Jackson Free Press

President Donald Trump said Saturday that he has "complete power" to issue pardons, an assertion …

• July 24, 2017

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.

Mississippi Demands $6.4M Back from Electric Car Maker's CEO

Mississippi's state auditor on Wednesday demanded that a troubled electric car maker or its leader repay $4.9 million in state and local aid the company received, plus $1.5 million of …

State Settles Kids’ Mental Health Litigation

After seven years of litigation, one Mississippi teenager will finally get to move from the East Mississippi State Hospital to a regional center that provides services for those with intellectual …

JSU Reels After President Search, Budget Cuts

Jackson State University students, faculty and staff members went through a whirlwind of hiring and firing in the last two weeks.

The Candidates for Jackson Mayor: Vote June 6, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Jackson doesn't have a mayor, yet, despite Chokwe Antar Lumumba's impressive Democratic primary victory in an overwhelmingly Democratic city. He still must defeat several other candidates on June 6.

Time to End Free Passes for Racist Lawmakers

Leaders can feign disgust at Rep. Karl Oliver's words, but their cozy relationship with racial rhetoric and symbols emboldened him and may lead to the violence he encouraged. It is …

Jason Wells’ GOP Dream: First Mayor, Then President

The Republican nominee for Jackson mayor, Jason Wells, 34, has returned to the polls once again in hope of successfully finding what he desires in life, a political office.

Pointing Fingers Won’t Help Mental Health Crisis

Mississippi's mental-health care problems are not secrets, and yet only when the DOJ sues the state and after speaking with some community advocates does the governor start talking about community-based …

The Battle for Children’s Mental Health in Mississippi

Lisa Fuller, a Mississippi mother of two in Madison, stood up at the Children's Mental Health Summit at the Jackson Hilton on May 12 to explain her laborious journey of …

Shifting the Power to Regulate Nurses, Barbers, More

Melony Armstrong did not want to cut hair; she wanted to braid hair in her own shop. She believed that the time and money spent on beauty school would be …

Analysis: Leaders Say Reducing State Budget Meets GOP Goal

There has been plenty of hand-wringing about the Mississippi budget the past several months, with Republican Gov. Phil Bryant making multiple rounds of cuts because tax collections fell short of …

Calling on Our Ancestral Mothers

Each year I make deliberate efforts to study women throughout history. This year I have dissected my celebration. With intentional focus, I am celebrating black women. I am dedicating myself …

Tort Reform, Sexual Assault Prevention and Fantasy Sports Bills Move Forward

"Tort reform" rose from the past at the state Capitol last week as lawyers in the House of Representatives battled it out over a short, seemingly inconsequential bill, House Bill …

In the Statehouse and the Courtroom, Mental Health is Embattled

Research in the psychology and psychiatry fields show little to no evidence that hospitals and residential treatment centers are effective in helping a person with mental-health needs.

Corporate lobbyist Haley Barbour came home to Mississippi and served as governor from 2004 to …

• February 14, 2017

Ann Lamar

Gov. Phil Bryant is naming recently retired Mississippi Supreme Court Justice Ann Lamar of Senatobia to the College Board.