Jackson Free Press

War On The Poor

Congress Embraces a New Southern Strategy

It was 7:30 in the morning, and the smallest beneficiaries of the Richard Brandon Head Start Center at 5920 N. State St. followed their young parents into the mass of …

Melton Presents New D.A., Kept Distance During Campaign

Citizen bloggers are reporting that a jubilant Mayor Frank Melton introduced Robert Smith, his choice for district attorney, last night at Smith's campaign gathering. In his remarks, made before Smith's, …

Melton: Who, Me?

"I don't know anything about that. I can't imagine what I've done," Melton said.

The Jackson rumor mill is on overdrive today about federal indictments of Mayor Frank Melton coming down in the wake of an FBI investigation that pulled several members of his …

Council Considers Gate Ordinance

Under a new city ordinance Ward 1 Councilman Quentin Whitwell proposed today, 75 percent of a Jackson neighborhood's residents could vote to gate their community even though the city would …

It's In The Food.

Here's where I convince the two people that don't think I'm crazy otherwise.

Climate Coverage Soars in 2013, Spurred by Energy, Weather

Coverage of climate change issues jumped in 2013, fueled by reporting on energy issues—fracking, pipelines, oilsands—and a heavy dose of wacky weather worldwide.

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A Bad Rap? A Collision of Politics And Music

Scene A: In April 2004, young black women at Spelman College in Atlanta protested the rapper Nelly's planned appearance there because his videos are offensive and misogynistic to women. The …

R. Kelly Trial - who's to blame?

So many of you are probably familiar with the case of statutory rape that singer R. Kelly is facing. So word is that Kelly and the underaged female are denying …

[Kamikaze] Don't Blame Nelly

My condolences go out to rap mega-star Nelly and his immediate family. In case you haven't heard, Nelly's sister, 31-year-old Jackie Donahue, lost her battle with leukemia recently. What a …

Old School Rappers Blame SouljaBoy for Killing Hip Hop

So, the latest uproar in hip hop is that Ice T and other rappers who reigned during a time when rap was extremely hard core and aggressive are blasting new …

Breast is Best

Becoming a mother was quite different from what I expected. I anticipated a long labor with special breathing, baths, books, walks, games, massages and music as distractions. Instead, I had …

Learning to Change

JoEva Flettrich turned off the fluorescent lights in her office after 23 years on the job. The lights are an external manifestation of the change she wants to see in …

The Last Shall be First

Three mothers, two black and one white, came to the State Capitol Monday, July 19, to tearfully beg the state to stop abusing children. One question: Will the state listen? …

Zen and the Art of Optimism

I don't know about you, but this election season is damned stressful. Even as George Bush rolls out television ads with wolves lurking to terrify Americans into voting for him, …

When A Plan Comes Together

"I love it when a plan comes together" was the signature line of George Peppard in his role as Hannibal Smith on the 1980s TV show "The A Team." It's …

Mr. Barbour: It's Time to Start Governing

It is telling that Haley Barbour was not in the state of Mississippi when he decided to call a special session this past weekend in a gambit to force the …

[Balko] Should Suing Bad Prosecutors Be Legal?

Should prosecutors who manufacture evidence be susceptible to lawsuits?

[Parks] Mississippi: America's Africa

Before New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof and I left on our trip to Africa in September, WNYC's Brian Lehrer interviewed us on his radio show. A caller asked us …

[Colom] Payday Lending: Bad Business

Each month, before receiving his Walmart paycheck, Mike* gets a payday loan. In exchange for the money, he writes the store a check for the amount of money he receives, …

Do You Know What it Means ...?

That Super Bowl journey with the New Orleans Saints last year was such a roller-coaster ride that I'll admit I've been slow to get back into the football-watching rhythm so …