Jackson Free Press

House Delays $1 Cigarette Tax Until Next Week

The Mississippi House of Representatives will not consider passing a tobacco tax increase until the House reconvenes 4 p.m. Monday. Yesterday, the House Ways and Means Committee approved House Bill …

Health-Care Lawsuit Moves Forward

United States District Judge Roger Vinson ruled yesterday that a multi-state lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the health-care reform law passed by the U.S. Congress earlier this year can move …

Why Did He Do It?

This morning, in the wake of Haley Barbour's Pardongate, an old joke popped into my head.

Why does a dog lick his balls?

Is Tuck Her Own Woman?

Here's an story from Bobby Harrison at the Daily Journal from back in December that discusses her new support for a tobacco tax and other ideas that Mr. Barbour might …

History's Return

Gov. Haley Barbour is a sucker for anniversaries, apparently. In his final State of the State address last week, the governor said that 2011—the 50th anniversary of the Freedom Rides …

‘Disparity' Study Call Disrupts Session

Percy Watson knew that getting the Mississippi Legislature to fund a disparity study was a long shot, but he had hoped it would somehow make it through the Republican-majority Senate …

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.

Searching for Dems at the Fair

As Democratic governor hopeful Johnny DuPree took the stump at the Neshoba County Fair, he looked at a majority-white crowd waving signs supporting Phil Bryant and Gov. Haley Barbour.

[Editorial] Change Felony Voting Laws for All

Here's what continues to get us about former Gov. Haley Barbour's excuses for all those pardons. He keeps saying that he is a Christian and, thus, is concerned about the …

State of the State: A Fact-Check

Gov. Haley Barbour used his final State of the State address, on Jan. 11, to tout his resume of accomplishments over two terms. Ever the savvy political communicator, the governor …

Freedom Riders Call on Governor for Action

Several civil-rights activists and Freedom Riders gathered this morning, and called on Gov. Haley Barbour to put his apology into action and issue a full pardon for the Scott sisters.

Politics Clash in Initiatives Battle

The Mississippi Supreme Court is setting itself up for a consistency clash if it votes in favor of a ballot initiative giving rights to microscopic human eggs.

Change Felony Voting Laws for All

Here's what continues to get us about former Gov. Haley Barbour's excuses for all those pardons. He keeps saying that he is a Christian and, thus, is concerned about the …

Strangulation, Security and Suffrage

Both chambers of the state Legislature spent the past week considering bills from the opposite chamber. The House amended Senate Bill 2923—a bill that expands domestic assault to include strangulation …

A Tamperin' They Will Go

Last week, the Mississippi Senate followed the lead of Gov. Haley Barbour in pushing for "home-rule" for the top-rated school districts in the state. The Senate voted 30-to-19 in favor …

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 …

Barbour and HUD Under Fire

The Mississippi Conference of the NAACP and the Gulf Coast Fair Housing Center are suing the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for allowing Gov. Haley Barbour to divert …

Mattel Settles Lawsuit After Pass From Barbour

Mississippi is one of 38 states that reached a settlement with Mattel Inc. and Fisher-Price Inc. over the companies' unhealthy level of lead in children's toys. An agreement filed today …

Barbour Signs $25 Million Incentive Bill

Gov. Haley Barbour signed HB 1628 yesterday, which provides Alliant Techsystems Inc. with a $25 million incentive to expand its aerospace manufacturing plant in Iuka, Miss., according to the KTTC …

Barbour's ‘State of the State' Monday 6 p.m.

Gov. Haley Barbour's "State of the State" address will be tonight at 6 p.m., broadcast live on MPB. Read his verbatim prepared address on StateDesk.com.