Political Ad Stirs Controversy
Many residents of both Hinds and Madison counties spoke out this week against a controversial political ad that played on fears of Jackson's "violent crime" showing prior to feature movies in Malco Grandview Theater in Madison. Malco pulled the ad from its theaters May 11.
Talking It Out
Hakeem and Matthew have been fighting. Seated in a classroom at Blackburn Middle School, the two eighth-grade boys explain the origins of their conflict, an ever-escalating series of slights.
Divisiveness Hurts Kids and Families
Cue the ominous voice: "Imagine for a moment this road is our county line. This side represents one of the most violent cities in the nation. Over here, on our side, one of the most desirable communities in America to raise a family." Thank you, Madison County sheriff candidate Mark Sandridge, for one of the most offensive campaign ads we've seen in recent memory.
[Stiggers] Cootie Creek County Sheriff
In the ghetto criminal justice system, the people are represented by members of the Ghetto Science Team: police officer and part-time security guard at the Funky Ghetto Mall; Dudley 'Do-Right' McBride, renegade documentary filmmaker; Kunta 'Rasheed X' Toby; and attorney Cootie McBride of the law firm McBride, Myself and I. This is their story.
[Kamikaze] Freedom and Responsibility
Ah, the First Amendment: freedom of speech—that little inalienable right that we all have and that we all have invoked. Clearly some of us don't really understand what it means. Nor do we understand the responsibility that comes with it.
[Moore] One Year Later
We understand that Jackson has its problems. Aren't there problems everywhere? Utopia doesn't exist.
Good Ideas
Families are at the heart of everything we do. They serve as a witness to our lives, support us when we fail and remind us of where we came from. Even if you have a nontraditional family, a strong family unit is essential to a vibrant community. In this Good Ideas issue, we focus on ways to build a family-friendly community, how to raise a genius child, alternatives to traditional families and styles of parenting.
Metro Facing Sewer Headache
Jackson's outdated sewage treatment plant is dumping too much sludge and waste back into the Pearl River, and the city is paying big bucks to get it into federal compliance.
A Helping Hand
A storage closet inside a homeless day shelter is an unlikely studio for well-known Mississippi folk artist McArthur Chism. But these days Chism is just glad to have a quiet space where he can thread the bottle caps he collects with wire hangers and make crosses, birdhouses and frames.
Marie Owens
Marie Owen wants to create a greater sense of community between her neighbors and the rest of the city through the concept of co-housing. Owen and her sister Hilda Owen attended the Cohousing Conference 2010 in Boulder, Colo., last June, and started laying the groundwork to form a co-housing community in Jackson. "(A co-housing neighborhood) is a neighborhood that's turned inside out. Our neighborhoods now are built for cars, not people," Owen says.
Art Revival
As he flipped through a slideshow of a "Wizard of Oz"-inspired golf course, an outdoor living room made of grass and children jumping in a bed of flower petals, David Koren emphasized that FIGMENT is not an art exhibit, but a participatory arts event that has the potential to change Jackson's landscape.
An Eye for an Eye
Set against the backdrop of Argentina's military regime in 1982, "Invisible Eye" tells the story of a young schoolteacher who falls prey to her supervisor's trap of sexual abuse.
Mississippi Executes Benny Joe Stevens
The state of Misssissippi has executed death-row inmate Benny Joe Stevens. Sunflower County Coroner Heather Burton pronounced Stevens dead at 6:22 p.m. Stevens is the first person executed in Mississippi this year.
Malco Pulls Controversial Political Ad
UPDATED: Malco has issued a follow-up statement, ensuring that campaign ads on its screens will "not happen again." See full statement in comments below.
Arena Study Fundraising; Restaurant Makeover
Former Bombay Bistro owner Parveen Kapoor has partnered with former Jerusalem Cafe manager Victor Hugo to reopen his Indian bistro as a Mexican restaurant called Tres Amigos.
Giraffe of the Day: She-Who-Will-Be-Named
Spring, prime time for school field-trips, is a busy time for Jackson Zoo keepers and staff. On May 5, however, witnesses stood in awe as Diamond the giraffe gave birth to an 87-pound baby.
[Balko] The ‘War on Cops' That Isn't
Despite what you may have read, it's safer to be a police officer today than it has been in 35 years.
Mississippi Receives Federal Disaster Designation
<i>Verbatim statement from Gov. Haley Barbour</i>:
JACKSON - Gov. Haley Barbour announced today that residents in 18 counties affected by the severe storms, flooding and tornadoes April 15-April 28 are now eligible for federal disaster assistance.
Madison Sheriff Candidate Bashes Jackson in Disturbing Ad
This dude, Mark Sandridge, shouldn't be elected dog catcher after this expensively offensive–and inaccurate–campaign ad. Shame!
Tea Party Weighs in on Redistricting
The Mississippi Tea Party wants a federal three-judge panel to toss a redistricting map that favors Democrats.