Politics
Mississippi, Your ALEC is Showing
From laws that allow tax breaks for out-of-state businesses to the state's special-education voucher program, the Mississippi state Legislature has picked up and written into law model policy language from …
Jacksonian
Jordan Jefferson
For Jordan Jefferson, who graduated as the valedictorian from Callaway High School in May, time management has been a critical skill in his daily life.
City & County
Uneasy Riders: People with Disabilities Face ‘Layers of Discrimination’
On Sundays, Dr. Scott Crawford rides his power wheelchair down Meadowbrook Road to church, usually in the road and against the flow of traffic. The city's public-transit service, JATRAN, does …
City & County
Mayor Yarber on Crime: Saw ‘7 or 8 Dead Bodies’ Before Age 13, All Must 'Get Out of Our Bubble'
Mayor Tony Yarber sat down to discuss crime with Jackson Free Press Editor-in-chief Donna Ladd on June 20 at Millsaps, sharing stories that showed that for him that the consequences …
LGBT
HB 1523 in the Courthouse: Roberta Kaplan Makes Her Case
House Bill 1523 was destined to go down Congress Street, a straight shot from the Capitol to the federal courthouse, where U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves heard the first arguments …
Biz Roundup
The Pet Shop of Fondren, Orangetheory Fitness, and Taste of Detroit
Taste of Detroit, a family-owned and -operated restaurant with locations throughout Detroit, branched out of the city and opened a location in Brandon on Friday, June 18.
Books
Teresa Nicholas
About a year after Jackson-based author Teresa Nicholas released her first book, "Buryin' Daddy: Putting My Lebanese, Catholic, Southern Baptist Childhood to Rest," she decided to take on another challenge …
City & County
Jackson Police Purchase 39 Tasers: 'Intended to Save Lives'
The Jackson City Council gave the Jackson Police Department week the go-ahead last to purchase 39 "conducted electricity weapons," or Tasers.
Education
Mississippi Sees Growth in Early Childhood Literacy, Graduation Rates
Mississippi's public-school students are showing significant gains in graduation rates and kindergarten literary, the Mississippi Department of Education is reporting.
City & County
10 Local Stories of the Week
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.
Business
Koinonia Coffee House Closes But Will Return
Koinonia Coffee House closes at the end of the month, owner Lee Harper announced this morning during the weekly Friday Forum, promising that in its place a whole new stage …
Education
School Choice Group Names Lt. Gov. Reeves 'Education Reformer of the Year'
Empower Mississippi, an education "choice" nonprofit organization, named Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves the "Education Reformer of the Year" for his work on several education bills in the past legislative session.
Economy
WalletHub Study: Mississippi Has 'Worst State Economy,' ALEC Says Economic Outlook Hopeful
Few people are moving to Mississippi—at least not enough to make a significant dent in a bar graph. The latest issue of "Mississippi's Business" says that in 2015, the state's …
LGBT
When a Priest Files a Lawsuit Against HB 1523
Rev. Susan Hrostowski is familiar with fighting for her and her family's rights, even if that means going to court. She was one of the plaintiffs in the case that …
Person of the Day
Fletcher Cox
After being one of the biggest snubs for last year's Pro Bowl, Fletcher Cox made sure the same wouldn't be said by the end of the 2016 season.
City & County
‘Landmark’: ‘Coolest, Sexiest Building in Mississippi’?
Ben Allen, president of Downtown Jackson Partners, said that the development of the Landmark building was crucial to downtown, not just for residential space but for its financial independence from …
City & County
Fondren’s TIGER Total Makeover
For Bill Wilson of Fondren, like many others, the memory of city infrastructure projects from years past haunts the current endeavor to rip up and reconstruct sections of North State …
Jacksonian
Jim Taylor
Growing up just near Memphis, Jim Taylor always went to church on Sundays but never truly got involved until he enrolled at the University of Mississippi and attended a campus …
Domestic Violence
Reducing Rape, Violence with ‘Engaged Bystanders’
The Mississippi Department of Health is working to bring domestic violence numbers down by implementing Green Dot training across the state to get communities to reconsider their role in preventing …
City & County
Jackson Airport Fate Left to Courts After Feds Alter Policy
The Federal Aviation Administration, through policy changes, has side-stepped its role in the battle for the Jackson municipal airport, leaving the decision up to a federal court instead.
