Jackson Free Press

Pallet Ping-Pong

Photos by Adam Lynch & Jaro Vacek

Jackson Mayor Frank Melton is continuing the war with A-1 Pallet Company this week, saying he will move ahead with the proposed demolition of the company despite a strengthened restraining …

Clarion-Ledger Gets Homicide Facts Wrong

To boot, this is a dramatically wrong statement. (Thanks to golden eagle for catching it.)

In a front-page story today, The Clarion-Ledger reported on the city's rising homicide rate, warning that the 36 to date this year is approaching the "record of 57 in 2004"—incidentally …

A Sense of Urgency: Sen. John Horhn Pledges to Cure What Ails City Hall

Sen. John Horhn may have been in the Mississippi Legislature for 24 years, but the Jackson man doesn't always get what he wants.

Melton: Back on the Job?

Mayor Frank Melton held a press conference as his 2 Carter's Grove residence today to announce his return from heart surgery in Texas.

No. 14, December 22-28

<b><u>Boot Camps Won't Work</b></u>

I have to give the mayor credit for identifying a problem and then attempting to deal with it, even if it is in the mode of Don Quixote slaying windmill …

[Balko] Vanishingly Rare Misconduct Citations

In 2007, a court tried Sonya and Joseph Smith for felony murder in connection with the 2003 death of their 8-year-old son, Josef, who medical examiners said was beaten and …

[Balko] More Democracy, More Incarceration

Last year the U.S. prison population declined for the first time in a generation. That's good news, but it doesn't begin to offset the damage done by a 30-year incarceration …

Factchecking McCain on Small Biz

In all of Sen. John McCain's hand-wringing recently over Sen. Barack Obama's tax plan, there's something I have never seen said plainly enough that I'd like to state for the …

Hands Off the Levee Board

We weren't surprised to learn that supporters of the Two Lakes Pearl development project are pushing the state Legislature to take more control of the local Levee Board—reconfiguring the appointees …

[Carter] Standing in Solidarity

The morning of Feb. 12, 2008, was sobering for the students of E. O. Green School, in Oxnard, Calif. At 8:15 a.m., 8th-grade student Brandon McInerney walked into a computer …

Pity Would Be No More

In a few hours, I would be leaving Africa. After two weeks traveling through Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon and the Central African Republic with New York Times Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Nick …

Oversee This, But Not That

The governor's office put the lockdown on money going to the Partnership for a Healthy Mississippi last week after the state Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the agency can no …

Of Lady Killers and 'Good Behavior'

Citizens can feel secure knowing that the men in green and white stripes working on the road crews are not rapists or murderers. Mississippi law says that violent criminals are …

Police: Melton Contaminates Crime Scenes

WAPT is reporting that the Jackson Police Officer Association is complaining to the City Council about the mayor's disruptions in the department, and blaming his interference for low morale among …

Judge Sets Rules For 'Inflammatory' Melton Trial Evidence

A federal judge heard arguments Friday on admitting evidence in the civil rights trial of Mayor Frank Melton and his former police bodyguard, Michael Recio. Most of the five-hour hearing …

Musgrove Camp Decries Scruggs Smear

Sen. Roger Wicker's supporters at the National Republican Senatorial Committee are attempting to link his Democratic opponent, Ronnie Musgrove, with incarcerated lawyer Paul Minor, as well as Mississippi attorney Richard …

Hood Threatens Insurance Industry

Attorney General Jim Hood attacked State Farm Fire and Casualty Co.'s decision last week to suspend new home-owners and commercial insurance policies in Mississippi. Hood said the national insurance company …

Property Issues Stall Critical Water Line

Jackson Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. said the city could have avoided two massive city-wide water failures this year had owners of a historic fishing club not stalled construction of a …

Changing the Face of Highway 80

In 10 years, the Highway 80 corridor will look nothing like it does today if the city of Jackson has its way.

Barbour Comparison Off the Mark?

Gov. Haley Barbour made national news again this week by comparing health-care reform—as envisioned in the U.S. House and Senate—to the horror of the Jonestown massacre. Speaking as chairman of …