Jackson Free Press

Obadele Visit Ignites Old Fires

Councilman Kenneth Strokes is being lambasted by police organizations and other critics for inviting Dr. Imari Abubakari Obadele to speak to young people at City Hall on Tuesday, Feb. 1, …

JFP INDEX: VIP White Jackson

The November 2009 edition of The Clarion-Ledger's now-shrunken VIP Jackson Magazine is a study in how (not) to publish an extremely white publication in a majority-black metro—by a company that …

[Stauffer] The Secret to Jackson's Future

The burning question of how to fix what ails Jackson is on the minds of, at the very least, newspaper editors and the people they've interviewed here in our fair …

[Stiggers] To Whom It May Concern

Dear F.E.M.A.: This is Brotha Hustle applying for a job with your organization. I figure if Mr. Brown can get a job with ya, so can I. Please check out …

School Daze: Testing Madness

As I proctored a classroom full of seventh-graders taking the Grade Level Testing Program (GLTP) test last April in a suburban Jackson public school, I couldn't help but think that …

How to Stir Up 'Holy Mischief'

"Speaking of Faith" had an amazing interview with young Christian Shane Clayborne this morning. I wasn't familiar with his work, or his book, but he was just breathtaking. The Tennessee …

20 Police Officers Fired; No Details Given

WLBT reported Friday night that the mayor and police chief have fired another 20 or so police officers, but will say what they did to deserve, or even how many …

[Kamikaze] Standing At The Crossroads

This will probably be one of the most personal columns I've ever written. Hip-hop is at a crossroads.

Bristol Palin, Unmarried and 17, Is Pregnant

The drama is coming fast and furious from the abstinence-only McCain-Palin campaign today. The Washington Post is reporting:

HUD, Barbour Under Fire for Diverting Money from Poor

Mississippi organizations are suing the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for allowing Gov. Haley Barbour to divert nearly $600 million in federal funding away from affordable housing recovery …

Community Events and Public Meetings

6 p.m., Jackson Police Department Precinct 4 Restructuring Ceremony, at Fondren Hall (Northwood Shopping Center, 4436 N. State St.). Presenters include Jackson Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. and Precinct 4 Commander …

A Deal with el Diablo: The Immigration Bill's Dirty Fine Print

Much of this country's legislative history is built on compromise. Indeed, deal making among lawmakers has contributed to a robust, if sometimes flawed, system of American democracy. One of the …

JFP Interview: Who Is Ben Allen?

The controversial councilman on being conservative, Mayor Johnson, gun control and meeting Muhammad Ali. The unabridged version.

The 2008 Jackson Young Influentials

Jackson is the sort of place that has the potential for great change, a mid-sized city with both a rich cultural history and a fierce "up-and-coming" attitude.

DA Files: The Curious Case of Mr. Smith, Mr. Butler and Mr. Hood

Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith walked into the courtroom on March 3, 2016, with a clear goal—to help get Christopher Butler, then 38, out of the Raymond jail.

BREAKING: Supreme Court Dismisses Melton Appeal

The Mississippi Supreme Court has rejected an appeal filed this morning by Mayor Frank Melton.

The

BREAKING: Ramie Ford Leaves City Government

Ramie Ford, who Mayor Frank Melton tapped to head up a proposed Neighborhood Enhancement Division, has left city government to become the director of state parks under the Mississippi Department …

Ole Miss Names Coach; Richard Barrett Talks Back

Ole Miss introduced its 35th head football coach, Ed Orgeron, on Thursday morning. The Louisiana native comes to Ole Miss from Southern California, where he spent the last seven seasons …

Silencing the Media, Hiding Crimes & Misdemeanors

A good story in USA Today about the "scorched-earth" assault on the media's ability to hold elected officials accountable:

Cops Vow to Air Dirty Laundry

The day after City Council refused to fund the promotions of Mayor Frank Melton's bodyguards, a local police union said today that talks with the mayor about the appointments were …