Tuesday, April 30
State
April 18 Mississippi Tornado Count Now at 44, Ties Record
The National Weather service is now confirming 44 tornadoes in Mississippi from the April 18 outbreak, tying the record for a single event.
Person of the Day
Jake Mangum
Sports fans would be hard-pressed to find many college baseball players who enjoyed a week as good as Mississippi State University outfielder Jake Mangum.
LGBT
GOP Rep: Mississippi Needs Hate Crimes Law for LGBT, Disabled People
A Mississippi Republican is calling on her colleagues to support an update to the state's hate-crime laws in the wake of two recent attacks that she believes anti-gay prejudice may …
National
Trump Sues Banks to Try to Block House Subpoenas for Records
President Donald Trump, his family and the Trump Organization filed a lawsuit against Deutsche Bank and Capital One in an attempt to block congressional subpoenas seeking their banking and financial …
Monday, April 29
Biz Roundup
Shiro Opens, Roderick Red Named to Top 50 Under 40 and Canopy Children's Mental Health Summit
Jackson resident Samuel "Sam" Tilahun partnered with Yosef Ali, owner of Aladdin Mediterranean Grill in Fondren, to open an Ethiopian restaurant called Shiro Cafe & Restaurant in downtown Jackson on …
Civil Rights
Mississippi Flag Ordered Out of Park Near Statue of Liberty
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy on Friday ordered that the Mississippi flag, which carries a Confederate emblem, be replaced by the American flag at a state park that overlooks the …
Person of the Day
Felecia Nave
It was a warm homecoming for Felecia M. Nave, unanimously named as the 20th president of Alcorn State University on Wednesday by Mississippi College Board trustees.
Friday, April 26
Person of the Day
Hillary Watkins
Jackson State University senior Hillary Watkins was one of 21 competitors who entered the Metropolitan Opera National Council District Auditions on Jan. 12.
Art
Jacksonians Contemplate Dreams and Aspirations With 'Before I Die' Wall
The Greater Jackson Arts Council and Visit Jackson unveiled Jackson's "Before I Die" wall, a project that artist and activist Candy Chang began in 2015.
Education
Officials Say They'll Make Up Teacher Raise Shortfall Later
State officials said Wednesday that they'll make up a $10 million to $15 million shortfall in funding for teacher raises of $1,500 apiece after the Mississippi Department of Education miscounted …
Thursday, April 25
Personhood
Democrats, Activists 'Infuriated' as Hood Defends Six-Week Abortion Ban
Abortion-rights activists and some Democratic leaders are unhappy with Mississippi's leading Democratic candidate for governor, state Attorney General Jim Hood, after his office filed a brief in defense of the …
Education
JSU President and MSU Professor Honored and Millsaps Research Grant
The Mississippi Business Journal recently named Jackson State University President William Bynum Jr. as one of the top 100 chief executive officers in the state for 2019.
Person of the Day
Alyssa Montes
Mississippi Valley State University is currently on its longest winning streak of the season, with five games in a row, as it heads into the final scheduled series of the …
Education
Mississippi Education Agency is $14M Short on Teacher Raises
A miscalculation by the Mississippi Department of Education has left a gap of $12 million to $14 million in funding for this year's promised teacher pay raise.
Wednesday, April 24
Politics
Reeves Falsely Claims Hood Will Let 'Terrorists and Rapists' Vote
Mississippi Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves, a Republican candidate for governor this year, misled voters on Tuesday when he claimed that state Attorney General Jim Hood would allow "terrorists and rapists" …
Health Care
Officials Warn of Possible Measles at Third Hattiesburg Site
Mississippi officials say they're investigating a third site where a traveler passing through Mississippi could have infected people with measles.
Tuesday, April 23
Theater
New Stage Explores a De-Industrializing World With 'Sweat'
New Stage Theatre will perform Lynn Nottage's play "Sweat," a production about a group of people in a factory town who are dealing with the repercussions of a de-industrializing world, …
Politics
Gov. Bryant Declares April 'Unity Month,' Not 'Confederate Heritage Month'
Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant declared that April is the "Month of Unity" in Mississippi, departing from past years when he declared April "Confederate Heritage Month."
Civil Rights
App Will Explain Slaying That Spurred Civil Rights Activism
A mobile app is being developed to explain places and events connected to a killing that galvanized the civil rights movement.
Monday, April 22
Crime
Mississippi Man's Viral Beating Draws Probe of Possible Hate Crime
When Trevor Gray left a local bar to go to an after party in the early hours of April 13, the Wayne County, Miss., native could not have known that …
Biz Roundup
Poetry Out Loud, LeFleur Museum District and Silhouettes at the Art Museum
Mississippi Public Broadcasting will air its footage of the 2019 Poetry Out Loud competition statewide on MPB Television at 8 p.m. on Friday, April 26, with a second airing scheduled …
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, April 19
Music
Magnolia Bayou
Gulfport, Miss., native Magnolia Bayou is one of several bands that is attracting notice from outside the state. The band is embarking on a national tour, which includes a stop …
Politics
Mississippi Approves License Plates With New State Flag Design
Mississippi residents who want a state flag without the Confederate battle emblem will soon be able to display one on their license plate.
City & County
Jackson Zoo Reopening Saturday
The Jackson Zoo will re-open as scheduled at 9 am on Saturday, April 20th, following cleanup from Thursday's storms.
Thursday, April 18
Civil Rights
Hood Takes Heat for Blackface Photos, Says Leave Trans Rights Up to Schools
A Hattiesburg woman confronted Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood on Tuesday over yearbook photos from the 1980s that show members of his college fraternity wearing blackface.
Person of the Day
Terrence Hunter
Terrence Hunter, a second-year student at the University of Mississippi School of Law, will travel to New York City this summer to work as an intern with the NAACP Legal …
Education
JSU MADDRAMA Wins Art Awards, Pan-Hellenic Council Gala at USM and UMMC Doctor Honored
Members of Jackson State University's MADDRAMA performance group received top honors during the 2019 National Association of Dramatic and Speech Arts Conference in Baltimore from April 2-6.
National
Trump Tried to Seize Control of Mueller Probe, Report Says
Public at last, special counsel Robert Mueller's report revealed to a waiting nation Thursday that President Donald Trump had tried to seize control of the Russia probe and force Mueller's …
Wednesday, April 17
Diy Guides
Tips for the Lazy Gardener
If you're like me and would rather let nature do most of the work in your yard, here are some spring gardening tips that require minimal effort.
Music
Bishop Gunn Brings Natchez Rock ‘n’ Roll to Europe and Back
In barely two years, Bishop Gunn has gone from playing local gigs around Natchez to performing before crowds of thousands around the nation, and garnering national and international acclaim.
Cover
Amazing Teens 2019
In the current political climate in the U.S., teens have shown that they are a force to be reckoned with, and that they are pretty amazing. Each year the Jackson …
Development
A Dream Continued in the Mississippi Delta
To date, no political prowess has organized the force necessary to eliminate the Mississippi Delta region's systemic poverty and economic blight. Some, however, fought harder than others.
Personhood
The Pink House Deals With ‘Heartbeat Bill’ Fallout
"Jesus loves you, mommy. Mommy, please don't kill me," a child's voice pleads from a large speaker system outside Mississippi's last abortion clinic, which is known among its defenders as …
Editor's Note
EDITOR'S NOTE: Set an Example for the Next Generation
As women, we need to band together to make sure we set good examples for the younger generation. We need to show them that it's OK to be whatever kind …
Jacksonian
Brandie Wigley
One of the reasons Brandie Wigley decided to do the Jackson Public Schools Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps Cadet of the Year contest was because she found out that a …
Tuesday, April 16
Personhood
Mississippi AG Candidate Vows to Defend Six-Week Abortion Ban
State Rep. Mark Baker, a Republican candidate for Mississippi attorney general, is pledging to take the state's recently passed abortion ban all the way to the Supreme Court.
Person of the Day
D.K. Metcalf
Former University of Mississippi wide receiver D.K. Metcalf is one of the players who will be at the 2019 NFL Draft on Thursday, April 25, waiting to learn where his …
Politics
Mississippi Lottery Board Adopts Rules on Ethics and Records
The governing board for the upcoming Mississippi Lottery is setting rules for ethics and public records. It is also taking steps to hire bankers to provide financial services and a …
Monday, April 15
World
Catastrophic Fire Engulfs Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris
A catastrophic fire engulfed the upper reaches of Paris' soaring Notre Dame Cathedral as it was undergoing renovations Monday, threatening one of the greatest architectural treasures of the Western world …
Civil Rights
Man Pleads Guilty to Burning Cross in Black Mississippi Neighborhood
A Mississippi man who burned a cross in a predominantly African American neighborhood in Covington County pled guilty to federal charges on Friday.
Person of the Day
Alicia Brown
Mississippi State University says Alicia Brown of Petal, an honors student majoring in chemical engineering, is one about 65 students nationwide receiving a Truman Scholarship.
Biz Roundup
Garver Chain Reaction Challenge, Godfrey's, Jackson Youth Fish Tales Rodeo and Good Problems at Offbeat
Germantown Middle School in Madison was the first school in Mississippi to participate in the Garver Chain Reaction Challenge on Thursday, April 11.
Friday, April 12
Education
Mississippi School Board Votes to Take Over 2 Districts
Two school districts in Mississippi's Delta region will be the first to be folded into a new statewide district aimed at improving academic performance.
Education
Millsaps Student Fulbright Grant, JSU Receives AP Awards and Jackson Heart Study Graduate Program
Millsaps College senior DJ Hawkins recently received a Fulbright grant to teach and study in Russia as an English teaching assistant.
Civil Rights
AG Candidate Vows to Defend State Funding for Anti-LGBT Adoption Agencies
If Mississippians make state Rep. Mark Baker their next attorney general, he vows to fight so that religiously affiliated adoption agencies that accept state funds can continue to legally discriminate …
Person of the Day
Amelia Key
Amelia Key calls her art-making a "process of discovery." She does not really know what the piece is going to look like at the beginning, she says.
Thursday, April 11
Civil Rights
MSU Digitizes Endangered Citizens Council Radio Tapes
Stephanie Rolph was a graduate student at Mississippi State University in the mid-2000s when she found a collection of reel-to-reel audio recordings of the Citizens Forum, a broadcast once helmed …
Person of the Day
Doug Nikhazy
The University of Mississippi used a strong start from freshman pitcher Doug Nikhazy to facilitate a sweep over the University of Florida over the past weekend.
Politics
Taggart Intends 'Crusade' Against Drugs as Attorney General
Republican Andy Taggart of Madison says he's running for Mississippi attorney general to wage a "crusade" against illegal drugs.
Wednesday, April 10
Business
Mississippi Speaker Touts Rural Broadband Law, But Questions Remain
When Mississippi House Speaker Philip Gunn began looking at ways to solve the lack of high-speed broadband access that plagues much of rural Mississippi last summer, he turned to utility …
Person of the Day
Edward Watson
Mississippi Business Journal recently named Edward Watson, general counsel at Jackson State University, as one of the top 40 attorneys in the state as part of its 2018 Leaders in …
National
Mississippi Gets Low Grades on Federal Housing Inspections
The subsidized apartments that house some of Mississippi's poorest residents have failed 10% of health and safety inspections.
Tuesday, April 9
City & County
Jackson Unveils 'Data Portal' to Increase Transparency
Jackson residents can now use an online data portal to see how the city is spending their money and planning to change Jackson.
Politics
Reeves Vows Culture War Against ‘Liberals’ in Campaign for Governor
Republican Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves set the tone in his race for Mississippi governor Monday evening, telling supporters at a campaign event: "The radical liberals have taken aim at Mississippi's …
Monday, April 8
City & County
Mississippi City May Update Old, Broken Parking Meters
The city of Jackson, Mississippi, may replace its old and broken parking meters with newer versions that work with smartphones.
Politics
GOP Candidate Says Truck Burglarized While at Party Event
A Republican candidate for Mississippi governor says someone broke into his truck and stole campaign files while he was at an event.
Politics
Analysis: Some Issues Unsolved by Lawmakers Will be Back
As in any session, there were important issues on which the Mississippi Legislature didn't make laws, or even really consider.
Person of the Day
Ben Hubbard
Mississippi Coding Academies, a program that Innovate Mississippi launched in Jackson in 2017, named Ben Hubbard as its statewide director of development and outreach on March 21.
Biz Roundup
Early Easter Events, and Van's CCG and Names & Faces Lounge Opening
Repeat Street and Dogwood Festival are both celebrating Easter early on Saturday, April 13, with an outdoor Easter market and Easter Bunny Festival.
Friday, April 5
Politics
OPINION: Last Days of 2019 Session Expose Deception, Manipulation
On the last day of the 2019 session, Mississippi lawmakers were stunned to discover school vouchers had appeared in an appropriation bill at the very last minute.
Politics
OPINION: Baker's 'Sovereignty' Comment Shows Disrespect for Voters, Law
At a recent campaign stop, Republican candidate for attorney general and Mississippi State Rep. Mark Baker claimed the 1965 Voting Rights Act, a pivotal law in black Americans' struggle for …
Civil Rights
Black Plaintiffs Accept 2 New Mississippi Senate Districts
African American residents who sued Mississippi say they are accepting legislators' plan to redraw two state Senate districts in a way that could increase black representation at the state Capitol.
Domestic Violence
Mississippi Reps Vote 'Nay' on Violence Against Women Act
All three Republicans in Mississippi's Congressional delegation voted against renewing the Violence Against Women Act on Thursday.
Education
Moguls in the Making, USM Online Teacher Program and Belhaven Spring Dance Concert
Five Jackson State University students traveled to Detroit from Friday, March 29, through Saturday, March 31, to take part in an entrepreneurial program called "Moguls in the Making."
City & County
Living in Virtual Reality with Lobaki
Vince Jordan and his son, Josiah, began experimenting with developer kits for software to use in virtual reality in 2014. In 2016, the two decided to form Lobaki while engaged …
Thursday, April 4
Person of the Day
Paige Taylor
Pitcher Paige Taylor led Alcorn State University to five victories in a recent eight-game winning streak before finally losing in a midweek double-header against the University of Memphis on Tuesday, …
National
Trump EPA Weighs Reviving Massive Mississippi Flood Project
As Mississippi's governor toured massive flooding in the state, the Trump administration said Wednesday that it is giving another look to a long-dead flood control and drainage project in the …
Wednesday, April 3
Art
Of Pirates and Zombies and Sherlock Holmes
When the zombie apocalypse came to small Mississippi town Ovett, people acted immediately, killing zombies and eventually throwing one of them off a bridge. As all this happened, Curtis Everitt …
Food
Vegan Food for All
When Lataurius Rodgers first went vegan, she craved hot wings and began seeking out equally satisfying solutions. Then, she found something: "wings" made out of cauliflower.
Art
Crossroads Film Festival 2019
The Crossroads Film Festival, which is in its 20th year, is April 11-13 at Malco Grandview Cinema in Madison, though some films will screen at Hal & Mal's. For more …
Politics
OPINION: Legislature Needs More Sunlight, New Technology
There are some simple steps the Legislature could take that would bolster trust not only among the lawmakers, but also between themselves and the public.
Business
Fifty-Four Hours to Startup Launch
While some people got off work and headed into a typical Friday night on March 1, about 45 people gathered at Coalesce for an event that would give them an …
Education
The Hunt for Vouchers in Mississippi, After All These Years
Republican leaders secretly slipped $2 million for a private-school voucher program into an unrelated funding bill—despite the fact that most Democrats and many Republicans opposed expanding the program.
City & County
PUBLISHER'S NOTE: On Podcasting, Events and Crossroads Film Festival
As the weather gets a little more accommodating, I encourage you to take advantage of opportunities not only to have a little fun but to support local artists, local organizations …
Jacksonian
Derek Augustus
Derek Augustus, who co-owns local recycling company Environmentality with Karissa Bowley, has always been interested in finding his creative eye, and designing and building things by hand, he says.
Tuesday, April 2
Civil Rights
Poor Mississippi Counties Are Top IRS Targets in Hunt for Tax Cheats
A new study of IRS practices reveals a tale of two Mississippi counties, with one of the poorest in the state earning the top spot as the most audited in …
Person of the Day
Kevin Sutherland
Kevin Sutherland made his first birdie in two days, and it was all he needed to finally win for the second time on the PGA Tour Champions.
Monday, April 1
Business
Mississippi Alleges Fraud by Entergy, Utility Says No Proof
Mississippi's attorney general alleges the state's largest private utility defrauded customers by not buying cheaper power from outside companies.
Politics
Reeves Skipping First Debate for Governor Despite Early End to Session
Mississippi Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves, a Republican candidate for governor, will be a no-show at the party's first primary debate on Tuesday night.
Person of the Day
Aaron Pelch
Millsaps College named head football coach Aaron Pelch as interim athletics director on Dec. 20, 2018, and he assumed his duties on Jan. 1, 2019.
Biz Roundup
Food Truck Festival, Miss Jackson Hospitality Pageant and Regions Financial Debates
The Mississippi Museum of Art recently announced that it will expand the hours for its sixth-annual Food Truck Festival on May 16 to include lunch service. Local food trucks will …
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.
