Jackson Free Press

Rep. Akin Apologizes But Won't Leave Senate Race

Missouri Rep. Todd Akin apologized Monday for his televised comments that women's bodies are able to prevent pregnancies if they are victims of "a legitimate rape," but he refused to …

People’s Assembly on Police Reform Reveals Civil Review Board in Progress

Efforts to reform Jackson policing will include increasing investment in community alternatives to policing, members of the City's criminal-justice task force told participants at the Jackson's People's Assembly virtual forum …

JPS Mulls Lake Hico’s Future, Proposes Advisory Committee

As Entergy's lease of Lake Hico as a cooling pond for its electricity plant located between Northside Drive and Watkins Drive ends Sept. 30, it presents an excellent opportunity for …

Deploy Dark Fibers To Meet Broadband Need, Policy Makers Say in Zoom Call

Deploying unused fiber optics already in the ground may bridge the digital divide in Mississippi, guests at a virtual town hall organized Thursday by Rep. Debra Gibbs, D-Jackson, said.

PUBLISHER'S NOTE: Big Changes for Jackson Free Press in January 2021

Along with changes on the national level, I've got several changes to report on the local JFP front, effective with this issue.

Public Shooting, Doing ‘Donuts’ Could Become Felonies with Full Jackson City Council Support

Concerns about indiscriminate shootings spurred the Jackson City Council to support House Bill 854, which proposes increased penalties against the practice. At its Jan. 27 meeting, the council voted unanimously …

Daggers Drawn: Lumumba and Stokes Trade Blame As City Suffers Water Crisis

Amid a water crisis in the wake of a serious winter-weather storm, Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba and Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes gave dueling statements during the week, trading accusations …

‘Figure Pulled Out of the Sky’: Mayor Swipes at Council for Approving $500,000 for Deputies

Putting $500,000 into the hands of the Hinds County Sheriff's Department to put deputies in the capital city is "fiscally irresponsible," Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba told the Jackson Free Press …

Misdemeanor Holding Facility Could Open in Jackson in Old Juvenile Detention Center

Holding cells to hold misdemeanor offenders could soon open in Jackson if the council approves the move after an evaluation process.

Lumumba Pushes Back Against EPA Order as Water Issues Plague South Jackson

Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba pushed back against the Environmental Protection Agency’s latest notice of non-compliance in his weekly press briefing, citing supply-chain issues beyond his control.

Report: Detroit's Finances Crumbling; Future Bleak

Detroit is broke and faces a bleak future given the precarious financial path it's on, according to a new report out by the city's state-appointed emergency manager.

Jackson is a Playful City; Natron Mill; Small Business Optimism; Disaster Loans

On Monday, May 13, Gov. Phil Bryant visited Natron Wood Products, which announced that it is preparing to build a plywood mill in Louisville that will create more than 200 …

Growing Push to Halt Workplace Bullying

Margaret Fiester is no shrinking violet, but she says working for her former boss was a nightmare.

Fla. Politician Resigns, 57 Charged in Scandal

Florida's lieutenant governor resigned and nearly 60 other people were charged in a scandal involving a purported veterans charity that authorities said Wednesday was a front for a $300 million …

States Wrestle with 'Gambling' Rooms in Fla. Probe

The charity-run businesses under investigation in a Florida gambling probe started popping up in strip malls about six years ago and rapidly spread as the unregulated stores became a billion-dollar …

Bradley Manning Trial Begins; Could Last All Summer

More than three years ago, Army Pfc. Bradley Manning was arrested in Iraq and charged in the biggest leak of classified information in U.S. history.

A New Dynamic for City Hall?

There was a key moment during the final mayoral debate between Mayor-elect Chokwe Lumumba and former opponent Jonathan Lee when Lumumba defused Lee's main line of criticism by explaining how …

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Facts Matter; So Do Stereotypes

Disparities between whites and people of color in the United States, and Mississippi, are still wide, and they result from years of historic racism and inequality.

Interview: Is the World Ready for Another George Bush?

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — George Prescott Bush is gearing up to run for a little-known but powerful office in a state where his family already is a political dynasty and …

Prospect for Quick End to Shutdown is Remote

Prospects for a swift end to the 4-day-old partial government shutdown all but vanished Friday as lawmakers squabbled into the weekend and increasingly shifted their focus to a midmonth deadline …