Jackson Free Press

Big Ideas: Getting Jacksonians into City Parks

Mayor Chokwe Lumumba's Parks and Rec Transition Team compiled the following suggestions to get more residents into Jackson Parks and Recreation Department (PRD) facilities throughout the city.

Revisited: Town Creek

Many see Jackson's multiple creeks as nothing more than drainage ditches. They are undevelopable space offering only the threat of flooding, bank caving and snakes. Other cities, however, are increasingly …

Bright Idea: Conserve Energy, Create Jobs

You want to reduce your energy bills, improve your in-home air quality, increase the value of your home and help create jobs in the local community? Then invest in energy-efficiency …

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Your JXN Idea

Highlighting good ideas is one GOOD Idea that I see Jackson benefiting from!

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Best Practice: Mid-South Minority Business Council Continuum

"Established in 1973 as the Mid-South Minority Business Council (MMBC), a component of the Memphis Area Chamber of Commerce, the MMBC Continuum now serves as a minority business-development organization and …

What the Heck Is An IBA?

Sure, we have business organizations such as chambers of commerce, but they are not primarily and exclusively serving interests of small, locally owned businesses.

Radical Idea: Vacancy Tax

So, just how do we unlock the empty buildings that are "warehoused" downtown by landlords, often absentee, who let their spaces rot waiting for the huge rent check of the …

Build a Bicycle- and Pedestrian-Friendly Jackson

The key to change is finding simple, affordable tools that are easily accessible for people of all ages, races, socio-economic levels and abilities.

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Everyone Needs a Roof

You've heard it before: For many Americans, homelessness is just a couple of paychecks away.

Jackson Planning Map

Jackson is a unique city with great potential. What makes this city great are her people, their passions and their visions.

Disrupting the Status Quo

A baker's dozen of good ideas: That's what I came up with when asked to contribute a pithy set of good ideas to this issue.

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Lumumba: Telling Unpopular Truths

One of the difficulties every politician will face, sooner or later, is the choice between telling the people the truth or couching issues in terms of easy-to-digest pabulum and paternalistic …

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Gibson: Unique Perspective

Alberta Ross Gibson is confident she can sell investors and developers on doing business in Hinds County.

McQuirter: Planting the Seeds

Darrel McQuirter, a Hinds County department head who took a leave of absence to run for the District 2 supervisor's seat, is putting his job on the line because he …

Stinker Quote of the Week: 'No Idea'

Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann has been pushing for a voter ID law in Mississippi for years. Instead of taking responsibility for the law's passage, he put the onus for …

Mississippi’s Gumbo

Mississippi has always had a diverse group of people. Think of an ethnic group and, in all likelihood, its people reside here. Though their numbers may be smaller, all of …

Having the Truancy Discussion

Jackson Public Schools Superintendent Cedrick Gray is supportive of an ordinance that would levy penalties against parents of truant students.

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Council Passes $502.5 Million Budget

Jackson Mayor Chokwe Lumumba is aware that his controversial budget, which the city council passed Sept. 12 with a 5-2 vote, would ruffle some feathers. But he's OK with that. …

Mukesh Kumar

The first time this reporter met Mukesh Kumar, he led me through the winding halls of Jackson State University's Urban and Regional Planning Department to his office.

The Devil Is In the Questions

I really don’t get hating people because they ask vital questions.