News

Analysis: Mississippi Might Have to Rethink Capitol Statues

Even as the nation reconsiders the public display of Confederate monuments amid a reckoning over issues of racial injustice, Mississippi—a state with a 38% Black population—still represents itself inside the U.S. Capitol with still-life images of Confederates.

COVID-19 Cases, Hospitalizations Jump As Delta Variant Spreads

COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are both on the rise, thanks to the continuing spread of the more contagious Delta variant throughout the state.

Sisters in Birth, Standing by Expecting Mothers

Founder and CEO of Sisters in Birth Getty Israel says governmental disdain (for affordable health-care) disproportionately affects new and expecting mothers—particularly Black women, who die in childbirth at a rate more than two times higher than their white counterparts.

Report: Till Slaying Still Being Investigated 65 Years Later

The Justice Department is continuing its investigation into the killing of Emmett Till, the Black teenager whose slaying 65 years ago in Mississippi sparked outrage and illustrated the brutality of racism in the segregated South.

The Hub at MSU, JSU COVID-19 Health Literacy Program and USM Health Sciences Camp

The Mississippi State University Research and Technology Corporation is carrying out renovations to convert a former bank building in downtown Starkville into a new facility called "The Hub."

Weekend Picks 7-9-21

Another weekend is here, and although there aren’t as many events happening as last week, with all the holiday celebrations, there are still plenty of options for staying entertained this weekend.

Curtis Thompson

Due to COVID-19, Olympic dreams were put on hold for every athlete heading to the 2020 Tokyo Games. The wait was even longer for former Mississippi State University star Curtis Thompson.

Misdemeanor Holding Facility Could Open in Jackson in Old Juvenile Detention Center

Holding cells to hold misdemeanor offenders could soon open in Jackson if the council approves the move after an evaluation process.

Getty Israel

On June 1, Jackson resident Getty Israel expanded her nonprofit community health organization, Sisters in Birth Inc., with the opening of a new women's clinic in Jackson.

Mississippi Teacher Pay Raise Finally Arrives After Long Delay

Mississippi teachers can expect an average $1,000 increase to their base salary starting from July 1 of this year, depending on their teaching license and experience.

JSU Japan Fest at the Museum, LGBTQ Fund of Mississippi and Tuk Tuk Boom

Jackson State University is partnering with the Mississippi Museum of Art to host the inaugural Japan Fest on Sunday, July 18, from noon to 4 p.m. at the museum.

Second Inmate Found Hanging in Hinds County Jail

Hinds County jail officials found a yet-to-be-identified detainee hanging and unresponsive in his cell just after midnight on Tuesday, July 6. It will be the second hanging in the detention center in 2021.

JFP Up to 11 Wins in the 2021 SPJ Diamond Journalism, Green Eyeshade Contests

The Jackson Free Press has won 11 awards to date for 2020 journalism during the pandemic—from two Society of Professional Journalists contests.

MSU Baseball Championship, Parade and Nuclear Research, JSU Space Grant Project

Mississippi State University will host a parade through downtown Starkville on Friday, July 2, at 5:30 p.m. to celebrate its 2021 Baseball National Championship, culminating with an event inside Dudy Noble Field at Polk-Dement Stadium.

Delta Variant Now Dominant Strain In Mississippi, Focused in Hinds, Madison, Rankin

The more contagious Delta variant of COVID-19 is now the dominant strain in Mississippi, leaving unvaccinated Mississippians at higher risk of contracting the virus.

Weekend Picks 7-2-2021

Nothing says “Independence Day” like a community coming together to celebrate, and several metro area cities are hosting celebrations with their own special offerings of food, fun, music and fireworks.

Lumumba, City Council Members Sworn-in

Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba lists past achievements of his office after Hinds County Chancery Court Judge Denise Owens swore him in for a second term at the Jackson Convention Complex on Thursday, July 1.

Brittney Reese

Brittney Reese is returning to the Olympic Games for the fourth time in her historic career. Reese won her 13th career national title to punch her ticket to the Tokyo Games.

Federal Appeals Court to Review Jim Crow Felony Voting Ban

A federal appeals court has agreed to review a Mississippi law that prevents people convicted of certain felonies from voting.

Jackson Mid-Year Progress Report

With 2021 already halfway behind us, let’s review some of the openings, expansions, nonprofit initiatives and updates that the metro area has seen since January.

Beyond English Provides More than Language Lessons

In 2018, Xiwei “Aaron” Wu and his wife, Langshan Song, both natives of China who learned English as a second language, founded Beyond English as a way to help students in China, Japan and the Jackson metro better learn English.

A New Model to Solve Water Billing Problem?

Department of Public Works Deputy Director Carla Dazet gave an abysmal picture of the state of water billing in the capital city at the May 20, 2021, Jackson City Council Meeting.

Laura Lillard

If you spot a cereus flower in your neighborhood, chances are that Laura Lillard has been there. This night-blooming succulent has since become a favorite of Lillard’s after she developed a passion toward gardening following her move to Mississippi at 10 years old.

Rescuing Human Trafficking Victims in Mississippi

The Pearl-based nonprofit Mississippi Center for Violence Prevention announced it was doubling the accommodation space for human trafficking survivors and their children on Thursday, June 24.

Harvey Fiser

Millsaps College appointed Harvey Fiser, a professor of business law, as interim dean of the college's Else School of Management on June 1.

Mississippi Lawmakers Hear Testimony on Medical Marijuana

Two prominent Mississippi physicians urged lawmakers Monday to put “guardrails” in place if medical marijuana is legalized in the state, warning that officials should be careful about making a product available that has not been thoroughly tested by the FDA—especially when it comes to children.

Ellington