Jackson Free Press

Death of Affirmative Action?

In an unexpected move, the U.S. Supreme Court this week strayed from precedence to rule against a race-based hiring practice. Overturning an affirmative-action decision by an appellate panel, the Court …

Ruth Oguhebe

As she walks into the empty school library, 17-year-old Ruth Oguhebe smiles and reaches out for a hug before sitting down at a table and taking off her shoes.

Mayor Wants 'Responsibility'

At a June 25 meeting at Koinonia Coffee House, Mayor-elect Harvey Johnson Jr. told Ward 5 residents that the theme for the city during his third term as mayor will …

DOJ Weighs in on JATRAN

The U.S. Department of Justice has intervened in a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Jackson, buttressing accusations of the inaccessibility of Jackson's public bus system.

Fend Off the Alligators

When hungry alligators surround you, so the joke goes, you might forget that your objective is to drain the swamp.

Donate Yourself

Although the idea of donating your body tends to have an edgy ring to it, it's easy to change your mind once you think of the good it can bring …

Sweet Meets Savory

I have had this idea for a while about opening a pie shop in town similar to one I visited once upon a time in Seattle. This shop would serve …

The Myth of Yazoo Blues

John Pritchard is a Mississippi native whose newly released novel, "The Yazoo Blues," chronicles the adventures of a Delta man named Junior Ray Loveblood.

Jihad, Defined

Casual readers may view "How to Win a Cosmic War" (Random House, 2009, $26), the second book by acclaimed religious scholar Reza Aslan, as a defense of Islam. In part, …

Music Reviews

Olympic Records act, the Da Vincis, make exactly the music teenage boys should make. Their loose, jazzy pop songs possess a purity free from the baggage that comes with age …

Fat Poppies and Malbec

On a Tuesday night, I picked up a bottle of malbec at Kats Wine Cellar and drove to the clubhouse on the reservoir where artist Karen Blake teaches art classes …

Dee, Moore Lawsuit Goes Forward

Read the JFP's Dee-Moore archive here for background and complete stories.

Diaz Calls on D.C.

Former Mississippi Supreme Court Justice Oliver Diaz outlined allegations of political persecution last week at a Washington, D.C., forum. The Sarah McClendon Group, a government and media watchdog association, held …

Home away from home

I have been coming to Jackson for about two years now, and I mean on a regular bases. In the last year I have only had one weekend away from …

Welcome to FY 2010: Where's the Budget?

At around 8 p.m. last night, the Mississippi House approved a $60 million hospital tax promoted by Gov. Haley Barbour to fund the state's Medicaid program, after a nearly two-and-a-half …

Making Weekend Plans?

It's Friday, y'all, and you know what that means: It's time for weekend planning. As always, the Jackson Free Press is here to let you know what's happening, who's in …

Deaths of Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, Ed McMahon

May they all rest in peace. I will add links in a moment, but I wanted to get the news out first.

UPDATE 2: Here is more information about Michael Jackson:

Governor Chides Lawmakers for Unfinished Business

Gov. Haley Barbour took time off from nationwide GOP fundraising efforts to announce that he has no plan to call a special session to address the state's non-existent budget just …

Unemployment Rate Jumps Again

The unemployment rate in Mississippi increased a full percentage point from April to May, inching toward 10 percent once again, according to the Mississippi Department of Employment Security. That one …

Barbour Rejects Medicaid Deal

Gov. Haley Barbour took advantage of his more powerful position in state budget negotiations on Monday by rejecting a tentative budget agreement forged less than 24 hours earlier.