Jackson Free Press

Private Prison, Public Problems

Gail Tyree exited U.S. Highway 84 onto Hobo Fork Road and drove through the rose-adorned entrance of the sprawling Adams County Correctional Center. A female correctional officer leaving the prison's …

Of Anger and Alternative Endings

When I was a teenager, I decided I wanted to be a civil-rights attorney. I had visions of righting the kinds of wrongs done in my hometown of Philadelphia, Miss. …

The Folks Are Coming

A JFP reader commented on our Web site Tuesday that it is a very different world in which citizens can watch live feeds of a trial on WAPT's Web site …

State of Emergency, Reloaded

Jackson Mayor Frank Melton declared an official state of emergency for the city of Jackson June 22, outlining a stricter curfew for city minors. He then announced an update to …

Squeezed by Taxes? You're Not Alone

Chewing some gristle on tax day? Here's a bit of news for you. Mississippi's two Republican senators in Washington, D.C., Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker, voted for another tax break …

North Korea Goes Nuclear

Last night, North Korea tested a 5-15 kiloton nuclear weapon in an underground test, according to the government there.

[Lott] Opposing Homosexual Marriage

The Senate has failed to pass legislation calling for a Constitutional amendment to protect traditional marriage and halt the proliferation of same-sex marriages. Despite the current setback, I believe debate …

We, the Unhealthy

Last year, Mississippi ranked No. 1 overall for the unhealthiest citizens in the U.S. and No. 49 in the number of physicians per capita. A quarter of our 2-year-olds haven't …

Full Smoking Ban Takes Effect

An expanded version of the city's ban on smoking in restaurants and bars took effect July 1, but compliance with the ban is still spotty.

JFP Interview: Ben Allen, Part II

Unabridged version of Ben Allen interview, continued ....

My biggest issue with Chief Moore is that he keeps talking about crime being a perception—so is leadership. Leadership is a perception!

The 2008 Chicks We Love

The Better Half of Mississippi

They are news anchors, business owners, artists and moms. They are the better half of the Hospitality State. They are the Chicks We Love.

The Lakes Plan That Won't Recede

Although both the U.S. Corps of Engineers and the local Levee Board have rejected the Two Lakes development/flood-control plan, its supporters are vowing not to give up.

The 2009 JFP Interview with Frank Melton, Part V: To the DEA?

In this long excerpt of JFP editor Donna Ladd's interview with Frank Melton in February, he talks about why he's running for re-election, dying with dignity, the City Council, his …

The JFP Interview: Councilwoman Margaret Barrett-Simon

Ward 7 Councilwoman Margaret Barrett-Simon has been a familiar face on the Jackson City Council since the days of Duran Duran. Barrett-Simon's demeanor in an interview is cautious if not …

Education: A Strong State Economy Starts Here

Research shows that struggling schools and low education levels hurt individuals as well as the state as a whole, bringing economic and social challenges. Fortunately, people outside the educational community …

Community Events and Public Meetings

Eighth Annual JFP Chick Ball July 28, 6 p.m., at Hal & Mal's (200 S. Commerce St.). The fundraising event benefits the Center for Violence Prevention, and this year's goal …

Jackson's Young Influentials 2005

by Skyla Dawn Luckey, Ayana Taylor, Brett Potter, Catherine Womack, Natalie Irby, Robert Williamson, Jessica Kinnison, and Randy Perkins

The Politics of Voter ID

Photos by Adam Lynch and Kate Medley

Candidates tend to look for issues to separate themselves from their opponents. It's a tough order in conservative Mississippi, where many nominees on both sides of the political spectrum agree …

[Kamikaze] What We've Learned

It's frustrating. Those of us who preach progression, who practice tolerance, see it daily. Despite the Herculean efforts of most of us, we still have some among us who are …

Egg Bowl 2010 Has Reverse 2009 Deja Vu

The next couple of weeks are probably my favorite time to be a college football fan. Starting Thursday (Thanksgiving) and ending next Saturday it is rivalry week in college football.