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Hinds Cornered on Inmate Medical Care
UPDATED 4:15 P.M.
The Hinds County Board of Supervisors voted today to approve a contract with Reddix Medical Group for medical care at the county jail. The board met this morning to approve …
Sounds Like …
No one likes talking to a music snob. Statements like "This isn't psych-pop, it's proto-shoegaze with a proggy, math-rock attitude" don't lend themselves to conversation. As a recovering snob, I …
Woodward Execution Date Set
Attorney General Jim Hood is asking the state of Mississippi to execute two death-row inmates, the first since 2008. Hood's office submitted requests to the Mississippi Supreme Court last month …
UPDATED: Feds Want Melton Gun Charge Dropped
Federal prosecutors plan to drop one of the three charges against Mayor Frank Melton and his former bodyguard Michael Recio, according to reports by WAPT and WLBT. Prosecutor Mark Blumberg …
Could Melton's Health 'Diminish' Case?
Mississippi College law professor Matt Steffey says that Mayor Frank Melton's health problems could diminish the "prosecutorial urgency" of the federal case against him for allegedly ordering the destruction of …
Schools Lagging on IDEA Stimulus Spending
Mississippi school districts have one year left to spend the $72 million remaining in a $116 million chunk of federal stimulus money for special education. Schools received the funds in …
New South Jackson Grocery Store Opening
The city of Jackson is set to dedicate $50,000 to transforming a former Kroger on Raymond Road into a Vowell's Marketplace. The new grocery store, a franchise of the Mississippi-based …
Calhoun Questions Youth Detention Center Staffing, Transparency
Hinds County's youth detention center is once again the target of criticism, despite the county's recent agreement with a watchdog group that has voiced concerns about the facility in the …
Teachers Fire Back at Film
In "Waiting for 'Superman,'" the provocative new documentary on America's education system, the trick is that the titular superhero doesn't exist. It argues that no single force will rescue the …
Rains Hurt State Fair, Helped Local Restaurants
The weather was unkind to the Mississippi State Fair last week, but the near-constant rain was a boon for one segment of Jackson: downtown restaurant owners. Fair director Billy Orr …
Candidate
The JFP Interview With Dave Dennis
In 1995, then-Mississippi Gov. Kirk Fordice announced his re-election campaign from the Gulfport home of Dave Dennis. Dennis had a lot in common with the governor. Both made their fortunes …
Cover
Give Me Shelter: Protecting Animals, Prosecuting Abusers
The mutt turned up in the Providence Madison subdivision one day in early October 2009 . A black and tan hound mix, around 7 months old, she was skittish around …
JPD Goes Reality TV
Jackson's 14 homicide detectives are about to get a taste of the limelight. As early as next month, field producers for the cop show "The First 48" will begin following …
Itawamba Student Sues District Over Rap
A year ago, the Itawamba County School District made national news for electing to cancel Itawamba Agricultural High School's prom rather than allow lesbian student Constance McMillen to bring her …
Politics
'So Be It': Ballot 'Trick' Fails
The Mississippi Supreme Court ruled last week that the U.S. Senate race between Roger Wicker and Ronnie Musgrove should appear near the top of the general election ballot, ending a …
Calhoun, Developer Spar Over Hinds TIF
The developer of a south Jackson housing development is asking Hinds County to support infrastructure developments, but at least one supervisor remains skeptical of the request. Clarence Chapman, principal of …
State Agency Finds JPS Violating Disability Law
Jackson Public Schools has one month to improve the way it educates special-education students, according to a Mississippi Department of Education's Nov. 22 decision. The decision states that JPS fails …
Today is D-Day for Controversial Bills
The Mississippi Legislature has one of its busiest days today as committees scramble to pass most general bills. State lawmakers have until midnight tonight to get committee approval for any …
New Challenges
Carolyn Meyers doesn't look much like her predecessor at Jackson State University, Ronald Mason, on paper or in person. The tall, arguably aloof Mason was not a researcher by training, …
Miss. Reps. Split on Auto Bailout
Mississippi's congressmen are divided on the prospect of a bailout for the domestic auto industry. Reps. Gene Taylor (D) and Bennie Thompson (D) voted for a $14 billion rescue package …
