Jackson Free Press

Mississippi Could Revive a Form of Initiative Process

Mississippi legislators are working to set a new way for people to petition to put issues on statewide ballots, months after the state Supreme Court tossed out the state's old …

State Healthcare System ‘Essentially Broken,’ MSDH Leadership Says

Mississippi’s healthcare infrastructure may take years to recover from the continuing strain of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, leadership from the Mississippi State Department of Health said in a press briefing …

Black Colleges Alarmed by Bomb Threats, but Undeterred

From her office in Birmingham, Alabama, DeJuana Thompson looks across the street and sees a daily reminder of terror. Her window overlooks the 16th Street Baptist Church, where a bomb …

A federal judge has issued a civil contempt order against Mississippi's largest county, saying officials …

• February 8, 2022

Judge Issues Contempt Order Over County Jail in Mississippi

A federal judge has issued a civil contempt order against Mississippi's largest county, saying officials have failed to fix more than two dozen problems in a jail plagued by violence …

Analysis: Mississippi Considers College Aid for Foster Youth

Most states already offer scholarships or tuition waivers for young people who have spent time in the foster care system. Mississippi could join that list this year.

Mississippi: Donor Funds Fannie Lou Hamer Scholarship

An anonymous donor is giving the University of Mississippi $100,000 to pay for a scholarship named after civil rights pioneer Fannie Lou Hamer, according to a news release from the …

Man Involved in Fatal Kidnapping of Child Released on Parole

A parole board has released one of three men convicted in the kidnapping and 2017 death of a 6-year-old boy who was asleep in the backseat of a car that …

Statue of Racist Ex-Gov. Bilbo Quietly Moved in Mississippi

A statue of white supremacist former Mississippi Gov. Theodore Bilbo has quietly been moved out of sight in the state Capitol — a move praised by Black lawmakers who say …

Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch speaks to anti-abortion protesters in front of the U.S. Supreme …

• February 4, 2022

‘To Rule History With God’: The Christian Dominionist War On Abortion, Part I

In hopes of triggering a U.S. Supreme Court case, the Alliance Defending Freedom drafted the 15-week abortion ban that the Mississippi Legislature passed in 2018.

EXPLAINER: Blood Supplies Run Short, Affecting Patient Care

After the holidays, it’s normal for the nationwide supply of life-saving blood to dwindle at hospitals and blood banks as donations slow. This year, with fears about COVID-19 and the …

Longtime Circuit Judge in Mississippi Retiring at Year's End

A longtime Mississippi judge announced Wednesday that she plans to retire Dec. 31. Hinds County Circuit Judge Tomie T. Green of Jackson will have served 24 years by the time …

Mississippi Governor Noncommittal on Medical Marijuana Bill

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said Tuesday that he has not decided whether he will sign a bill to legalize marijuana for people with debilitating medical conditions such as cancer, AIDS …

Best of Jackson 2022: Urban Living

Goods and services make up the building blocks of commerce. The Best of Jackson’s Urban Living section functions as a guidebook to many of the metro’s spots to shop and …

Best of Jackson 2022: Nightlife

Whether unwinding entails having a stiff drink, dancing to the latest hits, engaging in some friendly competition, or even a combination thereof, the metro has enough locally owned businesses to …

Lumumba Pushes Back Against EPA Order as Water Issues Plague South Jackson

Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba pushed back against the Environmental Protection Agency’s latest notice of non-compliance in his weekly press briefing, citing supply-chain issues beyond his control.

One of Mississippi's Republican U.S. senators said that if President Joe Biden nominates a Black …

• February 1, 2022

Wicker: Black Woman Supreme Court Nominee Would be 'Quota'

One of Mississippi's Republican U.S. senators said that if President Joe Biden nominates a Black woman to the U.S. Supreme Court, that nominee would be the beneficiary of a “quota.”

Minority Women Most Affected if Abortion is Banned, Limited

If the U.S. Supreme Court allows states to further restrict or even ban abortions, minority women will bear the brunt of it, according to statistics analyzed by The Associated Press.