Jackson Free Press

John R. Kelly

Gov. Haley Barbour appointed John R. Kelly to the Mississippi State Board of Education yesterday. Kelly's term begins July 1, and the state Senate must confirm him. His term expires …

Moran Tackles PERS, Eminent Domain

Connie Moran, Democratic candidate for treasurer, promised to keep the Public Employees Retirement System intact if she is elected.

Better Late Than Never?

District Attorney-elect Robert Smith got a nice boost from the Supreme Court less than 24 hours into his successful run-off against former Hinds County District Attorney Faye Peterson. Using $160,000 …

[Alert] Support Public Education Today

Here's what you can do right now to demand full funding of Adequate Education. An alert just in from Parents for Public Schools; the Jackson Free Press stands with PPS …

DHS Wants Training School Lawsuit Dropped

Last week, the Mississippi Department of Human Services filled a motion to dismiss a lawsuit, filed on behalf of eight teenage girls, who guards reportedly shackled, and in other instances …

Mason: No Plans for Public Input on Merger

As Jackson State University President Ronald Mason Jr. shook hands at a forum last Friday at Koinonia Coffee House in Jackson, he sought to quell concerns about a possible HBCU …

Eminent Domain: A Lawsuit Waiting to Happen?

The Mississippi Constitution is a tough thing to change. While state law allows voters to amend the Constitution by approving a ballot initiative, it also prohibits ballot initiatives from changing …

Commission Readies School Consolidation Report

A governor-appointed panel is set to issue its final recommendations on school district consolidation in the next month. The Commission on Education Structure met at the state Capitol today to …

Board Approves University Tuition Hikes

The state College Board approved tuition increases for Mississippi's eight public universities at a meeting this morning. The increases, which will take place over two years, are necessary to offset …

MEMA Reports 12-Hour Shifts; Tankers of Water from Coast

The following is a list of actions being made by state and voluntary agencies:

[Verbatim statement] PEARL –The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency continues to help cities and counties with the ongoing water emergency. The State Emergency Operations Center in Pearl is under partial activation, …

Legislative Update: It's About Money, Stupid!

The Mississippi House of Representatives deeply involved itself in appropriation bills last week. The House is up against a March 12 deadline to weigh in on "money bills" originating in …

FEMA To Cancel No-Bid Contracts

The front page of The Clarion-Ledger almost looked like a real newspaper today. The lead story is a combo wire/local effort about how FEMA is cancelling no-bid contracts. Of course, …

Anna Lee Dillon

Anna Lee Dillon, 25, knows that perseverance is key to making a change. When her father, Sherman Lee Dillon, founded Jackson's Earth Day festival 15 years ago, it was a …

Louie Miller

Mississippi Sierra Club Director Louie Miller, 50, is nothing if not a pit fighter. He might smile for his pictures, but don't be fooled. Miller can be foul-mouthed and irascible, …

Analysis: Mississippi Will See Big Turnover of State Offices

Mississippi this year will have its biggest shake-up of statewide offices in a generation, no matter who wins in November.

Analysis: Leaders Say Reducing State Budget Meets GOP Goal

There has been plenty of hand-wringing about the Mississippi budget the past several months, with Republican Gov. Phil Bryant making multiple rounds of cuts because tax collections fell short of …

All Citizens Files Reports Despite Founder's Africa Trip

Bishop Ronnie Crudup of New Horizon Church International left for Africa on Oct. 7, but that didn't delay the filing of the Federal Election Commission report for his super PAC, …

Analysis: 2015 Republican Primary May Grow Again

The recent Republican U.S. Senate race won by Thad Cochran may be a sign that Republican dominance in general elections will finally translate into GOP primaries that are larger statewide …

City In Recovery

A spring storm went overboard last Friday, spawning about five tornados in the Jackson area and leaving a large portion of the city and some adjoining communities without power well …

[City Buzz] No. 22 February 14 - 21

Dennis Grant, Probation Services Company Offender Services Coordinator said in a letter to Mayor Melton that he has not received proof of Melton's recent surgery in Texas. Melton's bond for …