Dance Fever
"I liked to dance since I was little. I started with gymnastics first when I was 4, and when we moved to America, I decided to try ballet," Christina Shevchenko, …
Jim Hood: The JFP Interview
Photograph by Kate Medley
In recent weeks, Attorney General Jim Hood has become a reluctant participant, of sorts, in the drama that the Frank Melton administration presides over in Jackson. After District Attorney Faye …
Hood Threatens Melton
Weeks ago, District Attorney Faye Peterson forwarded information to Attorney General Jim Hood's office requesting that he investigate accusations of possible misdemeanors and felonies committed by Jackson Mayor Frank Melton, …
The Closed City
In November of last year, Jackson Free Press reporter Adam Lynch arrived at City Hall to cover a public meeting. Representatives of the sheriff's department and two county supervisors were …
A Walk In The Sunshine
In Mississippi, two laws govern public records and meetings—the Public Records Act and the Public Meetings Act. These acts make clear the obligation of all levels of government, whether state, …
Sunshine FAQ
1. Some Melton supporters say that he should investigate who "leaked" a recent ComStat report to the JFP. Can you "leak" public information?
Good Ol' Days?
Under the Johnson administration, public records were usually available to the public. The Johnson administration was far from perfect in this regard, but there was a general commitment to providing …
Fantasy Island
Developers are cheering and environmentalists are jeering as the Lefleur Lakes ("Two Lakes") project gains momentum, helped along by political support from men like Mayor Frank Melton and Gov. Haley …
A Gentleman, And A Partisan
<b>The JFP Interview with Rep. Bennie Thompson</b>
Rep. Bennie Thompson is nothing if not partisan. He enters most political debates with pre-conceived notions on conservatism and liberalism. He also holds strong views on Democrats and Republicans and …
Crossing The Aisles
<b>The JFP Interview with Chuck Espy</b>
State Rep. Chuck Espy comes from a long line of politicos. His father is former Clarksdale Mayor Henry Espy, and the Espy family has had dibs on the Second Congressional …
Tale of Two Dems: Bennie vs. Chuck
On June 6, the Democratic primaries in the 2nd Congressional District will be up for grabs. Three candidates are facing off in the race, including political whack-a-mole Dorothy "Dot" Benford, …
2006 JFP Interview: Peterson Makes Her Case
<b>The JFP Interview with Faye Peterson</b>
Hinds County District Attorney Faye Peterson is nothing if not confident. It's a stalwart, rocky kind of demeanor that probably helps get her through her day in her office on …
[MomDom] Belle of The ER Ball
"Tiffany, are you sitting down?" the mom of my daughter's best friend asked me the moment I answered the phone. Then she gave me the news.
[MomDom] Strangers In Love
What is having a baby supposed to be like? I don't really know. I thought I did. Serene motherhood. The Madonna. Look at that beautiful sleeping baby. I dreamed of …
[MomDom] Aching For A Child
My husband and I meet weekly with six other couples. At one point four of them were pregnant. For a few weeks it seemed that each Monday night another couple …
