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Civil Rights
Do the Anti-42 Politicians Feel No Shame?
Do you ever wake up in the morning and wonder why Mississippi's Republican Leadership seems to hate democracy so much?
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Education
MAEP Opponents Complain About Program They Helped Implement
Many people who don't support the Mississippi Adequate Education Program, which aims to support schools across the state with necessary resources, believe the formula is faulty. But few go beyond …
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Politics
Mike Espy Files to Run Against Hyde-Smith in 2020 Rematch
On his 65th birthday, Democrat Mike Espy filed Friday morning to run for the U.S. Senate seat held by incumbent Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith when it is up again in …
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Civil Rights
EDITOR'S NOTE: Reps. John Lewis, Bennie Thompson to Attend Grand Celebration of Mississippi Civil Rights Museum
U.S. Reps. John Lewis and Bennie Thompson are attending the Grand Celebration and Gala at the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum on Feb. 23 and 24. Both will receive awards.
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Once Again, It's On
The Jackson City Council set Dec. 2 as the special election for the seat recently vacated by Quentin Whitwell. The runoff, if needed, will take place two weeks later on …
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Reeves Plans to Challenge Ruling
Republican District 71 incumbent Rep. John Reeves said he will appeal a Hinds County Circuit Court decision to the Mississippi Supreme Court. Hinds County Circuit Court Judge Winston Kidd granted …
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Crime
Judge Issues Contempt Order Over County Jail in Mississippi
A federal judge has issued a civil contempt order against Mississippi's largest county, saying officials have failed to fix more than two dozen problems in a jail plagued by violence …
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Bond Commission Grants City's $6 million Bond
The standoff between the city of Jackson and members of the State Bond Commission over $6 million in interest-free loans for city water infrastructure repairs seemingly has ended.
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Civil Rights
Private Prison Trial Starts Today Over Alleged Squalor, Rats, Deaths
Inmates housed at the East Mississippi Correctional Facility alleged squalor conditions, solitary confinement practices, lack of medical and mental health care, and an overall unsafe environment. Five years later, the …
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City & County
Jackson Passes Pro-LGBT Resolution
Mississippi's largest city and state capital finally passed a resolution affirming equality for all citizens, including the LGBT community.
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Pelosi Be Damned: House Votes to Up Minimum Wage
The House passed an ambitious minimum-wage bill before adjourning on Tuesday. HB 237, which passed 68-to-50, calls for every state employer to raise minimum wage to $6.25 by July 1, …
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NAACP Asks Barbour to Condemn Klan Plate
Mississippi NAACP President Derrick Johnson is asking Gov. Haley Barbour to condemn the Mississippi Sons of Confederate Veterans' push to create a commemorative license plate for Confederate General and the …
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Cover
The Tragic Case of the Scott Sisters
Jamie and Gladys Scott arrived at the Mini Mart gas station on Highway 35 in Forest, Miss., sometime between 10:30 and 11 p.m. on Christmas Eve 1993. It was just …
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State Medicaid Drops 55,000 Children
A new program requiring face-to-face meetings for Medicaid recipients has contributed to over 55,000 children being dropped from state rolls. At a meeting of the Legislative Budget Committee last Thursday, …
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Brownie Slams States; GOP and Dems Slam Him
MSNBC is reporting:
Former FEMA director Michael Brown aggressively defended his role in responding to Hurricane Katrina on Tuesday and blamed most coordination failures on Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco and New Orleans Mayor …
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Jackson Music Awards Tonight
Join the fun at the 35th Annual Jackson Music Awards tonight at Marriott Hotel starting at 6 p.m. Tonight's program, "Music, Its Magic," honors the best of Southern soul and …
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State
Afroman to Settle Suit Filed Over Mississippi Assault, Song
Musician and rapper Afroman is settling a lawsuit filed by a woman he punched during a 2015 Mississippi performance.
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Four Suspects Charged in Aggravated Assault Case
Saturday, Jackson Police officers responded to a shooting on Mosley Avenue near Stillwood Drive.
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Did Myrlie Evers endorse Sen. John Horhn for mayor?
By Donna LaddThe John Horhn for mayor campaign sent footage of civil-rights hero Myrlie Evers last week for a paid ad on the JFP website of Mrs. Evers saying nice things about his "forward" leadership. The quote that has run on the JFP website in the ad for about the last week is "John's Horhn's motto is the way forward. Forward looking, forward acting, forward leadership. And that's exactly what we need today."
Today, we were a bit surprised to see a story by Jerry Mitchell in The Clarion-Ledger indicating that she is not endorsing a candidate and is telling people "to vote for a candidate of their choice."
The footage clearly indicated that Evers was backing Horhn and perhaps using scripted language: His campaign slogan, after all, is "The Way Forward."
We called the campaign today to ask if Mrs. Evers had backtracked on her endorsement of the senator. LaureNicole Taylor of the Horhn campaign respond: "No backtracking. She never said she is supporting John," she told reporter Haley Ferretti.
Still confused, I then asked to speak with her, and Taylor told me that Evers "can't officially endorse one particular candidate," but that she does support John Horhn.
Taylor, who sent the original footage to our advertising department for the ad, told me today that it should be taken down. I relayed that message to our advertising team.
Clear now?
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Greenville Becomes Fifth City in State to Pass LGBT Resolution
By HaleyFerrettiThe Greenville City Council met and passed an LGBT-inclusive resolution today, making it the fifth city in the state to pass a resolution of this kind.
Councilman Errick D. Simmons drafted the resolution and presented it at a special meeting, where it passed 6-0.
"Discrimination in any form has no place in our society. In light of recent alleged remarks made my Donald Sterling, owner of the L.A. Clippers and the wave of efforts to treat classes and/or groups of people differently in our nation, it is only appropriate that City of Greenville adopts a public policy of equality, fairness, and nondiscrimination for all," Simmons stated in a press release.
He is the brother of Sen. Derrick Simmons who strongly opposed SB 2681, the Mississippi Religious Freedom Restoration Act, before its passing. Derrick paralleled the bill to Jim Crow legislation and encouraged the House to vote against it.
"If you have never been discriminated against, you don't know how that feels. If you have never been discriminated against, you don't know how to feel discrimination. I urge you to vote against this bill because it legalizes discrimination," Derrick said on the House floor.
Greenville follows Magnolia, in Pike County near McComb, which passed a LGBT resolution just last week: http://jacksonfreepress.com/news/2014/apr/22/magnolia-miss-passes-pro-lgbt-resolution-pike-coun/
