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City & County
UPDATED: JPS Draws Expected 'F' in MDE District, School Grades Released Today
The Mississippi Department of Education released the 2017 accountability rankings of all schools and districts in the state this morning. Seventy percent of the state's schools are performing at "C" …
Politics
Gov. Bryant Wants Vote on State Flag; Taggart Says It Must Change
New messages about the Mississippi flag flowed out of the annual Hobnob Mississippi event this year with the governor revealing that he wants citizens to vote on it again and …
Civil Rights
Petitions, Vigil Demand Feds to #FreeDany from ICE Detention Center
As Daniela Vargas sits in an immigrant detention center in Jena, La., 166 miles from her Jackson home, concerned citizens, advocates and pastors gathered here in the courtyard of Fondren …
Politics
Budget, Tax and Infrastructure Woes
Despite Republican supermajorities in both the House and the Senate, there seems to be little agreement across the chambers on tax legislation and budget proposals this year.
City & County
State Board Sends JPS Takeover to Governor for Stamp of Approval
The fate of Jackson Public Schools is now in the hands of Republican Gov. Phil Bryant after the Mississippi Board of Education declared an “extreme emergency situation” in the district …
City & County
Tale of Two Charter Schools in Mississippi
Charter schools weren't legal in Mississippi until 2013, when the Legislature passed the Mississippi Charter School Law, allowing nonprofit charter schools to enter the state for the first time.
Politics
Director: Foster System Needs More Funding and Staffing to Protect Children
Even as children are dying in the state's foster-care system, its director says the state may not meet a court-ordered deadline to improve conditions without more funding and more than …
State
Lawmakers Recognized for Passing Juvenile Licensing Act
Rep. Deborah Dixon, D-Raymond, was named a "Most Distinguished Legislator for Juvenile Justice Causes" on Thursday at the 40th Justice for all Youth symposium in Biloxi.
Crime
Task Force: Invest in Criminal Justice Reforms
Judges in Mississippi can assign non-violent offenders, usually those who commit petty crimes while under the influence of drugs or who are arrested for possession of illegal drugs. The two- …
JFP Interviews
Debra Gibbs: ‘I’ve Been a Leader’
The oldest of five, Debra Gibbs says she has always been an independent woman. She was born and raised in Gulfport but moved to Jackson on her own after graduating …
Civil Rights
Black, Male, Arrested: Madison County Case May Go Class Action
Attorneys argue that Madison County's policing program violates black residents' rights outlined in the Fourth Amendment, the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment and Title VI of the Civil …
Education
Pushing for Pre-K in the Midst of Poverty
Public pre-K is a part of the state's push for early learning statewide in order to increase literacy for students in public schools.
Business
Continental: Conservation, Excavation and New Hires
Zach Morrow was born and raised in Ackerman, Miss., and has been doing construction work since he was 18 years old. He has worked in and out of the state …
Education
Web of National, State PACs and PICs Fight Initiative 42
As the November election draws near, large political advocacy groups and Republican donor’s dollars are pouring into anti-Initiative 42 Political Initiative Committees (PICs), mainly the KidsFirst and Improve Mississippi committees. …
City & County
At Last Hour, Two School Board Members Approved for New JPS Panel
The Jackson Public Schools Board of Trustees is now just one member shy from full for the first time in months, but some council members are concerned that the nominations …
LGBT
Judge on HB 1523: Clerks Can’t Recuse Selves from Marriage Licenses
On Monday, U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves blocked the part of House Bill 1523 that says circuit clerks can recuse themselves from issuing same-sex marriage licenses due to a “sincerely …
Education
Dyslexia Voucher Expansion Bill Passes Senate
House Bill 1046 expands vouchers or scholarships, depending on whom you ask in the statehouse. Either way, the legislation advanced late on Wednesday night after more than two hours of …
Politics
GOP Solidifies House Presence, Tinkers with Public-Information Rules
If legislative committees were sports teams, today would be draft day in the Mississippi House of Representatives.
Economy
'Staff Error' Turns into 1.6-Percent Cut to Most State Agencies
Mississippi is only two months into the new fiscal year, and Gov. Phil Bryant has announced that he will reduce or "adjust" the state budget by $56.8 million to account …
Development
How Affordable is Housing in Mississippi?
Rental housing in Mississippi is not very affordable, the new "Out of Reach 2017" report from the National Low Income Housing Coalition shows.
