Stories for February 2018

Mississippi 'Go Cup' Bill Heads to Governor's Desk

The Mississippi Legislature is passing an expansion of the year-old "go cup" law. The House Wednesday gave final approval to Senate Bill 2588 , by a vote of 88-28, sending it to Gov. Phil Bryant for his approval or veto.

Beyond Stigma: Helping the Jacksonians Others Reject

Opening in 1987, the Sandifer House on Jefferson Street offered men and women living with AIDS respite from the continuing stigma of being HIV-positive in the early years of the AIDS crisis.

OPINION: Police Violence is Not Déjà Vu

In Jackson, police violence is not deja vu; it is real and systemic.

EDITORIAL: JPD, Identify Cops Who Shoot Civilians

Mayor Lumumba's order does not address the glaring need for JPD to release names of officers who use excessive and/or fatal force on civilians—the progressive needle does not move without this transparent practice, which departments around the country embrace often within 48 or 72 hours of an incident.

Manafort Pleads Not Guilty, Gets September Trial Date

President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort maintained his innocence on Wednesday to new charges he acted as an unregistered foreign agent and directed an international money-laundering conspiracy.

OPINION: Wakanda Forever

"Black Panther" is a depiction of the Africa that our ancestors knew could exist. Its portrayal of royalty and tradition is what we come from. It's in our DNA. It's a bright, new morning light that awakens pride that Hollywood has controlled for generations.

Dick's Ends Sales of Assault-Style Rifles in Stores

Dick's Sporting Goods will immediately halt sales of assault-style rifles and high-capacity magazines at all of its stores and ban the sale of all guns to anyone under 21.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Move On from ‘Antiquated and Useless’ Gang Bill

A very bad "gang bill" has died in the Legislature for the second year in a row. This death occurred after the Senate passed the bill to criminalize gang association and give expanded sentences to associates of gangs or crews or cliques for up to 15 years.

Sumati Thomas

It was at Murrah High School where Sumati Thomas, the coordinator of institutional research at Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society's headquarters in Jackson, first discovered her love of science and technology.

Travis Meadows: On Mississippi Dirt

Travis Meadows may not be a household name for every country-music fan, but the Nashville, Tenn., singer-songwriter has made a place for himself among the biggest stars in the genre.

Angelo’s Unlikely Pairing

At Angelo's, the tables are stocked with Italian and pizzeria staples such as shakers of parmesan cheese and crushed red pepper, and something more unusual for an Italian restaurant: squeeze bottles full of barbecue sauce.

The Racist Roots of Disenfranchising Voters

Mississippi is one of 12 states with disenfranchisement laws that can affect people for life. The list of 22 disenfranchising crimes means an estimated 218,181 people in the state are unable to vote, a new study from the Sentencing Project, One Voice and the Mississippi NAACP, shows.

Providing Hope in a Crumbling Library

Despite a seemingly grim reality, Jackson-Hinds Libraries Executive Director Patty Furr has hope for the Capital city's branches and the communities they serve, and she credits the work Ruth Jinkiri is doing as an example of a good library's mission.

JPS Board Pushes Supe Search Forward

Jackson Public Schools could have a new superintendent by July if the Board of Trustees gets its way. Earlier this month, the board finalized its top two superintendent search firm candidates: McPherson & Jacobsen LLC and Hazard Young Attea Associates.

Senators Tweak Rewrite of Mississippi School Funding Formula

State senators on Tuesday moved a rewrite of Mississippi's public school funding formula a step closer to passage.

Mississippi One Step Closer to 15-Week Abortion Ban

A state Senate committee on Tuesday passed House Bill 1510 , which would make abortions illegal at 15 weeks into gestation. The bill moves to the full Senate for more discussion.

Mississippi Lawmakers: Schools Could Let Teachers Carry Guns

Some Mississippi lawmakers want to give schools the options of arming teachers in an effort to prevent future school shootings.

Mayor: No More Mugshots Released of Juveniles, People Shot by Police

Monday was the day Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba signed an executive order to stop the Jackson Police Department to stop disseminating mugshots of those involved in officer-involved shootings, such as a young woman local police killed by firing into her car in late January.

Tedeschi Trucks: Capturing New Ground

When Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks performed together on New Year's Eve in 2008, it was a normal day in many ways.

Club Vudu, The Murals and Spectacles

Club Vudu, a new nightclub coming to downtown Jackson, will hold its grand opening on Friday, March 2.

Ida B. Wells

The Old Capitol Museum will host a reception and book signing for author Paula J. Giddings' "Ida, A Sword Among Lions: Ida B. Wells and the Campaign Against Lynching" on Tuesday, Feb. 27, from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Sessions: Justice Dept Can Ban Bump Stocks With Regulation

Justice Department officials are forging ahead with plans to ban rapid-fire bump stocks, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Tuesday—a move that would likely set the stage for long legal battles with gun manufacturers while the devices remain on the market.

Gay Pride Parade Organizers Sue Mississippi City Over Denial

Two women sued a Mississippi college town Monday over its denial of a permit for a gay pride parade, saying the city had denied their constitutional rights to free expression and equal protection.

City Will Stop Releasing Mug Shots of Those Shot by Police

The police department in Mississippi's largest city will no longer release mug shots of people shot to death by law enforcement officers.

Judge Again Eyes Claims from Jail Inmates Over Slow Trials

A federal judge is again calling officials from a Mississippi county before him to ask why inmates are languishing in the county jail without bail or trial.

Trump Suggests He and Governors Would've Rushed Florida School

President Donald Trump told the nation's governors on Monday that he would have rushed in unarmed to aid students and teachers during the deadly mass shooting at a Florida high school.

Open Containers, Bike Shares, Guns and Angie Thomas on City Hall Agenda

Renaming streets, voting on Ward 7 Councilwoman Virgi Lindsay's open-container ordinance, bringing a bike share to Jackson, approving a new roof at the zoo and other issues will take the stage at the Jackson City Council's regular meeting at 6 p.m. on Feb. 27 at City Hall.

'One Lake' Bond Bill Passes House By Slim Margin After Questions

Proponents of the "One Lake" project along the Pearl River through Jackson got a financial boost when the Mississippi House of Representatives passed a nearly $100-million bond and loan measure by a three-vote margin on Thursday.

OPINION: America, How Many More Innocent Souls Must Die?

We all have a great light beaming on the inside of us, but how are we using our influence to ensure we teach love to one another?

Mississippi Tobacco Tax Increase Remains Up in the Air

The pressure for a state tobacco tax increase has been building for months, with health advocacy groups urging the Legislature to make the cost of smoking higher as a way of pricing smokers out of the unhealthy habit.

Supreme Court Declines to Take Up 'Dreamers' Case for Now

The Supreme Court on Monday rejected the Trump administration's highly unusual bid to bypass a federals appeals court and get the justices to intervene in the fate of a program that protects hundreds of thousands of young immigrants from deportation.

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.

US Companies Distance Themselves from NRA as Pressure Mounts

U.S. companies are taking a closer look at investments, co-branding deals and other ties to the gun industry and its public face, the National Rifle Association, after the latest school massacre.

Eagles Player Credits Mississippi Roots for Football Career

Super Bowl champion Fletcher Cox says he credits his Mississippi upbringing and schooling for his successful football career.

Hood Joins Net Neutrality Fight

Attorney General Jim Hood will challenge the Federal Communications Commission's decision earlier this year to repeal net neutrality regulations.

Ex-Trump Campaign Aide Agrees to Guilty Plea in Russia Probe

A former top adviser to President Donald Trump's campaign is scheduled to plead guilty on Friday in the special counsel's Russia investigation to federal conspiracy and false statements charges.

MUW Cystic Fibrosis Grant, UMMC HIV Testing Center and Millsaps International Perspectives Program

On Feb. 16 and 17, Millsaps College hosted a campus-wide climate change conference as part of its new International Perspectives Program.

Malaika Quarterman

Jackson Public Schools named Malaika Quarterman, a performing arts teacher at Power Academic & Performing Arts Complex in Belhaven, as Teacher of the Year on Jan. 29.

Activist John Lewis Honored Decades After Civil Rights Arrest

The first time John Lewis traveled to Mississippi in 1961, he was arrested and jailed with other Freedom Riders, black and white, who challenged segregation in a bus station.

Mississippi Gives Tax Break to Hotel Tied to Trump Company

Mississippi has granted a tax break worth just over $6 million to a hotel developer affiliated with the Trump Organization.

Equal Pay Amendment 'Harmful' to Mississippi Workers, Advocates Say

Equal-pay advocates say that an amendment the Mississippi House of Representatives passed to guarantee that women are paid as much as men is actually harmful because it exempts many employees from the protection.

Luke Reynolds

The start of the 2018 college baseball season was a long wait for Luke Reynolds. The current University of Southern Mississippi third-baseman hadn't played in a college game in two years.

JPD Investigating Officer-Involved Shooting

Two unnamed male officers with the Jackson Police Department came into contact with two men at the 1300 block of Deer Park Street at about 3 p.m. Wednesday. A narcotics investigation resulted in an alleged shootout between officers and a man who's name has not yet been released.

Oversight Committee Wants to Look at Pruitt's Travel Records

A Republican-led congressional committee is demanding records related to premium-class flights taken by Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt.

Sen. Rubio Says He Would Support Raising Age to Buy Rifles

On the defensive after the Florida school shooting rampage that killed 17, GOP Sen. Marco Rubio, an ardent gun-rights advocate, said he would support raising the age to buy rifles and other restrictions.

Pennsylvania Congressional Map Battle Lands in Supreme Court

A request by Republican leaders in the Pennsylvania Legislature to stop a new congressional map from being implemented is now in the hands of the nation's highest court.

Trump Endorses Raising Minimum Age to 21 for More Weapons

President Donald Trump endorsed stricter gun-control measures Thursday, including raising the minimum age to 21 for possessing a broader range of weapons than at present.

Elizabeth Fowler: An Artist's Journey

Elizabeth Fowler, a Noxubee County native, says she liked the idea of art when she was a kid, but wasn't good at  representational drawing.

Mississippi Education Commissioner Retiring After June

The head of Mississippi's university system says he is retiring at the end of the state budget year.

Mississippi College Town's Leaders Reject Gay Pride Parade

Leaders of a Mississippi college town have denied a request to host the city's first gay pride parade, a decision that left some members of the group in tears and drew criticism from the mayor.

REVIEW: Wake up to Heart Society

If musicians Teneia Sanders-Eichelberger and Ben Eichelberger have proved only one thing over the course of their careers, it is that they are adaptable. On "Wake the Queens," their debut EP as Heart Society, the Jackson-based husband-and-wife duo has ventured into unfamiliar territory and come out all the better for it.

Support the Black Dollar

Jackson Black Pages hosts its fourth-annual Jackson Black Business Expo on Saturday, March 24, at Tougaloo College.

Food Trucks, BBQ & Tequila Barrels

Food Truck Mash-up, a food truck competition that USA Today Network first started in New Jersey 12 years ago, is coming to Mississippi on Saturday, March 24, at Trustmark Park.

Taking Business to the Next Level

During Startup Weekend Mississippi, local organization Innovate Mississippi aims to equip entrepreneurs with the tools to make their business ideas a reality.

OPINION: Art and Politics in Mississippi

This is a state justly proud of its contributions to the nation's musical, literary and artistic heritage.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Creatives All In It Together

Artists need community. We need other people who will meet with us face to face, and give us helpful advice and tips, offer constructive criticism or answer our questions.

OPINION: Citizens Key in Fight for Security, Stability

Jackson has a youth-violence problem that has been unusually persistent for decades. In recent years, the problem has been well-evaluated.

Timaal Bradford

Timaal Bradford, 26, says he appreciates the different ways hip-hop can be interpreted.

Budgets, Infrastructure Funding and What’s Still to Come

It's halftime in the Mississippi legislative session, and the heavy lifting for lawmakers trying to pass a balanced budget is just beginning.

Judge: Charter School Funding Constitutional

Mississippi's charter-school law does not violate the state's Constitution, Hinds County Chancery Court Judge Dewayne Thomas ruled almost a year after getting the case.

An ‘Open Container’ Blueprint

Mississippi's liquor rules are enough to make your head spin before you take a single sip of alcohol—if it's available for purchase where you live.

Confederate-Themed Flag Rises Again in 1 Mississippi City

Officials in one Mississippi city have voted to once again fly the Confederate-themed state flag, weeks after the mayor quietly furled it.

'God-fearing' JSU President Hosts Tech Panel on Coding, 'Brain Drain,' Jobs

U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker matched the energy of the bustling student center at Jackson State University where he hosted a technology roundtable featuring Federal Communications Commissioner Brendan Carr and JSU President William Bynum on Feb. 19.

Victoria Carpenter

Victoria Carpenter says she has always wanted to help others by making them feel confident and secure in knowing that someone is rooting for them and wishing them the best in their endeavors. One of her main goals has always been to exude radiance and integrity by helping others reach their full potential, she says.

Lieutenant Governor Unveils Plan to Pay for Infrastructure

Mississippi's lieutenant governor wants to divert existing revenue and borrow to provide more money for roads and bridges over the next six years.

Special Counsel Files New Charge in Russia Probe

The special counsel investigating Russian interference in the 2016 election charged an attorney Tuesday with lying to federal investigators about his interactions with a former Trump campaign official.

Trump Urges GOP to Fight Pennsylvania's Congressional Map

President Donald Trump on Tuesday encouraged Republicans to fight Pennsylvania's new court-imposed map of congressional districts, issued a day earlier in a move expected to improve Democrats' chances at chipping away at the GOP's U.S. House majority.

Students Going to State Capital to Push for Gun Law Changes

A hundred Stoneman Douglas High School students are busing 400 miles to Florida's capital Tuesday to urge lawmakers to act to prevent a repeat of the massacre that killed 17 students and faculty last week.

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.

Russians Charged with Meddling in 2016 Presidential Race

Thirteen Russians, including a businessman close to Vladimir Putin, were charged Friday in an elaborate plot to interfere in the 2016 U.S. presidential election through social media propaganda, aimed in part at helping Republican Donald Trump and harming the prospects of his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton.

Better Together Commission Hires Contractor for JPS Study

The Better Together Commission, an independent group of community leaders and stakeholders tasked with soliciting input from Jackson Public Schools families, hired Insight Education Group to complete an in-depth study of the school district.

UMMC Epic Connect, Poetry Out Loud and Ezra Jack Keats Book Awards

The University of Mississippi Medical Center has partnered with the Mississippi Department of Health to launch a project called UMMC Epic Connect, which will link electronic health records between the two organizations.

Andy Kennedy

Andy Kennedy couldn't have picked a worse time to have what looks to be his first losing season as the University of Mississippi men's basketball coach. Before this season, his 12th with the Rebels, he has never posted a losing record.

'Brain Drain' Tax Credit Legislation Passes Mississippi House

The Mississippi House of Representatives wants young people to stay in Mississippi. It unanimously passed a measure Wednesday to offer tax breaks to recent college graduates who stay in Mississippi and work in the state, immediately after graduation from a four-year college or university.

Gang Bill Could Increase Prison Costs, Disparately Affect African Americans

Proposed legislation to crack down on gangs statewide could lead to increased prison costs, a move that would counteract the state's progress in decreasing the number of inmates—and taxpayer dollars used to incarcerate those inmates—since 2014.

Pam Confer

The Canton Chamber of Commerce Main Street Association named Pam Confer, a Jackson resident who has been on the chamber board since 2015, as its new president in December 2017.

Florida Governor Vows to Keep Mentally Ill from Getting Guns

An orphaned 19-year-old with a troubled past and his own AR-15 rifle was charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder Thursday morning following the deadliest school shooting in the U.S. in five years.

Cop Suspended Amid Rebel Flag Dispute at Civil Rights Museum

An African-American police officer says he was fired, then rehired and suspended, after a verbal confrontation with people carrying Confederate-themed flags outside the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum.

Florida High School Shooter in Custody; 'Numerous' Deaths

A shooter opened fire at a Florida high school Wednesday, killing "numerous" people, sending students running out into the streets and SWAT team members swarming in before authorities took the shooter into custody.

OPINION: More Transparency from JPD Needed

It has been more than two weeks since two Jackson Police Department officers extra-judicially killed beloved daughter, mother and Jackson State University student Crystaline Barnes. The community waits in suspense for some facts on what happened on Jan. 27, 2018.

EDITORIAL: Time to Implement Criminal Justice Reforms

Four years ago, the Legislature patted itself on the back for reforming Mississippi's criminal-justice system with sweeping legislation that was arguably one of the most impactful pieces of public policy passed in recent years.

OPINION: Not a Heritage to Celebrate

The "Anglo-American law enforcement heritage" is one of violence, racism and exploitation. This is a heritage to be scorned, a dark mark to be expunged. This is not, contrary to what Attorney General Sessions thinks, a heritage to be celebrated.

Never Back Down: Mississippi Escalates War on Gangs

Mississippi law enforcement may soon be able to decide young people are a gang even if they're not part of a larger criminal enterprise with a hierarchy and criminal connections beyond whomever they got the pot from.

Medicaid and Guns Bills Live, Vouchers Die

Rep. Jason White, R-West, who is largely responsible for writing the House's Medicaid bill, supported Rep. Cheikh Taylor's amendment to the House Medicaid legislation and asked the House to vote for it.

Sampling Jackson

Kreskin Torres pulls up a photo of a dish at 1693 Red Zone Grill on his phone: grilled fish and shrimp in a crawfish sauce on a bed of Cajun rice. "You see what I had to deal with?" Torres jokes.

PUBLISHER'S NOTE: The Solution Isn’t Rocket Science; It’s Community

The more hands-off we are, the more we can find other people to blame for society's ills; the more we make selfishness a virtue, the less we actually act in our self-interest by being engaged civically and using our collective talents, intelligence and hard work to solve problems.

City Contracting Battles: Veolia, Fisher Fight On

A month has passed since the City held its first Equal Business Opportunity Review Committee hearing to mediate a dispute between the larger Massachusetts-based company, Veolia North America - South, LLC, and Fisher Construction of Jackson.

Lacy Ellinwood

Lacy Ellinwood, development director at the Mississippi Library Commission and bass guitarist for local band Kicking, says today's librarians are not the librarians of the past.

Decriminalizing Pot in the City

Jackson has become the latest city in the nation to propose legislation to decriminalize marijuana possession of 30 grams or less within city limits.

Re-Entry Reforms Still Alive in Legislature

Mississippi can begin to look at justice reinvestment, and it should be a priority, Andre de Gruy, the state public defender who is also on the state's Corrections and Criminal Justice Oversight Task Force, told the re-entry council earlier this month.

US Intel Sees Signs of Russian Meddling in Midterms

Three of the nation's top intelligence officials confirmed Tuesday that they have seen evidence of Russian meddling in the upcoming midterm elections—part of what they say is Moscow's escalating cyber assault on American and European democracies.

Judge Upholds Mississippi's Charter School Law

Hinds County Chancery Judge Dewayne Thomas ruled Tuesday that diversions of local property taxes to charter schools are acceptable, and that the schools do not need to be overseen by a local or state superintendent.

Proposed School Board Election Changes Dead by Bipartisan Vote

In a bipartisan shutdown, Sen. Kevin Blackwell's bill to change school-board elections statewide died in the Mississippi Legislature on Monday.

Beacon and Unbound Studios, La Brioche at the Museum Café and Crunch Fitness

Jackson natives Nicole Wyatt Jenkins and Jason Jenkins opened Beacon, which they describe as a "consciously curated, quality goods and creative supply shop," on Dec. 7 last year. The shop occupies the ground floor of the former Fondren Art Gallery location.

Henrietta Leavitt: Under a 'Silent Sky'

In the opening scene of "Silent Sky," two sisters, Henrietta and Margaret Leavitt, gaze at the wonder of the night sky and playfully banter about their two divergent passions.

Mardi Gras Parade Honors New Orleans' Tricentennial

Tens of thousands of revelers are expected on New Orleans streets for parades and rowdy fun as Mardi Gras caps the Carnival season in a city with a celebration of its own, its 300th anniversary.

UK Judge Upholds Arrest Warrant for WikiLeaks Founder

A British judge on Tuesday upheld an arrest warrant for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who has spent more than five years evading the law inside Ecuador's London embassy.

Proposed Gun Law Would Allow Lawsuits over Conceal-Carry Laws

Mississippians with enhanced concealed-carry licenses, who are required to take an instructional course on firearms training before they receive their license, could file a lawsuit against public entities, like state agencies or universities, with policies limiting their right to carry a gun if House Bill 1083 becomes state law.

Post-Katrina Debt Cleared for Four Southern Colleges Including Tougaloo

Three historically black universities in New Orleans and one in Mississippi will see about $330 million in post-Katrina debt owed to the federal government cleared under a provision in a congressional budget deal signed by President Donald Trump.

Cortez Edwards

Cortez Edwards scored 12 points, grabbed 10 rebounds, distributed six assists and had five steals and Southern Mississippi cruised to 72-54 win over Charlotte on Saturday night.

Trump's $4.4 Trillion Budget Moves Deficit Sharply Higher

President Donald Trump unveiled a $4.4 trillion budget for next year that heralds an era of $1 trillion-plus federal deficits and—unlike the plan he released last year—never comes close to promising a balanced ledger even after 10 years.

Attorney General Suit: Weinstein Co. Failed to Protect Women

New York's attorney general is accusing Hollywood movie producer Harvey Weinstein of "repeatedly and persistently" sexually harassing female employees at his film company, according to a lawsuit filed on Sunday by the state prosecutor that could impact the company's potential sale.

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.

Jackson Schools Start New Schedule Monday to Make Up Missed School Days

Jackson Public Schools students missed seven days of school in January after freezing temperatures caused more than 200 water main breaks throughout the city.

Surprise! House Targets Attorney General Jim Hood Again

Rep. Mark Baker, R-Brandon, is consistent at least. His annual trip to the podium to limit Attorney General Jim Hood—the only Democrat in a statewide elected office—went well for him this week.

Belhaven Alum Receives Young Alumni Award, Swipe Out Hunger and Robert Brazile

The Council for Christian Colleges & Universities presented Belhaven University alumnus Angie Thomas, author of New York Times best-selling book "The Hate U Give," with its 2018 Young Alumni Award on Feb. 1 during the annual CCCU International Forum in Dallas.

Clyde Kennard

The Mississippi Freedom Trail, a series of historical markers established in 2011 to commemorate the 1960s Civil Rights Movement, dedicated a new marker in honor of Clyde Kennard at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg on Monday, Feb. 5.

Mississippi to Reopen Delta Prison to Hold Release Violators

Mississippi's prison system announced Friday that it will reopen the Delta Correctional Facility in Greenwood this spring, mostly to house people who violate the terms of their probation or parole.

Trump Signs Budget Deal, Government Reopens

President Donald Trump on Friday signed a $400 billion budget deal that sharply boosts spending and swells the federal deficit, ending a brief federal government shutdown that happened while most Americans were sleeping and most government offices were closed, anyway.

Mississippi House Votes to Limit Powers of Attorney General

The Republican-led Mississippi House voted Thursday to limit the powers of the attorney general who's the only Democrat in statewide office. But it's unclear whether the proposal will survive in the Senate.

OPINION: Mississippi Lawmakers, Take Down the State Flag

My grandmother, who lived her entire life in Mississippi, made sure I understood what the Confederate symbol stands for, and I know that many of you were told the same stories as I.

Mississippi Lawmaker Displays Unloaded Gun During Debate

A Mississippi lawmaker said he was trying to make a point about the hypocrisy of gun laws when he held up an unloaded pistol during a debate.

'Anti-Gang' Bills: One Alive As Experts Warn About Downside

Rep. Andy Gipson, R-Braxton, did not want to debate the "anti-gang" bill for long this morning, and after about half an hour, he tabled House Bill 541, noting that the Senate had already passed its version of the legislation.

Ed Department Awards 90 Vouchers in a Lottery After Some Went Unused

The Mississippi Department of Education held a lottery for 90 unused vouchers in the current school year as the Legislature could debate this afternoon whether to expand the program beyond special-education students to all children in the state.

Korey Robertson

Greenwood, Miss., native Korey Robertson is the lone player selected from the University of Southern Mississippi in the draft and free agency.

Pelosi Speaks for Record 8 Hours in Favor of 'Dreamers'

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi staged a record-breaking, eight-hour speech in hopes of pressuring Republicans to allow a vote on protecting "Dreamer" immigrants—and to demonstrate to increasingly angry progressives and Democratic activists that she has done all she could.

Plan Would Send More Tax Money to Cities for Roads, Water

Cities would receive a slightly larger share of Mississippi sales tax collections under a plan that lawmakers are debating.

OPINION: Anti-Gang Act Would Be a Disaster for Mississippi

The Mississippi Anti-Gang Act flies in the face of recent legislative efforts to reduce our unsustainable prison population—which is currently the fourth highest per capita in the country.

Bill: Let People Sue Over Gun-Carry Bans on Public Property

Mississippi residents with a certain type of gun license could sue governments under a bill passed Wednesday by the House.

Jackson’s First Couple: How the Lumumbas Met and Why They Love Jackson

Jackson's first couple's story begins in a kindergarten classroom at North Jackson Elementary School. They both remember walking to school together with other kids in the neighborhood and playing together in their cul-de-sac after school.

Shovels & Rope Breaks Down 'Jukebox’

Many fans were shocked when Cary Ann Hearst and Michael Trent, husband-and-wife folk-rock duo Shovels & Rope, announced their second cover album, "Busted Jukebox, Vol. 2," just a week before its release on Dec. 8, 2017.

OPINION: Marriage: Not Just About the Vows

Marriage is a never-ending compromise. People like to think that as long as you love each other, it is a breeze. Lies! In fact, at the end of the day, love is only a tool that can be used to get you through rough times.

EDITORIAL: Legislators, Kill the Flawed Voucher Bill

The notion of "school choice" is deeply embedded in the Capitol this session. Senate Education Chairman Gray Tollison, R-Oxford, wants to expand the state's voucher program drastically, allowing any child in public school to use a voucher next year.

OPINION: Medical Marijuana: Solution to Opioid Crisis?

Given the current crisis associated with widespread opioid abuse, dependence and deaths, Mississippi's leaders must find an effective and safer alternative to prescribing narcotics.

Funding the ‘School Choice’ Lobby

In just one year, the Mississippi Legislature has gone from slightly tweaking its voucher program for students with dyslexia to a push to allow any public-school student to apply for a taxpayer-funded voucher to use at a private school.

Pentagon Says Trump Ordered Washington Military Parade

President Donald Trump has asked the Pentagon to plan a grand parade of the U.S. armed forces in Washington this year to celebrate military strength, officials said Tuesday.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Show Love for the Local

Each year, on the week of Feb. 14, we party like it's every couple's wedding or dating anniversary on the exact same day. Before February even rolled around, I started getting emails from Amazon and all other manner of online market touting sales on a special something for my special someone.

Senate Negotiators Working to Finalize Long-Term Budget Deal

Senate negotiators were finalizing a long-term budget deal Wednesday that would avert a looming government shutdown, as a leader of House conservatives predicted the group's objections to big domestic spending increases would not be enough to block it.

15-Week Abortion Ban Moves Ahead

Abortion would be illegal after 15 weeks in Mississippi if a bill the House of Representatives passed late Friday becomes law.

Settlement Reached Over Clean Coal Fiasco in Mississippi

Years of contention and threatened electric rate increases ended Tuesday as utility regulators approved a settlement declaring how much Mississippi Power Co. customers should pay for their share of a troubled $7.5 billion power plant.

Tackling Jackson’s Blight, More or Less

Alexis has been a homeowner in southwest Jackson since 1999. Her neighbors left more than five years ago, and the house next door has been abandoned ever since.

Ashlee Kelly

Ashlee Kelly wants to bring beneficial new housing options to Jackson in the form of tiny houses.

Sweetheart Specials

Local restaurants such as 1908 Provisions will have decadent specials this Valentine’s Day.

Amid Partisan Split, Medicaid Plan Passes Mississippi Senate

A proposal to keep Mississippi's Medicaid program alive is advancing in the Legislature.

British Judge Upholds Arrest Warrant for Julian Assange

A British judge on Tuesday upheld a U.K. arrest warrant for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, leaving him still a wanted man in the country where he has spent more than five years inside the Ecuadorean Embassy.

Trump Aide: Some Immigrants 'Too Lazy' to Sign Up for DACA

Some immigrants may have been "too afraid" or "too lazy" to sign up for the Obama-era program that offered protection from deportation, White House chief of staff John Kelly said Tuesday as he defended President Donald Trump's proposal aimed at breaking the impasse on immigration.

House GOP Plans Stopgap Spending Bill with Pentagon Funding

Senate leaders closed in on an agreement Tuesday to award whopping spending increases to both the Pentagon and domestic federal programs as well as long-sought disaster relief money and, perhaps, action to increase the government's borrowing cap.

Equal Pay Included in Bill Prohibiting Cities from Raising Minimum Wage

An equal pay amendment is included in a bill the Mississippi House of Representatives passed this morning prohibiting cities from raising the state minimum wage.

Lounge 114, Steve's Ribs and Grill, and Jackson Roof Deployment Project

Steve and Lisa Beagles, owners of Doe's Eat Place, recently opened a new restaurant called Steve's Ribs and Grill.

Jenni Smith

For local activist and filmmaker Jenni Smith, the rights of women and members of the LGBT community are close to her heart.

Proposal Would Erase 4-Year Limit on University Contracts

A senator says Mississippi could better compete for professors if the state did not limit university contracts to four years at a time.

Public Hearing on Pot Decriminalization Ordinance Today at City Hall

Ward 4 Councilman De'Keither Stamps proposed a change to Jackson's ordinances last week that would decriminalize possession of user-level amounts of marijuana. The public can attend a hearing at 6 p.m. today at City Hall for citizens to voice their concerns and ask questions.

Vicksburg, Wingfield, Lanier High Schools Top 'Chronically Absent' List

More than 70,000 students were chronically absent in the 2016-2017 school year, chronic absentee data the Mississippi Department of Education released today show.

Jane Hulon

Copiah-Lincoln Community College trustees unanimously named Jane Hulon as the college's eighth president, making her the first woman to lead the college.

Analysis: Senators Argue Over State Tax Diversion to Cities

Sen. Hob Bryant, D-Amory, told the Senate Finance Committee that Senate Bill 2455 would send a slightly larger share of state sales tax revenue to cities and counties to help pay for infrastructure projects such as roads, bridges and water and sewer system improvements.

Veterans With Stress Could Get Right to Service Animals

Some military veterans could gain the right to have service animals with them wherever needed in Mississippi.

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.

House Passes Equal Pay Amendment, But Its Future Is Unclear

The Mississippi House of Representatives was expecting a leisurely Friday, but when Rep. Mark Baker, R-Brandon, took up House Bill 1241 this morning, things got interesting.

Fannie Lou Hamer Documentary at Tougaloo, RecycleMania and Black History Month at USM

Tougaloo College announced on Jan. 19 that the W.K. Kellogg Foundation presented the school with a $272,000 grant for a new documentary on the life and legacy of Mississippi native and civil-rights icon Fannie Lou Hamer titled "Fannie Lou Hamer's America."

Stories for February 2018

Wednesday, February 28

Tuesday, February 27

Monday, February 26

Friday, February 23

Thursday, February 22

Wednesday, February 21

Tuesday, February 20

Monday, February 19

Friday, February 16

Thursday, February 15

Wednesday, February 14

Tuesday, February 13

Monday, February 12

Friday, February 9

Thursday, February 8

Wednesday, February 7