Neil Polen
Neil Polen vowed that once he graduated from Mississippi State University, he would move away from the state and never return. But during his last year at MSU's School of Architecture, located in Jackson, Polen experienced a change of heart.
Tougaloo to Host National Education Conversation
Ashington Koen Media along with local and outreach partners invite citizens of cities across the nation to a public conversation they're calling "Beyond the Bricks," which promotes advocacy on behalf of black males enrolled in public schools. The tour kicks off in Jackson Sept. 18 at Tougaloo College and will stop at nine other cities.
Council Passes Budget Without Tax Increase or Pay Raises
Despite Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes' request, the Jackson City Council approved a city budget for fiscal year 2011 this afternoon without a tax increase or a blanket pay raise for all city employees.
Courthouse Vandals Target Obama
An act of vandalism that occurred on the front of the new U.S. federal courthouse on Court Street in Jackson may have threatened President Barack Obama.
Filming, Cupcakes and Marketing
Filming for DreamWorks Studios' "The Help," the adaptation of Jackson native Kathryn Stockett's bestselling debut novel, has largely taken place in Greenwood, but the production is coming to Fondren Sept. 23. Crews have begun facade work on a row of North State Street businesses to match the film's 1960s setting.
State Lacks Affordable Legal Services
The state needs attorneys to donate their legal services in order to overcome a shortage of free civil legal service aid for residents, Mississippi Supreme Court Justice Jesse Dickinson told reporters at the Mississippi Supreme Court today.
[Balko] Killed on a Technicality
In 1994 Eddie Lee Howard was convicted of raping and murdering 84-year-old Georgia Kemp. Firefighters found Kemp dead in her Columbus, Miss., home after a neighbor noticed smoke coming from the house. Investigators determined the fire was intentional.
JFP Persons of the Day: Jamie and Gladys Scott
For their supporters, Jamie and Gladys Scott have become emblematic of a broken criminal-justice system in Mississippi. Jamie, 36, and Gladys, 38, were 19 and 21 respectively when they were arrested and charged with armed robbery. Prosecutors alleged that the two young women had masterminded the robbery of two men in Forest on Christmas Eve, 1993. In court testimony, witnesses gave conflicting accounts of how much the robbery netted, some saying that the men lost $200 and others saying the sisters each received $11. In October 1994, a Scott County jury sentenced them to two life sentences each.
Jackson to Host Amnesty Days
The city of Jackson's Municipal Court Services is giving citizens an opportunity to pay tickets, court imposed fines and court costs while waiving warrant and administration fees for each violation.
JFP Wins 3 First-Place Reporting Awards, Second for ‘Two Lakes' Work
At its 60th annual Green Eyeshade banquet near Atlanta, Ga., Saturday night, the Society of Professional Journalists awarded the Jackson Free Press three first-place reporting awards and second-place public service honors for in-depth coverage of the late Mayor Frank Melton; domestic abuse and the murder of Heather Spencer; and the controversial "Two Lakes" development proposal along the Pearl River.
Health Exchanges Could Help Small Businesses
The state will have to make several key decision regarding health-insurance exchanges in the next few years, Joy Johnson Wilson, health policy coordinator for the National Conference of State Legislatures, told a joint meeting of Senate and House committee members this morning.
Community Events and Public Meetings
at Baptist Medical Center (1225 N. State St.), in the Hederman Cancer Center. In this support group for men with prostate cancer, you and your loved ones can gain encouragement and ideas from others who are sharing your experiences. Genetic testing for prostate cancer will be part of the discussion. Registration is required. Free; call 601-948-6262 or 800-948-6262.
David Rae Morris
When photojournalist David Rae Morris began to document the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, he thought he could emotionally detach himself from the destruction, but instead his photographs captured his personal reaction to the storm. "The scope of the destruction was such in a way that you couldn't help but be affected," he says.
JPS Receives Accountability Results
Three Jackson public elementary schools earned the Mississippi Department of Education's "Star School" status—the state's highest rating for school performance—in accountability results MDE released Friday.
Barbour Instigating Doubt About Obama's Religion?
Atlanta Constitution Journal columnist Cynthia Tucker wrote an interesting blog post on Sept. 8 about Gov. Haley Barbour's response to a reporter's question regarding the public's growing perception that President Barack Obama is a Muslim.
Standoff Ends: State to Release $6 million to City for Water Repairs
Also see: Reeves Defends State Bond Allocations
City Finds Funds for Library System
When Jackson-Hinds Library System Executive Director Carolyn McCallum received the news this morning that the city had come up with an additional $150,000 in funds for the library system in the fiscal year 2011 budget, she celebrated with her staff.
Hinds DA: Castle Doctrine Has Gray Areas
Mississippi's "castle doctrine" law, which allows for the use of deadly force in certain self-defense situations, has some gray areas, Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith acknowledged in a community meeting yesterday.
TGIF
Start your weekend with a little culture during your lunch break today with a stop at the Arts Center of Mississippi (201 E. Pascagoula St.) for a peek at the WellsFest Art Show, and exhibits by Ginger Williams and Daniel MacGregor, all of which are free. After work, head to the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum for the 19th annual CelticFest, with gates opening at 7 p.m. Tonight, the ever-popular whiskey tasting is sold out, but the festival still has plenty to offer, with a dozen performances on three stages. The festival continues with full days Saturday and Sunday. Head to the CelticFest website for complete information. A weekend pass is $12 for adults, $8 for seniors, $5 ages 5 to 18, and $1 for kids 4 and younger. Where's the best place to begin your weekend planning? The JFP Best Bets page, of course.
Éamonn de Cógáin
Éamonn de Cógáin has just one piece of advice for anyone timid about dancing in this weekend's CelticFest Céilí Mór: If you can walk, you can dance.