Jackson Free Press

As students returned to school and college, much of last week's local news focused on the needs and rights of young Mississippians. Here's a round of the JFP's top stories last week.

1. Hinds County Supervisor Kenneth Stokes opened a new front on his war against baggy pants. Also read the JFP editorial calling for Stokes, and his wife, Councilwoman LaRita Cooper-Stokes, to do more to help attract more young professionals into Ward 3.

2. Meantime, up in Canton, school officials sent 100 kids home because they did like the Olympians and wore bright-colored sneakers to school.

3. Back in Jackson, sassy young lesbian Ceara Sturgis and her partner, Emily Key, won a battle against discrimination when the Mississippi Ag Museum reversed its policy against allowing them to have a civil commitment ceremony on the groups. The decision left conservative state officials foaming at the mouth and blaming the attorney general, who was the one who had to explain that the state couldn't discriminate against same-sex couples. See lots of documents in the battle at the story link.

4. A 25-year-old neighbor was charged with the murder of 15-year-old Edward Evans Jr. Reporter R.L. Nave reports some of his interview with Edward Evans Sr., saying of the accused Cedric Ratliff: "If Edward knew who killed him, he wouldn't even be mad."

5. The JFP's annual Jackpedia college issue hit the streets, containing several stories relevant to young Mississippians. In one of them, managing editor Ronni Mott pondered: Student Loans: Worth the Price?. Lots of other people must be wondering the same thing; the story went viral nationally.

6. With football on the brain, the JFP made Allison Washington Person of the Day on Aug. 9. She is the first-ever female announcer for Jackson State University's Sonic Boom of the South band. Oddly, though, after she won the audition, she found herself with a male co-announcer. She's not sure if it's sexist.

7. It was a huge week at the Olympics for Mississippians, including JSU graduate Michael Tinsley, but JFP sportswriter Bryan Flynn also looked to the future, featuring Florence Special Olympians Joey Brinson and Ryan Estep as co-Persons of the Day. The wheelchair fencers travel to London at the end of the month to compete in the Special Olympic Games.

8. Continuing his coverage of problem conditions at the Hinds County Detention Center, JFP reporter Jacob Fuller spoke to Dr. Carl Reddix about why he withdrew medical services from the jail.

9. The JFP summer intern who emerged as the primary student editor of this year's Jackpedia wrote about how and why she changed her mind about Jackson over the summer. Intern Matt Bolian, also a U.S. Army officer, on why he wants to become a Jackson developer.

10. JFP intern and runner Sara Sacks continued her series on Running Month with a piece about buying the right running shoes.

Meantime, don't forget to check the area's best events calendar daily at jfpevents.com and wonk out over all the documents we're compiling at jfp.ms/documents. And keep up with comments and active discussions, and join in, at jfp.ms/comments. Finally, don't miss the .summer interns' blog here.