Jackson Free Press

Rep. Lester 'Bubba' Carpenter: 'Deeply Sorry' for Racial Comments

State Rep. Lester "Bubba" Carpenter, a Burnsville Republican, this morning walked back racially charged statements made public over the weekend about the Initiative 42 schools-funding referendum.

McQuirter: Stop Hinds County’s Bleeding

Darrel McQuirter met the Jackson Free Press for an early breakfast at a Clinton restaurant to dish on running for reelection while shaping the county's budget.

Justice, Hope and Hurricane Katrina

Re-housing residents along the Mississippi coast became the most daunting problem of the post-Katrina recovery—logistically and politically speaking.

Scrap MAEP?

The Mississippi Adequate Education Program, a formula the state uses to level funding for the state's K-12 public schools, is wrong, according to state Auditor Stacey Pickering.

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Hinds E911 Fund Almost Empty

Hinds County's emergency-communications system is in a state of financial emergency.

Chris Maloney

Chris Maloney, a native and resident of Jackson, is trying to help coach the St. Louis Cardinals to their 12th World Series title.

Low-wage Jobs Fuel State Economic Growth

Right now, Mississippi's economy is doing better than the U.S. on average—but probably not for long.

Police: Multiple Suspects in Virden Killings

Family members of Jason Murphy and A.J. Barber, and residents of the Virden Addition are still looking for answers about the boys' murders on July 21.

JSU: Domed Stadium Not Dead

Vivian Fuller, the athletic director for Jackson State University, says that plans for the domed venue for the college are still very much alive.

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Jackson Housing Chief Open to Selling Midtown Units

Sheila Jackson, executive director of the Jackson Housing Authority, says she is considering making the rental duplexes at its Midtown housing development available for purchase at some point in the …

Ten Downtown Bars Could Receive Resort Status

Ten more downtown watering holes could receive a designation from the state to stay open—and keep pouring booze—until the wee hours of the morning.

Mississippi's Flag: A People Problem

Long a lightning rod, the Mississippi state flag has come under fresh scrutiny in recent weeks following a mass killing of nine African Americans at a church in South Carolina.

Ex-Supe Denies Redistricting About Race

George Smith, the former president of the Hinds County Board of Supervisors, denies that race played a role in crafting the county's redistricting plan.

Hotel Business and Price Gouging Increase as Isaac Approaches

Attorney General Jim Hood warned Mississippians about the potential for price gouging as Isaac draws near.

Pearl Mall: Symbol of Misplaced Priorities?

The Outlets of Mississippi, a retail shopping center located near Interstate 20 in Pearl, opened this morning with ribbon-cutting ceremony that Bryant and other officials attended.

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Ole Miss Moves Toward Healing

Less than one day national election results sent racial tensions perilously close to boiling over into a much uglier episode, Ole Miss students are quickly moving towards healing and reconciliation.

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Gung Ho on Guns

By some measures, guns did not have a good year in the Mississippi Legislature.

Stamps Wants Discernment, Small Pool for Mayor's Race

In a scene reminiscent of the dramatic cable series "The Wire," Ward 4 Councilman De'Keither Stamps invited potential mayoral contenders and city contractors to a City Hall press conference this …

War of Words Begins in Mayor’s Contest

When the robots begin calling, you know the race has begun. Before she announced that she had indeed decided to seek the mayor's office, Ward 7 Councilwoman Margaret Barrett-Simon was …

Costco Looms Over City Economic Development Talks

Big-box retailer Costco, which had been flirting with building in Jackson and is now in talks with Ridgeland officials, loomed large over today's City Council budget hearings.