Tuesday, August 31
State
Hurricane Ida, Now Tropical Storm, Knocks Out Power For 124,000 Mississippians
Tropical Storm Ida has lost much of its initial power after landfall, but it continues to scale Mississippi, bringing harsh winds and heavy rainfall to areas along the coast and …
City & County
Group Plans Black Business Expo in Jackson and Gulfport in 2022
The Mississippi Black Business Pages will host two events in Jackson and Gulfport next year, bringing together Black-owned businesses at those locations.
Person of the Day
Bernice Rivers
Madison County native Bernice Rivers became inspired to take up crafting and selling her own handmade jewelry out of her Camden home after a visit to Village Beads in Ridgeland …
Monday, August 30
Biz Roundup
Pop-Up Gen Con at Van's CCG, Bricks in the Wall at Duling Hall and 2021 Mississippi Black Pages
Ridgeland comic, card and game store Van's CCG is hosting a Pop-Up Gen Con 2021 event on Saturday, Sept. 18. Gen Con is an annual tabletop game convention that features …
State
Hurricane Ida Leaves 100,000 Without Power As Now-Tropical Storm Hits Mississippi
Almost 113,000 Mississippians were without power Monday morning as Hurricane Ida wound its way through the state, after causing at least one death in Baton Rouge, La., and sowing damage …
National
Hurricane Ida Lashes Louisiana, Knocks Out New Orleans Power
Hurricane Ida blasted ashore Sunday as one of the most powerful storms ever to hit the U.S., knocking out power to all of New Orleans and reversing the flow of …
Sunday, August 29
Hurricane
Ida Similar to Katrina, but Stronger and Smaller
Hurricane Ida is looking eerily like a dangerous and perhaps scarier sequel to 2005’s Hurricane Katrina, the costliest storm in American history. But there are a few still-to-come twists that …
Friday, August 27
City & County
Weekend Picks 8-27-2021
The weekend is here again, and there are lots of fun things going on in the Jackson metro area! Whether your idea of fun is listening to live music, shopping …
City & County
Hinds County Reentry Program Starts Collecting Applications Sept. 1
Hinds County will take applications from intending participants of its reentry program on Wednesday, Sept. 1, at the Jackson Convention Center from 9:30 a.m to 4 p.m.
Health Care
The MFP Interview: Dr. Eric Topol Speaks On Realities, Dangers of Delta Variant
For much of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Eric Topol, founder and director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute in La Jolla, CA has been a leading voice for a unified, …
Person of the Day
Edward G. Cortright Jr.
Edward G. Cortright Jr., who served as chancellor for Mississippi's 11th Chancery District for 26 years, died on Wednesday, Aug. 11, at age 94.
Education
Women of Distinction Event and Coding Academy at JSU, MSU Center for Academic Advising
Girl Scouts of Greater Mississippi will honor Ebony Lumumba, an associate professor of English at Jackson State University, and four other leaders at its Women of Distinction event on Thursday, …
Thursday, August 26
Health Care
Mississippi Loses Sixth Child To COVID-19
A sixth child has died in Mississippi due to complications from COVID-19, the Mississippi State Department of Health said Wednesday.
Sports
New Orleans Saints 2021 Preview
The New Orleans Saints are starting the 2021 season without Drew Brees since he retired after the 2020 season, leaving a major hole in the Saints’ offense as the franchise …
Politics
Mississippi Legislators Revive Talk of Erasing Income Tax
Some members of the Republican-controlled Mississippi Legislature are renewing an effort to eliminate the state income tax—a proposal that failed earlier this year amid concerns it would drain budgets for …
Wednesday, August 25
City & County
JPS Board Approves Virtual Learning Option for PreK-6th Grade Starting Sept. 2
Jackson Public School District parents have until 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 27, to fill out a survey indicating if they want the virtual-learning option for their pre-kindergarten to sixth-grade students.
Health Care
Vaccine 'Conspiracy Theories' Prompt Threats, Dobbs Says
Mississippi's top health official said Tuesday that he has received threats from people who are spreading lies about his family as he urges the public to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
Tuesday, August 24
City & County
JPS Considering Virtual Learning, Invites Community Comments
Jackson Public Schools will hold a virtual meeting at 6 p.m. this evening, where the JPS Board of Trustees will discuss possible virtual learning options for students due to the …
Health Care
Contract Medical Workers Arrive for Mississippi COVID Surge
More than 1,000 out-of-state medical workers were starting to deploy to 50 Mississippi hospitals Tuesday to help with staffing shortages as the state continues dealing with a surge of COVID-19 …
Monday, August 23
Biz Roundup
Poké Stop Coming to Dogwood, Catfish Row Museum and Red Brick Roads Music & Arts Festival
Poké Stop, a restaurant that California native Rachel Phuong Le originally opened in Cultivation Food Hall at the District at Eastover in Jackson, is set to reopen in Dogwood Festival …
City & County
City Council Rejects Garbage Collection Contract Twice Citing Confusion, Bad Timing
The City of Jackson has until Sept. 30 to get a new garbage-collection contract after the city council voted twice in two weeks—Aug. 9 and 19—against approving the agreements that …
Politics
Analysis: Reeves Now Says COVID Response is Not Political
Mississippi Republican Gov. Tate Reeves stared into cameras during a news conference and said he is not advancing any political agenda in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic as the state …
City & County
Heat Wave Brings Scorching Temperatures to a Dozen States
Cooling centers have opened in Mississippi’s capital city as a heat wave scorches temperatures in several states in the South and Midwest.
Friday, August 20
City & County
Weekend Picks 8-20-21
Whatever you decide to do this weekend, be sure and check out the COVID safety rules at any locations you visit, as many are changing in the face of the …
Health Care
Person Hospitalized After Taking Livestock Ivermectin From Feed Store To Treat COVID-19
At least one individual has been hospitalized in Mississippi after ingesting a drug intended for treating worms in livestock, the Mississippi State Department of Health revealed today. The medicine, ivermectin, …
Education
USM Sculpture Exhibition and iGrad Partnership, MSU Poet Laureate Event
The University of Southern Mississippi Museum of Art recently opened submissions for entries in its Little Things Matter: National Juried Small-Scale Sculpture Exhibition. The exhibition features small-scale sculptures by artists …
Education
Mississippi Gov.: Try to Keep Schools Open Amid Rise in COVID
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said Thursday that his goal is to keep as many schools open as possible, even as COVID-19 cases continue to rise sharply in the state, because …
National
Three Senators Test Positive for COVID in Breakthrough Cases
Three senators said Thursday they have tested positive for COVID-19 despite being vaccinated, a high-profile collection of breakthrough cases that comes as the highly infectious delta variant spreads rapidly across …
Thursday, August 19
Education
Indigent Jackson Children Increased Kindergarten Readiness Score Via City Program
Children at the Jackson Early Childhood Development Centers recorded a 40% increase in kindergarten readiness scores in the 2020-2021 session.
Sports
Jordan Ta’amu
Former University of Mississippi quarterback Jordan Ta’amu is getting another shot at the NFL. Injuries to Detroit Lions backup quarterbacks Tim Boyle and David Blough led the squad to sign …
Health Care
Nearly 1,000 Mississippi Beds Empty Because of Lack of Staff
Mississippi health officials say almost 1,000 hospital beds that could be used to treat patients during the latest surge of coronavirus in the state are unstaffed because of a shortage …
Wednesday, August 18
Health Care
COVID-19 Booster Shots Could Be Available to All Americans By Sept. 20
COVID-19 booster shots may soon be available to all Americans, thanks to new guidance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Person of the Day
Rashad Smith
A college wrist injury altered the trajectory of Rashad Smith’s life and career.
Health Care
Mississippi Quarantines 20,000 With 5,993 Students Positive For COVID; Teen Deaths Rise
School districts statewide have responded to mounting COVID-19 cases and outbreaks with a patchwork of remedies, with many reimplementing mask mandates or moving to all-virtual instruction.
Tuesday, August 17
State
Marshand Crisler New Interim Hinds Sheriff, As Mayors Honor Lee Vance
Friends, family and associates of Sheriff Lee Vance, along with local leaders, gathered at the Mississippi Coliseum on Saturday, Aug. 14, the Jackson native’s burial ceremony. Vance died Aug. 4 …
Person of the Day
Bill Moak
William “Bill” Moak, chair of the Communication Department at Belhaven University, recently became one of two Mississippians inducted into the Public Relations Society of America’s College of Fellows this year, …
Health Care
As COVID Surges, Mississippi Sets Up Second Field Hospital
Mississippi's only Level 1 trauma center is setting up a second emergency field hospital in a parking garage that will handle some of the sickest COVID-19 patients as the virus …
Monday, August 16
Health Care
MSDH Limits Surgeries Due To COVID-19 Crisis
The Mississippi State Department of Health instituted an extended policy this weekend aimed at managing the state’s overburdened health-care system.
Biz Roundup
Duling Hall Vaccination Policy, Red 8 Kitchen and SBA FAST Grants
The Duling Hall event venue in Jackson recently announced that beginning Monday, Aug. 30, visitors, staff and artists entering Duling Hall must present proof of a full-course COVID-19 vaccination.
Politics
Analysis: Mississippi Senators Split on Infrastructure Bill
Mississippi's two Republican U.S. senators agree on many issues, but they split on a proposal for the federal government to spend $1 trillion on highways, water systems, broadband expansion and …
Friday, August 13
City & County
'Crazy Times': Mayor Lumumba Defends Vaccine Mandate for City Workers
Jackson Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba signed an executive order Wednesday requiring all City workers to produce proof by Aug. 31 of receiving at least one vaccine dose or a negative …
Education
New Master's Degrees and Pediatric Lab at MSU, USM Grant Funding
Two departments in Mississippi State University’s College of Forest Resources are adding new online master’s degrees, making online degree options available in all three of the college's departments.
Person of the Day
Robert Martez Hopkins
Through Knowledge Camp University, Robert Martez Hopkins ministers to his community, serving more than 200 children across south Jackson in various ways, alongside head coach David King and assistant head …
Health Care
Mississippi Breaks Its Single-Day COVID Hospitalization Record
Mississippi has broken its single-day records of COVID-19 hospitalizations, intensive-care use and new coronavirus cases.
Thursday, August 12
Person of the Day
Blaine McCorkle
Belhaven University football did something in the spring of 2021 that the program hadn’t done since 2012. The Blazers finished the season with a winning record at 3-2 overall, the …
Health Care
Mississippi’s Hospital System Could ‘Fail’ In 10 Days, UMMC Warns As Feds Rush In
With COVID-19 patients overflowing at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, including in its pediatric center, hospital leaders are warning that the medical system statewide could be on the verge …
Health Care
Mississippi Governor Extends His Pandemic Emergency Order
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said Thursday that he is extending his state-of-emergency order that gives public health officials and other government leaders some flexibility in responding to the coronavirus pandemic.
Health Care
Mississippi Opening Field Hospital Amid Surge of COVID Cases
Mississippi will open a 50-bed field hospital and the federal government will send medical professionals to help treat patients as COVID-19 cases continue surging in a state with one of …
Wednesday, August 11
City & County
City Uses $2.95 Million to Remove 117 Blighted Properties in Jackson
The City of Jackson, working with blight-elimination partners, has demolished 117 properties across the city using a $2.95 million grant from the Mississippi Home Corporation, officials announced at a press …
Health Care
Mississippi Approaches Its Own COVID Hospitalization Record
Mississippi is approaching its record number of COVID-19 hospitalizations as the virus continues spreading rapidly in a state with one of the lowest vaccination rates in the U.S.
Tuesday, August 10
Health Care
4,000 Mississippi Students Quarantined; Hospitalizations Break 2020 Summer Record
With less than one-third of Mississippi schools reporting COVID-19 data, a new report from the Mississippi State Department of Health shows that nearly 1,000 students were infected with COVID-19 for …
Person of the Day
Marina Brito
Marina Brito, a native of Sao Paulo, Brazil, and a member of the Jackson State University women's volleyball team, received a full scholarship in April to pursue a master's degree …
City & County
City Sanctioned for Slow Response to Public Records Request
The Mississippi Ethics Commission has ordered the city of Jackson to pay more than $170,000 in legal fees for violating state law by taking more than a year to provide …
Monday, August 9
Biz Roundup
Jerk City Grille, Birdie’s Nourished Kitchen and Mustard Seed Backpack Blessings
Ridgeland native Wendell Brewster opened his own Caribbean fusion food truck, Jerk City Grille, in April 2021. On Friday, Aug. 6, Brewster opened a new indoor location for his restaurant …
State
‘It Was Hard For Me to Stop’: Hinds Circuit Drug Intervention Court Graduates 26
Veronica Coleman, 33, graduated from the Hinds Circuit Drug Court on July 28, 2021. The mother of four believes the program was a lifeline.
Civil Rights
What Follows Confederate Statues? One Mississippi City's Fight
For more than a century, one of Mississippi's largest and most elaborate Confederate monuments has looked out over the lawn at the courthouse in the center of Greenwood, a Black-majority …
Crime
Analysis: Mississippi Reveals it Has Lethal Injection Drugs
Mississippi has not executed a death row inmate since June 2012, and no executions are currently scheduled. But a new court filing shows that the state Department of Corrections in …
Friday, August 6
Education
Mississippi Lawmakers Gather Info on Redistricting Puzzle
Mississippi lawmakers are traveling the state to gather ideas about how congressional and legislative districts should look in the coming decade—a series of public hearings that was scheduled before the …
Education
Mississippi Governor OKs State Takeover of Holmes Schools
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said Thursday that he is authorizing a state takeover of a troubled school district in one of the poorest parts of the state.
Education
Fall Pandemic Prep and Vaccine Incentives at JSU and MSU, USM Blessings in a Backpack Program
Jackson State University recently announced that it will require face masks or coverings in all public indoor campus spaces for vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals, regardless of academic or extracurricular activity.
City & County
JPS Set To Open, Mandate Masks as COVID-19, Variant Cases Skyrocket
The Jackson Public School system is set to begin the fall semester on Aug. 9, where almost 21,000 students will be required to attend full-time, traditional in-school curriculum.
Thursday, August 5
State
Doc: Delta variant Spread 'Like a Tsunami' in Mississippi
Mississippi's top health official said the delta coronavirus variant is “sweeping across Mississippi like a tsunami” as the state reported more than 3,000 new cases of the highly transmittable virus …
Person of the Day
Matt Corral and the State of SEC Quarterbacks this Season
When it comes to quarterbacks heading into the 2021 college football season in the Southeastern Conference, uncertainty is in the air.
Wednesday, August 4
State
Dobbs: Delta Variant Spike Endangering Medical Capacity in Mississippi
Mississippi’s health-care system is under increased strain as the fourth wave of COVID-19 continues to add increased hospitalizations and intensive-care unit patients every week.
City & County
Sheriff Lee Vance Dies After Testing Positive for COVID-19
The sheriff of Mississippi's largest county has died, almost two weeks after he tested positive for COVID-19 amid an outbreak of the illness at a jail he oversaw.
City & County
Jackson Leaders Approve $120,000 to Help the City's Zoo
The city council in Jackson has approved more than $120,000 for the Jackson Zoo to help the facility maintain its license to operate.
Sports
College Football Preview
Unless the current Delta variant spike causes changes—stay tuned—this new season could end up resembling, at least in part, football seasons of years past—with full stadiums and all teams opting …
Art
Greater Jackson Public Art Tour
Whether you’re new to the metro or are looking for something to do, the Jackson area features a number of vibrant public artworks you can soak in at your leisure.
Books
UPDATED: In-Person Mississippi Book Festival Cancelled, Tentative Virtual Watchlist
The annual Mississippi Book Festival features panel discussions, book signings and sales, food trucks and more.
Fly
A Downtown Oasis: Belhaven Beach
Despite the current ban on water-based activities, visitors of Belhaven Beach can still enjoy a myriad of activities commonly held on sandy shores.
Music
#StandAgainstHate Concert Encourages Medical Testing and Vaccinations
Yolanda Singleton, a Jackson native concert promoter who owns her own company called Xperience Jxn, has partnered with the Black Leadership AIDS Crisis Coalition and the AIDS Healthcare Foundation to …
Food
Heirloom Tomato Fattoush Salad
With a month and change left in the summer, Chef Alex Eaton of The Manship Wood Fired Kitchen and Aplos Simple Mediterannean has provided the Jackson Free Press with a …
Business
Mississippi Black Business Expo Bolsters City and State Economy
Mississippi Black Pages supports and promotes more than 1,000 Black-owned businesses in the state, with many based in Jackson metro. More than 200 of these businesses will attend this year’s …
Fly
Top 10: Samantha Busby
Having worked in the restaurant industry since she was 15, Samantha Busby thrives when she is serving guests and making them happy.
Education
OPINION: The Algebra Project: Bob Moses’ ‘Gateway To Equality’ For Black Students
Bob Moses used a MacArthur Foundation genius grant to create and launch the Algebra Project in 1982 to help rural and urban students achieve math literacy and to train teachers, …
City & County
Governor’s Policing Surge In Jackson May Not Prevent Violence, Address Causes
Parts of Mississippi’s capital city are seeing a “saturation” of state police that Gov. Tate Reeves promises will counter a spike in crime and violence that has worsened since the …
Civil Rights
60th Anniversary of the Freedom Rides: The ‘Accidental Freedom Rider’ Locked up in Parchman at 13
Hezekiah Watkins was looking for a hero. As a 13-year-old middle schooler in 1961 in Jackson who had lost his father three years earlier, he thought that seeing and possibly …
Editor's Note
EDITOR'S NOTE: Mississippians, Take Care of One Another, Don’t Feed the ‘Virus-Animal’
We have the means to end this pandemic that has taken so many from us and, for those of us fortunate enough to simply be inconvenienced, been such a previously …
Jacksonian
Cameron Yarber
At 18 years old, Jackson native Cameron Yarber has held more leadership roles than many who are years older.
Tuesday, August 3
State
‘An Explosive Recipe’: Delta Surge Shows No Sign Of Stopping
Mississippi and a handful of other southern states have been thrust into unwanted spotlight for the second time in the pandemic, with their rock-bottom vaccination rates driving unprecedented spread of …
Person of the Day
Jerry Palmer
Jackson native author Jerry Palmer will appear at Author's Alley at the annual Mississippi Book Festival on Saturday, Aug. 21.
Education
Mississippi Could Consider Takeover of Holmes County Schools
The Mississippi Commission on School Accreditation said Monday that an “extreme emergency” exists for schools in one of the poorest parts of the state because of lingering problems with financial …
Monday, August 2
Biz Roundup
O Hashi Sushi, Free Admission to State Art Museums and Mississippi Boychoir
O Hashi Sushi, the latest addition to Cultivation Food Hall in Jackson, opened for business on Monday, July 26. The new restaurant features signature rolls, fried rolls, appetizers, fried ice …
National
EXPLAINER: Mississippi's Efforts to Help Low-Income Tenants
A federal freeze on most evictions enacted last year is scheduled to expire Saturday, after President Joe Biden's administration extended the original date by a month.
Education
School Board Member: Require Employees to Get COVID Vaccine
A school board member in a Mississippi school district says he is planning to propose making COVID-19 vaccinations mandatory for all employees.
Politics
Gunn, Reeves Vow To Ban Critical Race Theory In Schools: ‘Can’t Take A Chance’
Mississippi House Speaker Philip Gunn promised attendees at the Neshoba County Fair yesterday that he will back legislation next year to ban “critical race theory” in Mississippi’s K-12 classrooms—despite the …
