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Crime
OPINION: Ugly Mississippi Prison Conditions Need Humanitarian Reforms
The era of mass incarceration involves both prison overcrowding and the nature of private prisons, a controversy to which the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman has also been linked.
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Food
Brunch Bunch, 2018
Weekend brunch has really come into its own in recent years in the capital city. Now that spring has sprung, it's the perfect time to enjoy a leisurely late weekend …
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Biz Roundup
Jackson Restaurants Closing and Opening, Sombra's New Menu and Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month at Newk's
Jackson lost one restaurant last week and will lose another this week.
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National
Hyde-Smith Calls Kavanaugh Opposition 'Evil'
U.S. Sen. Cindy-Hyde Smith, R-Miss., continued to defend her support for the confirmation of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh on Tuesday, accusing Democrats of "manipulation of the confirmation process" …
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The Storms Before the NFL Draft
By bryanflynnThere has been plenty of news before the NFL Draft’s kickoff tomorrow night, Thursday, April 27, that could send players down the draft board. Some is understandable, and some could be considered ridiculous.
Let’s start with the ridiculous and work our way to more serious elements. One thing to remember: the run-up to the draft is one long job interview.
Last week in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, writer Bob McGinn reported the scores of several players who took the Wonderlic intelligence test at the NFL Combine. ESPN’s Darren Rovell pointed out two players who scored an 11 out of 50 on the test and Rovell was roasted on social media. Since then, Rovell took the official test and wrote about taking it and how it changed him.
The leaking of Wonderlic scores has gone on since the NFL began using the test in the 1970s. If you don’t know, the test is 50 questions taken in 12 minutes with just a pencil and scrap paper. The employers use the test to assess the intelligence of prospective employees.
If you follow the NFL Combine, everyone does the same testing. All the players bench-press 225 pounds, run the 40-yard dash, and so forth. Not all the tests really apply to every position, but to get an apples-to-apples comparison, every player does the same tests.
The Wonderlic doesn’t mean a ton for most positions. If any position makes sense, it is the quarterback position, where you have to process a good deal of information and do it quickly.
What other players score on the test really isn’t entirely game-changing but is important. Players have known for years that the NFL gives the test at the combine. Agents have been preparing players for the test for years, as well.
If everything is a test at the combine, the way a player approaches the Wonderlic is a test. Remember, this is a giant job interview. If a player scores low on the test, teams might do more research on the player to find out why.
NFL teams will want to know why a player bombed a test that he knew he had to take. Did the player care enough to even prepare for the test? Is the player bad at taking tests? If the player didn’t care to prepare for the test, teams will wonder if that player will prepare for a NFL career. The test is part of an evolution process and not really about how smart the players are.
No one should be made fun for what he scored on the test. It is simply a way for teams to see whether players are going to put in the work that is needed to be in the NFL.
It also never fails that a player or two will fail the drug test at the NFL Combine. This year, it was University of Alabama linebacker Reuben Foster and University …
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The Complete Guide to Where You Can Vote in Tomorrow's Hinds County Supervisor's Primaries
By R.L. NaveGo here to find your polling place.
Also, read about more about the candidates here, or at least the ones who talked to us.
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Cover
Give Thanks and Eat Local
Thanksgiving is a day to give thanks and feast, so why not give back to local restaurants by letting them cater your holiday?
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City & County
Former Criminals Training to Stop Violence in Jackson with $150,000 Grant
Terun Moore and Benny Ivey will be Jackson's first official, trained "credible messengers," working to prevent violence in the metro area.
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Weekend Events
Start your weekend off right with a little back-to-school shopping. The Mississippi Sales Tax Holiday started at 12:01 a.m. today and ends Saturday at midnight. Buy shoes and clothes that …
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Events: Green and More Green This Weekend
It's time for Jackson's biggest citywide party, all centering on Mal's St. Paddy's Parade, which steps off at 1 p.m. Saturday at State and Court streets in downtown Jackson. Even …
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[Herman's Picks] Vol. 7, No. 25
Let out the funk at Martin's this Friday night when Atlanta-based Entropy returns to Jackson with their wacky funk bomb.
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coronavirus
Deadliest in U.S.: COVID-19 Deaths, Severe Hospitalizations Worsening in Mississippi
Mississippi hit a tragic new milestone in the ongoing coronavirus pandemic this week: Its 241 reports of COVID-19 fatalities from the previous seven days have been the deadliest per capita …
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Health Care
Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Benefit Still Positive Despite ‘Rare Side Effects,’ EU Reports
After investigating reports of a rare but serious side effect in Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine, the European Medicines Agency concluded yesterday that the vaccine’s label should include information about …
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Crime
Parole Reform Law Brings New Chance For Thousands, But Not Habitual Offenders
Thousands of incarcerated Mississippians will soon become eligible for a parole hearing after Gov. Tate Reeves signed the “Mississippi Earned Parole Eligibility Act” into law this Thursday.
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Education
MSU Free Mental Health Services and Veterinary Clinic Expansion, JSU CPRAM Awards
Mississippi State University’s Psychology Clinic recently received a $200,000 grant from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act to provide free mental-health services for children in the state.
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[Herman's Picks] Vol. 7, No. 47
Martin's welcomes Mississippi newcomers this Thursday night. Milton Menasco & the Big Fiasco are a Bozeman, Mont.-based rock/soul three-piece band with a passion for funk and reggae. Listen to their …
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Business
JPS Improves, City Restrains Zoo Over Zebra, JPD Targets Drug Hubs
The last week saw important developments in Jackson's public schools, its police department and the Jackson Zoo.
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Immigration
ICE Raids Show ‘Christian Crisis in America,’ Guatemalan Cardinal Says in Jackson
Guatemalan Cardinal Alvaro Ramazzini called for a renewed humanity in the nation’s treatment of immigrants in Jackson last week before going to Carthage to meet people affected by massive, statewide …
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City & County
COVID-19 Task Force Will Monitor Virus in Jackson, Decide School Closings
The capital city will have its own COVID-19 task force composed of city officials, public-health experts as well as institutional partners in the capital city's health-care system, Mayor Chokwe A. …
