Jackson Free Press

As Rankin County Schools Ditch Mask Mandates, Jackson Requires Vaccines for Teachers

As Jackson Public Schools become one of the first in the state to mandate COVID-19 vaccines or weekly testing for employees, students in the nearby suburban Rankin County School District ...

• By Ashton Pittman, Mississippi Free Press
• Sept. 24

Mississippi Negotiators Reach Proposal on Medical Marijuana

Mississippi House and Senate negotiators said Thursday that they have agreed on a proposed medical marijuana program.

• By Emily Wagster Pettus, Associated Press
• Sept. 24

Ink Barely Dry on Budget as Mississippi Starts New One

Less than three months into the current budget year, Mississippi legislators are starting to plan for the next one.

• By Emily Wagster Pettus, Associated Press
• Sept. 24

Mississippi Voting Rights Case is Argued at U.S. Appeals Court

The authors of Mississippi's 1890 constitution had racist intent when they stripped voting rights from people convicted of some felonies because they chose crimes they thought were more likely to ...

• By Emily Wagster Pettus, Associated Press
• Sept. 23

(UPDATED) Jackson City Council Rescinds Mayor's Emergency Order, Nixes Garbage Disposal Contract

A war of words has continued between Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba and Waste Management over a new garbage disposal contract.

• By Kayode Crown
• Sept. 22

U.S. Appeals Court to Hear Mississippi Voting Rights Case

A federal appeals court is set to hear arguments Wednesday in a lawsuit that seeks to overturn Mississippi's ban on voting rights for people convicted of some felonies—a case that ...

• By Emily Wagster Pettus, Associated Press
• Sept. 22

With Most Jacksonians Unvaccinated, Mayor Pushes Worker Shot Cut-off to Oct. 15

Jackson Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba extended the deadline for city workers to get vaccinated, or be required to undergo weekly COVID-19 tests. Once the deadline of Oct. 15, 2021, passes, ...

• By Julian Mills
• Sept. 21

Mayor Declares State of Emergency As Waste Disposal Negotiations Hit Snag

Getting a garbage-collection contract for the City of Jackson is coming down to the wire after Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba declared a state of emergency on Friday, Sept. 17, saying ...

• By Kayode Crown
• Sept. 20

Illegal Dumping: City-wide Clean-up Planned

It will take a city-wide cleanup effort to move the needle against the menace of illegal dumping in Jackson, Solid Waste Division Manager Lakesha Weathers told the city council at ...

• By Kayode Crown
• Sept. 15

Jackson Planning Director Confirmed As Two Councilmen Question Her Record

Two Jackson City Council members voted against Director of Planning and Development Jordan Hillman's official confirmation to a new term on Thursday, Sept. 10.

• By Kayode Crown
• Sept. 13

Analysis: Mississippi Examines Help for Departing Inmates

A Mississippi law that took effect July 1 expands parole eligibility, and lawmakers are looking at programs that could help people make the transition from prison back into the free ...

• By Emily Wagster Pettus, Associated Press
• Sept. 13

Gov. Reeves Vows to Stop Biden’s New Federal Vaccine Requirements

As part of a new federal COVID-19 action plan, President Joe Biden introduced broad new vaccine requirements for both public and private-sector workers, potentially affecting as many as 100 million ...

• By Julian Mills
• Sept. 10

Interim Hinds County Sheriff Moves to Curtail Violent Crime with Gun Suppression Unit

Interim Hinds County Sheriff Marshand Crisler plans to set up a gun suppression unit to arrest convicted felons caught with guns.

• By Kayode Crown
• Sept. 9

Where The Devil Comes In: Income Tax On Trial At The Mississippi Legislature

Sen. John Polk, R-Hattiesburg, who represents a certified retirement city, is concerned that eliminating the state income tax and raising the sales tax would harm the older residents of his ...

• By Nick Judin and Ashton Pittman, Mississippi Free Press
• Sept. 8

Tax Relief, But For Whom?

Speaker Gunn Wants Reform That Benefits Wealthiest, Costs Others More

Just as the realities of a fourth wave of COVID-19 sunk into the state, and just miles from a field hospital set up in the garage of the Mississippi hospital ...

• By Julian Mills
• Sept. 1