Jackson Free Press

Lots to do right here in Jackson this weekend.

There's usually plenty to do on Fridays in Jackson, and if you are like me, you're going to have a tough time deciding exactly which of these awesome events to attend:

• The city of Jackson is celebrating National Night Out on Friday from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. at City Hall to increase crime prevention awareness. Here's the kicker: Jackson State University's Sonic Boom of the South will lead the "Confidence March Against Crime" from Smith Park to City Hall, beginning at 11 a.m.

• The Jackson premiere of the documentary film "SubSIPPI" from the creative minds of Greg Gandy, Vincent Chaney, & Lauren Cioffi is set for 7:30 p.m. at the Mississippi Museum of Art. Make sure to check out the trailer here. It's free to attend and it's on the lawn outside, so make sure to bring a blanket on which to sit.

• Jackson Prep (4-1) is riding high coming off last week's 19-13 win over Madison-Ridgeland Academy, but they are in for a real test when the country boys from Bassfield, Mississippi's 2-A reigning champs, roll into town for a public-versus-private-school matchup. Prep is a much bigger school with more players on its football team, but they'll hardly be able to keep step with the speed of one of Mississippi's best prep teams. Should be one for the ages.

In WAPT's online video they don't identify the Jackson-area creek (is it Town Creek?) that turned into a "raging river" after today's rains, but one look at the video does force me to wonder out loud about the water quality of any lakes or riverwalk projects that we end up developing for downtown Jackson.

Jackson has many impermeable surfaces with oil, grit and other residue (not to mentioned trash, street drainage, etc.) that rush off to the creeks and Pearl.

I don't know the answer, but this visual at least suggests it would make sense to ask the question. Does still water somehow run cleaner? Am I judging this murky mess too harshly?

ON one had, the Pearl often looks pretty when you glance at it over the Lakeland bridge, and I've canoed it in the past and felt the water was clear and clean.

But the video doesn't make it this creek water look too appealing. Any river geeks have thoughts?

http://jacksonfreepress.com/users/photos/2013/sep/24/13833/

• Downtown Jackson Partners is proud to announce it is partnering with the Town Creek Arts Festival to host Downtown on Display, an open house event for downtown Jackson businesses. It'll be held on October 5, 2013. From 2 - 5 PM, visitors will have the opportunity to take architectural tours, get access to magnificent views, eat, shop, and listen to live music. Read more here.

• We really enjoyed putting together the "Good" issue of the Jackson Free Press last week. If you missed it, be sure to check out the latest PDF edition on the main page. There are always so many solid ideas in it, and some of them are even feasible.

• I'm gearing up today for a tour of the James Eastland Federal Building with architect Roy Decker, who is going to show JFP photographer Trip Burns and me his plans for transforming the downtown landmark into a new mixed-use building to house residents and some commercial businesses. For more information on the Eastland Building, go here.

• In other news, and in case you're a sports fan, the Jackson State football Tigers improved to 2-0 in Southwestern Athletic Conference play with a 35-7 whipping of Texas Southern last Thursday at Veterans Memorial Stadium. The Tigers (2-2) are tied atop the SWAC East standings with rival Alcorn State, which defeated Arkansas-Pine Bluff 21-16 on Saturday.