Obesity Rates Continue To Rise
Nine states, including Mississippi, now have an obesity rate of 30 percent or more, according to a Centers For Disease Control report released yesterday.
Tea Party Says AG Soft on ‘Illegals'
At an immigration forum in Madison last night, state Rep. Becky Currie, R-Brookhaven, attacked Attorney General Jim Hood for what she considers his unwillingness to enforce new state legislation that makes it illegal to employ undocumented residents.
Business Training, Health Care and Fine Art
Current and aspiring business owners have a number of training opportunities in the next week. On Thursday, Aug. 5, the Small Business Development Center at Jackson State University hosts a seminar on small business grants and loans. The workshop, at the Mississippi e-Center, runs from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. For more information and to reserve a spot, call 601-979-2795.
Alex Thomas
Alex Thomas is proud of Mississippi's musical heritage. As the Mississippi Development Authority's music program development manager, he gets to celebrate the state's history by developing the Mississippi Blues Trail.
Favre Retires, Saints Prospects for Winning First Game of Year Improve
Looks like this is just now coming across the wires, with AP reporting Favre's apparent retirement:
Tonight is National Night Out
Jackson Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. will join the community for tonight's National Night Out, an annual event designed to heighten drug- and crime-prevention awareness and strengthen communities.
Lawmakers to Mirror Arizona Immigration Law
See also: Immigration: Myth v. Reality
Slow Progress on Hinds Emergency Sirens
Read the county's siren report
Lorenda Cheeks
Lorenda Cheeks' work to improve educational opportunities for Jackson Public Schools students is receiving national attention.
Community Events and Public Meetings
6 p.m., We Are Africa 2010 Road Tour at Afrika Book Cafe (404 Mitchell Ave.). African Ancestry will do a special seminar on tracing your roots with a DNA test. Free admission, $225 DNA test kit; visit We are Africa's website.
Reagan's Budget Chief Takes GOP To the Woodshed
What are the four "deformations" of the modern day GOP that helped send the economy in the crapper? David Stockman, head of OMB under Reagan, is unhappy with the debt load carried by the country, particularly over the past 40 years. And who does he blame? Republicans.
Gulf Crews Prepare to Permanently Seal Well
BP Engineers are preparing to perform a "static kill" operation to permanently seal the blown-out Deepwater Horizon well, The Sun Herald reported today.
Civil Rights Memorial Corridor Moving Forward
Jackson State University is moving ahead with a project to transform a section of Lynch Street near the university into a memorial to the Civil Rights Movement in Mississippi, Interim JSU President Leslie Burl McLemore said today.
Mississippi Worst in the Nation for Child Well-Being
Mississippi ranks last in the nation for overall child wellness, according to findings from an Annie E. Casey Foundation study released earlier this week.
Cathy Baker
As head server and bartender at the Fairview Inn's restaurant, Sophia's, Cathy Baker is responsible for more than just food and drink. She is an unofficial ambassador for the city.
Weekend Events
Start your weekend off right with a little back-to-school shopping. The Mississippi Sales Tax Holiday started at 12:01 a.m. today and ends Saturday at midnight. Buy shoes and clothes that retail for less than $100, and you pay no sales tax. Head to the Department of Revenue website for complete information.
Hood Seeks Transparent Claims Process
Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood and other Gulf states attorneys general will meet today with Ken Feinberg, BP claims administrator for the Obama administration, to present a protocol for residents filing claims against the oil giant for damages due to the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster.
JFP Wins Shining Example Award
Verbatim Statement: Jackson, Mississippi - The "best of the best" of Jackson's tourism industry were honored today at the Jackson Convention & Visitors Bureau's 2010 Hometown Hero and SUMITT Awards ceremony at the Jackson Convention Complex.
Mental Health Claims From Oil Spill Probably Won't Be Paid
BP's $20 billion fund to compensate those hurt by the Gulf oil spill will probably turn down one controversial class of claims: those for mental-health problems.
Jackson Pushes Brownfield Grants
The city of Jackson has two months to spend the remainder of a federal grant aimed at spurring the redevelopment of underused industrial or commercial sites. At a meeting this morning, city officials encouraged property owners and developers to apply for the city's Brownfields Redevelopment Grant Program, which pays for environmental assessments on properties that may be contaminated with hazardous substances or chemicals.