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Justice
Mississippi Governor Declares April 'Confederate Heritage Month,' No Slavery Mention
Two weeks before the Mississippi Legislature allowed 19 state flag bills to die in committee, Gov. Phil Bryant took out a pen and signed an official governor's proclamation, declaring the …
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Sports
Celebrating Small-Town Sports
From March 18 through April 30, the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum will help visitors discover what those players really mean to Mississippi when it hosts the traveling …
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Lawmakers Look to Consolidate at Least 10 School Districts
Mississippi lawmakers want to abolish two school districts and consolidate at least eight others, part of a renewed push to pare down the state's 144 school districts to increase efficiency.
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Education
Legislators Determined to Tinker with Public Ed
Just three months after Initiative 42 failed in the November election, the Mississippi Legislature has already seen an explosion of controversial education bills—with school consolidation leading the pack.
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Politics
Off to the Races ... and the Chopping Block
Money was front of mind over the last week in the Mississippi Legislature as Senate and House appropriations committees began budget hearings for state agencies last week.
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City & County
Unfriendly Skies: Can Jackson Save Its Airport?
The City of Jackson, which controls the 3,381 acres of land the airport occupies, is bracing for a looming battle for its control with the State of Mississippi.
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State
Mississippi Journalist Bert Case Dies After Extended Illness
Bert Case, whose booming voice and aggressive reporting defined television news in Mississippi from its infancy until last year, has died.
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Miss. Governor Makes Midyear Budget Cuts to Most Agencies
Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant is making 1.5 percent budget cuts for many state agencies because tax collections are falling short of expectations.
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Invest in Meaningful Workforce Training
Mississippi House Seaker Phillip Gunn, an attorney at one of the Jackson's largest law firms, quipped this week that he recently had to call a plumber to his Clinton home. …
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Politics
Gov. Phil Bryant Promises 'More of the Same' in Next Term
Phil Bryant was at the front of the room Thursday before the Mississippi Economic Council, relishing being governor again.
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City & County
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.
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Health Care
Negotiations Over in Troupe v. Barbour
Mississippi's short-term inpatient care and special-treatment facilities served about 542 adolescents in fiscal-year 2015, Mississippi Department of Mental Health data show.
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Bryant Names New Chief of Staff as Current Chief Leaves
Joey Songy will be Gov. Phil Bryant's new chief of staff as the Republican begins his second term.
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Least Intriguing 2015
In the cover package of this issue, you'll find a number of the "most intriguing" individuals who've made big waves in Jackson over the past year. Since those were taken, …
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Mississippi Supreme Court Lineup Filled
By adreherGov. Phil Bryant has filled both Mississippi Supreme Court vacancies, following the departure of Justices Randy Pierce and David Chandler. Former District 1 Court of Appeals Judge James Maxwell and tenth district chancellor Dawn Beam will join the state's highest court in the new year.
Chief Justice Bill Waller Jr. said in statement that Judge Maxwell's "energy and experience will serve the court and the citizens of the state well.” Waller expressed enthusiasm at Beam's arrival to the court. In a statement, he said Judge Beam has continued to go above standards in helping her court's district convert to an all electronic filing system. Beyond clerical duties, Waller said Beam "has tirelessly worked to resolve issues regarding placement and supervision of abused and neglected children.”
Judge Beam has been involved with her district's work to guarantee safe homes for all children and recently spoke at a community meeting in December praising the local Department of Human Services workers in Marion County for the changes they've made in their office--including upping personnel numbers. The increased personnel led to 160 children being removed from their homes due to court orders that cited deplorable living conditions or drug abuse at home.
Judge Maxwell was appointed to the district court by former Gov. Haley Barbour in 2009 and re-elected in 2014. He practiced civil law in Jackson and worked as an assistant U.S. attorney in the northern district of Mississippi.
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Civil Rights
Donald Trump’s Most Vicious Lie, Yet?
It's a tough contest, but Donald Trump just spread his most poisonous lie yet in his race to become the fuehrer of the 21st century.
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Turnout Numbers
On Nov. 3, media outlets reported steady turnout throughout the day in Hinds County, but in the end, the number of Hinds Countians who participated in the 2015 cycle was …
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Politics
All Statewide Incumbents Re-Elected With Ease
For the first time in a single year, Mississippi voters have re-elected all eight statewide officials.
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Education
Down to the Wire: The Final Push to Pass Initiative 42
Less than a week until the Nov. 3 election, Initiative 42 proponents are making their final push to inform voters about the citizen-driven ballot initiative.
