News

Federal Judge Revives Same-Sex Marriage Case After 5th Circuit's HB 1523 Hearing Denial

U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves wasted no time in reviving the original case that sought to legalize same-sex marriage in Mississippi, after the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied a full panel hearing in the case against House Bill 1523 last week.

JPS Set to Begin $2.5 Million School Renovations to Wingfield, Brinkley, Murrah, Forest Hill

Students at Wingfield High School and Brinkley Middle School will see renovations and improvements to their facilities in the coming months after both the Jackson Public Schools Board of Trustees and the Jackson City Council approved the district to issue a limited loan of no more than $2.5 million.

CHIP in Limbo: 79,000 Mississippi Kids Could Lose Health Insurance

The U.S. Congress quietly let the Children's Health Insurance Program, initially authorized in 1997, expire last week, leaving more than 79,000 Mississippi children at risk for losing their health insurance.

Taste of West Jackson Winners and C Spire Tech Movement

Common Ground Covenant Church hosted its second annual Taste of West Jackson event on Saturday, Sept. 16, at Claiborne Park, where local restaurants and chefs submitted dishes for the event's West Jackson Food Competition.

Jason Gibson

For gospel artist and producer Jason Gibson, music has been a lifelong pursuit. The Jackson native grew up in a musical family, and as a child, he learned to play the drums, acoustic guitar, piano, trombone and trumpet.

Poll: Mississippi Flag Losing Favor; White Voters Still Oppose Change

A new poll shows that 49 percent of Mississippians favor the current state flag, signaling the first time a majority of state residents does not support the banner.

HB 1523 May Become Law This Week; Plaintiffs Asking Supreme Court to Hear Case

House Bill 1523, the law Gov. Phil Bryant signed that can allow Mississippians acting on their religious beliefs to discriminate against LGBT citizens, is set to become state law this Friday—unless the 5th Circuit U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decides differently.

Auditor: 'Culture of Obstruction' Inside State Education Department

The Mississippi Department of Education may have broken state law with contracts it authorized in fiscal-year 2014 and 2015, and some of those deals with people and companies in the state superintendent's network.

New Doctorate Program and Education Symposium at Belhaven, and New Campus for Strayer

Belhaven University recently implemented its first doctorate degree program with two new education-related doctorate degrees.

Hunter McEachern

Fans may not remember Belhaven University quarterback Hunter McEachern's performance against East Texas Baptist University forever, but it was a great effort in a losing cause. McEachern did his best to keep the Blazers in the game against the Tigers on Saturday, Sept. 23.

Fondren Residents Demand Rejection of Patio Variance for Precinct Lofts

A group of Fondren residents walked out of the downtown Hood Building relieved on Wednesday after the City of Jackson planning board rejected a request for a "front yard" variance to allow the construction of a patio addition to The Precinct Fondren, a new 8,000-square-feet development in the site of the old police headquarters for the fourth precinct.

Civil Rights Photographer Doris Derby Unveils Work at JSU Tonight

Doris Derby, a civil-rights veteran who worked in Jackson in the 1960s, walked into a basement room of the not-yet-opened Mississippi Civil Rights Museum and saw her black and yellow dress she had made when she moved to the South.

A Musical and a Mattress

The Center Players Community Theatre's will be putting a modern twist to a Hans Christian Andersen classic in the opening play for its 17th season, "Once Upon a Mattress."

Beth Poff

Beth Poff may be the executive director at the Jackson Zoo, but she says that she is a zookeeper at heart.

State Board Chairwoman: What Constitutes a State of Emergency in a School District?

Members of the Mississippi State Board of Education have received numerous questions about the Board’s determination on Sept. 14 that a state of emergency exists in the Jackson Public School District.

Takeover or Not: Jackson Schools in Limbo

The afternoon of Thursday, Sept. 14, seemed to creep by slowly as Mississippi Board of Education members deliberated the future of Jackson Public Schools behind closed doors.

Protecting Children: New Leader, New Challenges

Almost 6,000 children are in the state's custody, and some of them are backlogged in the system, newly appointed commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services Jess Dickinson told lawmakers last week.

Gate Ordinance Finally a Go

Shortly after five of the seven Jackson City Council members approved a gating ordinance on Sept. 12 that had haunted the body for more than a year, the City Hall chamber filled with resounding claps lasting at least a minute.

Hotel Project Pops Up in Fondren, Demolished Houses Cause Outrage

Less than 36 hours after developers of a Hilton Homewood Suites Hotel explained their plan to neighborhood residents, the remains of "Fondren House" lay in ruins by the time darkness fell on Sept. 21.

Garrad Lee

Hinds Community College history professor Garrad Lee has crafted a niche for himself as an advocate for arts and music in the capital city.

Charter School Decision Over Diversion of Public Funds Should Drop Soon

Parents with children in Jackson Public Schools are waiting for Hinds County Chancery Court Judge J. Dewayne Thomas to decide if the state's charter-school law violates the Mississippi Constitution, which may happen any day now.

The Flamingo, Emerge Women's Business Conference and Flowood Pet Hospital

Jackson will gain a new music and event venue when The Flamingo opens its doors on Thursday, Oct. 5.

Cristen Craven Barnard

Mississippi artist Cristen Craven Barnard has created a design for posters and T-shirts for the 34th annual WellsFest in the late Keith Tonkel's honor, which includes one of his favorite sayings, "Always love, always."

State Economic Growth Lags, As Agencies Request More Funding

From public safety to education, several large state agencies asked top lawmakers for more funding last week. Based on the State of Mississippi's economic outlook, however, more funding does not seem to be in sight.

NFL Responds to Trump Tweet With Criticism, Protest

The owners of the Baltimore Ravens, the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots and other teams on Sunday joined a chorus of NFL executives criticizing President Donald Trump's suggestion that they fire players who kneel for the national anthem.

'Our JPS' Coalition Activates Against State Takeover

The pending takeover of Jackson Public Schools drew dozens of citizens to Friday Forum at the former Koinonia Coffeehouse this morning to learn about what it means for capital-city families.

MSU Drone Research, Millsaps Renovations and UMMC/MSU Child Health Project

This week, the Department of Homeland Security began operations with Mississippi State University and other locations throughout Mississippi as a research and development test site for drones, or unmanned small aircraft.

When the JFP Launched in September 2002 ...

Quite a few things have changed since the Jackson Free Press launched in September 2002. Here's a list of some of them.

UPDATED: Darnell Turner Gets 45 Years, Judge Brings Up DA Smith

The young woman who accused Darnell Turner of beating her, dragging her, strangling her, shooting at her car, and dangling her off a bridge in the Washington Addition when she was 22 was in the courtroom this morning when Hinds County Circuit Judge Jeff Weill sentenced the 39-year-old to 45 consecutive years in prison on three felony counts.

Ito Smith

Rushing yards have not been easy to find for University of Southern Mississippi senior running back Ito Smith. The Mobile, Ala., native entered the third game of the season still looking to break the 100-yard mark in 2017.

Ellington