Jackson Free Press

Stinker Quote of the Week: 'Holy Ghost Handshakes'

How can the public know be sure that Yarber won't award contracts and conduct other city business on the strength of the Holy Ghost handshake?

Piling on the Poor

Before the session started, fiscally conservative budget writers vowed to keep state spending to a minimum unless the economy improved and projected revenues went up.

A #JXNMayor Confessional

The three members of the Jackson City Council who are running for mayor got ahead of the rumor-mill in interviews with the Jackson Free Press last week.

State Takeovers: A Fix for Failing School Districts?

When the state took control of the Hazlehurst City school district in 2008, the small rural district was in chaos and suffering from abysmal academic performance.

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Will Byrom Be Tortured to Death?

Mississippi's pending executions of Michelle Byrom and Charles Crawford—which are not yet scheduled—have mired the state in a controversy over what constitutes "cruel and unusual" in executions.

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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.

For Lou’s Sake

The late New York rocker Lou Reed and his street-wise songs might seem worlds away from music made in Mississippi, but many Jackson musicians cite the musician as an important …

The Wine Guy

Sommelier John Malanchak has a low-stress approach to teaching about wine.

Satellite Spots 122 Objects in Malaysia Jet Search

A French satellite scanning the Indian Ocean for remnants of a missing jetliner found a possible plane debris field containing 122 objects, a top Malaysian official said Wednesday, calling it …

Officials: Senate Considered Phone Company Option

The Senate Intelligence Committee three years ago secretly considered — but ultimately rejected — alternate ways for the National Security Agency to collect and store massive amounts of Americans' phone …

Diaz: Michelle Byrom Did Not Get a Fair Trial

Former Mississippi Supreme Court Justice Oliver E. Diaz jr. explains why Michelle Byrom did not get a fair trial and does not deserve to be executed. And he wants to …

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Same-Sex Couples Apply For Marriage Licenses in Hinds County

Same-Sex Couples applied for marriage licenses this morning at the Hinds County courthouse in Jackson.

Giacomo Puccini

The Mississippi Opera Guild will perform Giacomo Puccini's "Gianni Schicchi" along with "Pagliacci," written by Italian composer Ruggero Leoncavallo, March 29 at First Baptist Church of Ridgeland.

Justices Tackle Health Law Birth Control Coverage

Supreme Court justices are weighing whether corporations have religious rights that exempt them from part of the new health care law that requires coverage of birth control for employees at …

Secretary of State Kicks Watkins; Watkins Alleges Republican Politics

The secretary of state says David Watkins misused bond money; Watkins says it's all about politics.

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West Seeks to Isolate Russia Over Ukraine Dispute

Seeking to isolate Russia, the U.S. and Western allies declared Monday they are indefinitely cutting Moscow out of a major international coalition and warned they stand ready to order tougher …

Ukraine to Face Its 'Graft Culture' Under Aid Plan

Reducing graft and red tape are set to be part of the conditions Ukraine will face in exchange for an international financial rescue package.

U.S. Sends More Troops, Aircraft to Search for Kony

The U.S. is sending military aircraft and more forces to assist in the hunt for fugitive African warlord Joseph Kony, more than doubling the number of American troops and airmen …

Dr. Paresh Ray

Jackson State University professor and researcher Dr. Paresh Ray recently became one of 30 people worldwide to receive the 2014 Mahatma Gandhi Pravasi Samman Award for his research and contributions …

'Significant' Oil Spill Closes U.S. Ship Channel

No timetable has been set to reopen a major U.S. shipping channel after nearly 170,000 gallons of tar-like oil spilled into the Texas waterway, but more help was being called …