Jackson Free Press

BREAKING: Judge DeLaughter Arraigned in Bribery Scandal

JFP coverage of DeLaughter and Peters

2009 College Football Preview

Triggerman. Signal-caller. Pivot. Field general. By any name, the quarterback is the most important player on the field.

State Segregating Mentally Ill

One night last fall, Watson Dollar became angry when his mother would not let him drink from her water bottle. At the time, Pam Dollar was fighting a cold and …

Linnie Gordon and Charlie T. Hubbard

Linnie Gordon and Charlie T. Hubbard believe in patience and letting things happen as they may. In their case, patience and time proved to be a gift.

30 Under 30

Mynelle Gardens, on Clinton Boulevard, is a botanical wonderland. There are seven acres of nooks and crannies—a perfect setting for romantic walks.

Blowin' In The Wind

Last week Vice President Dick Cheney's Chief of Staff, I. "Scooter" Libby, was indicted for perjury and obstruction of justice in an investigation into how the identity of a covert …

Why They Kill

Despite popular belief, violent criminals aren't born with a moral screw loose. They're not even turned into criminals because they grow up in single-parent homes (although having two good parents …

Health Reform Moves Ahead

The Mississippi Legislature is debating laws that conform to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, even as legal challenges to the act continue.

The Poverty-Crime Connection

If you struggle to pay your bills and don't know where your next meal is coming from, studies show you are more likely to be incarcerated. Once you fall into …

Who's In a Gang? Who Uses Crack?

State and local jurisdictions develop their own definitions of "gangs," which can lead to confusion and ill-defined fears of gang violence. The Jackson Police Department does not have an official …

Muscle Meets Bivalve

John McGowan and McGowan Working Partners laud the city of Jackson's economic benefit of the Two Lakes plan, a proposed project that would dam the Pearl River and create a …

Southern Republicans Hold Up Bailout

The Jackson NAACP, the Mississippi AFL-CIO and supporting organizations protested Mississippi Republican senators' opposition to a bailout bill for General Motors and Chrysler at the State Capitol Tuesday. U.S. Senate …

Barbour: ‘I Expect There to Be a Debate'

At a press conference that just concluded at the University of Mississippi, Gov. Haley Barbour said that the debate is happening Friday night, as far as he is concerned: "It's …

Weed and Seed: Successes and frustration with community policing

The duties of a policeman share a similarity to that of firefighting in that the majority of effort exerted by law enforcement usually happens after the brunt of the damage …

Hello, Neighbor

On a recent visit to Oktoc, Miss., my aunt showed me a relic from my family's past. If this archaic machine could talk, it would tell stories about a community …

Scruggs' Indictment Shaking State

Attorney Paul Minor is serving 11 years in federal prison for paying off campaign loans for a Democratic Mississippi Supreme Court judge. Guaranteeing loans to the campaigns of supreme court …

Melton Budget 'Smoke and Mirrors'

The City Council cut short a budget session last week after the Melton administration failed to present detailed budget revisions.

Public Meetings and Community Events

6 p.m. Jackson City Council Meeting at Jackson City Hall (200 S. President St.). The City Council holds its regular meeting, open to the public. Free; call 601-960-1033.

A Walk In The Sunshine

In Mississippi, two laws govern public records and meetings—the Public Records Act and the Public Meetings Act. These acts make clear the obligation of all levels of government, whether state, …

Drinking Wine with a Vulcan

Photos by Caroline Lacy

"You don't seem like the Trekkie type," people say. I suppose they are referring to my lack of computer skills or that I would much rather shop instead of argue …