Jackson Free Press

Azia’s Picks NYE Edition 2020

If you’re looking to get out and make new memories tonight, check out my picks. And please, no drinking and driving, be sure to socialize responsibly and good luck staying …

Jubilee Jam - Friday Highlights

The first day of Jubilee! Jam 2009 was sincerely hot and sticky with temps hovering in the high 90s til way after dark. Still, a sweat soaked crowd turned out …

DOSSIER: County Documents At Risk, Public Meeting Confusion, No to WJTV

The Jackson Free Press scored a transparency victory this week, at least for now, when the Hinds County Board of Supervisors provided us a list of the documents it plans …

Teacher Pay in Limbo as Mississippi Senate Balks at $4,000 Raise

The fate of a bill that could grant Mississippi's public-school teachers a $4,000 pay raise over a two-year period remained uncertain Monday morning as lawmakers from both chambers of the …

Hop into Local Events

This Easter, celebrate with local businesses and events.

Mississippi Group Floats 'Medicaid Reform' Plan to Woo Republicans

The Mississippi Hospital Association unveiled a proposal called "Mississippi Cares" that, like Medicaid expansion, would insure around 300,000 more adults in the state, ages 19-64 who earn up to 138% …

DA Smith Not Guilty, Refers to Case as 'Modern-Day Emmett Till'

A Rankin County jury deliberated for nearly four hours before announcing its final decision for Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith's most recent trial, this one for charges of …

State Sneaks Special Judicial District Into Capitol Improvement Bill At Last Hour, Helping Kill It

Jackson has lost more than it has gained this legislative session, as the Capitol Complex Improvement District bill died yesterday. Its death ensured that the capital city will not receive …

From Welfare to Divorce: What's Dead, What's Alive in the Legislature

Criminal-justice and welfare reform are alive to see another day, but adding abuse as grounds for divorce and election reform were dead on arrival.

Shifting the Power to Regulate Nurses, Barbers, More

Melony Armstrong did not want to cut hair; she wanted to braid hair in her own shop. She believed that the time and money spent on beauty school would be …

Where the Pearl River Flows

Environmental groups and downstream communities in Louisiana and Mississippi are keeping a sharp eye on any proposed levee or lake project in Jackson, such as the current "One Lake" strategy, …

Next Mayor Must Lead on Preventing Youth Crime

As I type, the polls for the mayoral primaries are still open, and the outcome is uncertain. What I do know is that Jackson must adopt a new attitude when …

Special Session: Too Little, Too Late?

Gov. Phil Bryant tried to smooth out the state's economic appearance and patch up additional budget holes in the June 5 special session, but Democrats were not too pleased with …

Lead in Water Devastating to Children, Their Development, Their Futures

Concerns about lead poisoning in Jackson increased in recent weeks since the Mississippi Department of Health notified the city in January that it found lead in some of the city's …

Race You

This week kicks off race and 5K season, and hopefully with it, beautiful spring weather just begging for folks to get outside and run around.

Protect the Innocent: End the Death Penalty

Michelle Byrom is a textbook case of what is wrong with the state executions in Mississippi and the rest of the nation.

Creating Better People

It's hard to watch a grown man cry. It's even harder to see a distinguished judge break down in front of an audience decades after a white teacher lied about …

As School Looms, Confusion Reigns

Erica Lowell waits for her students to return, and her anxiety waits with her. She is a public-school teacher in Rankin County, speaking to the Jackson Free Press under a …

***Urgent: Mentors Needed***

A Mayor's Story: Tony Yarber on His Past Mistakes and Evolving Vision

Mayor Tony Yarber is different this time around. During his first run for the job vacated when Mayor Chokwe Lumumba died in 2014, a bunch of urgent business suits surrounded …