Story
Will Miss. School Funding Formula Survive?
The gap between MAEP, the school funding formula, and money state lawmakers appropriate could widen to more than $300 million.
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Books
Llama Llama's Patient Mama
Our old friend Mama Llama is back, and she sends the kids into the playroom to play together while she sits down to enjoy a cup of tea with a …
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Film
No Rules for Money
You may wonder why anyone would invest time, money and energy in making a film about such a loathsome character.
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Music
Sweet Caroline
"I think it's quality music, and people like to listen to intelligent music and listen to views that might not be their own. I hope they have a good time …
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Sports
Capital Sports
The Jackson sports landscape in the capital city and surrounding areas has changed a lot since the JFP was born 10 years ago.
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JFP Top 25: Week 3
It was another shakeup weekend. While Alabama and LSU proved again that they are the best in college football, other top teams fell.
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City & County
City Denies JPS Budget Increase
The Jackson City Council voted Friday to deny Jackson Public Schools the extra $2.7 million it requested for the upcoming fiscal year.
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City & County
WeatherVision Joins with JSU
WeatherVision has been bringing local weather forecasts to communities across the country for more than two decades.
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National
Stinker Quote Of The Week: "Disgraceful"
“I’m outraged by the attacks on American diplomatic missions in Libya and Egypt and by the death of an American consulate worker in Benghazi."
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Letters
Making Roads Safer
Imagine driving behind someone who is swerving from side to side. For years, we would have probably assumed that driver was drinking and driving.
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Development
Downtown's Hidden Boom
Downtown Jackson is in the middle of a hidden economic renaissance.
Entry
Reflecting on the JFP's Mission As We Turn 10
By Donna LaddI swear: The last decade feels like a blur. It's been such a ride here at the Jackson Free Press. As we've been putting together the birthday issue that hit the streets today, we went through 10 years of issues. I also re-read our old business plan, mission, cause statement: even found rough drafts and old possible names for the paper. (We even considered "Jackson Weekly" early on; thank goodness we didn't go with THAT!? I mean, we're a daily now online and on mobile, so that would have problematic.)
One thing I found was this draft "mission statement" and this list of goals we set up in 2002 for the paper. It makes me feel warm and fuzzy now to know how many of these high-falutin' goal we managed to conquer. See for yourself:
September 2002: The JFP's Mission What: "Our mission is to provide straightforward, in-depth, well-reasoned and insightful reporting about news, politics and cultural events in Jackson."
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We will entertain and challenge readers with knowledgeable and critical coverage of Jackson’s cultural strengths.
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We will present a news voice that appeals to the under-served people of the community.
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We will encourage civic participation and voting.
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We will promote diversity through hiring, reportage and viewpoints, distribution and active solicitation of non-white businesses in our advertising pages, calendar, classifieds and one-to-one pages.
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We will recruit and train journalists and other staffers and contributors from under-served communities.
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We will promote locally owned businesses over corporate and big-box outlets and provide a marketplace for entrepreneurship and enterprise that improves Jackson and its neighborhoods.
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We will encourage and watchdog intelligent redevelopment of downtown Jackson.
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We will cheer on an artistic, creative, inclusive approach to quality-of-life improvements.
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We will work to encourage health and wellness in the community every way possible.
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We will play an active role in building a diverse and cohesive progressive community that will attract positive economic development and Mississippi’s best, brightest and most creative people."
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Business
Living Local
When the Jackson Free Press launched in 2002, one of our primary goals was to help strengthen locally owned businesses.
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Business
Smoke and the City
Mississippi is one of only 10 states that hasn't adopted a statewide ban, but several cities have passed ordinances against smoking in public places, including Jackson.
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Eating Out
Rise of the Foodies
There has never been a better time to be a foodie in Jackson. A decade ago, the city enjoyed plenty of quality chefs, but diners rarely knew them by name.
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Food
From the Garden
One area where the Jackson area bloomed in the past 10 years--literally!--is in terms of local and organic food, foodies and gardens.
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Body+Soul
Fitness Reawakening
It's an oft-quoted statistic that Mississippi is the most obese state and has been for a while. But in the capital city, at least, folks are working together to get …
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Art
The Paradox
When it comes to the arts in Jackson in the last decade, art enthusiasts are quick to point out that the city has made great strides.
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JFP
How Far We've Come
At the first installment of the Blender series this summer, That Scoundrel, James Crow, 5th Child and Furrows performed, attracting both rap and rock fans to Martin's.
