Jackson Free Press

There's never a slow news week in Jackson, Miss., and last week was no exception. Here are the local stories JFP reporters brought you in case you missed them:

1. Federal officials say faltering efforts to improve conditions at Hinds County's two jails have been far inadequate to overcome decrepit physical conditions, rampant violence and poor staffing.
2. In Jackson, local leaders don't see police-community relations as good versus evil. In fact, they say the relationship between the cops and the community has drastically improved.
3. Mayor Tony Yarber plans to apply for federal transportation funds, even though he believes the red tape involved disadvantages black-led cities that lack political leverage.
4. Mississippi is one of 28 states where it's perfectly legal to discriminate against LGBT people, who often face hostile workplace environments.
5. The Jackson Free Press is a finalist for four awards from the Association of Alternative Newsmedia for the paper's coverage of the Michelle Byrom death-penalty case, LGBT issues across Mississippi, government transparency and accountability and opinion writing.
6. Going into the final two weeks before a runoff election for Mississippi's 1st Congressional District, Walter Zinn emphasized his time spent working for the City of Jackson.
7. Despite the rain, a parade of heavy equipment kicked off National Public Works Week Monday and marked the start of a new city-wide initiative called Operation Orange Cone.
8. Several corrections and detention officers in central Mississippi have come under fire in recent days.
9. A Florida advocate of legalizing marijuana says a threat prompted him to withdraw his offer to pay supporters of Mississippi's petition drive to gather signatures on petitions for a statewide election.
10. This summer, The Park will be abandoned no more. CircusTrix, the largest operator and developer of trampoline parks in the world, will bring High Heaven Trampoline Park into that space.

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