News

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.

Renewed Smoking Ban Afoot

Sen. Briggs Hobson, R-Vicksburg, has introduced the Mississippi Uniform Smoke-Free Public Place Act of 2013, which bans smoking in most public places.

Study: Common Chemical Alters Hormones at Low Doses

Just like the controversial compound it's designed to replace, a chemical used in cash register receipts and other consumer products messes with hormones, according to research published today.

Players of the Day: Mississippi Super Bowl Players

Four NFL teams meet this Sunday, and two will find a spot in Super Bowl XLVII.

It's the Weekend!

Tonight, Bluesman and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer B.B. King performs at 7:30 p.m. at Thalia Mara Hall.

Core Strategies of Greater Jackson Chamber's 2022 Plan

The Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership's Vision 2022 planners have compiled a list of specific goals, actions and strategies for a long-range plan for Jackson.

Charter School Mania!

During yesterday's three-hour-long debate over the latest iteration of charter-school legislation, Sen. Hob Bryan, D-Amory, frequently voiced his opposition to the bill.

The Best Reporting on Guns in America

This article, first published July 24, 2012, unfortunately seems relevant again. We've taken a step back and laid out the best pieces we could find about guns.

Reena Evers-Everette

Reena Evers-Everette, executive director of the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Institute, provides education and civil-engagement programs to show Medgar Evers' vision on civil rights.

Charter School Bill Passes Mississippi Senate

The Mississippi Senate had just one piece of legislation on its calendar, a bill that would establish charter schools. It passed.

The NRA Bankroll

On Dec. 21, National Rifle Association chief Wayne LaPierre went in front of the TV cameras to read an announcement regarding the shootings in Newtown, Conn.

From Dixie With Slugs

Late on the evening of May 20, 2010, Thomas Wortham IV was sitting on his motorcycle when a car pulled up.

The 'Gun-Show Loophole'

Mississippians with a yen to add to their personal arsenals can head out to a gun show in the state just about any weekend of the year.

ALEC Pushes Stand-Your Ground Bills

Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law, which received widespread media coverage after the shooting death of Trayvon Martin Feb. 26, 2012, is similar to Mississippi's Castle Doctrine, with one major difference: location doesn't matter.

More Gun Control in Mississippi

With statewide household gun ownership at 54 percent in Mississippi, it's no secret that heightened gun-control laws aren't likely to get much support from the state Legislature.

Castle Doctrine: Not So Cut and Dry

In 2008, Justin Vanquez Thomas, 24, shot and killed Dexter Harris outside the Southaven Performing Arts Center.

Guns: A Public Health Crisis?

Despite the pervasive notion that guns make people safer, science suggests otherwise.

Good to Be Back

Working on a shorter 90-day schedule compared to last year, Mississippi lawmakers got right to work filing bills in the opening week of the 2013 legislative session.

Senate 28: Meet the Candidates

Nine people want to fill the Mississippi Senate seat vacated by the recent death of Alice Harden.

One City, United and Divided

Within two months, the city of Jackson and community leaders have unveiled several programs that claim the same goals: to unite Jacksonians, promote the capital city's positive features and move Jackson into a better future.

Incarceration Over Education

If it's not your kid involved, it could be easy to look the other way when zero-tolerance policies incarcerate children for minor offenses.

Darrell Winston

As program director for the Jackson chapter of the Sigma Beta Club, Darnell Winston in the most positive role model in many young males' lives.

Charter Schools Pass Senate Committee

A highly anticipated charter-school bill is on its way to the Senate floor. At an early morning meeting of the Senate Education Committee today, members agreed by voice vote to send the measure to the full Senate for consideration with a few modifications.

Nissan, Cafe, Caterpillar, Mississippi Works

To celebrate its 10 successful years in Mississippi, Nissan Motor Company announced that it is moving production of its Murano crossover vehicles from Kyushu, Japan, to the facility in Canton in 2014.

Susie Harvill

Susie Harvill wondered why the prostitutes disappeared from Biloxi's entertainment districts. She found them in our backyards.

Abortion Clinic Faces Closure, Again

As of today, the Mississippi State Department of Health has not inspected the state's last abortion clinic to determine whether the clinic is in compliance with a state law Gov. Phil Bryant signed last spring requiring the clinic's doctors to have hospital admitting privelages.

Ellington