Jackson Free Press

Lewis Leaves City Job, Seeks Council Seat

Jackson City Council President Dr. Leslie McLemore has confirmed that former Community Improvement Division Code Enforcement head Joe Lewis left his city job as of last Friday to pursue the …

Mississippi's Infant Mortality Rate Rises

WLOX in Biloxi is reporting:

W-P: GOP Considers Postponing Convention

Faced with the prospect that Hurricane Gustav would make landfall on or shortly the GOP convention begins, the Washington Post is reporting that the GOP is considering a delay for …

House Passes Resolution to Extend Session

Lawmakers in the Mississippi House passed a resolution yesterday to extend the current session for 30 days.

Lawmakers Deadlocked on Budget

The Mississippi Legislature is taking another two weeks off before returning May 26 to grapple once again with the state's $5 billion budget for fiscal year 2010, which begins July …

Voter Fraud ... Wink, Wink

The JFP's Ayana Taylor is the only journalist who has really gotten inside the Voter ID issue--and challenged its supporters to explain just why this regulation is needed. The issue …

Senate Passes Bailout Plan 74-25; Wicker and Cochran Oppose

In start contrast to the House of Representatives Monday, a bipartisan majority of senators voted for a bailout plan tonight. Mississippi Sens. Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker were among the …

Barbour Declares State of Emergency Due to Gustav

[Verbatim from Office of Governor] (JACKSON, Mississippi)--Today Governor Haley Barbour issued a State of Emergency for the State of Mississippi due to the threat posed by Hurricane Gustav, which has …

Mayoral Candidate Announces First "Jackson Speaks"

Jackson mayoral candidate and Democratic state Sen. John Horhn has announced the first of seven town-hall style meetings called "Jackson Speaks." The purpose of the forums is to give Jacksonians …

Macon, Miss., Contractor Escapes; 11 More Troops Killed

AP is reporting: "In a daring escape, American hostage Thomas Hamill pried open the doors of the house where he was being held late Sunday morning and ran a half-mile …

AG Forms New Domestic Violence Unit

[verbatim] Jackson, MS*Attorney General Jim Hood kicked off National Domestic Violence Awareness month (October) today with the announcement of a newly established unit to combat Domestic Violence in Mississippi. The …

Mississippi Test Scores Show Mixed Results

The Mississippi Department of Education released 2009 state school test results today showing slight gains in some areas and decreases in others. The 2008-2009 school year was the second year …

Just In: Delaughter Voids Barbour's Election Date

Late today, Hinds County Circuit Judge Bobby Delaughter ruled in favor of Attorney General Jim Hood's argument that Gov. Barbour was acting unconstitutionally by trying to force Mississippi voters to …

Public Meetings This Week

Monday, Sept. 14

4 p.m., Jackson City Council, special meeting in the City Hall council chambers, 219 S. President St.

Melton Sues Democratic Committee

Earlier: Melton to Democratic Party: 'Go to Hell'

Fondren's Cosmo Tots Expanding

Swanky children's apparel store Cosmo Tots will soon expand to include clothing and accessories for women. The boutique, which carries designer clothing and accessories for babies and children, opened in …

Hood: State Auditor Disrupted Beef Plant Sting

Attorney General Jim Hood confirmed Monday that State Auditor Phil Bryant had interrupted investigative efforts to obtain evidence against beef-plant owners. Hood's written statement to the media came after lieutenant …

2009 Legislature Convenes in Old Capitol

Perhaps as an omen to the contentiousness ahead, the Mississippi Legislature convened the new session Tuesday in the restored Old Capitol—the building where Mississippi once voted to secede from the …

Scurlock's Donuts To Open Downtown

Local breakfast hero Mark Scurlock is opening a second location for his donut shop, Scurlock's Donuts, in the heart of downtown Jackson. Beginning the last week of August, the un-sugared …

Rights Museum Hidden Costs, Lobbying Questioned

As a vote to approve a controversial placement of a new civil rights museum looms, a commission member is saying that extra taxpayer costs of locating it in a planned …