A Smoke-Free Lunch?
Last Thursday, I joined the JFP Lounge at Hal & Mal's in the smoke-free Oyster Room. Now, don't get me wrong; I love Hal & Mal's, and I love the …
Fred Hammond
Fred Hammond understands changing careers; his call to church ministry is the third major shift in his life. At 51, "Reverend Fred" is the Unitarian Universalist Church of Jackson's new …
Prowling for Sex
The chat begins innocently enough, with the man asking the girl's name. Then he asks what her hobbies are and tells her she's pretty or sexy. It is easy to …
'None of this is Good News'
The day after the Jackson Free Press broke the news that she had been indicted, Robbie Bell turned herself in to sheriff's deputies on Oct. 31, for her alleged role …
Wisdom, Tibetan Style
With eyes closed and hands clasped in prayer, the monks of Drepung Loseling monastery consecrated the mandala of wisdom moments before dismantling the art they had spent four days creating …
Voter FAQ
The only stupid question about voting is the one you don't get answered before Nov. 6. With a little help from the League of Women Voters of Mississippi's Web site, …
Rocky Horror Picture Show Virgin's Guide
In Rocky Horror Picture Show parlance, a "virgin" is anyone who's never seen RHPS (that's "Rocky Horror Picture Show," the movie) in a theater. Seeing it on TV doesn't count …
It's Best Of Time Again!
Alrighty all you proud Jacksonians. It's time once more to vote for the Best of Jackson. The first 2008 ballot is scheduled to appear in next week's issue (Oct. 31) …
Shame on Us
I literally shouted expletives at my TV yesterday morning as I drank my coffee and watched the morning news. In an appalling display of hypocrisy, first lady Laura Bush landed …
Doris Shavers' Family: Melton Lied
Shalandria Shavers, the 21-year-old daughter of domestic-violence victim Doris Shavers, and James Hopkins, Shavers' brother, served notice today to the city of Jackson and Mayor Frank Melton of a wrongful-death …
Learn Something New
Every so often, I come across something really useful on the Internet that isn't trying to sell me anything. If you're like me, it's even better if it tells me …
A Comfortable Trust
As the recipient of dozens, perhaps hundreds of massages, one of the first things I always "look" for is the personal energy a masseuse projects. I've had therapists who were …
Lawyers Needed
Herding cats. That's the unwritten job description for soft-spoken Shirley Williams, executive director of the Mississippi Volunteer Lawyers Project. Formed in 1982, the MVLP is one of a handful of …
Good News for Victims
Announcing some good news on the domestic violence front, Attorney General Jim Hood says that the Domestic Violence Division has made significant progress in educating the state's law enforcement, judges …
Burdening the Poor
Mississippi's low-income families pay a higher percentage of their income on taxes than people with higher incomes, one reason that makes the state's tax system mostly regressive. That is the …
Grant Me Justice: Two Women Killed in Two Weeks
Enjoying the slight drop in temperature on Monday, Sept. 17, Doris Shavers sat laughing with friends and family in her mother Ethel Sanders' front yard where the family liked to …
What Can You Do?
When your daughter, best friend or co-worker becomes a victim of abuse, you have the opportunity to make a difference.
Are You An Abuser?
Domestic abuse can take many forms, and physical violence is only one of them. If you think you might be an abuser, here are some questions to ask yourself:
It Won't Happen to Me
Why George Bell III stopped bludgeoning Heather Spencer on that June night is anyone's guess. Perhaps his hammer slipped out of his hand as Spencer's blood made it slick. Perhaps …
JPS Settles Ellis Case
Jackson Public Schools reached a settlement with Michael and Rachel Ellis in the Ellis' Title VII lawsuit filed in January against JPS Superintendent Dr. Earl Watkins for sexual harassment.
BREAKING: JPS Settles Ellis Case
Jackson Public Schools has reached a settlement with Michael and Rachel Ellis in the Ellis' Title VII lawsuit filed in January against JPS Superintendent Dr. Earl Watkins.
Breaking the Learning Curve
Dr. Richard Cooper has difficulty with written language. More than once during his presentation to the Mississippi House Education Committee hearing on Friday, Sept. 7, the dyslexia specialist paused because …
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 …
How to Serve God's Children
Leave a spoiled spot on a peach, and soon the entire fruit will go bad. A deteriorating inner city is a little like that rotten spot. Stop paying attention and …
The House Intention Bought
"We have an offer on your house," the caller said. If I had been selling my house, that would have been happy news. The problem was that I was renting …
The Myth Of Separation
Photos by Ronni Mott
Young Abraham left his father Azar's house after losing all hope of teaching him about God.
Wearing The Veil
"And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and adornments except what (must ordinarily) appear …
The Cherry Orchard
Stepping off the tour-bus, four leathery-faced, rough-hewn men with ear-to-ear grins met us with handfuls of shiny, garnet cherries. "Eat, eat!" they said with proud enthusiasm, pressing as much fruit …
Empowerment Mississippi
This Saturday, Empowerment Mississippi, along with a handful of community sponsors, will explore economic issues for Mississippi's African American community, to "embrace strategies, goals and objectives" for solving problems and …
JPS: Secrecy, Please
On Friday, the U.S. District Court will rule on a Jackson Public Schools motion for a protective order that will allow virtually any document, file or record connected to the …
BREAKING: JPS Wants Secrecy
On Friday, the U.S. District Court will rule on a Jackson Public Schools motion for a protective order that will allow virtually any document, file or record connected to the …
The Y Spirit
Church attendance in the U.S. has remained static for 15 years. Many young people feel disconnected from religion, feeling that traditional churches don't address their real-world concerns.
Don's No More
After decades of bringing original alternative and independent music to Jackson and lending support to dozens of bands, Terry Butler closed the doors at W.C. Don's after the Tuff Luvs …
2007 JFP Voter's Guide: What You Need to Know To Vote FAQ
And Thus, Earn Respect & Make A Difference In The Damn World
Whether you're a first-time voter or you've voted in every election since 1940, you might have a question about voting in the primaries. With a little help from the League …
Serving the Blues
What is the problem with food manufacturers? This morning I checked out the daily email from one of my favorite green Web sites and the subject was energy drinks. "Oh, …
The Road Trip Issue: Sidebar Stories
<b><em>Traveling with Munchkins</b></em>
You know it's coming, and you know that once it starts, it may never end. It's the dreaded, "Are we there yet?" whine coming from the back seat. There are …
A Boy and His Mailbox
In "Glorious Mail," Mississippi natives J.D. Evermore and co-writer/co-producer Alice Walker tell the story of Cesar Nutley Willingham IV, an antiques dealer, community theater actor and flamboyantly green-eyeshadowed homosexual from …
The Race Conversation
Race in Mississippi usually comes with many tons of baggage and several degrees of heat. Certainly, it's unusual to have the words "race" and "dialogue" on the same page, let …
Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
To: Chick Ball Volunteers, Donors, Entertainers, and Supporters
Thank you for all your hard work that resulted in the "best-ever" Chick Ball. Donna and her gang at the Free Press have truly outdone themselves this year. These ladies …
Fear, Uncertainty and Doubt
"Anxiety Disorders can be Debilitating." The headline, from The Clarion-Ledger a few weeks ago, speaks volumes about the way we live our lives. Fear stops us in our tracks, making …
3rd Annual JFP Chick Ball - Raised $7,000!
May 18 Update: The Chick Ball raised just at $7,000 for the Center for Violence Prevention!
Plan your outfits now for the JFP's 3rd Annual JFP Chick Ball on Thursday, May 17, in Hal & Mal's Red Room. This one will be the biggest Chick Ball, …
The Yin and Yang of Health
Photos by Ronni Mott
Needles. The mere word reminds me of my last blood test when a clumsy nurse poked for a vein in my right arm, gave up and poked around some more …
Does It Hurt?
It's the first question people have about acupuncture, and I'm no exception. But you gotta do what you gotta do for a story, right? So, putting my fear aside, I …
Heather Wagner
Heather Wagner credits her mother, Jane Philo, with inspiring her career in victims' rights law. Now retired, Philo spent 23 years working with victims of domestic violence in Biloxi, and …
