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Third Graders Improve Pass Rate on Reading Test Statewide

Third graders around the state improved their scores on the reading assessments required for promotion to the fourth grade this year. Statewide, 93.2 percent of third graders passed the test, an increase from the 92 percent that passed last year.

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New Athletic Director and "Flying Classroom" at JSU, MSU Professor Wins Civil War Book Award

Jackson State University President William Bynum Jr. named Ashley Robinson as the school's new vice president and director of athletics during a press conference on Tuesday, June 5. Robinson will assume the new position on July 1.

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UPDATED: Inside the ‘Brexit Boys’ Data Project at Ole Miss

After months of negotiations and coordination facilitated in part by Gov. Phil Bryant to bring two British companies stateside, a public United Kingdom office that reports to Parliament is investigating those companies poised to set up shop at the University of Mississippi’s Insight Park.

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'Stranded' Water Bills Out to 15% of City Backlog, 17,000 More to Go

For the last month and a half, City of Jackson officials have been trying to fix the Siemens, Inc. billing system that left 20,000 customers "stranded" in the system, many getting water without paying for it.

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Elijah MacNamee

With two outs, MSU outfielder Elijah MacNamee stepped to the plate and blasted a no-doubt walk-off home run to give his team a 3-2 win. The victory eliminated FSU from the regional and gave new life to the Bulldogs.

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At the Watch Parties: Guest Praises God; 'Underdog' Hughes Vows to Fight

Supporters wearing red, white and blue "Michael Guest for Congress" shirts filled Mudbugs in Brandon Tuesday night as supporters gathered for primary election results.

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Best of Jackson: Health Care

The Jackson Free Press recently put out a pop-up ballot to let Jacksonians vote for the doctors, dentists, surgeons and more that help them stay healthy. Here are the results.

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Hope Crenshaw

Hope Crenshaw, 35, wants to better educate youth about sexual and reproductive health in her role as the new executive director of Teen Health Mississippi, based in Jackson.

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Turmoil in Pelahatchie: Mayor, Board Don’t Agree

A former Pelahatchie city clerk choked back tears in the backroom of Penn's Fish House in Brandon, as she described the events that caused her to walk out of the job on March 7. Ruby Burns-Ward said Mayor Ryshonda Harper Beechem created an environment of fear in City Hall, so she left a job she loved.

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Governor Vows to Fight Foster Care Takeover

Gov. Phil Bryant seemed prepared to fight to keep control over Mississippi's foster-care system last week after attorneys representing the children asked U.S. District Judge Tom Lee to hold the State in contempt of court and to turn over the system to a court-appointed receiver.

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Corrections Fulfills Post-Epps Directive

It has been almost four years since the Mississippi Department of Corrections was turned upside down after a federal grand jury indicted former Commissioner Christopher Epps on several counts of wire fraud, bribery and money laundering.

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Voter Turnout Low in Jackson at Mid-day; Polls Open Until 7 p.m.

Turnout in the primary election is low, poll workers say. At the People's Funeral Home, in District 2, they had 10 ballots cast as 12:30 p.m., all for Democrats.

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Vote Until 7 p.m. in Mississippi Primaries, Plus Candidate Questionnaires

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. today, June 5, for Mississippians to cast their vote in the primary election to fill the state's congressional seats.

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Mississippi Craft Beer Festival, "Save Our Summer," Positive Steps Fertility Clinic and Braves Business After Hours

The Fondren Renaissance Foundation is joining with Capital City Beverage Company and Southern Beverage Company to host the fourth annual Mississippi Craft Beer Festival on Friday, June 15, at Duling Hall.

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Kimberly Morgan Myles: Caught in the 'Sister Act'

New Stage Theatre will continue performances of "Sister Act" June 1-2, and June 5-9 and 12-16 at 7:30 p.m., and on June 3, 10 and 17 at 2 p.m.

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JPS Board Announces Three Superintendent Finalists

The Jackson Public Schools Board of Trustees announced three finalists vying to lead the second-largest district in the state on Monday afternoon.

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Special Session to Fund Roads, Bridges May Depend on U.S. Supreme Court

Gov. Phil Bryant alluded to the possibility of a special session for infrastructure funding, if the U.S. Supreme Court allows states to start collecting use tax from online retailers.

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City, JPS Benefitting from Sale of 228 Forfeited Properties

Almost $200,000 is going back to Hinds County governmental organizations from the sale of 228 tax-forfeited properties. Nearly two-thirds of the money is going to the City of Jackson and Jackson Public Schools.

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Jackson Schools Free Summer Lunch Program Begins Next Week

Kids and teens who are 18 years old or younger can participate in Jackson Public Schools' summer feeding program, which begins on Monday, June 4.

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Feds' 'Operation High Life' Drug Raid Arrests Can Draw Life in Prison

At least six people in Mississippi and Texas could face life in prison after a group of federal, state and local law enforcement seized more than 40 kilograms of methamphetamine, 3 kilograms of cocaine and 100 pounds of marijuana near Philadelphia, Miss., on May 30 in a coordinated drug raid.

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USM ToTAL Program, Tougaloo Science Foundation Grants and JSU/NASA Partnership

The National Science Foundation recently donated a total of about $700,000 to Tougaloo College professors Bidisha Sengupta and George Armstrong.

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City Finance Director Announces Last Day During Harsh Audit Report

News of Jackson Department of Finance and Administration director Charles Hatcher's departure surfaced publicly for the first time at a Finance Committee meeting this afternoon, while the committee discussed why the budget audit—started in November 2017—is not complete.

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Candidate Questionnaire: Bennie Thompson

Congressman Bennie Thompson, the only Democratic representative in Congress for Mississippi, has no primary election challengers, and no Republicans are running for his seat.

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Brooklyn Woman Wins $10,000 for Design for New Jackson Signage

A New York City woman has won $10,000 for designing a new promotional look for Jackson signage. Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba announced the winner of the Unified Signage Competition on the steps of City Hall Tuesday, May 29.

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Nick Fortes

The Rebels dropped their opener against Auburn University on May 23, losing 3-9. Like most of his teammates in that first game, junior catcher Nick Fortes struggled at the plate with a zero-for-four performance.

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Body Cams, Community Policing, Mental Health Funds on JPD's DOJ Wish List

The Jackson Police Department hopes to equip its officers with body cameras and increase its "community policing" capacity with funds from U.S. Department of Justice.

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Candidate Questionnaire: Victor Maurice Jr.

Victor Maurice Jr. is one of six Democratic candidates running in the Senate primary election on June 5.

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Candidate Questionnaire: Jeramey Anderson

Jeramey Anderson, one of the youngest lawmakers in the Mississippi Legislature, is challenging whoever wins the Republican primary in June to represent District 4 in November. He does not have a primary challenger.

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Candidate Questionnaire: Randy Mack Wadkins

Randy Wadkins does not have a primary election challenger, and he is the only Democrat challenging Republican Rep. Trent Kelly in November to represent District 1 in Congress.

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Candidate Questionnaire: Steven Palazzo

Congressman Steven Palazzo, who has been in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2011. He has a primary election challenger in Republican Brian Rose, who supports term limits.