Jackson Free Press

Vying for Mississippi Governor: The Issues Post-GOP Debate and Beyond

Find out where top candidates in the race for governor stand on issues like Medicaid expansion, private school vouchers, teacher pay, mental health, abortion rights, and more.

Dem At Your Own Risk

The year 2000 was the dawn of the tort-reform craze in Mississippi, when out-of-state groups like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce poured money into state elections in an attempt to …

Mike Espy Boosts Young House Candidate With Endorsement, Data

Brandon Rue, president of a student organization at the University of Southern Mississippi called Common Causeto, plans to run as a Democrat for Mississippi House District 102, the state legislative …

Blows, Bullets, Tears: History, Civil Rights Museums Open Amid Hope, Distrust

Myrlie Evers never mentioned Donald Trump by name but said that she sees prejudice, hatred and negativism today she never thought she would see again.

Most Intriguing People of 2015

The JFP presents the most intriguing people of 2015.

Day 3: Defense Down to 2 Witnesses, If That

Reporting by Brian Johnson

After examining their witness list, based on the judge's limitations on discussion of past drug activity on Ridgeway Street, defense attorneys' acceptable list of witnesses has dropped to only two …

Can We Be In A Band?

<b>Jackson Chicks Want In On The Scene</b>

As a rapper, as a female, Rachel James has run into a few problems. In studios, she has tried to get serious about her rhymes. She's approached producers—looking sexy, or …

Ending the Silence

Bringing Rape and Sexual Assault out of Shame's Closet

Anthony Sowell had been out of prison about three years after serving 15 for attempted rape when he ran into Gladys Wade outside a neighborhood store in Cleveland, Ohio, on …

Barbour: 'Why I'll Veto the Tax Bill'

*verbatim via e-mail* There has been a lot of discussion over the past few days about Senate Bill 2310, which proposes to eliminate the sales tax on groceries and increase …

Making of a Landslide: Chokwe A. Lumumba and a Changing Jackson

Primary night wasn't supposed to end that way. Chokwe Antar Lumumba could not possibly beat nine Democratic opponents outright and avoid a run-off. Here's why he did.

Engineering Victory: Joce Pritchett Wants to be State Auditor

Mississippi pride runs deep for Jocelyn Pepper Pritchett, who goes by Joce (JO-see). The only time she has lived out of state was when she was away at graduate school, …

Race Leaves Mark in Mayoral Race

The votes are in for the 2009 Democratic primaries, and the Jackson mayor's race seems to fall along racial lines. Mayoral candidate Marshand Crisler, a Ward 6 councilman, did well …

Hood Takes Gloves Off Over Barbour Ballot Scheme

[Verbatim from Attorney General Jim Hood] Jackson, MS-Gov. Haley Barbour's ill-conceived attempt to gain a partisan political advantage for his party and violate state law is an embarrassment for both …

BREAKING: Melton to Veto Payroll

Mayor Frank Melton vowed to veto an amendment City Council made to the city's payroll this morning.

Meeting Addresses Crime, Calls for Tax Increase

Straight talk was the theme at a March 27 town hall meeting on Jackson crime at the Board of Education auditorium in downtown Jackson. The meeting, hosted by the Jackson …

O.J. Simpson in trouble again

Does anyone think this is the nail in O.J.'s coffin, or will he get out of this somehow?

Unless you've been living under a rock, you've probably heard that Simpson has been arrested this past weekend for an alleged armed robbery in which he claims that he was …

[Balko] How Many More Are Innocent?

Calculating the percentage of innocents now in prison is a tricky and controversial process. In hundreds of cases, courts have overturned convictions due to lack of evidence, recantation of eyewitness …

[Balko] ‘It Opened Our Eyes'

How the paths of two very different families crossed to cheer the release of a wrongly convicted man.

The Changing Saga of ‘Two Lakes'

Last week John McGowan of McGowan Working Partners LLC visited us here at the JFP offices for a marathon lunch session to discuss his "Two Lakes" project.

2012 Legislative Session Ends

The mood in the Mississippi House chamber after Rep. Mark Formby made the motion to adjourn sine die was similar to the last day of school before summer vacation.