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. JPD held an award program Thursday, July 13, before the weekly COMSTAT meeting to acknowledge the Traffic Unit and Direct Action Response Team Unit, formerly known as D.A.R.T., for their performance in the field.
2. Dr. William Bynum Jr. said enrollment for the upcoming school year is down in his second week as the new president of Jackson State University.
3. The Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will have to decide whether to hear plaintiffs' petition to re-hear their case against House Bill 1523; the law does not go into affect until the 5th Circuit issues a mandate.
4. Mississippi Department of Corrections officials found more than 100 cellphones at the Alcorn County Regional Correctional Facility on Wednesday, July 12, along with bags of tobacco and shanks. MDOC put the facility on lockdown immediately.
5. The October 2016 release of Mississippi's accountability ratings for each public-school district reveals wide racial disparities. Each failing school district in Mississippi teaches a student population that is at least 80 percent black.
6. Frederick Burns' app CultureSnap debuted June 19, popping with words that speak directly to the African American cultural experience and bringing popular hashtags to life with visuals and color.
7. With a new mayor riding into Jackson with a strong mandate, returning city council members are predicting that much can change for the capital city—in a good way.
8. Positive rather than punitive school climates are the best way to keep young people in schools, a group of community leaders and students are arguing in their Dignity in Schools campaign.
9. Attorney General Jim Hood and other state officials encouraged law-enforcement officials, mental-health practitioners, and lawmakers to collaborate to effectively curb opioid and heroin addiction in the state at the Mississippi Drug Summit.
10. Hinds County voters will vote this August for additional funds to improve schools in the Hinds County School District.

Remember: Check the JFP Events planner for everything to do in the Jackson metro area. You can also add your own events (or send them to [email protected])! See JFPEvents.com

Read staff and reader blog posts at jfp.ms/weblogs (yes, you can register on the site and start your own blog!)