Jackson Free Press

Mississippi Lawmakers Agree on Budget, Adjourn Session

Mississippi lawmakers ended their 2014 session Wednesday night after passing the final parts of a state budget for the year that begins July 1.

Kennedy: Limbaugh, O'Reilly, Beck Spread Hate

Speaking to reporters last Friday after his keynote speech at the memorial for slain civil rights leader Medgar Evers in Jackson, Robert Kennedy Jr. said some right-wing broadcast hosts feed …

Debate Preparations Consume Candidates

With the White House race barreling toward the finish, President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney were staying out of the spotlight Monday, underscoring the intense focus each campaign …

Theater Round-Up

Why's a conversation about prison called kites? Kite is a slang term for communications from prison. "Thousand Kites," a stage reading and theater screening, prepares audience members for a discussion …

Sen. Wicker at Neshoba: Trump Will De-fund Planned Parenthood, Repeal Obamacare

U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., who spoke at the Neshoba County Fair on Thursday, called on fair-goers to elect Republicans back to the Senate, and to support Donald Trump in …

State Asks Judge to Keep Source of Execution Drugs Secret

Lawyers for Mississippi's prison system asked a judge Monday to declare that the name of any pharmacy that supplies a crucial execution drug is a secret that must not be …

Minnesota Dentist Who Killed Beloved Lion Returns to Work

The Minnesota dentist who killed Cecil the lion returned to work Tuesday after weeks away, walking silently past a swarm of media and a handful of protesters outside his small …

Rep. Lester 'Bubba' Carpenter: 'Deeply Sorry' for Racial Comments

State Rep. Lester "Bubba" Carpenter, a Burnsville Republican, this morning walked back racially charged statements made public over the weekend about the Initiative 42 schools-funding referendum.

Protect Our Queens and Princesses

More than 8,000 people have commented on the video of the South Carolina man speaking passionately about the incident at Spring Valley High School, where a young, black girl was …

Anti-LGBT 'Religious Conscience' Bill Passes Senate with Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves' Blessing

The Mississippi Senate has passed a bill that says government employees and private business people could cite religious beliefs to refuse licenses or other services for same-sex couples who want …

12 Local Stories of the Week

There are no slow news weeks in Jackson, especially at the Jackson Free Press. Here are 12 vital stories from the last week.

The 'Solid South' Growing More Complex As Demographics Change

The "Solid South" was a political fact, benefiting Democrats for generations and then Republicans, with Bible Belt and racial politics ruling the day. But demographic changes and recent election results …

Rep. Akin Defies GOP, Romney to Stay in Senate Race

"I misspoke one word in one sentence on one day, and all of a sudden, overnight, everybody decides, 'Well, Akin can't possibly win,'" Akin said on a national radio show …

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EDITOR'S NOTE: Tate Reeves Needs to Stop Making Excuses, Start Leading

"Gov. Tate Reeves is spinning. He is grasping at any straw he thinks can divert attention away from his abysmal leadership during the COVID-19 crisis in Mississippi."

Analysis: 2013 Session Mixes Substance, Silliness

Mississippi lawmakers approved substantial public policy changes during their 2013 session, with an emphasis on trying new approaches to public education.

Candidate Questionnaire: Ermea 'EJ' Russell (Senate District 22)

The Jackson Free Press emailed questionnaires to each candidate in the Senate District 22 race. The answers are the candidates' verbatim responses, with no edits whatsoever.

Mario Cuomo, a Giant in NY, Liberal Politics, Dies

Mario Cuomo died at his home in Manhattan on Thursday of natural causes due to heart failure, just hours after his son Andrew began his second term as New York's …

Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves' 2003 Victory over Gary Anderson 'All About Race,' Critics Say

In his successful 2003 bid for state treasurer, critics accused current-Republican Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves of running ads designed to remind voters that his Democratic opponent, Gary Anderson was black. …

[Editor's Note] A Romney Runs Through Us

Campaigning in Mississippi last week, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney set off a mini-firestorm in our offices. Sometime between joking about grits and forking up some hay, down-south style, Romney …

Head's Political Prognostications for 2006

2006 is going to be a really big year for politics--city, state, and national. Here's my take on what to expect.