Biz Roundup
Bliss Bride, Goodwill in Jackson and Coca-Cola Plant Auction
Bliss Gift and Home, a gift and home decor store located inside Banner Hall, is hosting a ribbon-cutting celebration tonight, May 17, to commemorate the opening of Bliss Bride, a …
City & County
Protests at City Hall over 'Secrecy and Division' Amid Budget Deficits, Huge Water Bills
A small group of concerned citizens gathered in the light rain Tuesday morning on the steps of Jackson City Hall to protest the "secrecy and division" of the city government, …
Justice
Mississippi GOP Reps: Superintendent Should Oppose Transgender Rules or Step Down
A group of Mississippi House Republicans emailed a letter today directly to state Superintendent Dr. Carey Wright, asking her to step down unless the Mississippi Department of Education swiftly reverses …
City & County
JPD Demolishes 200th House, Inmate Dies, Property Crimes Down, Commander Awarded
The Jackson Police Department is celebrating its 200th demolition of abandoned homes this week, including some they say are "high profile."
Politics
'We Are In Crisis': Mental Health Staff, Services Reducing Due to Budget Cuts
Overnight chemical-dependency services for men in Mississippi state hospitals will end as a result of budget cuts in fiscal-year 2017, the Mississippi Department of Mental Health said in a statement …
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.
Dems, Former Mental Health Director Call for Special Session to Find Mental-Health Funding
Legislative Democrats and the state's formal mental health director sent Gov. Bryant an open letter today calling for a special session of the Legislature to find funding for the state's …
LGBT
UPDATED: Obama Tells Schools How to Protect Transgender Students' Civil Rights
Today the Obama administration issued a directive offering "significant guidance" to school districts on curbing sex-based discrimination in schools, specifically against students who do not identify with the gender commonly …
City & County
UPDATED: City of Jackson's Fund Reserve Down to $1.3 Million, Core Services Under Knife
The Jackson City Council finally heard Thursday what some members had already surmised in earlier meetings: The City administration has pulled from the ordinance-mandated fund reserves, leaving a little more …
Person of the Day
Chuck Odom
In a small building behind the Holy Trinity-St. John the Theologian Greek Orthodox Church in Jackson, Chuck Odom and John Tselepes stuffed raw lamb loins with a special seasoning and …
Domestic Violence
Domestic Violence Coalition: State Needs to Support Victims
More than a dozen domestic violence activists gathered at the Mississippi Coalition Against Domestic Violence headquarters on May 11 in response to the failure of SB 2418, the 'divorce bill' …
Personhood
Governor Signs Bill Prohibiting Medicaid Reimbursements for Planned Parenthood
Gov. Phil Bryant signed Senate Bill 2238 on Tuesday, a law that blocks the state's Medicaid division from paying for "costs of care and services" at providers who also offer …
Person of the Day
Ashley "Paige" Breal
There are several reasons for Alcorn State's impressive jump in wins, but one of the main factors is the pitching of Ashley "Paige" Breal. She has been sensational on the …
City & County
‘The Right Leadership’: The JFP Interview with Dr. Carey Wright
Dr. Carey Wright, state superintendent of education, recently sat down with the Jackson Free Press to talk about education legislation, school funding and charter schools.
City & County
Kishia Powell: ‘I Don’t Steer’ Contracts; City Loan Debate; Guns, Payday Ordinances
Documents, including emails, released to the Jackson Free Press indicate that despite protestation from Mayor Tony Yarber and his administration, the City has been dipping into the ordinance-protected reserve fund …
Politics
Legislative Summer School: All About Performance
The Mississippi Department of Corrections is ending a paramilitary inmate program due to a state law and legislative efforts to enforce performance-based budgeting for all state agencies.
Jacksonian
Robert Rushton
Experience and a passion for cooking has helped Robert Rushton get an executive position in his field. Beginning with a summer job, he ascended the restaurant kitchen ladder and is …
Business
Battle for the Airport: The Next Steps
Medgar Wiley Evers looked down from the wall of the memorial pavilion in the airport named after him upon the chairwoman of the soon-to-be-replaced governing commission as she lamented the …
Politics
Infant Mortality Prevention, Social Service Jobs on Budget Chop Block
Efforts to reduce the state's infant mortality rate—the highest in the country—will go on the chopping block if Gov. Phil Bryant signs the Legislature's version of the state budget into …
City & County
City Reserves Dip, Mayor Dodges Budget Inquiries
Documents, including emails, released to the Jackson Free Press indicate that despite protestation from Mayor Tony Yarber and his administration, the City has been dipping into the ordinance-protected reserve fund …
