Stories for March 2017

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Friday, March 31

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'Operation Zero Tolerance' Nets Staggering Amount of Contraband in Prison

Pelicia Hall, the recently confirmed commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Corrections, is cracking down on contraband in public and private prisons in the state.

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Trump Faces Questions of Interference in Investigations

President Donald Trump is facing new questions about political interference in the investigations into Russian election meddling following reports that White House officials secretly funneled material to the chairman of the House intelligence committee.

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Schumer Warns GOP Against Rules Change on Supreme Court

As he tries to line up enough votes to block President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee, the Senate Democratic leader is strongly warning Republicans against changing Senate rules to confirm Judge Neil Gorsuch.

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Michael Flynn in Talks with Congress, Wary of Prosecution

Former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn is in discussions with the House and Senate intelligence committees on receiving immunity from "unfair prosecution" in exchange for agreeing to be questioned as part of ongoing probes into possible contacts between Donald Trump's presidential campaign and Russia, his attorney says.

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Lottery? Mississippi House Leader Setting Group to Study It

Mississippi House Speaker Philip Gunn says he will appoint a committee to study the pros and cons of creating a state lottery.

Thursday, March 30

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Legislature Passes Cap Complex Bill, Funds Will Kick in by 2018

The Legislature passed the much-debated and anticipated Capitol Complex bill on the last day of their 2017 session, Wednesday, March 29. Both the House and the Senate passed the bill, which has changed substantially since its initial introduction, by wide-margin votes.

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UPDATED: Gov. Bryant Joins States Supporting Trump's Travel Ban

Twelve states filed a brief in support of President Donald Trump's executive order titled "Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States," which is his second attempt to ban immigration and travel from six majority-Muslim countries. Gov. Phil Bryant added his name to the brief, which was filed this week in the Fourth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

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Clint Dempsey

For many people, 2016 was a bad year, and the U.S. Men's National Soccer Team was no exception. The team had low points, such as its 0-2 loss to Guatemala last March, but the lowest point was still looming.

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Agreement to End 'Bathroom Bill' but Are There Enough Votes?

Republican legislative leaders in North Carolina and Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper say they have an agreement to end the state's "bathroom bill" that they hope will drive away negative national attention and remove obstacles to expanding businesses and attracting sporting events.

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Senate Hearing to Focus on Russian Disinformation Tactics

Some tactics Russia used to meddle in last year's presidential election would give shivers to anyone who believes in American democracy, the Senate intelligence committee's top Democrat says.

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Mississippi Legislature Ends Session with Budgets Unfinished

The Mississippi Legislature ended its 2017 regular session Wednesday, but will have to return later to pass budgets for the attorney general's office and the Department of Transportation.

Wednesday, March 29

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Digital JXN

Jackson and Mississippi are synonymous with blues music and comeback sauce and authors such as Eudora Welty and Richard Wright. But sometime soon, Jackson could be known for its technology scene.

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Life in Code: Nader Dabit

The Jackson Free Press recently talked to Nader Dabit on the phone about his experience in coding, the importance of data in education, and the coding scene in Mississippi and Jackson.

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Creating a Sandbox

On March 31 and April 1, both Fondren and Mantle. will be bustling with more activity as Mantle. gears up for its first annual Sandbox Live, which is an event that will combine technology, film and music into one platform.

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If Not for My Size

"You are such a beautiful woman for your size." Yep. In 2017, someone said that to me.

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Cheers to Bi-partisanship in the Mississippi House

The blame for the budget meltdown belongs to both the House and the Senate, but if you believe that bipartisanship, maintaining the state's infrastructure and compromise are important in how laws are made, give your House members a high-five the next time you see them.

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What ‘Confederate History Month’ Really Is

Celebrating Confederate History Month without even attempting to put it in its proper context of human slavery and racism is just another one of the things we do to refuse to let go of our white supremacist past.

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A Bi-Partisan Mutiny Over Roads and Bridges

Lightning flashed outside as storms gathered inside the Mississippi Capitol late the night of Monday, March 27, a pivotal deadline day for budget legislation.

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Ahem, City Candidates

Sixteen people may be running for mayor, but as of press time, only two of them had met the Jan. 31, 2017, annual reporting deadline—nearly two months later.

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UPDATED: Capitol Complex Bill with Funds for Jackson Passes, Heads to Governor

The year 2017 may be the charm for Jackson, at least when it comes to getting upward of $20 million a year from the State of Mississippi to help repair crumbling infrastructure around where lawmakers and most state workers drive, meet, dine and debate for four months a year, give or take a special session or two.

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MAEP, Mental Health Among #MSLeg Cuts

Public schools should prepare for more budget cuts, as the Mississippi Adequate Education Program took a hit in the budget lawmakers passed late Monday, March 27.

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Walking the Runway

In a rehearsal at Salsa Mississippi, nearly 30 girls line up in the dance studio, walking down the floor as though it was a runway. A live audience will soon replace the studio's large mirror at the annual Mississippi Fashion Week April 6-9.

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Weighing in on ‘Wolves’

Ron Etheridge will likely be a familiar name—and voice—to many Jackson music fans.

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US judge to Hear Arguments on Longer Block to Travel Ban

A federal judge in Hawaii who temporarily blocked President Donald Trump's revised travel ban planned to hear arguments Wednesday on whether to extend his order until the state's lawsuit works its way through the courts.

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Growing Jackson’s Entrepreneurship Ecosystem

There's a word for what Jackson has developed for certain industries, especially food, medical-technology, nonprofit and government work, even law—it's an "ecosystem."

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Sarah MacInnis

Sarah MacInnis is a dual-threat artist as a graphic designer and guitarist. While she was growing up, the Madison native's parents encouraged her creative exploits.

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Emmett Till Relative Asks Sessions to Push Civil Rights Law

Family members of Emmett Till pushed Attorney General Jeff Sessions Tuesday to enforce a law that that allows prosecutors to reinvestigate old civil rights murder cases.

Tuesday, March 28

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Midnight Meltdown Over Roads, Bridges: Three Budgets Die after House-Senate Showdown

Lawmakers staged a showdown in the Capitol last night over money for roads and bridges, as the Mississippi Senate and the House of Representatives stayed in session until midnight on budget deadline day.

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Hari Kunzru

To those who aren't familiar with his critically acclaimed past works, such as 2011's "Gods Without Men," Hari Kunzru is known for his lively writing style and his ability to bring seemingly disjointed elements together to poignant ends.

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Underground 119, EmployAbility Job Fair, The Source, Mama Nature's, Co.Starters and Dinos

Underground 119, which closed for renovations in August 2015, will reopen Saturday, April 1.

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Journalist Wilson 'Bill' Minor Dies; Covered Civil Rights

Wilson F. "Bill" Minor, a journalist who chronicled Mississippi through almost 70 years of change including its turbulent struggle over civil rights, died Tuesday at his home in Jackson. He was 94. Deborah Ashcraft of Lakewood Funeral Home in Jackson confirmed Minor's death.

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Nunes Refuses to Step Away from House Russia Probe

House intelligence chairman Devin Nunes rebuffed calls to step aside from the Russia investigation Tuesday as demands grew for him to recuse himself as head of that probe.

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Talks Break Down Over Mississippi Transportation Spending

Mississippi House and Senate leaders publicly bickered but failed to agree on a transportation spending plan before a Monday night deadline, likely forcing the governor to call lawmakers back for a special session before the budget year begins July 1.

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Trump Puts Anti-Global Warming Projects on Chopping Block

President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order Tuesday aimed at moving forward on his campaign pledge to unravel former President Barack Obama's plan to curb global warming.

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Mississippi Governor Approves Outlawing of Sanctuary Cities

Gov. Phil Bryant signed a law Monday banning sanctuary cities and other policies that might help people who have entered the country illegally, saying he wants Mississippi to help federal agencies arrest people without legal status.

Monday, March 27

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JFP Staffers Receive First Place Honors in 2016 Associated Press Regional Awards

The Jackson Free Press staff won two first place awards from the Louisiana-Mississippi Associated Press Broadcasters and Media Editors; the winners were announced at a banquet this weekend held in downtown Jackson at the King Edward hotel.

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Legislature Scorches State Services After Governor Cuts Budget Four Times

If the U.S. Civil War is a metaphor for Mississippi's supermajority's approach to state services, Gov. Phil Bryant and the Mississippi Legislature are leading a Sherman-esque march to the sea with deep cuts of the state's budget, including to agencies providing vital services.

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Legislature Cutting Millions of Dollars from Human Services, Mental Health and Rehab Services

The Mississippi Legislature is cutting millions of dollars from state health-care services, and Democrats are not happy about it, especially with lawsuits looming.

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Jo Ann Gordon

The Beth Israel Congregation in Jackson recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of its current location on Old Canton Road and is now preparing for its 50th annual Beth Israel Bazaar on Wednesday, March 29.

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Schumer Seizes on Trump Team's Offer to Work with Dems

President Donald Trump's aides opened the door to working with moderate Democrats on health care and other issues while Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer quickly offered to find common ground with Trump for repairing former President Barack Obama's health care law.

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Trump's Border-Wall Proposal Faces Many Obstacles

President Donald Trump has now laid out exactly what he wants in the "big, beautiful wall" that he's promised to build on the U.S.-Mexico border. But his effort to build a huge hurdle to those entering the U.S. illegally faces impediments of its own.

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Blaming Conservatives, Trump Signals New Openness to Dems

President Donald Trump on Sunday attacked conservative lawmakers for the failure of the Republican bill to replace former President Barack Obama's health care law, as aides signaled a greater willingness to work with moderate Democrats on upcoming legislative battles from the budget and tax cuts to health care.

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Ex-CIA Chief: Flynn's Firm Discussed Removing Cleric from US

Former CIA Director James Woolsey has accused the Trump administration's former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, of participating in a discussion with Turkish officials about possibly subverting the U.S. extradition process to remove a Turkish cleric from the United States.

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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.

Friday, March 24

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UPDATED: Trump, GOP Leaders Pull Health Care Bill in Humiliating Loss

Republican leaders have abruptly pulled their troubled health care overhaul bill off the House floor, short of votes and eager to avoid a humiliating defeat for President Donald Trump and GOP leaders.

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Gov. Bryant Signs 'Back the Badge,' Increased Penalties Bills

Surrounded by law enforcement officers, emergency personnel and first responders, Gov. Phil Bryant signed the "Back the Badge Act," which adds law-enforcement officials, firefighters and emergency personnel as protected classes under Mississippi's hate-crime laws.

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Veteran Democratic Lawmaker Diagnosed with Dementia, Plans to Retire

House Speaker Philip Gunn directed all members to their seats this morning, as Rep. Steve Holland, D-Plantersville, took the podium for a point of personal privilege.

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Cynthia Kaiser Ferguson

Thirty years ago, Natchez native Cynthia "Tia" Kaiser Ferguson sat through a freshman engineering course at Tulane University listening intently to the success stories from school alumni, including one graduate who had developed and designed a mechanical shrimp peeler. The stories capitivated the young student and inspired her to pursue a career in engineering.

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Mississippi Governor Joins Others in Backing GOP Health Plan

Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant has joined seven other Republican governors in a letter endorsing the GOP plan to repeal and replace former President Barack Obama's health care law.

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Hood Deposits $34M, Lobbies for Mental Health Spending

As budget writers try to stretch Mississippi's cash to cover its needs, Attorney General Jim Hood is chipping in $34.4 million.

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House Steers Toward Climactic Vote on GOP Health Care Bill

The House steered toward a climactic vote Friday on the Republican health care overhaul, plunging ahead despite uncertainty over whether they had the votes to prevail in what loomed as a monumental gamble for President Donald Trump and his GOP allies in Congress.

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Nissan Declines Talks with Union After Mississippi Rally

Nissan Motor Co. has declined to talk to union supporters about conditions at its Mississippi assembly plant after a March 4 pro-union rally headlined by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders.

Thursday, March 23

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White House Abandons Negotiations with GOP Lawmakers, Demands Friday Vote on Healthcare

WASHINGTON (AP) — Abandoning negotiations, President Donald Trump on Thursday demanded a make-or-break vote on health care legislation in the House, threatening to leave "Obamacare" in place and move on to other issues if Friday's vote fails.

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Health Bill Vote Delayed in House in Setback to Trump, Ryan

GOP House leaders delayed their planned vote Thursday on a long-promised bill to repeal and replace "Obamacare," in a stinging setback for House Speaker Paul Ryan and President Donald Trump in their first major legislative test.

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'Big, Black or Boy' Preschoolers Face Higher Expulsions and Suspensions

Implicit bias starts early in education—really early. New research shows that boys, black children and especially black boys are more likely to be expelled or suspended from early education program than their peers who commit similar offenses.

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18 Artists Inducted into Mississippi Arts and Experience Hall of Fame

Mississippi's top political leaders announced the induction of 18 artists into the inaugural Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Hall of Fame class at the Capitol this morning.

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Dwight Clark

There may not have been any NFL game in the 1980s more important than the 1982 NFC Championship Game. The game was a turning point in the fortunes of both the Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers.

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Campaign Spending Bill Headed to Mississippi Governor's Desk

Elected officials in Mississippi would no longer be able to use campaign money to subsidize their lifestyles or build retirement nest eggs under a bill likely to become law.

Wednesday, March 22

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No New Civil Cases for Slow Federal Judge Till He Catches Up

A federal judge in southern Mississippi is temporarily blocked from taking on new civil court cases because of a backlog of pending cases.

The Slate

If your bracket isn't busted after the first weekend of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament, feel free to rub it in with the rest of us. It didn't take long for mine to get blown to bits over the first two days.

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Starting with a BVNG

An absentee headliner wasn't exactly how Jackson natives Mitch Draper and Jonathan Nixon planned to launch their new monthly event series, the FLVSH BVNG! Art & Music Showcase, in January.

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Taste the Bistro

When brainstorming names for her new restaurant, Candice Brewster kept coming back to one word: taste. Her reasoning was that if the food doesn't taste good, nothing else matters.

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Cruel & Unusual? The Death Penalty’s Trials in Mississippi

The State of Mississippi is litigating legal challenges to the state's lethal-injection law directly. Mississippi last executed a prisoner in June 2012, Mississippi Department of Corrections records posted online show.

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The Last Confederate Stronghold in America

"This is no longer a Mississippi fight. This is a battle for the soul of America."

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Americans for Prosperity: Online Sales Tax is Wrong for Mississippi

The Jackson Free Press recently published an editorial criticizing my organization, Americans for Prosperity, for opposing a bill that would impose sales taxes on all online purchases made in Mississippi—even when the seller has no presence in the state.

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Last-Hour Gang Law Overhaul Is Self-Defeating

When Sen. Brice Wiggins, R-Pascagoula, stood up at the last hour to amend state gang law at the Mississippi Legislature on March 8, he committed what can be called a "tell."

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Stinker Quote of the Week: 'No Evidence'

On his personal Twitter account, President Donald Trump used Clapper's decision to not comment on the ongoing investigation into the Trump administration and campaign's ties to Russia to conclude that there must be "no evidence" of such collusions.

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Caution: Oligarchy Ahead

Brother Hustle: "Welcome to this very important Compensatory Investment Request Support Group meeting. While democracy transitions into an oligarchy, the common, poor and financially challenged communities must brace themselves for a severe beatdown."

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Compromising on Vouchers, Criminal Justice as ‘Back the Badge’ Bill Goes to Governor

The fate of dyslexia scholarship-voucher expansion efforts, how criminal-justice reforms are implemented and occupational licensing-board oversight are in the hands of a few this week as Mississippi lawmakers conference and compromise on what stays and what goes.

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Bracing for Budget Cuts, Sparing Ed Funds

Impending and deep budget cuts have tainted many-a-committee comment and shadowed several debates this legislative session. With less than two weeks left until lawmakers leave Jackson, they must sign off on a budget that so far means reductions to almost every state agency.

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Jackson Needs More Camaraderie

It's great to have a sense of pride in your neighborhood, but it's also important to remember that we're all part of one city.

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Mississippi Senate Sends Anti-Sanctuary Bill to Governor

Mississippi took another step Tuesday toward banning sanctuary cities when Gov. Phil Bryant said he would sign a bill that would keep government agencies from sheltering people in the country illegally.

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Roderick Red

Roderick Red believes that sparking change is the best use of art. The 28-year-old filmmaker and producer is using his multimedia business, Red Squared Productions, LLC, to help spread messages of activism to Jackson and beyond.

Tuesday, March 21

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A ‘Gang,’ By Any Other Name

The word "gang" means different things to different people—and the realities of organized gangs in U.S. cities have shifted over the years. One result is that many of them are not the hierarchical organized-crime syndicates of past years.

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'Transform Your Hustle': 'Shark Tank'-Style Re-Entry Program Coming to State

Mississippians in the state's custody could soon have access to a new re-entry program focused on entrepreneurship, rehabilitation and getting a job upon release.

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New Stage Theatre, Butler Snow, Innovate Mississippi

New Stage Theatre recently announced Early Bird registration for its 2017 Summer Camps for students currently enrolled in grades one through 11 from now through May 1.

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Simon Brown

Simon Brown, who has served as executive sous chef at Seafood R’evolution since 2015, accepted a promotion to the role of chef de cuisine at the restaurant on Saturday, March 18, replacing chef Payton Warren.

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Greg Iles: From 'Burning' to 'Blood'

For many people, today is an average Tuesday, but for longtime fans of author Greg Iles, March 21 has been a long time coming. Today marks the release of the Natchez-native novelists’ latest book, “Mississippi Blood.”

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Racial Reconciliation Project: Together for Deep Dialogue

Shelia Nabors and Tony Caldwell are both advocates for racial reconciliation in North Mississippi. Nabors is a social worker in Tupelo who says her work around race issues is "a way to give back some love to Tupelo."

Monday, March 20

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GOP Health Plan Would Affect Older Mississippians, Many Rural Whites

Despite the Affordable Care Act's uncertain future, more than 88,000 Mississippians, many elderly and white, re-enrolled in health insurance-marketplace plans by the Jan. 31 deadline, data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services show.

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Court Blocks Law That Would Close Mississippi's Only Abortion Clinic

A federal court on Friday permanently blocked Mississippi's law that threatened to close the state's only abortion clinic by setting a hospital-privileges requirement the clinic couldn't fulfill.

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Chuck Berry

Chuck Berry, rock 'n' roll's founding guitar hero and storyteller who defined the music's joy and rebellion in such classics as "Johnny B. Goode," ''Sweet Little Sixteen" and "Roll Over Beethoven," died Saturday at his home west of St. Louis. He was 90.

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Ryan: More Help for Older People Needed in GOP Health Bill

Days before a pivotal vote, House Speaker Paul Ryan said Sunday he will seek changes to a GOP health care bill to provide more help to older people.

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Comey: FBI Probing Links Between Russia, Trump Associates

FBI Director James Comey confirmed Monday that the bureau is investigating possible links and coordination between Russia and associates of President Donald Trump as part of a broader probe of Russian interference in last year's presidential election.

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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, March 18

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Groups Seek to Open 9 Charter Schools in Mississippi, Two in Jackson

Nine charter school operators say they're interested in opening new schools in Mississippi.

Friday, March 17

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BREAKING: Mississippi’s Abortion Clinic Shutdown Law Permanently Blocked

A federal district court permanently blocked Mississippi’s Texas-style clinic shutdown law today, ensuring the last abortion clinic in the state will remain open.

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'Back the Badge' Bill Heads to Governor's Desk

Police officers will become a protected class for hate crimes against them if Gov. Phil Bryant signs the "Back the Badge Act of 2017," which is headed to Gov. Phil Bryant's desk after the Mississippi House of Representatives approved the Senate's version of the legislation.

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Slain Teen's Mother Sues Business Owner Charged with His Murder

Yvette Mason-Sherman filed a civil lawsuit against Wayne Parish, the man indicted in the killing of her 17-year-old son, Charles McDonald Jr., at Performance Oil Equipment in Jackson last fall, saying he acted with a "pre-meditated mind."

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BlindFromDaTruth

Steven McClenty II, known in local hip-hop circles as BlindFromDaTruth, has been building up his skill as a rapper and producer for nearly a decade.

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Mississippi Power's Kemper Plant Blows Deadline After Leak

After a tubing leak in part of its Kemper County power plant, Mississippi Power Co. now says it's unsure when the $7 billion plant will be finished.

Thursday, March 16

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Mississippi's Only Academic Hospital Cuts Jobs to Fix Budget

The University of Mississippi Medical Center is cutting jobs to deal with a budget shortfall.

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Advocates, Lawmakers: Women's Rights Legislation Will Be Back

Women make 75 cents to every dollar a man makes in Mississippi, data from the Mississippi State Treasurer's office says.

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Students, Parents, Business Leaders Rally for "Seat at the Table" in Ed-Formula Re-Write

Students, parents and advocates gathered at the Mississippi State Capitol on Thursday, March 16, calling on lawmakers to slow down the process of rewriting Mississippi's education funding formula and hold public hearings with parents, teachers and students before dramatically changing the way schools are funded in the state.

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Terence Davis

Terence Davis filled up the stat sheet with 11 points, five rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block in the Rebels' win against Monmouth.

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Bryant Nominates GOP Lawmaker for Workers Comp Commission

Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant is nominating a longtime Republican lawmaker to serve on the three-member Workers Compensation Commission.

Wednesday, March 15

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Federal Judge Temporarily Blocks Trump's New Travel Ban Aimed At Muslim-Majority Countries

GREENBELT, Md. (AP) — Hours before it was to take effect, President Donald Trump's revised travel ban was put on hold Wednesday by a federal judge in Hawaii after hearing arguments that the executive order discriminates on the basis of nationality.

The Slate

This week is one of the biggest of the year for sports fans. People are filling out their NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament brackets at this very moment in hopes of winning the office pool or just bragging rights.

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Local and Lucky

If you haven't heard, the Hal's St. Paddy's Day Parade & Festival is this weekend. Here is your guide to what you can do before and after.

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Prep for the Long Haul

St. Paddy's Parade weekend is a marathon, not a sprint. As such, it's important to plan ahead and be prepared.

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What Do You Know About Being Green?

It's time for the annual Hal's St. Paddy's Parade & Festival. To make sure you get where you want to be, when you want to be there, the Jackson Free Press wanted to provide a helpful guide for the day's festivities. Here is a run-down of what to expect.

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Conserving Fannye A. Cook’s Legacy

When Fannye A. Cook was born in Copiah County, women were almost 80 years away from gaining the right to serve on a Mississippi jury and 95 years away from the Mississippi State Legislature's symbolic ratification of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote.

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Calling on Our Ancestral Mothers

Each year I make deliberate efforts to study women throughout history. This year I have dissected my celebration. With intentional focus, I am celebrating black women. I am dedicating myself to who I am because of who we are.

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Use the T-word: Trauma Matters, Must Be Treated

Without an understanding of trauma—what often lies beneath the surface of a child who was taken out of an abusive home or a teenager in juvenile detention—the wounds won't heal.

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JPS Shrinks as Charters Pull Students, Money

In Dr. Freddrick Murray's view, Jackson Public Schools has to be proactive to get in front of the myriad problems the district faces, from decreasing enrollment and funding at most levels to maintaining the district's 60 schools and buildings with enough teachers, staff and maintenance.

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Roy A. Adkins

Normally, when Roy A. Adkins is taking photos downtown, he takes them at his studio, Light and Glass, which he co-owns with his wife, Jerri Sherer.

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Trump Blasts Release of 2005 Tax Form, Reporter's Account

President Donald Trump earned $153 million and paid $36.5 million in income taxes in 2005, paying a roughly 25 percent effective tax rate thanks to a tax he has since sought to eliminate, according to newly disclosed tax documents.

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Mississippi to Begin Tracking Assets Seized by Police Groups

Mississippi will begin tracking money and assets seized by police agencies and require more oversight of such forfeitures after Gov. Phil Bryant signed House Bill 812 .

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Want Change? Get Involved

Some exciting things are happening in technology and entrepreneurship in Jackson this year.

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Brantley Gilbert: All on the Table

For several years now, Brantley Gilbert has been a big name in the world of country music.

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Jonathan Faulkner’s Unknown Dimensions

Jonathan Faulkner says his artistic medium—abstract drawings with permanent marker on sketch paper—developed more out of necessity at first.

Tuesday, March 14

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‘One Lake’ Tax Sails Forward

Previous plans to dramatically remake the portion of the Pearl River that flows through the Jackson metropolitan area ran aground, but legislation is sailing toward the governor's desk that would pay for the project by taxing selected property in the new "One Lake" footprint.

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UMMC Facilities Closing, MDA Collaboration on Verizon Innovative Learning App Challenge

University of Mississippi Medical Center announced in a release last week that University Wellness Center Downtown and University Wellness Center Northeast in Jackson will both close on April 1.

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Theresa G. Kennedy

The Women's Business Center of Mississippi named entrepreneur and activist Theresa Kennedy as the organization's new director on March 1.

Monday, March 13

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White House Appears to Soften Trump's Claim on Wiretapping

The White House on Monday appeared to soften President Donald Trump's unproven assertion that his predecessor wiretapped his New York skyscraper during the election.

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Congress' Analyst: Millions to Lose Coverage Under GOP Bill

Fourteen million Americans would lose coverage next year under House Republican legislation remaking the nation's health care system, and that figure would grow to 24 million by 2026, Congress' nonpartisan budget analysts projected Monday.

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Legislators Back Down from Confederate Flag Threat

The Mississippi House has halted a push to require that universities fly the state's Confederate-themed flag.

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The Mississippi Flag Case Against Gov. Phil Bryant: A First

The case against Gov. Phil Bryant for continuing to fly the current Mississippi flag could be the first in which judges consider an Equal Protection Clause claim based on government speech, if a 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel rules that Grenada attorney Carlos Moore has standing to make his case.

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Understanding Trauma Key to Fixing State's Foster Care System

Like Michigan, Mississippi is under a consent decree to fix its foster-care system—and the State must fulfill several promises by year's end.

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Nick Weatherspoon

Nick Weatherspoon scored a game-high 18 points to lead Velma Jackson over Cleveland East Side 46-32 and claim the Mississippi Boys 3A state championship on Saturday.

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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, March 11

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No Flush, No Shower: Mississippi Capital City in Water Pinch

Portable toilets are parked outside the Mississippi Capitol, city residents are stocking up on bottled water and restaurants are evaluating whether they can stay open with little or no water from the tap.

Friday, March 10

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Volkswagen Pleads Guilty, Agrees to $4.3 Billion Fine

Volkswagen pleaded guilty Friday to conspiracy and obstruction of justice and agreed to pay a $4.3 billion penalty for a brazen scheme to program nearly 600,000 vehicles to cheat on U.S. emissions tests.

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Infrastructure Funding Alive in Mississippi House

Repairing the state's roads and bridges may still be a priority of the Mississippi House of Representatives, with members voting to increase funding for infrastructure by about $150 million starting in July. The House approved the amendments to Senate Bill 2939 Thursday.

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Keith Tonkel

Keith Tonkel, who was the pastor of Wells United Methodist Church, died Wednesday, March 8, from throat cancer complications.

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ICE Releases Daniela Vargas Under Order of Supervision

Daniela Vargas, the 22-year-old undocumented immigrant who grew up in Mississippi and was detained after speaking out at a press conference in Jackson, is free from federal custody as of today.

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Women's Health Services Face Cuts in Republican Bill

Women seeking abortions and some basic health services, including prenatal care, contraception and cancer screenings, would face restrictions and struggle to pay for some of that medical care under the House Republicans' proposed bill.

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Mississippi House Rolls Out New Roads, Bridges Funding Plan

The Mississippi House is pushing a new transportation funding plan.

Thursday, March 9

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State Flag Debate Back in the Spotlight

Rep. William Shirley, R-Quitman, is on a mission to make universities fly the state flag. The state flag debate flared up yesterday in the House of Representatives when Rep. Shirley introduced an amendment requiring all institutions of higher learning to fly the state flag if they want to continue to receive state funding.

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Dyslexia Voucher Expansion Bill Passes Senate

House Bill 1046 expands vouchers or scholarships, depending on whom you ask in the statehouse. Either way, the legislation advanced late on Wednesday night after more than two hours of debate.

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Joye Lee-McNelis

As the University of Southern Mississippi heads into the Conference USA Women's Basketball Tournament, which begins today, March 9, USM is riding a seven-game winning streak. That's an amazing feat when you consider that the team has kept winning after Head Coach Joye Lee-McNelis took a leave of absence after she was diagnosed with lung cancer.

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Hawaii Becomes 1st State to Sue Over Trump's New Travel Ban

Hawaii has become the first state to file a lawsuit against President Donald Trump's revised travel ban, saying the order will harm its Muslim population, tourism and foreign students.

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Mississippi Minister Who Condemned Racism in 1960s Dies

Keith Tonkel, one of 28 white United Methodist ministers who signed a statement condemning segregation and racism in the Deep South in 1963, has died.

Wednesday, March 8

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Being the 'Best of Enemies'

"Right now, we’re in a time in our history where we’re so polarized as groups of people. We need to remember that people can come together and find common ground.”

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Mississippi’s Women Deserve a Lot More R-E-S-P-E-C-T

"Improving women’s access to fair and equal pay not only uplifts them, but their entire families and their communities as well."

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Mississippi House to Colleges: Fly Flag or Lose Tax Break

Mississippi universities that refuse to fly the Confederate-themed state flag could lose proposed tax breaks, the latest twist in a long battle over a symbol critics see as racist.

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Harsh Words (and Love) for Jackson and Mississippi

As a former Jacksonian looking into the city from D.C. with a powerful set of binoculars, I can't help but ask myself, "What the hell is going on?"

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A New Palette for City and Colour

When Dallas Green released his first music as City and Colour in 2005, he says it was meant to be a collection of "other songs."

The Slate

The madness of March is beginning as conference tournaments take center stage this week. Some teams will punch their tickets to the "big dance," and others will get their dreams of the postseason dashed.

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Denying Sanctuary Spreads Fear

In the midst of a souring national climate toward immigration—thanks in large part to President Donald Trump's executive order, which authorizes more detention facilities to hold detained immigrants, among other costly revamping measures—Mississippi's leaders have stubbornly aligned themselves with Trump's fear-mongering, one-dimensional view on immigration.

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Trump’s Dark Shadow Shouldn’t Surprise Anyone

A dark shadow has been cast over the land in the wake of chants of "Make America Great Again" and "America First."

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Those Crazy Cats

April 15 will mark one year since Crazy Cat Bakers moved from its original Highland Village location into more spacious digs at Canton Mart Square. But the restaurant, now called Crazy Cat Eat Up, is still undergoing some big changes.

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Spring-Time Sneezes

Allergy sufferers have the desire to enjoy the wonderful weather and all the joy that nature brings, but we suffer more during this time of year than any other because of our allergies.

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Internalized Racism: On the Hunt for Solutions

Byron D'Andra Orey, a JSU political science professor, conducts experiments that represent a burgeoning area of study known as "biopolitics," a field examining the intersection of biology and political behavior.

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An Editor and a Gentleman

An odd fluke of fate brought me to the patch of dirt where three civil rights workers were murdered in my home county, holding the hand of James Chaney's daughter 40 years after he died there.

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A Sense of Urgency: Sen. John Horhn Pledges to Cure What Ails City Hall

Sen. John Horhn may have been in the Mississippi Legislature for 24 years, but the Jackson man doesn't always get what he wants.

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Lawyer: Mississippi Flag Sends Message of 'White Supremacy'

In the latest legal wrangling over one of Mississippi's most prominent symbols, a lawyer for a man who objects to the state's flag said Tuesday the Confederate-themed banner sends a message of "white supremacy."

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Ariel Boggess

Ariel Boggess has always created art in mediums such as painting and drawing, so she says makeup was a natural fit.

Tuesday, March 7

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Petitions, Vigil Demand Feds to #FreeDany from ICE Detention Center

As Daniela Vargas sits in an immigrant detention center in Jena, La., 166 miles from her Jackson home, concerned citizens, advocates and pastors gathered here in the courtyard of Fondren Presbyterian Church to hold a vigil for the 22-year-old undocumented immigrant.

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Swell-O-Phonic, Little Bluestem Farm and Mantle. Co.working

Swell-O-Phonic is renovating this week and is temporarily moving all of its stock and operations into The Wonder Lab downstairs.

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Lawmaker Flips to Support Domestic Abuse as Divorce Reason

A Mississippi lawmaker breathed life back into a proposal Monday to make domestic abuse a reason for divorce, after coming under fire recently for killing a similar measure.

Monday, March 6

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Celebrate Progress, Yet Push Forward on Criminal Justice Reform

"We are moving in the right direction, but we still have much more to do."

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Workers, Advocates and Politicians March for Unionization at Nissan

Auto industry workers, advocates and politicians marched on the Nissan Plant in Canton on Saturday to show support for a union and to urge workers there to unionize.

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Jackson Water Outage Scheduled for This Weekend

Jacksonians in some parts of the city can expect water outages or low water pressure this weekend, starting on Friday at 3 p.m. until about the same time on Sunday, March 12.

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Erica Bougard

Erica Bougard won the pentathlon Friday at USA Track & Field Indoor Championships, taking advantage of defending champion Barbara Nwaba's knee injury that forced her to withdraw after the third event.

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Trump Signs New Travel Ban Aimed at Withstanding Challenges

President Donald Trump on Monday signed a reworked version of his controversial travel ban Monday, aiming to withstand court challenges while still barring new visas for citizens from six Muslim-majority countries and temporarily shutting down America's refugee program.

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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, March 4

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Trump Accuses Obama of Phone 'Tapp', Calls Obama 'Bad (or Sick) Man'

PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — President Donald Trump on Saturday accused former President Barack Obama of tapping his telephones during last year's election, lodging a startling allegation of abuse of power without evidence or explanation.

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Nissan Accused of Wrongly Blocking Union Activity at Plant

The United Auto Workers union charges that Nissan Motor Co. broke federal labor law less than two days before a Mississippi rally where U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders plans to speak in favor of unionization.

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As Deadline Passes, 16 Candidates Running for Jackson Mayor

As the deadline passes to qualify for the Jackson city elections, 16 candidates are running for mayor of the capital city.

Friday, March 3

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Champion, Unplugged

Concertgoers who catch blues artist Grady Champion whenever he plays in Jackson might think they have his live show figured out. However, when the Canton, Miss., native rolls back into town on Saturday, March 4, he’ll also be bringing a new element to his performance.

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Abusers Get Another Divorce Pass from #MSLeg, But Senator Pushes Back

Sen. Sally Doty, R-Brookhaven, is not giving up on making domestic abuse grounds for divorce in Mississippi. Rep. Andy Gipson, R-Braxton, killed Doby's bill on Feb. 28, in committee, not even letting members vote on it.

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UPDATED: Feds Close Over 100 Mississippi Bridges, Senator Says

"Over 100 (posted) bridges have been closed." The Mississippi Senate did not take up any legislation today, but before it adjourned, Sen. Willie Simmons, D-Cleveland, stood up to give that announcement.

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Jim Ellis

Longtime Mississippi State broadcaster Jim Ellis will retire from calling football and men's basketball games at the end of the current basketball season.

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Pence Used a Private Email Account to Conduct State Business

Vice President Mike Pence used a private email account to conduct public business as Indiana's governor, according to public records obtained by the Indianapolis Star.

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Mississippi May Use Gas Chamber, Electrocution for Execution

The Mississippi Senate has voted to add gas chamber and electrocution as execution options in case courts block the state from obtaining lethal injection drugs.

Thursday, March 2

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ICE Plans to Deport Daniela Vargas Without Hearing, Attorney Says

Daniela Vargas, a 22-year-old undocumented immigrant who grew up in Mississippi, is in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody with no bond and will not get a hearing before an immigration judge, her lawyer said this afternoon.

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Hostility to Immigrants Breeds 'Constant State of Fear,' Advocates Say

Business owners, pastors and lawyers gathered outside Jackson City Hall Wednesday to voice concerns for the hostility shown toward immigrants in the wake of President Donald Trump's executive orders and recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in Jackson.

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From Welfare to Divorce: What's Dead, What's Alive in the Legislature

Criminal-justice and welfare reform are alive to see another day, but adding abuse as grounds for divorce and election reform were dead on arrival.

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Brent Rooker

Mississippi State University outfielder Brent Rooker was in the zone last weekend in the batter's box. The ball must have looked like the size of a cantaloupe each time he came to the plate.

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Nissan Faces Safety Fine in Mississippi as Union Rally Looms

A federal workplace safety agency wants to fine Nissan Motor Co. more than $21,000, saying the company's Mississippi plant should have better trained a maintenance worker who lost three fingers in July.

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Sessions Spoke with Russian Envoy in 2016, Justice Dept Says

Attorney General Jeff Sessions talked twice with Russia's ambassador to the United States during the presidential campaign, the Justice Department confirmed, a seeming contradiction to sworn statements he gave to Congress.

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State Rep. David Myers Begins Yearlong Deployment

A Mississippi state lawmaker has been deployed to Iraq for a yearlong stint with the U.S. Army Reserves.

Wednesday, March 1

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UPDATED: DACA Immigrant Detained in Jackson After Speaking Out, ICE Responds

Minutes after leaving a press conference, Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers detained Daniela Vargas, a 22-year-old undocumented immigrant in the process of applying for DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) status for the third time.

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Sweetness Fest Takes a Run Against Obesity

Sweetness Fest organizers hope that only one thing gets bigger in the event's fight against obesity: participation.

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Touch a Truck Jackson

Junior League of Jackson will host its fourth annual Touch a Truck Jackson event on March 24 and 25 at Trustmark Park in Pearl.

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Still She Rises

Directors Rita Coburn Whack and Bob Hercules are bringing a new documentary to Mississippi screens: "Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise," which debuted at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival and took home the audience award for Best Feature at the AFI Docs 2016 Film Festival.

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Verge in the Wild Wild West

Verge is a new community-oriented art project that evolved from FIGMENT Jackson. The website for FIGMENT says the mission of the events, which happen in multiple cities across the United States, is to give free, family-friendly, participatory art events to communities.

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Danny Glover and the Rights of Workers

I'll never forget Danny Glover as the drifter Moze in the 1984 film "Places in the Heart." It was a Depression-era story of a widowed mother in the South trying to keep her children and save her farm with the help of Moze and a blind war veteran.

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Killing Online Sales Tax Bill Is Hypocrisy

The state's budget is shrinking, and whether a lawmaker blames slow economic development or large tax breaks given to corporations that never came to Mississippi, the budget squeeze is on most legislators' minds this session.

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Stinker Quote of the Week: 'Pioneers'

DeVos called historically black colleges and universities "living proof" that more options for students means greater access and quality, when in actuality HBCUs were not so much a choice as they were a necessity for African Americans looking to attend colleges and universities back when the law barred them from "white" colleges.

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Miss Doodle Mae’s Safe Haven from Fake News

Miss Doodle Mae: "In a time of 'fake news' and 'alternative facts,' Jojo's Discount Dollar Store has become a safe haven for the common people."

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MPB Bridges Education As Cuts Loom

Ronnie Agnew watched PBS shows like "Sesame Street" when he was growing up in Saltillo in rural Mississippi. Now the executive director of Mississippi Public Broadcasting, Agnew tells the story of a friend who lived to be 103 years old, illiterate most of his long life until he discovered public broadcasting.

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EdBuild: New Formula in Hands of Few

Mississippi's new education funding formula is in the hands of a few lawmakers and the statehouse leadership—and what it will look like or how much money will go into the formula are still a mystery to the public and the press.

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A Violence Talk That Might Have Been

It felt more like a bait-and-switch. But maybe the City Hall gathering was a start of a new way of thinking about crime prevention in the capital city.

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Kari Jobe: Growth in ‘The Garden’

In the worship-music industry, few contemporary artists have achieved the staying power of singer-songwriter Kari Jobe. Since the Waco, Texas, native released her self-titled debut in 2009, many of her hit songs, including "Revelation Song" and "Holy Spirit," have become staples of Christian radio and church services around the world.

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Adam Farcus

Artist Adam Farcus hasn't needed much time to make friends and make a difference in Jackson.

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Try Everything, Learn Something

Like a lot of people, when I was younger, I tried my hand at everything in the hopes that I would also be inexplicably great at everything.

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Sugar’s Legacy

Preparing meals for the masses isn't anything new for Glenda Cage Barner and her son, Donovan Barner, who own Sugar's Place. They have spent years cooking up food for their large family reunions.

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Legislators Kill Domestic Abuse Divorce Bill

A bill adding domestic abuse as grounds for divorce has died in committee. Senate Bill 2703 , which passed the Mississippi Senate, wasn't taken up Tuesday by the House Judiciary Committee Division B at a deadline for legislation to move ahead.