Lady with a Plan
Peggy Hobson-Calhoun is quick to talk about her accomplishments over the last 19 years as a Hinds County supervisor. She began her term as the county's first elected female supervisor in 1992, and since then has made the county's infrastructure and economy her top priorities.
The War on Math, Part 2: Is the GOP Out of Step with America?
In the continuing GOP/Tea Party "War On Math," the insistence on balancing the budget by cutting spending may be doing serious damage to the Republican Party's credibility -- so says Professor Lawrence Jacobs writing for CNN, who finds that polling is going against the GOP in a big way.
Williams: Politicians Benefit from Contracts
Ron Williams, 52, is a Republican candidate for governor and a vocal critic of what he claims to be state agencies' preferential treatment of contractors who donate to politicians.
Why the PSC Race Matters
Few people attend the monthly meetings of the Mississippi Public Service Commission, outside of utility company officials and their host of attorneys. Generally, when the talk is about electricity, gas or telecommunications, eyes glaze over.
Megan Voos
Almost eight years ago, Megan Voos found herself at a crossroads. She finished a lengthy term as a youth pastor in the San Francisco Bay area but was unsure of what to do next. Then, a friend's 8-year-old child told her, "You should move to Mississippi with us." She gave it a try, planning to stay for one year. The city of Jackson captured her heart.
Truth to Power
I spent last weekend in New Orleans at the Association of Alternative Newsmedia convention. It was held in the posh Ritz Carlton in the heart of the city's business district, and I was challenged trying to reconcile our "alternative" moniker with the neat little pyramids of individually rolled cloth hand towels by each sink in the ladies' rooms.
Sunday Arthouse
My first day as a brand new Jacksonian was a Sunday. Hailing from Hattiesburg, I was unused to having anything even open on Sundays, much less events I could attend. It was almost 5 in the evening before I opened the Jackson Free Press to scan the listings for something to do.
Judge: Advocates Can Visit Detained Youth
The Southern Poverty Law Center and Disability Rights Mississippi have won access to youth held at the Hinds County Henley-Young Juvenile Justice Center. A federal judge ruled Monday that facility officials cannot continue to block attorneys and advocates from meeting with youths.
City Revisits Teen Curfew
Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes' proposed ordinances to prevent teen violence ran into a familiar wall yesterday.
Lemuria Challenges Media; Whitwell Calls on Food Truck Supporters
When WAPT ran a story last week suggesting Lemuria Books did not carry titles on local schools' summer reading list, chief bookseller John Evans saw a marketing opportunity. Lemuria staff arranged a display in the store featuring books on school reading lists and a sign that said, "Hello WAPT: Here is a fact check for you!"
Freelancer of the Month: Larry Morrisey
Larry Morrisey evangelizes musicians who don't fit a mold. His story earlier this year about Delta bluesman Bill Abel, a painter as well as a musician, depicted a side character who usually plays small venues. That's Morrisey's favorite kind of story.
Citizens Police Academy Seeks Applicants
Verbatim statement from city:The Jackson Police Department is urging residents to sign up for the upcoming Citizens Police Academy. The Citizens Police Academy will begin October 3, 2011 and will run through October 10, 2011. The Academy runs after hours and during the weekend to accommodate working adults who want to participate.
Branding Hinds County With Just a Little Snark
What difference could a bold marketing campaign make to Hinds County economic development? Tripp Muldrow, a South Carolina planning consultant, suggests it could make a world of difference.
Council Votes on Food Trucks Tomorrow
Read the proposed ordinance here.
Talamieka Brice
Flip through Graphic Design USA's 250-page publication of award-winning designs, and between designs from Geico, Coca-Cola and Pepsi, you'll find the designs Talamieka Brice made for Methodist Rehabilitation Center. This is the second year Graphic Design USA recognized the Mississippi native's work, and she describes the attention as really cool.
Community Events and Public Meetings
11 a.m., Blood Pressure Checks for Seniors, at Tougaloo Multi-Purpose Senior Citizens Center (318 Vine St.). The city of Jackson and St. Dominic Health Services provides blood pressure checks, and heat and skin care awareness information to qualifying individuals ages 55 or older living within the Jackson city limits. Free; call 601-960-0335.
Eminent Domain Heads to Court
Hinds County Judge Winston Kidd will hear arguments this morning over a Nov. 8 ballot initiative aimed to prevent the government from taking private land for non-public projects.
Gubernatorial Candidates Challenge Bryant at Debate
In a televised debate Thursday evening, candidates for governor sought to distinguish themselves from Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant and position themselves as frontrunners ahead of the Aug. 2 primary.
Operation Understanding Visits Jackson
Sixteen high school kids from Philadelphia, Pa., brought their mission to "share, unite and inspire" to Koinonia Coffee House this morning.