Choctaw ‘Expressions'
The vibrancy of the Mississippi Choctaw's heritage is clearly expressed through the colorful, handmade Choctaw dresses with beautiful beadwork and full skirts trimmed with ruffles and hand-sewn appliques, handmade baskets and handmade musical instruments—all on display at the Mississippi Craft Center this month.
Intent to Ravish
Like so much of Mississippi culture, its laws concerning sex crimes harken back to a hypothetically more genteel time when ladies swooned and men did not use curse words in their presence. The states' rape statutes use vague, anachronistic words such as "ravish," "chaste" and "buggery" instead of rape, virgin and anal intercourse.
Does Jackson Need Another Rape-Crisis Center?
As the Jackson Free Press has done since 2004, on July 28, we will host our eighth annual Chick Ball to benefit the Center for Violence Prevention in Pearl.
Cochran Bike Bill On the Ropes
Congressional House Republicans are trying to put the brakes on a provision in the federal transportation bill that could promote more biking and walking in America's cities and towns. But biking and walking advocates are looking to an unlikely ally for support: Mississippi's senior conservative Republican Sen. Thad Cochran.
40 Acres and a Duel
When James Stern arrived at Mississippi State Penitentiary's medical Unit 31, fellow black inmates debriefed him on one of the unit's infamous residents: Edgar Ray Killen.
Stern v. Killen: 40 Acres and a Duel
When James Stern arrived at Mississippi State Penitentiary's medical Unit 31, fellow black inmates debriefed him on one of the unit's infamous residents: Edgar Ray Killen.
WTF Is Zoogma?
Zoogma. It's a word that on the surface doesn't make a whole lot of sense. To some people, the word represents absolutely nothing. To others, it's a misspelling of the literary device Zeugma, a Greek word meaning "to bond." And to an increasing number of people, it's a guaranteed good time on a Saturday night.
Felicia Tillman
"I have big, big, big faith," Felicia Tillman says. The 34-year-old Jackson native believes that becoming the author of two plays was a spiritual thing for her.
Free Voter ID Will Cost ... But What?
Mississippi Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann announced yesterday that his office will be "proactive" and distribute free voter ID cards to anyone who does not have the proper identification. But his office does not yet have a vendor in place to make the cards or know how much they're going to cost the taxpayers.
Crooked Letter Brewery Blocked
Jackson County Board of Supervisors denied a Vancleave couple a special exemption Monday to build a brewery on their land along Antioch Road. The law requires an exemption for industrial businesses in an agricultural zone.
Surina R. Dixon
After three months on the job, and before she coached a single basketball game, Texas State University fired head women's basketball coach Surina Dixon in 2008. Dixon charged that her termination was a result of her calling foul on the university over what she believed was gender bias.
World Sickle Cell Day
On June 19 at noon, the Mississippi Sickle Cell Foundation will join millions around the world to commemorate World Sickle Cell Awareness Day. MSCF will pray for patients with sickle cell disease and for families who have lost loved ones due to the illness. It encourages all Mississippians to join in an effort to bring awareness to the disease.
Stokes: Shut Jail Down
District 5 Supervisor Kenneth Stokes wants to close the Hinds County Detention Center in Raymond following a series of blunders at the jail.
Stokes: Shut Down Jail, Pull Pants Up
District 5 Supervisor Kenneth Stokes wants to close the Hinds County Detention Center in Raymond following a series of blunders at the jail.
Arden Barnett
Since the fall of 2011, Duling Hall has pushed its way to the forefront of the live music scene in Jackson. The man leading the charge is promoter Arden Barnett.
Community Events and Public Meetings
Eighth Annual JFP Chick Ball July 28, 6 p.m., at Hal & Mal's (200 S. Commerce St.). The fundraising event benefits the Center for Violence Prevention, and this year's goal is to start a rape crisis center. For ages 18 and up. Seeking sponsors, auction donations and volunteers now. More details: jfpchickball.com and follow on Twitter @jfpchickball. Get involved, volunteer, and donate art, money and gifts at [e-mail missing]. $5 cover; call 601-362-6121, ext. 16.
MDOC Sticks with Private Prisons
Sometime between the 8:45 p.m. and the 9:15 p.m. staff shift change on July 30, 2010, Tracy Alan Province, John Charles McCluskey and Daniel Kelly Renwick escaped from Arizona State Prison-Kingman. Just after 10 p.m., perimeter-patrol officers discovered a 30-by-22-inch hole in the fence. Two hours after the prison determined the inmates had escaped, Arizona Department of Corrections assumed command and the U.S. Marshals Service launched a manhunt.
JFP Wins Awards for Feature Writing, Public Service, Commentary
The JFP got more great news Friday night when we learned that we are winning two first-place and one second-place award from the Society of Professional Journalists' southeastern division. Valerie Wells takes first place for feature writing, the Personhood team (this time, including R.L. Nave and Adam Lynch) takes second place for public service, and I won first place for serious commentary. Here is the full press release. Cheers to the team, congratulations to all the winners. We're honored to be in your company:
Abortion Clinic's Fate Unknown
Betty Thompson doesn't know what will happen to her employer, the Jackson Women's Health Organization, on July 1.
Working Together: Jackson
On the night of June 14, hundreds of people flooded through the doors of New Horizon Church in south Jackson to collaborate on one of the biggest tasks the city has ever taken on. Working Together: Jackson is an organization two and one-half years in the making.