Story
Jails and Prisons Also Need Adequate Funding
Although the state of Mississippi's criminal-justice system always seems to be in the news, lately there's been a flurry of bad press for the state's jails and prison system.
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Education
Cristen Hemmins: Education, Equal Pay and Taking On Tollison
Jackson native Cristen Hemmins decided to run for the District 9 Senate seat (which includes Oxford and most of Lafayette County) when her opponent, Gray Tollison, introduced Initiative 42A to …
Story
JFP Interviews
Oswalt: Hinds Jail ‘Correctable and Fixable’
Charlette Oswalt recently met with the Jackson Free Press about why she should be Hinds County's first woman sheriff.
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Music
The Evolution of Nossiens
In only two years, Hattiesburg-based four-piece band Nossiens already has proved to be complex.
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Theater
Interpreting Justice in ‘A Time to Kill’
In the theatrical adaptation of "A Time to Kill," which opens at New Stage Theatre Oct. 27, courtroom drama unfolds after one crime leads to another, wrapping audience members into …
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Civil Rights
The 42 Vote: Mississippi’s Time of Reckoning
When Mississippi Rep. Lester "Bubba" Carpenter stepped to the microphone at a Republican rally in Tishomingo County and started warning about a "black judge" taking away funds from white schools …
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Cover
MAEP: The Formula and How Politics Got in the Way
The state Legislature established the Mississippi Adequate Education Program, or MAEP, in 1997 to avoid equity lawsuits being filed across the country.
Entry
540: A New 'Ultra Lounge' on Farish St. Just in Time for JSU Homecoming
By R.L. NaveAs Ward 4 Councilman De'Keither Stamps pointed out this week, the folks behind Johnny T's Bistro and Blues has done what people have been sitting around waiting for the city, state and a procession of developers to do for years: Giving people something else to do downtown, on Farish Street.
This weekend, joining F. Jones Corner in the Farish Street Historic District, is 540, located upstairs from Johnny T's.
A grand opening comes Oct. 24 for Jackson State University’s Alumni Homecoming After-Party and will feature DJ Moneycure.
According to a release, 540 features "an elegant bar, performance stage, VIP seating and a stunning hardwood dance floor that beckons the trendsetters, progressives and explorers of downtown nightlife."
In addition, the lounge includes a "panel of wall-to-wall mirrors and the intricately placed lighting, coupled with the modern black and chrome furniture."
540 is also available for hosting contemporary wedding receptions, corporate events or charity fundraisers. Hours for 540 are Friday and Saturday 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.; the space is also available for private events Sunday through Thursday.
http://jacksonfreepress.com/users/photos/2015/oct/21/23325/
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Justice
‘Pay or Stay’: City’s ‘Debtor’s Jail’ Under Fire
Michael Davis had two choices: Write a check to the City of Jackson for $19,403.81 for fines and court costs or spend 335 days at the Raymond Detention Center.
Story
Fear of a Black Judge
So what else is that one judge going to do to all of us if we don't tell the Legislature it's OK to keep violating state law?
Story
State
Ole Miss Student Senate Votes to Remove State Flag; Now Administration Must Decide
Student senators at the University of Mississippi voted Tuesday night to ask the school administration to remove the Mississippi flag from campus because it contains a Confederate battle emblem that …
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Food
Best of Jackson: Where to Find Drinks in Jackson on Sunday Night
These local Jackson restaurants and bars are open late on Sunday nights and invite you to have a drink and perhaps a midnight snack.
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Story
City & County
Fondren Project May Help Creek Flooding
A new Fondren development project promises to renovate an empty McRae's space on Meadowbrook Road and address the longstanding problem with flooding, overflow and drainage from Eubanks Creek within a …
Story
City & County
Educating the Next Generation’s Workforce
Houston Sherrod spoke to students Oct. 14 at the Jackson Public Schools Career and Development Center about his work as a senior service technician at Atmos Energy during Careers in …
Story
State
Steven Willis Released From Hinds Jail
Thanks in part to attorneys and a small group of activists, a judge has released Steven Willis from the Raymond Detention Center and loved ones hope he can get the …
Story
Business
Yarber Downtown 'Resort' Plan Draws Council Scrutiny
Some members of the Jackson City Council are gently pushing back on a proposal from Mayor Tony Yarber's administration to designate part of downtown as a "qualified resort area and …
Story
Biz Roundup
Panera Bread, Small-Business Mentors, Teen Wellness and Paralegals at Tulane
Panera Bread will open its first location in the Jackson metro area Wednesday, Oct. 21, at 6:30 a.m.
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Person of the Day
Genese Lavalais
Last week, Jackson State University named Genese Lavalais the associate athletic director for academics and the senior woman administrator.
Entry
Clarion-Ledger to Suspend Beat Coverage of Jackson State
By bryanflynnThe twists and strange turns of the 2015 Jackson State football season continued today as the Clarion-Ledgers announced it was going to halt beat coverage of the team. This decision was made after JSU stopped making players and assistant coaches available to the media on Tuesdays and Wednesdays before practice.
Since Harold Jackson was fired on October 6, the Clarion-Ledger says that JSU has violated its own media police by only making interim head coach Derrick McCall available to the media. The only time since Jackson was fired that players and assistant coaches were allowed to speak to the media was after the Tigers 28-22 loss to Alabama A&M this past Saturday.
JSU stated that mid-term exams as the reason players weren't made available and this week announced it was a coaches decision not to let them speak to the media. Due to only one person's view point, coach McCall, the C-L decided not to have a beat reporter cover Jackson State until the matter is resolved.
While it is unusual for local media to not cover a team, it is not unheard of even in this age of mass media. Last August, the Miami Herald stopped covering Florida International football after their beat reporter was denied credentials to the beat reporter.
The Clarion-Ledger says their beat reporter spot for JSU will remain vacant until the matter with the university is resolved. Reporter Antonio Morales will move to different sports coverage including other SWAC schools.
