Jackson Free Press

Free Speech or Bad Behavior?

A recent Jackson Police Department internal investigation is a prime example of the wild world of free speech in the Internet era. On March 10, the department released a statement …

[Gregory] You Call That Music?

My friends often make smart-ass comments about my taste in music. I write this sentence as Babs wails "Moon River" in the background, and my cats look at me distastefully …

O.J. Simpson in trouble again

Does anyone think this is the nail in O.J.'s coffin, or will he get out of this somehow?

Unless you've been living under a rock, you've probably heard that Simpson has been arrested this past weekend for an alleged armed robbery in which he claims that he was …

Enforce the Smoking Ban

On Feb. 1, 2009, a smoking ban went into effect for the city's restaurants. After an initial flurry of objections, the air in most of city's restaurants and clubs became …

JFP Moving to Rankin County

Last night, as we toiled to get this issue out, Stephen interrupted some people breaking into one of our interns' cars. Fortunately, they didn't get away with much—they threw his …

[Fry] The 50 Cent Test

Lately, every time some politician is talking about education on the TV, on radio or in the newspaper, they're talking about testing. "Accountability." They act like standardized test scores are …

[Greggs] Just Not Paying Attention

Most of the time when I'm driving home from work, I'm diligently thinking about something like how cool I would look wearing a cowboy hat while dancing on the hood …

Meeting Addresses Crime, Calls for Tax Increase

Straight talk was the theme at a March 27 town hall meeting on Jackson crime at the Board of Education auditorium in downtown Jackson. The meeting, hosted by the Jackson …

[JFP Classic] 13 Myths About War in Iraq

13myths.org

The Internet has played a major role in the current debate over war in Iraq. Recently, a group of online "mythbusters" involved in the 13myths.org project went one step further. …

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BREAKING: Council Majority Calls for Melton to Resign

At a press conference on the south lawn of City Hall today, four City Council members—Margaret Barrett-Simon, Leslie McLemore, Marshand Crisler and Council President Ben Allen—called for Mayor Frank Melton …

That Motley Crue Girl

About three months ago, my best friend called me with one of her fabulous ideas. These ideas come at least twice a year and previously involved both a foray into …

Mayor Axing Police, Fire Budgets

Mayor Frank Melton sent out a Feb. 10 memorandum demanding that all city departments—including fire and police—take radical measures to rein in spending.

The Peacemaker?

The effortless July 5 council vote giving Ward 1 Councilman Ben Allen the president's seat was a dramatic contrast to the council president vote of 2005, when Ward 6 Councilman …

[Ladd] A Fool by Any Other Party

Man, I can't stand Bill Clinton. It drives me crazy to see him all over the place, hawking his new book and his excuses for his bad behavior in the …

The Cult Of Irresponsibility

Just how bad of a newspaper is The Clarion-Ledger? A hint comes three-quarters of the way into Executive Editor Ronnie Agnew's "end of the year" column (Jan. 1, 2006). The …

Voter ID, Abortion, Eminent Domain, Oh My

Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann will deliver three voter-referendum initiatives to the state Legislature this morning that could require voters to bring photo identification to polls, restrict the state's use …

Scott Sisters To Be Released Today

Also see: Let My Daughters Go

The 2009 JFP Interview with Brenda Scott: ‘Magnet For Tourism'

Mississippi Alliance for State Employees President Brenda Scott has been a union organizer for almost two decades. During that time, she's become good at advocating for employees, often with a …

Melton Attempts to Remove JPS Superintendent

Jackson Mayor Frank Melton's efforts to remove Superintendent Earl Watkins before his contract completion date could cost Jackson Public Schools big money, according to some board members.

State Denying Care for Disabled Children?

The Mississippi Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities says the state Division of Medicaid is illegally cutting off children from the state's Disabled Children Living at Home program.