Jackson Free Press

2011 Mississippi Legislative Preview

The Mississippi Legislature returned Jan. 4, and many legislators are not looking forward to the kind of cuts facing state departments. The Mississippi Department of Mental Health is looking at …

Most Intriguing Jacksonians 2011

For better or worse, you talked about them. A lot. Some deserved it. Others? Well ...

For better or worse, you talked about them. A lot. Some deserved it. Others? Well ...

Mississippi Legislature Faces a Dire Task

Mississippi legislators skulked back into the state capitol Jan. 5, keeping their body movements at a minimum and their heads low in case somebody noticed them and asked them questions …

Personhood's Next Move

Religious fervor illuminated much of the dialogue at a Yes on 26 event just moments after voters refused to pass a constitutional amendment to declare that people with legal rights …

[McLaughlin] A Woman's Role

Over the weekend, I ended up at the last place I would have thought I'd spend a Sunday afternoon: the Premier Bridal Show at Jackson Convention Center. I filled in …

In the Statehouse and the Courtroom, Mental Health is Embattled

Research in the psychology and psychiatry fields show little to no evidence that hospitals and residential treatment centers are effective in helping a person with mental-health needs.

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 …

[McInnis] Behind the HBCU Merger

Don't be fooled into thinking that Gov. Haley Barbour's recommendation for merging the state-funded HBCUs is about the current economic crisis.

Blog/Read Verbatim ‘State of the State' at StateDesk

Right now, head over to StateDesk. We've just posted the full speech verbatim, so you can read along and comment as Gov. Barbour reads his speech. It's also live on …

Baria: Barbour's Wind Pool Veto Raises Rates

Sen. David Baria, D-Bay St. Louis, successfully added an amendment to a bill by voice vote yesterday that continues the state's annual $20 million payment to the Mississippi Windstorm Underwriting …

[Spann] Right the First Time

I don't really follow politics per se; the whole mess bores me. But I have taken note lately. Over the last year, the political scene has been a colorful place …

[Tucker] The Mean Season

Well, I guess it's official: The Mean Season is upon us.

[Week In Jacktown] December 7 - 13, 2001

With what that goes on around Jackson, we indeed live in interesting times. Events come and go, weirdness happens, occasional gossip about someone, and of course the usual political muckraking. …

How to Win (or Lose) an Election

Johnny DuPree faced an uphill battle in his race for governor this year. As a Democrat running in a state trending more Republican, an African American where people often vote …

Are Bonds for Municipal Projects Bad?

Last week, Republican lieutenant governor candidate Tate Reeves (the current state treasurer) refused to pull a campaign ad that his Republican political op-ponent described as misleading.

To Stop Flight, Be Consistent

There is a serious disconnect right now in Jackson. Since hysterical media reports of recent weeks about continuing "white flight" out of Jackson caused, well, a degree of hysteria among …

[Barkley] Women: Time to Rebel

It is time for us to refuse to passively cooperate with government that ignores the realities that punctuate the lives of women in the Deep South.

Senate Passes Total Texting While Driving Ban

The Mississippi Senate wants to expand a ban on texting while driving to include everyone in the state.

Sex and Pay Raises

The Mississippi Tea Party tried to target immigrants once again in a bill that would have charged $5 for out-of-country wire transfers exceeding $500, plus 1 percent of the amount …

Jim Hood Eases into Third Term

By 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, supporters at Jim Hood's re-election party were only mildly paying attention to the four television monitors showing election returns in the King Edward Hotel's banquet room.