Attorney General Jim Hood Announces $150 Million BP Payment to Mississippi
Attorney General Jim Hood released the following statement: JACKSON, MISS.- The state of Mississippi is expected to receive $150 million from BP on Friday, representing the oil company’s first payment for economic damages resulting from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster, Attorney General Jim Hood announced today. The payment comes three ...
U.S. Supreme Court Strikes Down Texas' Anti-Abortion Laws; Mississippi Leaders Respond
The U.S. Supreme Court struck down Texas’ admitting privileges and surgical-center requirement anti-abortion laws by a vote of 5-3 today. The court found both laws unconstitutional because they do place “undue burden” on women seeking abortion access in the state. "The record contains sufficient evidence that the admitting-privileges requirement led ...
Verbatim: Settlement Ends “Debtors’ Prison” System in Jackson, Mississippi
JACKSON, Miss. – The landmark settlement of a federal class action against the City of Jackson, Mississippi, has brought an end to that city’s self-described “pay or stay” system alleged to have sent hundreds of people to jail each year because they could not pay fines and fees in misdemeanor ...
U.S. District Judge Dismisses ACLU HB1523 Lawsuit
U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves dismissed the ACLU's lawsuit that tried to dismantle House Bill 1523 before it becomes law next week. In his order, Reeves wrote that the ACLU's complaint did not satisfy the criteria for him to issue a preliminary injunction to block HB1523 from becoming law. Reeves ...
Southern Baptist Convention: 'Discontinue the Display of the Confederate Battle Flag'
On Flag Day at its annual meeting, the Southern Baptist Convention passed a resolution that calls on all Southern Baptist churches and 'brothers and sisters in Christ' to not display the Confederate battle flag. The convention passed a resolution that said, "we call our brothers and sisters in Christ to ...
Jackson City Council Approves Landmark LGBTQ-Inclusive Non-Discrimination, Hate Crimes Ordinance
The Human Rights Campaign just released this verbatim statement: JACKSON, Miss. -- Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Mississippi hailed the Jackson, Mississippi City Council for voting to advance city-wide non-discrimination protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity in housing, public accommodations and employment. Passed by a 7-0 vote, ...
Third Lawsuit, Fourth Legal Challenge Filed Against HB1523
The Campaign for Southern Equality and Mississippi-native Rev. Susan Hrostowski filed a lawsuit against several state officials, saying that House Bill 1523 is unconstitutional, late last week. The lawsuit states that House Bill 1523 violates the first and fourteenth amendments of the U.S. Constitution and asks the U.S. District Court ...
JFP Wins 'Best in Division' in 66th Annual Green Eyeshade Awards
Members of the JFP's editorial and design staff have won numerous honors in the 66th Annual Green Eyeshade award, including our first ever "Best in Division" award, receiving the top honor among all non-daily print publications in the contest.
UPDATED: MDOC Will Close Walnut Grove Correctional Facility by September
The Mississippi Department of Corrections plans to close the Walnut Grove Correctional Facility by September due to "budget constraints and the prison population," a press release from MDOC says. “MDOC’s budget is lower than what we anticipated,” Commissioner Marshall Fisher said in a press release. “Pursuant to an intensive budget ...
John Oliver Starts Miss. Company; Buys and Forgives $15m in Medical Debt
In a segment highlighting how easy it is to buy up old medical debt and learn about the patients who have it, John Oliver on his show "Last Week Tonight" put together a shell company to do just that.
Pastors, Community Advocates File Third Legal Challenge to HB1523
Mississippi pastors, community leaders and a Hattiesburg church have filed a federal lawsuit challenging House Bill 1523, the third legal challenge to the "Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination Act." The plaintiffs have sued the governor (who recently received a Religious Freedom Award), the attorney general, the executive director ...
VIDEO: One on One With Chief Vance
In May 2016, Donna Ladd sat down with JPD Chief of Police Lee Vance to discuss crime, youth violence, and creative solutions.