Jackson Free Press

Strong Mayor, Weak Council

42 candidates are looking to claim a seat on the Jackson City Council in this year's elections. All have high aspirations, but many don't know what they're getting into.

Intellectual Delinquency

"The Beats: A Graphic History" (Hill and Wang, 2009, $22) is a graphic biography of the close-knit group of avant garde macho writers of the 1950s and '60s like Jack …

Grocery Gratification

When I go to the grocery store, I try to conserve the resources of both the planet and my wallet. Now that several grocery sale ads are delivered to Jackson …

Replacing Mr. Peanut

In the past few years, Americans have seen a surprising number of food contamination incidents. Most recently, 46 states reported the appearance of salmonella in peanut products, which was followed …

Choosing a Furry Family Member

After losing my Basset Hound, Charlie, to cancer a couple years ago, I decided to wait a while before getting a new pet. I just missed my floppy-eared friend too …

[Johnson] The Death of Birth

Biologist E.O. Wilson calls the stunning destruction of wildlife on our planet "the death of birth." We all must die in time, and there is a natural justice to the …

Illegal Raids Costing City

The city is forking out big money for illegal business closings, but not nearly as much as it could be. Deputy City Attorney Pieter Teuwissen told City Council Monday afternoon …

Gambling Remains a State Growth Industry

Despite tough times in Mississippi, casino gambling revenue saw another increase last month. Players lost $232.9 million in March, according to an Associated Press report published on Forbes.com, up from …

From Taxes to Integration: Tea Partiers Decry Federal Meddling

The local version of nationally coordinated Republican tea parties Wednesday offered plenty of red meat—from cries against "socialism" to a speech using racial integration as an example of how federal …

Party People! Debate!

This is why I enjoy the circus. This is why I enjoy large crowds mingling with one another.

Yesterday, droves of party-people strolled along the Capitol lawn holding poster boards with messages- presumably drawn by their preschool-aged children- voicing their opinions about the horrors of taxation. Sweet tea …

Submit Questions, Get Tickets for April 23 Mayoral Debate Now!

The Jackson Free Press is a sponsor of the April 23 debate featuring Democratic candidates for mayor of Jackson at the Jackson Convention Complex. You can watch a feed of …

[Kamikaze] The Dark Side of Elections

Election years are always bittersweet for me, especially in Jackson. This city is abuzz with frenetic energy—some good, some bad.

Trim Your Own Mustache

Before undertaking the growth and ultimate design of your mustache, be sure to consider the opinions and feelings of spouses, significant others, friends and family who also have to live …

Contractor Sues Toyota, Barbour

A Jackson-based contractor is suing Gov. Haley Barbour, the Mississippi Development Authority and Toyota for denying it the opportunity to bid on a lucrative contract for the $1.2 billion Toyota …

[Stiggers] Finance Pimpin'

Mr. Announcement: "In the ghetto criminal justice system, the people are represented by two members of the McBride family: police officer and part-time security guard at the Funky Ghetto Mall, …

[Carter] Standing in Solidarity

The morning of Feb. 12, 2008, was sobering for the students of E. O. Green School, in Oxnard, Calif. At 8:15 a.m., 8th-grade student Brandon McInerney walked into a computer …

Robert Day

After shuffling the deck of Bicycle playing cards multiple times, magician Robert Day was prepared to choose my card. Judging by the complexity of this "illusion," I was sure he …

Squeezed by Taxes? You're Not Alone

Chewing some gristle on tax day? Here's a bit of news for you. Mississippi's two Republican senators in Washington, D.C., Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker, voted for another tax break …

The 2009 JFP Interview With Faye Peterson

Faye Peterson dropped out of the Jackson mayoral race last week, though some joke she more likely dived out the window just to get away from the crowd.

Bacon Forever

Over the past few years, I have become obsessed with the idea of pairing sweet and savory flavors in odd ways, pushing my taste buds to new limits. Often, I …