Jackson Free Press

Community Events and Public Meetings

Town Hall Meeting March 31, 10:30 a.m., at Central United Methodist Church (500 N. Farish St.). The topic is "Why Vote? What Are the Issues?" The event includes a presentation …

Rape Victim: Fix the System

A rape victim asked Gov. Haley Barbour why he was allowing her rapist out on furlough. His answer may surprise you. Or maybe not.

[Mott] ‘Bring On the Rest'

Driving away from Parchman Penitentiary on the night Mississippi executed Joseph Burns, I was having trouble putting my feelings into words. I had just watched a man die in front …

Media Fell Down on Melton Beat

The other night at Symphony at Sunset in Fondren, I was talking to a local newspaperman who told me about a lie Mayor Frank Melton had told publicly during his …

Aloha, Jackson

When we boarded our plane in Dallas bound to Honolulu in January, I'd had only had two hours' sleep. Inevitably, I tossed and turned in anticipation of getting up at …

WLBT Sold; Melton Era Ends

Last month, Raycom Media completed its acquisition of 15 stations formerly owned by Liberty Corp., including Jackson's own WLBT. In August 2005, Raycom, one of the national's largest broadcasters based …

County Audit Reveals Swap Risk

Hinds County may have earned almost $4.5 million from a complex financial deal, but few in the county appear able to explain where the money went.

Political Parties Neck-and-Neck in Mississippi

Mississippi is the second-most conservative state in the union, according to a poll released last week. The Republican Party, however, holds only a one-percentage point lead over Democrats in the …

An Imperfect Storm

On Monday, March 7, Gov. Haley Barbour delivered a hardcore ultimatum at the Capitol. "We cannot tax or cut enough in three and a half months to cover a $268 …

[City Buzz] Colonel Snoop Reporting for Duty, Sir

JACKAL SMOKED OUT … Like the rest of the world, Jacksonians of all political persuasions were all aglow in the days leading up to Christmas over the capture of long-time …

Home, Sweet Homestead

Last week, The Jackson Free Press ran a story about Jackson Mayor Frank Melton's dual residency in Texas and his filing for homestead exempt status in Tyler, Texas, rather than …

Mental Health Funding Under Knife

Advocates for a state-funded mental hospital in Newton are pleading with state legislators to keep its doors open next year.

The Death of Grass Roots?

The Web site http://www.grassroots.com isn't exactly what one would expect. There aren't any passionate people promising to stand up for issues, no local communities to join, no petitions to sign. …

BREAKING: Mississippi Minority Contractors Sue Toyota

[Verbatim statement tonight:] Jackson, MS (March 31, 2009). Jackie Williams and Renna Fisher, African American principals of Fish & Fisher, a ten-year old construction company, have filed a civil racial …

[Saldaña] La Nueva Estrategia del Sur

In Mississippi's first elections since the explosive national immigration bill debate, candidates across the political spectrum are lining up to take their best shot at undocumented immigrants. It's a no-holds-barred …

Fear of a Brown Planet?

Over at Reason mag, David Weigel is calling out immigration hawks ... for racism?

A Mortgage Crisis of Bush's Making

The New York Times had the must-read story of the month Sunday, dissecting how the policies of Bush and friends created the deep mortgage crisis we're facing today:

Blogging, the Dems and Trent Lott

A New York Times editorial today: "H. L. Mencken is said to have guffawed and slapped his thigh in delight at times as he would write about a typical day …

In From The Storm

Ondria Thompson, 38, and her daughter, Tia Johnson, were standing on the balcony of a looted hotel when the floodwaters came raging out of the levee and took St. Bernard …

City Makes Letter to Ledger Public

Letters to the Editor

This (so-far-unpublished) letter to the editor of The Clarion-Ledger about an Eric Stringfellow column came around this week in the mayor's weekly newsletter: [verbatim from here]The letter below is from …