News

Jonathan Lee on the Defensive Over Business Judgments (Plus Audio)

Jonathan Lee, candidate for mayor of Jackson, Miss., is on the defensive over default judgments against his family's business.

Wilson: Engaging our Youth

Albert Wilson has spent his adult life trying to reach out to the next generation. Now he wants to reach them from the Jackson City Council.

Wright: A Familiar Face

Charity Wright has dedicated her last 14 years to working in City Hall in the Jackson City Clerk's office. Now she is asking for a promotion—to city councilwoman.

Health Cuts Still Loom Despite Obama Plan

President Barack Obama's recent recommendation to delay some Medicaid cuts has not deterred the hospitals that rely on the payments or health-care advocates from pushing to expand Medicaid in the state.

Jackson Development: Who’s On First?

When it comes to the big development projects in Jackson, political candidates like to express their disapproval with how the mayor's office and city council handles business.

As Rates Soar, Kemper’s Investors Cash In

After several credit downgrades and gloomy financial forecasts, the balance sheets of utility companies constructing a 580-megawatt coal power plant in eastern Mississippi are improving as their ratepayers are saddled with steep price increases.

Tracee Thompson

Tracee Thompson is the Jackson Public School district's 2013 Teacher of the Year.

Ward 5 Candidates Face Off

The race for Jackson's Ward 5 city council seat heated up Monday night on the second floor of the Margaret Walker Alexander building on Jackson State University's campus.

Thalia Mara, Grants, Bowling, Film, Social Media, CEO Pay

Jackson's Thalia Mara Hall will begin a $5.5 million renovation in January, thanks in part to the state Legislature's $1 million appropriation.

Dr. Billy Kim

Belhaven University welcomes the addition of a campus international center named for the first Asian elected as president of the 40-million-member Baptist World Alliance: Dr. Billy Kim, a global spiritual leader, advocate for the poor, and humanitarian.

Jackson Man Dies in Prison Disturbance

Demond Flowers, of Jackson, died in a disturbance over the weekend at a Mississippi state prison.

Beach Bacteria: DNA Tests Offer Quicker Results

Just in time for swimsuit season, federal researchers are touting a faster, more accurate water-quality test to keep beaches open and people healthy.

Maura Phillips

Maura Phillips is a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, and she works in the mortgage industry for a company called Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corp.

Community Events and Public Meetings

The American Cancer Society is seeking volunteers ages 30-65 without a history of cancer to participate in a long-term cancer study.

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 Part of Emotional News Week

Mississippians are watching closely as a roller-coaster week of tragic events continues to unfold this morning.

Double Dose: In Second Case of Flawed Drug Research, FDA Response Was Slow and Secretive

The FDA found that data produced from 2000 through 2004 at two MDS facilities in Quebec, Canada, were questionable.

Josh Lindsey

Josh Lindsey didn't know how long he would be a teacher after he moved to Hancock County in 2006.

It's the Weekend!

Tonight, enjoy craft beer samples and music during Zoo Brew from 6-9 p.m. at the Jackson Zoo.

UMMC's Gay Named to Time Mag's 100 Most Influential List

TIME named HIV specialist Dr. Hannah Gay, UMMC associate professor of pediatrics, to the 2013 TIME 100, the magazine’s annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world.

Bank Robbery in Fondren

Jackson Police responded to a bank robbery at 3:14 PM at the Regions Bank on North State Street.

Water, Water Everywhere

Jackson Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. wants to improve the city's water capacity with a 1.5 million gallon water tower at the corner of Fortification Street and Mill Street to be completed in July 2014.

Consumer Groups Fear Patients Could Be Hit With Large Out-Of-Pocket Costs

Some consumers may continue to face out-of-pocket health costs of $12,500 or more next year—double the amount allowed by the health law—because the Obama administration won't enforce that provision for some plans for another year.

‘It’s Not About Me’: The JFP Interview with Mayoral Hopeful Frank Bluntson

Jackson City Councilman Frank Bluntson, 77, is not exactly a newcomer to local politics: He has served almost eight years on the Jackson City Council, and several as council president.

Stacey Webb: Ready To Lead

Stacey Webb yearns to lead. That's why he's been trying to do it for six years.

Bridges: Ready For Some New Faces

May "Fran" Bridges like to describe herself as a servant leader, and that's a pretty accurate title.

Clinic Wins Battle in Abortion War

On Monday, U.S. District Judge Daniel P. Jordan III halted a process that likely would result in JWHO's closure and make Mississippi the first state without an abortion clinic.

Mayor Hopefuls Looking for EPA Decree Solutions

It’s been four months since the Jackson City Council agreed to the consent decree from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

New University Place Plans Raise Eyebrows

One of Gov. Phil Bryant's first actions in office was to sell one of two state-owned jets to trim a few million dollars from the state's bottom line.

Antonio V. Wright

Antonio V. Wright is the founder of Metro Area Community Empowerment Inc. and, in 2011, he authored and self-published his autobiography, "From a Label to a Brand" (CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform).

Ellington