Bliss Bride, Goodwill in Jackson and Coca-Cola Plant Auction
Bliss Gift and Home, a gift and home decor store located inside Banner Hall, is hosting a ribbon-cutting celebration tonight, May 17, to commemorate the opening of Bliss Bride, a new bridal concierge and gift-registry service that will be the only one of its kind based in Jackson.
Protests at City Hall over 'Secrecy and Division' Amid Budget Deficits, Huge Water Bills
A small group of concerned citizens gathered in the light rain Tuesday morning on the steps of Jackson City Hall to protest the "secrecy and division" of the city government, even as Jackson City Council gathered for its regular meeting inside.
Mississippi GOP Reps: Superintendent Should Oppose Transgender Rules or Step Down
A group of Mississippi House Republicans emailed a letter today directly to state Superintendent Dr. Carey Wright, asking her to step down unless the Mississippi Department of Education swiftly reverses its decision to follow the president’s guidelines on protecting transgender students’ rights.
JPD Demolishes 200th House, Inmate Dies, Property Crimes Down, Commander Awarded
The Jackson Police Department is celebrating its 200th demolition of abandoned homes this week, including some they say are "high profile."
'We Are In Crisis': Mental Health Staff, Services Reducing Due to Budget Cuts
Overnight chemical-dependency services for men in Mississippi state hospitals will end as a result of budget cuts in fiscal-year 2017, the Mississippi Department of Mental Health said in a statement last week.
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.
Dems, Former Mental Health Director Call for Special Session to Find Mental-Health Funding
Legislative Democrats and the state's formal mental health director sent Gov. Bryant an open letter today calling for a special session of the Legislature to find funding for the state's mental health department to avoid a 'crisis.'
UPDATED: Obama Tells Schools How to Protect Transgender Students' Civil Rights
Today the Obama administration issued a directive offering "significant guidance" to school districts on curbing sex-based discrimination in schools, specifically against students who do not identify with the gender commonly linked to their biological sex.
UPDATED: City of Jackson's Fund Reserve Down to $1.3 Million, Core Services Under Knife
The Jackson City Council finally heard Thursday what some members had already surmised in earlier meetings: The City administration has pulled from the ordinance-mandated fund reserves, leaving a little more than a million dollars for use in case of an emergency or to meet unforeseen budget shortfalls.
Chuck Odom
In a small building behind the Holy Trinity-St. John the Theologian Greek Orthodox Church in Jackson, Chuck Odom and John Tselepes stuffed raw lamb loins with a special seasoning and garlic, and rubbed them down with olive oil, lemon juice and more secret spices and ingredients.
Domestic Violence Coalition: State Needs to Support Victims
More than a dozen domestic violence activists gathered at the Mississippi Coalition Against Domestic Violence headquarters on May 11 in response to the failure of SB 2418, the 'divorce bill' that would have created legal provisions to make domestic violence grounds for divorce in the state.
Governor Signs Bill Prohibiting Medicaid Reimbursements for Planned Parenthood
Gov. Phil Bryant signed Senate Bill 2238 on Tuesday, a law that blocks the state's Medicaid division from paying for "costs of care and services" at providers who also offer abortion services—anywhere in the country.
Ashley "Paige" Breal
There are several reasons for Alcorn State's impressive jump in wins, but one of the main factors is the pitching of Ashley "Paige" Breal. She has been sensational on the mound despite this being her first season pitching for the Braves.
‘The Right Leadership’: The JFP Interview with Dr. Carey Wright
Dr. Carey Wright, state superintendent of education, recently sat down with the Jackson Free Press to talk about education legislation, school funding and charter schools.
Kishia Powell: ‘I Don’t Steer’ Contracts; City Loan Debate; Guns, Payday Ordinances
Documents, including emails, released to the Jackson Free Press indicate that despite protestation from Mayor Tony Yarber and his administration, the City has been dipping into the ordinance-protected reserve fund to fill in shortfalls from last year's budget.
Legislative Summer School: All About Performance
The Mississippi Department of Corrections is ending a paramilitary inmate program due to a state law and legislative efforts to enforce performance-based budgeting for all state agencies.
Robert Rushton
Experience and a passion for cooking has helped Robert Rushton get an executive position in his field. Beginning with a summer job, he ascended the restaurant kitchen ladder and is currently the executive chef at Local 463 Urban Kitchen.
Battle for the Airport: The Next Steps
Medgar Wiley Evers looked down from the wall of the memorial pavilion in the airport named after him upon the chairwoman of the soon-to-be-replaced governing commission as she lamented the governor's signing of SB 2162 into law.
Infant Mortality Prevention, Social Service Jobs on Budget Chop Block
Efforts to reduce the state's infant mortality rate—the highest in the country—will go on the chopping block if Gov. Phil Bryant signs the Legislature's version of the state budget into law, the state's top health officer told the Jackson Free Press last week.
City Reserves Dip, Mayor Dodges Budget Inquiries
Documents, including emails, released to the Jackson Free Press indicate that despite protestation from Mayor Tony Yarber and his administration, the City has been dipping into the ordinance-protected reserve fund to fill in shortfalls from last year's budget.
Mississippi Spay and Neuter, Shayna's Boutique and Sweat Sauna Studio
The Big Fix Clinic, a high-volume pet sterilization program that Mississippi Spay and Neuter operates, is offering free spay-and-neuter surgeries to cats in zip code 39213, the northeast Jackson area, for as long as funding is available.
Schools, Guns, Family, Bad Policing: Chief Vance Discusses Crime-Fighting with JFP Editor
In the wake of fears raised after a parent pulled a gun at Forest Hill High School last week, the capital city's top police officer said Monday night that Jackson Public Schools polices itself.
Kathryn Merrell Simmons
Kathryn Merrell Simmons, vice president of wealth management for Trustmark Bank in Jackson, is the co-chairperson of Habitat for Humanity's 19th Women Build in Jackson, which will see woman volunteers construct a new home for mother of two Natasha Thomas on Greenview Drive.
Due to HB 1523, Plaintiffs, Kaplan Seek to Reopen Same-Sex Marriage Lawsuit
The Campaign for Southern Equality and Roberta Kaplan, the New York-based attorney who won same-sex marriage and adoption cases in Mississippi, have filed a motion to reopen the Campaign for Southern Equality v. Bryant lawsuit, saying that House Bill 1523 violates the constitutional right that plaintiffs won in the case, allowing same-sex marriage couples the right to wed in the state.
ACLU Files First Lawsuit Against HB 1523: 'Separate But Unequal'
The ACLU has filed the first federal lawsuit contesting House Bill 1523. The lawsuit names the Mississippi State Registrar of Vital Records as the defendant because that state office would have to collect a list of clerks who are recusing themselves from issuing same-sex marriage licenses as allowed in House Bill 1523.
UPDATE: 'Very Serious': Council Accuses Mayor of Dodging Whether Budget Reserves Depleted
Jackson City Council members today accused Mayor Tony Yarber and his administration of concealing information that could show whether or not the City's budget reserves are depleted.
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.
Operation Side-by-Side, Suspect Still at Large, Violent Crime Up, Robbery Down
On Thursday, April 15, Jackson Police Chief Lee Vance and Hinds County Sheriff Victor Mason launched Operation Side by Side, a joint operation created to marry up resources and tackle violent crimes in the city.
Rumors of Secret Contract Deals for Tire Plant Prompt Preemptive Moves
Rumors swirling around the county about who would get lucrative contracts to help build and service the new Continental Tire plant prompted the Hinds County Board of Supervisors president to address the Hinds County Economic Development Board in a special meeting Thursday.
Crystal R. Sanders
Author Crystal R. Sanders says she feels like Mississippi has become a second home for her, despite the fact that she was born and raised in North Carolina.
Blogs
- Boil Water Lifted for Most Jackson ZIPs
- City Responds to Hinds County Emergency Declaration
- ZDD Giveaways and Festival on Mar 25, but No Parade
- Casino-Mogul Trump Going Against the Odds With 'Muslim Ban'
- Millsaps Issues Statement on Trump's Immigration Order
- Court Denies Attempts to Dismiss Election Complaint for "Straw Contest"
- Roll-Off Dumpster Day on February 4
- City: Court Rules Rankin Can Build Own Wastewater Treatment Plant
- LaDarion Ammons Announces Run for Ward 7 Council Seat
- Tornado Warning for Central Hinds, NE Rankin, Madison Counties
Video
- Gov. Reeves Answers Nick Judin's Questions
- Chris McDaniel on Morning Joe
- Word on the street: What would you like to see come to Jackson?
- Trump Rally
- Trump Rally
- More Trump Rally Footage
- Trump Rally
- Kameron Palmer On Saving Our Sons
- Joel D. Swan On Saving Our Sons
- Attorney Martin Perkins Speaks for Inmates