Jackson Free Press

AG Jim Hood Celebrates State Farm Settlement

Attorney General Jim Hood said Tuesay that his office has reached a class-action settlement with State Farm in the Katrina lawsuit. Policy holders and Hood claim the insurance company wrongfully …

Mass Firings and A Merry Christmas

Twelve days before Christmas, Jackson employees suddenly received a mass e-mail from the Mississippi Department of Employment Security stating that they were "registered with the Mississippi Department of Employment Security" …

Supreme Court: Fairview Illegally Zoned

The Mississippi Supreme Court refused to revisit its August decision regarding a four-star bed and breakfast in Jackson. The court had earlier decided that the city of Jackson had illegally …

Mayor to Hold Up Sales Tax Hike?

Last session, the Mississippi Legislature enacted a referendum vote for a sales tax increase to fix city streets and improve public safety, but Jackson Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. says that …

Part-Time Justice

<b>Poor State Prisoners Shorted on Legal Help</b>

A recent town meeting in Jackson highlighting prisoner abuse in the state's penal system offered a peek at another legal issue plaguing many Mississippians who find themselves on the wrong …

Sneak Attacks

Jacksonians first caught a glimpse of the kind of mayor they had elected less than a week after Melton won the primary. WAPT sent reporter Greg Flynn to the YMCA …

‘Major Extortion'?

Photos by Brian Johnson & Darren Schwindaman

Council members Marshand Crisler, Ben Allen and Margaret Barrett-Simon told the Jackson Free Press Monday that city Chief of Staff Marcus Ward threatened Jackson School Board member Jonathan Larkin's re-appointment …

Scared of Xenophobes?

A great number of the bills pushing through the Legislature this session—more than in most years previously—deal with immigration and immigrants.

Melton Orders Demolition Blitz

Mayor Frank Melton told department heads he wants a serious re-commitment to house demolition and downtown development in Jackson at a meeting held before members of the press today.

Necessary Means?

Throughout public debate of the allegations that Mayor Frank Melton and associates demolished a Ridgeway home, Councilman Kenneth Stokes has applauded Melton's actions. At Tuesday's City Council meeting, Stokes said: …

Week Two: Budget Woes, Taxes, Photo ID

Legislators came face-to-face with rough times this week with Gov. Haley Barbour calling for $158.3 million in budget reductions for fiscal year 2009.

BREAKING: Judge DeLaughter Arraigned in Bribery Scandal

JFP coverage of DeLaughter and Peters

Gingrich Recycles 1990s Message for Jobs Creation

Republican and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich appeared at a local "jobs summit" yesterday, blasting Washington politicians for being clueless about how to spur job growth. Gingrich—and his message—hasn't changed …

ANALYSIS: Council Dodges Numerous Bullets

The Melton administration this week proposed to dip into the city's budget reserves in an attempt to cauterize the bleeding city budget—and even pay rent on police precincts that are …

BREAKING: Melton Budget 'Smoke and Mirrors'

The City Council cut short a budget session today after the Melton administration failed to present detailed budget revisions.

The 2009 JFP Interview With Harvey Johnson Jr.

Harvey Johnson Jr. became Jackson's first black mayor after winning the 1997 election with about 70 percent of the vote.

Ceara's Season

Ceara Sturgis' home in Wesson, Miss., is filled with cookie jars. Ancient, smiling caricatures of 1950s-era "Campbell's Kids" join recent additions featuring the likeness of the M&M characters.

Mississippi Ranks No. 1 in Teen Pregnancies, New Report Says

Mississippi's first again—in term of the state with the highest teen birthrate. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the state's birthrate was more than 60 percent higher …

Agency in Jeopardy Over Ad Oversight

House Democrats and Gov. Haley Barbour are squaring off against one another regarding how the state spends advertising dollars. The House and Senate were unable to come to terms with …

BREAKING: Melton Hasn't Reported Home Addition

Jackson Mayor Frank Melton has not been paying taxes on a large home addition to his northeast Jackson house for several years, according to a Hinds County Tax appraiser. "We …