News

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.

Mayor Wants $90 Million Loan for Infrastructure Repair, Now Up to Council

The City of Jackson wants to borrow $90 million for infrastructure repair. Mayor Tony Yarber told the city council at its meeting Tuesday night that the plan is to borrow against future 1-percent sales-tax revenues.

Hinds Sheriff Victor Mason Faces Second Sexual Harassment Lawsuit

Hinds County Sheriff Victor Mason is facing a second federal lawsuit on allegations of sexual harassment by what is now three women.

Erin Hayne and Nuno Ferreira

Artists from around the state and world who use light as a medium will take part in tonight's Mississippi Light Festival, including Erin Hayne and Nuno Ferreira, who own Jackson business NunoErin.

Immigrant Supporters: Keep Jackson a 'Sanctuary City'

Supporters of immigrant rights turned out Tuesday night to urge the Jackson City Council to keep its Racial and Ethnic Profiling Ordinance in place, despite state and national efforts to force "sanctuary cities" to drop protections of undocumented residents.

Ryan Olenek

It has been a week of highs and lows for University of Mississippi center fielder Ryan Olenek. In three games against No. 6 ranked East Carolina University, the sophomore came up big at the plate.

City Gives More Details on South Jackson Water Outage, 'Code Red' Plan

After the Hinds County Board of Supervisors voted yesterday to declare a state of emergency in south Jackson to support work on a 48-inch water main, the City of Jackson released more details on the situation today.

ICE: Mississippi Immigration Investigation Began Year Ago, 8 Eateries Raided in February

Immigration and customs enforcement agents conducted raids on Feb. 22 after a year-long criminal investigation at local Ichiban restaurants in Flowood and Pearl as well as dining establishments owned by the same owner in Clinton and Meridian.

JPS Board Delays New Superintendent Search

The Jackson Public Schools Board of Trustees halted plans to find a firm to conduct a national search for a new superintendent on Tuesday night. Instead, the board voted to delay the search to would begin in the 2018-2019 school year, involve the community in the process and keep Dr. Freddrick Murray as the interim superintendent for the upcoming school year.

The Facts About Immigration: A Former Border Czar Speaks

ProPublica sat down to talk with Alan Bersin about the history, politics, rhetoric and reality surrounding the border issues that are driving a fierce national debate during the first weeks of the Trump administration.

The Squeeze: A First Look at Upcoming Budget Cuts

Budget cuts are coming, and lawmakers are beginning to discuss the finagling of state dollars for the fiscal year that starts in July.

Lawmakers Use Templates to Target Welfare Fraud, Focus on Recipients, Not Providers

Lawmakers seem serious about addressing welfare reform this year, potentially making it both harder to get benefits and then to stay on the rolls once a recipient has a job. But critics say they are not targeting the mismanagement of dollars where it actually occurs.

After ICE Raid, Immigration Limbo in Mississippi for a Jackson Family

Daniela Vargas was asleep early on Feb. 15 when she felt her father kiss her goodbye, as he did every morning. It was around 6:30 or 7 a.m., a seemingly normal Wednesday morning—until it wasn't. Just a few minutes later, her father came back, waking her: "Dani, immigration is here!"

Liz Broussard

After moving halfway across the country to go to college in Iowa, then working for a year after graduation in Connecticut, Liz Broussard wanted to find somewhere to live with a sense of community.

Treasurer Fitch Pushes Gender Pay, Financial Literacy Despite Bills Dying

State Treasurer Lynn Fitch is disappointed that legislation addressing the state's gender-pay gap and requiring financial literacy education for students did not see the light of day in the Mississippi Legislature this session.

Kirk McCarty

Kirk McCarty didn't have to go far to continue playing baseball after a standout career at Oak Grove High School. The former Warrior stayed in Hattiesburg to attend the University of Southern Mississippi, and as his second season begins, he's already making a mark on the Golden Eagles.

Two More Districts Approved to Innovate

The Mississippi State Board of Education approved plans for two new school districts to become "Districts of Innovation" on Feb. 16.

Fixing (Some) Roads and Bridges Still Possible in 2017 Session

While the Mississippi Legislature has not proposed—let alone approved—a comprehensive plan to fix the state's crumbling infrastructure, the Legislature could take some steps this year to ensure that some additional funds go to road and bridge repair.

Katherine Dieckmann

Movie fans may know Katherine Dieckmann as the writer and director of 2000's "A Good Baby" and 2009's "Motherhood," and the director of 2006's "Diggers." However, it wasn't so long ago that her career path was pointed in an entirely different direction.

State Revenues 'Have Disappointed,' Trump Effect on Mississippi Uncertain

The U.S. economy may be growing, but Mississippi's revenue is lagging, and the state faces uncertainty over the effect of the Trump administration's policies, especially on trade.

MAEP Not Funded, But Education Formula Re-Write Must Happen by July 1

The Mississippi Adequate Education Program was not funded in a Department of Education appropriations bill the Mississippi House of Representatives passed Wednesday, signaling that the formula re-write has to happen before the start of the new fiscal year on July 1, 2017.

Luvvie Ajayi

Blogger, humorist and author Luvvie Ajayi is coming to Jackson tonight, Feb. 16, for "Awesomely Luvvie Live!", the first event in the Greater Jackson Arts Council's Creative Empowerment series.

Jackson Inks New 10-Year Deal for Wastewater Plant Operations

The City of Jackson, Mississippi has signed a 10-year operations and management agreement with Veolia Water North America-South, LLC, to operate three wastewater-treatment plants.

Solutions: How to Prevent Gun Violence

Here is a sampling of evidence-based solutions for preventing and interrupting gun violence. See jfp.ms/stopviolence for links to learn more.

Tort Reform, Sexual Assault Prevention and Fantasy Sports Bills Move Forward

"Tort reform" rose from the past at the state Capitol last week as lawyers in the House of Representatives battled it out over a short, seemingly inconsequential bill, House Bill 481, which would affect personal-injury litigation in the state.

In the Statehouse and the Courtroom, Mental Health is Embattled

Research in the psychology and psychiatry fields show little to no evidence that hospitals and residential treatment centers are effective in helping a person with mental-health needs.

Murder in the City: Deep Causes, Harmful Biases, Unexpected Solutions to Gun Violence

On the night of Thursday, Feb. 9, a group of twenty-something Jacksonians were hanging out in Westwood Apartments at 3150 Robinson Road playing dominoes. Suddenly, several men walked in pointing guns and demanding their belongings.

Donnell Lewis

Florence, Miss., native Donnell Lewis joined mentoring and service organization 100 Black Men of Jackson in 1990, when it had been active for only a few years.

Governor Name-checks Jackson in HB 1523 Brief, Dismisses LGBT Worries as 'Parade of Horribles'

Anti-discrimination attempts by the City of Jackson figure prominently in Gov. Phil Bryant's latest attempt to convince the courts to allow House Bill 1523 to take effect, despite its potential to allow citizens and state officials to discriminate against LGBT residents and others.

Sugar Ray's Sweet Shop, Outlets of Mississippi, 2 Mississippi Museums and SBA 2017 Emerging Leaders Program

A new business called Sugar Ray's Sweet Shop opened downtown today, Tuesday, Feb. 14, in the former Cohen Brothers building at 224 W. Capitol St.

Ellington