Jackson Free Press

Obama, Republicans Cooperate on Spending, for Now

The Obama administration and congressional Republicans are quietly working in tandem to blunt the impact of short-term spending cuts.

Senate Panel Ready to OK Gun Background Checks

Democrats are ready to muscle expanded background checks and other gun curbs through a Senate committee, giving President Barack Obama an initial if temporary victory on one of his top …

Google Pays $7M Fine to Settle Wi-Fi Privacy Case

Google will pay a $7 million fine to settle a multistate investigation into a snoopy software program that enabled the Internet search leader to intercept emails, passwords and other sensitive …

All Over Again

Under a 2009 state law, Jackson has the authority to impose the tax with the approval of three-fifths of voters and with oversight from a legislative oversight board.

Charter Schools: The Devil's in the Details

Charter schools offer benefits, but the state must be cautious in using them. That mixed message emerged during a joint meeting of the Senate and House education committees yesterday morning …

Lumumba on Unity: ‘Stay; Give it a Shot

Chokwe Lumumba doesn't want any person or business to leave Jackson just because he will probably be the city's next mayor.

• 10 comments

Fort Hood Victims Upset; Suspect Can Question Them

Retired Staff Sgt. Alonzo Lunsford says he will never forget locking eyes with the gunman who entered a Fort Hood building Nov. 5, 2009, then unleashed a burst of gunfire …

500 Years Later, Theological Debate Still Simmers

Is God's saving grace free to anyone who accepts Jesus, or did God predestine certain people for heaven and hell before the beginning of the world? That's a 500-year-old question, …

Boehner: Congress Can Do Immigration This Year

With the Senate ready to cast the first floor votes on a landmark immigration bill, House Speaker John Boehner said Tuesday he thinks there's a good chance the legislation can …

Calif. Readies for Possible Return of Gay Marriage

Same-sex marriage supporters await a U.S. Supreme Court decision that will determine whether California's ban on gay marriages lives or dies.

Hood: Google Pushing Illegal Drugs

In the past six months, Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood has sued Entergy, Toyota and State Farm Insurance. Now he's got his eyes set on his biggest opponent to date: …

Federal Rule Allows Higher Out-Of-Pocket Spending For One Year

Starting next year, the Affordable Care Act sets maximum limits on how much consumers can be required to pay out-of-pocket annually for their medical care. But some people with high …

Texas Senator Filibusters Against Abortion Bill

Wearing pink tennis shoes to prepare for nearly 13 consecutive hours of standing, a Democratic Texas state senator on Tuesday began a one-woman filibuster to block a GOP-led effort that …

Idea Central to Escape From Poverty

It is vital to get food and necessities to the poor for basic day-to-day living. But to help people escape poverty, it takes the kind of programs that systemically enable …

Building Assets: A Path Out Of Poverty

Having a job that pays a living wage is only one aspect of lifting one’s self out of poverty.

Midwest Hit by its First Major Snowstorm of Season

The first major snowstorm of the season began its slow eastward march across the Midwest early Thursday, leaving at least three people dead, creating treacherous driving conditions and threatening to …

Jail 'Pipeline' Comes Into Focus

In DeSoto County Schools and Jackson Public Schools, more than 90 percent of school arrests are for misdemeanors, not felonies, which some say feeds the school-to-prison pipeline.

• 1 comment

Time Runs Short to Avert Longshoremen's Strike

In just a few days, a walkout by thousands of dock workers could bring commerce to a near standstill at every major port from Boston to Houston, potentially delivering a …

Last Ditch Effort to Avoid Fiscal Cliff Under Way

The end game at hand, the White House and Senate leaders launched a final attempt at compromise Friday night in hopes of preventing a toxic blend of middle-class tax increases …

NASA Planning a Road Trip for Mars Rover Curiosity

PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — Since captivating the world with its acrobatic landing, the Mars rover Curiosity has fallen into a rhythm: Drive, snap pictures, zap at boulders, scoop up dirt. …