Nick Weatherspoon
Nick Weatherspoon scored a game-high 18 points to lead Velma Jackson over Cleveland East Side 46-32 and claim the Mississippi Boys 3A state championship on Saturday.
10 Local Stories of the Week
There's never a slow news week in Jackson, Miss., and last week was no exception. Here are the local stories JFP reporters brought you in case you missed them.
No Flush, No Shower: Mississippi Capital City in Water Pinch
Portable toilets are parked outside the Mississippi Capitol, city residents are stocking up on bottled water and restaurants are evaluating whether they can stay open with little or no water from the tap.
Volkswagen Pleads Guilty, Agrees to $4.3 Billion Fine
Volkswagen pleaded guilty Friday to conspiracy and obstruction of justice and agreed to pay a $4.3 billion penalty for a brazen scheme to program nearly 600,000 vehicles to cheat on U.S. emissions tests.
Infrastructure Funding Alive in Mississippi House
Repairing the state's roads and bridges may still be a priority of the Mississippi House of Representatives, with members voting to increase funding for infrastructure by about $150 million starting in July. The House approved the amendments to Senate Bill 2939 Thursday.
Keith Tonkel
Keith Tonkel, who was the pastor of Wells United Methodist Church, died Wednesday, March 8, from throat cancer complications.
ICE Releases Daniela Vargas Under Order of Supervision
Daniela Vargas, the 22-year-old undocumented immigrant who grew up in Mississippi and was detained after speaking out at a press conference in Jackson, is free from federal custody as of today.
Women's Health Services Face Cuts in Republican Bill
Women seeking abortions and some basic health services, including prenatal care, contraception and cancer screenings, would face restrictions and struggle to pay for some of that medical care under the House Republicans' proposed bill.
Mississippi House Rolls Out New Roads, Bridges Funding Plan
The Mississippi House is pushing a new transportation funding plan.
State Flag Debate Back in the Spotlight
Rep. William Shirley, R-Quitman, is on a mission to make universities fly the state flag. The state flag debate flared up yesterday in the House of Representatives when Rep. Shirley introduced an amendment requiring all institutions of higher learning to fly the state flag if they want to continue to receive state funding.
Dyslexia Voucher Expansion Bill Passes Senate
House Bill 1046 expands vouchers or scholarships, depending on whom you ask in the statehouse. Either way, the legislation advanced late on Wednesday night after more than two hours of debate.
Joye Lee-McNelis
As the University of Southern Mississippi heads into the Conference USA Women's Basketball Tournament, which begins today, March 9, USM is riding a seven-game winning streak. That's an amazing feat when you consider that the team has kept winning after Head Coach Joye Lee-McNelis took a leave of absence after she was diagnosed with lung cancer.
Hawaii Becomes 1st State to Sue Over Trump's New Travel Ban
Hawaii has become the first state to file a lawsuit against President Donald Trump's revised travel ban, saying the order will harm its Muslim population, tourism and foreign students.
Mississippi Minister Who Condemned Racism in 1960s Dies
Keith Tonkel, one of 28 white United Methodist ministers who signed a statement condemning segregation and racism in the Deep South in 1963, has died.
Being the 'Best of Enemies'
"Right now, we’re in a time in our history where we’re so polarized as groups of people. We need to remember that people can come together and find common ground.”
Mississippi’s Women Deserve a Lot More R-E-S-P-E-C-T
"Improving women’s access to fair and equal pay not only uplifts them, but their entire families and their communities as well."
Mississippi House to Colleges: Fly Flag or Lose Tax Break
Mississippi universities that refuse to fly the Confederate-themed state flag could lose proposed tax breaks, the latest twist in a long battle over a symbol critics see as racist.
Harsh Words (and Love) for Jackson and Mississippi
As a former Jacksonian looking into the city from D.C. with a powerful set of binoculars, I can't help but ask myself, "What the hell is going on?"
A New Palette for City and Colour
When Dallas Green released his first music as City and Colour in 2005, he says it was meant to be a collection of "other songs."
The Slate
The madness of March is beginning as conference tournaments take center stage this week. Some teams will punch their tickets to the "big dance," and others will get their dreams of the postseason dashed.