Jackson Free Press

How We Must Respond to Haley Barbour's Pardons

It is heartening to see so many people in Mississippi and beyond respond with outrage over former Gov. Haley Barbour's pardons of so many men who killed wives and girlfriends, …

Our Haley Barbour: The 'Anti-Obama'?

Newsweek has a story this week asking if Haley Barbour will be the next president. The story starts:

Haley's Choice: Native Son Barbour Comes Home to Run for Governor

The big sign draped between two trees next to the Neshoba County Fair pavilion in August 1982 caused a lot of drama: "Happy Birthday, Senator Stennis."

Legislature Back in Session

State lawmakers have returned to Jackson today to hammer out the 2010 budget. The Legislature must agree on the Mississippi budget by the end of June as the new fiscal …

State Courts Face Spring Shutdown

State lawmakers received an unwelcome surprise yesterday, when Mississippi Supreme Court Chief Justice Bill Waller revealed that the state court system is set to run out of money in April.

Green Stimulus Funds Come to Jackson and State

A Jackson-based company will receive $3.75 million in federal stimulus funds to improve energy efficiency in public buildings around the state. The company, SmartSynch, provides smart grid infrastructure, in the …

Monday: School District Merger Meeting

Monday, Feb. 1, the Commission on Education Structure will hold its second meeting to discuss how best to achieve school district consolidation in Mississippi. The meeting is scheduled for Room …

Gulf States Request Mental Health Funds From BP

Mississippi Alabama, Louisiana and Florida officials are asking BP to provide funds for mental health services for residents who have been affected by the oil spill, the Associated Press reported …

State Universities to Get Broadband Boost

Mississippi's research universities and other state research centers will be able to communicate much more efficiently, thanks to expanded broadband technology.

Unrighteous Indignation

Stinker Quote of the Week: 'Helicopter'

When you get down to it, if anyone in Mississippi could procure a helicopter on short notice, it's one of the most powerful and best-paid lobbyists in Washington, D.C.

Barbour Touts Skills Training

Gov. Haley Barbour is singing the praises of skills training programs at community colleges and high schools while warning of future budget cuts to education. Barbour spoke during his conference …

The Barbour Pardons: How We Got Here

July 2008: Gov. Haley Barbour grants clemency to five convicted criminals assigned to work in the governor's mansion by the Mississippi Department of Corrections after reducing their status' to minimum …

Stadiums and Sticky Hands

Jackson State University will be the new owner of Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium if Gov. Haley Barbour agrees.

Judging Carefully

For Judge Leslie King, serving on the Mississippi Supreme Court is a natural career move, if not necessarily one he expected. Last week, Gov. Haley Barbour appointed King to the …

Minority Jobs, MDA at Center of Special Session Debate

Several black representatives have expressed concerns today that a proposed funding bill to bring 1,800 jobs in the state will overlook minorities. In a special session Gov. Haley Barbour called …

Barbour Blames Media for Toyota Woes

In 2007—before the economy tanked—Mississippi lawmakers and Gov. Haley Barbour approved a $293.9 million incentive package to persuade Toyota Motor Corp. to build a factory in Blue Springs, Miss., near …

Higher Cigarette Tax Effective Today

After a protracted battle between Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, the state Legislature and lobbyists, taxes on a pack of cigarettes is 68 cents in the Magnolia State, effective today. The …

The Medicaid Compromise?

Administrators from two hospitals that have a no-refusal policy regarding patient admittance warned House members today that a hospital bed tax proposed by Gov. Haley Barbour will force cuts in …

14 or More Schools Will Operate In Red As a Result of Education Budget Cuts

[Verbatim From the Mississippi Department of Education] Jackson, MS – A detailed district-by-district spreadsheet of the Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP) was released today to superintendents to review the impact …