In Race for Pre-K, Mississippi Falls to the Back of the Pack
The U.S. Department of Education announced last week that nine states will divvy up $500 million in federal funding for early childhood education. Politicians and education advocates can't quite agree on why Mississippi wasn't on the list.
The Week in Crime
Due to yesterday's police academy graduation, we got the weekly crime stats a little late.
Due to yesterday's police academy graduation, we got the weekly crime stats a little late. Here's an overview.
Council: Take Any, All Action Regarding TCI
The TCI-owned land across from the Jackson Convention Center may soon belong to the city, depending on what action officials take.
8 Toddler Pitfalls to Avoid Christmas Morning
Regardless of your nostalgic, Christmas-morning-frenzy memories, you'll quickly learn that a no-holds-barred approach doesn't go over well with your toddler--especially on the most anticipated morning of the year. Don't wing it Christmas morning. Get a game plan together now so that your entire family can enjoy the holidays without going into meltdown mode.
City Council Votes to Dissolve Relationship with TCI
It's about time. Here at the JFP, we've been writing for years now about the potential minefield that is a relationship with Frank Melton's buddies at Trans Continental Realty (connected to controversial Texas businessman Gene Phillips). No time to rehash now (putting out the second of two issues right now so the staff can take some Christmas time off), but you can see the full archive of our convention-center hotel coverage here: http://www.jfp.ms/hotel. Meantime, we're thrilled to hear that the city is doing what we've long wanted them to do: dissolve that relationship. We know it hasn't been easy since Melton and friends sold TCI the land, but it finally seems to be happening. Sigh of relief. And, yes, we told ya so. (Sorry, couldn't resist. But we did. Years ago.)
Dr. Aaron Shirley
Blackburn Middle School will have a ribbon cutting ceremony on Jan. 3, at 6 p.m. They were recently chosen to receive federal grant money from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Health Resource Service Administration. With the help of Dr. Aaron Shirley, who cultivated the grant proposal, Blackburn will be able to open a new clinic, purchase equipment for the clinic and hire workers. In addition to providing health care, funds will help supply rewards for use at participating food markets to help children and families with healthy eating habits while at home. Other needs will be assessed for use of the grant money.
JPD Chief: New Cops Will Help Curb OT
In a packed and muggy auditorium and under the watchful eye of instructors who continued barking orders throughout the ceremony, 33 new recruits joined the Jackson Police Department this morning.
Barbour's 2013 Budget At a Glance
In his final budget recommendations before leaving office, Gov. Haley Barbour put everything from Mississippi Public Broadcasting to the Egg Marketing Board on the chopping block Tuesday.
Barbour Headed Back to ‘K Street'?
AP in Jackson has an unnamed source saying that Barbour plans to return to BGR Group (formerly Barbour, Griffith and Rogers), a lobbying firm that focuses primarily and Republican issues and candidates. (Their Washington DC office is actually near 13th Street NW and F Street NE, a few blocks from K Street.)
For the Little Angels and Demons
Sometimes shopping for the kids can be tough, especially when you don't know what the young ones are into these days. This year, it doesn't have to be hard, because we've found a few items around town that will make any kid light up with excitement.
Serve It Forth: Gifts for Your Kitchen
Are you struggling to find the gift for the cook who has everything? It's really not as hard as it seems, and it doesn't have to be pricey. I tend to give others either what I want for myself or what I find particularly useful. For me, these gifts seem to fall into three distinct groups: "tools you don't think you'll ever use," "kicked-up basics" and "splurges."
Don't Give a Dog a Bone
It is always tempting to throw the dog a bone off your plate, especially during the holidays, but some human foods are not safe for your pets.
[10 Things About] The Oxford American Southern Music Issue
The Oxford American is an American quarterly literary magazine "dedicated to featuring the very best in Southern writing while documenting the complexity and vitality of the American South. And here are 10 things about the magazine that makes it great.
Ring in the New Year
It's been a blast attending great parties and concerts, but I'm ready for the holiday hustle and bustle to be done and to get back to the normality of life. Between your own holiday parties and writing those New Year's resolutions, make plans to hear awesome music in the capital city.
The Best In Sports In 7 Days
The Christmas holiday features bowl games, the NFL and the return of the NBA. Ho, ho, ho!
Mississippi Teams Go Bowling
Two Mississippi college football teams are going bowling this year: Mississippi State University and the University of Southern Mississippi. Both the Bulldogs and the Golden Eagles fell short of expectations, but they are getting an extra month of practice time.
JFP Bowl Schedule: Week 2
This week's college bowl games feature Southern Miss and North Carolina—that's Larry Fedora's "old" team and his new one.
Favre for JSU?
An interesting piece of news came out of the Mississippi State bowl practice the other day: Redshirt freshman quarterback Dylan Favre is leaving Starkville. Favre says his plan is to attend Pearl River Community College next semester. Nothing is wrong with playing at a junior college, but another option might help Favre and another team.
The Jobs Act: Help or Not?
It's no wonder that economics is called the "dismal science." Regardless of what motivated Thomas Carlyle to coin the term (some say it was a prediction that the world's resources could never keep up with population, while others say it was a negative reaction to ending slavery), no one can call economics an exact science.
Where The Jobs Are ... and Aren't
Where are the jobs? Everybody should move to North Dakota, where there are more jobs than people and more people than housing. But you don't have to go so far as Fargo to find work. While Mississippi has more folks out of work than a lot of other places, growth is happening here, too.