News

MSU Slavery Exhibit, USM University Forum and Millsaps Data Program

Mississippi State University Libraries recently partnered with the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries to launch a shared online exhibit titled "Enslaved People in the Southeast."

Lane Kiffin

Hours after Florida Atlantic University won the Conference USA Football Championship, the worst-kept secret in college football became official when the University of Mississippi named FAU head coach Lane Kiffin as its head coach.

Pauline Rogers’ Long Road

Pauline Rogers works as the president and CEO of the Reaching and Educating for Community Hope Foundation, a nonprofit that provides transitional housing and support services to those affected by crime and incarceration.

Coming Soon: A Movie Theater Explosion

While some businesses are busy introducing themselves to the Jackson metropolitan community, others who have already established their presence are finding innovative ways push forward even further.

Chandler Griffin, Storyteller

"I've done everything from teaching Dalits how to tell stories to running a workshop in Malaysia with kids who are deaf but want to tell their stories," filmmaker Chandler Griffin says about his career to date.

Grand Openings in Greater Jackson

The people of Jackson are an entrepreneurial sort, as evidenced by the multiple businesses that have held grand openings throughout this last quarter.

A Colorful Past: Can the Sun-N-Sand Be Saved?

The Sun-N-Sand, located on Lamar Street and steps away from the Mississippi Capitol, has sat vacant and fenced in since 2002, but its place in Jackson's collective memory remains vivid for Rudolph "Cotton" Baronich and others.

Tasha Bibb

Business is Tasha Bibb's pleasure. Starting as an intern for Innovate Mississippi, she quickly moved into a plethora of roles within the organization from state director for the United States Academic Decathlon in Mississippi to her current position as entrepreneurial development director.

Support or Separation in Foster Care? Summit Explores Problems, Solutions

Neglect, not abuse, causes 75% of family separations in the nation's child-welfare system, and that neglect is often tied to poverty, Jerry Milner, acting commissioner of the U.S. Administration for Children and Families, said this week in Jackson.

Orlando Richmond Sr.

Benchmark Litigation, a publication established in 2009 that covers the top law firms and attorneys in the United States, recently named Orlando Richmond Sr., a partner in the Butler Snow law firm, as one of its top 100 trial lawyers for 2019.

White GOP Rep Who Lost to Black Dem Wants Election Overturned

A white woman who lost her Mississippi House of Representatives seat to a black woman challenger is asking the Republican-dominated body to overturn the election results.

Koch-Funded ‘Bill Mill’ ALEC Names Mississippi House Speaker Philip Gunn National Chairman

When he resumes his leadership at the Legislature in 2020, Mississippi Speaker of the House Philip Gunn will also serve as the new national chairman of the American Legislative Exchange Council, an organization that pushes corporate-friendly and anti-public-education legislation in state houses across the nation. The right-wing billionaire Koch family, an assortment of lobbyists, corporations and wealthy donors fund ALEC.

Azia's Picks 12-6-19

We just had Thanksgiving break, so this week after returning to work, time seemed to drag slowly at first, but hey, now it's Friday again! Gratefulness is the word for this time of year, and I hope you are just as thankful as I am to see another weekend in the Capital City. I start to feel like a child again as I drive around the city and see the Christmas lights glittering in the still night, framing the winter scene as the past slowly wilts away and the transition into newness begins.

Tristan England

Not just anyone can strap into a 12-foot-tall, 12,000-pound, 1,500 horsepower vehicle and drive it with the speed and precision it takes to compete in Monster Jam. Tristan England, a 23-year-old professional monster truck driver, puts his truck EarthShaker to the test with each event that he enters, and he brings his skills to the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson this weekend as part of this year's Monster Jam season.

USM Golden Basket Program, Belhaven Hospitality Management and Toys for Tots at UM

The University of Mississippi will host "Fashion Expo: Schoolin' Life," a student-organized fashion show, on Friday, Dec. 6. Proceeds from the event will go to the local chapter of Toys for Tots, a U.S. Marine Corps Reserve program that benefits underprivileged children at Christmas.

UPDATED: After JFP Query, Child Protection Agency Says PEER Miscalculated Data

PEER, a legislative committee intended to improve the "economy, efficiency, effectiveness and accountability" of state agencies, found in its annual review of MDCPS that the turnover rate rose from 21% to 30%, according to PEER's findings from the previous year. PEER acknowledges that the higher percentage is in line with national averages for child welfare workers, while saying that it is roughly three times higher than is ideal for such an organization.

Fred McNair

This season, the Braves stormed through the SWAC once again. McNair led his squad to a 8-3 overall record and 6-1 record in SWAC play and an amazing sixth straight East title. This Saturday, Dec. 7, the Braves face Southern in the championship game for the second year in a row.

Bloomberg Talks Justice Reform in Mississippi, Apologizes for ‘Stop and Frisk’

Following the private meeting, the former New York City mayor revealed to members of the press that he is running on a criminal-justice reform platform. He promised to cut the United States prison population in half by 2024, eliminate juvenile incarceration for non-violent offenses, invest in alternatives to incarceration initiatives, and fund local violence-interruption efforts across the country.

Ebony Jones

Last year, her now 8-year-old daughter, Leah, came to her with the idea of collecting 700 food items to feed hungry people in the community. Jones thought, "That's a lot," but instead of trying to convince her daughter that 700 items might be an impossible task to accomplish, she encouraged her to work on reaching her goal, no matter how "outrageous" it may have seemed. Before long, Leah met and exceeded her goal and subsequently donated the items to the Salvation Army.

Trent Lott Ties, Civil Rights Rulings Plague Trump Judge Pick from Mississippi

An embattled Mississippi judge's nomination to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans faces opposition from civil rights groups that claim he has a poor record on issues involving race and sexual assault—and from conservatives who claim he is not conservative enough.

James Bell

James Bell, a Rankin County resident and retired county and special circuit judge, published his second novel, "Maximilian's Treasure," through Brandon-based publisher Sartoris Literary Group on Nov. 15.

Downtown Holiday Open House

TeamJXN—along with Downtown Jackson Partners, Visit Jackson, the Mississippi Museum of Art, Thalia Mara Hall, the Greater Jackson Arts Council and The Westin Jackson—hosts Downtown Holiday Week from Dec. 3 to Dec. 8.

CITY: Zoo Demolitions Underway, New Virden Addition Community Center, Trail Moves Ahead

The Jackson City Council voted last week to approve demolition of outdated zoo buildings that city officials say they hope to transform into a contact area for animals.

Azia's Picks

Christmas is rapidly approaching and there are many events taking place in the tri-city area to get us all engaged, including a plethora of interactive outings for children to keep them busy during winter break.

MSU Mental Health Expansion, USM Golden Idea Competition and JSU Teacher Initiative

The John C. Longest Student Health Center at Mississippi State University recently partnered with outpatient provider Right Track Medical Group to expand student access to comprehensive mental health care.

John Rhys Plumlee

The future looks bright for the Hattiesburg, Miss., native as John Rhys Plumlee took over the starting quarterback job in week five of the season. His legs have been a major weapon for the Rebels as he leads the team in rushing with 989 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Ellington