Jackson Free Press

Runoff Will Decide Three Council Seats; May Decide Next Mayor

In a town where the majority of residents vote Democratic, tomorrow's runoff election in Jackson will decide the winner in many races. With historically low voter turnout in runoffs, however, …

Jackson Run-Off and ‘Two Lakes' Open Thread

All, the debate is over, so tell us what you thought. Did you learn something new? Did you hear something you liked? Didn't like? Did it affect your vote? What …

Goings On Around Town

Before you go tonight's debate, head over to Nunnery's Gallery (426 Meadowbrook Road) for the opening reception of Tony Di Fatta's new show of abstract work, "Chaos and Order," starting …

Crisler v. Johnson: Exploring the Myths & Realities

The recent Jackson Democratic mayoral primary eliminated more than a half-dozen candidates, leaving two candidates with seductive messages and strong name recognition.

Council Candidates Go One-on-One

With the madness of the Democratic primary behind them, eight candidates will compete in the May 19 run-off elections for City Council. The remaining contenders boast strong personalities and varied …

The 2009 JFP Interview With Marshand Crisler

After serving as Jackson's Ward 6 Councilman for eight years, Marshand Crisler wants to give the executive branch a try.

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.

College Baseball: Blazers and Boo

Belhaven pitcher Craig Wescott is a finalist for the Ferriss Trophy, the annual award for Mississippi's top college baseball player, along with Ole Miss' Scott Bittle and Southern Miss' Brian …

BREAKING: Frank Melton Has Died

Full JFP Melton Blog and Archive

The Associated Press is reporting that Jackson Mayor Frank Melton has died. Shortly before polls closed Tuesday evening around 7 p.m., the mayor went into cardiac arrest at his 2 …

Jubilee JAM! 2009 Lineup Announced

The JAM folks have announced their national/regional line-up for this year's festival -- local performers are still to come. The following is verbatim from their materials:

Race Leaves Mark in Mayoral Race

The votes are in for the 2009 Democratic primaries, and the Jackson mayor's race seems to fall along racial lines. Mayoral candidate Marshand Crisler, a Ward 6 councilman, did well …

Council Selects McLemore Interim Mayor, Angers Stokes

In an emergency meeting held at 4 p.m. today, the Jackson City Council voted 5-to-1 to appoint Ward 2 Councilman Leslie McLemore as interim mayor after Mayor Frank Melton succumbed …

Ready or Not For Baby

When Kathryn Kight realized she was in labor, her first thought was of Frank Melton. As a reporter for 16 WAPT News, she knew Feb. 19 was going to be …

[Kamikaze] My Mother, My Hero

My mother passed last week. The feeling is still surreal for me. It's the first time I've lost someone close to me, someone in my immediate family.

Answers to Election Day Questions

Do you have questions about voting? You're probably not alone. The Jackson Free Press has put together a list of frequently asked questions that might help you out, including who …

Crisler Ahead In Funds As Election Nears

A review of campaign finance reports for Jackson mayoral candidates shows Councilman Marshand Crisler leading the pack, with state Sen. John Horhn close behind, followed by former Mayor Harvey Johnson …

The Mayor Bunch

Managing a city like Jackson is no easy task. It's the biggest city in the state—with a population of about 175,000, which appears to have lost a good bit of …

Mysterious Relics

Hanna Heath arrives in war-torn Sarajevo in 1996 to undertake the "once-in-a-lifetime career maker" project: to analyze and conserve the 14th-century illuminated edition of the Haggadah, the book used to …

Harvey Johnson Leads in New Mayoral Phone Survey

Verbatim from Brad Chism:

Friends, Below is a topline from the survey yesterday. Further below is a repeat of the explanations and qualifiers-these are important. From the blog traffic it appears that some don't …

Weekend Events: Outdoors, Music & More

Planning your weekend? It should be great weather for the day-time events listed on our Best Bets page including the Jackson Zoo's Party for the Planet on Saturday, and Rainbow …