by Adam Lynch
Photos by Nate Glenn & Kenya Hudson
April 9, 2008
She was probably a real looker once. Last November, a happy, smiling Labrador decided to follow my son and me as we walked our bikes down Concord Place in North Jackson. She was apparently no longer a puppy. My kid noticed her dangling motherhood and remarked that she seemed to have her own puppies somewhere—or at least had them recently.
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Story & Photography by Cheree Franco
April 2, 2008
Like an omen, Floyd Graham stands in a Coahoma field, backlit against a fiery Delta horizon. Fifty-something, chain-smoker, charismatic and self-admittedly privileged, he recounts the story of this field—one of many his family owns, one of many where, for decades, 20th-century plantation owners exploited African American tenant farmers. Fifteen people, deceived by the earlier high temps and now clad only in light jackets, huddle in the February chill, spellbound by Graham’s booming voice.
It’s April again, and that means the Crossroads Film Festival is here. The perilous task of choosing films is over, and now all you have to do is sit back and enjoy a wide variety of film shorts and features. Some films have been reviewed here, but there are many more showing at the festival. Take some time this weekend and have a whole new movie experience with Crossroads. For a screening schedule and more information, visit http://www.crossroadsfilmfest.commore...
Welcome to the first installment of the JFP sports supplement. This issue offers previews of state college baseball, the Mississippi Braves and their new radio voice, bloggers-choice sports heroes, NCAA basketball tournament predictions and Doctor S’ favorite band of tough women, the Capital City Roller Girls. All of this comes at you in that famous—or infamous—JFP style. Enjoy, and we’ll be back around football time.
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Ping! That sound means one thing: It’s college baseball season. And now is the time when the games really count, when teams are playing conference games.
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by Adam Lynch
Photos by Kenya Hudson
March 19, 2008
When presidential hopeful Barack Obama entered the Rose Embley McCoy building at Jackson State University on March 10, he flowed easily into the hungry arms of the crowd. At least 100 young people—mostly females—pressed against the metal barricades, screaming and crying to shake his hand, crushing hapless reporters who had the misfortune of already standing at the barricade.
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Welcome to Fly: St. Paddy’s edition. Here at the JFP we are big fans of the Sweet Potato Queens and didn’t want to miss our chance to give a shout out to all things green, pink and over the top. But we also know that St. Paddy’s weekend isn’t just about The Queens, so we tried to find something for everyone. There are paper dolls for the young-at-heart, beer guides and hangover cures for the party-goers, recipes and decorating tips for party-throwers, and more. Hope you enjoy and as always, keep coming back for more DIY tips and creative guides to throwing a party! If you have DIY ideas, get in touch with me at sage@jacksonfreepress.commore...
On June 11, 2005, Jackson Police Officer Jeffrey Middleton ran a red light on Highway 18 while coming back from Raymond. Middleton had no siren or police lights on at the time, and a cop car without a blaring siren is just another death machine when it decides to ignore a traffic signal. When Middleton slammed into a car making a turn under a green light, driver Desmonde Harris probably didn’t know what hit him—and certainly not that it was a man pledged to uphold the law.
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A few weeks ago, as I stood in the crowd at the opening reception for the Jacob Lawrence “Migration Series” at the Mississippi Museum of Art, I wondered exactly what each individual person was getting out of the tiny, simplified, almost abstract panels spaced across the room. The gallery was filled with a mix of black and white people that included old men and women clad in perfectly pressed garments, sporting sweater pins and ties; middle-aged and young professionals in casual evening wear, the men wearing open-collared shirts and the women’s heels clicking across the museum floor; trendily accessorized young people; and artists who set themselves apart with their clothing.
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“Cinderella” presented by the Mississippi Metropolitan Ballet March 1 at 7 p.m. and March 2 at 2 p.m. On March 1, a Cinderella Ball will follow the performance at the University Club with entertainment by Hunter and the Gators. On March 2, a Cinderella Tea Party follows the performance at the Mississippi Museum of Art. Call 601-853-4508 or visit http://www.msmetroballet.com.
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by Adam Lynch
Illustrations by Melissa Webster & Darren Schwindaman
February 20, 2008
“They can vote themselves in a pay raise, but they can’t do nothing about all this illegal immigration,” says Jackson talk show host “JT,” of the JT and Dave show, after the House approved a raise for government officials, including a $10,000 raise for in-session work for legislators. more...
by Ronni Mott
Photos by Ronni Mott
February 13, 2008
The two-story wood house, white with red trim, sits squarely on a corner lot in Jackson. The grass on the lawn is January brown, the same as in the other yards in the quiet city neighborhood. A locked, cast-iron security door bars the front door, which is topped with a domed, candy-cane striped awning.
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Here it is, the much-anticipated Valentine’s Fly issue of the Jackson Free Press. Dive in to find hot fashion tips, cool party ideas and do-it-yourself projects, from cuff links to scrapbooks to Play Dough. Read about aphrodisiac foods, fun party ideas and more as you make plans for romance. And don’t forget to check out my perennial favorite: tips on how to make your holiday a little greener.
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by Adam Lynch
Photos by Mac Gordon
January 30, 2008
House Speaker Billy McCoy speaks in a halting stutter at times. A stroke shook his frame in 2004. He has recovered to a point, though the scars are still plain. But they don’t slow him down.
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So you think you're funny, eh? You think this whole thing is hilarious, do yuz? Well, it ain't. It ain't one bit funny. You're lookin' here at the most important stuff you may ever read in your pitiful life. What's left of it.
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Best Public Figure: Gov. Haley Barbour
by Adam Lynch
Photo by Jaro Vacek
Gov. Haley Barbour is, undoubtedly, the most noticeable local public figure to waddle across the television set in recent years. Even though Barbour’s prominence in Washington may be on the outs in an increasingly Democratic-leaning Congress, Barbour has an oasis of influence in his conservative home state. Barbour’s anti-regulation persona made him big business’ best friend, just as Mississippi’s anti-regulation background has helped make it the Mexico of the U.S., with new big manufacturers like Toyota moving in to make a profit.
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Best Locally Owned Business, Best Local Alternative to Wal-Mart: McDade’s
(Maywood Mart, Woodland Hills, Belhaven, Westland Plaza, 601-366-5676)
by Donna Ladd
In the handful of years since Greg and Kathy McDade started their grocery-story expansion from their flagship store in North Jackson to neighborhoods deeper into the city, they have clearly become hard to beat as Jackson’s best locally owned business. It’s not hard to see why.
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Best Appetizer, Best Champagne Brunch, Most Innovative Menu: Julep
1305 E. Northside Dr., #105, 601-362-1411
by Ronni Mott
You’ll always get an enthusiastic “Yes!” when you suggest a meal at Julep. From the day the restaurant opened its doors at the former site of the Olde Tyme Deli at the corner of Frontage Road and Northside Drive, Julep became a Jackson favorite almost overnight. You’ll even forgive their corny tag line, “the way Southern food was ‘mint’ to be,” when you wrap your taste buds around the food. My favorite time to eat at Julep is Sunday brunch. Get there before the church crowd to enjoy a melt-in-your-mouth beignet or a hearty plate of shrimp and grits at a leisurely pace. My eyes always wander to the strawberry and chocolate chip pancakes, but I usually order my all-time favorite: fried green tomato benedict. At lunch or dinner, order several appetizers to share. Try the crawfish egg rolls, or the portabella and eggplant fries. Go for the tuna tower if you’re feeling adventurous. Julep never fails to provide audacious combinations with a Southern twist. Whether it’s sweet potato risotto with the beef filet, their award-winning fried chicken with its honey-rosemary glaze, a catfish taco or a tuna burger with wasabi mayo, you simply can’t go wrong. But, you could forget to invite me. And that, I’ll be the first to tell you, would be a mistake.
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Best Bartender: Trevor Palmer, Club Fire
209 Commerce St., 601-592-1000
by Lindsey Maddox
Photo by Darren Schwindaman
Club Fire’s got to be a hectic place for a bartender. Hundreds of sweating, dance-crazed bodies are thirsty for a drink on Thursday’s ladies night, and you know every fan at Fire’s live-music weekends has to have a drink in hand to fully enjoy the show. Some people thrive in that environment, and Trevor Palmer is one of those people. Serving as both manager and bartender at Fire, Palmer puts us lethargic folk to shame. But ladies, you do know all those free drinks you’re getting weren’t Palmer’s way of saying he likes you; women drink free on Thursdays.
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by Cheree Franco
Photos by Jason 'Twiggy' Lott
January 16, 2008
A week into January, 27-year-old Jason “Twiggy” Lott leans back in his faux-Swedish chair, running his fingers through close-cropped hair and casually tossing one denim-clad leg over the other. In the flawless glow of bright wood and industrial metal, Twiggy is pondering issues as clichéd as his place in the world, and as weighty as the coiled potential of 2008.
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Apr 13, 08 | 4:40 pm Barefoot In The Delta ladd: Folks, we're in the middle of a big Web switcheroo right now. We'll see about doing something like that when this is done.
Exciting times ahead ......
Apr 13, 08 | 4:12 pm Barefoot In The Delta L.W.: PS
Can the pictures within this online version be made larger or linked to larger versions of the pictures so I can really see them?
Sounds like a good idea to me. How about clickable thumbnail-sized photos that link to a gallery of...
Apr 13, 08 | 2:18 pm Barefoot In The Delta gwilly: PS
Can the pictures within this online version be made larger or linked to larger versions of the pictures so I can really see them?...
Apr 13, 08 | 2:16 pm Barefoot In The Delta gwilly: I really enjoyed this article on many levels - as someone new to Mississippi with many things yet to learn and to try to understand; as someone who likes films, filmmaking, and even some filmmakers; as an aspiring writer who admires Cheree's craft...
Apr 11, 08 | 1:18 pm The Untold Thousands L.W.: Great article! This is a very serious topic, but I must admit that a few sentences made me chuckle:
My kid noticed her dangling motherhood and remarked that she seemed to have her own puppies somewhere—or at least had them...
Apr 10, 08 | 2:32 pm The Untold Thousands onlyone: It is sad situation out here with strays. I have saved over 3 myself that reside at my home. One being a pit who was bred down to nothing and left behind when the people across the street moved.... not to mention heartworms. NOW is another...
Apr 07, 08 | 4:46 pm Barefoot In The Delta FG: Actually, the story as I first heard it back in the 60s was about a big farmer in the South part of Coahoma County. Is it true? I couldn't say and that is the way I presented it to Adrian.
This story along with a 100 others I heard at the...
Apr 07, 08 | 4:23 pm Barefoot In The Delta L.W.: Thank you for telling us about your father, deltagirl. I wonder what kind of planet we would have if everyone was willing to share their stories and struggles....
Apr 07, 08 | 3:26 pm Barefoot In The Delta BubbaT: I think the story is local to Coahoma county or extreme northern Bolivar county. I've checked with a few friends (Bolivar County) this weekend most of whom's families have been farming in the Delta, 60+ yrs, and they had never heard this story. So...
Apr 07, 08 | 3:02 pm Barefoot In The Delta deltagirl74: This may shed a little light to the continuing questioning of the "Silver Dollar" story....My father is Floyd Graham, the "fifty-something, chain-smoker, charismatic" storyteller in the preceeding story.....Although he did tell this story, it was...
Apr 07, 08 | 12:06 pm Barefoot In The Delta emilyb: I saw this series Saturday. Great work. Loved the one about the primaries!...
Apr 05, 08 | 9:47 pm Barefoot In The Delta L.W.: I come from a Delta cotton farming family and have never heard anything like that "silver dollar" story. Sounds like an urban (rural?) legend...someone contact Snopes.com.
I just sent them an email. I don't know if they'll get around to...
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by Adam Lynch
Story & Photography by Cheree Franco
by Adam Lynch
by Adam Lynch
by Nientara Anderson
February 27, 2008
by Adam Lynch
by Ronni Mott
by Kelly Bryan Smith
by Adam Lynch
Best Public Figure: Gov. Haley Barbour
Best Locally Owned Business, Best Local Alternative to Wal-Mart: McDade’s
Best Appetizer, Best Champagne Brunch, Most Innovative Menu: Julep 
Best Bartender: Trevor Palmer, Club Fire
by Cheree Franco
