Jackson Free Press

I Was a Teenage Curfew Violator

January 6, 2005—For the third time the Jackson City Council is considering implementing a youth curfew law. The recent curfew, which expired in August, affected kids under 18 who were …

[Talk] Raising Flags

On Wednesday, Sept. 17, French Elementary School turned "green." After completing the first level of the Green Flag Program, French students were presented with a national recycling award and a …

‘Lawsuit Abuse' Over

Champagne corks were popping at Bravo the evening of June 3, even as some diners were sobered by the day's events. That afternoon, the Mississippi House of Representatives had suddenly, …

[Talk] No Discernible Effect

With no discussion to speak of, the Jackson City Council re-instituted its youth curfew ordinance at its Aug. 26 meeting. With City Councilman Ben Allen out of the room temporarily, …

[Talk] Alabama on our Minds

In an effort that riveted the attention of the nation and even got Alabama favorable copy on The New York Times editorial page, Alabama's Legislature passed the largest tax increase …

City Hire Illegal?

At the Jackson City Council's Oct. 31 work session, council members voted to hire Jimmy Heidel as a consultant and limited liability corporation—rather than as an employee—to direct the city's …

Hanging with Artists

"How did you spend your Spring Break?" "I don't know, I slept late, went to the mall, watched TV. How 'bout you?" "In a room with 11 other artists creating …

Up In Smoke

A sure-to-be contentious campaign to raise Mississippi's cigarette tax kicked off Nov. 18 in the rotunda of the state Capitol. A coalition of about 40 county and state groups calling …

Protesting Protest

Over a hundred thousand protesters took to the streets across the country the week the war started—but not to protest the war. They were protesting the protest of the war. …

She Got the Power

Women are definitely doing it for themselves as Nov. 2 draws closer. Despite resistance by the governor's office, Mississippi Women for John Kerry pulled together a crowd of about 200 …

In Our Blood

"Feeling the Spirit: Church and Other Visions by H.C. Porter" opens at Southern Breeze Gallery in Highland Village on Nov. 15.

Babes in Liquor-Land

Every day Poindexter Elementary students pass by Super Discount Wine and Liquor. This store poses an interesting dilemma for these under-age students because in the back there is a convenience …

[Media Talk] Romper Rhetoric

Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger admitted in a Sept. 24 column that his paper might have screwed the pooch on "tort reform" coverage, as we detailed in our last cover …

Taking the Long View

Once again, determined legislators beat the Medicaid drum at the Capitol on Monday, Aug. 9, when about a dozen of them gathered to demand that Gov. Haley Barbour reconsider his …

Election ‘04: Rural vs. Urban

Early figures regarding the elections point to the rural and suburban areas of Mississippi for the greatest support for both George W. Bush and the gay-marriage ban. A CNN News …

Carless in Jackson

The rising price of gas may seem like a ubiquitous problem, but it holds little value for many Jacksonians. While some people spend hours a day complaining about the $2-a-gallon …

Melton: Taxpayers Should Pay My Fine

Photo Graphic by Darren Schwindaman

Attorneys for Jackson Mayor Frank Melton argued in a Meridian court on Oct. 20, over whether Melton can be sued as a private individual or if the state has to …

Center Foes Hold Court

The debate over a convention center tax proposal, on the ballot this November for Jackson residents, heated up this week with the two major campaigns showing decidedly different tactics. A …

Politics of the Blues

Otis Taylor is one of the few blues artists today who has explicitly addressed lynching; his song "Saint Martha Blues" tells in painful detail the story of his great-grandfather's lynching …

[Talk] Opening Doors

Too many physically challenged voters can't get to their polling place and inside to vote, says Mary Troupe, director of Mississippi's Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities. She described a situation …