Jackson Free Press

Thompson Retains Advantage in Second District

Second Congressional District U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson has the financial edge on campaign contributions and political action committee money this year as he cruises into the November elections against his …

What's In A Sledgehammer

This unsung word derives from two Germanic roots, the Old English "slegce," which means heavy hammer and is related to "slean," which means to strike or slay, and the Old …

The Real Sarah Palin Unveiled

Now, it seems, we're going to hear all about the woman who helped McCain lose the election. A Newsweek story out today starts telling the rest of the story:

Artists To Watch

<b>Skipp Coon</b>

You gotta love the new mayor of Jackson. No, not that one. Skipp Coon, born Joecephus Martin, calls himself "the mayor of Jackson," and even raps about the current mayor …

Drama and hysteria don't change the world

After getting sucked into a couple different JFP conversations about the (over)reaction to recent Census numbers (the most recent one here), I've been thinking a lot about drama and the …

'I'm gay': NBA Player Jason Collins Breaks Barrier

For more than a decade as a professional athlete, Collins remained silent about his sexuality, worried about what teammates, opponents, fans — the world, really — might think.

Amid Abortion Debate, the Pursuit of Science

For the last decade or so, Tracy Weitz has been one of the most prominent abortion researchers in the United States.

Films, Flying Cars and John Krasinski

Though he is best known for his role as Jim Halpert on the hit NBC television series "The Office," John Krasinski has been in films such as "Away We Go," …

Behind the Badge: Two JPD Officers Who Shot Multiple People in Jackson

After about a year of asking, the Jackson Free Press learned the names, current status and in eight out of nine cases, the details of officer-involved shootings since Mayor Chokwe …

Who Owns ‘Local' Media?

"Did you know this was happening? Have you heard about it in the local or national news?" wrote Federal Communications Commissioner Jonathan S. Adelstein in the San Francisco Chronicle on …

The Klansmen Bound: 43 Years Later, James Ford Seale Faces Justice

Photos by Matt Saldaña and Kate Medley

Shuffling behind a young black woman in an identical orange jumpsuit, James Ford Seale entered the fourth-floor courtroom of the James O. Eastland Federal Building in Jackson on Feb. 22 …

[Sawyer] The Patriotism Problem

It's hard to remain calm in war. It evokes something within each of us that pulls at our very core. Crying mothers of soldiers, the piles of body bags in …

[Browning] As Good Fridays Go

I am constantly haunted by water. I try to drink eight full glasses a day, swim as often as possible (the dog paddle is my favorite stroke), do some menial …

The Second Storm

Last week, the House released "A Failure of Initiative," a report on the government's failures in Katrina. The report details the "organizational paralysis" that bottled up critical information for hours, …

40 Acres and a Duel

When James Stern arrived at Mississippi State Penitentiary's medical Unit 31, fellow black inmates debriefed him on one of the unit's infamous residents: Edgar Ray Killen.

[Editor's Note] Grow Old With Me

The longest day of my life started on a tropical island. It was oh-dark-thirty, so early in the morning that it was still night. I had only taken a short …

Deterrence: Not What You Think

Once a person has committed a crime and is in the prison system, what works and what doesn't to deter ongoing criminality?

[In Memory] Florence Mars, 1923-2006

I didn't know Florence Mars growing up in Neshoba County. She was from a different part of town—the side that had old money. I don't have memories of her walking …

Grand Plan or Grand Goof?

<b>Opposition to Nuclear Reactor Builds</b>

Entergy has applied for a permit that could increase employment in the Claiborne County area by about 300 individuals. The same permit could possibly increase the $600,000 already allotted to …

Artists To Watch 2003

Matthew Magee and Allison Jenkins formed their band, Wooden Finger in September of 2004. "We are a melting pot of influences," Jenkins says. "Our influences come from bluegrass, ambient and …