News

UPDATED: Frustration Over Violence, Chaos at Forest Hill Community Chat

The auditorium of Forest Hill High School was packed Wednesday night where parents, students and teachers sounded off to Jackson Public Schools' top administration, airing their frustrations about violence and instability at the JPS school.

Canessa Swanson

Jackson State University's softball season has been mired in struggles. That doesn't mean the Tigers haven't had many bright spots this season, though, and one of those is senior infielder Canessa Swanson.

State's Foster Care System Awarded Surplus Funding; May Court Date Pushed Back

With surplus funding to comply with a 12-year-old lawsuit, the state's foster care system is on track to avoid federal receivership, and the state will not have to go to court on May 15, as originally planned.

‘Police vs. Black’: Bridging the ‘Racialized Gulf’

Oressa Napper-Williams' son Andrell was a victim of gun violence twice. The first time was when he was 16 and a student at Martin Luther King Jr. High School in Harlem.

Ceasefire in the City? How Police Can (and Cannot) Deter Gunfire

In 2015, Precinct 2 Commander Jarratt Taylor helped execute a massive enforcement effort called Metro Area Crime Elimination, or MACE for short, promised to be a local version of the national Operation Ceasefire model.

The Problems with a Supermajority

The 2016 session marked a turning point in the political landscape of the state. After a contested election resulted in the removal of former Rep. Bo Eaton, a Democrat from Smith County, the GOP gained a supermajority in the House of Representatives—and as a result the Legislature.

City Leaders at a Loss over Water, Sewer Revenue Loss

The water- and sewer-revenue deficit has a few possible sources, but even Jackson City Council members are having a difficult time parsing out the how and why.

Could an After-school Network Solve Mississippi’s Education ‘Crisis’?

Proponents say high-quality after-school programs are one solution to Mississippi's ongoing education problems, including some of the lowest scores on national tests, and Operation Shoestring's data seems to support their claims.

Charlotte, Baton Rouge Airports Lessons for Jackson’s ‘Takeover’

The Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport is not the only municipal air-traffic hub looking down the barrel of a state-sanctioned reorganization of its governing board.

Makaila Faith Nixon

Every morning, Makaila Faith Nixon and her mom, Dee Bookert Nixon, start with stating their daily affirmations while looking at their reflection in the mirror.

Women Doing Business, Bonfire Lodge, Fuse.Cloud, East Village Estates and Pro Bono Service Award

Connie Michael, the owner of Colorful Creations Printing, will host the third annual Power Conference: Women Doing Business, which takes place Saturday, May 7, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Thad Cochran Center at the Jackson Medical Mall.

Melanie Addington

When Gov. Phil Bryant signed the controversial "Religious Freedom Bill," HB 1523, into law Tuesday, April 5, many individuals, organizations and businesses made their objections to the bill known. For Oxford, Miss., resident Melanie Addington, that meant fighting fire with film.

Siemens Rep: Water Billing Glitches Result of Backed-up 'TO-DOs'

Siemens representative Frank D. Gagliardi spent most of his presentation to the Jackson City Council's Budget Committee Monday scribbling notes in the margins of the paper on the podium before him as council members and City employees let loose their frustrations with the water systems his company implemented.

Does Your Child Have Health Insurance?

Insurance for our children is necessary.

Stokes Wants Gun Discharges in City to Bring Increased Jail Time, Larger Fines

Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes will introduce an ordinance to make discharging a weapon within the city limits punishable by jail time and mandatory fines tomorrow during the regular meeting of the Jackson City Council.

Hundreds Rally to Repeal HB 1523, State Faces Deadline Today Before Lawsuit

Hundreds of protesters, from around Mississippi and even out of the state, marched alongside several state lawmakers from the Capitol to the governor's mansion on Sunday afternoon, waving flags and signs and chanting "No hate in our state!"

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.

Sanders, Gibbs Join Green in Seeking District 72 Seat Campbell Is Vacating

Corinthian Sanders and Debra Hendricks Gibbs are running for the Mississippi House seat in District 72, which Rep. Kimberly Campbell is leaving.

A Worker's Right to Safety: 'You Shouldn't Have to Die to Make a Living'

The Workers' Center reports that at least 60 to 100 workers are killed in Mississippi workplaces each year, with more than 11,000 workers injured.

Monique Davis

Growing up in Washington, D.C., Monique Davis grew to love art early on. Her mother regularly took her to local art museums since admission was free.

Couple Hosts Islamic Heritage Festival in MMA's Art Garden Saturday

The International Museum of Muslim Cultures hosted its first Islamic heritage celebration this month after Mayor Tony Yarber proclaimed in March that April would serve as Islamic Heritage Month.

Mississippi's Premature Birth Rate Leading to High Infant Mortality, State Offers Solutions

Working to reduce the state's high infant mortality rate without addressing premature birth rates is a bit like putting the cart before the horse.

City Lobbyist Synarus Green Running for Rep. Kimberly Campbell's Seat

Synarus Green is the first candidate to publicly announce he will run for Rep. Kimberly Campbell's seat in the Mississippi Legislature.

Public-school Tests Glitch Across State

Twelve thousand Mississippi students spent nearly 20 minutes unable to take their Mississippi Assessment Program tests yesterday morning.

Mayor: New 'Pothole Blitz' Benefits Ward 7 First, Not Yarber's Street

Mayor Tony Yarber announced on the night of April 26 the beginning of what he described as a "pothole blitz" across the city, addressing and fixing potholes on select streets in each ward.

Taveze Calhoun

The bulk of the picks in the draft have to wait until Saturday to hear their names called during rounds four through seven. It could be then before former Mississippi State University cornerback Taveze Calhoun gets snatched up.

No Lead in Jackson’s Tanks

For the first time since January, the levels of lead in water sampled from the City of Jackson distribution system have tested below the EPA-mandated amount.

Amazing Teens 2016

A major part of our mission at the Jackson Free Press is to highlight the positives in the metro area. These 14 teens plus this week's Jacksonian are part of how we achieve that.

The Curious Case of What the #MSLeg Passed, What It Didn’t

With their right to spend their campaign donations on mortgages, automobiles, clothing, tuition payments or non-documented loans still firmly in place, state lawmakers closed up shop early and skipped town last week.

State Green Lights Uber, Overrides Local Control, Regulations

Uber has the green light to operate statewide, after a bill implementing statewide regulations soared through the Legislature this session largely uncontested.

Ellington