City & County
Council Votes No on $15 Million Waste Hauling Contract
The Jackson City Council overwhelmingly said no to a proposal for hauling biosolids from a city wastewater treatment plant.
City & County
Tannehill: ‘You Deserve to Feel Safe’
Les Tannehill, a private investigator and newlywed to wife of 16 months, Renee, recently talked to the Jackson Free Press about why he should be the new sheriff in town.
City & County
Do Hip-Hop and Fondren Need Each Other?
A dust-up between local businessmen Ron Chane and Phillip Rollins over hip-hop at Fondren First Thursday may bring more hip-hop to the area.
City & County
Mayor Yarber Denies Contract Steered to Socrates Garrett
Mayor Tony Yarber denied Tuesday that his biggest campaign contributor is receiving preferential treatment for a $15-million city contract.
Health Care
Report: State Health Disparities Persist
When it comes to health, huge disparities exist between whites and nonwhites, men and women, and rich and poor in Mississippi.
Immigration
The High Cost of Cheap Immigrant Labor
Attorneys want to use RICO to prosecute a pair of Mississippi companies they say defrauded workers from Mexico.
Ron Chane and Brad Franklin on Rap and Reconciliation
It all started with an apology. Ron Chane, organizer of Fondren's First Thursday, apologized for a music act that preformed on Sept. 3 that wasn't exactly family friendly. In Chane's ...
Business
Revolution's Corner, Bodega and Chill Spot, Open Downtown
Abraham Santa Cruz is trying to make a way for a new downtown venture called Revolution's Corner, now open at the corner of Pearl and Roach streets in the Standard ...
City & County
Jackson Property Tax Rate Remains Flat
Property owners in Jackson will see their tax rate remain unchanged from last year, but the city anticipates lower revenue collections from property taxes.
City & County
Mayor Yarber Opens Up City Data
Mayor Tony Yarber is opening up. Specifically, his administration is developing an open-data policy for the City of Jackson.
Politics
Justice, Hope and Hurricane Katrina
Re-housing residents along the Mississippi coast became the most daunting problem of the post-Katrina recovery—logistically and politically speaking.
City & County
City Mulls Siemens Contract Amendment
City officials recently announced that upgrades to the city's water system, which cost $25 million, are complete.
City & County
HRC Training an Army for Miss. Equality
HRC Mississippi is hosting its first equality summit this weekend in Jackson, which aims to increase visibility and engagement for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) equality.
City & County
Yarber: No Tax Hike in Revised Budget, Furloughs Still on the Table
When Mayor Tony Yarber submits the second draft of his budget proposal to the Jackson City Council next week, the plan will not include an 8-percent tax increase.
Crime
MSU: No Shots Fired, No Gun Found After 'Credible Threat' Alert
Mississippi State University officials say one man has been arrested after the school received a "credible threat" that led them to issue an alert for an active shooter.
MSU 'Shooter' in Custody, Schools on Lockdown
What was described as an 'active shooter' at Mississippi State University is in custody, according to the school's official Twitter feed for emergency and advisory information.
Politics
Mississippi's Marijuana Initiative in Trouble?
Organizers of a statewide ballot initiative to legalize cannabis in Mississippi and commute the sentences of people incarcerated for marijuana-related crimes fear their dreams are going up in smoke due ...
City & County
Yarber, Council Gripped in Budget Battle of Wills
Jerry Taylor, like many of the people at Wingfield High School, was hopping mad about the City of Jackson's finances and a tax increase proposed to fill a budget deficit.
Politics
Coleman, Amos Head to Transportation Commission Democratic Runoff
Although it wasn't as a big of a surprise as the outcome of the race for governor, the Democratic primary for the Central District representative to the Mississippi Transportation Commission ...
City & County
JPS Revamps Hiring Practices to Slash Teacher Vacancies
As of Aug. 19, there are only about 22 teacher vacancies among JPS' 60 schools, Superintendent Cedrick Gray told the Jackson City Council during a presentation of the district's budget ...
Politics
McQuirter: Stop Hinds County’s Bleeding
Darrel McQuirter met the Jackson Free Press for an early breakfast at a Clinton restaurant to dish on running for reelection while shaping the county's budget.
Politics
Begley: An ‘Activist Legislator’?
Sam Begley, 55, a well-known player in Democratic Party and political circles who is usually trying to help someone get elected, said he wants to be an "activist legislator," fighting ...
Business
Costco Looms Over City Economic Development Talks
Big-box retailer Costco, which had been flirting with building in Jackson and is now in talks with Ridgeland officials, loomed large over today's City Council budget hearings.
Business
JPD, Zoo and Parks Face Tough Budget Climate
Beth Poff, the executive director of the Jackson Zoo, said the park is in a good financial position and debt-free.
Business
Union Leader: Furloughs Will 'Severely' Hurt City Workers
The head of an area labor union called a furlough plan and proposed property-tax increase a double whammy for Jackson employees.
Education
Dr. Carolyn Meyers Tackles Rumors, Says State of JSU is 'Solid'
Before giving her official State of the University speech, Jackson State University President Dr. Carolyn Meyers took a few moments to dismiss some rumors out in the ether about her ...
Cover
Keep on Truckin: Meet Robert Gray
It was not until 7:36 on the morning of Aug. 5 that anyone found out what Robert Gray looked like, much less how he wound up being the Democratic Party's ...
City & County
Public Works Takes Center Stage at Jackson Budget Talks
Public Works is responsible for maintaining the city's aging and deteriorating roads, bridges, water and sewer systems, and even for building maintenance and collecting money from parking meters. It also ...
City & County
City OKs JATRAN Operations Contract
The City of Jackson has approved an operations contract for JATRAN, the city's transit authority.
Business
Yarber Budget Proposes Tax Hike, Furloughs to Balance Budget
The City of Jackson is going into austerity mode with Mayor Tony Yarber's budget proposal, unveiled this morning at the first of a month's worth of budget talks.
City & County
James Covington Drops Out of House 65 Race
James Covington, who appeared to be headed for a Democratic runoff with businessman Chris Bell, says he is ending his candidacy for Mississippi House District 65.
City & County
City: Employee Furloughs to Save $4.9 Million
Starting in October, all full-time employees will be required to take one furlough day per month.
Politics
Democrats Still Unsure How Robert Gray Won, But Express Support
Reminiscent of the national electoral map that swept Ronald Reagan to a landslide second-term victory in 1984, the Democratic nominee for Mississippi governor won all but three counties.
Unofficial Statewide and Hinds County Primary Winners
Here is the list of unofficial winners in yesterday's statewide primaries:
Politics
Robert Gray in (Truck) Driver's Seat to Challenge Gov. Phil Bryant
Robert Gray shocked political watchers around the state by finishing first among the three Democratic candidates with 51 percent of the vote, which would not necessitate a runoff if the ...
Civil Rights
Earlier Neshoba Jail Death Raises Questions
Before the death of Rexdale Henry in the Neshoba County Jail in July, there was Michael McDougle.
City & County
State of the City Precedes Budget Talks
For municipal finance wonks, there is no more fun time of year than annual budget negotiations that will result in a city spending plan for the next fiscal year.
City & County
Westin Hotel Project Officially Begins
Announced in late 2011, the 205-room Westin hotel is a $60-million project that drew public money with the help of government agencies.
Officials: Madison County Courthouse Shooting Suspect 'Peacefully' Taken Into Custody
A man was shot and killed this morning outside a Madison County courthouse in Canton.
City & County
Yarber Tasks Jackson's Youth with Shaping City's Future
The Jackson-area teens who recently took top prizes at a New Orleans technology competition had front-row seating at Mayor Tony Yarber's second State of the City address at the Arts ...
Health Care
Advocates Turn Up for Medicaid's 50th Birthday
Advocates for health-care access celebrated at a "birthday party" for the Medicaid and Medicare programs this morning, both established 50 years ago this week.
Candidate
Bomp, Bomp: Law & Order and the Race for Hinds County District Attorney
It's hard to tell whether Robert Shuler Smith, the top prosecutor in Hinds County, is confident he'll coast to a third term as district attorney—or if he's scared out of ...
City & County
Farish Mess Lingers as JRA Tries to Move On
To paraphrase Michael Corleone, just when the Jackson Redevelopment Authority thought it was out—of the morass over Farish Street—they get pulled back in.
City & County
David Watkins, JRA Spar Over Farish Settlement Terms
David Watkins said he wants "fair compensation" in exchange for dropping the legal challenges that are holding up the development of historic Farish Street.
Crime
Family Spokesman: Rexdale Henry's Fines Shouldn't Have Led to Death
John Steele, a spokesman for the family of Rexdale Henry, who was found dead inside the Neshoba County Jail on July 14, said the family is awaiting the results of ...
Death of Choctaw Activist Rexdale Henry in Neshoba Jail Prompts Private Autopsy
A private autopsy is under way for Rexdale W. Henry, a 53-year-old man found dead inside the Neshoba County Jail in Philadelphia, Miss., on July 14.
City & County
Livingston Park Reopens, Zoo Gets a Giraffe
Starting today, families will be able to enjoy west Jackson's Livingston Park in a way the park has not been used in a long time. A ribbon-cutting ceremony took place ...
Cover
Kitchen-Table Politics: The JFP Interview with Vicki Slater
Vicki Slater spoke with the Jackson Free Press in early July about why she believes she would make a better governor than the incumbent Phil Bryant.
