Jackson Free Press

McQuirter: Planting the Seeds

Darrel McQuirter, a Hinds County department head who took a leave of absence to run for the District 2 supervisor's seat, is putting his job on the line because he …

Council Passes $502.5 Million Budget

Jackson Mayor Chokwe Lumumba is aware that his controversial budget, which the city council passed Sept. 12 with a 5-2 vote, would ruffle some feathers. But he's OK with that. …

Lion Around ‘A Quiet Town’

Zach Lovett and Spencer Thomas of Dandy & the Lions always dress to impress and are all around dapper, humble fellows.

Syria Gives Russia Chemical Weapons Evidence

Syria has turned over materials to Russia which aim to show that a chemical weapons attack last month was carried out by rebels, a top Russian diplomat visiting Damascus and …

Lumumba, Chamber Break Sales-Tax Impasse

Jackson Mayor Chokwe Lumumba says he has found a way around the sales-tax commission issue, which has kept the city leaders from putting a 1-percent sales tax to a vote …

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Brazil Looks to Break from US-Centric Internet

Brazil plans to divorce itself from the U.S.-centric Internet over Washington's widespread online spying, a move that many experts fear will be a potentially dangerous first step toward fracturing a …

White House Criticizes Lawmakers Opposing Gun Bill

President Barack Obama's spokesman on Tuesday criticized lawmakers who have stood in the way of expanded background checks for gun purchases and said the White House will continue to push …

Poverty Stuck at 15 percent, Record 46.5 Million

The nation's poverty rate remained stuck at 15 percent last year despite America's slowly reviving economy, a discouraging lack of improvement for the record 46.5 million poor and an unwelcome …

Reeves Flexes at Budget Hearings

Mississippi Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann plans to have the state's voter-identification law in place by spring or summer of 2014.

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Gunman Navy Yard Rampage Had Mental Problems

The former Navy reservist who slaughtered 12 people at the Washington Navy Yard had been hearing voices and was being treated for mental problems in the weeks before the shooting …

Miss. Agencies Submitting FY15 Budget Requests

Leaders of Mississippi government agencies are facing scrutiny as they request money for fiscal 2015, which begins July 1.

Stokes: Hinds Should Cash in from 'One Lake'

Despite still being years away from any dirt moving on the so-called One Lake project that aims to mitigate flooding and provide business opportunities along its shore, one member of …

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Public Universities Ramp Up Aid for the Wealthy, Leaving the Poor Behind

Many public universities, faced with their own financial shortfalls, are increasingly leaving low-income students behind.

Police Responding to Reported Shooter at Navy Yard

Several people were injured in a shooting Monday morning at a building at the Washington Navy Yard, the U.S. Navy said, and authorities searched for an active shooter.

10 Local Stories of the Week

There's never a slow news week in Jackson, Miss., and last week was no exception. Here are the local stories JFP reporters brought you in case you missed them.

President's Brother Key to Syria Regime Survival

He is rarely photographed or even quoted in Syria's media. Wrapped in that blanket of secrecy, President Bashar Assad's younger brother has been vital to the family's survival in power.

Jackson's Budget Gets Green Light

Jackson Mayor Chokwe Lumumba convinced the Jackson City Council to pass his proposed $502.5 million budget after holding two town-hall meetings and two public hearings.

What We're Seeing Now: Air Pollution and Climate Change

Scientists at Princeton, Stanford, Peking and Columbia universities as well as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration conclude that climate change will worsen air pollution, making it a more potent …

Jacksonians Speak Out at Town Hall Meeting

Last night, the city of Jackson and Mayor Chokwe Lumumba hosted a second town-hall meeting to address the proposed water-and-sewer rate increases, this time in the heart of Ward 3 …

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Consumers With Serious Medical Problems Need To Carefully Assess Total Plan Costs

One of the health care overhaul's most far-reaching provisions prohibits health plans from refusing to cover people who are sick or charging them higher premiums. Still, for people with serious …