Jackson Free Press

Fantasy Island

Developers are cheering and environmentalists are jeering as the Lefleur Lakes ("Two Lakes") project gains momentum, helped along by political support from men like Mayor Frank Melton and Gov. Haley …

Green Space

If you want to see how differently various people approach the idea of planning for Jackson's future, listen to a discussion of parks and green space.

• 2 comments

Fantasy Island Swamped

The LeFleur Lakes Plan might be on the ropes, project head John McGowan said in a recent Northside Sun article. Plans for a new overpass might make the project unviable, …

One Lake's 'Controlled Meeting' a 'Propaganda Machine' To Some Attendees

The potential for outrage, raised voices and loud arguments at the One Lake Public Meeting was never recognized. But, One Lake project members were prepared for the possibility for pushback …

Flowood Mayor: 'One Lake' Project Will Protect Hospitals from Flooding

Flowood Mayor Gary Rhoads supports the "One Lake" plan to widen the Pearl River to protect the hospitals that sit in Rankin County's floodplain, he said today.

OPINION: Hindsight 2020: Jackson Flooding and 40 years of Failed Solutions

"The flooding of the Pearl River in early 2020 has led to high water moving into neighborhoods and businesses, while many simultaneously want a 'flood control' plan for Jackson. These …

Levees Now or Floods Later

Steady rain across Middle America swamped cities and rural communities in Iowa this month. The flooding has killed more than 20 people since May, displaced more than 40,000 and caused …

Where the Pearl River Flows

Environmental groups and downstream communities in Louisiana and Mississippi are keeping a sharp eye on any proposed levee or lake project in Jackson, such as the current "One Lake" strategy, …

Corps Demands Conflict-of-Interest Policy on Lake Plan

Read the conflict-of-interest policy (PDF)

Plan B? Flood Control Beyond Lakes and Levees

Flood-control options for the Pearl River seem limited as Jackson-area residents compare the ungainly design of the levee plan designed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1996 with …

Our Itty-Bitty 'Green' Car

Former Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour and former President Bill Clinton helped roll out an energy-efficient vehicle in Horn Lake on July 6.

Levee Board Opposes State Takeover Attempt

The Pearl River Levee Board is angry that the Legislature is trying to end-run their authority—and the Flowood mayor accuses one of the members of ethics violations.

OPINION: The Big Flood of the Pearl, Not If, but When

So the big question is, “Will the ‘One Lake’ project be the salvation for Jackson in the event of a massive flood like the Easter Flood of 1979?” Not likely.

LeFleur Lakes Barreling Toward the Falls

The results are in from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers study of the LeFleur Lakes project, and, according to a report in The Clarion-Ledger, the Corps says it isn't …

Verbatim Release: Pearl River Cresting

Due to an increase of water released from the Barnett Reservoir on Friday caused by local rains over the last 24 hours, the City of Jackson expects the Pearl River …

Cristobal Now a Depression Drenching Mississippi River Basin

Tropical Storm Cristobal weakened into a depression early Monday after inundating coastal Louisiana and ginning up dangerous weather along most of the U.S. Gulf Coast, sending waves crashing over Mississippi …

OPINION: A Pearl of Great Price: The Value of a Flowing Pearl River in Jackson

For fish and turtle species in flowing river habitats, if something happens to their environment—like a dam turning a flowing river into a stagnant lake—they will likely be lost over …

UPDATED: Levee Board Approves ‘One Lake' Plan, Not ‘Two'

Members of the Rankin-Hinds Pearl Flood and Drainage Control District held a press conference this afternoon at the Mississippi TelCom Center, where chairman Billy Orr announced that the District has …

Boating, Fishing on Barnett Reservoir Resumes Monday

Boating and fishing on Barnett Reservoir will resume on Monday, the Pearl River Valley Water Supply District confirmed after Governor Tate Reeves’ Friday morning press conference related to the Covid-19 …

PUBLISHER'S NOTE: ‘One Lake’ Backers Have a Transparency Problem

Proponents of the "One Lake" project on the Pearl River have a high bar to clear, and I don't think they're doing it yet. Their problem is simple: lack of …