Jackson Free Press

West Nile Claims First 2009 Victim

Yesterday, the Mississippi State Department of Health reported the first death of the 2009 season due to West Nile virus. The deceased was from Washington County in the Delta. Three …

JPS Employee Raised Overbilling Concerns in 2008

Over a year ago, a Jackson Public Schools employee warned supervisors that a private tutoring company may have overbilled the district by $400,000 or more. To date, JPS has not …

Mayor Johnson: ‘Look Behind' Millsaps Report

Jackson Mayor Harvey Johnson continued to push back this afternoon against a report commissioned by Ward 1 Councilman Jeff Weill on the Jackson Police Department's staffing. The report, authored by …

Young Philanthropists Host Baby Shower

"Labor of Love," the area's largest baby shower, will take place tomorrow, Aug. 20, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Schimmel's Restaurant (2615 N. State St.), providing an opportunity for …

Anti-War Demonstrators March on Washington

AP is reporting:

Crowds opposed to the war in Iraq surged past the White House on Saturday, shouting "Peace now" in the largest anti-war protest in the nation's capital since the U.S. invasion.

The Katrina Effect: National and State Politics After the Storm

Read Adam Lynch's in-depth analysis of how the inadequate response to Hurricane Katrina on Mississippi's Gulf Coast and in New Orleans—and the fact that so many people still leave in …

PSC's Presley ‘Frustrated' at Mixed Messages Over Entergy

Mississippi Public Service Commissioner Brandon Presley is frustrated at conflicting reports from a sister agency about an audit of Entergy's rate increases in the state. The Public Service Commission refused …

14 or More Schools Will Operate In Red As a Result of Education Budget Cuts

[Verbatim From the Mississippi Department of Education] Jackson, MS – A detailed district-by-district spreadsheet of the Mississippi Adequate Education Program (MAEP) was released today to superintendents to review the impact …

Attorney General Settles With State Farm

Attorney General Jim Hood just sent the following statement, verbatim:

Biloxi, MS-Attorney General Jim Hood announced the settlement of the state's breach of contract suit against State Farm, which was filed after State Farm refused to comply with a January, …

Dems: Stop the ‘Smear Campaign'

AP reports today:

Democrats stirred the pot Thursday in the case of presidential aide Karl Rove and the news leak that unmasked a CIA agent, pushing the issue toward the Senate floor, pressing …

Supreme Court Upholds Drug Lawsuit

Yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of consumers and against drug makers, upholding a $6.7 million award to a musician who had her arm amputated following an injection.

Clinton's Plan for ‘Forgotten' Afghanistan

Hillary Clinton's Plan for the Forgotten Front Line in Afghanistan

With the Mississippi primary next week, suddenly the Clinton campaign is courting Mississippi voters with a vengeance. This is one of her statements that are filling our inbox today/verbatim:

Chris Mims

Director of communications is one of the first administrative positions that Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. filled when he took office earlier this month. His choice for the job was Jacksonian …

Melton Memorial Tomorrow

A memorial service for Jackson's late mayor will be held at noon Tuesday at Thalia Mara Hall in downtown Jackson.

Dee, Moore Lawsuit Goes Forward

Read the JFP's Dee-Moore archive here for background and complete stories.

City Using ‘Old' Money for Paving Efforts

The city is moving forward with a massive repaving effort as crews grind out and cover sections of some of the city's most beleaguered roadways. The road work, touching down …

Gannett Rewards Moon with $3.7 Million

Amid tanking stock prices, pay freezes and unpaid employee furloughs, USA TODAY publisher Craig Moon will walk away with at least a $3.7 million retirement package, according to the Gannett …

Obama Is In the Race ... or Almost

He has launched his new presidential exploratory Web site, where you can read a transcript, or watch a video, of Obama explaining why he is (almost) in the race:

Public Meetings This Week

Monday, Aug. 3

Jackson Public Schools special meeting, 5:30 p.m. school board meeting room, 621 S. State Street.

FEMA Aid in Reach

While Jackson residents may have received denial letters from FEMA in the weeks following the April 4 tornadoes and storms, they may still be able to get aid. Some residents …