Jackson Free Press

Amid Record COVID-19 Fatalities and Cases, School Reopenings Loom in Mississippi

Mississippi is suffering from yet another record week of COVID-19 infections as July ends, with Gov. Tate Reeves placing eight more counties under his growing mask order.

The Uncertainty of the 2020 College Football Season

The only thing certain about the 2020 college football season is uncertainty. As last week—Aug. 10 to Aug. 14—showed us, plans can change with little notice, and the season could …

‘The Kundi Collection,’ Graphic Tees Bearing Bold Statements

Have you ever made a great comment and thought, "I should put that on a T-shirt"? Brad and Funmi Franklin have had those moments many a time and have since …

Analysis: Mississippi US Senate Race Draws Outside Attention

Democratic challenger Mike Espy and Republican incumbent Cindy Hyde-Smith are both receiving help from out-of-state politicians as they compete for a U.S. Senate seat in Mississippi.

Ryan Garry

Ryan Garry, a local photographer and videographer who focuses on creating artistic and cinematic content, does not mind if he gets home from his studio at 1 a.m. some nights.

Christopher Mitchell

As both a teacher and an artist, Christopher Mitchell felt the blows wrought by COVID-19, but he has been adapting to the changes as best he can so that he …

OPINION: Mississippi’s Republican Cats Up Trump’s Authoritarian Tree

One of Mississippi’s senators and three of its congressmen chose to jump on the Trump bandwagon, objecting last week to final certification of the Biden-Harris presidential victory.

Delays Hinder COVID Vaccinations As Requirements, Access Loosen

More Mississippians than ever now qualify for COVID-19 vaccinations, but only one-quarter of the total doses in the state so far have been administered—62,744 out of 249,100.

Analysis: Transition Turmoil Splits Mississippi Delegation

Republican U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi won a 2018 special election and a 2020 regular election by making a single overarching promise—to support President Donald Trump.

CDC Suggests Double Masking as Walmart Begins Mississippi Vaccinations

New research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that under certain circumstances, wearing two masks can provide more protection than simply wearing one.

Analysis: Mississippi Grappling With Tax-and-Spend Ideas

Mississippi legislators are moving into the final weeks of their three-month session, and they still need to make significant decisions about taxes and spending for the year that begins July …

Mississippi Taps Adviser to Oversee Funds in Poor District

The state of Mississippi is stepping in to oversee finances in a school district in one of the nation's poorest counties, which has been adjusting in recent years to consolidation.

Analysis: Mississippi Legislators Sidestep Some Division

Mississippi lawmakers grabbed national headlines this year by banning transgender athletes from competing on girls' or women's sports teams. They walked away from some other divisive issues during their three-month …

New Tool Helping Identify Vaccine Deserts Across Mississippi As Variants Loom

The Mississippi State Department of Health plans to open up more relevant pop-up COVID-19 vaccination sites in coming weeks with the aid of a newly launched tool called the “Vaccine …

Analysis: Mississippi Might Have to Rethink Capitol Statues

Even as the nation reconsiders the public display of Confederate monuments amid a reckoning over issues of racial injustice, Mississippi—a state with a 38% Black population—still represents itself inside the …

Magnolia Fab Five

Writers have kicked around the idea of Mississippi with just one major university for nearly two decades. When they dream of this super school, they usually dream about football. But …

JSU Women’s Business Center and FedEx Program, MSU COVID-19 Pandemic Funding

Jackson State University recently hosted an official grand opening for its new Women’s Business Center located in the College of Business Rotunda.

Mayor Lumumba Declares Local Emergency Amid Garbage Quarrel

Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba issued an emergency contract with Richard’s Disposal as a temporary measure to fix the City of Jackson’s garbage-distribution woes.

Mississippi House Makes Opening Bid on Teacher Pay Deal

Mississippi House leaders said Thursday that they have signed off on a plan to increase some of the lowest teacher salaries in the nation by an average of $4,850.

Ward 5 Candidates Face Off

The race for Jackson's Ward 5 city council seat heated up Monday night on the second floor of the Margaret Walker Alexander building on Jackson State University's campus.

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