Jackson Free Press

Germany Wants Quick Clarification of New NSA Spy Allegations

Germany's foreign minister said Friday that new allegations of U.S. eavesdropping on senior German government officials' telephones need to be clarified "as quickly as possible" and that he hoped Washington …

Mississippi Supreme Court Says Same-Sex Divorce is Legal

The Mississippi Supreme Court has ruled Lauren Czekala-Chatham's divorce legal in concurrence with the ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges.

Hinds Public Defenders: Judge Weill Setting a Bad Precedent in Barring Attorney

Assistant Hinds County Public Defender Alison Kelly says Judge Jeff Weill's charges are "extreme."

Lawsuits: Mississippi Capital City's Water Harms Children

Two new lawsuits claim hundreds of children have been exposed to dangerous lead levels through the drinking water in Mississippi's capital city, which has been facing water system problems for …

Pair of Taxi Drivers Sue Jackson, Say Regs Give Uber Unfair Advantage

Two taxicab drivers, one from Jackson and one from Star, filed suit against the City of Jackson for what they believe to be “anti-competitive, arbitrary and irrational regulations,” specifically accusing …

[Balko] Chicago's Thick Blue Wall

The Windy City's notoriously aggressive police department fights for less accountability.

Hood vs. Simpson

Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood, a Democrat, and his Republican opponent Steve Simpson accused each other last week of conflicts of interest.

Coal Plant Cost Painful

The Mississippi Public Service Commission is taking its time approving rate increases funding a $2.88 billion coal-burning plant already under construction in Kemper County.

Our Poverty and Thanksgiving

My parents filed bankruptcy when I was in the fifth grade. My father filed a second time with his second wife years later.

Melton Objects To Gulf Coast Jury

Following a federal judge's decision yesterday to hold Mayor Frank Melton's retrial in Jackson, with a jury from the Gulf Coast, Melton has filed a motion to reconsider the ruling. …

Do As We Say, Congress Says, Then Does What It Wants

Congress is still exempt from portions of a number of federal laws, including provisions that protect workers in the private sector but don't apply to the legislative branch's approximately 30,000 …

Judge to Decide if Zimmerman is Released on Bail

George Zimmerman's arrest following a domestic dispute with his girlfriend marks the latest in a series of brushes with the law he has had since his acquittal in a murder …

• 13 comments

State’s Longest-Sitting Death Row Inmate Challenges Death Penalty Drug

The Mississippi Supreme Court has sentenced Richard Jordan to death four times, but with the help of his lawyers, he continues to challenge the state's death penalty method.

Jackson Sues Siemens, Local Businessmen for ‘Bait and Switch’ Contract

Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba announced today that the City of Jackson has filed a lawsuit against Siemens Industry Inc. and associated divisions in the U.S. and Germany, along with multiple …

Mississippi Small Businesses at Risk of Permanent Closure, Households Struggle

Approximately 62% of small businesses in Mississippi are at risk of permanently closing within five months as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic, a new report from Main Street …

It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad GOP Race for U.S. Senate

The clock is ticking for Sen. Chris McDaniel's senatorial campaign to file a challenge to the U.S. Senate race run-off election results after the Mississippi Republican Party certified Thad Cochran's …

Web of National, State PACs and PICs Fight Initiative 42

As the November election draws near, large political advocacy groups and Republican donor’s dollars are pouring into anti-Initiative 42 Political Initiative Committees (PICs), mainly the KidsFirst and Improve Mississippi committees. …

The Payday Playbook: How High-Cost Lenders Fight to Stay Legal

Outrage over payday loans, which trap millions of Americans in debt and are the best-known type of high-cost loans, has led to dozens of state laws aimed at stamping out …

UPDATED: Father Says Smith Campaign Ad ‘a Lie'

As the district attorney's runoff looms, challenger Robert Smith is combing the alleys of the criminal justice system, looking for people unhappy with Peterson's performance. One such foray produced a …

High Noon in Jacktown

City Chief of Staff Marcus Ward is among 20 class members scheduled to graduate the 10th basic reserve law enforcement class on March 21.