point and a local nightclub are liable for injuries to an underage driver, who authorities say was driving while intoxicated after drinking at the club.

The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reports that U.S. District Judge Sharion Aycock said Thursday the case will go to trial June 17 in Aberdeen.

Natalie Stafford, her son Richard's conservator, sued the city and the owner of The Pony nightclub in 2011. Stafford said her son was injured in 2010 after partying with friends at the club and a condo. She alleges police allowed her son to drive intoxicated.

The city says it has immunity. The Pony argues it is not liable even if her son was improperly served alcohol there.

NATCHEZ-ADAMS SCHOOLS

Natchez board considers how to cut $911K

NATCHEZ, Miss. (AP) - The Natchez-Adams School Board has identified nearly $400,000 in expense cuts and asked the superintendent to find the remaining $500,000 needed to balance the district's budget.

The Natchez Democrat reports the additional cuts, board members suggested, could possibly come from a 5% cut of all non-mandated expenses across the district including athletics, travel and administrative salaries.

The board met Thursday for its third budget work session to begin analyzing areas that need to be cut in order to balance the additional $911,906 in the district's budget.

Those cuts come after the district already cut $1 million in anticipated expenses including textbooks, software and special education teacher assistants.

The board is scheduled to meet again May 30 to review the proposals.

JSU-MADISON CAMPUS

Jackson State Madison campus ready to open

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - Jackson State University opens for classes in Madison Wednesday, offering 16 classes for undergraduate and graduate students this summer.

Four months after receiving the state College Board's approval to expand to Madison, The Clarion-Ledger reports the 8,600 square feet of space - decorated JSU blue - in a leased office building will be ready for the estimated 300 students this summer and 500 in the fall.

Eleven upper level undergraduate courses on subjects including real estate, finance, criminal justice and philosophy will be taught during the two summer sessions, and five graduate-level courses in education, entrepreneurship and technology will be offered during an eight-week session.

So far, students are enrolled in all 16 classes.

ANIMAL CRUELTY

Dog set afire in George Co. dies of its injuries

LUCEDALE, Miss. (AP) - Authorities say a 20-year-old Lucedale man arrested on a charge of animal cruelty is accused of dousing his 5-year-old Chihuahua mix in a flammable liquid and setting it on fire.

George County Sheriff Dean Howell tells The Sun Herald the dog, named "Socks," died of massive burns to the body Thursday at George County Animal Hospital.

Howell says Brandon Pierce was arrested on a charge of misdemeanor animal cruelty.

He says they hope to upgrade the charge against Pierce to a felony charge of aggravated animal cruelty as early as Friday.

Deputies said the dog was on fire Tuesday when they responded to a 911 call for help at Pierce's home.

It was unclear whether Pierce has an attorney.

YOUTH MINISTER-SEX

Ex-youth minister accused of sex crimes

PONTOTOC, Miss. (AP) - A 27-year-old former Pontotoc church youth minister has pleaded not guilty to four counts of sexual contact with a minor female.

The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reports that Jaysen Hogue appeared Thursday before Circuit Judge Thomas Gardner. Hogue was freed on $40,000 bond.

A Pontotoc County grand jury indicted Hogue on May 3, but the charges did not become public until his arrest.

Hogue is accused of 2 counts of fondling and two counts of sexual battery of a child under the age of 18 between October 2011 and Feb. 28, 2012.

The indictment claims the charges are aggravated by his being in a position of trust or authority over the alleged victim as her youth minister.

MCLYMONT APPEAL

Mclymont loses appeal in death of Coast Guardsman

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - The Mississippi Supreme Court has upheld the conviction of David Mclymont in the 2008 slaying of U.S. Coast Guardsman Carlos Buford, who was visiting a friend in Clarksdale.

Mclymont was sentenced to life in prison without parole in 2012. Mclymont did not testify at his trial or call any witnesses, according to court documents.

Authorities say Buford, who was from Cocoa, Fla., was discovered inside his vehicle on a Clarksdale street on the night of Nov. 30, 2008, with a single gunshot wound to the head.

Mclymont argued in his appeal that prosecutors didn't prove his guilt.

The Supreme Court on Thursday said prosecutors' evidence included eyewitness testimony, a taped confession, McLymont's fingerprints on Buford's vehicle, as well as other forensic evidence.

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