Jackson Free Press

The District Attorney's Mistrial: What Just Happened? A Day-by-Day Primer

The Mississippi attorney general's prosecution of Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith for conspiracy to hinder prosecution in order to aid or assist a defendant ended in a mistrial …

Reaching New Political Lows

This whole lt. gov. abortion dust-up is absurd. Finally, we have two women, one black and one white, running for a major office in the state -- and we're arguing …

[Kamikaze] The Lesser of Two Evils

By the time you read this column, we will have elected a new governor (or re-elected the same governor). Now if you're reading this and asking yourself, "There was an …

[Collier] Matters of the Heart

Just about all my formal education was whitewashed. The things I knew about the parts of American history that weren't white, I learned from my family.

Into the Groove

Back in the 1980s, I wasn't too worried about much of anything. I was living in Washington, D.C., working by day as a legal assistant for a huge broadcast corporation …

Advocates Gear up For Personhood Battle

Anti-abortion advocates celebrated a Mississippi Supreme Court ruling last week that OK'd a Nov. 8 ballot initiative asking voters whether the state Constitution should define when life begins, but the …

MEMA Belatedly Reveals More Shelter Options

The morning after shelters were turning away frustrated evacuees in the Jackson Metro, MEMA put out a release telling people where space was still available. Verbatim:

Scalia Defends Gay, Abortion, Gun Rulings at First Baptist

The United States should not look to other countries when interpreting its own Constitution, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia said yesterday in a speech at First Baptist Church of …

The Year In News

This year will be over in a few hours. Here's a look back on some of the big news events of 2010 in Jackson and Mississippi.

[Fleming] Told You Lott Would Quit

I hate to say I told you so … but I did.

Medicaid: A Job Creator?

Mississippi hospitals worry about the rising cost of uncompensated care if the state declines to expand Medicaid to individuals who currently lack insurance.

New Katrina Reports Rips Bush ... Again

Don't we know it. AP is reporting:

Ward 1: Side-by-Side

Given the mountain of challenges staring at the Jackson City Council, it's hard to imagine two candidates whose resumes make them better equipped to get their hands dirty than Ashby …

Candidate Questionnaire: Matt Allen

The Jackson Free Press reached out to all judicial candidates who are running on the Nov. 6 ballot to represent jurisdictions throughout the Jackson Metro Area, regardless of whether they …

Espy to Join Hyde-Smith for Debate As 'Hanging' Backlash Grows

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Mike Espy has accepted an invitation to join incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., for a runoff debate that will be broadcast across the state …

God's Country: Katrina Sows Uncertainty In The Eye of The Storm

This story appeared five years ago in the days after Hurricane Katrina as many Gulf Coast residents sat waiting for help

On Civil Elections and Civic Journalism

<b>Voters to Dems: Be Progressive</b>

In the few days since the Nov. 4 election, we've heard a lot of anger and consternation from readers. Many are wondering how in the world the blatant GOP use …

On Feb. 15, Vote Ice for Ward 1

The Jackson Free Press' readership is diverse in many ways, and we get criticized from the left and right for editorial stances and endorsements. Our editorial board believes in groups …

Jackson Less ‘Dangerous' In 2004

Ironically, a murder binge in the city—nine fatal shootings in 10 days—comes just as a national crime-rating outfit released good news for the city of Jackson, at least about its …

Family Values

Our history as a state and a nation is filled with atrocious efforts to destroy the self-esteem of black men. During the entire arc of slavery and then Jim Crow …