Monday, September 30
David Archie Sues for New Election
David Archie, the third-place finisher in last week's Democratic primary for Hinds County's District 2 seat, wants a new election and is suing his own party to get it.
The Impact and Echoes of the Wal-Mart Discrimination Case
When the U.S. Supreme Court issued its 5-4 decision in Wal-Mart v. Dukes in June 2011, no one needed a Richter scale to know it was a Big One.
Evelyn Lowery
Civil rights and women's empowerment activist Evelyn Lowery, wife of the Rev. Joseph Lowery, died in her Georgia home Thursday, Sept. 26.
Chemical Weapons Inspectors Outline Syria Plan
Inspectors who will oversee Syria's destruction of its chemical weapons said Sunday their first priority is to help the country scrap its ability to manufacture such arms by a Nov. 1 deadline—using every means possible.
Obama to Meet with Netanyahu, Iran Likely Topic
President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are meeting at a time that the three-decade estrangement between the United States and Iran may be nearing an end.
Federal Gov't Edges to Shutdown Over Health Care
The Senate has the next move on budget legislation that has fueled a bitter dispute over President Barack Obama's signature health care law.
Federal Gulf Oil Spill Trial Resumes
Billions of dollars are at stake as the federal trial resumes over the 2010 disaster.
Mississippi's Nature Tourism Back on the Table
It's been several post-Hurricane Katrina years since the groups involved in ecotourism gathered to inventory natural resources and talk about how to spread the word to birdwatchers, kayakers, hunters, hikers and others.
Sunday, September 29
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.
Saturday, September 28
House GOP Puts Forth New Demands to Delay Obamacare; Senate Dems Reject Them Outright
Locked in a deepening struggle with President Barack Obama, House Republicans demanded a one-year delay in major parts of the nation's new health care law and permanent repeal of a tax on medical devices Saturday as the price for preventing a partial government shutdown threatened for early Tuesday. Senate Democrats rejected the plan even before the House could post it online.
2 Mississippi Senators Vote Against Gov't Funding
Both of Mississippi's U.S. senators voted Friday against legislation to fund the federal government through mid-November.
Bryant Leads Cancer Awareness Event on Motorcycles
Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant and his wife, Deborah, are taking part in a Jackson-to-Gulfport motorcycle ride Saturday to help bring attention to breast cancer research.
Friday, September 27
Metrocenter Listed for $6.5 Million
Real estate broker The Overby Company is listing Metrocenter Mall, once a commercial powerhouse, for sale at $6.5 million.
Climate Scientists Get Swift-Boated
The word early from scientists gathered in Stockholm is clear: The planet is changing, and humans are the cause.
Carey Wright
On Wednesday, Sept. 25, the Mississippi Board of Education named Dr. Carey Wright—founder and CEO of Wright Approach Consulting in Maryland—as the new state superintendent of education.
Iran, UN Agency Nuclear Probe Talks Positive
Iranian and U.N. officials are upbeat at the end of talks on resuming a U.N. probe to determine whether Tehran worked on atomic arms, in a sign that Iran's new president is serious when he says he wants to reduce nuclear tensions.
Syrian Arsenal Inspections to Begin by Tuesday
The inspectors responsible for tracking down Syria's chemical arms stockpile and verifying its destruction plan to start in Syria by Tuesday.
Senate Set to OK Budget Bill, but Fight Not Over
A potential government shutdown hurtling ever closer, the Democratic-led Senate moved Friday toward approving legislation keeping federal agencies from locking their doors on Tuesday. But disputes with the Republican-run House and among GOP lawmakers themselves ensure the battle will spill into the weekend at least, and quite possibly beyond.
Miss. Sues to Try to Block Flood Insurance Hike
The Mississippi Department of Insurance filed a lawsuit Thursday against the federal government to try to block rates from increasing Oct. 1 in the National Flood Insurance Program.
Miss. Gov Says Christianity Shapes His World View
Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant told a group of students Thursday that Christianity shapes his world view and he's not apologetic about opposing abortion or putting Nativity scenes on public property.
Thursday, September 26
Zoo Mulls Situation, Accreditation Appeal Pending
Even if the Jackson Zoo retains its accreditation, questions will remain about its long-term viability if it remains in West Jackson.
Average Obamacare Premiums Will Be Lower Than Projected
Just days before new online health insurance markets are set to open, the Obama administration Wednesday released a look at average premiums, saying rates in most states are lower than earlier projected—and that 95 percent of consumers will have at least two insurers to choose from.
Saints Defense
The New Orleans Saints are 3-0 after the first three weeks of this season, which is a complete turnaround of last year's 0-3 start. The turnaround may be due in large part to how much the Saints' defense has improved over last year.
House GOP Considers Options on Possible Shutdown
Pressure is building on fractious House Republicans over legislation to prevent a partial government shutdown, as the Democratic-led Senate is expected to strip a tea party-backed plan to defund Obamacare from the bill.
Russia Offers to Guard Syria Arms Destruction
Russia offered on Thursday to provide troops to guard facilities where Syria's chemical weapons would be destroyed, as U.N. inspectors prepared to continue their probe on the use of such agents in the country's civil war.
Somalis Fear Youths Leaving U.S. for Terror Group
Leaders of the nation's largest Somali community say some of their young men are still being enticed to join the terror group that has claimed responsibility for the deadly mall attack in Kenya, despite a concentrated effort to shut off what authorities call a "deadly pipeline" of men and money.
$252K Grant Kicks off MUW Health Initiative
Mississippi University for Women and Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi have launched a health initiative targeting lifestyle choices related to diet, physical activity and stress management.
Study: BP Spill Damaged Sea-Floor Life for Miles
The vast 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill damaged the tiny animals that live on the sea floor for about 57 square miles around the blown-out BP oil well, with severe damage in about nine square miles of that area, says a researcher from Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
Wednesday, September 25
Time to End College Athletics
The following will not be a popular opinion—but I have never cared if my opinions were popular.
The Slate
Several NFL teams' seasons might be over before October. In fact, some might be done before week four.
Voo Davis: Pushing the Blues
Although it had been about a decade since Brian "Voo" Davis played guitar, it seemed to be the best thing to help fill the void when his first wife passed from blood clot complications in 2009.
Black Violin Bows Outside the Box
When school and orchestra rehearsals were over, Wilner "Wil B." Baptiste and Kevin "Kev Marcus" Sylvester would put away their sheet music and listen to Tupac, reggae or whatever was popular on the radio at the time.
Of Beer and Building Community
The owners of Lucky Town Brewery explained how they want to be part of the regrowth of midtown at a community meeting at CS’s.
A Photographic Nature
No matter the category of photographers you fit into—young or old, professional photographer or scrappy amateur, male or female, black, blue, pink or whatever—the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science's "Back to Nature" photo contest wants you.
subSIPPI: Capturing the Zeitgeist
For the last year, three 20-somethings have traveled the state seeking to peel back the layers of Mississippi cultures.
Wedding Day, the Kid-Friendly Way
Incorporating kids into a wedding day can be a touching gesture, but it isn’t for everyone.
Start Early, Start Right
In Proverbs 22:6 (NIV) it says, "Start children off on the way they should go and, even when they are old, they will not turn from it." Even if you are not religious, this biblical principle is a smart rule of thumb when approaching various aspects of child-rearing.
Hunter-Gatherer
People are going back to their "hunter-gatherer" roots and attempting to emulate caveman eating habits. This growing lifestyle trend is called the paleo—short for paleolithic—diet.
Living Raw
Dr. Leo Huddleston, doctor of naturopathy and chiropractic medicine, has been a "living-food enthusiast" for over 20 years. He is also a certified personal trainer.
Sticky and Messy and Worth It
Pizza recipes are pretty basic all around, but you can substitute different ingredients. For instance, I use honey instead of sugar.
Robert St. John: The Unlikely Chef
To say Robert St. John is modest about what led to his success is to put it lightly. The Hattiesburg, Miss., native insists he "sort of fell backward" into the overwhelming success he's enjoyed as a chef, restaurateur, author, businessman and philanthropist.
You Can’t Eat That
Sometimes it seems like every diet on the planet makes you feel like you can’t have fun.
Cutting SNAP Cuts Lifelines
A few days ago, Mississippi's Republican congressional delegation in the U.S. House of Representatives voted in favor of cutting the federal food-stamp program, aka the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, to the tune of $40 billion over the next 10 years.
Stinker Quote of the Week: 'Repeal'
Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives have attempted to repeal the Affordable Care Act, President Barack Obama's signature legislation, more than 30 times.
Be Aware, Remain Safe
"It looks like this world we live in has revealed itself in the forms of turmoil, hatred and insanity."
A Bullying Dilemma
Rayar Johnson, the mother of four daughters in Wayne County, says her girls have been victims of racial bullying for going on close to a decade.
Jackson: ‘Elephant’ in State Budget Room
When a fire broke out at the Hinds County Armory, located on state property, the Jackson Fire Department put it out. Nevertheless, Jackson is unlikely to benefit from state budget negotiations.
Coming Soon: 1-Percent Sales Tax Increase?
Faced with steep spending increases to meet the challenges of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's consent decree and Jackson's crumbling roads, Mayor Chokwe Lumumba says he is moving ahead with a 1-percent sales tax.
Preserving and Updating the Eastland Courthouse
Looking at the view from a corner office on the fourth floor of the James O. Eastland Federal Building, it's easy to see why someone would want to live in the 80-year-old building at the corner of Capitol and West streets.
Lauren Davis
While Lauren Davis, 41, had been grilling and smoking meat with his family since he was a child, he had no formal culinary training when he opened his food truck, LurnyD's Grille.
Stop the Food Fight
Hunger, and its corollary, poverty, are not intractable problems, despite their historical prevalence.
Girls Just Wanna Make Art
The Mississippi Arts Commission’s latest show juxtaposes several women artists’ approaches to femininity.
Premiums Unveiled for Health Overhaul Plans
With new health insurance markets launching next week, the Obama administration is unveiling premiums and plan choices for 36 states where the federal government is taking the lead to cover uninsured residents.
Despite Cruz, Senate Heads Toward Obamacare Vote
The Democratic-controlled Senate is on a path toward defeating tea party attempts to dismantle President Barack Obama's health care law, despite an overnight talkathon on the chamber's floor led by Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.
Terrorists Claim 137 Killed in Kenya Mall Attack
The terrorist group behind the takeover of a Nairobi mall claimed Wednesday that the Kenyan government assault team carried out "a demolition" of the building, burying 137 hostages in rubble. A government spokesman denied the claim and said Kenyan forces were clearing all rooms, firing as they moved and encountering no one.
4 Miss. Schools Earn Blue Ribbon Status
Four Mississippi schools have been recognized as National Blue Ribbon Schools by the U.S. Department of Education.
Miss. Sentencing, Prison Policies Up for Debate
Mississippi judges and prosecutors are telling lawmakers they're tired of the uncertainty about how long people will stay in prison after sentencing.
Tuesday, September 24
Fear of Humanitarian Disaster in Syria
Syrian opposition groups and international relief organizations are warning of the risk of mass starvation across the country, especially in the besieged Damascus suburbs where a gas attack killed hundreds last month.
Kenyan President: Terrorists Defeated
The terrorists who took control of a Nairobi mall and held off Kenyan security forces for four days have been defeated after killing at least 67 civilians and government troops, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta said Tuesday.
Officials: Obama, Rouhani Will Not Meet at U.N.
Senior U.S. officials say President Barack Obama and Iranian President Hasan Rouhani will not meet while both leaders are at the United Nations.
Senate May Shorten Stopgap Spending Bill
The Senate's No. 2 Democrat says the chamber may come out in favor of a smaller patch for bankrolling the government than the one envisioned in a temporary spending bill passed by the Republican-dominated House.
Obama Opens Door to Direct Diplomacy with Iran
President Barack Obama opened the door to direct nuclear talks with Iran's moderate new government on Tuesday, declaring diplomacy worth pursuing though skepticism persisted about Tehran's willingness to back up friendly overtures with concrete action.
Fortification Street Funding: Round Two
Jackson's Department of Public Works may have found a way to break the impasse with the city council that has slowed construction on the Fortification Street renovation project for almost a month.
Pushlocal, Yokohama and DOR Services
Jackson Free Press and Dollars & Sense Consulting will hold their first "Pushlocal Breakfast and Learn" at Sal and Mookie's New York Pizza and Ice Cream Joint this Thursday, Sept. 26, at 8:30 a.m.
Martin G. Reynolds
Martin G. Reynolds understands the impact that media has on society, and he dedicates much of his life and career into molding honest, audacious stories and educational projects for the communities he serves.
U.N. Chief Urges Leaders to Stop Fueling Syria War
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged world leaders on Tuesday to stop fueling the bloodshed in Syria with weapons and get both sides to the negotiating table to end the "biggest challenge to peace and security in the world."
Report: Shooter Lied About Previous Arrest, Debts
The Washington Navy Yard shooter lied about a previous arrest and failed to disclose thousands of dollars in debts when he applied for a security clearance in the Navy.
Miss. Lawmakers Face Long Budget Writing Process
Now that budget hearings are over, Mississippi lawmakers face a long process of deciding how to spend tax dollars for fiscal 2015, which begins July 1.
Monday, September 23
Mississippi Poverty Comes Into Focus
More than three years after Congress passed the Affordable Care Act, and a week before a key provision of the health law takes effect, Mississippi federal lawmakers continue vows to repeal Obamacare.
Obama Administration Helped Kill Transparency Push on Military Aid
The U.S. spent roughly $25 billion last year on what's loosely known as security assistance, a term that can cover everything from training Afghan security forces to sending Egypt F-16 fighter jets to equipping Mexican port police with radiation scanners.
Charlie Sewell
On Wednesday, Sept. 18, Habitat for Humanity Mississippi Capital Area declared 12-year-old Charlie Sewell the winner of a T-shirt design contest the organization holds through local churches.
Obama Says Fight for Gun Laws 'Ought to Obsess Us'
President Barack Obama on Sunday memorialized the victims of the Washington Navy Yard shooting by urging Americans not to give up on a transformation in gun laws that he argued are to blame for an epidemic of violence.
Obama Opens U.N. Talks with Diplomatic Opportunities
President Barack Obama opens meetings at the United Nations with diplomatic opportunities on three vexing issues: Iran's disputed nuclear program, Syria's chemical weapons use, and elusive peace between Israel and the Palestinians.
Sunday, September 22
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.
Saturday, September 21
2 Miss. Colleges Share $4.95M Job Training Grants
The U.S. Labor Department has awarded $4.95 million in grants to develop job training programs at two community colleges in Mississippi.
Jackson VA Director Responds to Allegations
A government report alleges inadequate patient care, chronic staff shortages, missed diagnoses and nurse practitioners without licenses at the G. V. (Sonny) Montgomery VA Medical Center in Jackson.
Friday, September 20
The JFP Endorses: McQuirter, Baker and Woods
Tuesday, Sept. 24's special primary elections are generating an unusually high level of interest as far as county board of supervisors races go.
Media Digs In, Drills Down on Climate Coverage
"Deniers" see news media in lockstep with a conspiracy of scientists, bureaucrats, hippies and ne'er-do-wells to steal the world's energy markets and force us all to change our ways.
Donna Yowell
Donna Yowell, executive director of the Mississippi Urban Forest Council, has dedicated her career to helping people and communities understand the importance of trees.
Obama Takes on Coal with First-Ever Carbon Limits
Linking global warming to public health, disease and extreme weather, the Obama administration pressed ahead Friday with tough requirements to limit carbon pollution from new power plants, despite protests from industry and from Republicans that it would mean a dim future for coal.
Syria Sends OPCW Chemical Weapons Inventory
Syria has sent the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons an "initial declaration" outlining its weapons program, the organization said Friday.
13 Wounded in Late-Night Attack on Chicago Park
A 3-year-old boy who was among 13 people wounded in a late-night attack on a southwest Chicago park was alert when he arrived at the hospital and was apparently doing well, his family and friends said early Friday.
Republicans at Odds as 'Obamacare' Showdown Nears
Congressional Republicans struggled to tamp down a family feud Thursday as they approached a politically charged showdown with the White House that combines the threat of a government shutdown, a possible first-ever federal default and the GOP's bid to repeal the nation's three-year-old health care law.
Thursday, September 19
Low-wage Jobs Fuel State Economic Growth
Right now, Mississippi's economy is doing better than the U.S. on average—but probably not for long.
White House Pushes Back Against Fraud Fears Of Obamacare Opponents
The White House on Wednesday unveiled several steps to protect consumers from fraud in the new online health insurance marketplaces, a move that comes after 17 states hostile to the law acted to limit the spread of information about the program, and congressional Republicans raised concerns about the privacy of medical and financial records.
Millsaps Majors
Every college football team in the state—except two—has at least one loss already this season.
Halliburton Pleads Guilty to Destroying Evidence
A federal judge accepted a misdemeanor plea agreement from Halliburton Energy Services for destroying evidence after BP's 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
Investigators Review Erratic Behavior of DC Gunman
Investigators have been focusing on the erratic behavior of a former Navy reservist who law enforcement officials say was grappling with paranoia and had reported hearing voices and being followed before he gunned down 12 people at the Washington Navy Yard this week.
Number of Missing in Colorado Floods Drops
The number of people unaccounted for from Colorado's devastating flooding has fallen dramatically as rescuers reach stranded victims, and electricity and phone services are restored to ravaged areas, allowing residents to contact family, friends or authorities.
House to Vote on Stopgap Funding Bill, 'Obamacare'
The GOP-controlled House is cruising toward a vote to gut President Barack Obama's health care plan as part of a temporary funding bill to prevent a partial government shutdown on Oct. 1.
School Officials Call to Fully Fund School Budget
Education officials are making their legally-mandated push to support the state's school funding formula, but it's not clear they'll be any more successful in 2015 than in other recent years.
Wednesday, September 18
Parched Hinds County Issues Burn Ban
Authorities in Hinds County have issued a burn ban as rainfall remains sparse and grass fires increase.
JFP Top 25: Week 3
Alabama is, without question, the No. 1 team in the country after surviving Johnny Manziel and Texas A&M in a 49-42 shootout. The only thing that might be standing in the Crimson Tide's way of a third-straight title is a date with Lousiana State University, but Ole Miss wants something to say about that in two weeks.
The Slate
Let's play a game: I'll give you the records for a starting NFL quarterback and a quarterback looking for a job. Can you name them?
Be Careful What You Ask For
From time to time, nearly all human beings are guilty of overreaction—overcorrection might be a better way of stating it—when we face a problem or an issue. Especially when a topic gets some airtime in the media, our way of fixing that problem often goes beyond what is truly needed.
Bigger Than a Brand
If I say, "I'm an avid news reader," you might expect that I have substantial opinions on the country's economic state, political problems, or other significant yet dreary information from sources such as CNN, Fox or NBC. Not exactly.
A Colorful Society
A grouping of three paintings hangs on one wall of the Marie Hull Gallery at Hinds Community College's Raymond campus. The focal center, Mississippi artist Sherry Ferguson's beautifully and boldly watercolored painting "Center," is a large close-up of a flower center—done in vivid, saturated, velvety tonal colors, from cranberry to shrimp pink to peach—you can almost feel.
What Our City Needs
Anyone who has lived in Jackson for a while, and gotten involved even marginally in the community, knows that there is no shortage of ideas on how to improve our city floating around.
Vision 2022: A Regional Vision
The greater metropolitan area of Jackson is a collection of loosely aligned, often-at-odds cities, towns and communities worthy of a university-sanctioned study on diversity and race politics.
Green Space
If you want to see how differently various people approach the idea of planning for Jackson's future, listen to a discussion of parks and green space.
Big Ideas: Getting Jacksonians into City Parks
Mayor Chokwe Lumumba's Parks and Rec Transition Team compiled the following suggestions to get more residents into Jackson Parks and Recreation Department (PRD) facilities throughout the city.
Revisited: Town Creek
Many see Jackson's multiple creeks as nothing more than drainage ditches. They are undevelopable space offering only the threat of flooding, bank caving and snakes. Other cities, however, are increasingly recognizing the value that urban creeks can offer as parks, recreational corridors, and in improving water quality and environmental health.
Defined: People's Assemblies
Mayor Chokwe Lumumba has helped bring a grass-roots approach to idea generation and decision-making to Jackson, both in the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, which he co-founded, and later as a Ward 2 councilman.
New Idea: More Than Sports
When Jed Oppenheim of the Southern Poverty Law Center's Mississippi Youth Justice Project ended up as a "quasi-member" of Mayor Chokwe Lumumba's Parks and Rec transition team, he decided to offer a different direction to the conversation focusing on sports and facilities—which inevitably ended up "male and able bodied-centric."
Bright Idea: Conserve Energy, Create Jobs
You want to reduce your energy bills, improve your in-home air quality, increase the value of your home and help create jobs in the local community? Then invest in energy-efficiency improvements at your home or business.
Filling the Emptiness
When family or friends say Jackson is a bad place, I always want to take them on a trip to the city I've grown to know over the last six months.
Best Practice: Mid-South Minority Business Council Continuum
"Established in 1973 as the Mid-South Minority Business Council (MMBC), a component of the Memphis Area Chamber of Commerce, the MMBC Continuum now serves as a minority business-development organization and a source of expertise in advancing minority economic development."
What the Heck Is An IBA?
Sure, we have business organizations such as chambers of commerce, but they are not primarily and exclusively serving interests of small, locally owned businesses.
Radical Idea: Vacancy Tax
So, just how do we unlock the empty buildings that are "warehoused" downtown by landlords, often absentee, who let their spaces rot waiting for the huge rent check of the future rather than do something creative in them to help Jackson develop a more "creative class" vibe? Why not tax them? Other cities do it.
Build a Bicycle- and Pedestrian-Friendly Jackson
The key to change is finding simple, affordable tools that are easily accessible for people of all ages, races, socio-economic levels and abilities.
Everyone Needs a Roof
You've heard it before: For many Americans, homelessness is just a couple of paychecks away.
Jackson Planning Map
Jackson is a unique city with great potential. What makes this city great are her people, their passions and their visions.
Disrupting the Status Quo
A baker's dozen of good ideas: That's what I came up with when asked to contribute a pithy set of good ideas to this issue.
Lumumba: Telling Unpopular Truths
One of the difficulties every politician will face, sooner or later, is the choice between telling the people the truth or couching issues in terms of easy-to-digest pabulum and paternalistic "everything will be OK" talk.
Gibson: Unique Perspective
Alberta Ross Gibson is confident she can sell investors and developers on doing business in Hinds County.
McQuirter: Planting the Seeds
Darrel McQuirter, a Hinds County department head who took a leave of absence to run for the District 2 supervisor's seat, is putting his job on the line because he believes he can help the county run better.
Stinker Quote of the Week: 'No Idea'
Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann has been pushing for a voter ID law in Mississippi for years. Instead of taking responsibility for the law's passage, he put the onus for the law on the state Legislature, and said he was merely the guy responsible for enforcing it.
Mississippi’s Gumbo
Mississippi has always had a diverse group of people. Think of an ethnic group and, in all likelihood, its people reside here. Though their numbers may be smaller, all of them matter.
Having the Truancy Discussion
Jackson Public Schools Superintendent Cedrick Gray is supportive of an ordinance that would levy penalties against parents of truant students.
Council Passes $502.5 Million Budget
Jackson Mayor Chokwe Lumumba is aware that his controversial budget, which the city council passed Sept. 12 with a 5-2 vote, would ruffle some feathers. But he's OK with that. He didn't run for office to win any popularity contests.
Mukesh Kumar
The first time this reporter met Mukesh Kumar, he led me through the winding halls of Jackson State University's Urban and Regional Planning Department to his office.
Lion Around ‘A Quiet Town’
Zach Lovett and Spencer Thomas of Dandy & the Lions always dress to impress and are all around dapper, humble fellows.
Syria Gives Russia Chemical Weapons Evidence
Syria has turned over materials to Russia which aim to show that a chemical weapons attack last month was carried out by rebels, a top Russian diplomat visiting Damascus and a Syrian official said Wednesday.
5 Finalists Set for State Superintendent's Post
The state Board of Education has cut the field of possible state superintendents to five.
Judge Urged to Approve BP Claims Czar's Budget
The court-appointed administrator of BP's settlement with Gulf Coast residents and businesses following its 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has asked a federal judge to reject the company's bid to slash his office's proposed budget by at least $25.5 million.
USM Holds Groundbreaking for New Residence Halls
The University of Southern Mississippi has officially started construction on Century Park South, which will provide 954 beds for freshmen and other scholarship students.
Tuesday, September 17
Lumumba, Chamber Break Sales-Tax Impasse
Jackson Mayor Chokwe Lumumba says he has found a way around the sales-tax commission issue, which has kept the city leaders from putting a 1-percent sales tax to a vote for years.
Russia Opposes Use of Force in Resolution on Syria
Russia insisted Tuesday that a U.N. Security Council resolution governing Syria's handling of its chemical weapons not allow the use of force, but it suggested that could change if Damascus reneges on the deal to give up its stockpile.
Brazil Looks to Break from US-Centric Internet
Brazil plans to divorce itself from the U.S.-centric Internet over Washington's widespread online spying, a move that many experts fear will be a potentially dangerous first step toward fracturing a global network built with minimal interference by governments.
White House Criticizes Lawmakers Opposing Gun Bill
President Barack Obama's spokesman on Tuesday criticized lawmakers who have stood in the way of expanded background checks for gun purchases and said the White House will continue to push the cause in the wake of the Washington Navy Yard shooting.
Acapulco Tourists Stranded; Mexico Death Toll 38
Emergency flights began arriving in Acapulco Tuesday to evacuate some of the tens of thousands of tourists stranded in the resort city by flooding and landslides that shut down the highway to Mexico City and swamped the international airport.
Poverty Stuck at 15 percent, Record 46.5 Million
The nation's poverty rate remained stuck at 15 percent last year despite America's slowly reviving economy, a discouraging lack of improvement for the record 46.5 million poor and an unwelcome benchmark for President Barack Obama's recovery plans.
Reeves Flexes at Budget Hearings
Mississippi Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann plans to have the state's voter-identification law in place by spring or summer of 2014.
Mad Genius, Hospitals, Museums and Women of Vision
Mississippi is set to choose a general contractor for the Mississippi Museum of History and the accompanying Mississippi Civil Rights Museum by Sept. 26.
Jerry and Helen Young
Pastor Jerry Young laughs heartily about his upcoming appearance at Friday's Mississippi Sickle Cell Foundation Annual "Evening with the Sickle Cell Stars Gala," where he and his wife of 39 years, Helen Akins Young, will receive honors in the form of a celebrity roast.
Judge Orders New Trial in Killings After Katrina
A federal judge has ordered a new trial for five former New Orleans police officers convicted of civil rights violations stemming from deadly shootings on a bridge in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Colorado Evacuees Return to Find More Heartbreak
The rains finally stopped, allowing many Colorado flood evacuees to return home to toppled houses and upended vehicles with the realization that rebuilding their lives will take months. Search crews, meanwhile, rescued hundreds more people stranded by floodwaters.
Congress Looks to Relax Mandatory Prison Terms
Every weekend, Cindy Martinson treks from her home in Mason City, Iowa, about 160 miles roundtrip to Waseca, Minn. She visits the federal prison there, where her daughter Mandy Martinson, a first-time offender, is in the middle of 15-year prison sentence.
Gunman Navy Yard Rampage Had Mental Problems
The former Navy reservist who slaughtered 12 people at the Washington Navy Yard had been hearing voices and was being treated for mental problems in the weeks before the shooting rampage, but was not stripped of his security clearance, officials said Tuesday.
Miss. Officials Say Unspent Katrina Money Targeted
Mississippi officials said millions of dollars in federal aid still unspent years after Hurricane Katrina doesn't spell trouble with the recovery effort, disputing a watchdog report that found among things that jobs' creation was still lagging at the Port of Gulfport.
Monday, September 16
Miss. Agencies Submitting FY15 Budget Requests
Leaders of Mississippi government agencies are facing scrutiny as they request money for fiscal 2015, which begins July 1.
Stokes: Hinds Should Cash in from 'One Lake'
Despite still being years away from any dirt moving on the so-called One Lake project that aims to mitigate flooding and provide business opportunities along its shore, one member of the Hinds County Board of Supervisors wants to make sure that Hinds County gets its fair share.
Public Universities Ramp Up Aid for the Wealthy, Leaving the Poor Behind
Many public universities, faced with their own financial shortfalls, are increasingly leaving low-income students behind.
Dr. Herman Taylor
The American Heart Association recently named Dr. Herman Taylor, Professor of Medicine at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson, vice president of its Greater Southeast Affiliate Board of Directors.
UN: 'Convincing Evidence' of Syria Chemical Attack
U.N. inspectors said Monday there is "clear and convincing evidence" that chemical weapons were used on a relatively large scale in an attack last month in Syria that killed hundreds of people.
Analysis: Barbour Could Still Shape Miss. Policies
Once a governor, always a governor in Mississippi. The title never fades, even when the time in office expires.
Police Responding to Reported Shooter at Navy Yard
Several people were injured in a shooting Monday morning at a building at the Washington Navy Yard, the U.S. Navy said, and authorities searched for an active shooter.
Sunday, September 15
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.
Saturday, September 14
Health Officials Report Drop in Infant Mortality
State health officials say Mississippi's infant mortality rate is declining.
Judge Urged to Accept Halliburton's Guilty Plea
Halliburton Energy Services and Justice Department prosecutors have urged a federal judge to approve a plea deal that calls for the Houston-based company to pay a $200,000 fine for destroying evidence after BP's 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
Takeovers Set for 2 of 3 Miss. School Districts
The Mississippi state Board of Education is seeking to take over the Claiborne County and Leflore County school districts, but will grant the Yazoo City system a reprieve.
Judge Delays BP Rig Supervisors' Trial Until June
A federal judge has agreed to postpone the manslaughter trial of two BP supervisors who worked on the drilling rig that exploded in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010.
Friday, September 13
Investigators: 36,000 Game Disability System
Social Security made $1.3 billion in potentially improper disability payments to people who had jobs when they were supposed to be unable to work, congressional investigators said in a report Friday.
President's Brother Key to Syria Regime Survival
He is rarely photographed or even quoted in Syria's media. Wrapped in that blanket of secrecy, President Bashar Assad's younger brother has been vital to the family's survival in power.
UK Police: Cyber Crooks Could Have Stolen Millions
A daring attempt to graft a rogue piece of hardware onto a computer at a London branch of Spanish bank Santander could have drained millions of pounds (dollars) from its coffers, police said Friday, an indication of the potential for electronic crime to tear huge chunks off financial institutions' balance sheets.
Jackson's Budget Gets Green Light
Jackson Mayor Chokwe Lumumba convinced the Jackson City Council to pass his proposed $502.5 million budget after holding two town-hall meetings and two public hearings.
What We're Seeing Now: Air Pollution and Climate Change
Scientists at Princeton, Stanford, Peking and Columbia universities as well as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration conclude that climate change will worsen air pollution, making it a more potent killer this century.
M. Trost Friedler
Sobriety and running a center to assist others to deal with addiction issues came back-to-back for M. Trost Friedler, whose substance abuse issues first brought him to Jackson in the mid-1990s.
It's the Weekend!
On Saturday, "Bravo I: Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto" is at 7:30 p.m. at Thalia Mara Hall.
Rights Group: Syrian Regime Behind Mass Killings
An international human rights group on Friday accused Syrian government forces and pro-regime militias of carrying out summary executions earlier this year that left at least 248 people dead in two predominantly Sunni Muslim towns along the Mediterranean coast.
4 Men Given Death Sentences in India Gang Rape
An Indian court Friday sentenced to death four men for the gang rape and murder of a young New Delhi woman, ordering them to the gallows for a brutal attack that riveted India, where it became a symbol of the rampant mistreatment of women and the government's inability to deal with crime.
Kerry: Syria Peace Prospects Ride on Weapons Talks
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Friday the prospects for resuming the Syrian peace process are riding on the outcome of U.S.-Russian talks aimed at securing Syria's chemical weapons arsenal that lurched into a second day.
Women Outrun Men in Regaining Jobs Since Recession
The slowly recovering U.S. job market has helped women rebound faster than men: They've now regained all the jobs they lost to the Great Recession. Men are still 2.1 million jobs short.
How Mississippi School Districts Rated in 2013
Here's how the 151 Mississippi public school districts in 2013 were rated under the state's A-to-F grading system for their 2013 performance, along with how they were rated in 2012.
Thursday, September 12
Colorado Flooding Cuts Off Mountain Towns, Kills 3
Heavy rains sent walls of water crashing down mountainsides Thursday in Colorado, cutting off remote towns, forcing the state's largest university to close and leaving at least three people dead across a rugged landscape that included areas blackened by recent wildfires.
Jacksonians Speak Out at Town Hall Meeting
Last night, the city of Jackson and Mayor Chokwe Lumumba hosted a second town-hall meeting to address the proposed water-and-sewer rate increases, this time in the heart of Ward 3 at Progressive Missionary Baptist Church.
Consumers With Serious Medical Problems Need To Carefully Assess Total Plan Costs
One of the health care overhaul's most far-reaching provisions prohibits health plans from refusing to cover people who are sick or charging them higher premiums. Still, for people with serious medical conditions, the online health insurance marketplaces present new wrinkles that could have significant financial impact.
Millsaps Majors
Millsaps and Mississippi College have been meeting on the gridiron since 1920, and the Majors and Choctaws have met annually since 2000, when they renewed their close rivalry.
Health Overhaul Confuses Medicare Beneficiaries
Dear seniors, your Medicare benefits aren't changing under the Affordable Care Act. That's the message federal health officials are trying to get out to elderly consumers confused by overlapping enrollment periods for Medicare and so-called "Obamacare."
AP Sources: CIA Delivering Light Weapons to Syria
The CIA has been delivering light machine guns and other small arms to Syrian rebels for several weeks, following President Barack Obama's decision to arm the rebels.
Kerry Set to Test Russia on Syria Weapons
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and his team open two days of meetings with their Russian counterparts on Thursday, hoping to emerge with the outlines of a plan for the complex task of safely securing and destroying vast stockpiles of Syrian chemical weapons in the midst of a brutal and unpredictable conflict.
Syrian Rebels Blast Russian Offer on Chemical Arms
Syria's top rebel commander called Thursday for regime officials to be put on trial for carrying out an alleged chemical attack near Damascus that killed hundreds last month, blasting a Russian proposal for securing the country's chemical arsenal.
Release of Report on Port Spending Friday
A legislative committee will release a report this week on its analysis of spending at the State Port at Gulfport.
Wednesday, September 11
AP Analysis: Russia Re-Emerges as Mideast Player
With a few days' worth of surprise diplomacy, Vladimir Putin has revived memories of an era many thought was long gone, when Washington and Moscow jostled for influence while others looked on.
The Slate
Isn't it great to have real referees, instead of replacement refs? Oh wait—you mean the real refs blew a call in the first game of year that might have cost a team a win?
JFP Top 25: Week 2
Only two weeks in, and we see a shakeup in the top five and top 10 of the JFP College Football Top 25 Poll. Both happen to involve SEC teams, as South Carolina and Florida lost last weekend. The SEC sees a top-five matchup between Alabama and Texas A&M this week.
Optimistic but Cautious
In sports, you see a lot of overreaction the Monday after Sunday's NFL games. Fan bases can swing wildly throughout the season, depending on their favorite team's performance from week to week.
A Sworn Oath
The Lincoln exhibit at Hinds Community College’s Raymond campus will have traveled to more than 40 states by 2015.
Lisa Marie Grows Up
Lisa Marie Presley really doesn't need an introduction. Most people know she's the only daughter of Elvis and Priscilla Presley. She's also been releasing music of her own since 2002.
Handmade and Live on Stage
The Canton Gin Market, located in the Old Cotton Gin across the street from the train depot in Canton, is a mecca for local artisans and musicians.
Greek Goodness
Mississippi Greek Weekend is a chance for Greek organizations to band together to raise money and awareness about sickle cell anemia.
Blooming Book Club
Jackson writer Eudora Welty inspired the name of the Cereus Readers book club, pronounced "serious." She and her friends would come together to watch the annual night-blooming of the cereus flower. They called themselves the "The Night-Blooming-Cereus Club."
Irish Dancing in the Capital
The Mostly Monthly Ceili series is a Sunday night event that brings the art of the Irish jig to Jackson.
Sound Exchange
The vinyl nirvana for Jackson's music nerds is returning, in the ninth 4 The Record! vinyl convention and swap, Sept. 28, at Hal & Mal's (200 S. Commerce St., 601-948-0888).
Zombies and Filmmaking
Prepare Now for the Zombie Apocalypse! On Oct. 26, as part of the fourth annual Mississippi International Film Festival, zombies and their attendant goons will overrun the Russell C. Davis Planetarium for the annual Zombie Ball. The best zombie or goon costume will receive a prize.
Half-Life
This summer, a couple of Walker's Drive-In employees painted a mural on the iconic eatery's patio wall in Fondren. It replaced a pockmarked and aging piece The Projectors, a trio of artists who still live and work in Jackson, did a decade ago.
What Matters
Nearing 90 years of life, she sat on the edge of her chair staring into my daughter's eyes as if there was some clue as to who she was.
Time to Show Up
Next week, the Mississippi Legislature takes up hearings on the fiscal year 2015 budget.
Stinker Quote of the Week: 'Killing'
Same old, same old conservative response—reduce the size of government regardless of what the issue is.
The Money is Right
Rudy McBride: "Greetings to potential, new and existing customers of the Let Me Hold Five Dollars National Bank. Last week, I had an interesting conversation with Harris 'Stotle' Jenkins, resident philosopher of the Ghetto Science Team Think Tank.
Williams: Hustle and Fight
Ted Williams says the key to unlocking Utica's economic-development potential just might start with a lunchtime eatery.
Jones: Looking for Bargains
Leon Jones, a 48-year-old former Jackson police officer and day-care center owner, knows the importance of having an advocate on the Hinds County Board of Supervisors.
What $6.5 Million Will Buy
Budget talks heated Sept. 5 as Mayor Chokwe Lumumba began distributing some of the funds from his $503 million budget, starting with re-allocating $6.5 million from the public schools. The funds should help Jackson address nagging problems across the city.
Question o' the Week: Fill in this phrase: 'Art is ______'
Fill in this phrase: 'Art is ______'
Enforcing Truancy Laws
Jackson Councilman Tony Yarber, Ward 6, doesn't split hairs on state truancy laws at Jackson Public Schools: He doesn't believe they are being enforced.
Gators: A Conservation Love Story
By now, the stories of Mississippi's three record-breaking alligators have traveled around the world.
Christy Henderson
As the founder and executive director of the Mississippi Ridability Therapeutic Riding Center, Christy Henderson lives to enrich the lives of special-needs individuals through horseback riding.
Finding Sheroes
Think about the women you see in films and TV shows, on magazine covers and runways. They are pornified, photoshopped, plastic.
Blender IV: Hip-Hop Gives Back
Throughout last year, Jackson hip-hop artist James Crow, or Herbert Brown as his friends know him, struggled through an incredible hardship—one that no amount of talent, dedication or hard work could overcome.
Obama Conditionally Backs Offer on Syria
President Barack Obama conditionally endorsed a Russian offer for international inspectors to seize and destroy deadly chemical weapons in Syria as efforts to avert retaliatory U.S. missile strikes shift from Washington to the United Nations.
9/11 Anniversary to Be Marked With Tributes
Sept. 11 victims' loved ones will gather at ground zero to commemorate the attacks' anniversary with the reading of names, moments of silence and serene music that have become tradition.
The NSA machine: Too Big for Anyone to Understand
The National Security Agency set it in motion in 2006 and the vast network of supercomputers, switches and wiretaps began gathering Americans' phone and Internet records by the millions, looking for signs of terrorism.
AP Interview: Syria Renouncing Arms Shows Strength
Syria's acceptance of a proposal to relinquish its chemical weapons stockpile should not be interpreted as a concession or sign of weakness, a senior government official said Wednesday. Damascus' agreement, he added, has removed one of the pretexts for foreign airstrikes against Syria.
Top 1 Percent in U.S. Took Biggest Share Since 1928
The income gap between the richest 1 percent and the rest of America last year reached the widest point since the Roaring Twenties.
Tuesday, September 10
Indian Court Convicts 4 in Fatal Gang Rape Case
An Indian court convicted four men Tuesday in the deadly gang rape of a young woman on a moving New Delhi bus, a brutal crime that galvanized public anger over the widespread—yet widely tolerated—sexual violence faced by Indian women.
Obama Talks Syria Diplomacy, Fallback Airstrikes
Pushing military might and raising hopes it won't be needed, President Barack Obama threw his support Tuesday behind a plan for U.N. Security Council talks aimed at securing Syria's chemical weapons stockpiles, even as he continued to advance the fallback idea of U.S. airstrikes against Bashar Assad's regime.
Kerry: Syria Should Do More Than Declare Weapons
Secretary of State John Kerry says Syria must do more than just declare its chemical weapons stockpiles and sign the international treaty that bans them if it wants a Russian-led effort to avert U.S. military strikes to work.
Apple Introduces 2 New iPhone Models
Apple's latest iPhones will come in a bevy of colors and two distinct designs, a cheaper one made of plastic and another that aims to be "the gold standard of smartphones" and reads your fingerprint.
Did La. Parish 'Jump the Gun' on One Lake 'No' Vote?
Dallas Quinn, spokesman for the Pearl River Vision Foundation, said St. Tammany Parish, La., officials failed to get input from his group before passing a resolution against the flood-control plan PRVF is developing with the loval Levee Board.
Job Fair, Choctaw Books and Great Harvest
Paul Rankin, owner of Great Harvest Bread Co., closed his Ridgeland location Aug. 31 to focus his efforts on his recently renovated Jackson store at 5006 Parkway Drive.
Wilma Mosley Clopton
"For a person who has been everywhere, now I have a focus," Wilma Mosley Clopton says.
Syria Accepts Weapons Plan, Strike Momentum Eases
Momentum to avoid Western missile strikes on Syria intensified Tuesday, as President Bashar Assad's government accepted a plan to turn over its chemical weapons stockpile and France pitched a U.N. Security Council resolution to verify the disarmament.
FDA: Roche Drug Works in Early-Stage Breast Cancer
The Food and Drug Administration has issued a positive review of a breast cancer drug from Roche that could soon become the first pharmaceutical option for treating the earliest stages of the disease.
Feds Plan to Release Details of Secret Spy Court
The Obama administration is releasing hundreds of previously classified documents detailing activities of the country's long-secret spy court that authorizes domestic surveillance programs.
Talking Diplomacy in Syria, Obama Goes to Congress
President Barack Obama angled to end the impasse over Syria on Tuesday by pressing his case for U.S. airstrikes against Bashar Assad's regime as he held out hope of a diplomatic solution under which Syria surrenders its chemical weapons.
Gov. Bryant on Trade Mission to Brazil
Gov. Phil Bryant and a group of Mississippi business leaders are in Brazil this week to meet with local trade organizations and officials.
Monday, September 9
A New Director at Henley-Young?
Hinds County's juvenile detention center is getting a new director. Brenda Frelix is taking over as executive director of the Henley-Young Juvenile Justice Center, replacing Dale Knight.
To Dodge Law, High-Cost Lender Offers Cash for Free
Alarmed by the explosion of high-cost lending in the state, cities across Texas have passed ordinances to prevent the cycle of debt that short-term, high-cost loans can create. But some big lenders are finding clever ways around the laws like giving away cash for free.
Robert St. John
Hattiesburg restaurateur Robert St. John has teamed up with Dan Blumenthal and Jeff Good—owners of Jackson's BRAVO! Italian Restaurant, Broad Street Baking Company and Sal & Mookie's New York Pizza and Ice Cream Joint—to aid St. John's Extra Table charity.
Groups Race to Hire, Train 'Obamacare' Guides
With the program known as "Obamacare" only weeks away from its key launch date, hectic preparations are in motion in communities across the country to deal with one of its major practical challenges: hiring and training a small army of instant experts who can explain the intricacies of health insurance to people who've never had it.
Kerry Reasserts Syria Charge Despite Assad Denial
Secretary of State John Kerry said Monday that Syrian President Bashar Assad could resolve the crisis surrounding his purported use of chemical weapons by turning "every single bit" of his arsenal over to the international community by the end of the week.
Assad: 'Expect Everything' in Response to Attack
Syrian President Bashar Assad is warning the U.S. of repercussions if it launches a military strike against him. "You should expect everything," Assad said in an interview, while denying that his troops used chemical weapons. "If you strike somewhere, you have to expect the repercussions somewhere else," he said.
Report: U.S. Spied on Brazil's Petrobras, Google
Documents leaked by Edward Snowden indicate the National Security Agency spied on Brazil's state-run oil company, the private computer networks of Google and a company that facilitates most of the world's international bank transfers, a Brazilian TV report says.
Sunday, September 8
Analysis: Road Effort Needs Business Support
Efforts to raise money to repair and build highways just don't have the broad push that lifted a major highway program to passage in the Legislature a generation ago.
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.
Saturday, September 7
JSU, Holmes Sign Pact to Help Students
Jackson State University and Holmes Community College have signed a partnership to increase educational opportunities and degree completion for students.
Friday, September 6
Council Backs Mayor's Plan on Taxes
Mayor Chokwe Lumumba received approval from Jackson's City Council to reallocate 5.56 mills of tax money to bail out the zoo, among other things.
Energy Savings Simply in the Power of Observation
The Hawthorne effect can be a decisive factor in any study trying to assess energy awareness and electricity consumption, scientists at Carnegie Mellon University reported on Monday.
CJ Rhodes
Ever since CJ Rhodes swept into Jackson just a few short years ago, he has been a big, important part of the community.
It's the Weekend!
On Sunday, the All 4 Children Consignment Jackson Fall/Winter Sale is from 8 a.m.-noon at Mississippi Trade Mart.
Labs Seeking Sarin Chemical Signature: 99-125-81
Three simple numbers will prove whether sarin was used to gas Syrians last month: 99-125-81.
World Leaders Push Big Companies to Pay More Taxes
Leaders of the world's 20 largest economies have committed to crack down on cross-border companies that use tax havens.
Report: Ohio Kidnapper Called Mother of 1 Victim
Cleveland kidnapper Ariel Castro said he called the mother of one of his captives and told the woman her daughter was alive and had become his wife, according to interrogation tapes.
Obama Encouraged by G20 Syria Talks, Plans Speech
President Barack Obama said Friday he's encouraged by talks with foreign leaders over how to respond to chemical weapons use in Syria and plans to make his case to the American people in an address Tuesday night.
Miss. to Set Up Business Health Insurance Market
Mississippi Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney says he's going ahead with plans for a small business health insurance exchange.
Thursday, September 5
Tea Party Express Rolls into Jackson
Tea Party Express Chairman Amy Kremer led a press conference at the downtown Marriott Wednesday, calling out legislators who have not sufficiently opposed the Affordable Care Act.
FAQ: How Will The Individual Mandate Work?
The federal health law's individual mandate, one of the key building blocks of the insurance overhaul, remains controversial as the October start date approaches for enrolling in new online marketplaces.
Mississippi Braves
The formula was simple for the Mississippi Braves Sept. 2, the final day of play in the 2013 Southern League Season: All the team had to do was win against the Jacksonville Suns and hope the Mobile Baybears defeated the Pensacola Blue Wahoos.
Feds Won't Enforce Same-Sex Veterans Law
The Obama administration said Wednesday it will stop enforcing a law that blocks benefits to partners of military veterans in same-sex marriages.
Gay Rights Groups Seek Anti-Bias Victory in Texas
Gay rights advocates and religious conservatives were expected Thursday to pack a City Council meeting for a vote on nondiscrimination protections that are already in place elsewhere in Texas but that have drawn rebuke from big-name Republicans.
Studies Take Early Look at Health Law's Premiums
Coverage under President Barack Obama's health care law won't be cheap, but cost-conscious consumers hunting for lower premiums will have plenty of options, according to two independent private studies.
Divided Vote Foreshadows Obama Challenge on Syria
A Senate panel's deep divide over giving President Barack Obama the authority to use U.S. military force against Syria underscores the commander in chief's challenge in persuading skeptical lawmakers and wary allies to back greater intervention in an intractable civil war.
Obama Heads Into the Lion's Den in Russia
President Barack Obama is heading into the lion's den of Russia, confronting Syria's key patron as well as foreign leaders skeptical of his call for an international military strike against Bashar Assad's government.
Business Groups Cool to Raising Taxes for Roads
Business groups still aren't ready to raise Mississippi's taxes to repair and build highways and bridges.
Wednesday, September 4
The Slate
College football's opening night has already shown us potentially the Game of the Year: Ole Miss versus Vanderbilt.
A Critique on Critics
I almost hate to enact the typical 10th-grade speech-class introduction, but I think we can all glean something important from defining the term "critic."
Excesses of the Car Chase
A slick car outperforms Selena Gomez and Ethan Hawke in the regrettable “Getaway.”
Follow the Jug
The owners and managers of Fondren Public worked a long time to make the bar a hotspot for a unique blend of young professionals and Fondren locals, and it paid off with Monday night's grand opening.
Leap of Faith
It is usually our challenges in life that lead to our biggest accomplishments. Danielle Wells, 27, is a testament to this fact.
Raising Kids Au Naturale
I believe in fresh air and sunshine and puddles and dirt smudged on play clothes or all over bare skin. So often as a parent, it is all too easy to lose our playfulness and sense of adventure, to slip into a more task-oriented groove, trying to stay on top of the endless cycle of dishes and laundry and homework and bills and all of these other admittedly essential things amidst the relative chaos of living with tiny humans.
An Honest Attitude
Debra Griffin has an honest attitude when it comes to past business failures.
Fearful and Fun
Mike Upton's business came from a love for cars and a desire to better his community. Upton, who has never worked on cars for a living—and promises that no one should ever want him to—respects those with the gift.
Hitting the Lottery
In 2004, Rosemary Emmanuel hit the lottery. The U.S. Department of State's diversity visa program, which selects recipients on a lottery system, selected Emmanuel and her family from Kaduna State in north-central Nigeria.
A Passion for Serving
Tara Blumenthal began practicing yoga for exercise. Weight training wasn't working for her, and she was "tripping off the treadmill," trying to get a cardio workout.
Corner Store: Where Are You?
On a recent trip to the William F. Winter Archives and History Building, a couple of enterprising reporters dug up some old pictures and articles about Capitol Street.
Wagging the Dog on Guns
This week, the Mississippi Supreme Court unanimously overturned Hinds County Judge Winston Kidd's injunction against House Bill 2. That came as no surprise. Despite good intentions, the attempt to stop the legislation seemed more an act of desperation than one based in law.
Stinker Quote of the Week: 'Never Seen'
Attorney Gipson could use a refresher course on the law, it seems.
The Other Dr. King
As I commemorated the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, I thought about the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. we rarely hear about. We have allowed people to define King with one speech: "I Have a Dream."
Jackson Ordinance Seeks to Curb State Gun Law
City Council President Charles Tillman has introduced a gun ordinance that would ban handguns from most public places.
Many SEC Teams Paying Big Bucks for Easy Games This Week
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — This week Southeastern Conference teams are taking a break from those stressful fall Saturdays, a sort of mini-vacation for a few hundred grand.
McCoy: Tearing Down 'Walls'
At age 47, youth pastor and insurance agent Gus McCoy is one of the youngest candidates vying for the Hinds County District 2 supervisor's seat.
JFP Top 25 College Football Poll week 1
Bryan Flynn's weekly poll of the 25 teams in college football.
Question o' the Week: What is the best business advice you’ve ever received?
What is the best business advice you’ve ever received?
One Step Forward ...
The city of Jackson is re-issuing a request for proposals for a long-awaited downtown convention-center hotel, just two months after unveiling an agreement with a developer to build one.
Ripe for a Green Revolution
In the two decades since he arrived from California, Luke Lundemo has witnessed, and been part of, a vast improvement in the capital city's recycling ethic.
Elisa Acey
When setting up her shop, Elisa Acey kept the dying business of old-school barbershops in mind.
Jackson Market Hall, Anyone?
In Jackson, enthusiasm for a downtown arena resulted in an initial phase of feasibility studies and an attempt at fundraising spearheaded by Downtown Jackson Partners.
Morbid Curiosity
New Stage Theatre kicks off its 48th season with an intriguing story of mystery, magic and murder. But it's also a play full of dark humor and fun for the audience.
Gulfport Shipyard Will Shut Down by May 2014
Huntington Ingalls Industries says it will close its Gulfport, Miss., shipyard by May 2014.
AP Interview: Putin Warns West on Syria Action
President Vladimir Putin warned the West against taking one-sided action in Syria but also said Russia "doesn't exclude" supporting a U.N. resolution on punitive military strikes if it is proved that Damascus used poison gas on its own people.
Obama Reassures Europeans Over U.S. Surveillance
President Barack Obama is reassuring Europeans that the U.S. is not snooping through their emails or eavesdropping on their telephone calls.
Cleveland Mayor: Keep Focus On 3 Women, Not Captor
Cleveland's mayor says the prison suicide of the man who held three women captive for a decade doesn't change the city's focus on the victims' recovery and well-being.
Obama: Congress, World Credibility On Line
President Barack Obama said Wednesday the credibility of the international community and Congress is on the line in the debate over how to respond to the alleged use of chemical weapons in Syria.
Sentencing Thursday Related to Prison Riot
An inmate convicted of participating in a deadly prison riot in Mississippi is scheduled for sentencing Thursday.
Tuesday, September 3
Syria is Said to be Hiding Weapons, Moving Troops
As the Obama administration tries to prod Congress into backing armed action against Syria, the regime in Damascus is hiding military hardware and shifting troops out of bases into civilian areas.
France Waits on U.S. Vote Over Syria Strikes
France will not carry out punitive missile strikes against Syria on its own and is awaiting a decision from the U.S. Congress on possible military action against Bashar Assad's regime, the French president said Tuesday.
Ban: Any Syria Strike Must Get Security Council OK
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday warned that any "punitive" action taken against Syria for an alleged chemical weapons attack last month would be illegal without Security Council approval or a sound case for self-defense.
Egypt's Sinai Emerges as New Theater for Jihad
An Egyptian doctor once close to Osama bin Laden is bringing together multiple al-Qaida-inspired militant groups in Egypt's Sinai to fight the country's military, as the lawless peninsula emerges as a new theater for jihad, according to Egyptian intelligence and security officials.
Obama Gains Boehner's Support for Syria Strike
President Barack Obama won critical support from House Speaker John Boehner for a punitive strike against Syria on Tuesday and dispatched senior Cabinet officials to persuade Congress that Bashar Assad's government must be punished for a suspected chemical weapons attack the administration blames for more than 1,000 dead.
Ex-Chevron Lobbyist Joins PSC
Steve Renfroe, a former lobbyist for Chevron Corporation, will take over as one of Mississippi's top public-utilities regulators.
Hair Studio, eCities and Nissan Grants
Google recently named Ridgeland the 2013 eCity for Mississippi.
Everett Neasman
Professor Everett Neasman looks outside the window of his office at Jackson State University and sees Shakespeare.
Nokia Stock Surges on Microsoft Takeover
Microsoft Corp. is buying Nokia Corp.'s line-up of smartphones and a portfolio of patents and services in an attempt to strengthen its fight with Apple Inc. and Google Inc. to capture a slice of the lucrative mobile computing market.
Obama Seeks Support for Syria Strike at G-20
Facing roadblocks at home and abroad, President Barack Obama this week plans to urge reluctant world leaders to back an American-led strike against Syria even though the prospects for military action depend on the votes of a fractured U.S. Congress.
Who's a Victim of Human Sex Trafficking?
Increasingly, experts in the field are applying the label human trafficking to homegrown prostitution.
Monday, September 2
Obama's Decision to Seek Congressional Approval In Syria Surprised His Foreign Policy Team
Obama's abrupt decision to seek congressional approval before striking Syria also overshadowed what had been a surprising level of consensus among the second-term team members about how to respond to a deadly chemical weapons attack against civilians in Syria.
Obama Seeks Syria Support from Former Foe McCain
President Barack Obama is inviting former foe Sen. John McCain to the White House, hoping one of Congress' most intractable foreign policy hawks will help sell the idea of a U.S. military intervention in Syria to a nation deeply scarred by more than a decade of war.
A Look at Syria Developments Around the World
Here's a look at key Syria developments around the world Monday amid heightened tensions over potential military action.
Sunday, September 1
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.