Friday, June 28
OPINION: Why You Should Volunteer
"The act of volunteering is a learning and growing experience for everyone involved and helps create the positive changes we want to see in our community."
City & County
New Body Cameras Could Make JPD 'Less Aggressive' If Used Well
The Jackson Police Department will join various other police agencies across the United States that require officers to wear body cameras.
Civil Rights
Joe Biden's Praise for Segregationists Spans Decades
As a liberal Democratic senator before segregationists switched to the GOP, Joe Biden's friendships extended to not only conservatives, but notorious racist Dixiecrats like former Sen. Strom Thurmond of South …
Health Care
Mississippi Mental Health Leader Says She Supports Community Treatment
The leader of Mississippi's Department of Mental Health testified Thursday that she supports spending more money on serving people outside state hospitals, as the state concluded its defense of a …
Thursday, June 27
National
Alabama Woman Charged in Fetal Death, Her Shooter Goes Free
An Alabama woman whose fetus died after she was shot in a fight has been charged with manslaughter, while the woman accused of shooting her has been freed.
Education
JSU Student Patents Cleanstraww, Horse Poor Barrel Race and Belhaven Division III Membership
LaMonté Pierce, a graduate student at Jackson State University who is majoring in technology education, recently secured a patent for a special straw that he dubbed the “Cleanstraww,” which filters …
National
Supreme Court Allows Partisan Districts, Blocks Census Query
The Supreme Court dealt a huge blow Thursday to efforts to combat the drawing of electoral districts for partisan gain and put a hold on the Trump administration's effort to …
Wednesday, June 26
Diy Guides
Five Ways to Make A Room Look Bigger
Smaller properties can quickly start to feel quite cramped and claustrophobic, causing undue stress. There are, however, a few simple tricks we can employ to turn our small spaces into …
Music
The Hero and A Monster Debut ‘Always’
The Hero and A Monster is comprised of Tyler Holden, who serves as guitarist and lead vocalist, and Ethan Mannon, the group's drummer and supporting vocalist. The two use their …
Art
Mississippi Invitational 2019
This year's Mississippi Invitational will have the artwork of 23 contemporary visual artists from Natchez, Jackson, Tupelo, West Point, Seminary, Cleveland, Poplarville, Oxford, Hattiesburg, Starkville and more.
Food
A Surge in New Businesses in Jackson
Over the last few weeks, Jackson has had a surge in new local businesses opening or changing—just in time for summer. Here are a few of our favorites.
Food
Hot Tamales: Best at the Doughnut Shop
"The best hot tamales are at the donut shop," my uncle once said to me. I won't argue as to the veracity of this quote or attempt to pit one …
Business
Independent Business Week: Taking a Slice of the Pie
The American Independent Business Alliance says on its website that shopping local helps build community, shapes a neighborhood's character, gives people access to expertise on a product; and creates a …
City & County
OPINION: Creating a Radical City
Our mayor wants Jackson to be the most radical city on the planet. What could be more radical than, instead of asking what is good for ourselves, asking what is …
Politics
‘The Lady’ Who Hit Mississippi’s Glass Ceiling
For all of her success, Evelyn Gandy could not break Mississippi's highest glass ceiling; twice, she lost bids for governor against less-qualified men.
City & County
On Pothole Patrol in South Jackson
Hazardous road conditions, many of them routinely unmarked, have caused a number of issues in Jackson, including a Jackson Public School bus getting its tire stuck in a pothole in …
City & County
EDITOR'S NOTE: Goodbye, Bozo—My Friend Cedric Willis Gone Too Soon
Cedric Willis had to claw his way to freedom while living in hell. Then he returned to a community that, until to the present, has never collectively decided to tackle …
Jacksonian
Ann Somers
Ann Somers was looking for a change in her life and a way to do something different for the Jackson community when she opened combination pet store and adoption center …
Tuesday, June 25
Politics
Absentee Voting Begins for Mississippi Party Primaries
Mississippi voters can start casting absentee ballots for the Aug. 6 party primaries for governor and other statewide, regional, legislative and county offices.
National
First Lady's Spokeswoman to Replace Sanders as White House Press Secretary
Melania Trump announced Tuesday that her longtime spokesman and confidante, Stephanie Grisham, will succeed Sarah Sanders as White House press secretary.
Politics
Jody Owens Nets Endorsements for District Attorney: 'A System Changer'
At a Monday press conference, legislators, community organizers and elected officials held campaign signs as they filled the steps behind Jody Owens in support of his bid to become the …
Person of the Day
Katherine Hoitt
Katherine Hoitt, a Vicksburg resident who currently serves as choir director of the Academy of Innovation there, says she doesn't remember a time in her life when she was not …
Biz Roundup
Habitat Broadmoor Revitalization, Not Just a Burger and Mississippi Writers Trail
Habitat for Humanity Mississippi Capital Area will announce the launch of a five-year initiative to revitalize the historic Broadmoor neighborhood in north Jackson during a ceremony on Avalon Street at …
Immigration
Trump Threatens to Veto Aid Bill for Migrant Families
The White House is threatening to veto a $4.5 billion House bill aimed at improving the treatment of migrant families detained after crossing the U.S. southern border, saying the measure …
Monday, June 24
Immigration
Government Moves Migrant Kids After AP Exposes Bad Treatment
The U.S. government has removed most of the children from a remote Border Patrol station in Texas following reports that more than 300 children were detained there, caring for each …
Media
Supreme Court Sides with Business, Government in Information Fight
The Supreme Court sided with businesses and the U.S. government Monday in a ruling about the public's access to information, telling a South Dakota newspaper it can't get the data …
City & County
Jackson Youth Graduate from JPD Youth Citizens Police Academy
The Jackson Police Department held their Youth Citizens Police Academy graduation on June 21. More than 50 Jackson youth graduated from the two week program.
Person of the Day
Mary Margaret Hyer
Mary Margaret Hyer, a University of Mississippi graduate who promoted organ donation, won the Miss Mississippi competition on Saturday, June 22 in Vicksburg.
Crime
Judge Weighs Whether Mississippi Prison is ‘Excessively Harsh’
A federal judge sat through a monthlong trial last year over conditions at a privately run Mississippi prison, but that wasn't enough for him to make a decision on whether …
State
Mississippi Ag Museum Continues Recovery from 2014 Fire
A new exhibit barn has opened at the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum, years after a fire damaged some buildings.
Civil Rights
Prosecutor May Try Curtis Flowers a Seventh Time
A Mississippi prosecutor has tried and failed six times to send Curtis Flowers to the death chamber, with the latest trial conviction and death sentence overturned on Friday because of …
Friday, June 21
Person of the Day
Lindsey Hunter
The Mississippi Valley State University Delta Devils hired former Jackson State University and NBA star Lindsey Hunter to restore the luster of its basketball programs.
Abortion
Hood to Appeal Fetal 'Heartbeat' Law Ruling, Citing 'Duty'
On Friday, State Attorney General Jim Hood will appeal U.S. District Court Judge Carlton W. Reeves ruling that struck down Mississippi's recently passed fetal "heartbeat" law to a higher court, …
Civil Rights
Supreme Court Strikes Curtis Flowers Murder Conviction, Citing Race
The U.S. Supreme Court has overturned the murder conviction of Curtis Flowers, an African American man whom prosecutors have tried six times for the same 1996 slayings of four people …
Thursday, June 20
Business
Reeves' Kemper Bill Let Mississippi Power Shift $1 Billion to Customers
Mississippi Power's gambit to build a first-of-its kind "clean coal" plant in one of the poorest counties in Mississippi failed, but not before state ratepayers helped finance its construction to …
Person of the Day
Keigon Lowery
Keigon Lowery, a fifth grader at Jackson Academy, has spent the past year doing something not many 10-year-olds do: writing his own book. "My Dad and Me," which Lowery's father, …
Education
UM Research Patent, MSU AP Physics Program and UMMC Resident Partnership
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office recently issued the University of Mississippi a fourth patent for a product that the university says could prevent itching and rashes from exposure to …
Wednesday, June 19
City & County
JFP Pulling in Record 20 Journalism Awards, 14 First Place, for 2018 Work
The Jackson Free Press has won or is nominated for a record 20 awards for journalism our team produced in 2018 over three awards contests.
Abortion
Death Rates Rise for Mississippi Children and Teens
Mortality rates for Mississippi's teens and children have risen in the past nine years, a report that the Annie E. Casey Foundation published on Monday found.
Person of the Day
Marshall Gilbert
Marshall Gilbert turned a mostly forgettable night at the plate into a memorable one.
Education
Mississippi Charter Schools Illegally Get Taxpayer Money, Opponents Charge
Mississippi's charter school law unconstitutionally diverts property tax money away from local school districts, lawyers for a group of parents told the state's high court on Tuesday.
Tuesday, June 18
City & County
Jackson Fights Lead Hazards in Homes With New Program
Some older Jackson homes with lead-based paint could get a little safer, especially for children, under a new program City leaders announced Monday.
Abortion
Defending 6-Week Ban, Mississippi Says Anti-Abortion Laws Have Not Reduced Access
Reproductive rights lawyers cite Gov. Phil Bryant's statements promising to end abortion in Mississippi in their recent court filing as they ask a federal judge to permanently block a law …
Person of the Day
Kristian Wade
Kristian Wade, executive chef at Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi, recently took home the “Best of the Fest” title at the ninth-annual Atlanta Food & Wine Festival, which …
Business
Two Mississippi Judges Recuse Themselves from Siemens Case
Two judges have recused themselves from hearing the city of Jackson's lawsuit against the Siemens company over a multimillion-dollar contract.
Monday, June 17
City & County
Honoring Southern Soul and Scholars, Pothole Accountability, Gay Pride at City Hall
Lee King, executive producer of the Farish Street Heritage Festival, preached the importance of Jackson becoming the birthplace of "southern soul" because of its rich history as a center for …
Civil Rights
College Honors Mississippi Church's Freedom Summer History
An Ohio university is honoring a Mississippi church for its ties to the 1964 Freedom Summer push for civil rights.
Biz Roundup
Try Transit Day, 'Rough Rugged and Raw,' and Mississippi Coding Academies
The City of Jackson's public transportation service, JATRAN, will offer free rides on all of the city's fixed bus routes on Thursday, June 20, from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. …
Friday, June 14
Politics
Women's Group Honors Evelyn Gandy: 'A Giant in Mississippi Politics'
Jennifer Ingram Johnson was the featured speaker at a League of Women Voters luncheon meant to commemorate the 100-year anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to …
Person of the Day
Terence Davis: Improving NBA Draft Stock
Former University of Mississippi guard Terence Davis is using the process in the run up to the NBA draft to show scouts around the league all the skills he could …
Business
Water Tampering to Bring Penalties, City of Jackson Promises
Water customers have been cutting the wires to their meters or destroying them to purposely prevent the city from reading the meters, City Public Works Director Bob Miller announced at …
Health Care
'Pure Terror': Witnesses Bemoan Mississippi's Mental Health System
Witnesses testified this week as part of the federal government's lawsuit arguing Mississippi violates the Americans with Disabilities Act by relying too much on state mental hospitals, while providing insufficient …
State
Family of Officer's Slain Lover Wants $5 Million from Oxford
An attorney for the family of a woman whose death has been blamed on a police officer is demanding $5 million from the city of Oxford, Mississippi.
Thursday, June 13
National
Trump Says Sarah Sanders to Leave White House at End of June
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders, whose tenure was marked by a breakdown in regular press briefings and questions about the administration's credibility, as well as her own, will leave …
National
Federal Agency Recommends White House Aide Conway be Fired
A federal watchdog agency recommended Thursday that President Donald Trump fire one of his most ardent defenders, counselor Kellyanne Conway , for repeatedly violating a law that limits political activity …
City & County
Jackson Marks Mom's Equal Pay Day: 'We Are Worth Equal Pay'
The City and the Mississippi Black Women's Roundtable recognized June 10 as Mom's Equal Payday, designating Jackson as an Equal Pay City.
Person of the Day
'Everywhere With Roy Lewis': Historical Moments and the Everyday Lives of Black People
The "Everywhere with Roy Lewis" exhibition at JSU features photographs from Lewis' career, including historical moments and the everyday lives of black people.
Education
Curious George at USM, Belhaven Mental Health Award and Women RISE
The University of Southern Mississippi's Curious George Collection returned to its home in the de Grummond Children's Literature Collection on the USM campus on Monday, June 10, after the end …
Politics
Sen. Hyde-Smith Asks Trump to Help Ease Mississippi Flooding
Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith on Wednesday asked President Donald Trump to order temporary pumps to the Mississippi Delta region to begin pumping water over the levee and into the already-swollen …
Education
Mississippi Adds Students to State School Board
Mississippi's state Board of Education is choosing two students for the first time as non-voting representatives.
Wednesday, June 12
State
California Company Gets Tax Breaks to Build Rockets in Mississippi
A California rocket company announced Tuesday that it plans to build and test rockets at a NASA facility in Mississippi, part of its bid to use three-dimensional metal printing to …
Politics
Mississippi Foster Care System Fails Many Measures
The stage is set for a long-delayed showdown over whether a federal judge should appoint an outsider to run Mississippi's Department of Child Protective Services, after a report Tuesday showed …
National
Trump Nominates Mississippi-Based Judge to U.S. Appeals Court
President Donald Trump is nominating a federal district judge from southern Mississippi to serve on one of the nation's most conservative federal appeals courts.
Fly
Make Dad a Happy Man
Need something to get your dad for Father’s Day? Why not try shopping local? Here are some ideas.
Art
Local Market Gives Artists Outlet
At first, Gabe Porter only wanted to sell his produce somewhere new and with air conditioning. It was spring 2018, and Rainbow Grocery was going bankrupt. Porter told the owners …
Music
Tyler, the Creator Tackles Heartbreak on ‘Igor’
Tyler, the Creator's fifth studio album, "Igor," which is No. 1 on the Billboard 200 charts, is an emotional rollercoaster detailing the ups and downs of a relationship with a …
Cover
Guys We Love 2019
Each year around Father's Day, we honor men in the Jackson metro area who are making differences in our community. This year's include ones who are involved music, art, medicine, …
Civil Rights
OPINION: A Northerner’s Introduction to the South
Moving to the South was a wake-up call. Slavery was abolished a little more than 150 years ago, but the residual effects are still very present for me. You can …
Politics
Striving to Empower Women Voters
Rapper and activist Genesis Be wants the younger generation to get out and vote because people who came before them risked their lives so that they could have that right.
Politics
OPINION: Mississippi's New Governor—The Time for Change is Now!
Every state in the union has done the right and humane thing of removing the Confederate symbol from their flags. Mississippi stands alone, steeped in injustice and fear.
LGBT
The Fight for Family Goes On
After the Obergefell decision, Mississippi’s leaders "made sure to let us know we are still beneath the religious elite," Rev. Brandiilyne Mangum-Dear said. "We may have acquired marriage that day …
City & County
EDITOR'S NOTE: Onward and Upward in Downtown Jackson
To have a strong city, we have to have a strong downtown, and right now, we just don't. But that's not the end of the story.
Jacksonian
Nelson Atehortua
Nelson Atehortua, who was born in Bogota, South America, had a different childhood than most people. At the young age of 3, he was diagnosed with the viral disease polio.
Tuesday, June 11
Business
Jackson Sues Siemens, Local Businessmen for ‘Bait and Switch’ Contract
Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba announced today that the City of Jackson has filed a lawsuit against Siemens Industry Inc. and associated divisions in the U.S. and Germany, along with multiple …
Politics
Black Voting Strength at Stake in Republican Request to 5th Circuit
Mississippi Republican leaders are fighting a court ruling that would increase black voting power in a gerrymandered state Senate district that meanders about 100 miles from Cleveland in the Mississippi …
Person of the Day
Olubusola Hall
Olubusola Hall, a nurse at Batson Children's Hospital in Jackson, has been working to open her own pediatric clinic in her native country of Nigeria since 2016.
Politics
Republican Reeves Holds $6.3M in Mississippi Governor's Race
Republican Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves has five times as much cash to spend in the final five months of the governor's race as his best-financed opponent, and he's already spending …
National
Sex Abuse Crisis Tops Agenda as Southern Baptists Convene
The Southern Baptist Convention gathers for its annual national meeting Tuesday with one sobering topic—sex abuse by clergy and staff—overshadowing all others.
Politics
A Look at Mississippi Candidates' Campaign Finance Filings
Mississippi candidates had a Monday deadline to file campaign finance reports to show how much money they had raised and spent through the end of May. This is a brief …
Business
New Law: Charities Using Paid Telemarketers Must Register
Officials on Monday reminded charities that hire telemarketers to seek new donors that they now have to register under Mississippi's no-call law.
Monday, June 10
Environment
Scientist Predict Gulf 'Dead Zone' Nearly the Size of Turkey
Scientists are predicting a near-record Gulf of Mexico "dead zone" — an area where the water holds too little oxygen to sustain marine life.
National
Congress to Obtain Mueller Evidence on Trump Obstruction
The Justice Department has agreed to turn over some of the underlying evidence from special counsel Robert Mueller's report, including files used to assess whether President Donald Trump obstructed justice, …
Education
Rural Kids Left Behind as Homework Moves Online
In what has become known as the homework gap, an estimated 17% of U.S. students do not have access to computers at home and 18% do not have home access …
State
Gipson: Officers Were 'Only Trying to Help' When They Shot His Father
Mississippi Agriculture Commissioner Andy Gipson said he does not blame the officers involved in the shooting death of his father, Harry Gipson.
Biz Roundup
Eritaj Cookery, Popcorn in the 'Park and Hope Housing Visionary Award
Felicia Bell, a Brandon native and owner of RD&S Farm, opened "Eritaj Cookery, a Restorative Food Cafe" on Monday, June 3, at the Kundi Compound in Jackson.
Friday, June 7
State
Gov. Bryant Seeks Federal Aid for Seafood Disaster
Mississippi's governor is asking that the federal government declare a fisheries disaster as water from a Mississippi River spillway gushes into what's normally a saltwater estuary.
Health Care
Medical Marijuana Moves Closer to 2020 Ballot in Mississippi
Medical-marijuana advocates are getting closer to the magic number of 86,185 signatures required to get the issue on the Mississippi ballot in time for the 2020 elections.
Education
New Provost Chosen for Mississippi University for Women
Mississippi University for Women has named a new provost and vice president of academic affairs. A search committee has chosen Scott Tollison, who was one of three finalists. He has …
Politics
Ag Commissioner's Father Dies in 'Officer Involved Shooting'
The father of Mississippi's agriculture commissioner has died, and authorities are investigating whether he was shot by a sheriff's deputy.
Thursday, June 6
National
Louisiana Voters Asked to Support Anti-Abortion Provision
Louisiana voters will decide whether to rewrite the state constitution to ensure it doesn't offer protections for abortion rights, but not until the November 2020 presidential election.
Crime
More Fallout After Ex-Police Officer's Arrest for Slaying
Two Oxford police officers have resigned amid more fallout from the arrest of a now former officer on murder charges.
Education
‘Sustainable Irrigation’ at JSU, USM Cookbook Project and ed2go for MSU
A group of professors and students at Jackson State University's College of Science, Engineering and Technology recently developed what they call a "Sustainable Irrigation System," an automated system that can …
Person of the Day
Ethan Small: Breakout Pitcher
In the long and bright history of Mississippi State University baseball, it might be hard to find a player with a bigger breakout season than redshirt junior Ethan Small.
Politics
AG Candidates Praise 'Heartbeat Bill,' Anti-LGBT Laws, Tort Reform
About 50 people showed up at a venue that would seat 1,200 on Wednesday night to hear Republican candidates explain why voters should elect them as Mississippi's next attorney general—the …
Wednesday, June 5
City & County
City of Jackson Warns of Fraudulent Water and Sewer Collections
The City of Jackson issued an advisory notice to warn water/sewer customers of possible fraudulent collections occurrences that have been reported.
City & County
JPS Reports Test Improvements, Curriculum Changes, New Teachers
The audience applauded as Errick L. Greene, superintendent for Jackson Public Schools, displayed data showing improvement in third-grade test scores on the Mississippi Academic Assessment Program, or MAAP, assessment at …
Health Care
Mississippi Mental Health Lawsuit Poses Concerns for Civil Rights
As a mental-health lawsuit claiming a violation of the civil rights of mentally ill Mississippians moves forward, Joy Hogge has in mind "a young person" who never received the support …
Education
More Students Pass Mississippi Reading Test on Second Try
About 3,000 more Mississippi third graders passed a toughened reading test on the second try in May, the Mississippi Department of Education said Tuesday, cutting the number of public school …
Tuesday, June 4
National
Mississippi Woman Charged After Waving Gun at Black Couple
A white Mississippi woman accused of brandishing a handgun at an African American couple while telling them to leave a campground faces a misdemeanor charge.
State
Funeral Reflects Bipartisan Work of Former US Sen. Cochran
A second funeral for former U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran reflects the Mississippi Republican's reputation for working across party lines.
Politics
Taggart 'Disappointed' That Fitch Plans to Skip AG Debates
Republican candidate for Mississippi attorney general Andy Taggart criticized one of his opponents, State Treasurer Lynn Fitch, in an open letter on Monday because she does not plan to attend …
Person of the Day
Critz Campbell
The Mississippi Museum of Art recently named Critz Campbell, an associate professor of sculpture at Mississippi State University, as the recipient of its 2019 Jane Crater Hiatt Artist Fellowship.
National
Virginia Governor Announces Special Session on Gun Control
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam announced on Tuesday that he'll recall lawmakers to the state Capitol in the coming weeks to take up a package of gun-control legislation, which he said …
Health Care
Judge Urged to Force Mental Health Changes in Mississippi
The U.S. Justice Department on Tuesday told a federal judge that Mississippi provides too few mental health services in the community and confines too many people in state mental hospitals.
Monday, June 3
Health Care
Long List of Troubled Nursing Homes Revealed by Senators
The federal government for years has kept under wraps the names of hundreds of nursing homes around the country found by inspectors to have serious ongoing health, safety or sanitary …
City & County
‘Giants in Jackson’: 'Sonny Guy' Course Renamed to Honor Pro-Golfer Pete Brown
The City of Jackson held a renaming ceremony at the newly named Pete Brown Golf Facility, changing Sonny Guy Golf Course to Pete Brown Golf Course on May 31.
Biz Roundup
Mississippi Food and Wine, Daniel Tiger and Innovate Angel Fund
BankPlus in Jackson, the Fondren Renaissance Foundation and Visit Jackson are partnering to host the inaugural Mississippi Food and Wine event June 13-15 in Fondren.
City & County
Mississippi Capitol Hosts Funeral of Former US Sen. Cochran
Flags in Mississippi are flying at half-staff to honor the late Republican former U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran. The first of two funeral services for Cochran is taking place Monday at …
Saturday, June 1
JFP
How It Works: The Journalism Awards Process
Every year, Jackson Free Press editor-in-chief Donna Ladd chooses a wide selection of the newspaper's best work to submit for awards in a variety of contests.
