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In Race for Pre-K, Mississippi Falls to the Back of the Pack
The U.S. Department of Education announced last week that nine states will divvy up $500 million in federal funding for early childhood education. Politicians and education advocates can't quite agree …
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8 Toddler Pitfalls to Avoid Christmas Morning
Regardless of your nostalgic, Christmas-morning-frenzy memories, you'll quickly learn that a no-holds-barred approach doesn't go over well with your toddler--especially on the most anticipated morning of the year. Don't wing …
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For the Little Angels and Demons
Sometimes shopping for the kids can be tough, especially when you don't know what the young ones are into these days. This year, it doesn't have to be hard, because …
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Ring in the New Year
It's been a blast attending great parties and concerts, but I'm ready for the holiday hustle and bustle to be done and to get back to the normality of life. …
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Where The Jobs Are ... and Aren't
Where are the jobs? Everybody should move to North Dakota, where there are more jobs than people and more people than housing. But you don't have to go so far …
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[Stiggers] The Dirty Lowdown
Congressman Smokey "Robinson" McBride: "Citizens of the Ghetto Science community: I am honored to host the premiere broadcast of 'Christmas at Clubb Chicken Wing Holiday Television Special.'
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Gifts for Your Sports Fanatic
A few years ago, my wife, Lacey, gave me one of my favorite books. "The Sports Book" (DK Publishing, 2007, $19.95) has an Astroturf cover and contains information about multiple …
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[Stiggers] Survive, Thrive, Stay Alive
Brother Hustle: "Newt the Ging-Grinch said this about poor people and children: 'Really poor children in really poor neighborhoods have no habits of working and have nobody around them who …
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[Hales] Death of the College Dream?
For the past two months, Americans have struggled to figure out what exactly the Occupy Wall Street movement is about. Who are the protesters? What do they stand for? What …
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Making a Place
Author Lalita Tademy describes Mississippian Lynne Bryant's debut novel "Catfish Alley" (New American Library, 2011, $14) as being "In the tradition of 'The Help,'" by Kathryn Stockett. True, both Mississippi …
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[Kamikaze] The War Outside
"There's a war going on outside no man is safe from." —Prodigy of Mobb Deep
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[Jones] A Lottery for 3-Year Olds
In 1962, 58 Michigan toddlers won a lottery. To pick up their prize, these 3-year-olds were dropped off at a row of buildings in Ypsilanti, a small town near Ann …
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Doomsday for Black Folks?
By all measures, the state of black Mississippi should be strong. Mississippi's concentration of African American residents, 37 percent, is the highest of any state. Mississippi also has the highest …
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Making Joyful Noises
Jackson comes alive when Christmas comes to town. With the Belhaven Singing Christmas Tree, Chimneyville Crafts Festival and several other local traditions, most people seem to get into the holiday …
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Losing is Better?
Southern Miss' Bowl Championship Series hopes died when they lost 34-31 to the University of Alabama at Birmingham Nov. 17. The Golden Eagles only had a chance to earn a …
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[Kamikaze] Just the Messenger
Mississippi, and Jackson particularly, suffers from "shoot the messenger" syndrome. You know: If you don't like the message, just attack the person(s) delivering it. If the message could possibly upset …
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Blowing the Roof Off
Baby Jan Smith and Chalmers Davis joined forces in the spring after meeting and working with each other in the choir loft at Wells United Methodist Church. The two hit …
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What the Mamas Taught Us
When I heard 40 days before Election Day that the "No on 26" folks were trying to hire a spokesperson, I just knew women didn't have a chance. Thankfully, I …
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Occupy Local
Corporate America wants to cash in this holiday season with a highly visible campaign to support small businesses. Gannett Co. Inc., owner of The Clarion-Ledger, joined this effort with full …
