News

Unnamed Officers on Paid Leave for Shooting of 21-Year-Old Driver

Early Saturday morning, two Jackson police officers shot at 21-year-old Crystaline Barnes during a traffic stop in response to a report that Barnes may have forced another motorist off the roadway, but is so far only providing vague information about the deadly incident as well as whether its use-of-force policy for moving vehicles meets national guidelines.

Entrepreneur Quarterly at Sal & Mookie's, Metrocenter Closing and Shipley Do-Nuts

Sal & Mookie's New York Pizza & Ice Cream Joint is partnering with Mantle. City Club to launch a series of meetings and networking opportunities for local entrepreneurs titled Entrepreneur Quarterly.

Hinds County DA Robert Smith's Criminal Trial Delayed Again Until March

Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith was supposed to be in front of a Rankin County judge this morning to begin the trial for two counts of domestic violence, and aggravated stalking and robbery. After yet another delay, the trial will take place in March.

'Nonpartison' School-board Election Reform on Legislative Agenda

Sen. Kevin Blackwell, R-Southaven, has introduced legislation to standardize all school-board elections for districts that already elect school-board members.

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.

'Anti-Gang' Bill Heads to Full House to Expand Policing Powers

Rep. Andy Gipson, R-Braxton, called the "Mississippi Anti-Gang Act" one of the most significant pieces of legislation the Legislature could pass in 2018. The bill would make "criminal gang activity" a separate offense from any underlying misdemeanor or felony a person is accused of if prosecutors can prove they are gang members.

Mississippi Blues Marathon Comes Back

The sound of blues music and sneakers hitting the pavement will fill the streets of Jackson on Saturday, Jan. 27, during the Mississippi Blues Marathon.

Noah Barbieri

Noah Barbieri, a senior at Millsaps College, became a Rhodes Scholar in November 2017 and received a full scholarship along with travel expenses to attend the University of Oxford in England for graduate studies.

Re-entry Reform Hits Wall, But Kids No Longer Face Death Penalty

Rep. Joel Bomgar, R-Madison, had a tough time convincing the House Corrections Committee to pass additional re-entry criminal-justice reforms on Wednesday, Jan. 24.

Boy, 13, Indicted for Armed Robbery, Forced to pay $100,000 Bond, Gun Missing

A Neshoba County grand jury has indicted a 13-year-old African American boy on armed-robbery charges, and he is now out on $100,000 bond.

Shonte Hailes

The University of Southern Mississippi women's basketball team is hoping to make its second consecutive appearance in the postseason, and sophomore guard Shonte Hailes is helping lead the way.

Monique Ealey

Mississippi Children's Museum Outreach Coordinator Monique Ealey sees the facility as a resource for families and educators around the state, so for her, it's important that the museum has outreach programming.

City of Jackson Wants to Sue Siemens

The City's water-meter issues stem back to the 2012 contract with Siemens that came about when the council during Mayor Harvey Johnson's era gave Siemens the authorization to audit the city's water system and evaluate the need for a new electronic water-meter system.

What’s in ‘UPS’ Ed Formula, What’s Not?

The Mississippi House Education Chairman, Rep. Richard Bennett, R-Long Beach, repeatedly told House members that the Mississippi Adequate Education Program is too complicated to understand and not reliable for school districts last week.

University Funding Cuts Prompt Talk of Tuition Hikes, Consolidation

Most of the state's public university and college presidents crowded into the Mississippi House of Representatives' appropriations room on Monday with a united message.

Fondren Renovations, Skinny Sips and 1 Million Cups' New Season

Jackson's Fondren neighborhood recently began an overhaul as part of the Fondren Streetscape Project, which will reconstruct sidewalks throughout the Fondren Business District.

Abram Orlansky

Attorney Abram Orlansky has been the director of Jewish Cinema Mississippi for the past three years.

JPS Reopens Despite 27 Schools With Little to No Water Pressure

In what seems like old news, Jackson's water issues persist into this week. Except this time students have returned to schools with little to no water pressure, and the Jackson Public School District seems prepared to keep students in class by any means necessary.

Vouchers Could Extend to Any Public School Student Under New Bill

Just before Gov. Phil Bryant declared Jan. 21-27 "School Choice Week," Sen. Gray Tollison's, R-Oxford, voucher-expansion bill dropped. The legislation would vastly expand the use of vouchers—a way to use taxpayer money in public schools—beyond the limited special-education role they currently plan.

'Resistance' Movement and Women's March Look to 2018 Midterm Elections

The idea first came to Teresa Shook, a Hawaii retiree, in the hours after Donald Trump was elected. Perhaps, she suggested to a few friends on Facebook, women could march on Washington to show the depth of their resistance. Two days later, New York fashion designer Bob Bland joined the call for action with her own message. "Who wants to join me?!?" she asked. Turns out, a whole lot of people did.

Jackson's 'Deplorable' Pipes Still Bursting, Causing School Closures

The City of Jackson is somewhere between praising its public-works department for its hard work this year and quickly patching the aging infrastructure and pipes so that all citizens and businesses can have water and children can go back to school.

Percy King of the Jackson Zoo Killed in Double Homicide

Jackson Zoo's 'Snake Man,' Percy King was killed in a double homicide Friday, January 19, 2018.

JPS Board Starts Supe Search, May Re-organize District

The Jackson Public Schools Board of Trustees voted this week to begin the search for a new superintendent, starting with issuing a request for proposals to hire a consultant to assist in the search.

JSU HBCU Film Screening, Tougaloo Receives Award, USM Nutrition Training

Jackson State University is partnering with Mississippi Public Broadcasting to host a free screening of the documentary "Tell Them We Are Rising: The Story of Black Colleges and Universities" on Thursday, Jan. 25, at 3 p.m. in JSU's Mississippi e-Center.

Fletcher Cox

In the divisional round, the Eagles found ways to control the Atlanta Falcons' offense. One of the biggest reasons for Philadelphia holding the Falcons to just 10 points was defensive tackle Fletcher Cox's play.

Hinds County Sheriff Victor Mason to Employees: 'Get out of My Way'

Hinds County Sheriff Victor Mason wrote a memo to his employees Thursday basically saying they need to get on board with his leadership or "get out of my way." In a departmental memo dated Jan. 18, 2018, Mason called out "dissenters" in his office, while praising his own leadership to date.

House Votes to Scrap MAEP, Rewrite Ed Formula By 12-Vote Margin

After four hours of debate and 17 rejected Democratic amendments, the Mississippi House of Representatives voted mainly along partisan lines to scrap the Mississippi Adequate Education Program in favor of a new funding formula House Speaker Philip Gunn, R-Clinton, wrote and then revealed less than a week ago.

Ellington