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Freeze & Thank You, Jack's Construction Site, Just Plain Good and Morrison Brothers Music

Last month, Jonas and Eboni Adams found a location at 5780 Highway 80 on the border of Clinton and Jackson where they could finally set up a brick-and-mortar location for their shaved ice business, Freeze & Thank You.

A Million for JATRAN, Fireworks, and 'Capacity' at City Council

Even as fireworks are banned in many cities across the country, the Jackson City Council could not pass an ordinance to ban fireworks in the city before the July 4 holiday, amid concerns by members about the noise and its similarity to gunfire.

Special Session: Gov. Phil Bryant Asked for 'Unlimited Spending Authority'

For as long as some experienced lawmakers can remember, this week's special session was momentous.

UPDATED: 'Still in Legal Limbo': HB 1523 Down in Mississippi, But Not Out

Late last night, U.S. District Court for Southern Mississippi Judge Carlton Reeves stopped Mississippi's controversial HB 1523, the Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Religious Discrimination Act, in its tracks.

Blaise Vera

When former stars lose the race with Father Time, it opens the door to youth. That could help Blaise Vera rise in the Olympic 50-meter freestyle.

Hood on HB 1523 Appeal: 'I Will Have to Think Long and Hard'

“The federal court's ruling was straightforward and clear. On page 9, the court quotes statements made by legislators, the Governor and Lieutenant Governor. The court found that those statements, along with the inclusion of the term "sincerely held religious beliefs" and the definition thereof in HB 1523, were strong evidence that the law was unconstitutional."

Court Upholds Developer David Watkins' Securities Violations

After years of appeals, the local developer tasked with renovating the Belk building in Metrocenter Mall must pay over $600,000 in restitution and fines.

Shop Local, Help Whole Community

With our hyper-local focus here at the Jackson Free Press (we're a locally owned business, too), we've emphasized the importance of shopping local since our very first issue.

Continental Tire to Open with 100 Jobs by 2018

Continental Tire is set to begin work on its Mississippi tire plant, which will start with clearing the 900-acre site just outside Clinton. While it won't be hiring any actual employees until October 2018, contracting work is available in the coming months for Mississippi businesses.

City Leaders Ally Against Airport ‘Takeover’ Move

The saga of who controls the Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers Airport moves into the federal courthouse, and complex legal mechanizations are now paramount to the question of who owns the land on which the airport sits.

Jones to Remain on JRA Board Despite Indictment

Jackson Redevelopment Authority Chairman McKinley Alexander said he would not pursue any action to replace or oust board member Andria Jones, amid questions about her pending legal charges.

Establishment Clause Front, Center in HB 1523 Courtroom

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...." How those words affect the language in House Bill 1523 could lead to a historic Establishment Clause ruling this week when U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves decides whether or not to issue a preliminary injunction to keep HB 1523 from becoming law on July 1.

Gregory McCarty

Gregory McCarty, 32, has had a lifelong fascination with numbers—something that has been both a blessing and a curse. Born in Jackson, he spent his childhood years moving.

Judge on HB 1523: Clerks Can’t Recuse Selves from Marriage Licenses

On Monday, U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves blocked the part of House Bill 1523 that says circuit clerks can recuse themselves from issuing same-sex marriage licenses due to a “sincerely held religious belief or moral conviction.”

Que Sera Sera Closes, Green Ghost Tacos Coming to Fondren and Final Friday

Boo Noble, owner of Cajun restaurant Que Sera Sera in Fondren, officially retired and closed his popular establishment after 27 years of operation on Thursday, June 23.

Deuce McAllister

The New Orleans Saints have had several popular players through the years. You could name ones such as Drew Brees, Archie Manning, Rickey Jackson, Pat Swilling, Sam Mills and a few others.

JPS Dismisses Defamation Lawsuit Against BOTEC, Alleged 'Cruelly False Assertions'

Jackson Public Schools ended its legal wrangling with Los Angeles-based research firm BOTEC Analysis over results it published in a Mississippi attorney general-funded study about the relationship between school discipline and youth violence in the capital city.

Violent 'March Against Fear,' Roots of 'Black Power' Honored at Tougaloo College

On Saturday, June 25, the Veterans of the Mississippi Civil Rights Movement, Inc., Tougaloo College, The Fannie Lou Hamer Institute and Nissan hosted the 50-year commemoration of the March Against Fear at Tougaloo in a ceremony called, "The March Against Fear and Tougaloo College: A Safe Haven."

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.

Mississippi's Children Make Gains But Still Land in Last Place

Child well-being in Mississippi is improving, but largely due to poverty, the state finished 50th in the Annie E. Casey Foundation's 2016 Kids Count data.

Ernie Hudson

After a successful move to a two-day festival in 2015, Mississippi Comic Con (formerly known as the SOPOCU Con) is returning for its third year this Saturday, June 25, and Sunday, June 26, with a bigger event and even bigger stars, including actor Ernie Hudson.

Fight for Jackson Airport: City, JMAA Join Stallworth's Lawsuit Against State

The City of Jackson and the Jackson Municipal Airport Authority announced Thursday afternoon that they would be filing a joint motion to intervene in the ongoing lawsuit filed by former JMAA commissioner Jeffrey Stallworth in the latest stage of the fight over Jackson's airport.

DOJ, Hinds County Reach Settlement on Criminal Justice System Reform

The Justice Department today reached a landmark settlement agreement to reform the criminal justice system in Hinds County, Mississippi, a press release states.

Archie Manning

Former University of Mississippi quarterback Archie Manning hasn’t taken a snap on the field in 32 years, but he is still collecting accolades. This summer, Manning was awarded the Liberty Bowl’s Distinguished Citizen Award and named the 2016 National Football Foundation’s Gold Medal recipient.

Walking from Memphis: James Meredith's Bloody 'March Against Fear' 50 Years Later

Sunday, June 26, 2016, marks 50 years since the March Against Fear concluded in Jackson. To commemorate the milestone, Pamela Junior and Cynthia Goodloe Palmer have organized a special series of events for Thursday, June 23, Saturday, June 25, and Sunday, June 26.

UPDATE: Bomb Threat Clears Hinds County Courthouse

Moments after the Hinds County Circuit Clerk explained that he could not produce documents supporting Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith's counter-accusations against Attorney General Jim Hood'ss office, deputies swarmed the bottom floor of the courthouse, ushering everyone out of the building.

Hinds District Attorney Arrested by AG, Sheriff

An arrest warrant was served and executed on Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith Wednesday morning for six counts of what court documents state was assisting criminal defendants during his term.

For Student Achievement, Facilities Matter

This past February, the Yazoo County School District made a $4.2-million deal with Schneider Electric, a global company that specializes in automation and energy, to make its schools "greener" in savings and in energy consumption with an Energy Savings Performance Contract.

The State of Mental Health in Mississippi

Mississippi's mental-health system is mainly run through the Mississippi Department of Health, which certifies private and public mental health-care providers, rapid-response teams of mental health-care professionals and public community mental-health centers around the state.

Councilman Stokes: Ban Confederate Flags and Decrease the Reserve Fund

Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes proposed an order last week revising the required reserve fund in the budget from the ordinance-mandated 7 percent to a lower number that the City of Jackson can reach in its current budget crisis.

Ellington