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Searching Out Solutions to Poverty
Approaching solutions to poverty may seem like a daunting task. With so much to overcome, some folks are paralyzed into doing nothing at all. But making a difference doesn’t have …
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Obama Announces V.P. Biden to Head Taskforce to Propose Gun, Mental Health Laws in January
WASHINGTON (AP) — Spurred by a horrific elementary school shooting, President Barack Obama vowed to send Congress new policy proposals for reducing gun violence by January.
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Idea Central to Escape From Poverty
It is vital to get food and necessities to the poor for basic day-to-day living. But to help people escape poverty, it takes the kind of programs that systemically enable …
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Justice Dept. Pre-Clears Jackson Ward Lines
The Department of Justice has pre-cleared the city of Jackson's redistricting plan, clearing the way for City Council members to run under new ward lines in 2013.
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Civil Rights
The Other Crucial Civil Rights Case the Supreme Court Will be Ruling On
Last Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court said it would hear two cases challenging state and federal laws which prevent the legal union between same-sex couples.
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Events
Community Events and Public Meetings
The Scholastic Writing Awards Call for Submissions is all through today at Eudora Welty House at the Eudora Welty Education and Visitors Center.
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City & County
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.
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More Guns, More Violence... Is There a Connection?
By Todd StaufferMother Jones posted a piece back after the Aurora shootings that has now been updated in light of the Sandy Hook murders that happened on Friday. Their point -- the country now has 300 million guns in circulation; up from 200 million in 1995. At the same time, there's a definitive increase in laws that have loosened gun owners abilities to carry those guns in more and more places.
The question is... have all of those guns and gun laws made us any safer? The gun lobby says yes. The analysis, however:
In the wake of the slaughters this summer at a Colorado movie theater and a Sikh temple in Wisconsin, we set out to track mass shootings in the United States over the last 30 years. We identified and analyzed 61 of them, and one striking pattern in the data is this: In not a single case was the killing stopped by a civilian using a gun. Moreover, we found that the rate of mass shootings has increased in recent years—at a time when America has been flooded with millions of additional firearms and a barrage of new laws has made it easier than ever to carry them in public. And in recent rampages in which armed civilians attempted to intervene, they not only failed to stop the shooter but also were gravely wounded or killed.
So, if we're still waiting for that one time that all of these guns and all of these gun laws actually brings down a mass murderer -- might now be a time to consider other measures aimed at keeping guns out of the wrong hands? (And, perhaps, getting people more mental health help?)
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Updated Video: See Obama Address on Connecticut Shooting
By Todd StaufferPresident Obama plans to deliver a statement on the Connecticut school shooting at 2:15 p.m. Central time.
Here's the White House's YouTube version:
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Events
It's the Weekend!
Tonight, Ballet Magnificat! presents "Snow Queen" at 7 p.m. at Thalia Mara Hall.
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Interview
Cody Cox, On the Record
When it comes to advice for local musicians, Cody Cox is one of the best guys to go to.
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Food
We Wish You a Stress-Free Christmas
Keep things simple this holiday season and support local restaurants and businesses by getting your Yuletide meal catered by some of the city’s best chefs.
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Body+Soul
Jackson Failing at Health for Women
Last month, Self magazine’s website revealed its ranking of the healthiest U.S. cities for women.
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Civil Rights
Rebel Land: A Racial History of Oxford and Ole Miss
“I saw years of work of digging out of this hole covered back up. I felt quite disgusted, and there are still some feelings there of discontent even today.”
