News

Subscribe

PBS Cancels Childrens' Shows

The Public Broadcasting System, PBS, announced Friday that they will stop distribution on two long-running childrens' television programs: "Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood" and "Reading Rainbow." The programs began airing in 1968 and 1983, respectively.

All Shook Up: Jam-Packed Weekend Ahead

End August by doing something good for Mississippi's youth. Tonight, attend the "Rise Above for Youth" benefit dinner and silent auction at the Safe Harbor Family Church, starting at 5 p.m. Or, if the words "swine flu" have you all shook up, get the facts on prevention and a prognosis for the future from Dr. Paul Buyers at Belhaven College at 6 p.m. Find more details on those events and more on the JFP Events Calendar. If your thoughts head more toward an after-work drink and live music, the place to check is the JFP Music Listings page, for the city's most complete list of who's playing where.

County Supes Want to Dispute Fee

Hinds County is looking to dispute a $237,784 severance fee it owes the Pearl River Basin Development District. The state Legislature rendered the county's participation in the multi-county district optional in 2001, and several counties have since jumped ship, including Attala, Rankin and now Hinds. Supervisors voted 5-to-0 to pull out of the district two weeks ago, and must now face the more than $200,000 fee.

Katrina: Four Years and Billions Later, Work Remains

On Aug. 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina roared inland from the Gulf of Mexico, virtually flattening the Mississippi Gulf Coast. In New Orleans, the storm proved what experts already knew: The city's levees were inadequate in the face of Katrina's wrath, leaving 80 percent of the city flooded. In the end, the storm displaced more than 1 million people and killed 1,836. The estimated economic impact totaled more than $81 billion.

Heping Liu

Jackson State University associate professor Heping Liu won a nearly $500,000 award from the National Science Foundation to fund his research over the next five years.

Ole Miss Tweets for Energy Savings

The University of Mississippi—Ole Miss—has teamed with Jackson company SmartSynch as part of its "Red, Blue and Green" initiative, moving the university toward energy sustainability, which includes water and energy conservation, waste minimization, recycling and more. SmartSynch is in the process of connecting their "smart" meters with social networking tools, including Twitter, Facebook and RSS, to allow the school to monitor and analyze energy consumption, providing a basis for changing behavior and realizing energy savings.

BOOM Jackson Hot Off the Presses

The Jackson Free Press is proud to announce the second annual edition of BOOM Jackson magazine. Billed as a "love-letter to Jackson," the publication is a full-color, high-quality, 84-page publication distributed throughout the city, targeted to visitors and those looking at Jackson to move their families or businesses into the area.

Business News In and Around Jackson

Last Friday, Aug. 21, the James Meredith Lounge opened in the Farish Historic Street District at 217 Griffith St. Civil-rights legend James Meredith owns the lounge, which his niece, Meredith McGee manages.. The lounge is open Friday and Saturday evenings from 8 p.m. until 2 a.m., with poetry readings both nights from 8 to 9 p.m Patrons can bring their own alcoholic beverages and food. There is no cover charge, but the age requirement is 25 and older for the lounge, and 21 and older for those reading poetry.

Jerusha DeGroote Stephens

On July 1, Mississippi became the 44th state in the nation to license non-physician acupuncturists. This week, Jackson resident Jerusha DeGroote Stephens received the state's first acupuncture license. It's a fitting distinction for Stephens, as she helped lead the campaign to gain state approval for her ancient profession.

State Unemployment Tops 10 Percent

More than one out of every 10 Mississippians was officially unemployed in July—138,100 individuals—according to new data released by the state Department of Employment Security, with the state's unadjusted rate hitting 10.5 percent. Three counties reported jobless rates over 20 percent—Jefferson, Holmes and Clay—while two others pushed toward that high-water mark. Claiborne and Noxubee County reported a 19.1 percent and 19.5 percent unemployment rate, respectively.

Voter ID: Partisan Posturing?

Mississippi Democratic Party Executive Director Sam Hall is accusing Republican Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant of pushing for voter identification for political reasons. "We have to ask if this is nothing more than an attempt to drum up support over another divisive wedge issue," said Hall, who spoke on Bryant's appearance at a Starkville Rotary Club meeting last week.

JPS Employee Raised Overbilling Concerns in 2008

Over a year ago, a Jackson Public Schools employee warned supervisors that a private tutoring company may have overbilled the district by $400,000 or more. To date, JPS has not sought repayment, however, despite receiving citations from the state for lax oversight of tutoring companies.

Carlton Martin

Football talent came naturally for Carlton Martin. The 6-foot-2-inch, 270-pound Brandon native is a senior defensive lineman for the Madison Central Jaguars.

Forester Alleges ‘Irresponsible' Clear-Cutting Scheme

A former Mississippi Forestry Commission employee from Franklin County says he can account for the surge in revenue from Section 16 timber sales reported by the Mississippi Secretary of State's office. "They pushed for me and every other county forester to raze just about everything the counties have to offer, which would leave us high and dry on timber production in 11 years," said former Franklin County forester Steve Oglesby, who said he left the agency after he refused to help the state "cash in" much of Franklin County's timber production.

Focus on Women's Equality Day

Today, National Women's Equality Day commemorates the 89th anniversary of women's suffrage, the day that women gained the right to vote in the U.S. While women have reached several milestones since then, research shows that there is still much progress to be made.

Jackson Crime Stats for Aug. 17-23

Major crimes in Jackson decreased again last week, according to a weekly report (PDF) released at a meeting today by the Jackson Police Department. Police reported 230 total crimes, down 7.6 percent from the previous week. Last week's total was almost 20 percent below the same period last year. The city has seen 1.6 percent fewer crimes this year than last year.

Sen. Kennedy Dead at 77

Massachusetts Sen. Edward Kennedy, 77, died early today of a brain tumor. Kennedy served in the U.S. Senate since 1962, when he took the seat held by his brother, John F. Kennedy, when John Kennedy became president, and held the seat for nearly 50 years.

Corps Says Lakes Plans Dead, Wants Levees

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has told the local levee board that it has to agree on a flood-control plan for the Pearl River by the end of September—and is warning that two controversial development plans are likely already dead in the water due to financial and environmental barriers.

Political Parties Neck-and-Neck in Mississippi

Mississippi is the second-most conservative state in the union, according to a poll released last week. The Republican Party, however, holds only a one-percentage point lead over Democrats in the state, which is statistically insignificant.

Rep. Bennie Thompson

Opening up a forum for civil discussion and debate, Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi's Second Congressional District addressed questions to more than 300 people last night on proposals for health-care reform. Standing shoulder- to-shoulder in Jackson's M.W. Stringer Grand Lodge, some attendees held signs supporting universal health care while others used handouts to fan themselves from the heat.

Extreme Makeover Coming to Jackson

Producers of the ABC television show, "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," are seeking deserving Jackson families to feature on the show. To be eligible, a family must own their single family home and be able to show producers how a makeover will make a huge difference in their lives.

$86.7 Million Green Renovation for McCoy Building

Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. met with members of the Hinds County legislative delegation, representatives of the U.S. congressional delegation and local business advocates to celebrate $86.7 million in renovations for the Dr. A. H. McCoy Federal Building, at the corner of Farish and West Capitol streets.

Green Stimulus Funds Come to Jackson and State

A Jackson-based company will receive $3.75 million in federal stimulus funds to improve energy efficiency in public buildings around the state. The company, SmartSynch, provides smart grid infrastructure, in the form of energy meters, software and wireless networks. SmartSynch's metering system allows users to track their energy consumption in real time and identify energy "leaks." The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that energy consumption drops by as much as 15 percent when consumers can track their usage.

Jackson Public Meetings This Week

6:30 p.m., Health-care Town-Hall Meeting with Rep. Bennie Thompson, Stringer Grand Lodge, 1072 J.R. Lynch St.

Brad Hooey

Brad Hooey is the manager of High Noon Cafe, Jackson's only strictly vegetarian and vegan restaurant operated by Rainbow Cooperative Grocery in Fondren. Tonight, Hooey will lead a meeting on the restaurant's uncertain future.

Town Hall Meeting in Jackson Tonight

Rep. Bennie Thompson, Mississippi's Democratic congressman from the state's Second Congressional District, will host a town-hall meeting in Jackson tonight. The meeting, providing an opportunity for constituents to get their questions answered about the health-care reform measures being debated in the U.S. Congress, begins at 6:30 p.m. at the Stringer Grand Lodge, 1072 J.R. Lynch St. in Jackson.

Mississippi Test Scores Show Mixed Results

The Mississippi Department of Education released 2009 state school test results today showing slight gains in some areas and decreases in others. The 2008-2009 school year was the second year during which students took a more rigorous series of exams, the Mississippi Curriculum Test 2 in middle school and a revised Subject Area Testing Program in high school. Interim State Superintendent of Education John Jordan said in a statement that the results indicated that there was "still much work to be done."

Ready for the Weekend Jackson?

If you can't find entertainment in Jackson this weekend, you're just not looking. Start the weekend right by heading to the Underground 119 grand opening, starting with a happy hour at 4 p.m. Take a look at the feature story about the restaurant for a menu and more information. Also tonight is the Harbor House annual fundraiser at the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum, kicking off at 6 p.m. and featuring art from some of Jackson's finest artists. If neither of those events make you happy, see the other options listed on the JFP Events Calendar and Best Bets.

Cooking up Something Good

Today the Viking Cooking School, along with its partners Riverwood Home Appliances and Everyday Gourmet, will open its doors to the public. The grand opening is from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., with cooking demonstrations, food tasting and drawings for cooking classes.

Film Company Casting in Mississippi

If you've had dreams of gracing the silver screen, Cypress Moon Productions may be able to grant your wish. Today and tomorrow, the Alabama-based film company is holding casting calls for an upcoming production of "The Story of Bonnie and Clyde" in Mississippi.

Blogs

Video