Jackson Free Press

Sen. Thad Cochran

A national group has recognized Sen. Thad Cochran for advocating for volunteer programs. ON Tuesday, Cochran received the Edward M. Kennedy National Service Lifetime Leadership Award at the Friends of …

Mississippi Prison Chief Becoming Public Safety Commissioner

A longtime law enforcement officer who has led Mississippi's prison system the past two years is being named the new head of the state Department of Public Safety.

Bryant Names New Chief of Staff as Current Chief Leaves

Joey Songy will be Gov. Phil Bryant's new chief of staff as the Republican begins his second term.

Indictment: Rankin County Businessman Bribed MDOC's Epps for Prison Contracts

Christopher Epps, the long-tenured commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Corrections, and former Rankin County School Board President Cecil McCrory will be arraigned this later today on a 49-count indictment …

New Laws Help Abuse Victims, More

Judges can add an extra level of protection for victims of domestic abuse under House Bill 196, which Gov. Haley Barbour signed in March.

Medicaid Drops Therapies

Adele Krichbaum's son is 18, but he has a 5-year-old's grasp of conversation. "He can learn things as well as anybody, but you have to be able to talk to …

A House In a Hurry

Within hours of the Legislature convening on Jan. 2, the House Appropriations Committee approved a total of seven money bills seeking attention with little dissent. H.B. 238, a bill seeking …

Trapped In Left Field

The first week of September was a turning point for the Left Field Sports Grill, says President Dan Keith. Katrina blasted through the streets of Jackson, and the grill suffered …

No Money To Fund Partisan Radio, Democrats Say

The Mississippi House of Representatives may consider a bill forcing more oversight on how the state pays for advertising in 2009. The state spent more than $14 million on newspaper, …

Time to End Free Passes for Racist Lawmakers

Leaders can feign disgust at Rep. Karl Oliver's words, but their cozy relationship with racial rhetoric and symbols emboldened him and may lead to the violence he encouraged. It is …

Jesus, the Migrant

In her new book "Jesus Was A Migrant," writer Deirdre Cornell says migration is central to "biblical spirituality" and the chosen people themselves were "displaced, uprooted, homeless" migrants.

Maddow Fact Checks Barbour's Version of History

Rachel Maddow, host of "The Rachel Maddow Show" reported last night that Gov. Haley Barbour exaggerated his claims of attending integrated schools in Mississippi.

Stampede

Republicans proved they can win elections. Now they must prove they can govern.

On Dec. 20, Haley Barbour stepped to the podium on the 18th floor of the Walter Sillers building to make his final budget recommendation to reporters—and started hacking away at …

Senate Committee to Kill Override Attempt

A resolution passed by the House last month in an attempt to override Gov. Haley Barbour's rejection of $56 million in federal stimulus dollars will likely never get out of …

Week 12: Cigarettes and Overrides

Legislators continued to negotiate a compromise on a proposed cigarette-tax increase Monday, as a Mar. 25 deadline loomed.

AG Can Sue BP without OK

British Petroleum announced that Mississippi will receive a total of $65 million to fight oil coming onto the beaches and for tourist advertising, but Attorney General Jim Hood says he …

[Update] Speaker McCoy: Gov, Senate Move ‘Terrible Thing'

After spending eight days in special session, costing taxpayers a total of $41,162 so far (see below), the Mississippi House of Representatives went home Friday, saying they will return next …

Just In: Stacking the Deck: 72 Legislative Candidates Sign "Lawsuit" Pledge

The October 2003 newsletter of Mississippians for Economic Progress, a group set up by industry groups, to limit lawsuits in the state, says that 72 legislative candidates in the state …

Voter ID Out of the Court

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals took Mississippi's voter ID debate out of the courtroom May 28, overturning a ruling that would have forced Mississippians to register, or re-register …

City Addressees Water Violations; Retirement Payment Increases

Read the city's stormwater management proposal (PDF, 64 KB)