Jackson Free Press

There's never a slow news week in Jackson, Miss., and last week was no exception. Here are the local stories JFP reporters brought you in case you missed them:

1. On March 5, Karen Battle became the first patient to receive a liver transplant at UMMC in more than 22 years. Read the full story here.
2. The state Board of Education is seeking public comment on a plan to add four-year graduation rates to the numerical formula that rates high schools and school districts. The board is likely to vote on the plan in April.
3. Gov. Phil Bryant on Thursday signed Senate Bill 2633, which could lead to student-led prayer over school intercoms or at graduations or sporting events. The bill becomes law July 1. The American Civil Liberties Union says the law is likely to prompt a lawsuit.
4. Construction on the new JATRAN facility at U.S. Highway 80 and Valley Street is on hold at least partly because the contractor did not follow federal regulations tied to grant money allocated to build the terminal.
5. Emails obtained by The Associated Press revealed that Gov. Phil Bryant's staff suggested that the Department of Public Safety should delay fulfilling requests for gun permit records until a law could be enacted to shield them from public scrutiny.
6. Lawrence Reed 22, charged with murder in the death of 33-year-old mayoral candidate Marco McMillian, was released to Mississippi authorities on Wednesday.
7. Not satisfied with taking "no" for an answer from the state's voters, Personhood Mississippi has teamed up with the Christian ultra-conservative American Family Association to take another shot at changing the definition of a person in the Mississippi Constitution.
8. The Mississippi Senate voted 28-23 Tuesday to approve its version of House Bill 890, which includes the latest Senate version of charter schools, an increase in standards to enter teacher preparation and a call to flunk third graders who can't read.
9. The state House voted 70-46 Tuesday to amend Senate Bill 2659 to allow school districts to decide to allow guns in schools.
10. Mississippi Senate Bill 2199, which was supposed to lead to more appointed superintendents around the state, lost on a 65-52 vote. Members then voted 60-59 to amend Senate Bill 2658 to cut a requirement that students score at least 21 on the ACT college test to enter teacher preparation programs.

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