Jackson Free Press

Melton Polling High in First JFP/16-WAPT Poll

A March 12 telephone poll of 763 registered Jackson voters conducted by ZATA-3 Consulting in Washington, D.C., found that Jackson Mayor Frank Melton gets an excellent grade from 42 percent …

Creaming the Bad Guys

On March 10, Mayor Frank Melton called a press conference to thank the U.S. Attorney and the FBI for helping Jackson "clean up corruption" that Melton called "systemic" in the …

‘I Will Cream You Personally'

Looks like we left the press conference too soon yesterday! The Clarion-Ledger is reporting today that Mayor Frank Melton threatened one of their reporters:

Melton: Police Taking Over Court Services; No Crime Stats to Media

UPDATE March 16, 2006: This is now a full transcript of the mayor's press conference, addressing many issues—from crime stats to his pursuit of the Wood Street Players.

The City vs. The Titty

The Jackson City Council voted 6-0 Tuesday not to renew the business license of nude-bar owner Gilbert Paige, who owns Centerfolds and Girls of Paradise.

Call Him Irresponsible

Mayor Frank Melton's stated desire to take a leave of absence from his job as mayor to become a vigilante lawman and "bring in" a former gang member and alleged …

What's In A Gang?

The brutality of gang life makes for popular entertainment on movie screens across America. Riddling a wall or restaurant with bullet holes from automatic gunfire kicks the pulse into overdrive.

Kim Wade

Kim Wade, a boisterous conservative, reclines in the cramped studio of WJNT. The witty and outspoken Wade is probably best known in the Jackson area for his weekday talk show, …

Pack Up and Get Out!

Video still courtesy of WAPT-TV 16

What a week. As our last issue went to press, Mayor Frank Melton was in the middle of a tantrum about alleged "Wood Street Gang" associate Vidal Sullivan going free …

Is Vidal Sullivan Back on the Streets?

Where in @#$% Is Vidal Sullivan?

We've gotten a report that Mr. Melton and Chief Anderson have released Mr. Sullivan, and that he is free again. We have not confirmed this report with a second source, …

Breaking: Vidal Sullivan Turns Self In

WJTV is reporting that Vidal Sullivan has turned himself in to police and is being held at "an undisclosed location."

A Spendin' They Will Go

On Feb. 28, four Jackson City Council members voted 4-3 to allow the city of Jackson to pay for the relocation of about 21 families left in the near squalor …

Stripping Licenses Stripped?

The City Council said at a Feb. 28 appeal hearing that it will decide in five working days if the revocation of licenses for three Jackson businesses will hold.

Melton: ‘I May Step Aside'

Jackson Mayor Frank Melton said this week that he is considering taking a leave of absence from his job as mayor of the city to "bring in" a man who …

Melton Plans to Re-Arrest Acquitted Man

Anyone else think it's odd that Mayor Melton is reacting so dramatically different to the latest acquittal of alleged gang members after being so lukewarm about the "Grayhead" acquittals? In …

Ramsey Cartoon Shades of Schwindaman

We appreciate the compliment, Marshall, but a note of appreciation would have sufficed.

Well, I guess this is a compliment to the JFP's editorial cartoonist, Darren Schwindaman. Today's Marshall Ramsey cartoon copies Darren's cartoon of two weeks ago almost directly, except using Joe …

Mayor Axing Police, Fire Budgets

Mayor Frank Melton sent out a Feb. 10 memorandum demanding that all city departments—including fire and police—take radical measures to rein in spending.

Take That, O Disloyal Ones!

Immediately following a Jackson City Council work session in January, Mississippi Link publisher/owner Socrates Garrett was all smiles. Council President Marshand Crisler had informed him that it was looking like …

Wait, And Wait Some More

On Oct. 1, Mayor Frank Melton announced that he was dissolving the city's Crime Prevention Unit with only days' notice. Charging that the members were not doing their jobs—despite the …

Breaking: All Five ‘Grayhead' Defendants Found Not Guilty

After four hours of deliberations, a jury has acquitted the five defendants accused of kidnapping and assaulting Michael Sanders to warn him away from talking to the police. Police say …