Resolution Tango
When I was younger, I would annually trot out the usual suspects when it came time to make my new year's resolutions. You know the ones: lose weight; quit smoking; improve my relationships; get a boyfriend; re-connect with people I lost touch with.
Drill, Haley, Drill
With less than one month left in office, Gov. Haley Barbour primed the pump for oil and natural gas drilling to take place off the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
Lies and Damned Lies
Factcheck.org, a non-profit, non-partisan project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania, bills itself as the voters' consumer advocate. The organization checks TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews, and news releases for factual accuracy and reports its results on its website.
Statewide Pre-K Faces Setback
The results are in, and Mississippi has lost out on its part of a $500 million pot to improve early-childhood education. Now, politicians and education advocates can't quite agree on who's to blame for the state's bad grades.
Shields Up
Mississippi, like 10 other states in the union, doesn't have a shield law that protects journalists from revealing sources, turning over documents or answering subpoenas. In 40 states, reporters and editors have some protection in varying degrees.
Most Intriguing Jacksonians 2011
For better or worse, you talked about them. A lot. Some deserved it. Others? Well ...
For better or worse, you talked about them. A lot. Some deserved it. Others? Well ...
The ‘Smalls'
The Jackson area schools that aren't major contenders in Mississippi college basketball are known as the "small" schools. But they're only small in enrollment, not in talent, drive or determination.
The Best In Sports In 7 Days
Happy New Year. No matter how good 2011 was, here's to an even better 2012.
Game Changer
Women's college basketball is rightfully gaining attention these days. Last season, the women's national championship game between Texas A&M and Notre Dame was much more exciting than the men's title game.
JFP Bowl Schedule: Week 3
The third week of the bowl schedule features the majority of the games including Mississippi State. As always, my picks are included. By now, I am sure to have been completely wrong.
Worst and Best Films of 2011
2011 was an incredibly fascinating year in cinema. America's two finest directors, Martin Scorsese and Stephen Spielberg, elevated children's cinema with efforts that far outshone Hollywood's apparent monopoly ruled by Pixar and Disney.
Poignant, Comic Gift
"The Descendants" bubbles to the top of critic lists and Golden Globe nominations. The film goes against the current of behemoth blockbusters; it defies the prevailing philosophy of franchising prior successes, recycling and repackaging old stories under new names.
JFP 2012 College Basketball Preview
The great thing about sports is that each season begins fresh and anew. Every new year, hopes begin high, and every fan dreams of dancing.
Making Music Relevant
Marlan "ML" Williams came close to a Grammy nomination this year. The R&B artist, who goes by ML "The Truth," had two songs make the last round of voting Nov. 30 to choose a list of nominees, but neither song found a place on the ballot.
[Queen] A Light Ahead
Having a friend with depth and the ability to shoot from the hip is always a plus. But having one who has those characteristics and a degree in social work equals a huge win for me.
Melissa DiFatta
After Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast in 2005, lawyer Melissa DiFatta wanted to revaluate her priorities. Her brother lost his home and, a month later, lost his son. "I decided to change jobs and really make a difference in Mississippi," DiFatta says.
Superintendent Search Update
Jackson Public Schools could have a new superintendent as early as the middle of 2012. Representatives from Ray and Associates, the consulting firm that will lead the search for the new superintendent, presented the board with a suggested timeline Wednesday, Dec. 14.
Domestic Violence: Health Crisis?
Twenty-four American women and men will become victims of intimate-partner violence in the minute it will take you to read this story. If it takes you two minutes, the number jumps to 48.
Decor and Donations
Red Square Clothing Co. (1000 Highland Colony Parkway, Suite 9004, Ridgeland, (601) 853-8960) used holiday decorations in the store to raise money for a good cause.
Steve Guyton
Steve Guyton, 63, has been involved in Mississippi politics for more than 40 years. He has worked on numerous campaigns and with countless public officials including Sen. Roger Wicker, former Rep. Chip Pickering and Rep. Gregg Harper. Guyton is currently the shared congressional staffer for congressmen Wicker and Pickering. His duty is helping students nominated by congressmen get into military academies such as the United States Military Academy at West Point or the United States Naval Academy.