Jackson Free Press

Plan Could Allow State Takeover of F-Rated Schools

Mississippi lawmakers are considering a sweeping plan that could remove more than 100 low-performing schools from local school board control for unknown periods of time.

Community Shred Days Friday and Saturday

Obama Presses on with GOP Charm Offensive

Punctuated with the sounds of ringing phones and clinking china, President Barack Obama's new legislative diplomacy has Republicans wondering what took so long.

Forest Service May Let More Fires Burn

After coming in $400 million over budget following last year's busy fire season, the Forest Service is altering its approach and may let more fires burn instead of attacking every …

U.N. Sanctions May Play Into North Korean Propaganda

Seven years of U.N. sanctions against North Korea have done nothing to derail Pyongyang's drive for a nuclear weapon capable of hitting the United States.

Furlough Plans Vary Widely at Gov't Agencies

Federal workers could face seven days of furloughs at the Housing and Urban Development Department, but Homeland Security personnel might see twice that number.

Local Option Dies Again

Once again, the Mississippi Legislature has left Jackson Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. with a local-option sales-tax law he refuses to implement.

Dirty Soil and Diabetes: Anniston's Toxic Legacy

For four decades, from 1929 until 1971, a Monsanto plant in West Anniston produced chemicals called PCBs, polychlorinated biphenyls.

Howell and Gillom Trophy Finalists

Earlier this week, the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame announced the three finalists for the Howell and Gillom Trophies.

Miss. Dems Seek New Approach on Medicaid Expansion

Democrats in the Mississippi Legislature say they're trying a new approach to push for Medicaid expansion—an issue they support and Republican leaders oppose.

FBI Monitoring Investigation of Candidate's Death

The FBI said Wednesday that it has been monitoring the state investigation into the death of an openly gay mayoral candidate in Mississippi, but the agency didn't indicate it had …

FAA to Close 7 Airport Control Towers in Miss.

Seven air traffic control towers in Mississippi are among 173 scheduled to be closed nationwide in early April, as the Federal Aviation Administration shuts off funding for those services.

Ads Out of Closet, Into Mainstream with Gay Themes

Something has happened in advertising over the last two or three years, nearly two decades after Ikea broke ground in the U.S. with a TV spot featuring a gay couple …

Furious Over Sanctions, N. Korea Vows to Nuke U.S.

North Korea vowed on Thursday to launch a pre-emptive nuclear strike against the United States, amplifying its threatening rhetoric hours ahead of a vote by U.N. diplomats on whether to …

Efforts to Avoid Gov't Shutdown Move to Senate

If Congress can avoid another budget crisis, it could clear the way for lawmakers and President Barack Obama to restart talks on a longer-term deficit reduction plan.

House Passes Home-Brewing Bill, Sends It to Bryant

The House has sent a bill to Gov. Phil Bryant that would legalize home brewing in Mississippi.

Jeb Bush 'Not Saying No' To a Presidential Run in 2016

Jeb Bush has long resisted pressure from supporters to run for president. Now the former Florida governor is signaling that he's at least open to the idea, a shift that …

Gig: Social Storyteller

I've always wanted to be a journalist. My mother used to say I had to be the first to know it and the first to tell it.

Arkansas Lawmakers Override Veto, Make Most Restrictive Abortion Ban Into Law

Arkansas lawmakers overrode a veto Wednesday and gave the state the most restrictive abortion law in the country — a near-ban on the procedure from the 12th week of pregnancy …

The Slate

March Madness officially begins as NCAA teams begin conference tournaments over the next seven days.