Wednesday, February 28
Politics
Mississippi 'Go Cup' Bill Heads to Governor's Desk
The Mississippi Legislature is passing an expansion of the year-old "go cup" law. The House Wednesday gave final approval to Senate Bill 2588 , by a vote of 88-28, sending …
Cover
Beyond Stigma: Helping the Jacksonians Others Reject
Opening in 1987, the Sandifer House on Jefferson Street offered men and women living with AIDS respite from the continuing stigma of being HIV-positive in the early years of the …
Civil Rights
OPINION: Police Violence is Not Déjà Vu
In Jackson, police violence is not deja vu; it is real and systemic.
Civil Rights
EDITORIAL: JPD, Identify Cops Who Shoot Civilians
Mayor Lumumba's order does not address the glaring need for JPD to release names of officers who use excessive and/or fatal force on civilians—the progressive needle does not move without …
National
Manafort Pleads Not Guilty, Gets September Trial Date
President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort maintained his innocence on Wednesday to new charges he acted as an unregistered foreign agent and directed an international money-laundering conspiracy.
Film
OPINION: Wakanda Forever
"Black Panther" is a depiction of the Africa that our ancestors knew could exist. Its portrayal of royalty and tradition is what we come from. It's in our DNA. It's …
National
Dick's Ends Sales of Assault-Style Rifles in Stores
Dick's Sporting Goods will immediately halt sales of assault-style rifles and high-capacity magazines at all of its stores and ban the sale of all guns to anyone under 21.
Editor's Note
EDITOR'S NOTE: Move On from ‘Antiquated and Useless’ Gang Bill
A very bad "gang bill" has died in the Legislature for the second year in a row. This death occurred after the Senate passed the bill to criminalize gang association …
Jacksonian
Sumati Thomas
It was at Murrah High School where Sumati Thomas, the coordinator of institutional research at Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society's headquarters in Jackson, first discovered her love of science …
Music
Travis Meadows: On Mississippi Dirt
Travis Meadows may not be a household name for every country-music fan, but the Nashville, Tenn., singer-songwriter has made a place for himself among the biggest stars in the genre.
Food
Angelo’s Unlikely Pairing
At Angelo's, the tables are stocked with Italian and pizzeria staples such as shakers of parmesan cheese and crushed red pepper, and something more unusual for an Italian restaurant: squeeze …
Civil Rights
The Racist Roots of Disenfranchising Voters
Mississippi is one of 12 states with disenfranchisement laws that can affect people for life. The list of 22 disenfranchising crimes means an estimated 218,181 people in the state are …
City & County
Providing Hope in a Crumbling Library
Despite a seemingly grim reality, Jackson-Hinds Libraries Executive Director Patty Furr has hope for the Capital city's branches and the communities they serve, and she credits the work Ruth Jinkiri …
City & County
JPS Board Pushes Supe Search Forward
Jackson Public Schools could have a new superintendent by July if the Board of Trustees gets its way. Earlier this month, the board finalized its top two superintendent search firm …
Tuesday, February 27
Education
Senators Tweak Rewrite of Mississippi School Funding Formula
State senators on Tuesday moved a rewrite of Mississippi's public school funding formula a step closer to passage.
Politics
Mississippi One Step Closer to 15-Week Abortion Ban
A state Senate committee on Tuesday passed House Bill 1510 , which would make abortions illegal at 15 weeks into gestation. The bill moves to the full Senate for more …
Politics
Mississippi Lawmakers: Schools Could Let Teachers Carry Guns
Some Mississippi lawmakers want to give schools the options of arming teachers in an effort to prevent future school shootings.
City & County
Mayor: No More Mugshots Released of Juveniles, People Shot by Police
Monday was the day Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba signed an executive order to stop the Jackson Police Department to stop disseminating mugshots of those involved in officer-involved shootings, such as …
Music
Tedeschi Trucks: Capturing New Ground
When Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks performed together on New Year's Eve in 2008, it was a normal day in many ways.
Biz Roundup
Club Vudu, The Murals and Spectacles
Club Vudu, a new nightclub coming to downtown Jackson, will hold its grand opening on Friday, March 2.
Person of the Day
Ida B. Wells
The Old Capitol Museum will host a reception and book signing for author Paula J. Giddings' "Ida, A Sword Among Lions: Ida B. Wells and the Campaign Against Lynching" on …
National
Sessions: Justice Dept Can Ban Bump Stocks With Regulation
Justice Department officials are forging ahead with plans to ban rapid-fire bump stocks, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Tuesday—a move that would likely set the stage for long legal battles …
LGBT
Gay Pride Parade Organizers Sue Mississippi City Over Denial
Two women sued a Mississippi college town Monday over its denial of a permit for a gay pride parade, saying the city had denied their constitutional rights to free expression …
Monday, February 26
City & County
City Will Stop Releasing Mug Shots of Those Shot by Police
The police department in Mississippi's largest city will no longer release mug shots of people shot to death by law enforcement officers.
Justice
Judge Again Eyes Claims from Jail Inmates Over Slow Trials
A federal judge is again calling officials from a Mississippi county before him to ask why inmates are languishing in the county jail without bail or trial.
National
Trump Suggests He and Governors Would've Rushed Florida School
President Donald Trump told the nation's governors on Monday that he would have rushed in unarmed to aid students and teachers during the deadly mass shooting at a Florida high …
City & County
Open Containers, Bike Shares, Guns and Angie Thomas on City Hall Agenda
Renaming streets, voting on Ward 7 Councilwoman Virgi Lindsay's open-container ordinance, bringing a bike share to Jackson, approving a new roof at the zoo and other issues will take the …
City & County
'One Lake' Bond Bill Passes House By Slim Margin After Questions
Proponents of the "One Lake" project along the Pearl River through Jackson got a financial boost when the Mississippi House of Representatives passed a nearly $100-million bond and loan measure …
Civil Rights
OPINION: America, How Many More Innocent Souls Must Die?
We all have a great light beaming on the inside of us, but how are we using our influence to ensure we teach love to one another?
Politics
Mississippi Tobacco Tax Increase Remains Up in the Air
The pressure for a state tobacco tax increase has been building for months, with health advocacy groups urging the Legislature to make the cost of smoking higher as a way …
Immigration
Supreme Court Declines to Take Up 'Dreamers' Case for Now
The Supreme Court on Monday rejected the Trump administration's highly unusual bid to bypass a federals appeals court and get the justices to intervene in the fate of a program …
City & County
10 Local Stories of the Week
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.
Friday, February 23
National
US Companies Distance Themselves from NRA as Pressure Mounts
U.S. companies are taking a closer look at investments, co-branding deals and other ties to the gun industry and its public face, the National Rifle Association, after the latest school …
Sports
Eagles Player Credits Mississippi Roots for Football Career
Super Bowl champion Fletcher Cox says he credits his Mississippi upbringing and schooling for his successful football career.
National
Hood Joins Net Neutrality Fight
Attorney General Jim Hood will challenge the Federal Communications Commission's decision earlier this year to repeal net neutrality regulations.
National
Ex-Trump Campaign Aide Agrees to Guilty Plea in Russia Probe
A former top adviser to President Donald Trump's campaign is scheduled to plead guilty on Friday in the special counsel's Russia investigation to federal conspiracy and false statements charges.
Education
MUW Cystic Fibrosis Grant, UMMC HIV Testing Center and Millsaps International Perspectives Program
On Feb. 16 and 17, Millsaps College hosted a campus-wide climate change conference as part of its new International Perspectives Program.
Person of the Day
Malaika Quarterman
Jackson Public Schools named Malaika Quarterman, a performing arts teacher at Power Academic & Performing Arts Complex in Belhaven, as Teacher of the Year on Jan. 29.
Civil Rights
Activist John Lewis Honored Decades After Civil Rights Arrest
The first time John Lewis traveled to Mississippi in 1961, he was arrested and jailed with other Freedom Riders, black and white, who challenged segregation in a bus station.
Thursday, February 22
State
Mississippi Gives Tax Break to Hotel Tied to Trump Company
Mississippi has granted a tax break worth just over $6 million to a hotel developer affiliated with the Trump Organization.
Politics
Equal Pay Amendment 'Harmful' to Mississippi Workers, Advocates Say
Equal-pay advocates say that an amendment the Mississippi House of Representatives passed to guarantee that women are paid as much as men is actually harmful because it exempts many employees …
Person of the Day
Luke Reynolds
The start of the 2018 college baseball season was a long wait for Luke Reynolds. The current University of Southern Mississippi third-baseman hadn't played in a college game in two …
City & County
JPD Investigating Officer-Involved Shooting
Two unnamed male officers with the Jackson Police Department came into contact with two men at the 1300 block of Deer Park Street at about 3 p.m. Wednesday. A narcotics …
National
Oversight Committee Wants to Look at Pruitt's Travel Records
A Republican-led congressional committee is demanding records related to premium-class flights taken by Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt.
National
Sen. Rubio Says He Would Support Raising Age to Buy Rifles
On the defensive after the Florida school shooting rampage that killed 17, GOP Sen. Marco Rubio, an ardent gun-rights advocate, said he would support raising the age to buy rifles …
National
Pennsylvania Congressional Map Battle Lands in Supreme Court
A request by Republican leaders in the Pennsylvania Legislature to stop a new congressional map from being implemented is now in the hands of the nation's highest court.
National
Trump Endorses Raising Minimum Age to 21 for More Weapons
President Donald Trump endorsed stricter gun-control measures Thursday, including raising the minimum age to 21 for possessing a broader range of weapons than at present.
Art
Elizabeth Fowler: An Artist's Journey
Elizabeth Fowler, a Noxubee County native, says she liked the idea of art when she was a kid, but wasn't good at representational drawing.
Wednesday, February 21
Education
Mississippi Education Commissioner Retiring After June
The head of Mississippi's university system says he is retiring at the end of the state budget year.
LGBT
Mississippi College Town's Leaders Reject Gay Pride Parade
Leaders of a Mississippi college town have denied a request to host the city's first gay pride parade, a decision that left some members of the group in tears and …
Music
REVIEW: Wake up to Heart Society
If musicians Teneia Sanders-Eichelberger and Ben Eichelberger have proved only one thing over the course of their careers, it is that they are adaptable. On "Wake the Queens," their debut …
Cover
Support the Black Dollar
Jackson Black Pages hosts its fourth-annual Jackson Black Business Expo on Saturday, March 24, at Tougaloo College.
Cover
Food Trucks, BBQ & Tequila Barrels
Food Truck Mash-up, a food truck competition that USA Today Network first started in New Jersey 12 years ago, is coming to Mississippi on Saturday, March 24, at Trustmark Park.
Cover
Taking Business to the Next Level
During Startup Weekend Mississippi, local organization Innovate Mississippi aims to equip entrepreneurs with the tools to make their business ideas a reality.
Economy
OPINION: Art and Politics in Mississippi
This is a state justly proud of its contributions to the nation's musical, literary and artistic heritage.
Civil Rights
EDITOR'S NOTE: Creatives All In It Together
Artists need community. We need other people who will meet with us face to face, and give us helpful advice and tips, offer constructive criticism or answer our questions.
City & County
OPINION: Citizens Key in Fight for Security, Stability
Jackson has a youth-violence problem that has been unusually persistent for decades. In recent years, the problem has been well-evaluated.
Person of the Day
Timaal Bradford
Timaal Bradford, 26, says he appreciates the different ways hip-hop can be interpreted.
Politics
Budgets, Infrastructure Funding and What’s Still to Come
It's halftime in the Mississippi legislative session, and the heavy lifting for lawmakers trying to pass a balanced budget is just beginning.
Education
Judge: Charter School Funding Constitutional
Mississippi's charter-school law does not violate the state's Constitution, Hinds County Chancery Court Judge Dewayne Thomas ruled almost a year after getting the case.
City & County
An ‘Open Container’ Blueprint
Mississippi's liquor rules are enough to make your head spin before you take a single sip of alcohol—if it's available for purchase where you live.
Civil Rights
Confederate-Themed Flag Rises Again in 1 Mississippi City
Officials in one Mississippi city have voted to once again fly the Confederate-themed state flag, weeks after the mayor quietly furled it.
Tuesday, February 20
City & County
'God-fearing' JSU President Hosts Tech Panel on Coding, 'Brain Drain,' Jobs
U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker matched the energy of the bustling student center at Jackson State University where he hosted a technology roundtable featuring Federal Communications Commissioner Brendan Carr and JSU …
Person of the Day
Victoria Carpenter
Victoria Carpenter says she has always wanted to help others by making them feel confident and secure in knowing that someone is rooting for them and wishing them the best …
Development
Lieutenant Governor Unveils Plan to Pay for Infrastructure
Mississippi's lieutenant governor wants to divert existing revenue and borrow to provide more money for roads and bridges over the next six years.
National
Special Counsel Files New Charge in Russia Probe
The special counsel investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election charged an attorney Tuesday with lying to federal investigators about his interactions with a former Trump campaign official.
National
Trump Urges GOP to Fight Pennsylvania's Congressional Map
President Donald Trump on Tuesday encouraged Republicans to fight Pennsylvania's new court-imposed map of congressional districts, issued a day earlier in a move expected to improve Democrats' chances at chipping …
National
Students Going to State Capital to Push for Gun Law Changes
A hundred Stoneman Douglas High School students are busing 400 miles to Florida's capital Tuesday to urge lawmakers to act to prevent a repeat of the massacre that killed 17 …
Monday, February 19
City & County
10 Local Stories of the Week
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.
Friday, February 16
National
Russians Charged with Meddling in 2016 Presidential Race
Thirteen Russians, including a businessman close to Vladimir Putin, were charged Friday in an elaborate plot to interfere in the 2016 U.S. presidential election through social media propaganda, aimed in …
Education
Better Together Commission Hires Contractor for JPS Study
The Better Together Commission, an independent group of community leaders and stakeholders tasked with soliciting input from Jackson Public Schools families, hired Insight Education Group to complete an in-depth study …
Education
UMMC Epic Connect, Poetry Out Loud and Ezra Jack Keats Book Awards
The University of Mississippi Medical Center has partnered with the Mississippi Department of Health to launch a project called UMMC Epic Connect, which will link electronic health records between the …
Person of the Day
Andy Kennedy
Andy Kennedy couldn't have picked a worse time to have what looks to be his first losing season as the University of Mississippi men's basketball coach. Before this season, his …
Thursday, February 15
Politics
'Brain Drain' Tax Credit Legislation Passes Mississippi House
The Mississippi House of Representatives wants young people to stay in Mississippi. It unanimously passed a measure Wednesday to offer tax breaks to recent college graduates who stay in Mississippi …
Crime
Gang Bill Could Increase Prison Costs, Disparately Affect African Americans
Proposed legislation to crack down on gangs statewide could lead to increased prison costs, a move that would counteract the state's progress in decreasing the number of inmates—and taxpayer dollars …
Person of the Day
Pam Confer
The Canton Chamber of Commerce Main Street Association named Pam Confer, a Jackson resident who has been on the chamber board since 2015, as its new president in December 2017.
National
Florida Governor Vows to Keep Mentally Ill from Getting Guns
An orphaned 19-year-old with a troubled past and his own AR-15 rifle was charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder Thursday morning following the deadliest school shooting in the U.S. …
City & County
Cop Suspended Amid Rebel Flag Dispute at Civil Rights Museum
An African-American police officer says he was fired, then rehired and suspended, after a verbal confrontation with people carrying Confederate-themed flags outside the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum.
Wednesday, February 14
National
Florida High School Shooter in Custody; 'Numerous' Deaths
A shooter opened fire at a Florida high school Wednesday, killing "numerous" people, sending students running out into the streets and SWAT team members swarming in before authorities took the …
City & County
OPINION: More Transparency from JPD Needed
It has been more than two weeks since two Jackson Police Department officers extra-judicially killed beloved daughter, mother and Jackson State University student Crystaline Barnes. The community waits in suspense …
Civil Rights
EDITORIAL: Time to Implement Criminal Justice Reforms
Four years ago, the Legislature patted itself on the back for reforming Mississippi's criminal-justice system with sweeping legislation that was arguably one of the most impactful pieces of public policy …
Civil Rights
OPINION: Not a Heritage to Celebrate
The "Anglo-American law enforcement heritage" is one of violence, racism and exploitation. This is a heritage to be scorned, a dark mark to be expunged. This is not, contrary to …
Cover
Never Back Down: Mississippi Escalates War on Gangs
Mississippi law enforcement may soon be able to decide young people are a gang even if they're not part of a larger criminal enterprise with a hierarchy and criminal connections …
Politics
Medicaid and Guns Bills Live, Vouchers Die
Rep. Jason White, R-West, who is largely responsible for writing the House's Medicaid bill, supported Rep. Cheikh Taylor's amendment to the House Medicaid legislation and asked the House to vote …
Food
Sampling Jackson
Kreskin Torres pulls up a photo of a dish at 1693 Red Zone Grill on his phone: grilled fish and shrimp in a crawfish sauce on a bed of Cajun …
Civil Rights
PUBLISHER'S NOTE: The Solution Isn’t Rocket Science; It’s Community
The more hands-off we are, the more we can find other people to blame for society's ills; the more we make selfishness a virtue, the less we actually act in …
Business
City Contracting Battles: Veolia, Fisher Fight On
A month has passed since the City held its first Equal Business Opportunity Review Committee hearing to mediate a dispute between the larger Massachusetts-based company, Veolia North America - South, …
Jacksonian
Lacy Ellinwood
Lacy Ellinwood, development director at the Mississippi Library Commission and bass guitarist for local band Kicking, says today's librarians are not the librarians of the past.
City & County
Decriminalizing Pot in the City
Jackson has become the latest city in the nation to propose legislation to decriminalize marijuana possession of 30 grams or less within city limits.
Crime
Re-Entry Reforms Still Alive in Legislature
Mississippi can begin to look at justice reinvestment, and it should be a priority, Andre de Gruy, the state public defender who is also on the state's Corrections and Criminal …
Tuesday, February 13
National
US Intel Sees Signs of Russian Meddling in Midterms
Three of the nation's top intelligence officials confirmed Tuesday that they have seen evidence of Russian meddling in the upcoming midterm elections—part of what they say is Moscow's escalating cyber …
Education
Judge Upholds Mississippi's Charter School Law
Hinds County Chancery Judge Dewayne Thomas ruled Tuesday that diversions of local property taxes to charter schools are acceptable, and that the schools do not need to be overseen by …
Education
Proposed School Board Election Changes Dead by Bipartisan Vote
In a bipartisan shutdown, Sen. Kevin Blackwell's bill to change school-board elections statewide died in the Mississippi Legislature on Monday.
Biz Roundup
Beacon and Unbound Studios, La Brioche at the Museum Café and Crunch Fitness
Jackson natives Nicole Wyatt Jenkins and Jason Jenkins opened Beacon, which they describe as a "consciously curated, quality goods and creative supply shop," on Dec. 7 last year. The shop …
Art
Henrietta Leavitt: Under a 'Silent Sky'
In the opening scene of "Silent Sky," two sisters, Henrietta and Margaret Leavitt, gaze at the wonder of the night sky and playfully banter about their two divergent passions.
National
Mardi Gras Parade Honors New Orleans' Tricentennial
Tens of thousands of revelers are expected on New Orleans streets for parades and rowdy fun as Mardi Gras caps the Carnival season in a city with a celebration of …
World
UK Judge Upholds Arrest Warrant for WikiLeaks Founder
A British judge on Tuesday upheld an arrest warrant for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who has spent more than five years evading the law inside Ecuador's London embassy.
Monday, February 12
Politics
Proposed Gun Law Would Allow Lawsuits over Conceal-Carry Laws
Mississippians with enhanced concealed-carry licenses, who are required to take an instructional course on firearms training before they receive their license, could file a lawsuit against public entities, like state …
Education
Post-Katrina Debt Cleared for Four Southern Colleges Including Tougaloo
Three historically black universities in New Orleans and one in Mississippi will see about $330 million in post-Katrina debt owed to the federal government cleared under a provision in a …
Person of the Day
Cortez Edwards
Cortez Edwards scored 12 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, distributed six assists and had five steals and Southern Mississippi cruised to 72-54 win over Charlotte on Saturday night.
National
Trump's $4.4 Trillion Budget Moves Deficit Sharply Higher
President Donald Trump unveiled a $4.4 trillion budget for next year that heralds an era of $1 trillion-plus federal deficits and—unlike the plan he released last year—never comes close to …
National
Attorney General Suit: Weinstein Co. Failed to Protect Women
New York's attorney general is accusing Hollywood movie producer Harvey Weinstein of "repeatedly and persistently" sexually harassing female employees at his film company, according to a lawsuit filed on Sunday …
City & County
10 Local Stories of the Week
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.
Friday, February 9
City & County
Jackson Schools Start New Schedule Monday to Make Up Missed School Days
Jackson Public Schools students missed seven days of school in January after freezing temperatures caused more than 200 water main breaks throughout the city.
Politics
Surprise! House Targets Attorney General Jim Hood Again
Rep. Mark Baker, R-Brandon, is consistent at least. His annual trip to the podium to limit Attorney General Jim Hood—the only Democrat in a statewide elected office—went well for him …
Education
Belhaven Alum Receives Young Alumni Award, Swipe Out Hunger and Robert Brazile
The Council for Christian Colleges & Universities presented Belhaven University alumnus Angie Thomas, author of New York Times best-selling book "The Hate U Give," with its 2018 Young Alumni Award …
Person of the Day
Clyde Kennard
The Mississippi Freedom Trail, a series of historical markers established in 2011 to commemorate the 1960s Civil Rights Movement, dedicated a new marker in honor of Clyde Kennard at the …
State
Mississippi to Reopen Delta Prison to Hold Release Violators
Mississippi's prison system announced Friday that it will reopen the Delta Correctional Facility in Greenwood this spring, mostly to house people who violate the terms of their probation or parole.
National
Trump Signs Budget Deal, Government Reopens
President Donald Trump on Friday signed a $400 billion budget deal that sharply boosts spending and swells the federal deficit, ending a brief federal government shutdown that happened while most …
Thursday, February 8
Politics
Mississippi House Votes to Limit Powers of Attorney General
The Republican-led Mississippi House voted Thursday to limit the powers of the attorney general who's the only Democrat in statewide office. But it's unclear whether the proposal will survive in …
Civil Rights
OPINION: Mississippi Lawmakers, Take Down the State Flag
My grandmother, who lived her entire life in Mississippi, made sure I understood what the Confederate symbol stands for, and I know that many of you were told the same …
Politics
Mississippi Lawmaker Displays Unloaded Gun During Debate
A Mississippi lawmaker said he was trying to make a point about the hypocrisy of gun laws when he held up an unloaded pistol during a debate.
Crime
'Anti-Gang' Bills: One Alive As Experts Warn About Downside
Rep. Andy Gipson, R-Braxton, did not want to debate the "anti-gang" bill for long this morning, and after about half an hour, he tabled House Bill 541, noting that the …
Education
Ed Department Awards 90 Vouchers in a Lottery After Some Went Unused
The Mississippi Department of Education held a lottery for 90 unused vouchers in the current school year as the Legislature could debate this afternoon whether to expand the program beyond …
Person of the Day
Korey Robertson
Greenwood, Miss., native Korey Robertson is the lone player selected from the University of Southern Mississippi in the draft and free agency.
Immigration
Pelosi Speaks for Record 8 Hours in Favor of 'Dreamers'
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi staged a record-breaking, eight-hour speech in hopes of pressuring Republicans to allow a vote on protecting "Dreamer" immigrants—and to demonstrate to increasingly angry progressives and …
Politics
Plan Would Send More Tax Money to Cities for Roads, Water
Cities would receive a slightly larger share of Mississippi sales tax collections under a plan that lawmakers are debating.
Wednesday, February 7
Civil Rights
OPINION: Anti-Gang Act Would Be a Disaster for Mississippi
The Mississippi Anti-Gang Act flies in the face of recent legislative efforts to reduce our unsustainable prison population—which is currently the fourth highest per capita in the country.
Politics
Bill: Let People Sue Over Gun-Carry Bans on Public Property
Mississippi residents with a certain type of gun license could sue governments under a bill passed Wednesday by the House.
City & County
Jackson’s First Couple: How the Lumumbas Met and Why They Love Jackson
Jackson's first couple's story begins in a kindergarten classroom at North Jackson Elementary School. They both remember walking to school together with other kids in the neighborhood and playing together …
Music
Shovels & Rope Breaks Down 'Jukebox’
Many fans were shocked when Cary Ann Hearst and Michael Trent, husband-and-wife folk-rock duo Shovels & Rope, announced their second cover album, "Busted Jukebox, Vol. 2," just a week before …
OPINION: Marriage: Not Just About the Vows
Marriage is a never-ending compromise. People like to think that as long as you love each other, it is a breeze. Lies! In fact, at the end of the day, …
Editorial
EDITORIAL: Legislators, Kill the Flawed Voucher Bill
The notion of "school choice" is deeply embedded in the Capitol this session. Senate Education Chairman Gray Tollison, R-Oxford, wants to expand the state's voucher program drastically, allowing any child …
Health Care
OPINION: Medical Marijuana: Solution to Opioid Crisis?
Given the current crisis associated with widespread opioid abuse, dependence and deaths, Mississippi's leaders must find an effective and safer alternative to prescribing narcotics.
Education
Funding the ‘School Choice’ Lobby
In just one year, the Mississippi Legislature has gone from slightly tweaking its voucher program for students with dyslexia to a push to allow any public-school student to apply for …
National
Pentagon Says Trump Ordered Washington Military Parade
President Donald Trump has asked the Pentagon to plan a grand parade of the U.S. armed forces in Washington this year to celebrate military strength, officials said Tuesday.
Business
EDITOR'S NOTE: Show Love for the Local
Each year, on the week of Feb. 14, we party like it's every couple's wedding or dating anniversary on the exact same day. Before February even rolled around, I started …
National
Senate Negotiators Working to Finalize Long-Term Budget Deal
Senate negotiators were finalizing a long-term budget deal Wednesday that would avert a looming government shutdown, as a leader of House conservatives predicted the group's objections to big domestic spending …
Health Care
15-Week Abortion Ban Moves Ahead
Abortion would be illegal after 15 weeks in Mississippi if a bill the House of Representatives passed late Friday becomes law.
Business
Settlement Reached Over Clean Coal Fiasco in Mississippi
Years of contention and threatened electric rate increases ended Tuesday as utility regulators approved a settlement declaring how much Mississippi Power Co. customers should pay for their share of a …
City & County
Tackling Jackson’s Blight, More or Less
Alexis has been a homeowner in southwest Jackson since 1999. Her neighbors left more than five years ago, and the house next door has been abandoned ever since.
Jacksonian
Ashlee Kelly
Ashlee Kelly wants to bring beneficial new housing options to Jackson in the form of tiny houses.
Cover
Sweetheart Specials
Local restaurants such as 1908 Provisions will have decadent specials this Valentine’s Day.
Tuesday, February 6
Health Care
Amid Partisan Split, Medicaid Plan Passes Mississippi Senate
A proposal to keep Mississippi's Medicaid program alive is advancing in the Legislature.
Politics
British Judge Upholds Arrest Warrant for Julian Assange
A British judge on Tuesday upheld a U.K. arrest warrant for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, leaving him still a wanted man in the country where he has spent more than …
Immigration
Trump Aide: Some Immigrants 'Too Lazy' to Sign Up for DACA
Some immigrants may have been "too afraid" or "too lazy" to sign up for the Obama-era program that offered protection from deportation, White House chief of staff John Kelly said …
National
House GOP Plans Stopgap Spending Bill with Pentagon Funding
Senate leaders closed in on an agreement Tuesday to award whopping spending increases to both the Pentagon and domestic federal programs as well as long-sought disaster relief money and, perhaps, …
Business
Equal Pay Included in Bill Prohibiting Cities from Raising Minimum Wage
An equal pay amendment is included in a bill the Mississippi House of Representatives passed this morning prohibiting cities from raising the state minimum wage.
Biz Roundup
Lounge 114, Steve's Ribs and Grill, and Jackson Roof Deployment Project
Steve and Lisa Beagles, owners of Doe's Eat Place, recently opened a new restaurant called Steve's Ribs and Grill.
Person of the Day
Jenni Smith
For local activist and filmmaker Jenni Smith, the rights of women and members of the LGBT community are close to her heart.
Education
Proposal Would Erase 4-Year Limit on University Contracts
A senator says Mississippi could better compete for professors if the state did not limit university contracts to four years at a time.
Monday, February 5
City & County
Public Hearing on Pot Decriminalization Ordinance Today at City Hall
Ward 4 Councilman De'Keither Stamps proposed a change to Jackson's ordinances last week that would decriminalize possession of user-level amounts of marijuana. The public can attend a hearing at 6 …
Education
Vicksburg, Wingfield, Lanier High Schools Top 'Chronically Absent' List
More than 70,000 students were chronically absent in the 2016-2017 school year, chronic absentee data the Mississippi Department of Education released today show.
Person of the Day
Jane Hulon
Copiah-Lincoln Community College trustees unanimously named Jane Hulon as the college's eighth president, making her the first woman to lead the college.
Development
Analysis: Senators Argue Over State Tax Diversion to Cities
Sen. Hob Bryant, D-Amory, told the Senate Finance Committee that Senate Bill 2455 would send a slightly larger share of state sales tax revenue to cities and counties to help …
Politics
Veterans With Stress Could Get Right to Service Animals
Some military veterans could gain the right to have service animals with them wherever needed in Mississippi.
City & County
10 Local Stories of the Week
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.
Friday, February 2
Business
House Passes Equal Pay Amendment, But Its Future Is Unclear
The Mississippi House of Representatives was expecting a leisurely Friday, but when Rep. Mark Baker, R-Brandon, took up House Bill 1241 this morning, things got interesting.
Civil Rights
Fannie Lou Hamer Documentary at Tougaloo, RecycleMania and Black History Month at USM
Tougaloo College announced on Jan. 19 that the W.K. Kellogg Foundation presented the school with a $272,000 grant for a new documentary on the life and legacy of Mississippi native …
Person of the Day
George "Sky" Miles
Art has been a part of George Miles Jr.'s life since he was in third grade. The artist, who creates art as Sky Miles, works in mediums such as photography, …
Politics
Lawmakers Consider Cutting Income Tax for Higher Fuel Taxes
Leaders of the Mississippi House of Representatives are considering a plan to reduce income taxes in exchange for higher fuel taxes to raise money for roads and bridges.
Thursday, February 1
City & County
Jackson May Decriminalize Pot Possession of 30 Grams or Less
Ward 4 Councilman De'Keither Stamps proposed a change to Jackson's ordinances that would decriminalize possession of user-level amounts of marijuana.
Person of the Day
Taylor Hughes
Don't expect the Braves to give up their crown easily, since Alcorn State boasts the 2018 SWAC Preseason Player of the Year, first-baseman Taylor Hughes.
Politics
What Legislation Is Still Alive; What's Dead at the Capitol
Lawmakers have about a week to pass hundreds of bills out of each chamber, after committee chairmen and women made their first round of cuts to proposed legislation this year.
