Work as Inspiration
Anthony DiFatta got the first art show of his career at Nunnery's Gallery after he donated some of his paintings to a HeARTS Against AIDS fundraiser. Mike Nunnery saw his work and proposed the exhibit. The popular Jackson artist, who now has shows all over the country, still helps arts organizations.
Inside Their Skins
Tate Taylor instinctively understood what he had in common with the characters in "The Help." Like his childhood buddy Kathryn Stockett, who wrote the bestselling novel, and the film's producer Brunson Green, Taylor grew up in Jackson.
Mississippi's Creative Economy
The Mississippi Development Authority and the Mississippi Arts Commission host a summit on Mississippi's Creative Economy Aug. 10 at the Jackson Convention Center.
Carnival Folk
Multiple voices filled the pale green room at a rehearsal for "Assassins," a Stephen Sondheim musical about presidential assassins with a carnival theme. Five people with open notebooks sat around the piano at the Warehouse Theatre on Monroe Street, New Stage Theatre's new space in Belhaven.
Extended Hours for Sisters
The Smith Robertson Museum and Cultural Center, 528 Bloom St, Jackson, is extending its Freedom's Sisters exhibit to Aug. 22.
Field Trip, 2.0
Gosh durn it. I should have known this would happen again. One learning experience doesn't cure you of inanity.
Hinds County Sheriff's Race Not Over
Candidates and concerned citizens filled the basement of the Hinds County Courthouse this morning as they waited for the Hinds County Election Commission to certify remaining ballots that could determine the winner of the sheriff's race. After reports of polls opening late, and candidates left off ballots at the Wynndale precinct in Terry, supporters of Hinds County Sheriff Malcolm McMillin are questioning the validity of the ballots.
City Offers to Settle With Cedric Willis
After 17 years, Cedric Willis may get some measure of compensation from the city of Jackson for a wrongful conviction that cost him 12 years of his life. In 1994, Jackson police arrested Willis, then 19, for murder, rape, armed robbery and aggravated assault. Hinds County Circuit Court Judge Tomie Green exonerated him of all charges in 2006. Willis did not commit the crimes for which he was imprisoned.
JRA Questions Parking Garage
Jackson Redevelopment Authority board members want to determine the feasibility of two high-priced developments that the quasi-government agency may help finance.
Shae Goodman-Robinson
Shae Goodman-Robinson's life is centered in west Jackson. She was born and raised in the area. Her parents, Alex and Lula Goodman, still live in her childhood home, and her children (son, Cornelius, 17, and daughter, Tori, 16) attend Jim Hill High School, her alma mater.
Second Best Ideas
I vividly remember the day when Ward 1 City Councilman Ben Allen bounded into my office at the Jackson Free Press. During the Frank Melton mayoral administration, it wasn't unusual for Allen to pop by; we didn't agree on everything and fought like banshees on the Internet from time to time, but we were on the same page when it came to some of the crazy coming out of city hall. We found common ground on the need for Jackson, and particularly downtown, to get its groove back.
Bryant Wins GOP Primary; Dems to have Runoff
Phil Bryant won the Republican primary last night and Democratic governor candidates Bill Luckett and Johnny DuPree face a run off.
James Ford Seale Dead in Prison; Helped Kill 2 Black Teens in 1964
James Ford Seale, 76, has died in prison in Terre Haute, Ind., where he was serving three life sentences on federal kidnapping charges in 2007, the Associated Press is reporting. In 1964, he was a Ku Klux Klansman who helped kidnap and murder two teenagers, Henry Dee and Charles Moore. The Jackson Free Press accompanied Moore's brother, Thomas, and a cameraman from the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. in 2005 back to Meadville and Roxie, Miss., where the team discovered that Seale was still alive and living openly next to his brother in a trailer in Roxie. Other media, including the Associated Press and The Clarion-Ledger, had reported him dead.
Best in Show
The Neshoba County Fair has a Ferris wheel, deep-fried food, livestock shows and 4-H exhibits, but the best entertainment is the political theatrics that take place under the pavilion in Founder's Square.
The JFP Interview with Bill Luckett
In Clarksdale, Miss., Bill Luckett may as well already be governor. An attorney by training, he seems to have a hand in nearly every significant activity in town. Down the road from his law office, a revitalization effort is afoot in downtown Clarksdale. Ground Zero Blues Club and Madidi Restaurant, two ventures Luckett owns with actor Morgan Freeman, are central to this progress.
The JFP Interview With Tyrone Lewis
Tyrone Lewis, former Jackson Police officer (1983-2010), police chief and Democratic candidate for Hinds County Sheriff, is not a small man. He stands about 6 feet, but his barrel chest is like a cowcatcher on a 19th-century steam locomotive. When he flexes his arms, the muscles beneath the skin tumble over one another like a bag of basketballs.
The JFP Interview with Malcolm McMillin
Hinds County Sheriff Malcolm McMillin's office is home to several porcelain and ceramic pigs. Asked about his collection, the sheriff points to a Winston Churchill quote on his wall. "A cat looks down upon a man, and a dog looks up to a man, but a pig will look a man in the eye and see his equal," the quote reads.
Last 24 Hours: Governor Hopefuls Do It Their Way
Republican candidate for governor Phil Bryant said he had no regrets at a cookout he hosted for supporters and volunteers Monday evening at the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum in Jackson. He called the last days before the primaries the most exciting time in his political experience.
City Celebrates Biz Openings; Green Building
Jackson will see grand openings for a day care, Mexican restaurant, animal clinic and an online college this month.
Laketia Marshall-Thomas
Laketia Marshall-Thomas never intended to be a teacher. She went to Tougaloo College and then to Clark Atlanta University, where she graduated with a master's degree in organic chemistry. She planned to be a chemist, but a professor from Tougaloo College recommended her for a position teaching 7th grade math.