Jackson Free Press

Swallow and Smile

It was hazy outside. The rainstorm the night before had colored the sky a beautifully awful gray, and the dense humidity was palpable. The northbound lanes of Interstate 55 were …

Reeves Defends State Bond Allocations

A Jackson legislator said the city got a raw deal out of the State Bond Commission's recent decision to not allocate $6 million in interest-free bonds to repair the city's …

Vol. 7, No. 9

<b><em>The Crappy Alternative</b></em>

The Crappy Alternative While eating the other day, I noticed your paper lying above the garbage can. And after reading it, I put it where it belongs: inside the garbage …

Telling Our Own Stories

Our readers' grass-roots "Fahrenheit 601" campaign to bring Michael Moore's film to Jackson is inspiring them to band together to bring other independent and edgy films to Jackson. Since we …

UPDATED: Judge to Rule on Mayor's Health Today; Melton Holds Press Conference

The health of Jackson Mayor Frank Melton is having a decided impact on the trial over his role in the 2006 illegal demolition of a home on Ridgeway Street. U.S. …

Community Events and Public Meetings

Oral Cancer Screenings May 9, at Jackson Medical Mall (350 W. Woodrow Wilson Ave.). In the Oral Oncology Clinic, located inside the UMHC Cancer Institute at the Thad Cochran Center. …

All In Moderation

The WP has suspended comments on its web blogs due to excessive hate speech and fighting among posters.

Still Divided Over Race?

See what you think.

The Creative Loafing's John Sugg (from Atlanta) is back with a rather sweeping package of stories on race relations in South, with much focus on Mississippi. (Sidebar on continued efforts …

Apple Intros iPhone, Due in June

With Apple's stock shooting up nearly 10% during his keynote address at Macworld San Francisco this morning, Steve Jobs introduce the iPhone, an iPod/mobile phone hybrid that runs Mac OS …

Portrait Of A Black Man

The other day, I stepped into a place that was quite familiar to me. It felt comfortable, forgiving, consoling, almost like home. There was a faint smell of old cologne …

The Real Roots of Evil

"When we speak we are afraid our words will not be heard or welcomed. But when we are silent, we are still afraid. So it is better to speak." —Audre …

Mayor Johnson Presents Budget Address

Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. delivered his 2012-2013 budget address to the Jackson City Council today.

Amy Tuck Revives State Flag Issue

Whoa. How should we read this interesting turn of events? Does Ms. Tuck believe it will be politically expedient to have a rebel flag debate as part of her race …

The Future of Foster Care in Mississippi

Foster care in Mississippi is facing a financial crisis. The budget for the 2019 fiscal year is $23 million short, stretching an already-thin budget even further.

Takeover or Not: Jackson Schools in Limbo

The afternoon of Thursday, Sept. 14, seemed to creep by slowly as Mississippi Board of Education members deliberated the future of Jackson Public Schools behind closed doors.

Where Mississippi's U.S. Lawmakers Stand on Gun Laws, Rights

In the wake of the Las Vegas massacre, the Jackson Free Press assembled details on the gun-related legislation that Mississippi lawmakers in Washington have supported or co-sponsored, as well as …

The ‘Radical’ Mayor, 120 Days Later

Hundreds of Jacksonians sat in mostly silence as Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba delivered his "State of the City" address on a late Monday afternoon in Thalia Maria Hall in downtown …

Chronically Absent: Is Quality Education in Juvenile Detention Possible in Mississippi?

Rankin County Youth Court Judge Thomas Broome told the Jackson Free Press with some pain that before 2006, juvenile-detention centers in the state didn't have to have school. With few …

Gov. Phil Bryant's 2015 State of the State Speech

This is the prepared text of Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant's 2015 State of the State speech, which he gave Wednesday at the state Capitol:

Building Jackson Strong, One Person at a Time

Shoppers looking for organic and locally sourced food are familiar with the unassuming little grocery on Old Canton Road in Fondren. Mostly, they just call it Rainbow.