News

‘It’s Positivity’: Refill Café Preps Young Adults for Workforce

Refill Cafe will soon serve lunch weekly to the surrounding Jackson community. The restaurant will also act as a job training site for members enrolled in the program.

As ICE Raided, Children Cried and Educators Scrambled

At Scott Central High School about 20 minutes from Sebastopol,  Superintendent McGee started getting calls from the public schools in Morton that ICE had raided the Koch Foods plant there. "Hey, what do we do? Somebody came to pick a child up, but they're not on the sign-out list," McGee recalled a school official saying.

Ashley Robinson

A year into his job as athletic director at Jackson State University, Ashley Robinson has been looking forward to implementing his plans to advance the athletics department.

Most Teachers Want Mississippi to Nix State's U.S. History Exam in Schools

Some Mississippi social studies teachers see the state-mandated high school U.S. history exam as a "double-edged sword," bestowing importance on a discipline they feel does not get enough respect, but also burdening teachers and students with yet another standardized test.

Refill Cafe Opening, Innovate New Venture Challenge and Newk's Cares Events

Refill Cafe, a nonprofit workforce development cafe located inside the space that once housed Koinonia Coffee House in west Jackson, will open to the public on Tuesday, Aug. 27. The cafe will be open for lunch Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Youth Volunteer John Wicks III Earns Volunteer of the Month at MCM

While some teenagers may have spent their summer relaxing, John Wicks III spent half of his volunteering with the Mississippi Children's Museum, where he became "Volunteer of the Month" for June of this year.

Jackson to Repave More Streets and Repair Sidewalks, Suspends Recycling

The City of Jackson may be ending the recycling program, but the city could soon see better infrastructure after officials announced plans to repave some streets and sidewalks in Jackson at a Ward 7 town hall meeting on Aug. 15.

D’Andre Jones

D’Andre Jones, a Jackson-native hip-hop artist who performs under the name “808 tha Bass,” is hosting an event called “Going Blue for Myositis 2” at Old Trace Park on the Ross Barnett Reservoir in Ridgeland on Sunday, Aug. 25, to raise awareness of a rare disease called polymyositis, which doctors diagnosed him with in 2013.

Beto O'Rourke: Trump Used ICE to 'Terrorize' Mississippi Hispanics

"(Donald Trump) is terrifying this community. People who have done nothing to anybody else posed no threat to America. So there's no other reason to raid this community than to terrify this community. And that's exactly what he's done," Democratic presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke said in Canton this morning.

The Night Immigration Agents Took Two Madison Children's Father

Around 2 a.m., Joshua Quinn's phone rang, waking him. "They took him! They took him! They took him!" cried the voice of an 11-year-old boy Quinn was helping mentor at The BARS Institute, which he started to help young boys of color in Mississippi's capital city.

Jessica Marie

Jackson-based business owners will gather to mingle and network at the "Mind Ya Business III" event, hosted by Jessica Marie on Saturday, Aug. 17.

‘Shared Belief’: McDaniel Endorses Reeves to Block Medicaid Expansion

Shared opposition to Medicaid expansion in the state spurred Mississippi Sen. Chris McDaniel on Thursday to endorse Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves, whose legislative tactics he has long criticized, for the Republican Party runoff for governor.

Hinds Democratic Committee Calls Off Special Election

The Hinds County Democratic Executive Committee has decided to cancel the special election for Precinct 51 voters who filled out the wrong ballot for the Aug. 6 primary elections.

False Claims in Tate Reeves' 'Obamacare' Mailers on Waller Plan

A mailer from Tate Reeves' campaign made several misleading claims about Republican runoff opponent Bill Waller's Medicaid expansion plan.

Hunter McEachern

With the 2019 season approaching, Belhaven University quarterback Hunter McEachern has a chance to rewrite the school record book for passing. The quarterback begins his senior season after setting the school record for career passing yards last year.

Habitat Maroon Edition, MSU College View and UM Neuroscience Program

Mississippi State University and the Starkville Area Habitat for Humanity broke ground on Tuesday, Aug. 13, for the 11th home MSU and Habitat have partnered to build as part of the university's Maroon Edition program.

Hinds County to Hold Special Election Over Primary Irregularities

The Hinds County Democratic Executive Committee will hold a special election on Aug. 20, 2019, for voters in Precinct 51 who filled out incorrect ballots for the Aug. 6 primary elections, an Aug. 13 press release said.

Waller Says Yes to Equal Pay, No on LGBT Hate Crimes Law

In a series of campaign stops for the Republican runoff for governor on Tuesday, former Mississippi Chief Justice Bill Waller reiterated his views on health care and education, while also sharing his thoughts on equal pay for women and LGBT hate crimes.

Amber Johnson

At the Aug. 6 city council meeting, members gave a resolution to Jackson native Amber Johnson for becoming the first African American woman to graduate with a Ph.D. in computer science from Purdue University.

City of Jackson Suspends Recycling Program

The City of Jackson announced on Monday, Aug. 12, that it will suspend the curbside recycling program starting on Sept. 1. Residents will receive one more collection before or by Aug. 31, 2019, a press release said.

Foster Endorses Waller in Gov Runoff, Cites Medicaid, Teacher Pay

Former Republican candidate for governor Robert Foster announced his support for Bill Waller Jr., citing Medicaid and teacher pay, in the party’s primary runoff at a Tuesday morning press conference in DeSoto County.

Museum After Hours, Bevec's Cafe and 2019 Wine Spectator Awards

The Mississippi Museum of Art will hold a back-to-school-themed edition of its Museum After Hours event on Thursday, Aug. 15, from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Rita Brent

As her way of saying goodbye to her home state, comedienne Rita Brent will host a comedy show called "Sipp on This Tea" on Saturday, Sept. 28, beginning at 7 p.m. at the Alamo Theater in downtown Jackson.

GOP Insider: Foster to Endorse Ex-Opponent Waller in Runoff for Primary Nod for Gov

Mississippi House Rep. Robert Foster plans to endorse former Mississippi Supreme Court Chief Justice Bill Waller in the Republican runoff for governor, a GOP insider told the Jackson Free Press on Sunday evening.

Koch Foods, PECO Funded 'Chicken' PAC, Gave Thousands to Hyde-Smith, Pols

Business executives who federal filings say "willfully and unlawfully" employed undocumented immigrants have donated thousands to high-level politicians in and outside of Mississippi, including through a special "Chicken" political action committee.

JSU Ghana Trip, USM National Guard Program and MSU African American Studies Director

Byron D'Andra Orey, professor of political science at Jackson State University, led a group of JSU students on a 10-day trip to Ghana, West Africa, in June as part of his political science course, "Sankofa: Challenging Racial Mythologies Here and Abroad."

Martin Shields

The City of Jackson recognized Jackson Police Department Officer Martin Shields with the I AM COJ award, an employee-recognition program from the personnel department that acknowledges the service of the City of Jackson employees on a quarterly basis, at the Aug. 6 city council meeting.

Rep. Bennie Thompson Demands Answers, Details from AG Barr on Mississippi ICE Raids

Congressman Bennie Thompson sent an eight-page letter and attachments to U.S. Attorney General William Barr demanding answers on why many children were "separated from their parents and terrified because they did not know where their parents were taken and detained.

UPDATED: Mississippi ICE Raids: How to Help Children, Families (New Funding Links)

After news broke Wednesday of the workplace immigration raids in Mississippi, with 696 arrests and leaving many children stranded at school with nowhere to go, local ministers, advocates and lawyers began mobilizing and compiling resources to share with the public.

Immigrant Families Jobless in Mississippi After 'Inhumane' ICE Raids

Mississippi Immigrants Rights Alliance organizer Luis Espinoza told the Jackson Free Press on Thursday that he had spent the past two days working with families after ICE agents raided six worksites across the state on Wednesday.

Ellington