Jackson Free Press

Media: Stop Feeding Bloodthirst Toward Kids

No doubt, research shows that treating even guilty minor suspects as adults increases recidivism and their chances of committing more severe crimes later.

Stinker Quote of the Week: 'Blatant Disregard'

Mayor Yarber is right to be mad about the senseless loss of life in the capital city. Later, WLBT paraphrases Yarber saying the Jackson Police Department, which he oversees, would …

Step Up on LGBT Rights, City of Jackson

I am wondering how it is that Waveland just became the seventh city in Mississippi to pass a diversity resolution acknowledging that LGBT citizens are a valued part of their …

• 2 comments

Water Meters Still Worry Council Members

The Siemens deal has made council members and citizens wary since May 2012, when Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. presented a deal for council approval.

Jatran Natural Gas Conversion May Cool ‘Heated’ Bus Riders

Due to ongoing issues with air-conditioning units on several JATRAN buses, passengers might have to find an alternative solution to their traveling needs this summer.

Police, Experts Say Youth Programs Help Cut Crime

With Jackson Public Schools now out for the summer, many people are worried that the students' newly found freedom will lead to kids getting bored or giving in to peer …

Frank Spencer

It's lunchtime at Stewpot Community Services, and Frank Spencer, executive director, stands off to the side, watching as Stewpot does what it's meant to do—serve the people of Jackson.

Silencing Our Fear of Youth

This issue is all about uplifting black boys, but it's hard to empower black boys when we are so invested in constantly tearing them down.

Florida Georgia Line: Hip-Hop Goes Country

Brian Kelley and Tyler Hubbard fuse hip-hop into several songs on their debut full-length album, "Here's to the Good Times," and it isn't a gimmick.

• 4 comments

John Currence's Big Bad Cookbook

Chef John Currence spells out his cooking manifesto before we get to the first recipe. It includes advice such as make your own bread, buy quality ingredients, cut the "low-fat" …

Sender of Ricin Letters Sentenced on State Charges

A Mississippi man sentenced who sent letters dusted with the poison ricin to President Barack Obama and other officials has been sentenced to 20 years in prison on unrelated state …

Madison Judge Racial-Abuse Case to go to Grand Jury

Madison County Justice Court Judge Bill Weisenberger is being accused of knocking down, slapping and kicking a mentally disabled young black man and yelling a racial slur: "Run, n*gger, run."

• 2 comments

Lost Pizza Co. and The Meridian at Fondren In, Nick's Restaurant Out

Brothers Will and Jones McPherson, owners of JJ Brothers LLC, are bringing the Lost Pizza Co. restaurant to Jackson's Maywood Mart, to the space that housed Bon Ami before it …

Ramona Spann

Ramona Spann, 55, is on a mission to break the cycle of poor food choices and obesity in Mississippi by working from the ground up, starting with kids.

10 Local Stories of the Week

There's never a slow news week in Jackson, Miss., and last week was no exception. Here are the local stories JFP reporters brought you in case you missed them.

Miss. Death Row Inmate Challenges Rape Conviction

The Mississippi Supreme Court has given attorneys for a death row inmate more time to file briefs supporting Charles Ray Crawford's appeal of a 1994 rape conviction.

Obama Aides Tackle Hill Foreign Policy Concerns

White House officials have been holding private meetings this week aimed at soothing lawmakers' concerns over the U.S. posture in Syria, the future of the American military presence in Afghanistan …

Visa, MasterCard Renew Push for Chip Cards

Visa and MasterCard are renewing a push to speed the adoption of microchips into U.S. credit and debit cards in the wake of recent high-profile data breaches, including this week's …

Putin Promises to Respect to Ukraine's Election

President Vladimir Putin pledged Friday that Russia will respect the results of Ukraine's presidential election, a strong indication the Kremlin wants to cool down the crisis.

Freedom Summer to Empower Youth

Albert Sykes grew up in west Jackson the next block over from the street where Medgar and Myrlie Evers lived, but says he never had a real connection to the …