Zandrea King
At 28, Zandrea King is a self-described up-and-coming professional who decided to take the path less traveled with her career choice.
Simon Asks Court to Block Execution
Death row inmate Robert Simon Jr., who is scheduled to die today, is asking a federal appeals court to block his execution in order for the court to thoroughly review his mental-health claims.
City Filling Budget Holes
Halfway into the budget year, the city of Jackson has to move money around thanks to overtime costs and JATRAN budget overruns, among other issues.
C-USA Tournament Begins
On Wednesday, Trustmark Park, home of the Mississippi Braves, becomes home to the Conference USA Baseball Tournament.
Gov. Haley Barbour
"To the Freedom Riders yourselves, our state does celebrate and thank you for your courage, your commitment, your suffering and your sacrifices of 50 years ago. We apologize to you for your mistreatment in 1961, and we appreciate this chance for atonement and reconciliation."
Community Events and Public Meetings
Return of the Freedom Riders: 50th Anniversary Reunion through May 26. More than 100 Freedom Riders and their families will reunite with their colleagues and tell stories about the struggle to end racial segregation in American interstate travel in 1961. Programs, ceremonies, visits, exhibits, oral histories, a film festival, and education and training forums will take place. Visit ms50thfreedomridersreunion.org for a detailed schedule.
River to Flood into June
The Mississippi River flood crest that everybody's been waiting for is, unfortunately, not the final phase of the drama, Jeffrey Eckstein, Vicksburg District commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, told reporters this week.
Whitwell: Move Forward on Sales Tax
Referring to himself as a "tell-it-like-it-is politician," Ward 1 Jackson City Councilman Quentin Whitwell told community members this morning that the makeup of a commission to oversee Jackson's proposed 1-percent sales-tax increase should not stop Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. from moving forward.
Kayla Watkins
Kayla Watkins, Madison Central High School's head softball coach, is looking forward to her fast-pitch softball team winning the championship against Petal High School today and Saturday.
It's the Weekend
Art House Downtown Cinema brings Jackson independent and interesting films consistently. You have a chance to catch two films, "Blank City" at 7 p.m. and "Heartbeats" at 8:45 p.m. today at Russell C. Davis Planetarium (201 E. Pascagoula St.). It's $7 per film. Meet some new folks and talk about the films over coffee or drinks afterward. For live music options, check out Chimney Choir and Wooden Finger at Sneaky Beans or Velcro Pygmies at Fire. Lots of great options abound on the detailed JFP Best Bets page.
City Launches Summer Reading Program
The Jackson Public Schools District and city leaders announced an initiative yesterday to recruit 30,000 young readers across the city to read 100,000 books over the summer.
Jackson Crime Rate Down Again
Read the report. 05022011-05082011.pdf
Bike to Work Week Kicks Into High Gear
Gas prices got you down? Thankfully, leg muscles don't cost $3.95 for every 20 miles you travel. Make it easy this week by celebrating National Bike Month along with a host of cities and biking associations.
Wendi Reed
Rick Fremin, who became coach of the Jackson State University women's softball team in January, does not hesitate naming the on-the-field leader for the Lady Tigers. "Without question, one player I feel does not get enough media hype or exposure is Wendi Reed," he said.
Circle of Us Meeting
Although I created an event listing for this, I wanted to highlight this event because I think this group serves an important purpose. More and more African Americans are deciding to wear their hair in its natural state, but challenges such as not knowing how to maintain natural hair, negative feedback from friends and family, finding a hairdresser, etc. can be discouraging. If you fall into any of those categories, I suggest that you come to the meeting and fellowship with others who have natural hair. The ones who have been natural for years or who specialize in styling natural hair may be able to help you. The meeting is May 25, 6 p.m. at Brice Media (6712 Old Canton Road, Suite 6, Ridgeland). You can send an email to {encode="[email protected]" title="[email protected]"} if you have any questions, and the group also has a Facebook page. Hope you can make it!
Un-gifting JPS
State budget cuts are forcing Jackson Public Schools to scale back its gifted-education classes to the bare minimum required by state law. With their emphasis on hands-on learning and critical thinking, classes for "gifted" students are among the highlights of any school district.
The Best In Sports In 7 Days
Doctor S sez: Mississippi State or Ole Miss could win the SEC West. Or they could miss the SEC Tournament completely. Tight race, huh?
Coping with Food Allergies
About four years ago, I finally realized that the health problems I had been having for years would recur every time I ate tomatoes or dishes in which tomatoes were prominent. Salsa, spaghetti and tomato-based soups all gave me terrible allergic reactions such as swollen eyelids and stomach aches.
Royal Cocktails
You may not be royalty, but that shouldn't stop you from adding a little pizzazz to your summer wedding. Consider adding these royal-themed drinks to your bar menu. They're provided by http://www.iDRINK.com in honor of the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
Eco-Honeymoons
When most couples talk about their honeymoon, it's usually stories of how wonderful the masseuse was at the hotel spa or how delectable the food. They might even mention the breathtaking view from their room. This is about the time we nod and smile, and act like it all sounds so exciting and interesting.