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. Two weeks before the Mississippi Legislature allowed 19 state flag bills to die in committee, Gov. Phil Bryant took out a pen and signed an official governor's proclamation, declaring the month of April "Confederate Heritage Month."
2. Jeff Good, managing partner of the Mangia Bene restaurant group, told a crowd Friday morning that his kitchens were installing filtration systems in response to public reaction to issues surrounding the Jackson city water.
3. Mississippi House members were previously allowed to ask questions about their rights, reputation and the conduct of House members—"personal privilege"—but the House voted in favor of striking those rights from the rules by a vote of 71-50.
4. A planned Hampton Inn in Fondren moved a step forward Wednesday when the Jackson Planning Commission approved a land-use permit to allow for a north entranceway just south of Pig and Pint.
5. Although the City of Jackson ensures its citizens that the drinking water has been deemed safe to drink, the City and the Mississippi Department of Health on Wednesday cautioned small children and pregnant women not to drink the water without taking certain steps to flush any lead present in the pipes.
6. The deepest fears of some members of the Mississippi House of Representatives came out last week, as the chamber passed bills to fight terrorism, protect religious freedom and allow armed security programs in churches.
7. Josiah Calvert, 8, signed copies of his 2015 book, "The Three Little Monkeys," at The Village Apartments on Raymond Road on Thursday.
8. Sex education in Mississippi could end, or be revamped, as soon as July this year, depending on legislators' actions between now and the end of the session.
9. The opposition to the Jackson airport "takeover" bill strengthened last week even as a Senate committee passed it to the floor Tuesday despite warnings from state airport leaders that the effort could run afoul of state ethics laws.
10. Rep. David Baria, D-Bay St. Louis, said that both Democrats and Republicans should be able to agree on fixing the state's crumbling infrastructure, especially because if our infrastructure is good enough, corporations can bring in high traffic.

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