Jackson Free Press

Making Mississippi 420 Friendly

The potential of cannabis as an appetite stimulant is among the key arguments from proponents of rolling back legal restrictions for marijuana for its medicinal purposes.

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2nd Night of Berkeley Protest Turns Violent Again

Raucous demonstrations hit Berkeley's streets for a second straight night as protesters angered by police killings in Missouri and New York clashed with officers, vandalized businesses and even fought with …

US, NATO End Afghan Combat Command After 13 Years

The U.S. and NATO closed their combat command in Afghanistan on Monday, more than 13 years after invading the country in the wake of the Sept. 11 terror attacks to …

US Sends 6 Prisoners from Guantanamo to Uruguay

Six Guantanamo Bay prisoners sent to Uruguay to be resettled as refugees are doing well and are undergoing medical checkups before being released to begin new lives, the country's defense …

10 Local Stories of the Week

There's never a slow news week in Jackson, Miss., and last week was no exception. Here are the local stories JFP reporters brought you in case you missed them.

Bettye Quinn

Bettye Quinn, a professor of elementary education and psychology at Belhaven University, has been attending the university's Singing Christmas Tree event for 77 years.

Cameras Worn by Police are no Panacea, Experts Say

Police body cameras have become a rallying cry in the wake of racially charged decisions by grand juries in Ferguson, Missouri, and New York City, but experts caution that increased …

South Africans Mark Anniversary of Mandela's Death

Friends and family of Nelson Mandela laid wreaths Friday at a bronze statue of the late statesman to mark the anniversary of his death.

Dawn of Orion: NASA Launch Opens New Era in Space

NASA's new Orion spacecraft zoomed toward a high point of 3,600 miles on an orbital test flight Friday, ushering in a new era of exploration that could one day put …

US Adds 321,000 Jobs, the Most in Nearly 3 Years

A burst of U.S. hiring in November—the most in nearly three years—added 321,000 jobs and provided the latest evidence that the United States is outperforming other economies throughout the developed …

Activists Want City Human Rights Commission

In the aftermath of a string of extrajudicial killings, including Michael Brown in Ferguson and Eric Garner in New York, advocates in Jackson want to charter a commission to protect …

Pregnancy Discrimination Case Reaches Supreme Court

Today the U.S. Supreme Court will hold oral arguments in yet another blockbuster case at the intersection of sex discrimination, workplace law and reproductive justice.

House Set to Rebuke Obama on Immigration

House Republicans are prepared to rebuke President Barack Obama over immigration, with a vote on legislation that declares his recent executive actions "null and void and without legal effect."

Protests Erupt After Decision in Chokehold Death

While legal experts note it's impossible to know how the grand jurors reached their conclusion, they say the Garner case, like Michael Brown's death in Ferguson, Missouri, once again raised …

Police Breaking Down Huge California Homeless Camp

Police and social services in Silicon Valley are starting to clear away what likely had been the nation's largest homeless encampment.

When Special Isn’t Special Anymore

The sports gods are a fickle bunch. It seems like a lifetime ago when the Associated Press tied Mississippi State University and the University of Mississippi were tied for third. …

What If He Were White?

The tragic death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., leaves us with an opportunity to embrace the simple notion of empathy just as Grisham's fictitious jurors did.

Stuff Your Stockings Local

It's a proven fact that shopping local boosts the economy in your community, and the holiday season keeps many small businesses thriving. This Christmas, why not put the gift of …

A French Wedding

As I glanced at the menu, I groaned inwardly. We had two more courses to go--a "soupe de fruits rouges" and a "piece montee." It already felt like the wedding …

Stinker Quote of the Week: 'Unfortunate'

A majority vote has never justified the systemic erosion of a group of people's rights—which is the point of the U.S. Constitution. If anyone, a state leader in Mississippi should …