Jackson Free Press

ALERT: There will be TWO mayoral debates and the 2nd will be TELEVISED…here's why

Today, the sponsoring organizations for the April 23rd mayoral debate received a Press Release from the Harvey Johnson camp. The release stated his campaign's concerns with accessibility for the first …

Crisis: Medicaid Games Come to a Head Today

Haley Barbour's phone numbers: 359-3150, 359-3150, 720-8733, 359-3150. Call now.

In an editorial today, The Clarion-Ledger writes: "The solution to the current Medicaid funding crisis is to take $200 million from the tobacco trust fund and approve a cigarette tax …

AP Newsbreak: 'Queen of Soul' Aretha Franklin Dies at 76

Aretha Franklin, the undisputed "Queen of Soul" who sang with matchless style on such classics as "Think," ''I Say a Little Prayer" and her signature song, "Respect," and stood as …

A ‘Gang,’ By Any Other Name

The word "gang" means different things to different people—and the realities of organized gangs in U.S. cities have shifted over the years. One result is that many of them are …

Summer Flounder Stirs North-South Climate Change Battle

Northern and southern states are in conflict over the summer flounder, the population of which has been migrating north as climate change warms the Atlantic Ocean.

'Landowners' Tort Reform Bill Would Mean 'Safe Zones' for Crime, Critics Say

Mississippi senators delighted the business community last week when they passed a bill to cut down on lawsuits against property owners, but strong opposition remains among law enforcement, advocates for …

'Criminalizing' Kids

Donte Thompson says he hardly learned anything in alternative school. Forbidden to talk from the moment he stepped on the school bus, Donte did what little work he received using …

[Casey's Note] Leaving My Heart In Jackson

When I first saw the Jackson Free Press, something sparked. I had given up hope for local weeklies, but the cover—a grid-like spread of a variety of Jackson folks—called to …

[Stiggers] Buck Shot All Up In Your Booty

"It's Boneqweesha live with members of the McBride family as they respond to V.P. Cheney's lil' shootin' accident in Texas."

[Mott] Sicko Nation

On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, the radio reported a plane flying into the World Trade Center as I was driving to work. The word "terrorists" hadn't yet entered …

Family Files Wrongful Death Suit

Morris Dees is not singling out Mississippi in his organization's efforts to seek justice for an alleged hate murder of James Craig Anderson because he was black.

Arizona-Style Immigration Bill Advances, In A Hurry

The Mississippi Senate passed a bill modeled after Arizona's anti-immigrant law SB 1070 today, despite protests by some Democrats that the measure was rife with errors carried over from the …

Peace, Prosperity and Tolerance

Every December now for about a decade, we have asked the Jackson Free Press staff members to sign hundreds of holiday greeting cards that we send to freelancers, advertising clients, …

Barbour's Medicaid Letter a Half-Truth?

Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour pinched a nerve in September that's still causing pain for some health-insurance reform advocates. Barbour sent a Sept. 8 letter to Mississippi Republican Sens. Thad Cochran …

Transcript: Black Lawmakers Accuse Barbour of Racism

AP reports: "Some black lawmakers say they think Gov. Haley Barbour and Senate leaders are trying to bypass House Judiciary A Committee Chairman Ed Blackmon in a debate over limiting …

Levee Board Votes for Levees

The controversial "Two Lakes" saga ended Monday when the Rankin-Hinds Pearl River Flood and Drainage Control District voted to move ahead with a levees-only flood-control plan endorsed by the U.S. …

Jill Conner Browne Talks + SPQ Sked

I finally caught up with Boss Sweet Potato Queen and author Jill Conner Browne as I was dragging groceries into my house. I had procrastinated doing the interview to find …

Willis to be Compensated for ‘Egregious' Prosecution

Jackson resident Cedric Willis says he is happy that the state of Mississippi agreed to pay him compensation for wrongfully convicting him for the shooting death of Carl White in …

The Honeymoon, Part II: Melton's Secrets

One month after taking over the mayor's seat, Frank Melton said that the news business hadn't quite worked its way out of his soul.

Jubilee! Jam Goes Street

Design by Jakob Clark

Make no mistake: The 2005 Jubilee!JAM will be markedly different from those in years past. Music coordinator Charles Abraham says the 19th JAM will be "more of a street party …