Jackson Free Press

UPDATED: Race Tension Roils Legislature, Majority Votes to End 'Privilege'

House members were previously allowed to ask questions about their rights, reputation and the conduct of House members—"personal privilege"—but the House voted in favor of striking those rights from the …

Do the Anti-42 Politicians Feel No Shame?

Do you ever wake up in the morning and wonder why Mississippi's Republican Leadership seems to hate democracy so much?

Family Seeks Justice for Black Man Found Hanging From Scott County Tree

Willie Jones Jr.'s family has joined forces with the the Scott County Chapter NAACP, New Black Panther Party, Jackson Chapter Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, and two Jackson-based pro-bono lawyers to …

Cory Booker Rallies USM Students for Espy

U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, a likely 2020 presidential candidate, traveled to Mississippi on Monday to campaign for Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Mike Espy.

Smith Trial: Defense Tries to Impugn Informant

On the fourth day of the trial against the Hinds County district attorney, his attorney tried to impugn the motives of a former employee-turned-informant, pressing him for more details on …

Coalition Calls for ‘Meaningful' Insurance Reform

Gov. Haley Barbour may be getting more than he bargained for in the 2004 Extraordinary Session he called to wrangle the House of Representatives into accepting his versions of tort …

Returns: Local & State Elections

Use this blog to discussion Mississippi and Jackson elections. Yes, non-Jacksonians are welcome. Here's to America and freedom.

Advocates: In Mississippi, ICE Agents Arrest, Tase Migrants, Documented or Not

Children finished their first day of school with no parents to go home to tonight. Babies and toddlers remained at daycare with no guardian to pick them up. A child …

Field Hearing Sheds Light on Mississippi ICE Raids

The (ICE) field hearing touched on the impact of the raids on local economies, the cost of carrying them out, and back wages owed to workers, but it did not …

Hood: Judge Tate Reeves for 'Rebel Flags,' Not Frat's College Blackface

Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood "did all kinds of stupid things in college," but he is "sure" wearing blackface is not one of them, he told a crowd in Jackson …

No Sex in This City

A few years ago, I went on a journey to find my Mr. Right by going on 100 dates in a year. I blogged about each date, with plans to …

The Kill Zone

Moving wounded and dodging American bullets in Fallujah

Entering the besieged Iraqi city of Fallujah was difficult, but not impossible. We came in along the backroads, following the Euphrates River past beautiful date groves, villages of clay houses, …

Open Letter to City: Open Briefings; Let Info Flow

As rumors swirl about everything from gas prices to lawlessness, the City of Jackson has seemed to take a bunker mentality. They are, apparently, having "briefings" twice a day between …

Why John Kerry Should Be Elected President

Web Exclusive

How many of you remember your parents talking about the president? I remember as a child I wondered why we elected such terrible presidents. Truman could hardly get anything right, …

Saturday Night Lights

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

Shades of Gray

On the evening of Oct. 27, the mayor of McComb, Miss., was in the city's board room, arguing with his city attorney about fractions. The mayor wanted to block a …

Johnson's Back!

"I, Harvey Johnson, Jr, do solemnly swear that I will faithfully ... discharge the duties of the office upon which I am about to enter, so help me God."

Jackson Less ‘Dangerous' In 2004

Ironically, a murder binge in the city—nine fatal shootings in 10 days—comes just as a national crime-rating outfit released good news for the city of Jackson, at least about its …

Meet the Runoff Candidates

On Aug. 27, these candidates will compete in the 2019 party primary runoffs. Learn about each candidate for statewide office and in Jackson metro-area legislative races.

A New Dynamic: Shanda Yates’ Surprise Victory

Shanda Yates had never thought about running for office and had a litany of reasons not to pursue the House District 64 seat when she first discussed the idea with …