Jackson Free Press

Lanekia Brown, a beautician, was awaiting trial on Dec. 23, 2018, for marijuana possession when …

• May 17, 2021

Mother Died in Madison County Jail After Pot Arrest, Family Sues for Negligence

Attorney Derek Sells of Cochran Firm accused those who run Madison County Detention Center of being in the practice of ignoring "serious medical conditions of inmates and just leaving them …

Mississippi Justices Toss Voter-Backed Marijuana Initiative

The Mississippi Supreme Court on Friday overturned a medical marijuana initiative that voters approved last fall. Six justices ruled that the medical marijuana initiative is void because the state's initiative …

Sewage Overflows in Jackson: A Lawsuit and an Emergency Cleanup Contract

On April 1, Carroll and Linda Rhodes filed a lawsuit against the City of Jackson seeking $500,000 in damages, saying the City's actions in diverting sewage from a collapsed sewer …

Mississippi Marijuana Proposal Hits Snag Over Public Notice

Signature gathering will be delayed for a broad-based marijuana legalization proposal in Mississippi because of an error in notifying the public about the ballot initiative, the secretary of state's office …

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• May 5, 2021

Amazing Teens 2021

This year's Amazing Teens have all accomplished something that not many can claim: They completed the entirety of the last school year in the midst of a pandemic.

‘Rebel’ Businessman Dumps Suburban Waste into Jackson Sewage System

Andrew Walker, 71, may find himself in prison after pleading guilty to conspiring with others to wrongfully discharge 3 million gallons of industrial waste between December 2016 and October 2017 …

Mississippi Asserts It is Meeting Mental Health Mandates

The Mississippi Department of Mental Health says it is fulfilling requirements to provide community-based services, and it is asking a federal judge not to order the state to make changes …

Republican Sen. Angela Hill of Picayune argued in favor of the transgender sports bill, and …

• May 3, 2021

Analysis: Mississippi Legislators Sidestep Some Division

Mississippi lawmakers grabbed national headlines this year by banning transgender athletes from competing on girls' or women's sports teams. They walked away from some other divisive issues during their three-month …

Governor Tate Reeves Signs New Executive Order

Today, Governor Tate Reeves signed Executive Order 1551. This order will go into effect at 5 p.m. on April 30, 2021. This new executive order repeals all prior orders.

Ward 7 Gets $22 Million, with $2 Million to Ward 2 in Four Years from 1% Tax

One out of every three dollars that the City of Jackson spent from the 1% sales-tax revenue from 2017 to 2020 went to Ward 7, a Jackson Free Press analysis …

Hinds County Announces Rental Assistance Program

Residents of Hinds County experienced financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic can now benefit from $7 million in federal rental aid, the Board of Supervisors announced Tuesday, April 20.

Groups Plan Effort for Mississippi Voting Rights Restoration

Three groups will sponsor an initiative to try to simplify the way Mississippi restores voting rights to people convicted of some felonies, a person involved with the effort said Monday.

Mississippi Ends License Requirements for Some Beauty Jobs

Mississippi no longer requires professional licenses for people who offer low-risk beauty services, a change that will save residents thousands of dollars and hours of time spent on training.

Conservation Groups Sue Engineer Corps Over Yazoo Pumps

A coalition of conservation groups is suing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers over a massive flood-control project in the south Mississippi Delta they say was hastily approved in the …

Justices to Hear Mississippi Marijuana Initiative Arguments

The Mississippi Supreme Court is set to hear arguments Wednesday in a lawsuit that challenges the state initiative process and seeks to block development of a medical marijuana program.

An Eye on Equity: Clinic for Uninsured Offering Johnson & Johnson Vaccine on Saturdays in April

Jackson Free Clinic is offering a COVID-19 vaccination to anyone interested for the three remaining Saturdays in April—10th, 17th, and 24th.

Mississippi Hospital Association President and CEO Tim Moore and others established Healthcare for Mississippi, a …

• April 8, 2021