Jackson Free Press

Week 8: Abortion, Tobacco, Katrina

After declaring that he had no intention of considering abortion bills this year, House Health Committee Chairman Steve Holland, D-Plantersville, caved under the pressure from House Speaker Billy McCoy and …

AG Can Sue BP without OK

British Petroleum announced that Mississippi will receive a total of $65 million to fight oil coming onto the beaches and for tourist advertising, but Attorney General Jim Hood says he …

Judge Malcolm Harrison: A New Man

Newly appointed Hinds County Circuit Court Judge Malcolm Harrison is a careful man when it comes to talking politics about Mississippi's judicial system.

MPB to Broadcast JFP Editorial Friday A.M.

[Editorial] Mr. Barbour: It's Time to Start Governing

Listen to Mississippi Public Broadcasting Friday morning at 5:35 and 7:35 to hear an excerpt from the JFP's most recent editorial read as part of "Opinion Round-up." Following is the …

House Votes to Accept Senate's Tort Reform Bill

After a long floor debate today, the Mississippi House of Representatives voted 76-38 to concur with the Senate strike-all version of HB 13 — a bill that institutes $1 million …

[Update] Speaker McCoy: Gov, Senate Move ‘Terrible Thing'

After spending eight days in special session, costing taxpayers a total of $41,162 so far (see below), the Mississippi House of Representatives went home Friday, saying they will return next …

Nissan to Expand Canton Plant

Despite declining auto sales worldwide, Nissan announced plans today to expand its Canton, Miss. plant to produce a new commercial vehicle, according to a release:

‘It Is A New Day'

Under the hottest sun of the week, hundreds of college students from all over the state united as one entity for the sake of principle, on Oct. 6, the first …

Only Children Bleed

The House Juvenile Justice Committee is holding legislative hearings on the training schools at the Capitol on July 19 from 2-5 p.m. and July 20 from 9 a.m. until noon …

Education Under Attack

Anticipation stalked the halls of the Mississippi State Capitol. Agency heads showed up, educators camped out, advocates for children and families rallied. It was clearly crunch time. Lawmakers had only …

Mississippi Defenseless in Federal Suit

Three-year-old Olivia Y. weighed only 22 pounds—less than half what she should have weighed—when the Mississippi courts took her from her abusive mother and turned her over to the foster-care …

Legislative Update: Medicaid and Marriage

This week marked either the victory cheer or the death knell for a round of money bills seeking approval. Tuesday, specifically, marked the deadline for the House or Senate to …

Fewer Profs, High Tuition

If current state budget cuts stand, Mississippi's eight public universities will have to shed 1,000 jobs and raise tuition over the next two years.

Johnson: Test Scores Reflect Education Funding

Mississippi NAACP President Derrick Johnson blames legislators for the state's low rank in a national summary of elementary school math grades. "The Nation's Report Card: Mathematics 2009," released yesterday, outlines …

House Panel Questions Dispersant Toxicity

Some House members left this morning's inaugural meeting of the House Select Committee on the Gulf Coast Disaster without knowing the potential risk of dispersants that British Petroleum is using …

[Beety] The Cost of Death

On July 21, the state of Mississippi is scheduled to put Joseph Daniel Burns Mississippian, murderer and father of three—to death. Our state has executed only 10 men over the …

Legislative Roundup—Week 4: Smokin'

House Committees churned away this week, trying to make the Jan. 30 session deadline on bill submissions. HB 202 creates a criminal offense for attempted murder—something the state has never …

Scandal, Fraud And Abuse

Twenty-four months in, the Katrina information firestorm has been dampened down to the size of a birthday candle fl ame in mainstream media, leaving the 60,000 still living in FEMA …

Dems Spar for House Seat

Incumbent Rep. Cecil Brown is facing Democrat challenger Stacey Webb in the August primary for District 66, which covers parts of north Jackson, in the Mississippi House of Representatives.

Drilling the Front Lines

Captain Louis Skrmetta is on the front lines. So far, Skrmetta, whose family has operated tour boats between the mainland and Mississippi's barrier islands in the Gulf of Mexico since …