Monday, May 31
Speedbumps on the Road to Wellness
The road to wellness is met with roadblocks, detours and speed bumps. I mentioned this observation to JFP Managing editor Ronni Mott last week and she agreed. I'm come to …
Friday, May 28
McCoy, Bryant Announce Dueling Oil Spill Panels
Two newly-created committees of state legislators will begin hearings on the Gulf oil spill as early as next week. Yesterday morning, House Speaker Billy McCoy, D-Rienzi, announced the formation of …
Council Renames Metro Parkway
A portion the Jackson Metro Parkway between Terry Road and Eastview Street has been renamed after prominent African American physician and civil rights activist Dr. Robert Smith. The Jackson City …
Roller Derby Returns to Jackson
The Magnolia Roller Vixens, Jackson's roller derby squad, are a group of women who blended aggressive athleticism, strategy, and teamwork as they practice.
Kathy Elam
Balloon artist Kathy Elam believes that all it takes is a balloon and a smile to brighten someone's day.
What to do this Memorial Day Weekend
Before the sun goes down today, check out the Mississippi Watercolor Society exhibit at The Cedars, which is open until 4 p.m., or the Mustard Seed art exhibit at the …
It's Official: Gulf Disaster Bigger than Valdez
If anyone had any doubts before, new government estimates confirmed yesterday that the oil gushing into the Gulf of Mexico surpasses the 11 million gallons dumped into Alaska's Prince William …
Wellness Project: Week 1
I've come to the conclusion that instead of the five goals I listed, I should have just had one goal: improve my short-term memory. Why? Because I keep forgetting my …
Thursday, May 27
Workaholic Needs To Schedule Regular Exercise
For the past few months I've been loving the time spent either on the elliptical at the gym or on the bicycle that I've recently dusted off, adjusted a bit …
Sun-Herald Unhappy With Threats From Guv's Staff
Sounds like the governor's staff is getting on the wrong side of Gulf Coast media, and it'll be interesting to see if (a.) this is a trend and (b.) how …
Development
Convention Hotel Developers Pay County Taxes
TCI-MS, formed to develop the Capital City Center and a Convention Center hotel on four blocks of Pascagoula Street, paid its overdue property taxes this week.
Marilyn Blackledge
Mississippi Food Network's Director of Development Marilyn Blackledge has had to work hard to raise additional funds this year after the organization's member agencies reported a 30 percent increase in …
The Invisible Woman
Youth Media Project
I've lived with this woman for quite a while now. She showed me how to care, allowed me to be different, and appreciate the little things, but I hated her. …
The Rapper's Double Consciousness
Youth Media Project
It would be hard to describe the moment when I fell in love with Hip-Hop, for it would be like trying to explain when I fell in love with my …
How to Know If You Are Alive
Youth Media Project
One simply can't exist and expect to be alive. Just as one may feel passion and expect there to be love also, that is not always the case. Sand put …
A Response to an Article from The Clarion Ledger [Constance/Itawamba Co.]
Youth Media Project
All Mississippi needs is more negative media coverage, and here it is. People already think, all around the world, that Mississippi is full of closed-minded individuals whose main goal in …
Prom Night Madness!
Youth Media Project
When I think of prom, I think of all the teen movies and books that I have been exposed to. They always have such a great time at prom. They …
Hmm…I Got to Thinking, And…
Youth Media Project
I can't believe I missed the date. Since April 4, it has been two full years since that Friday in 10th grade when we drove home and discovered that a …
Passion: It's an End Within Itself!
Youth Media Project
For those of you, who are still in high school or a freshman in college trying to figure out what your major will be: let it be whatever interest you. …
Commission Loosens Kemper Conditions
A majority of the Mississippi Public Service Commission revised their April 29 decisions yesterday that would have capped the cost of a Kemper County coal plant at $2.4 billion, raising …
A Day in the Life of a Jackson Public School Kid
Youth Media Project
I've decided to let everyone know who wonders in on the secret life of public school kids, it's very awesome. I know that many have only heard and seen the …
Wednesday, May 26
Fun, Jackson Style
Don't waste all your summer hours indoors in front of the TV, get out and enjoy Jackson. The metro area holds a variety of activities suited for all ages. Try …
The Market In Fondren
When Jim and Linda Burwell opened Mimi's Family and Friends restaurant in Fondren this spring, they wanted to influence the neighborhood beyond the restaurant's walls.
Pineapple Paradise
Late spring is the time when glorious fresh produce makes our meals come alive again after a long winter. Local markets stock a wider array of fresh fruits and vegetables, …
The Best In Sports In 7 Days
Doctor S sez: John Cohen's second disastrous season as Mississippi State baseball coach is over. Next year, you really need to win some games, coach.
‘Jackson is the New Jackson'
When we started the JFP, we had the vague notion that we could help turn Jackson into "the new Austin." For us, that is no longer the goal. Austin is …
‘Thine is the Kingdom'
At the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman, a large 307-pound man clad in a red prison jumpsuit lies on his back on a gurney. Seven straps cover Paul Everette Woodward: …
Make Consolidation Study Transparent
Since a flare-up of attention last winter, the issue of school district consolidation has received only limited public attention. This is unfortunate, as a governor-appointed panel is set to issue …
[Stiggers] Broke Folk
Brotha Hustle: "Ghetto Science Community: The Hustle family's Summer Jobs Initiative is ready to put people to work, thanks to some surplus funds from the Ghetto Science Community Stimulus Grant, …
[Kamikaze] Relearning Riding the Bike
I haven't been on a bike in years. Not because the desire isn't there. Well, kind of. I haven't been bike shopping longer than I have actually ridden one; I'll …
Minor Seeks U.S. Supreme Court Hearing
Copy of Minor's Petition (PDF)
[Wilkes] Dudettes Wearing Suits
Scene: Working husband, John Jones, walks in the door fresh from work, proverbial bacon in hand. Stay-at-home wife, Janet, cooks said bacon and puts what's left in a ROTH IRA …
Refreshing Your Art
Whether you're an artist, art student, art teacher or just someone that loves to learn about art, Tougaloo College's weeklong retreat, the Tougaloo Art Colony, may be just the thing …
Heartbreakers
Take some of music legend Neil Sadaka's best songs, add a handful of comedy, a touch of romance, let simmer for three weeks in Jackson's 89 degrees and 99 percent …
Kids' TV Comes Alive
In the world of New York Broadway shows, children's productions have always held a special place in the bright lights of Times Square.
Garbage Pail Rock
"Is this gonna make me a dork again?" Drummer Josh Little asks as rehearsal draws to a close. Little is having self-deprecating second thoughts about The Eunuchs' reunion show on …
[Herman's Picks] Vol. 8, No. 37
With summer starting and school ending, many of you might be looking for ways to relax.
Art
‘I Dream In Color'
On a recent spring afternoon in Jackson, graphic-design artist George Miles walks through Fondren, taking in the scenery and people. Miles makes a daily habit of walking from his apartment …
Two Races Rumble this Primary
This story has been updated to reflect a correction.
The June 1 primaries will be here in a handful of days, and the winners will likely give two of the state's four incumbents a hard time, say politicos.
Advocates Criticize Consolidation Process
Next month, a panel appointed by Gov. Haley Barbour will deliver a report on the possibility of consolidating some of Mississippi's 152 school districts. Barbour tasked the Commission on Education …
Chris Blevins
From a distance, Chris Blevins cuts an imposing figure. Up close, he is expansive in word and action. His eyes are warm with an easy friendliness that matches his exuberant …
BP Readies ‘Top Kill' in Attempt to Stop Oil
Engineers plan to begin another attempt to stop the gusher of oil flowing into the Gulf of Mexico today. Known as "top kill," the procedure will pump heavy drilling mud …
Tuesday, May 25
[Balko] A Drug Raid Goes Viral
Last week, a Columbia, Mo., drug raid captured on video went viral. As of this morning, the video had garnered 950,000 views on YouTube. It has lit up message boards, …
Business Round Up: Crazy Cat Serves Dinner, Leaves Fondren; UMC Turning Dirt
After six months in Fondren, Crazy Cat Bakers is refocusing its efforts on its Highland Village location, which will be opening for dinner next week. Owner Jon Lansdale closed the …
Peter Squires
Peter Squires may have had his heart broken, but you'd never know it from the quirky and fun lyrics that comprise the majority of his songs.
Ex-Mayor of Detroit Gets Five Years
Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick is heading back behind bars.
This just doesn't seem to end, does it? From mlive.com:
Barbour: Don't Stop Drilling
Speaking at the Mississippi Manufacturers Association Friday, Gov. Haley Barbour implied that the millions of gallons of crude pumping into the Gulf of Mexico and threatening fragile eco-systems, wildlife and …
Monday, May 24
Hood: Don't Waste Resources on Health-Care Suit
An 18-state lawsuit against the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that Gov. Haley Barbour joined this month has little merit, Attorney General Jim hood said during a 100 Black …
Panel Withholding Data, Education Advocates Say
A governor-appointed panel on school district mergers is withholding the data it used to identify 18 Mississippi school districts for potential consolidation, frustrating a group of education advocates.
Schimmel's Closes After 11-year Run
Schimmel's restaurant served its last customer on Friday, May 21, after 11 years of operation at 2615 N. State St. in Fondren, citing the sluggish economy and lack of sales …
Jewell Davis
Jewell Davis is soft spoken and polite, but when she talks about improving Jackson's future as a public information officer for the office of mayor Harvey Johnson Jr., her passion …
Community Events and Public Meetings
6:30 p.m., Jackson Audubon Society Monthly Chapter Meeting and Potluck Supper at Eudora Welty Library (300 N. State St.). The meeting includes the election of officers and a lecture by …
Jackson Has Cheapest Gas in the U.S.
Gas stations in the city of Jackson are selling fuel at the lowest average rate in the nation: $2.62 per gallon, according to the Lundberg Survey. Over the past two …
Friday, May 21
McLemore To Continue JSU Growth
Former Jackson city council president and 40-year professor at Jackson State University Leslie McLemore said today that he would continue plans to redesign JSU until the state College Board picks …
West Jackson Development Looks Ahead
With construction on a mixed-use development scheduled for completion in July, Jackson State University's Center for University-Based Development is looking ahead to several projects in west Jackson. The next phase …
Bryan Fedrick
Despite the fact that snakes have bitten Bryan Fedrick more than 100 times, he says he loves the slithering reptiles and wants to educate others about them.
Thank God It's Friday
Did you ride your bike to work today in honor of National Bike to Work Day? If not, make sure you grab a helmet and cycle somewhere this weekend. Tonight, …
Ross Perot + Dr. Evil = Rand Paul?
Not since Sarah Palin have we encountered such a breath of fresh stupidity.
Apparently while trying to explain away his problems* with the Civil Rights Act on ABC's Good Morning America, Rand Paul -- newly minted "tea-party" GOP candidate for Senate from the …
Thursday, May 20
Development
The Saga of the Convention Center Hotel
The city council met behind closed doors Tuesday evening to discuss a possible cost-sharing agreement with developers of a $200 million mixed-used development along four blocks of Pascagoula street that …
McLemore Named Interim JSU President
The Jackson State University Board of Trustees has named former Jackson City Councilman Leslie Burl McLemore interim JSU president while it searches for a replacement for outgoing president Ronald Mason. …
Midtown Housing Development Breaks Ground
City leaders today celebrated groundbreaking on the first phase of a $3.49 million energy-efficient residential development in Jackson's midtown neighborhood. The Jackson Housing Authority is financing the project through stimulus …
Amir Gwirtzman
Israeli musician Amir Gwirtzman says that his recent experiences in the South confirms his belief that music has the power to transcend race and cultures.
BP Gives $15 Million to Mississippi for Advertising
Oil giant BP, responsible for the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, is giving money to four coastal states whose tourism industry may be affected by the mess, …
Wednesday, May 19
This Thing Called Cholesterol
When I casually mentioned to my brother that I was doing a column on cholesterol, his response was, "Oh! Cholesterol's delicious!"
DIY: Creating a Garden
My parents are master gardeners. Growing up, organically grown and composted vegetables, fruits, flowers and herbs were an integral part of summer. We even had chickens and goats for a …
Daniel Guaqueta and Megan Storm
In Marrakech, Morocco, Daniel Guaqueta captured video footage of snake charmers as they hypnotized snakes by playing an instrument called a Pungi. As the camera starts rolling, one of the …
Candy's Confections
Candy's Confections, located in the Old Fannin Mart in Brandon, is a haven for sweet teeth. The store is home to cakes, fine chocolates, cookies and other baked goods, rows …
Mississippi's Ice Hockey Team
In a state like Mississippi with short winters and long, humid summers, baseball reigns, football is cherished, and the kid down the road practices endlessly to be the next Michael …
The Best In Sports In 7 Days
Doctor S sez: You know it's almost summer: the first MLB manager just got fired.
Leaping into Spring
It's difficult to write about spring food when it's wet and cold outside—when the groundhog is predicting that a lovely, warm spring is not "right around the corner." Because of …
Behind The Mask: Reversing Domestic Abuse
About 10 minutes before Jasmine stabbed her boyfriend, William, he had her on the floor of her grandmother's house, choking her to the point that she passed out. It wasn't …
State's First Legal Distillery Opens
Beginning Wednesday, May 19, Mississippi liquor stores will offer a truly local spirit. Cathead Vodka, the first legally distilled spirit in the state, goes on sale this week, after a …
NOAA Expands Gulf No-Fishing Zone
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced Tuesday that it is expanding the ban zone on fishing in the Gulf to about 20 percent of the entire Gulf as a …
NAACP Blasts MDPS' Decision
The Mississippi NAACP is condemning Department of Public Safety Commissioner Steve Simpson's decision to ignore a May 11 finding by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that the department fired …
Supes' Fuelman Records
Fuel purchases by the Hinds County Board of Supervisors have cost county taxpayers over $10,000 since January 2009, according to documents obtained by the Jackson Free Press. The Jackson Free …
Be the Actors
I was running late and felt lost in the hallways of the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C, last week, as I attempted to find Sen. Roger Wicker's office. …
Sun Must Shine on Convention Hotel Deal
Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. dismayed the Jackson Free Press at the City Council work session Monday when he said the city was looking to enter into a possibly-financial deal with …
[Stiggers] Desperate Plea
Mr. Announcement: "G-SPAN (Ghetto Science Public Affairs Network) presents the ‘Lord Have Mercy I'm Still Unemployed Center Summer Jobs Summit.' Rev. Cletus, spiritual advisor and pastor of Rev. Cletus Car …
[Fish] Pie In The Sky
Those of us who understand educational theory can clearly see the foundations on which Lynn Stoddard's "Educating for Human Greatness" (Peppertree Press, 2010, $18.50) is based. None of the ideas …
Free At Last
Comic-book aficionados will likely remember Trevor Von Eeden for co-creating the character Black Lightning for DC Comics in the ‘70s. This was the first original African American character for the …
Funds Available for Filmmakers
Mississippi Film and Video Alliance is giving new filmmakers a boost with the Emerging Filmmaker's Grant. The grants are available to filmmakers who are just starting out in the industry, …
Details Still Scant on Convention Center Deal
Read TCI-MS's PowerPoint presentation (PDF, 146 KB)
Challenging Stereotypes
A cardboard cutout of President Barack Obama smiles down through a window at a pleasant-looking woman standing in her backyard. She smiles and waits patiently, standing outside her sunroom in …
Bob Hudson
Local poet Bob Hudson leans forward, adjusts his reading glasses and plunges me into another universe. His wiry voice guides me through his strange world of words and ideas, illuminating …
Woodward Execution Today
The first of two back-to-back executions will take place today when Mississippi puts to death Paul Everette Woodward, 62, at 6:15 p.m. at the State Penitentiary at Parchman. Tomorrow, the …
Tuesday, May 18
Development
Convention Hotel Developers Owe County Taxes
A company formed to develop the Capital City Center development on four blocks of Pascagoula Street, including a convention center hotel, has not paid taxes on the property for 2009. …
Mixed-Use at JSU, Fondren Market, County PR
Jackson State University is seeking retailers for a four-story mixed-use development on track to open this fall. One University Place will host 78 apartments on its top three floors. JSU's …
Charity Moody
Raymond High School senior Charity Moody's interest in biology began after her father's substance abuse-related death. His death inspired her to pursue a career in biology and neuroscience, so others …
BP Pipe Could Syphon Some Oil
A mile-long pipe running from the sea floor where hundreds of thousands of gallons of oil are gushing into the Gulf of Mexico may be the start of capping the …
Monday, May 17
City May Help Fund Convention Center Hotel
The city could enter a cost-sharing agreement with developers of the Capital City Center, a mixed-use development project on four blocks of Pascagoula Street that will include a convention center …
Coral Reefs Threatened by Oil Spill
Marine scientists are concerned about the future of the Gulf's coral reefs because of the unknown effects of dispersants, mixed with oil gushing from the ragged remnants of British Petroleum's …
Hinds Planning Bolton Airport Development
Hinds County is planning an aviation and aerospace development for the industrial park surrounding John Bell Williams Airport in Bolton. The Hinds County Economic Development District will present the county …
Brian Keith Leavitt
As an investigator with the Mississippi attorney general's Cyber Crime Unit, Brian Keith Leavitt's attention to detail and use of technology has uncovered hundreds of child-exploitation cases in the state.
Community Events and Public Meetings
Two & Two Restaurant Days May 18 and May 20. Mission Mississippi organizes this annual lunch special. If you invite someone from a different ethnic background to lunch at a …
Open Foodies Thread: What are you eating these days? Cooking?
OK, all, now that we have our Food Blog revamped, it's time to start hearing from all of you foodies about what you're cooking and where you're eating. So tell …
Barbour Has Joined Health-Care Lawsuit
Friday, Gov. Haley Barbour joined the multi-state lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the federal health-care bill passed by Congress earlier this year. Barbour is moving ahead with the suit despite …
Going to Saigon Restaurant
A crazy fun video by Bobby Anderson. Hat-tip Anna Kline and David McCarty.
Sunday, May 16
Food
Waiting for the Shoe to Drop
As a seafood lover, I'm concerned about what impact the oil spill in the Gulf will have on one of the true glories of Southern cuisine, the fish, shrimp and …
Friday, May 14
Sierra Club: Dispersants Worse than Oil
Mississippi Sierra Club Director Louie Miller says the Sierra Club wants to know the environmental consequences of mixing dispersants with the oil jetting out of the devastated Deepwater Horizon oil …
Hinds Seeks $6 Million Fines
Lack of personnel and technology is preventing Hinds County from collecting over $6 million in outstanding fines, county supervisors learned at a work session yesterday. A discussion on improving the …
It's The Weekend
It's finally Friday and the best way to kick off the weekend is to attend "ZooBrew" at the Jackson Zoological Park at 6 p.m. Tickets are $40 for non-members and …
Brittney Dear
Brittney Dear grew up singing gospel music in her church choir, but she never thought she would have the chance to perform on national television.
Bryant Backpedals on Oil Smell Comment; Tar Balls on the Beach
Speaking Wednesday at the Coastal Development Strategies Conference, Mississippi Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant flatly denied that anyone can detect the odor of crude oil wafting over the waves to the …
Thursday, May 13
Major University for Arts Proposed for Jackson
Jackson Developer David Watkins wants to transform the James Eastland Post Office and U.S. Courthouse on Capitol Street into an institute for the arts.
‘JFP Mobile' App Live in the Apple Store
Just today we got word of final approval by the Apple Store for the 'JFP Mobile' iPhone/iPad/iPod app, which is available immediately as a free download.
Mississippi Legislators Respond to Oil Spill
Troubles keep on brewing as a stricken BP oil well continues to daily jet more than 200,000 gallons of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico. British Petroleum's attempt to …
Jeffery Scott
Lt. Jeffery Scott has returned to law enforcement in the Jackson area. The former Jackson Police Department spokesman took a job with the Hinds County Sheriff's Department last week, after …
Mississippi Legislators Cut Expenses
Lawmakers are eliminating in-state and out-of-state travel expenses in an effort to cut $700,000 from the state House of Representatives budget without laying off employees, reports WLBT.
Wednesday, May 12
Sweetly Be
In 1988, Jerry Clower declared (Jerry never merely said anything) that Rose Budd Stevens is "a national treasure", and I agree. Japan has bestowed such an honor on makers of …
Local Eats Sampler
Some of Jackson's favorite restaurants may have been around for more than 50 years, but the food scene here is constantly growing. In the last six months, we have gained …
The Best In Sports In 7 Days
Tiger Woods says he has a pain in the neck, at least until the divorce is final.
Advocates Unite at CARE Conference
When most of us hear the word "lobbyist," we might conjure up images of back-room dealings with high paid lobbyists and legislators who put big business over people.
Business
Open For Business: Starting Small
Jacqueline Wells dreams of making films. That's why she's sitting in an office in an old shopping mall on Ellis Avenue, flanked by two portable fans compensating for the office's …
Joyflow Yoga
Debi Lewis has been at her new Joyflow Yoga location since 2009, but has been teaching and developing her style of yoga for 18 years. She connected earlier health problems …
Healthy Body Health Food Center
Bessie Washington's painful joints, fatigue and migraines sent her on a search for herbal remedies. What she discovered worked so well for her that she and her husband, John, opened …
Campbell's Bakery
Sedrick and Malinda Lilley, owners of Campbell's Bakery, have always wanted to be the owners of a business. In November 2008, this became a reality when they re-opened Campbell's Bakery.
Olde Tyme Commissary
Tucked away in Highland Village's myriad shops is Olde Tyme Commissary, a fixture there since 1972. The store features children's toys and costumes, fine-tailored baby clothes, and educational toys and …
Afrika Book Café
Last month, Tawanna and Rico Chapman, who previously owned African bookstores on Bailey and Ellis avenues, opened Afrika Book Café, creating a new cultural venue in Fondren. The shop sells …
Dreamz Jxn
Located on the corner of Gallatin and West Capitol streets, Dreamz Jxn is a three-story club and entertainment complex in downtown Jackson with 25 plasma TV screens, VIP rooms, three …
Coast Ink Embroidery and Screen Print
Where some people see obstacles, Keith Richardson sees opportunities. Originally from Moss Point, Richardson, 28, opened Coast Ink Embroidery and Screen Print with four childhood friends in 2005, after graduating …
Peaches Restaurant
Peaches Restaurant has been a soul-food Mecca on Farish Street since Wilora "Peaches" Ephram first opened the doors in 1961. Her son, Roderick Ephram, is proud of the rich history …
Highway 80 Gets Scrutinized, Organized
After declining slowly for decades, the Highway 80 corridor in south Jackson is poised for a rebirth. The Jackson Redevelopment Authority is looking to have the corridor designated an urban …
Duane O'Neill: Marketing Jackson
Duane O'Neill has one of the nicest offices in Jackson, a high-ceilinged corner office in the old fire station next to City Hall. The place is appropriate for a man …
Ron Blaylock
It's not uncommon to find Ron Blaylock at a Jackson event with cameras around his neck and one of his three small children in tow while he works. In April, …
Exercise: Work or Luxury?
The catalyst for New York artist Claudia DeMonte's art is a perfect balance between the internal world of ideas and the external world of possessions. Through her collection, "The Luxury …
Where the Jobs Are in 2010
If we're lucky, we're coming out a deep recession and looking at economic growth that, hopefully, will mean jobs, consumer spending and new business investment nationally. Jackson is poised to …
Worried in Florida
Pensacola Beach is packed. People sunbathe on the white sand, parents look on as their children make sand castles and run into ankle-deep water, and surfers take full advantage of …
Vet The New Lake 255 Plan
After more than a decade, the Rankin-Hinds Pearl River Flood and Drainage Control District Levee Board came to a tentative compromise on a lake plan that does not appear to …
[Stiggers] The Larger World
Can you believe it? This year marks my seventh year writing humor and satire for the Jackson Free Press! You've endured seven years of my crazy characters, wacky parodies, unusual …
[Kamikaze] Transfer the Power
This city is on the brink of greatness, with more than a billion dollars worth of new development downtown. Young professionals, black and white, are choosing to live, work, and …
[Purvis] The Case for Shopping Locally
I hate going to superstores. I rarely see the same staff, and the employees never seem too interested in being there. Maybe that's a symptom of supersizing. How can an …
Bill Would Allow States to Veto Drilling
The American Power Act, a bill being introduced in the United States Senate this morning, will allow coastal states to opt out of offshore oil drilling up to 75 miles …
Tuesday, May 11
The Peaches of Chilton County
The girls at the old farmer's market here (the one off North West Street) tell me that the Chilton County peaches will be coming in soon, probably within the next …
JFP Staffers Finalists for Four ‘Green Eyeshade' Awards
We learned today that the JFP editorial staff will be receiving awards in four different categories this summer in the 60th Annual Green Eyeshade Awards. This was our first year …
Karen Irby Sentenced to 18 Years
Hinds County Judge Tomie Green sentenced Karen Irby, who pleaded guilty March 26 to two counts of manslaughter in the deaths of two doctors, to two 18-year prison terms, which …
Business Roundup
The Jackson Police Department is restarting an initiative aimed at preventing crime around the city's hotels and motels and protecting visitors. Called Tourism Oriented Policing Strategies, or TOPS, the program …
Calvin Bogan
Calvin Bogan, 19, is taking his passion for music to Boston this summer. "One thing I love about music," he says, "is that music touches people in different ways."
[Balko] How Many More Are Innocent?
America's 250th DNA exoneration raises questions about how often we send the wrong person to prison.
Irby Receives 18 Years Behind Bars
Karen Irby, who pleaded guilty March 26 to two counts of manslaughter in the deaths of two doctors, was sentenced this morning to 18 years in prison for each count, …
Monday, May 10
Levee Board Approves Compromise Lake25X
Rankin-Hinds Pearl River Flood and Drainage Control District Levee Board approved a resolution to re-engage the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to move forward with a $205 million levee expansion …
Commission Readies School Consolidation Report
A governor-appointed panel is set to issue its final recommendations on school district consolidation in the next month. The Commission on Education Structure met at the state Capitol today to …
Community Events and Public Meetings
7 p.m., Death Penalty Forum, at Masonic Temple (1072 John R. Lynch Street), on the first floor. The topic is "From Tulia to Jena to Winona: the Past is Still …
Suburbs Losing Young Whites to Cities
Diversity in city and suburbs = good. Keep it up, Jackson.
Our good friend David Watkins (or "Pops" in JFP comments and forums) posted a link to this Huff Post piece on Facebook yesterday, which reports on a Brookings Institution study …
Second Dome Planned; Spill Drifts West
British Petroleum engineers attempting to contain the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico will try to lower a second containment dome at the site, reports The Times-Picayune. Crews lowered …
Saturday, May 8
JFP Forums Are Back!
Last year we switched from using the Forums script here on the JFP site to something I was calling the "Community Blog," mostly because it allowed us to integrate recent …
Friday, May 7
Courts Sets Second Execution Date
Yesterday, the Mississippi Supreme Court set a May 20 execution date for Gerald James Holland, 72, on death row for the 1987 murder of 15-year-old Krystal King. Holland's execution will …
Dr. Alan Bean
By using narrative and story telling, Dr. Alan Bean hopes that others will start to evaluate the criminal-justice system and seek the truth.
BP to Waive Federal Cap on Spill Damage, Says AG
Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood and attorneys general from Louisiana, Texas, Florida and Alabama said at a press conference yesterday that BP is willing to waive a $75 million cap …
Advocates Urge Proactive Approach to Homeless
Addressing homelessness in Jackson will require the active participation of communities, especially in the areas near downtown, the city's Homeless Program Coordinator Heather Ivery said today.
Raymond Vaughn
Raymond Vaughn, owner of Raymond's hair salon in Jackson, has more hair than he knows what do to with.
Thank God It's Friday
Start your weekend off on a musical note. The numerous options tonight include ArtRemix at the Mississippi Museum of Art kicking off at 5 p.m.; $20. Tonight is also the …
Thursday, May 6
Chief Keeping Close Eye on Fuel Cost
http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/v3/images/documents/MajorCrimes050210pdf.pdf
Anita Modak-Truran
Anita Modak-Truran is the first to admit her insatiable curiosity lures her to seek new experiences and hobbies.
Gulf Coast AGs Seek Spill ‘Clarifications'
Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood and the attorneys general from four other states affected (or potentially affected) by oil gushing into the Gulf of Mexico are looking for clarification of …
Wednesday, May 5
Filling that Empty Place
Growing up, I was one of those nerdy kids with big pink glasses and a bad perm that brought her lunch to school everyday. What a treat it was to …
Cookin' for Mom
Being a mother herself, Faye Dickerson knows that things can get stressful on Mother's Day. All that a mom wants to do is sit back and relax, though most times …
Mother's Day Traditions
Each and every year for Mother's Day my mother and I go to church together, and afterward we go to a spa and get our nails and feet done. That …
Carving Nature at Its Joints
People have called my obsession with snakes (and by extension cats) aberrant, cockamamie, campy and injudicious. It is all of these things. I am all of these things.
The Best In Sports In 7 Days
Doctor S sez: What do you call a sunny day following two days of rain? Monday.
Woodward Execution Date Set
Attorney General Jim Hood is asking the state of Mississippi to execute two death-row inmates, the first since 2008. Hood's office submitted requests to the Mississippi Supreme Court last month …
Mother Nature: First, Do No Harm
"Y'all are just against economic development." That ribbing came from a Levee Board member who shall remain anonymous due to drinks on the table (a pretty good rule for journalists, …
Mason: ‘I'm Basically an Introvert'
Outgoing Jackson State University President Ronald Mason Jr. said at a Tuesday press luncheon that he did not expect his university to deviate from progress and growth in his absence.
Hinds Unloading Title Building
For three years, the Mississippi Valley Title Building has weighed on Hinds County's budget without contributing much of anything in the way of revenue. Purchased in 2007 for a planned …
Judge Malcolm Harrison: A New Man
Newly appointed Hinds County Circuit Court Judge Malcolm Harrison is a careful man when it comes to talking politics about Mississippi's judicial system.
Commence This
It's that time of year again, where we cheer and cry our hearts out to you, fellow grads! We here at the JFP, give much congrats to you for toughing …
Fix the Smoking Ban
Jackson has taken a stand against smoking in public places, joining capital cities across the country that have banned indoor smoking from businesses, restaurants and bars. Health experts have long …
[Stiggers] Step Into Tomorrow
Boneqweesha Jones: "Welcome to Hair Did University School of Cosmetology and Vocational Studies Pre-Graduation Banquet. Our guest speaker is the honorable Congressman Smokey ‘Robinson' McBride. Congressman Smokey just arrived from …
Tune Up, Mississippi
For a long time, I've lived uneasily with the disturbing assumption that most of the people I know who love music (and I know a lot of them) either don't …
[Purvis] The Zen of Gardening
The weekend is over. I sit on my back patio, watching the endless parade of squirrels shimmying up trees and trotting across the top of my weathered-wood privacy fence. My …
Cover
Too Little, Too Late?
Behind the Silver Slipper Casino in Bay St. Louis, a fleet of commercial fishing boats sits quietly before sunrise on April 30. Even though it's the last day of oyster …
Simply Surviving
When I think of a future dystopian society accompanied by a series of natural disasters, movies like "Waterworld" and "Mad Max Beyond the Thunderdome" are regrettably the first stories that …
[Rob In Stereo] Don't Forget the Lyrics
The New Pornographers have long been the pop-music snob's dream band. It is a guitar pop band, but is also able to seamlessly add layered instrumentation and multipart harmonies when …
Power Company to Challenge Commission Ruling
Mississippi Power Company will file a motion this week asking the Mississippi Public Service Commission to reconsider its April 29 order for Kemper County IGCC Project. The MPSC approved the …
Clarion-Ledger ‘Shopping' Section Ignores Local Stores
The Clarion-Ledger tried to make a big deal out of new pages it was added to the Sunday edition, so we grabbed one to see what the big deal was. …
Maurice Turner II
Wherever Maurice Turner II is, so is his trumpet. It's not just some eccentric call for attention. "My band director loaned me a trumpet, and I left it in the …
Why Donner Kay Is Blogging Again
OK, I've been bad. Of a fashion. In recent months, I've gotten so caught up in new projects (like the new BOOM Jackson quarterly!) and in volunteer work and in …
Barbour: Don't Panic
Gov. Haley Barbour wants Mississippi residents to stay calm about the oil spill creeping toward the Gulf shore, reports Canadian Business. The spill has been putting 5,000 barrels, or 210,000 …
Tuesday, May 4
Blocking Digital Signs and Helping Small Business
Jackson Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. will submit a resolution protesting the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce's plan to build and rent three new digital signs in the city, city …
Business Round Up: Two Markets and A New Film Festival
A former grocery store near the Jackson Medical Mall reopened Saturday as a farmer's market. Part of the Roadmap to Health Equity Project, the market is located in the former …
Michele Baker
Michele Baker wants to help families who lost everything during Hurricane Katrina get back into their homes.
[Balko] Watching the Detectives
George Orwell famously said, "If you want a vision of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face–forever." He may still be right.
Mississippi Revenues Down Again
After a slight 1.4 percent uptick in March, state revenues are back in the doldrums, down for the 19th month of the last 20. April revenue came in at 8.54 …
Monday, May 3
1st Annual Downtown Cinco De Mayo Celebration WEDNESDAY 5:30pm
ADMISSION IS FREE TIL 9pm. Music, Mexican Food, and YOU!
The Jackson Progressives, Jackson Free Press, Jackson Downtown Neighborhood Association, and several other entities have joined forces for the 1st Annual Downtown Cinco De Mayo Celebration: Celebration of Jackson's Diversity. …
Efforts to Minimize Oil Spill Underway
As a major oil spill creeps its away toward the Gulf Coast, officials are hoping that recent efforts by British Petroleum and the United States Coast Guard can keep the …
Mason Gets Mixed Reviews
Jackson State University President Ronald Mason Jr.'s announcement last week that he will be ending his 10-year stint at JSU and taking the reins at Louisiana's Southern University and A&M …
Susan Lunardini
Susan Lunardini believes that a strong business climate goes hand in hand with a safe city. As the president of the Jackson Police Foundation, she hopes to promote that climate …
Community Events and Public Meetings
6 p.m., Jackson Arts Collective Annual Meeting at Welty Commons Gallery (719 Congress St.). The annual meeting is an opportunity to hear a report of the previous year's activities and …
Barbour Declares Third Emergency
Several north Mississippi counties joined Gov. Haley Barbour's emergency list yesterday because of severe storms, flooding and tornados that left at least three Mississippians dead. The counties of Benton, Lafayette, …
