Jackson Free Press

Toll in Texas Blast Rises; 12 Dead, 200+ Injured

The bodies of 12 people have been recovered after an enormous Texas fertilizer plant explosion that demolished surrounding neighborhoods.

Boston Bomber Suspect's Father: He's a 'True Angel'

MAKHACHKALA, Russia (AP) — The father of the suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing claims that his son who is still on the loose is a smart and accomplished young …

1 of 2 Boston Bombing Suspects Dead

Two suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing killed an MIT police officer, injured a transit officer in a firefight and threw explosive devices.

College Board Approves Plan to Divide State Aid

Mississippi University for Women, the University of Mississippi and Alcorn State University will get financial boosts under a new formula to distribute state money among Mississippi's eight public universities.

Bank Robbery in Fondren

Jackson Police responded to a bank robbery at 3:14 PM at the Regions Bank on North State Street.

Water, Water Everywhere

Jackson Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. wants to improve the city's water capacity with a 1.5 million gallon water tower at the corner of Fortification Street and Mill Street to be …

Consumer Groups Fear Patients Could Be Hit With Large Out-Of-Pocket Costs

Some consumers may continue to face out-of-pocket health costs of $12,500 or more next year—double the amount allowed by the health law—because the Obama administration won't enforce that provision for …

College Funding Formula Set for Full Board Vote

A College Board committee voted Wednesday to send a plan shifting how state money is distributed among Mississippi's eight universities to the full board.

Pa. Abortion Trial: Assistant Gave Anesthesia

A woman trained only as a medical assistant told jurors Wednesday that she gave anesthesia, set dosing amounts and performed ultrasounds when she worked at a now-shuttered abortion clinic whose …

For Wash. Government Bean-Counter, a Pot Education

Mike Steenhout knows spreadsheets, statistics and bean-counting. He has worked as a budget assistant to the governor, managed local operations for the U.S. Census Bureau and analyzed juvenile crime databases.

Image Leads to Hunt for Boston Bombing Suspect

The painstaking work to identify a bombing suspect from reams of Boston Marathon footage yielded a possible breakthrough as investigators focused on a man seen dropping off a bag, and …

Rescuers Search Rubble for Survivors at Texas Site

Rescue workers searched rubble early Thursday for survivors of a fertilizer plant explosion in a small Texas town that killed as many as 15 people and injured more than 160 …

Police Arrest Corinth Man for Poisoned Letters

Paul Kevin Curtis, 45, was arrested Wednesday at his home in Corinth, near the Tennessee state line.

Bryant Signs Charter School, Other Education Bills

Gov. Phil Bryant continues to tout the "transformative" potential of new education measures.

Obama Incensed at Background Check Vote, NRA Accused of Lies

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans backed by a small band of rural-state Democrats scuttled the most far-reaching gun control legislation in two decades Wednesday, rejecting tighter background checks for buyers …

Updated: Mississippi Man Arrested Over Poisoned Mail is Conspiracy Theorist, Elvis Impersonator

CORINTH, Miss. (AP) — A Mississippi man accused of mailing letters to national leaders with suspected poisonous ricin believed he had uncovered a conspiracy to sell human body parts on …

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Gig: Brain Boss

I've always wanted a job helping people. I knew someone on the Brain Injury Association of Mississippi board. That led me to know some brain survivors and I was fascinated …

Sports Grab Bag

No one single topic monopolized my attention this week, so, once again, here are my thoughts from all around the sports world.

Higher Scores

With the arrival of so many (finally legal) music streaming services over the past couple years--the Pandoras, Spotifys, Groovesharks, etc--we're easily sitting on the most musically-accessible era in history.

‘42’: Swinging a Heavy Bat

"42" hit a home run at the box office this past weekend, doing better in its opening debut than "Moneyball."