High School Seniors Honored
The Jackson Council PTA/PTSA will honor the top 10 graduating seniors from each of Jackson's high schools this evening. Hosted by Jackson Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr., the annual Salute to …
Hood Responds to Hayne Criticism
Gov. Haley Barbour signed H.B. 1456 into law March 19, requiring that pathologists doing autopsies in Mississippi--in addition to the state medical examiner--hold American Board of Pathology certification. Such certification …
Barbour Calls Himself a ‘Fat Redneck'
In an interview yesterday on CNN's "John King USA," Gov. Haley Barbour refused to criticize Republic National Chairman Michael Steele and characterized himself as a "fat redneck."
Eminent Domain Petition Circulating
After Gov. Haley Barbour vetoed a bill last year to limit the state's use of eminent domain, the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation is circulating a petition to put the issue …
Nearly Half of All Mississippians Not Connected
About half—45 percent—of all Mississippi residents are unable to do what many of us take for granted: read this, or any other Web site. They're unable to send e-mails to …
Barbour Signs Tougher Stalking Law
Also: Listen to Rep. Brandon Jones and Sen. David Blount talk about the stalking bill on JFP Radio.
Unemployment Nears 24 Percent in Some Counties
Five Mississippi counties reported jobless rates exceeding 20 percent in February, with Noxubee and Holmes counties edging toward a quarter of their populations collecting unemployment benefits; the counties reported rates …
Jackson Behind on Census
The city of Jackson is behind the curve in returning 2010 census forms to the Census Bureau. Nationally, 46 percent of households have returned the forms, while Jackson is trailing …
Barbour Rips Media over Health Care
It's the "liberal media elite" that is to blame for passage of the health-care bill, according to Gov. Haley Barbour. Speaking on ABC's "This Week" yesterday, Barbour insinuated that media …
Entertainment for Good Causes Tops Weekend Events
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Barbour Reaffirms Vow to Sue
In response to Attorney General Jim Hood's statement yesterday that his office needed additional time to assess the constitutionality of the health-care reform bill signed by President Barack Obama earlier …
Lawmakers Attempt to Extend Session
Tempers have flared at the Mississippi capitol over the past two days as House members attempted to pass a resolution extending the legislative session. Democratic legislators in support of the …
Dr. Susan Love: Be Aware Of Your Body
The Dr. Susan Love Foundation located in Santa Monica, Calif., is a non-profit group working to eradicate breast cancer in our lifetime. Love is known worldwide as one of the …
Present to My Presence
"It's a lot easier to ride a horse in the direction that it's going," I said to the seven people sitting across from me. It was my regular Wednesday night …
Building to be Named for Slain Civil-Rights Workers
The Mississippi House debated yesterday over naming the new FBI field office building in Jackson for three slain civil-rights workers James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner, reports the The …
Barbour to Challenge Health Care Reform
Gov. Haley Barbour yesterday asked Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood to challenge the constitutionality of the health-care reform legislation passed by the U.S. Congress on Sunday. If Hood refuses to …
Thompson Provides State's Only Yes on Health-Care Reform
Of Mississippi's three Democratic representatives to the U.S. House, only Bennie Thompson of the state's second congressional district voted for H.R. 3590, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Rep. …
Events: Green and More Green This Weekend
It's time for Jackson's biggest citywide party, all centering on Mal's St. Paddy's Parade, which steps off at 1 p.m. Saturday at State and Court streets in downtown Jackson. Even …
Bill Adds Teeth to Stalking Law
Sitting on Gov. Haley Barbour's desk this morning awaiting his signature is a bill designed to give Mississippi's stalking laws some bite. House bill 1309 revises and strengthens the definition …
Mississippi to End HIV Segregation in Prisons
State Corrections Commissioner Christopher Epps announced yesterday that Mississippi will end its practice of separating male HIV-positive prisoners from other inmates beginning in May, reports WDAM. Mississippi currently houses 152 …
Silver Alert Legislation Awaits Barbour's Signature
Keeping our parents and grandparents safe is the goal of a Mississippi House bill creating a Silver Alert system. The system, based on Amber Alerts for children, will allow family …
Seale Conviction Upheld Again
Also see: JFP investigative archive/timeline of Dee-Moore case
Unemployment Tops 20 Percent in Four Counties
Nearly 155,000 Mississippians received unemployment benefits in January, with the state's unemployment rate for the first month of 2010 exceeding the national average. Four counties reported jobless rates in excess …
Public Works, Private Profit
If Mississippi hadn't provided $15 million in bonds and another $20 million in loan guarantees last January to Schulz GMBH to build its pipe factory, some other state would have. …
Monsanto Breaks Ground on Corn-Breeding Station
Flora, Miss., was the site yesterday of a groundbreaking ceremony for the Monsanto Company, producer of 90 percent of the world's genetically engineered seeds. The new $2.4 million, 26,000-square-foot facility, …
Hood Warns of IRS E-mail Scams
Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood issued a consumer alert yesterday warning taxpayers of an e-mail scam where the perpetrators pose as official Internal Revenue Service e-mailers to obtain personal and …
Lawmakers Debate Alternate Education Track
General classroom goals for high-school students, in Mississippi and elsewhere, emphasize pushing kids toward four-year college degrees. Some Magnolia state lawmakers are now looking at introducing a career-track curriculum for …
Jackson Kicks Off the Great American Cleanup
Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr., and representatives from Keep Jackson Beautiful and Transformation Jackson kick off a campaign to beautify the city this morning. Great American Cleanup volunteers will meet tomorrow …
Lawmakers Attempt to Restore $82 Million to 2010 Budget
The Mississippi Legislature has sent a second budget reconciliation compromise to Gov. Haley Barbour, this time restoring $82 million of the cuts the governor has made this fiscal year. Barbour …
Hate Groups Up by 244 Percent
The Southern Poverty Law Center, which has documented extremist groups in the United States for decades, yesterday released its annual report on the number of active hate groups in the …
Animal Cruelty Bill to Die
Today is the last day committees in the Mississippi Legislature can act on bills presented by their colleagues across the hall. Effectively, that means any bills stuck in committees not …
First Lady to Visit Jackson
Earlier this month, first lady Michelle Obama announced a campaign to solve childhood obesity in America. It only makes sense, then, that she would visit the capitol of Mississippi—the most …
Weekend Events
The weekend starts tonight with classic Mississippi blues at The Auditorium. Starting at 9:18, catch "Three Generations of the Blues" with David "Honeyboy" Edwards, King Edward and Eddie Cotton on …
Convicted Former Klansman Sues FBI
Convicted former Ku Klux Klansman Edgar Ray Killen is suing the FBI for millions, claiming violations of his civil rights, reports The Los Angeles Times. Killen, 85, convicted in 2005 …
$2.8 Million Trade-in Program Announced
Starting this spring, federal stimulus funds will become available for you to upgrade your appliances. Under the American Recover and Reinvestment Act, the federal government has allocated $2.8 million to …
Road to Nowhere?
Yesterday, the Mississippi House approved $300 million in bonds for infrastructure improvements in the state. Among the projects is $42 million for a new highway from Pontotoc to Sherman, site …
Mayor Invites Jacksonians to One-on-One Meeting
Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. urges Jackson residents to speak with him one-on-one. Johnson will hold one of his regular meetings prior to tomorrow's City Council meeting to discuss issues, take …
Judge Rules for Law Firm in MCI Case
Hinds Circuit Court Judge Winston Kidd handed down a ruling today that will allow the Langston Law Firm to keep the $14 million fee it earned for representing the state …
Magic Johnson HIV Testing Tour in Jackson
Some 231,000 Americans are infected with HIV and don't know it. Hoping to make an impact on those numbers, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation's Magic Johnson "Testing America" tour is stopping …
Soda Tax Will Fizzle Out
Sweetened drinks add to the problem of childhood obesity, according to Andrew Hysall, associate vice president of advocacy and public policy for the Washington, D.C.-based Campaign for Healthy Kids. A …
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In Dat Number
It was a celebration 43 years in the making. Here is the JFP's loving last hurrah for the Super Bowl XLIV Champions the New Orleans Saints and their city. Can …
‘Personhood' Petition Filed
Personhood Mississippi, an anti-abortion organization led by Les Riley of Pontotoc, has filed a petition with the secretary of state's office to put the issue of when life begins on …
Some Adopt Wait-and-See Attitude on Cold Meds Law
Law enforcement officers in Mississippi are expressing mixed reactions to a new law signed by Gov. Haley Barbour last week, reports The Hattiesburg American. The Magnolia state is the second …
Bill Reduces Out-of-State Tuition
The Mississippi Senate passed a bill last week to reduce tuition for out-of-state students, bringing their tuition in line with in-state students. The bill, S.B. 2285, is designed to encourage …
Bill Expands Mississippi Gun Rights
In a near unanimous vote, the state Senate passed a bill yesterday that will allow Mississippi hand-gun owners to walk into restaurants and parks with their weapons, reports The Commercial …
Eyes Wide Shut
About four years ago, a colleague invited Myra Ottewell, a native Jacksonian and teacher in British Columbia, to speak to his class after they viewed "Mississippi Burning," the 1988 movie …
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The Love Issue
With Valentine's Day on Sunday, the Jackson Free Press gives you everything you need to make your day, from great food to cool gifts and a good measure of sage …
