At Capitol, Jackson a Winner and Loser
You know that old expression about the calm before the storm? Such has been the mood at the state Capitol for the past couple weeks. The relatively tranquil period follows a tumultuous period of fiery debates on abortion and immigration and hallway shoving matches over charter schools and workers' compensation. Expect the tide to turn when lawmakers hunker down to clear the calendar of thorny political issues before sine die (adjournment) the first week of May.
Mississippi Welcomes Janis Ian
When many people think of the 1960s, they think of it as a political time with movements for civil rights and women's rights in the forefront. Singer, songwriter and author Janis Ian grew up in the culturally turbulent 1960s, which has inspired her music, including her iconic "At Seventeen." She has spent most of her life writing and singing about the world around her.
Jordan Hunter
Nathan Hunter III always wanted his son to be a Morehouse man. This fall, he will see that dream come true when his oldest child, Jordan Hunter, attends the nation's only all-male historically black college.
JPD Completes Redistricting
The Jackson Police Department has finished redistricting Precinct 4, which covers the area from Fortification Street to County Line Road and the West Street railroad tracks to the Pearl River.
Biz Roundup: Go Green
Fondren will see the benefits of a $2-million grant to make the area friendlier for bicyclists and pedestrians, as well as for landscape reforms. The city of Jackson recently received a transportation enhancement grant through the Mississippi Department of Transportation, and held a public meeting to ask Fondren residents and business owners how it should spend the money.
Herb Frierson
Herb Frierson doesn't draw large crowds. For example, the audience Frierson addressed at the John C. Stennis Institute's press luncheon yesterday was only about half its normal size. In introducing Frierson, Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reporter Bobby Harrison recounted bumping into Frierson alone in downtown Jackson without a gaggle of lobbyists trailing behind.
Colonel Reb and His Cousin, R.I.P.
I spent two days on campus at Oxford last fall when some heated talk surfaced about bringing back Colonel Reb, the former Ole Miss mascot, through a petition to the Legislature. When PBS aired a program about the Confederate symbols and songs controversy, it seemed like time to tell my story.
Another Charter Schools Bill Killed
The latest attempt to pass legislation establishing charter schools met defeat in the Mississippi House moments ago. House members voted to send HB 1152, which had been modified to include language from a Senate charter school bill that didn't even make it out of the House Education Committee, to a conference committee where it will likely die. Lt. Gov. Reeves, who, along with the state's other top Republican leaders, has pushed for a charter bill all session called the House vote disappointing.
New Redistricting Map on the Way
New legislative district maps are coming, which means some Democratic lawmakers could be on their way out.
Farm-to-Fork Project Launched
A new program kicks off today in Jackson to get healthy, affordable produce to families in Mississippi.
Olivia Perez-Breland
Thousands of military spouses across the country have felt the stab of multiple deployments that take their loved ones away. One soldier's wife found a way to express her pain while giving back to other military families.
Community Events and Public Meetings
6 p.m., Jackson Police Department Precinct 4 Restructuring Ceremony, at Fondren Hall (Northwood Shopping Center, 4436 N. State St.). Presenters include Jackson Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. and Precinct 4 Commander Wendell Watts. Call 601-960-0004.
Freedom Riders Tell Students: ‘Take the Lead'
Delores Williams remembers going to school as a child, seeing white children ride by in a bus while she and the other black students walked, carrying their books. She also remembers having to step off the sidewalk when a white person passed.
Monica Cannon
When Monica Cannon sees things in schools that could be better, she doesn't sit around and complain. Instead, she brainstorms solutions, speaks up and gets people to work together to make changes.
It's the Weekend!
Today, Arts on the Square kicks off at 4 p.m. at Historic Canton Square; the event runs through April 21. Free admission; call 601-859-5816. Lawyerpalooza is at 5 p.m. at Hal & Mal's and benefits the Mississippi Volunteer Lawyers Project and the Mississippi Center for Justice. Admission is $5; call 601-969-9692, 769-257-5380 or 601-957-2600. ZooBrew is at 6 p.m. at the Jackson Zoo (2918 W. Capitol St.). The event is for ages 21 and up. Tickets are $25 and $20 for members, $10 shuttle from Fondren and Highland Village; call 601-352-2580. The Amnesty International DREAM Act Concert is at 6:30 p.m. at Sneaky Beans. Admission is $5; call 601-974-1338. Need more options? See our Best Bets.
Some Coast Residents to Get More in Oil Spill Claims
A statement from the Attorney General's office says some Mississippians affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill could be getting more money to pay for damages. Here is the statement, verbatim:
City Council Approves Fortification Project
The City Council approved a contract with Hemphill Construction Tuesday night for an $8.9 million Fortification Street makeover. The contract now goes to the Mississippi Department of Transportation for approval.
LaSondra Barrett
LaSondra Barrett, born in Flowood in 1990, is one of the best women's basketball players from Mississippi.
Experimental Percussion
It will be a jam like no other when world-renowned percussionist Tatsuya Nakatani performs with a group of 10 musicians of different musical backgrounds at The Commons at Eudora Welty's Birthplace April 22.
Nobody to Blame
Music can transport the listener to a specific place and time. Musicians can give the vision of driving through the green fields of the Mississippi Delta or paint the scene of the bustling New Orleans French Quarter.