Jackson Free Press

My Story on Melton in Reason Magazine

Read the piece.

The libertarian Reason magazine today published a piece they asked me to write about Frank Melton and his shenanigans to date. Check it out here (note that a couple of …

Icky: ‘Heritage' Operative on Barbour's Staff

Just when you thought that the past was another half-mile behind us, something like this comes to light. The Associated Press reported:

Legislative Black Caucus Foils Plan to Unseat McCoy?

Rep. George Flaggs, D-Vicksburg, told the Jackson Free Press Friday that the Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus adopted a position on Thursday against the candidacy of Columbus Rep. Jeffrey Smith's run …

Instant Replay: College Football, Oct. 20-21

Southern Miss 33, Marshall 24: The Golden Eagles, powered by Damion Fletcher's three touchdown runs, move into a tie for first place in the CUSA East.

JacktoberFest Today: Bands, Beers and Brats

Jacktoberfest was conceived in the near-death experience of another Jackson music fest tradition: Jubilee!JAM. "It was in the wake of a JAM meeting, where the Board had voted to put …

Melton Announces Progress: ‘Crime Is Down'

Jackson Mayor Frank Melton released this statement (PDF, 257 KB) yesterday touting "progress" in the City of Jackson.

The Politics of Voter ID

Photos by Adam Lynch and Kate Medley

Candidates tend to look for issues to separate themselves from their opponents. It's a tough order in conservative Mississippi, where many nominees on both sides of the political spectrum agree …

31 Pounds of Cheese

When most people bust out statistics like "the average American eats more than 31 pounds of cheese each year"—give or take a few pounds, depending on your source and the …

Don't Blame (It All on) Melton

Leland Speed, whose family enthusiastically supported Frank Melton in his mayoral run, is going around saying something amusing about the beleaguered mayor in recent days as rumors fly about possible …

[Dickerson] How Much Justice Can You Afford?

Have you ever purchased an insurance policy, confident that your check (and the insurance agent's pledge that "you're now covered") would be enough to protect you?

What's In A Label?

Photos by Katrina Hercules, Jaro Vacek, Darren Schwindaman, and Nate Glenn

It's a Thursday evening in late August. For some reason, the AC's on the fritz, but who cares? Hal & Mal's Red Room is slammed. Through open doors, overflow—sound and …

Cops Vow to Air Dirty Laundry

The day after City Council refused to fund the promotions of Mayor Frank Melton's bodyguards, a local police union said today that talks with the mayor about the appointments were …

Oxford Cop Killer Pleads Down to Manslaughter

The Clarion-Ledger is reporting:

Instant Replay: College Football, Oct. 11

Delta State 35, Valdosta State 31: The Statesmen move atop the GSC standings with a stunning victory over the Blazers.

Doris Shavers' Family: Melton Lied

Shalandria Shavers, the 21-year-old daughter of domestic-violence victim Doris Shavers, and James Hopkins, Shavers' brother, served notice today to the city of Jackson and Mayor Frank Melton of a wrongful-death …

Bob Mould News

Anti- is pleased to announce the signing of living legend and alternative rock trailblazer Bob Mould. Mould's vital new studio album, District Line – the latest in his esteemed, twenty …

Good Times with Recio & the Gang

Michael Recio was big and hulking and provided decent cover for a reporter who wasn't used to walking up to people's homes unannounced in the middle of the night. I …

'Blue Dot in a Red Sea'

Democracy for America Chairman Jim Dean endorsed Democratic candidate Gary Anderson for Mississippi Insurance Commissioner last week during a visit to Anderson's campaign headquarters.

Eaves Makes Front Page of NY Times

In a story headlined In Mississippi, Democrat Runs in G.O.P. Lane, reporter Adam Nossiter explores John Eaves' run to Haley Barbour's right on social and religious issues:

Noose Found on Door of Black Columbia Professor

Well, if anything, the Jena 6 situation is going to expose the racism and bigotry in our midst—all of our midst. And that is a damn good thing. We've got …