News

To Levee or Not to Levee

Also see: Editorial: Stop the Lakes v. Levees Drama

PEER to Levee Board: Move Faster!

The Rankin-Hinds Pearl River Flood and Drainage Control District's navel-gazing on flood control along the Pearl River this month drew fire from he Joint Legislative Committee on Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review.

‘I Am Emmett Till'

Hank Thomas knew he was going to die. He only questioned how. As the Ku Klux Klan attacked and bombed the bus he was riding through Anniston, Ala., with 12 other Freedom Riders challenging Jim Crow laws, Thomas decided he would rather suffocate than get off the bus and allow the Klan to beat him to death.

Mississippi Children's Museum Gives Sneak Peak

The rain didn't stop construction or hinder the excitement at the Mississippi Children's Museum this morning. Members of the media gathered at LeFleur's Bluff State Park today for a sneak peak at the imaginative museum, scheduled to open December 4.

Meet the Judicial Candidates

Here are the judicial candidates in the running for Hinds County.

Are Judges Up for Sale in Mississippi?

In October, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to address an appeal by convicted Mississippi attorney Paul Minor and former judges Walter "Wes" Teel and John Whitfield, who a U.S. District Court jury convicted of corruption in 2007.

Providing Structure

Bill Skinner didn't expect to be a youth court judge. A former Jackson police officer and Hinds County Justice Court judge, Skinner wanted to hear adult criminal cases when he won a seat on the Hinds County Court in 2006, but senior county court Judge Houston Patton assigned him to the youth court.

‘The Ability to Discern'

Bruce Burton takes pride in his background. The Shaw native grew up on a farm, worked a variety of jobs and studied several subjects before obtaining his law degree in 1996. Burton, 50, received a bachelor's degree from Alcorn State University and studied counseling and sociology at Delta State University before attending law school at Southern University. Even now, he is pursuing a doctorate in public health at Jackson State University.

Mental Health Funding Under Knife

Advocates for a state-funded mental hospital in Newton are pleading with state legislators to keep its doors open next year.

‘Where the Glitch Is'

Bill Gowan wants to make his temporary post on the Hinds County Circuit Court more permanent. Currently serving as a special circuit judge, Gowan hears serious drug and violent-crime cases investigated and prosecuted by the Jackson Enforcement Team, a federally funded program.

Heath Patterson

Heath Patterson is ready for Halloween. This year, he's making an appearance as Richie Tenenbaum of "The Royal Tenenbaums" with the perfect accessory: the quintessential brown beard.

Judge Rules in Favor of Personhood Amendment

Read the ruling (PDF)

An initiative asking voters to decide if the state Constitution should define when life begins can be placed on the 2011 ballot, Hinds County Circuit Court Judge Malcolm Harrison ruled today.

Ayers Endowment to Ask Legislature for Funding

The Ayers Endowment Committee may ask the state Legislature to supplement a diminishing endowment used to fund three historically black universities.

Obesity, Restaurant News

Leading lawmakers, medical researchers and health-care professionals will convene on Jackson Nov. 9 through Nov. 11 for the Global Obesity Summit 2010. Sponsored by the the University of the Mississippi Medical Center and the Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership, the event is part of an effort by UMMC to develop a international-caliber research center dedicated to studying and treating obesity, the Center for Obesity, Nutrition and Metabolic Diseases Research.

Dr. Kim Hoover

A University of Mississippi School of Nursing search committee affirmed the leadership abilities of Dr. Kim Hoover this month by choosing her to serve as dean.

Mississippi State's Cowbells May Stop Ringing

The Southeastern Conference has warned Mississippi State University officials that ringing cowbells during football games will likely bring fines because it breaks the league's noise-making policy, The Washington Post reported today.

Justice Groups Join Appeal in Death Penalty Lawsuit

A challenge to Mississippi's system for representing those convicted of capital crimes has picked up some high-profile supporters. The Magnolia Bar Association and Mississippi Center for Justice filed a friend-of-the-court brief today supporting a suit filed on behalf of 15 death-row prisoners, earlier this year.

Teen Pregnancy Highest in the South; Mississippi

Compared to the rest of the nation, the South shows some of the highest teen pregnancy rates, an Oct. 22 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study finds.

Jara Miller

As the vice president of family services for the Metropolitan YMCA's of Mississippi, Jara Miller has witnessed the toll the economic downturn has taken on families.

Community Events and Public Meetings

5:30 p.m., Venture Incubator Open House and Seminar at Regions Plaza (210 E. Capitol St.). The seminar for business owners and entrepreneurs provides information on how the Venture Incubator can help grow small businesses. A tour of the Venture Incubator offices is held after the seminar. Please RSVP. Call 601-906-4868.

Our Families Can't Afford to Stay Home on Election Day

If you're like me, this election doesn't feel anything like 2008. The excitement and hope of that historic election have been replaced by worry and disappointment. The 2008 campaigns at least occasionally addressed our country's serious problems.

Wiseman: Increase Taxes for Economic Recovery

Mississippi must address its budget problems at both ends of the state's cash flow by raising taxes and cutting spending, Stennis Institute of Government Executive Director Marty Wiseman said today at the Mississippi Economic Policy Center's annual conference.

Mississippi Lacks Data on Minority Contracts

Sen. John Horhn, D-Jackson, said the state has no means of determining adequate minority participation in public contracts.

Garrison Starr

Folk rock/ indie artist and Hernando native Garrison Starr demonstrates her Southern roots through songs that tell rich stories of love and overcoming adversity.

It's The Weekend: Hit the Streets

It's perfect weather for a street festival, and Jackson doesn't disappoint. Already in progress when you read this, Jacktoberfest has taken over Congress Street between Amite and Capitol streets with "bands, brats and beer all day long." Admission is free, which is even better. The festivities go until 11 p.m. Also today, the Yoga of Power workshop begins at Butterfly Yoga with guest instructor Christina Sell and continues through Sunday. Classes for all levels including teachers; prices vary. Call 601-594-2313. Where to start your search for things to do in Jacktown? the JFP Best Bets page, of course!

Obama Speaks Out Against Bullying

President Barack Obama took a stand against bullying in a video message released last night.

The message is in response to the recent suicides of young adults who were bullied for being gay. The video appears on the

PEER: Move ‘Expeditiously' on Flood Control

The Joint Legislative Committee on Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review released an Oct. 12 report (PDF) urging The Rankin-Hinds Pearl River Flood and Drainage Control District to "expeditiously" make a final decision on effective flood control for the Pearl River.

JPD Focuses on Convenience Store Crime

Read this week's crime report (PDF, 480 KB)

Kevin Hart

Get ready to laugh out loud with comedian Kevin Hart as he rolls into Jackson during his "Laugh At My Pain" tour Oct. 23 at Thalia Mara Hall.

Whitney Place to Rebuild Fondren

Watkins Partners Developer David Watkins says he plans to move ahead with his plans to tear down a 1938 business strip in Fondren, recently used as a movie set in "The Help," to create space for his proposed multi-use development, rather than pursue historic tax credits to renovate the block. The developer says keeping the strip would not be economically viable, despite questions about the buildings' historic value.

Ellington