News | Jackson Free Press | Jackson, MS

News

Subscribe

Johnson Welcomes Public to Inaugural Events

Tomorrow, July 3, marks the official inauguration for acting Jackson Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr., with public events starting as early as 8 a.m. and continuing throughout the day until midnight. …

Mississippi No. 1 in Obesity, Again

At 44.4 percent of children and 32.5 percent of adults, Mississippi leads the nation in obesity. According to the 2009 edition of "F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies are …

Jacksonian

Ruth Oguhebe

As she walks into the empty school library, 17-year-old Ruth Oguhebe smiles and reaches out for a hug before sitting down at a table and taking off her shoes.

Capitol

Medicaid Deal Just In Time

State legislators were poised to pass a Medicaid agreement Tuesday evening, ending a months-long impasse over funding and removing the last major obstacle to a state budget, one day before …

Dee, Moore Lawsuit Goes Forward

Read the JFP's Dee-Moore archive here for background and complete stories.

Justice

Diaz Calls on D.C.

Former Mississippi Supreme Court Justice Oliver Diaz outlined allegations of political persecution last week at a Washington, D.C., forum. The Sarah McClendon Group, a government and media watchdog association, held …

Welcome to FY 2010: Where's the Budget?

At around 8 p.m. last night, the Mississippi House approved a $60 million hospital tax promoted by Gov. Haley Barbour to fund the state's Medicaid program, after a nearly two-and-a-half …

Politics

Closing the Clean-Up Deal

The city may have brought to a close the troubled business relationship between local debris-removal contractor Garrett Construction Company and Pearl River, Miss.-based Nungesser Industries.

Politics

Medicaid Agreement Reached

Around 11 p.m. last night, House Speaker Billy McCoy, D-Rienzi, announced from the House floor that the special budget committee has reached an agreement with Gov. Haley Barbour on the …

Lawmakers Pass Another Tobacco Tax

After years of not raising taxes on cigarettes, yesterday Mississippi lawmakers approved the second cigarette tax hike this year. Even more surprising, Gov. Haley Barbour, a former tobacco lobbyist who …

Millsaps Named ‘Best Buy'

[verbatim] Millsaps College is one of only 24 private colleges nationwide and the only college in Mississippi named a "Best Buy" in the 2010 edition of Fiske's Top Financial Finds …

Capitol

Legislative Special Session Underway

The Mississippi House and Senate are desperately hammering out an agreement on a state appropriation bill one day after Gov. Haley Barbour finally called a special session. Barbour had initially …

Hood Provides Microsoft Settlement FAQs

Subsequent to Mississippi's $100 million anti-trust settlement with software giant Microsoft June 10, Attorney General Jim Hood has posted a list of frequently asked questions on the Attorney General Web …

Johnson to Hold Public Forums

As part of the incoming mayor's transition to Jackson's top spot after his July 3 inauguration, Harvey Johnson Jr. and his transition team will be holding a series of public …

Wellness

[Evans] A New Model for Cutting Medical Costs

Word is that Harvard Professor Dr. Atul Gawande's article on McAllen, Texas, is required reading in the White House. Published in the June 1, 2009 issue of The New Yorker, …

Making Weekend Plans?

It's Friday, y'all, and you know what that means: It's time for weekend planning. As always, the Jackson Free Press is here to let you know what's happening, who's in …

Hurricane

Governor Adamant About Port Expansion

Despite pleas to reconsider his earlier decision to divert money from funds designated for rebuilding housing on Mississippi's Gulf Coast, Gov. Haley Barbour told reporters yesterday that he's not changing …

Politics

Governor Chides Lawmakers for Unfinished Business

Gov. Haley Barbour took time off from nationwide GOP fundraising efforts to announce that he has no plan to call a special session to address the state's non-existent budget just …

Business

Unemployment Rate Jumps Again

The unemployment rate in Mississippi increased a full percentage point from April to May, inching toward 10 percent once again, according to the Mississippi Department of Employment Security. That one …

Politics

Barbour Takes Top RGA Spot

In the wake of South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford's untimely departure from the Republican Governors Association, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour is taking over the organization's leadership. Barbour had already accepted …