Jackson Free Press

Island of Enchantment

Puerto Rico, an American territory since the Spanish-American war at the turn of the 20th century, is one in a long arc of Caribbean islands that stretch from Mexico's Yucatan …

Obama Defends Decision to Commute Chelsea Manning's Sentence

President Barack Obama firmly defended his decision to cut nearly three decades off convicted leaker Chelsea Manning's prison term Wednesday, arguing in his final White House news conference that the …

End Near for Racist Politics in Mississippi?

Wearing a long coat, she stood in front of a statue of Elvis Presley when she told the crowd that if her friend Colin Hutchinson "invited me to a public …

Jesus Rode A Donkey: THE JFP Interview With John Arthur Eaves

Photos by Roy Adkins

Attorney John Arthur Eaves, 40, is the polar opposite of his Republican opponent, Gov. Haley Barbour. Barbour is a faithful follower of smaller-government philosophy, isn't afraid to boot Mississippians off …

Does GOP STILL Want to Cut Taxes, Services for Poor?

New York Times editorial today:

Hood and Barbour Disagree Over State Farm

Today, Jim Hood sent out a statement asking the governor and insurance commissioner to follow Florida's lead and require State Farm and other insurance companies to continue writing policies in …

Welcome to the Terrordome

Just before the Senate convened on Monday, a young lawmaker tried to jam a fistful of blue and white pieces of paper into an already overstuffed bill box.

The Politics of Voter ID

Photos by Adam Lynch and Kate Medley

Candidates tend to look for issues to separate themselves from their opponents. It's a tough order in conservative Mississippi, where many nominees on both sides of the political spectrum agree …

City to Receive $14 Million in HUD Funds

Mayor Frank Melton told reporters today to look forward to about $11 million in federal funds coming to the city for the purchase and repair of foreclosed homes to put …

Allen Gets a Royal Send-Off

Fans of retiring councilman Ben Allen threw a thank-you party in his honor at Bravo!, in Highland Village, on Monday.

Oil in MS Sound; Cap Back On

Officials confirmed yesterday that a large patch of oil, about a mile long and two hundred yards wide, came through Dog Keys Pass into the Mississippi Sound, catching oil spotters …

Mississippi Launches Broadband Website

A new state website provides Mississippians information about broadband technology and allows them to test the speed of their Internet service. The site also provides information about various state initiatives …

Release of Report on Port Spending Friday

A legislative committee will release a report this week on its analysis of spending at the State Port at Gulfport.

In MS03, Guest and Hughes to Runoff, Dem's Michael 'Ted' Evans Wins Primary

Michael Guest and Whit Hughes led the vote-getters Tuesday in the Republican contest in Mississippi's 3rd Congressional District. Michael "Ted" Evans won the Democratic nomination.

Celebrating Small-Town Sports

From March 18 through April 30, the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum will help visitors discover what those players really mean to Mississippi when it hosts the traveling …

Edward G. Cortright Jr.

Edward G. Cortright Jr., who served as chancellor for Mississippi's 11th Chancery District for 26 years, died on Wednesday, Aug. 11, at age 94.

Woman Who Won Freedom from Prison in 2011 Dies of COVID-19

Jamie Scott, a woman who won freedom from prison a decade ago after being convicted with her sister in a 1993 armed robbery in Mississippi, then went on to become …

[Barbour] Leaving No PLAD Behind

Mississippi Medicaid was bleeding badly—doubling in cost over five years—and changes had to be made. Our dilemma was this: How to keep the Medicaid program sustainable while making sure everyone …

[Head] And the Good News Is…

The 2011 legislative session begins Jan. 4, and it's likely to be exceptionally loud, complicated and messy. Mississippi faces an unusual alignment of unfavorable omens: a budget crisis, a national …

Beating the Same Drums

The first week of the legislative session, which started Jan. 4, brought the beginning of bill submissions seeking to beat the Legislature's Jan. 17 deadline for general bills and constitutional …