Jackson Free Press

A ‘Truth and Reconciliation Commission' for Mississippi?

What do y'all think?

Rev. Ross Olivier of Galloway mentioned an article written recently by my former professor and mentor Howard Ball about the need to establish a "Truth and Reconcolition Commission" here. I …

Back from Iraq

Last year, we were all on edge.

"I'm not making fruit salad!" my mother affirmed -- more than once -- as Christmas approached. She gleaned the fruit salad recipe from my dad's grandpa years ago. No one …

Back from San Francisco

Todd and I are just back from several very busy days at two alternative newspaper conferences in San Francisco—one a Web conference and the other AAN West, which is the …

keeping it real

After multi-dozens of radio and TV interviews, magazines stories (ones I've written and ones I've been featured in), I am feeling so disconnected from my trip to Africa. A book …

Our Broken (Mental) Health System

This is a first in a series of columns and comments on mental health in Mississippi.

Corps: One Lake Plan Seems to Work

Gary Walker, project manager for the Army Corps of Engineers' Vicksburg district, told members of the Rankin-Hinds Pearl River Flood and Drainage Control District this week that flood reduction appears …

City Issues Boil Water Notice

The city has issued a boil water notice to about 175 people served by the Maddox Road well system. The statement is below, verbatim.

Baker Report: Bush Iraq Policy ‘Not Working'

Now, here's a surprise. Bush and Cheney's Iraqi War has not worked. They have underreported the level of violence in Iraq. They need to try a bit of diplomacy. The …

Where have the Mississippi Democrats gone?

Mississippi leads the list - or is at the bottom - on many national statistics.

Our educational system lends many of our young people to opt out of graduation for a life on the streets or perpetual poverty.

Barstool Quarterbacking

A weekend of cocktails, friends...oh, and I think there was a football game.

Study: MS Second Most Corrupt State

Should they be complaining about Mississippi-style politics? ;-)

This study was reported back in December, but I just came across it and thought it was interesting -- according to the story The Corruption Belt by the Institute for …

City of Jackson Releases Preliminary Storm Damage Map

According to a map published by the City of Jackson, last Friday's tornados tore a path across north Jackson, touching down and causing significant damage in at least five large …

Catholic Guilt

Flowood police are investigating why a 28-year-old deliberately cut off his penis.

Did anyone catch this in the CL today?

The Hip-Hop Mayor: Detroit's Kwame Kilpatrick?

http://www.xxlmag.com/online/?p=18826

Apparently Mr. Kilpatrick's gotten himself in quite a quandry. Again something that has nothing to do particularly with his policy but all the same. Since he ran on a platform …

Family Feels the Backlash of their Confessions after Brokaw Special

As I normally do on Thursdays, I was reading the Jackson Advocate and the Mississippi Link for news stories that I may have missed or that they exclusively covered. This …

Herman Taylor, "Mr. Whipple" and Martha Stewart's mother: RIP

Herman Taylor, former city employee and radio personality, died from emphysema at age 62.

Pill of Religious Satire on South Park too hard for Issac Hayes to Swallow

Hayes, who has played the ladies' man/school cook in the animated Comedy Central satire since 1997, said in a statement Monday that he feels a line has been crossed.

The Overnight Lows Hit a New High with LP Release on Goner Records

One of my earliest memories in Jackson was stumbling into Martin's Lounge, where I found this really loud, fast punk/garange band called The Overnight Lows. They were composed of Jackson's …

Libertarian Magazine Probes State Medical Examiner

Over the last week, an investigative story in Reason magazine by Radley Balko probing Mississippi medical examiner Steven Hayne has attracted national attention, even drawing an editorial in the Wall …

Let me ask you one question…

What are we NOT paying attention to, right now?