Jackson Free Press

Sisters from Another Mister

Friendships, new and old, take commitment and self-sacrifice; but the rewards are plentiful.

Gerald Ford – 1913-2006.

The statement from his family did not list a cause of death. He was 93.

Four Things

Things I've Learned Since I've Been at the JFP:

1. Always park across the street. When I went to interview the Lettuce Ladies (on my second day) I parked directly in the parking lot of the gas station where …

Cult of ‘Objectivity' Is Destroying America

Anyway, here is some of what Krugman says. (Better late than never, I guess.):

So-called media objectivity is destroying our country, The New York Times' Paul Krugman is telling us on his blog. I've been warning about this he-said-she-said approach to journalism for years …

Giving Every Little Bit Counts

Every donation counts. No matter how much you have to give, the donations of everyday people like you and me make a difference in the lives of others.

Singing Without Shame

Jill Conner Browne, The Sweet Potato Queen, and I are pulling thick wires out of glittered sweet potatoes on a farm in Clinton. Inside a barn, two Sweet Potato Queens, …

Raised Garden Bed

Growing your own food is back in style. The popularity of books like "The Omnivore's Dilemma" shows that people are more concerned about where their food comes from.

Saturday Night Lights

"Yaw bee baw," then-Ole Miss football coach Ed Orgeron told offensive tackle Michael Oher when he was recruiting him.

Schools That Are Mostly Black, Latino Favor Starting Online

Districts where the vast majority of students are white are more than three times as likely as school districts that enroll mostly students of color to be open for some …

Shellheads: Fans Talk on the Heroes in a Half-Shell

Sergio Lugo II also serves as a host for Reality Breached, a podcast that developed into a network for additional locally produced podcasts.

Federal Judge Finds Hinds County in Contempt for Ongoing Jail Conditions

A federal judge has declared Hinds County in contempt of court, setting the path for receivership proceedings after the county, in a Jan. 21, 2022, motion, sought to end the …

Rusted Tin to Cotton Gin: A Trip on the Mississippi Blues Trail

Geographic routes of discovery on the Mississippi Blues Trail are as varied and plentiful as the paths weaving through the history of the music itself—music that began as spirituals, work …

States Use Out-of-the-Box Approaches to Raise Awareness of Health Exchanges

Catchy jingles? Splashy videos? Multi-million-dollar public education campaigns? For the 16 states and the District of Columbia that have opted to run their own online health insurance marketplaces, these are …

Half-Life

This summer, a couple of Walker's Drive-In employees painted a mural on the iconic eatery's patio wall in Fondren. It replaced a pockmarked and aging piece The Projectors, a trio …

Scandal Widens in Probe of Top U.S. General's Emails

The sex scandal that led to CIA Director David Petraeus' downfall widened Tuesday with word the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan is under investigation for thousands of alleged "inappropriate communications" …

Hail To The Staff

July 6, 2005 This is the 101st issue of the Jackson Free Press. We set out three years ago to bring independent journalism (and the best entertainment coverage) to Jackson, …

JFP Men's College Basketball Preview 2020

There might not have been a better turnaround job in college basketball last year than what Kirmitt Davis did in his first season with the Rebels. Davis went 20-13 as …

Inside JPD’s Use-of-Force Policy: Public Trust vs. Officer Safety

Lately Tetrina Blalock has been reconnecting with family members she has not seen in a while. Losing her cousin brought them together.

Women, Whiskey, Watchdogs (and Dead Bills) at Session's End

Late in the 2018 legislative session, Rep. Jeff Smith, R-Columbus, talked about a night that his son broke curfew. His boy had spent his father's money on "whiskey, women and …

Fondren Pregnancy Center Denied Sign Request

The Center for Pregnancy Choices takes up the basement of the Kolb's Cleaners building in Fondren, with a waiting room, two counseling rooms, a back office and one medical room.