Jackson Free Press

Trump Deflects Blame for Pro-White Rally, Condemns 'Many Sides' For Violence

BEDMINSTER, N.J. (AP) — President Donald Trump on Saturday blamed "many sides" for the violent clashes between protesters and white supremacists in Virginia and contended that the "hatred and bigotry" …

School Choice Program Raises Questions About Accountability

More than a third of U.S. states have created school voucher programs that bypass thorny constitutional and political issues by turning them over to nonprofits that rely primarily on businesses …

Stuck Behind Bars, Waiting for Mental Care

Judges in Mississippi have few options when sentencing men and women who need mental-health care but have also committed a crime.

From Opioids to Heroin Addiction, Addressing the Epidemic in Mississippi

Heroin was involved in 24.0 percent (35 cases) of all opioid-related overdose death in 2015, data from the Mississippi Department of Health show. John Dowdy, director of the Mississippi Bureau …

Another High Court Justice Will Run Mississippi Foster Care

One former state supreme court justice is leaving his post running Mississippi's foster care system, but another justice will leave the court to take over.

Jury Finds Hinds DA 'Not Guilty,' Hood Looks to Smith's Next Trial

A jury found Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith "not guilty" on three counts for hindering the prosecution of Christopher Butler.

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.

Keeping Insurance Rates Stable, Despite Congressional Interference

Even with the Affordable Care Act intact, Mississippi Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney is still concerned for Mississippians with certain plans that would see rate increases in 2018, despite the ACA's …

Hindering Justice? DA Smith Back on Trial

The second trial of Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith kicked off at 9:03 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 1, with a jury of seven women and five men who did …

Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith (pictured) is back on trial for trying to …

• August 2, 2017

Putin Says US Will Have to Shed 755 from Diplomatic Staff

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Sunday the United States would have to cut its embassy and consulate staff in Russia by 755, heightening tensions between Washington and Moscow three days …

Russia Sanctions Bill Heads to Trump, Moscow Retaliates

The Senate is sending a package of stiff financial sanctions against Russia to President Donald Trump to sign after the bill received overwhelming support in Congress. Moscow has already responded, …

Pentagon, Border Wall Covered in $788B House Spending Bill

The House has passed a $788 billion spending bill that combines a $1.6 billion down payment for President Donald Trump's controversial border wall with Mexico with a whopping budget increase …

Trump Assails GOP Senator Who Opposed Health Care Bill

President Donald Trump accused Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a fellow Republican, of disappointing the country by opposing the GOP effort to demolish the Obama health care law, after initial votes …

By a Hair, Senate Votes to Debate GOP Health Care Bill

With Vice President Mike Pence breaking a 50-50 tie, the Senate voted by a hair Tuesday to start debating Republican legislation to tear down much of the Obama health care …

2017 Chicks We Love

This year's Chicks We Love help our communities in many ways, from giving a smile to every patient at a local women's clinic, to making people laugh with comedy, to …

Navigating Mississippi’s Opioid Epidemic

Marsha Stone made it out of college, but not without a drug and alcohol addiction she could not shake. She found herself at the age of 24 with three children …

The Future of the JFP Chick Ball

First, I'll share the sad news in case you haven't heard. We have reluctantly decided to postpone the JFP Chick Ball again this year, as we did in 2016, and …

APNewsBreak: US Restoring Asset Seizures, With Safeguards

The Trump administration will soon restore the ability of police to seize suspects' money and property with federal help, but The Associated Press has learned the policy will come with …

Trump Lets Iran Deal Live, but Signals He May Not for Long

Having accused Iran of flouting the nuclear deal, President Donald Trump was inclined to tell Congress that Tehran was violating it. His national security aides talked him out of it, …