FBI: Crime Dropped Nationwide in 2008
The FBI released its Preliminary Annual Uniform Crime Report on Monday, stating that violent crimes dropped by 2.5 percent nationwide, and non-violent property crimes saw a 1.6 percent decline last …
Adopt a Stimulus Project
With the U.S. spending $27 billion in infrastructure projects as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, ProPublica wants to know how those projects are doing. The independent, non-profit …
Lawmakers Facing Midnight Deadline for Budget
With the deadline for reaching a consensus creeping closer by the day, the Mississippi Legislature has until midnight tonight to agree on the state's 2010 budget before Gov. Haley Barbour …
Get Out and Vote, Jackson
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Arkansas Shooter Pleads Not Guilty After Confession
This morning, Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhammad, 24, a Little Rock man formerly known as Carlos Bledsoe, pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and 15 counts of engaging in terrorist activities. Muhammad …
Tuesday's Votes Will Decide Three City Posts
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Jacksonians will be going to the polls for the third time in four weeks tomorrow, casting their votes for mayor and city council seats. In the race for mayor, Harvey …
Jackson Clinic on Alert
The Jackson Women's Health Organization is on high alert today after an assassin gunned down Dr. George Tiller, an abortion provider in Kansas yesterday. The Jackson clinic is the only …
Weekend Happenings
It's not over until the fat lady sings. Tuesday are general elections in Jackson. Now is not the time to sit it out only to watch your candidate lose. Absentee …
Several Independents Running for Jackson Mayor
Next Tuesday, June 2, Jacksonians will go to the polls once again, this time for the general elections and all the marbles in the races for mayor and council seats. …
Small Businesses Honored
[verbatim] The Mississippi U.S. Small Business Administration will honor its 2009 small business award winners during a dinner reception on Tuesday, June 16 at the Mississippi e-Center @ JSU located …
Johnson Receives Crisler's Support
Read About All the Mayoral Candidates on the JFP Politics Blog
Lawmakers Idle Waiting for Budget
The Mississippi Legislature is spending about $19,000 a day with little or nothing to do, for the most part. Lawmakers have finished all of their business for the current session, …
Bounds Asks for 200 Teachers
Teach for America, a program that trains college students to teach in under-served, poor communities, is seeing record numbers of graduates applying. Mississippi State Superintendent of Education, has asked the …
Court Re-hears Seale Appeal
On May 21, the 17-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals heard oral arguments in the case of James Ford Seale.
Love for an Enemy
In America, as elsewhere on the planet, terrorism in the name of religious fundamentalism seems to be humankind's currently unavoidable cause of suffering, providing fertile fields for bigotry, hatred, wars …
'Teabaggers' Spin the Tenth
Interpreting the Constitution is a favorite American pastime. Differing opinions on just one sentence fill libraries to overflowing, and land legal cases in appeals courts and supreme courts from coast …
MPB Receives Four Emmy Nominations
[verbatim] Mississippi Public Broadcasting (MPB) received four 2008 Emmy Award nominations for its work in Between the Lions, Simply Science at the Fossil Road Show and Mississippi Roads. The Emmy …
Health Agencies Still See Rise in Flu Cases
Cases of H1N1 swine influenza (also known as Novel influenza A) remain at the top of disease control efforts by the nations health agencies, including the Mississippi State Department of …
Hoseman Petitions for Voter ID
Voter ID died an ignoble death during the regular 2009 Legislative session when Senate Republicans killed a bill because it included a provision to allow early voting in Mississippi. Now, …
Big Tobacco Loses Appeal; Wants Little Tobacco Taxed
On Friday, a federal appeals court in Washington, D.C. agreed with a 2006 ruling to ban cigarette labeling such as "low tar," "light," ultra light" or "mild." The ruling found …
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 …
GOP's Answer to "Charting a New Course": Name Calling
You've got to love it. On Wednesday, Republicans abandoned the idea of relabeling the Democratic Party. The proposed new name? The Democratic Socialist Party. The Republican National Committee actually held …
Youth Baseball Program Comes to Town
The Mississippi Department of Human Services is teaming with the Cal Ripkin, Sr. Foundation to offer the Badges for Baseball program to at-risk youth in 10 Mississippi communities. The program …
It's the Weekend!
Are you ready? Plenty of folks are headed out of town for the long Memorial Day weekend. But if you're not on the road, no worries. There's lots to do …
Zata|3 Analyzes the Runoff
Brad Chism from Zata|3 has provided his post-runoff-election analysis. Via e-mail, Chism wrote:
Here's our Monday-morning quarterback analysis about the margin of victory. And yes, here too is my admission that I had no clue that the margin of victory would be so …
Gas Prices Rising
Filling your tank this holiday weekend will cost you a bit more than it did earlier this month. Still, compared to the same time last year, gasoline is still relatively …
Kaze and McLemore on WAPT
JFP columnist, rapper, Crisler supporter and all 'round man about town Brad Franklin (aka Kamikaze) gave his opinion about the Democratic runoff side by side with acting Mayor, JSU prof, …
Runoffs Provide Decisive Wins
More than 32,400 voters turned out to vote in Jackson yesterday, handing former Mayor Harvey Johnson, Jr. a decisive win in the Democrat runoff elections. Hinds County's unofficial results show …
Maybe We Should Call it the "Sin Cinch"
In a story titled "How do You Spell Lust? M-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I," Internet spirituality Web site Beliefnet cites a new study by Kansas State University, saying: "Las Vegas may be known as …
AG's Office Co-Hosts Domestic Violence Conference
Mississippi's Domestic Violence Division in the attorney general's office is teaming with the Mississippi Coalition Against Domestic Violence and the Mississippi Coalition Against Sexual Assault to host "Domestic Violence in …
State Gets EPA Award
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today that the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality will receive $356,700 to improve water quality and create green jobs through the American Recovery and …
Fondren: Ride the Trolley to the Polls
Your votes today could determine Jackson's next mayor. Whether or not you voted in the primaries, if you're a Jackson resident and an eligible voter, you can vote today. See …
State Dems say Crisler Calls ‘a Mistake'
[verbatim] Chairman Jamie Franks said today that the state party remains neutral in the Jackson mayoral Democratic runoff. The statement comes in response to calls made on behalf of Councilman …
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, …
Court to Rehear Seale Case Thursday
See full JFP coverage of the Dee-Moore case.
Mississippi Reports First Swine Flu Cases
The Mississippi State Department of Health today confirmed three cases of H1N1 flu, commonly called swine flu, in Harrison County on the Gulf Coast. The people infected, two adults and …
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 …
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 …
200 Metro Kids Going to Camp
The Salvation Army of Metro Jackson is extending an invitation to over 200 local school children to attend Camp Hidden Lake in Lexington, MS, at no cost to the families.
Mississippi Chrysler Dealerships Closing
Chrysler is closing almost 800 dealerships across the country as part of their bankruptcy agreement, including six in Mississippi. The Magnolia State dealerships on the closure list are:
Tonight's Mayoral Debate: No Tickets Required
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Irby Pleads ‘Not Guilty'
In a process that took about a half hour, Karen Irby, 38, pleaded not guilty Monday to multiple felony charges connected to a car crash on Old Canton Road that …
Barbour Signs Cigarette Tax Increase
Gov. Haley Barbour has signed a bill today increasing cigarette taxes in Mississippi by 50 cents per pack. The bill brings the total tax per pack to 68 cents, up …
Former Police Chief to Endorse Crisler
The Marshand Crisler campaign has announced that former Jackson Police Chief Robert Johnson will be endorsing Crisler for mayor this morning at 11:30 in a news conference to be held …
Horhn to Endorse Johnson
Mississippi Sen. John Horhn, a recent candidate in the race for mayor of Jackson, will announce his endorsement of former Mayor Harvey Johnson this morning.
Yerger's Revisionist ‘Lily White' History
The Mississippi Republican party is holding events today honoring the party's founding chairman, 79-year-old Wirt Yerger, Jr., and last Sunday, Clarion-Ledger columnist Sid Salter interviewed Yerger. Just a few questions …
Melton Memorial to Stream Live
WAPT will offer a live video stream of the noon memorial for late Jackson Mayor Frank Melton at Thalia Mara Hall.
Jackson Zoo Welcomes New Arrivals
Meet Mort, Levi, Eli and Junior, four Red Ruffed Lemurs born at the Jackson Zoo April 19. They've been indoors with their mom, Moon, since their birth, but made their …
Jackson to Host China Trade Forum
The Jackson Convention Complex is the site for a China trade forum later this month, hosted by the Mississippi Development Authority and Gov. Haley Barbour, reports WXVT 15 in a …
