Jackson Free Press

Alison Hogan and Andrew Ross

From the night that Alison Hogan and Andrew Ross met, they never wondered whether they were going to get married. They just assumed it. "It's very cliché," Alison says, "but …

2013 Chick Ball is Saturday!

The Ninth Annual JFP Chick Ball is Saturday at Hal & Mal’s to raise funds for the Center for Violence Prevention. Doors open at 6 p.m.

City of Jackson Reaches $89.8 Million Settlement with Siemens

The City of Jackson has reached a $89.8 million settlement with Siemens Inc., Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba announced yesterday.

Mississippi Speaker Touts Rural Broadband Law, But Questions Remain

When Mississippi House Speaker Philip Gunn began looking at ways to solve the lack of high-speed broadband access that plagues much of rural Mississippi last summer, he turned to utility …

Women, Whiskey, Watchdogs (and Dead Bills) at Session's End

Late in the 2018 legislative session, Rep. Jeff Smith, R-Columbus, talked about a night that his son broke curfew. His boy had spent his father's money on "whiskey, women and …

Farish Street Affordable Housing Hits Snags

Not everyone is supportive of expanding the pastel-painted affordable housing units in the Farish Street Historic District.

Lumumba Calls 'Foul' on MBI's New Position on Officer-Involved Shootings

Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba says the Mississippi Bureau of Investigations alerted the City of Jackson last week that it will no longer take on officer-involved shooting cases in Jackson.

Espy to Join Hyde-Smith for Debate As 'Hanging' Backlash Grows

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Mike Espy has accepted an invitation to join incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., for a runoff debate that will be broadcast across the state …

Best of Jackson: Household 2019

When you have a house, sometimes things break or malfunction. That's where this year's 2019 Best of Jackson Household pop-up ballot winners come in. No matter what the repair is, …

Trent Lott Ties, Civil Rights Rulings Plague Trump Judge Pick from Mississippi

An embattled Mississippi judge's nomination to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans faces opposition from civil rights groups that claim he has a poor record on …

Using the KKK to Fight Abortion Rights

Groups such as the Ashburn, Va.-based Radiance Foundation have used ads to cast abortion as akin to genocide of African American children. Others are crying foul play.

‘They Want a Roe Test Case’: 15-Week Abortion Ban Moving Forward

For eight months, the nation's toughest abortion bill hung in limbo. The 2018 Mississippi Legislature sent the Gestational Age Act, called HB 1510, to Gov. Phil Bryant, who signed it …

Woman Sues City of Jackson, Alleges Pay-to-Play Scheme, Sexual Harassment

Mayor Tony Yarber and the City of Jackson are facing another lawsuit alleging sexual harassment from a former employee, except this time the former Equal Business Opportunity manager asserts that …

NAMIWalks for the Mind of America: Help me "Stomp Out The Stigma of Mental Illness"!

I am writing you today to tell you about an upcoming event that I am

I am participating for the third time because I am a member of NAMI, and I have struggled in the past with panic attacks, depression and suicide. Because of my …

Factchecking the Gang Law Bill, Sponsor’s Inconsistencies

"Some of these gangs certainly are (solid criminal enterprises), but it's not clear which ones, and I don't know that they know, either," de Gruy said. Furthermore, the public defender …

City Web Site Needs Help

I've tried to stay off the "city's website sux" bandwagon for as long as possible because (a.) I know firsthand that it's a pain in the arse to design and …

Whistleblowers and Secrecy?

I'm going to be blogging about this issue on my About.com site, but I'm mentioning it here because I'm annoyed at the way our local newspaper has covered it.

Ode to a Mother's Love

These days, everything reminds me of my mom. I was in a department store about two weeks ago and saw an adult daughter and her mom shopping for an Easter …

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 …

Let It Shine

I'm not going to tell a lie: One of the reasons I left my home state back in 1983 was religious intolerance. That makes it all the more ironic that …