Jackson Free Press

MAEP’s Moral Center: Mississippi’s Education Enigma

The quality of education in Mississippi is falling behind the rest of the nation with only 61 percent of students graduating from high school on time and two-thirds of kindergarteners …

The MFP Interview: Dr. Eric Topol Speaks On Realities, Dangers of Delta Variant

For much of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Eric Topol, founder and director of the Scripps Research Translational Institute in La Jolla, CA has been a leading voice for a unified, …

[Kamikaze] Spike's Daze

I've always been a fan of Spike Lee, especially for his "take no crap" stance against the Hollywood establishment.

Melton to Clarion-Ledger: ‘Go to Hell'

We see that Mr. Melton is back in town with a flourish. The Clarion-Ledger is reporting today:

[Kamikaze] Change Is Gonna Come

"Change" has become the buzzword for 2008. I never thought such a tiny word could be so powerful. It holds promise for some, and negativity for others. Ultimately, I've found …

Civil Rights Museum to Tougaloo?

Jackson hip-hop artist Kamikaze is organizing community feedback regarding a consulting group's recent recommendation to place the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum north of County Line Road in Ridgeland. Museum consulting …

Jackson Run-Off and ‘Two Lakes' Open Thread

All, the debate is over, so tell us what you thought. Did you learn something new? Did you hear something you liked? Didn't like? Did it affect your vote? What …

Melton: A Cowboy Who Wants to Be Mayor

Please click here to read Donna Ladd's profile of Frank Melton.

Jackson No. 3 'Best Bang-for-the-Buck' City

Americans are thinking differently when evaluating cities where they might settle down and raise a family. In the wake of the real-estate bubble and in the midst of major unemployment, …

Clarion-Ledger: Don't Fund Children's Justice Center

A Clarion-Ledger editorial today says that the MCI settlement should only fund telecommunications-related causes:

[Grayson] Our Way Of Life

When I was 16 years old, my friends talked me into going to a local teen dance club. I begged my grandmother to approve, and we were off. I spent …

Rush to Judgment: Trying Kids As Adults

Tyler Wayne Edmonds took his last seventh-grade exam at Fifth Street Junior High School in West Point on a Thursday and was confident he had done well. So far, 2003 …

Crime Perception Hurts Jackson Economy

Jackson misses out on booking conventions because of a false perception that the city has a high crime rate, Rickey Thigpen says. Thigpen, executive vice president of the Jackson Convention …

Dear Dog Owners: Your Pets Are in Danger

A little beagle with a blue collar on Arrowhead Drive in Fondren is going to die soon. I hate to be so blunt, but whoever owns that dog is irresponsible, …

BREAKING: Council Majority Calls for Melton to Resign

At a press conference on the south lawn of City Hall today, four City Council members—Margaret Barrett-Simon, Leslie McLemore, Marshand Crisler and Council President Ben Allen—called for Mayor Frank Melton …

[Johnson] When Jackson Burned

On May 14, 1863, the Army of Tennessee, under Generals Grant and Sherman, seized Jackson as the Confederate army retreated in disarray. Grant ordered the city's "strategic assets" burned, and …

[Folayan] A Clear Path for the Journey

I recently experienced what I like to call my very own voyage to Mecca. Like one of my lifelong heroes, Malcolm X, I've encountered a brand new world, a new …

[Kamikaze] Robin Hood To The Rescue?

What are we Jacksonians prepared to do? Will you stand proud and stay, or cower and leave?

Lewis Runs for Sheriff

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Photo: Jackson Police Commander Tyrone Lewis, left, declaring his entry into the 2007 Hinds County sheriff's race. Melton political operative Bob Hickingbottom is on the right.

We, the Unhealthy

Last year, Mississippi ranked No. 1 overall for the unhealthiest citizens in the U.S. and No. 49 in the number of physicians per capita. A quarter of our 2-year-olds haven't …