Thursday, January 31
Winter Wednesdays in February
Here and Now: the Missississippi Improv Alliance
I wanted to bring your attention to something cool going on in the month of February, brought to you by the Jackson Arts Collective. Here is the press release I …
Wednesday, January 30
Finding An Organic Balance
The very day after I got my driver's license, my mother handed me the keys to her forest-green minivan and gave me a grocery list. I thought getting my license …
Bart Heath
Bart Heath didn't go to culinary school. He's not vegan or vegetarian, and he admits, "I couldn't even cook a grilled cheese when I was 18 and a senior in …
Things That Make You Go Boom
The band director walked in the door of the Mississippi Museum of Art.
Week 3: Cigs and Cells
Now that House Speaker Billy McCoy has named committee chairs, the House is going into overdrive regarding bill production.
Bill to Hamstring AG Office?
Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant and the Mississippi Senate are pressing for a new law that would force a competitive bidding process on plaintiff lawyers looking to contract with the Mississippi …
Hometown Pride
Back from Utah (where Ballast cleaned up—it was the only movie to win TWO Sundance awards in the Dramatic Competition —Excellence in Cinematography and narrative Directing), I'm trying to heal …
We Hid It. So?
A U.S. congressional investigation by a House Science and Technology subcommittee revealed what many FEMA trailer residents have known for years—FEMA was hiding its knowledge of the incredible toxicity level …
[Gigs] From Ole Miss to Al Jazeera
Annie Kate Pons knows the South. The Old Miss grad was born in Hereford, Texas, the beef capital of the world, and her dad was a cattle rancher. A committed …
Stop Removing Kids from School
On Jan. 21, young Mississippi students traveled across the state, converging in front of the state capitol. They arrived carrying their hopes, dreams, passions. They also carried the dreams of …
[Sue Doh Nem] Getting It Together
Cootie McBride: "On behalf of the McBride Family Center for Helping Everyone Get Their Act Together in the New Millennium, I want to thank everyone for attending the state of …
[Kamikaze] Et Tu, Bill?
You were my favorite. Maybe you still are. I hailed you as the greatest president of all time. I didn't go so far as a lot of folks did in …
[Mott] The Past is Now
The annual Jackson Free Press "Best of Jackson" party is always a blast. This year, as I looked around at the hundreds of faces in the crowd, the huge diversity …
Pumps No More?
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency may pull the plug on plans to build a $220 million flood-control system in the Yazoo River Basin. Environmentalists warned last December that The Yazoo …
Corn Hath No Fury: The JFP Interview With Billy McCoy
Photos by Mac Gordon
House Speaker Billy McCoy speaks in a halting stutter at times. A stroke shook his frame in 2004. He has recovered to a point, though the scars are still plain. …
running from sniffles
When I walked into the post office this morning, I was scolded for going out in the cold with wet hair.
Tuesday, January 29
Peter Bjorn and John's Peter Morén Releases Debut Solo Album on April 8!
(PB&J) - On April 8, 2008, Quarterstick Records will release the highly anticipated solo album from Peter Morén, the lead singer of Swedish indie megastars Peter Bjorn and John. The …
The Hip-Hop Mayor: Detroit's Kwame Kilpatrick?
http://www.xxlmag.com/online/?p=18826
Apparently Mr. Kilpatrick's gotten himself in quite a quandry. Again something that has nothing to do particularly with his policy but all the same. Since he ran on a platform …
Monday, January 28
Bloomberg Factchecks the Clintons
Al Hunt of Bloomberg News dissects what the Obama and Clinton campaigns have been saying about each other—and finds that the Clintons are severely distorting their comments about Obama:
Does Obama Fill America's ‘Unconsummated Desire'?
I'm no fan of the NYT's David Brooks, but this column analyzing the Kennedy embrace of Obama, and the larger implications, is breathtaking. Per Brooks:
Mississippi #2 in corruption?
I saw this press release a few months ago and thought that this would be a good time to share it. (Go here for the actual Justice Department report.)
Peters-DeLaughter Saga: 'Told You So' Time
This past weekend, I was going through 2007 issues of the JFP looking for entries for the AAN awards. I ran into this story that Adam and Brian did last …
Help the Magnolia School Recover Theft Losses
Attend a benefit Tuesday night (Jan. 29) to help Magnolia Speech School recover from over $100,000 in damages done in Dec. by copper thieves. Featuring The Electric Company, The Scott …
McMillin to Bring Back Crime Prevention Unit
Jackson's new police chief said the city is facing big bills this year thanks to overtime and unpaid debt—and is bringing back the Crime Prevention Unit that the mayor disbanded …
Playin' Hurt in Jacktown
Thank you, Jackson, for being you.
We feel confident in saying that there a few headaches in the Jackson area today after hundreds of people packed into the Mississippi Museum of Art for the JFP's Sixth …
Sunday, January 27
Caroline Kennedy: Obama Like My Father
The daughter of John F. Kennedy endorsed Barack Obama this weekend on the op-ed page of The New York Times. In a statement that cannot make the Clintons happy, she …
Friday, January 25
Sundance Day 8: Ballast on CNN
Okay, so I've been hearing a lot about Ballast . Mostly what I'm hearing is along the lines of, "I LOVE that movie. That's the best movie I've seen at …
A Beautiful Day for a Party ...
... and to celebrate Jackson's impending boom! See you at the art museum tonight. Dress anyway you want, up or down; opens to the public at 8 p.m. The first …
Thursday, January 24
RIP David Lee Durham
David Lee Durham of Indianola died this morning in Indianola. He was a wonderful, true blues guitarist and vocalist born in 1943. He played with his band, The True Blues …
free-conomies
Doing it yourself is the fly thing to do. But if you can't do it yourself, find someone else to do it for you for free.
Get Excited About Downtown - TODAY
Ben Allen and other Jackson mover-shakers are hosting a shindig today at 5:15 p.m. to expose what is going on downtown. In Allen's words, he hopes to see the "JFP …
Sundance Day 7: Because We're All a Little Off
Things are slowing down here in ye olde Jim Shea place. For a few days it's just been the ladies—Nina, Anita and I. Anita and I share what we have …
Wednesday, January 23
Willie McKennis
Casually dressed in a black blazer, white dress shirt and blue jeans, Willie McKennis has a full schedule. However, he takes a break to tell the story of his life.
The Best is (Also) Yet to Come
You hold in your hands the culmination of weeks worth of voting, counting, research, photography and writing—the Best of Jackson 2008 issue. It happens to be the biggest issue of …
No 'Oversight' Costing City
The Jackson City Council learned during a Tuesday budget meeting that the city has very little oversight on numerous municipal transactions, which is costing the city revenue and could ultimately …
Barbour Pledges to Fund Education
Gov. Haley Barbour named K-12 education as a high priority in his state-of-the-state address Monday night, addressing budget shortfalls and upgrading the state's roads, but his overall message this year …
Toward a Peace Culture
Takashi Teramoto was 10 when "Little Boy" dropped on Hiroshima in August 1945, killing 140,000 Japanese—half instantly, the other half from radiation poisoning. Teramoto is traveling with Steven Leeper, director …
Dodging Bullets
Shorter SessionOne of the first moves the Legislature made this year was to cut its hours.
'Not a Dream Deferred'
It was just past 10 a.m. on Martin Luther King Jr. Day when a group of young people arrived at the state Capitol, crowding in front of the south steps. …
Dare to Be the Best
This week, under a tribute post to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on jacksonfreepress.com, reader "justjess" shared a story about keeping his dream alive. She told the story of her …
[Sue Doh Nem] Dollar Store Refuge
Miss Doodle Mae: "Greetings, financially challenged shoppers! Welcome to a new year of savings at Jojo's Discount Dollar Store. Jojo still believes I am as articulate as Barack Obama, so …
[Hill] Tragedies Yet to Come
Latasha Norman was a promising, attractive young Jackson State University student who was stalked and killed late last year. The man arrested for her murder, Stanley Cole, was a fellow …
Best of Jackson 2008
So you think you're funny, eh? You think this whole thing is hilarious, do yuz? Well, it ain't. It ain't one bit funny. You're lookin' here at the most important …
Best of Jackson 2008
Best Bartender: Trevor Palmer, Club Fire - Club Fire's got to be a hectic place for a bartender. Hundreds of sweating, dance-crazed bodies are thirsty for a drink on Thursday's …
Attorney General Unveils Legislative Agenda
From a verbatim statement:
Jackson, MS-Attorney General Jim Hood and the Division Directors of the Attorney General's Office revealed the agency's 2008 legislative agenda this morning before Senate Judiciary, Division B, chaired by Senator …
Tuesday, January 22
Study: 935 ‘Orchestrated' Lies Led Up to Iraqi War
The Associated Press is reporting on a new study that finds that the Bush administration lied repeatedly about the threats in Iraq leading up to the war:
Eli The Cover Boy
Eli Manning, the Big Apple's new football hero, is on the cover of this week's Sports Illustrated. No!, says the New York Daily News.
the ten minute desk makeover
Fix your aches and pains quickly and easily by paying attention to how you sit at your desk.
*First, sit in your desk chair in front of your computer. Make sure that all of your body parts are in neutral positions.*Your head should be facing straight ahead, with …
UPDATED: Melton Blames Council for ‘Oversight' Woes
The Jackson City Council learned during a Tuesday budget meeting that the city has "no supervisory oversight" on numerous municipal transactions, which is costing the city revenue and could ultimately …
Reuters: Fred Thompson Out of Prez Race
Reuters is reporting that the presidential race is short one actor today: "Republican Fred Thompson said on Tuesday he has dropped out as a presidential candidate, following a dismal showing …
Lou Dobbs' False Immigrant ‘Facts' Exposed ... Again
CNN's Lou Dobbs continues to dig himself into the xenophobic ground, and challenge FOX's Bill O'Reilly as the most unreliable personality on television. According to a FAIR media analysis, he …
Sundance Day 5: Movies and Mayhem
Mos Def is here. He's wandering the streets of Park City, promoting Be Kind Rewind , sitting on panels at Blackhouse Foundation, and being all-around AWESOME, because that's just how …
MLK III to Edwards: ‘Keep Fighting'
Well, CNN's moderators couldn't help themselves. They began tonight's Democratic debate with an actual issue: the economy. In dazzling contrast to MSNBC's scandal-obsessed debate in Las Vegas, Sens. Hillary Clinton, …
Monday, January 21
Watch for Fraudulent E-mails
Folks, the trolls are up to it again. There is a round of e-mails going around to people who post here made to look like they come from people at …
Snow
The last significant snowfall I recall was New Year's Day, 2001. I remember it well because I was at church on New Year's Eve when the snow started, and it …
MIT Prof Takes on Real Iraqi War Death Toll
Is it a "right-wing conspiracy"? John Tirman, executive director of MIT's Center for International Studies, thinks so. Get his take on Alternet.
Barbour's ‘State of the State' Monday 6 p.m.
Gov. Haley Barbour's "State of the State" address will be tonight at 6 p.m., broadcast live on MPB. Read his verbatim prepared address on StateDesk.com.
We Have a Dream ... Still
Today, the official Martin Luther King Jr. day, is a great day to watch and hear Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech. Enjoy.
The Choice: Clinton and Obama Running for Different Reasons?
George Packer has a http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/01/28/080128fa_fact_packer ]compelling essay in The New Yorker this week about the motivations behind Obama and Clinton's run for the White House. It ends:
Sundance Day 4: Hindsight is 20/20
So yesterday I got to ride a ski mobile down a big hill. Well, technically, I rode a stretcher behind a ski mobile, but hey, semantics…
Sunday, January 20
Sundance Day 3: Ballast Premiers
Yesterday's premier generated Sundance buzz. Bloggers are comparing Ballast to the lyrical films of Terrence Malick and David Gordon Green, and the all-important Hollywood Reporter and Variety have given beaming …
Saturday, January 19
Other Cards in the Deck
Much has been made about whether Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama played "the race card" in a series of press-filtered exchanges that included an]http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/15/us/politics/15dems.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=clinton+king&oref=slogin]an analogy to Martin Luther King, Jr. …
Friday, January 18
Sundance Day 2: Which is really all about Slamdance…
It's 8pm and I am already exhausted. For one thing, it takes a ridiculous amount of energy just to stay warm. The high today hovered at 20 degrees, and the …
Speaker McCoy Fires Back
Republicans had predicted House Speaker Billy McCoy's vengeance after his close re-election to the leadership post, and McCoy did not disappoint. The speaker assigned no chairmanships this session to Republicans, …
Sundance Day 1: Travel Lite
After a full day of airports (and a cozy airplane ride with a blanket named Bunky and the shrillest baby I've ever met—he's lucky he can flash that cherubic four-toothed …
Thursday, January 17
U.S. Abortions at Lowest Rate Since 1974
The Associated Press is reporting on a new study that shows that abortions in the U.S. are way down:
The number of abortions in the United States dropped to 1.2 million in 2005, the lowest level since 1974 and down 25 percent from the all-time high of 1.6 million …
Ledger: DeLaughter E-mailed Proposed Order to Peters
Just in from Jerry Mitchell at The Clarion-Ledger; unclear who "Mills" is supposed to be, though:
Wednesday, January 16
[Lunch Lady] Self-Proclaimed Goodness
In her many years of life, Lunch Lady has learned to be wary of some things—such as entities that proclaim themselves to be something that only time and audiences should …
Bribery Indictments Expand
The federal indictment of attorney Dickie Scruggs continues to snatch up lawyers like an expanding avalanche barreling down a ski slope. Booneville attorney Joey Langston pled guilty to a corruption …
[Green Girl] The Green Wallet
Now is the perfect time to start thinking about how to make your life a little greener. Many of us make less-than-green choices because we believe that living green means …
Exchanging Cultures: Jewish Film Fest Opens Thursday
See details on the festival and a video trailer for "The Rape of Europa," which opens the festival Thursday night at the Mississippi Museum of Art, on the JFP's events …
Sean Wade
Sean Wade is a big guy. He could use his stature to threaten, but instead, he exudes tranquility to those in his presence. Wade, 32, speaks with clarity and precision, …
The Fierce Urgency of Now
A well-meaning friend from out of state asked me a puzzling question recently: "When will it be enough?" When will Mississippi have talked so much about race history that we …
Second Thoughts On Privatization
The Jackson City Council got a taste of the realities of outsourcing at its Monday night work session when the council noted a $14,000 purchase order from Jackson business NAPA …
Au Naturale, Or No?
A Mississippi poultry processing company will spend the upcoming congressional session in Washington pressing the U.S. Department of Agriculture to enforce its definition of "natural" on poultry products, according to …
Teaching Black Boys
When principal Mitchell Shears arrived at Clausell Elementary School, students were having difficulty with math scores, so administrators turned the bathrooms into "mathrooms." Instead of the usual graffiti you see …
DNA Says 'Not Guilty' 16 Years Later
Arthur Johnson may be returning home in a matter of days, 16 years after his arrest for a rape he did not commit. On Friday, Jan. 4, the Mississippi Supreme …
No Money To Fund Partisan Radio, Democrats Say
The Mississippi House of Representatives may consider a bill forcing more oversight on how the state pays for advertising in 2009. The state spent more than $14 million on newspaper, …
Justice Corrupted
While the state is mesmerized by the Scruggs saga, another type of judicial corruption is begging for attention. Arrested in 1992 for rape, a Sunflower County jury found Arthur Johnson …
[Sue Doh Nem] Life Lends You a Poor Hand
Boneqweesha Jones: "It's 2008. Do you know where your money is? Things and people change—sometimes. And so does the name of my television show. The Ghetto Science media production staff …
[Kamikaze] Not So Sweet Sixteen
As a hip-hop artist, I often find myself defending rap music. To many, it's the grinch that stole society's soul, the scourge reducing our youth to mindless purveyors of evil. …
[Gregory] Truth or Dare
I have something to get off my chest. I'm frightened to admit it in such a public forum; I'm still only able to whisper it to myself. In fact, when …
Tweaking Twiggy
Photos by Jason 'Twiggy' Lott
A week into January, 27-year-old Jason "Twiggy" Lott leans back in his faux-Swedish chair, running his fingers through close-cropped hair and casually tossing one denim-clad leg over the other. In …
Tuesday, January 15
no poo for you?
A few weeks ago, I embarked on a daring experiment. After reading about the damage that standard-issue hair products can do to your hair, I decided to go without 'poo.
No Mention of Peters in Ledger Editorial?
OK, this is weird. The Clarion-Ledger's Jerry Mitchell reports that Ed Peters may have taken a million-dollar bribe from the Scruggs clan to get Judge Bobby DeLaughter to rule in …
Haley Barbour's 2008 Inaugural Address
Read the verbatim full text of the governor's prepared remarks over on StateDesk.
Monday, January 14
Just In: Delaughter Voids Barbour's Election Date
Late today, Hinds County Circuit Judge Bobby Delaughter ruled in favor of Attorney General Jim Hood's argument that Gov. Barbour was acting unconstitutionally by trying to force Mississippi voters to …
Post-Surgery, Melton Vows to Help More Kids
Jackson Mayor Frank Melton had little to say at a 10 a.m. press conference Monday. Reporters spent more than 30 minutes setting up cameras in the mayor's ceremonial office, only …
Former Hinds D.A. Ed Peters Accused of $1M Bribe
The Scruggs scandal is hitting closer and closer to Hinds County. In a story about Booneville attorney Joey Langston pleading guilty to corruption charges, The Clarion-Ledger buried explosive accusations, made …
Friday, January 11
Clutter: Bad for Your Health?
The New York Times has a piece that links health issues, including weight problems, to disorganization and clutter:
Crying All the Way Back to the Megillah?
I really dig Maureen Dowd's column about Hillary Clinton's notorious tears leading up to New Hampshire. And isn't it ironic that the first viable female president cried on purpose in …
StateDesk Live with Breaking News and Commentary
Visit StateDesk.com, the JFP's statewide news blog, for daily news on the state Legislature, commentary and other pertinent state news. Right now, you can read and comment on a PDF …
Todd Stauffer and Kamikaze on Radio Jan. 11
... And they're talking about ... wait for it ... karaoke. We can only assume this will not fill the entire show. Show is on WLEZ-FM 103.7 until 1 p.m. …
Thursday, January 10
Melton At Home; McLemore Still Acting Mayor
[Verbatim from city] Mayor Frank E. Melton will hold a 10:00 a.m. press conference at City Hall on Monday, January 14, 2008 to discuss his recent surgical procedure. In the …
Wednesday, January 9
Dead Man Rolling
A dear friend of your departs this life peacefully, and how do you honor his memory? By rolling his corpse on an office chair to a check cashing place in …
Melton Recovering; McLemore Acting Mayor
[Verbatim from city] Mayor Frank E. Melton is resting comfortably this afternoon after undergoing a medical procedure at a Jackson hospital Wednesday morning. His physicians indicated that the procedure was …
Light Bites
Maybe you're feeling like I do—if you never see a plate of cookies, box of candy or line-up of pastries again, it'll be too soon. The holidays are about giving, …
Lee Vance
Jackson Assistant Police Chief Lee Vance sits at a small table in his office, hands clasped together, as he precisely chooses the words to describe his Jackson upbringing and adulthood. …
One Nation Under Oprah
While playing a jolly game of inquiries recently, I was prompted to answer the question, "What is the biggest threat to humankind?" Hastily, and foolishly, I responded, "ignorance." But after …
Amid Tears, McCoy Keeps Seat
Democratic Rep. Billy McCoy reclaimed his seat as House speaker by only two votes Tuesday. House members, including new members Kimberly Campbell and Adrienne Wooten—both of Jackson—approved McCoy by a …
Coalition Condemns Lewis Demotion
The Mississippi Coalition for Justice condemned Police Chief Malcolm McMillin's decision to demote former Deputy Chief Tyrone Lewis to sergeant on Monday.
Out With The Old?
New arrivals on the Hinds County Board of Supervisors formed a new majority, putting Supervisor Doug Anderson out in the cold this week.
Two Districts Competitive in 2008?
Both U.S. House District 1 and former Sen. Trent Lott's seats could prove competitive this year, despite a decades-long trend of Republican domination in Mississippi.
Mayor Faces Heart Surgery
Jackson Mayor Frank Melton fainted at an inauguration ceremony for county officials Monday morning. Melton appeared to temporarily lose consciousness during the inauguration, which recognized officials elected during the November …
Such Sweet Sorrow
Since July 2004, Ross Olivier has been pastor of the Galloway Methodist Church in Jackson, bringing with him experience forged in South Africa's anti-apartheid movement. As we spoke last Monday, …
Melton: Time to Retire
Mayor Frank Melton's fainting session at Monday's county inaugural event was the latest warning he needs to heed: It is time for him to retire as mayor of Jackson. It …
[Sue Doh Nem] Waterboarding, Lies and Videotapes
Mr. Announcement: "This episode of 'All God's Churn Got Shoes' is about one man's junk becoming another man's treasure—or vice versa—as Brotha Hustle and Aunt Tee Tee stumble upon some …
[Hightower] Facts For Action On Health Care
Widely reported fact No. 1: Our country faces a growing health-care crisis, which leaves 47 million Americans with no health insurance—an increase of 7 million people since the year 2000.
[Hutchinson] The Obama White House
A President Barack Obama will be the most scrutinized president since Abraham Lincoln. Ironically, the reason for this has less to do with race, though it will still play a …
The Case For Innocence
It was Ron Williamson's obituary in the Dec. 9, 2004, issue of The New York Times that caught attorney and author John Grisham's eye.
‘These Are Not Fair Trials': The JFP Talks With John Grisham
Since publication of "The Innocent Man" in 2006, author John Grisham has become a strong advocate for the Innocence Project, lending his name and voice to help establish the organization's …
Golf Channel Commentator Says Young Golfers Should "Lynch Tiger Woods in a back alley" What!?
Golf Channel anchor says young golfers should 'lynch Tiger Woods' - Golf Ex... - Golf - Yahoo! Sports
Tuesday, January 8
Melton to Have Heart Surgery Wednesday
The story has changed dramatically since former Mayor Dale Danks told the media that his client, Mayor Frank Melton, was fine and overheated when he fainted at a county swearing-in. …
Reeves Gives Up Fight and Goes Home
The Clarion-Ledger is reporting that John Reeves, the Republican legislator from South Jackson, said today that he is no longer planning to challenge Adrienne Wooten, a Democrat who defeated him …
McCain Wins GOP N.H. Race; Obama and Clinton Close So Far
CNN has called the GOP side in New Hampshire for John McCain. Early returns are showing Clinton slightly ahead of Obama, and Edwards trailing a distant third. CNN also projects …
Hal & Mal's Birthday Celebration TONIGHT
Come celebrate Hal & Mal's 22nd birthday at 8 p.m. with an Elvis-themed Pub Quiz. Test your knowledge, grab some birthday cake and toast to many more years of great …
Are Obama Comparisons to JFK Unhealthy ‘Baby-Boomer Reminiscing'?
New York Times blogger Matt Bai argues that it's time to move forward instead of backward, as all the Kennedy comparisons do:
UPDATE: House Speaker McCoy Wins in 62-60 Vote
The Legislature is in session, and the House will vote on a new speaker shortly. Keep an eye out here for the outcome of the contentious battle, with Gov. Haley …
Monday, January 7
Melton Has Fainting Spell During Inaugurations
Jackson Mayor Frank Melton fainted during an inauguration ceremony for Hinds County officials this morning. Melton appeared to temporarily lose consciousness during the inauguration of officials elected during the November …
ARTICLE: 114-Year-Old Chicago Woman Registers To Vote
Virginia Call, who was born in 1894, hadn't voted in 20 years, so her registration had to be renewed.
Mayor Melton Faints
Anyone else heard about this? Details, maybe?
According to a news ticker on WAPT, Melton fainted during the swearing in of Hinds County officials at the Hinds County Courthouse. AMR treated him in an empty courtroom, and …
Saturday, January 5
NOW Clinton Is Worried About Young Voters?
Since Barack Obama proved that the under-30 vote mattered in Iowa, and could well be a deciding factor in the presidential election, Hillary Clinton is adjusting her strategy to start …
Friday, January 4
Hughes Demotes Chandler After Video Investigation
Jackson Fire Chief Vernon Hughes announced he was demoting Assistant Chief Todd Chandler to captain status at a press conference today. Hughes re-assigned Chandler to the division of air supply, …
Thursday, January 3
Obama, Huckabee Win Iowa
And they're off. The Associated Press reports:
Ledger Outsources Customer Service to South Carolina
Clarion-Ledger Publisher Larry Whitaker sent the following letter to employees this week, talking about the challenges and changes the paper faced in 2007:
Boss Queen to Sign New Book Today at 5 p.m.
Sweet Potato Queen hell will break loose today, Jan. 3, at 5 p.m. at Lemuria when Jill Conner Browne signs her new book, ""The Sweet Potato Queens' Guide to Raising …
Radio JFP: Kaze, Ladd, Stauffer on ‘Brand New Day'
JFP columnist Kamikaze with join Radio JFP hosts Donna Ladd and Todd Stauffer Friday, Jan. 4, at noon to discuss the state of the city and what needs to happen …
A Generation X Playground
Generation X, folks born between 1965 and 1981 (or a different range, depending on the source), have been branded as a bunch of defiant, apathetic slackers. Not fair, I say! …
Which Candidate Do You ‘Match' The Most?
I found this over on Wired.com -- it's a quiz patterned after online matching services that lets you walk through a series of questions and then tells you which presidential …
Wednesday, January 2
[Lunch Lady] Sandwiches Gone Global
There is an episode of "Friends" in which Ross wants Ugly Naked Guy's apartment, but doesn't know how to go about getting it. Rachel suggests he get to know him …
Karen Parker
I met Karen Parker on a warm December afternoon with the sound of wind chimes drifting through the open door of New Vibrations, her Fondren book and gift store "for …
Speak Free Or Die
On her last day here, Kawkab al-Thaibani left me a gift of a blue, brown and beige striped ceramic cat, from a little boutique in Clinton. I'm a cat magnet, …
Rev. Olivier Returns to South Africa
Rev. Ross Olivier, "Reverend Ross" to his Galloway Methodist Church parishioners, will return to his native South Africa in January after serving the Jackson church since July 2004. In recent …
The Session and 71
The House will decide the outcome of a December re-vote when it convenes in January. Both Republican incumbent John Reeves and Democratic challenger Adrienne Wooten filed petitions in the House …
Boot Camp, Firearms Training–and DJs
Newly confirmed Jackson Police Chief Malcolm McMillin began an internal-affairs investigation into the potentially illegal use of police property for profit this week. Deputy Chief Tyrone Lewis, who is training …
Mississippi Loses Political Pioneer
Former Lt. Gov. Evelyn Gandy, 87, died Dec. 23 of complications of progressive supranuclear palsy, costing Mississippi one of its greatest political trailblazers. Gandy was the first woman in Mississippi—and …
Chief: Re-Assign the Bodyguards
The events of Dec. 21 make plain what happens when you give power to the undeserving. Ward 7 Councilwoman Margaret Barrett-Simon said Mayor Frank Melton and two of his bodyguards …
[Sue Doh Nem] Costly and Confusing Techno World
Brother Hustle: "In my world history class at Ghetto Science Community College, I learned about Berlin, Germany, a city divided by a wall. The division happened because folks on the …
[Kamikaze] Can You Feel a Brand New Day?
Baby New Year has ushered Old Man 2007 out to pasture. As we begin to focus on a new beginning and resolutions that we will surely abandon before Valentine's Day, …
[Dortch] Legislature: Raise Cigarette Tax by $1
"Of all the concerns, there is one—taxation—that alarms us the most. While marketing and public and passive smoking restrictions do depress volume, in our experience taxation depresses it much more …
2008 Legislative Preview: New Session, Old Problems
Photos by Adam Lynch, Donna Ladd, and Jaro Vacek
The Mississippi legislative session is coming around again Jan. 8, bringing with it some tough decisions. The Legislature took a stroll through roses last year, oddly, thanks to Hurricane Katrina. …
Eating In the Stables
The "new" Mississippi Capitol building was built in 1903 using back taxes paid by the Illinois Central Railroad, on the site of the old state penitentiary. Originally built for $1.9 …
Important Legislative Dates
Here's a calendar of prominent legislative actions for the upcoming session. Voters may want to consider attending and showing support for bills they favor on certain deadline dates. Call your …
