Jackson Free Press

Brown: Governor Will Cut School Funding

State Rep. Cecil Brown is warning that Mississippi's children will be the ultimate losers in the current budget battle if the governor gets his way. In an e-mail sent to …

County Supes Want to Dispute Fee

Hinds County is looking to dispute a $237,784 severance fee it owes the Pearl River Basin Development District. The state Legislature rendered the county's participation in the multi-county district optional …

JPS Superintendent Earl Watkins Resigning

After months of controversy stemming from a sexual harassment charge by a male educator, JPS Superintendent Earl Watkins announced tonight that he is resigning, effective June 2009.

Horhn Suggests State Rebate To Generate City Revenue

"The question has often been asked of me by some of my saner friends, 'Why on earth would you want to be mayor of Jackson?' To that point, my reply …

Melton Announces Progress: ‘Crime Is Down'

Jackson Mayor Frank Melton released this statement (PDF, 257 KB) yesterday touting "progress" in the City of Jackson.

Coal Plant Tax Cut: Is it $160 Million or $1.32 Billion?

The House Ways and Means Committee may be making a $1.16 billion miscalculation regarding an ad valorem tax exemption bill for a Kemper County coal plant. The committee appears to …

LoungeList Photos: Best of Jackson 2009

Thanks to everyone who came out last night to the Best of Jackson 2009 party to see the awards given away, experience a wonderful new venue -- the Auditorium -- …

UPDATED: Melton Bodyguard Wright Pleads Guilty, Resigns

Read: Adam Lynch's breaking Ridgeway coverage

Attacks Rock London

AP is reporting:

Four blasts rocked the London subway and tore open a packed double-decker bus during the morning rush hour Thursday, sending bloodied victims fleeing in the worst attack on London since …

Council Votes ‘No' on Library Name, ‘Yes' on Payroll

On Monday, the Jackson City Council voted down an ordinance renaming the Northside public library in honor of the late Jackson Advocate publisher Charles Tisdale, and voted for the city …

Doris Shavers' Family: Melton Lied

Shalandria Shavers, the 21-year-old daughter of domestic-violence victim Doris Shavers, and James Hopkins, Shavers' brother, served notice today to the city of Jackson and Mayor Frank Melton of a wrongful-death …

Jackson Gets a Taste of the Caribbean

The hungry downtown crowd has spicy new option for lunch, thanks to husband and wife duo Richard and Chandra Higgins. The two opened up Taste of the Island Caribbean Take-Out …

Tye's Restaurant to Host Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Today

As part of the ongoing downtown rebirth, Tye's Restaurant will have its grand opening today, beginning at 4:30 p.m. with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Afterwards, Thursdays at the Plaza kicks off …

Democrats Need Not Apply?

Political leaders in Terry are booting Democratic candidate Cedric Abston from the Terry mayoral ballot for the second time. Terry election commissioners Lessie Hayes, Shauna White and Kelsie Bloomberg opted …

Arkansas Shooter Pleads Not Guilty After Confession

This morning, Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhammad, 24, a Little Rock man formerly known as Carlos Bledsoe, pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder and 15 counts of engaging in terrorist activities. Muhammad …

MBN Seeing Spike in Meth Labs

Drug dealers and producers are getting smarter, says the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics. The agency is seeing a rise lately in methamphetamine labs and in the numbers of cocaine investigations, …

Feds: Melton Jury's Racial Makeup is Not a Factor

Also see: Full JFP Melton Blog/Archive/Trial Documents

Federal prosecutors argued Monday that concerns about racial demographics of the jury pool for Jackson Mayor Frank Melton's upcoming federal re-trial should not factor into the jury selection process.

AP: Obama DOJ Releases Secret Bush Terror Memo

The Associated Press is reporting:

Barbour and Hospitals Battle Before Judge

Attorneys for Gov. Haley Barbour and the Mississippi Hospital Association swapped arguments today before Hinds County Chancery Court Judge William Singletary. The Mississippi Hospital Association and a group of about …

Jackson Run-Off and ‘Two Lakes' Open Thread

All, the debate is over, so tell us what you thought. Did you learn something new? Did you hear something you liked? Didn't like? Did it affect your vote? What …