Jackson Free Press

2007 JFP Voter's Guide: Ag Commish Getting It From Both Ends

Agriculture Commissioner Lester Spell is under attack this year, and faces stiffer competition than in earlier years.

Reporters Committee Urges ABA to Reject Access Limit

[verbatim] July 26, 2007 -- The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press urges the American Bar Association to reject proposed resolutions that would drastically limit public access to criminal …

Bringing Nature Back to Gardening

Akia Chabot fits in nowhere, yet everywhere. The Australian native, with his master's in Environmental Management, teaches the natural poetry of permaculture with his wife, Rebecca, a Mississippi native who …

Transcript: 2007 JFP Interview with DA Faye Peterson

Interview by Adam Lynch

In 1997, when I started working at the public defender's office, I got hired when they were trying to create this drug court prosecution thing, because drug cases were lingering …

Transcript: JFP Interview with DA Candidate Robert Smith

Interview by Adam Lynch

How old are you?I'm 36.

Abused Girls Sue State

The top administrator of Columbia Training School directly ordered that girls be shackled at the ankles for as long as a month, in violation of state policy and federal law, …

Amnesty For Gang Bangers?

During the recent national debate over the since-failed Senate immigration bill, pundits like conservative talk-radio host Kim Wade misrepresented the compromise bill as an "amnesty" for illegal immigrants. Partly because …

Protect Yourself From Auto Burglary

Why am I typing this at 4:30 AM? My sister called and said that someone broke into her van and stole her car radio. Before you say, "I'm leaving Jackson," …

The Guest Worker Gaffe

In my first immigration column on JackBlog -- a posting that unleashed a lengthy, and at times hateful, dialogue about immigration -- I had initially intended to discuss one aspect …

Stop Supporting Abuse, Governor

Patrick Gregory, DHM, sent the following letter to Gov. Haley Barbour on July 2, 2007.

BREAKING: Invite Suggests Melton Fundraiser for Sheriff Candidate

A document (PDF, 40 KB) received via fax by the Jackson Free Press makes it appear that Jackson Mayor Frank Melton is planning a fundraiser at his home for Hinds …

Purvis: ‘Melton Did Not Put Me in the Race'

Jackson 2000 held a district attorney candidate forum today at noon at Schimmel's. The Jackson Free Press moderated, asking questions provided by audience members. We will have a full report …

BREAKING: Taylor Headed Back to Jail?

Sources inside Hinds County say a 17-year-old companion of Mayor Frank Melton may need to turn himself back in to Hinds County authorities due to an administrative error regarding his …

Back to the Past?

Spanking could be on its way back to Jackson Public Schools if some board members have their way.

A New Sheriff? JFP Interview with Malcolm McMillin

My opposition in this race, their mantra is, "It's time for a change." Not that I've done a bad job, but that it's time for a change, just a change …

This is a poem?

Welfare Poem

While using a search engine, I saw a "poem" on an e-zine where the owner of the site says that he or she is not the author. Well, I'll give …

Then There Were Six

An additional four staff members at Columbia Training School have been suspended with pay, bringing the total to six, according to Department of Human Services Director Don Taylor. DHS is …

[Kamikaze] Three Strikes, And You're Out

I was browsing through a copy of the Mississippi Link the other day, and I was hit with a startling reality. It was a moment of clarity like no other. …

We Are Family: A Klan Child Fans A Different Flame

Photos by Kate Medley

Little Shirley Seale was in her room at the back of her wood frame house when she saw flames through her window. The Natchez girl, who was 5 in 1968, …

Guarding White Christians

The first Seale on record was a bodyguard—at 6-foot-6 and 300 pounds, Solomon Seale guarded King Alfred the Great, who ruled as the "King of the Anglo-Saxons" from 871-899. According …