Jackson Free Press

MDOC, Private Prisons on Trial

Located in Leake County, Walnut Grove opened in 2001 for children convicted as adults in criminal court, and has been the subject of nearly ongoing scrutiny for civil-rights violations.

Stalemate at the Jail

The inability to come to a consensus over fixing Raymond Detention Center was again thrust into the spotlight recently following a scathing report of a Hinds County grand jury that …

Programs Boost Hope for JPS, Youth

Several area initiatives aimed at Jackson Public Schools could spark improvements for young people in the capital city.

Family Seeks Justice for Black Man Found Hanging From Scott County Tree

Willie Jones Jr.'s family has joined forces with the the Scott County Chapter NAACP, New Black Panther Party, Jackson Chapter Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, and two Jackson-based pro-bono lawyers to …

OPINION: Factchecking Hyde-Smith, She Lied About Pre-Existing Conditions

U.S. Senate candidate Mike Espy has campaigned on protecting health insurance coverage for pre-existing conditions. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith has voted to destroy, repeal and deny that coverage in both the …

Trademark Tussle: Ole Miss Objects to Similar New Miss Logo

A documentary about Mississippi Delta sharecropper and civil rights icon Fannie Lou Hamer will open the 10th season of the Emmy award-winning PBS series, America ReFramed.

The JFP Interview with Steve Simpson

When Stephen Simpson stands over you with his 6-foot-7-inch frame, you might want to think twice before disagreeing with him. The Republican will tell you that "it's easy being on …

Turnabout: Melton Changes Story About Leak

When he was head of the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics, Jackson Mayor Frank Melton leaked a memo containing accusations that would later be disproved about agency personnel to The Clarion-Ledger. …

Melton's Honeymoon, Part IV: Getting What We're Paying For?

When Frank Melton first became Jackson's mayor, he walked into a virtual black forest of uncertainty. The city had been facing a steady flight of residents to bedroom communities for …

DOSSIER: Hinds Doc Destruction Still Threat; Disrespect in Green's Court; N-JAM Club

If you've been reading Seyma Bayram's coverage of the Hinds County Board of Supervisors and my previous Friday columns, you know that she was shocked to discover that the county …

JPD Under Fire In Abortion Clash

Jackson police stood with full riot gear in Smith Park downtown on July 15, ready to take on protesters in the country's abortion battle. Both sides were poised for battle …

Bill Minor: ‘I Hate to Be So Blunt'

Mississippi journalist and columnist Bill Minor spoke with Adam Lynch of the Jackson Free Press yesterday about his views on the prosecution of his son, Paul Minor, and discussed the …

Melton On Trial, Again

Mayor Frank Melton's second trial for the Aug. 26, 2006, demolition of an occupied duplex at 1305 Ridgeway St. will allow him less room to maneuver than his first. Melton …

Supreme Court: Fairview Illegally Zoned

The Mississippi Supreme Court refused to revisit its August decision regarding a four-star bed and breakfast in Jackson. The court had earlier decided that the city of Jackson had illegally …

Day of Reckoning

The thrice-delayed federal civil-rights trial of Mayor Frank Melton and bodyguard Michael Recio began this week, ending a long process of pre-trial maneuvering.

Community Events and Public Meetings

UMC Blood Drive., at University of Mississippi Medical Center (2500 N. State St.). Mississippi Blood Services will take donations. Please bring ID. Call 888-902-5663. Donate at these locations and times:

F.A.Q. on U.S. Aid to Egypt: Where Does the Money Go, and How Is It Spent?

Questions about the United States' aid to Egypt have intensified in the wake of last month's military coup. More than 1,000 Egyptians have been killed in the last week, most …

Judge Green Warns Attorneys on Gag Order

BREAKING

Hinds County Circuit Judge Tomie Green held a hearing today at 11 a.m. to weigh sanctions against attorneys in the Ridgeway case for violating a gag order she issued last …

Got Training?

Hyde-Smith Bill Targets Medication Abortions with 'SAVE Moms and Babies Act'

U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith is joining other anti-abortion politicians who are increasingly prioritizing legislative efforts designed to restrict access to federally approved abortion medication.