News

Jackson City Council Honors Mississippi Book Festival, Approves Road Projects

The City of Jackson recognized the Mississippi Book Festival's influence and importance at an Aug. 6 city council meeting.

Elected Officials, Advocacy Groups, Others Address Mississippi ICE Raids

Since ICE and U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst's office yesterday raided workplaces across Mississippi, arresting 680 people and leaving many children stranded, we have received or spotted another of responses to the roundups on social media. Here is a growing list.

Mississippians Mobilize Against ICE Raids: 'Who They Gone Come After Tomorrow?'

The Mississippi Immigrants Rights Alliance hosted a press conference in response to multiple ICE workplace raids on Aug. 7 in which 650 special Homeland Security Investigation special agents executed unspecified administrative and criminal search warrants at seven sites in Mississippi.

After ICE Raids, Some Kids Reunited with Parents or Relatives in Mississippi

Scott County Youth Court Prosecutor Constance Slaughter-Harvey watched Thursday morning as a few children reunited with and embraced parents whom, just a day before, they had been separated from after U.S. federal ICE agents arrested them.

Detric Hawthorn

Collins, Miss., native Detric Hawthorn leads the Choctaws' option attack and will be in his second year on offense. Mississippi College ended up as the top rushing team in the GSC last season with 2,661 yards and 266.1 yards per game.

Advocates: In Mississippi, ICE Agents Arrest, Tase Migrants, Documented or Not

Children finished their first day of school with no parents to go home to tonight. Babies and toddlers remained at daycare with no guardian to pick them up. A child vainly searched a workplace parking lot for missing parents. Those are some of the many stories immigrants' rights advocates told the Jackson Free Press they heard on Wednesday

U.S. Attorney in Mississippi to 'Aliens,' Employers: 'We're Coming After You'

Mike Hurst, United States Attorney for the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi, discussed Homeland Security Investigations and ICE operations at an Aug. 7 press conference inside the Homeland Security Investigations building.

Ice, DOJ Conduct 'Largest Single-State Worksite' Raid in U.S in Mississippi Today

"The execution of federal search warrants today was simply about enforcing the rule of law in our state and throughout our great country," United States Attorney Mike Hurst said about a series of ICE raids across Mississippi on Wednesday.

Newcomers Need to Know ‘the Best’

At the Jackson Free Press we track the pulse on the community in a lot of ways. One is through the annual Best of Jackson contest. Here are some categories from the 2019 contest that we believe would be beneficial to newcomers.

Need to Know Info

Important information on utilities and other services for people living in Jackson.

Reformer Jody Owens Wins Hinds DA's Seat, Other Races Head to Runoff

Jody Owens, a civil-rights attorney running on a "decarceral" platform with national backing, will become Hinds County's new district attorney following the Aug. 6 primary.

Exploring Jackson’s History

Jackson is a city overflowing with history—civil-war history, civil-rights history, prehistory and much more. For decades it's been a cultural hub in the South, a testament to the good and the bad here. These are some of its best museums and historic landmarks to visit.

In Gov Race, Dem Hood Vows to 'Expose Corruption,' Reeves in Runoff with Waller

With a hug from former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Espy, Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood stepped up to a microphone and proclaimed victory in his quest for the Democratic nomination for governor last night.

Christina Cooper: Combating Gun Violence with Film

When Christina Cooper was 19 years old, her ex-boyfriend, James Boyston, was shot and killed in Los Angeles, and to this day, police still haven't found his killer. His death set her on a path to use the medium of filmmaking to speak out against gun violence.

Refugees Locked Up In Mississippi: ‘Where Are the Family Values?’

Under the Trump administration, CoreCivic has a new mission at the Adams County Correctional Center: to house asylum seekers who are in the custody of the U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement agency, also known as ICE.

Rebuilding Community in High School Park

Isaac Norwood said he has noticed a change in the High School Park community over the last 10 years. People have started to move out of the neighborhood, there have been a few incidents of burglary and violence against elders and some of the property is dilapidated.

Jon Corey Jackson

Mississippi State Hospital Service Chief for Female Receiving Jon Corey Jackson's hero when growing up was his family medicine doctor, Dr. Henry Lewis, who still practices in Jackson's hometown of McComb, Miss. The doctor's work inspired Jackson to pursue the field.

2019 Primary Elections Watch Parties

Candidates for statewide and local offices are holding election night watch parties this evening as they await the results of the Aug. 6 primary races. Here are the times and locations of confirmed watch parties.

Espy Calls for Gun Reforms, Targets 'Rise of Violent White Nationalism'

The Democrat who lost to U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith in Mississippi's 2018 U.S. Senate special election, Mike Espy, broke his post-campaign silence to call for action on gun reform and against "violent white nationalism" in an email to supporters on Monday.

Howard Rambsy

Howard Rambsy, a Tougaloo College graduate and professor of literature at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, says he has been interested in blogging since around 2008, when he set up his own blog called Cultural Front.

Protect the Vote Re-Launches Toll-Free Voter Protection Number

The Mississippi Civic Engagement Roundtable, a non-partisan coalition, will open the statewide election protection program to assist voters with the August 6th Primary Election.

Wealthy Doctors' PAC, 'I.V. League' Help Tate Reeves Lead in Campaign Donations

The Mississippi Medical Political Action Committee donated $20,000 to Mississippi Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves, who is the only candidate in the governor's race who does not support some form of Medicaid expansion.

Mom's Trash Can, Jackson Hinds Library Events and Lobaki Investment

Mom's Trash Can, a Jackson-based group that holds swap meets for vintage toys, will host the Mom's Trash Can Toy & Collectibles Super Show on Saturday, Aug. 17, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Heritage Baptist Church.

Michael Watson Wants to Flag Citizen Status When Voters Register

If elected, Mississippi Sen. Michael Watson wants to use the secretary of state's office to run background checks on people when they register to vote—and flag people who may not be in the country legally.

Black Rose Performs 'The Music Man'

Black Rose is performing the musical "The Music Man" Aug. 2-4 and 8-11. The theater's performance will be more stripped down than some other versions, says director Joshua Harris.

GOP Gov Hopefuls: Expand Medicaid to Help ‘Working’ People; Reeves Abstains

A mostly white and conservative crowd at the Neshoba County Fair roared approval on Thursday as Republican candidates for governor pledged to bring the final piece of former President Barack Obama’s health-care law to Mississippi: Medicaid expansion.

Cedric Willis: Honoree of YMP Crime Forum at Walton Elementary

The late Cedric Willis is the honoree of a youth-crime forum tonight in Jackson where participants will brainstorm both causes and solutions of violence in the capital city.

MSU Stennis Flag Exhibit, Health Conference and DSU Lifetime Achievement Award

Mississippi State University will host the "Mississippi Stennis Flag Exhibition" beginning Thursday, Aug. 1. The exhibit is inside the Cullis Wade Depot Art Gallery on the second floor of the university's welcome center and will remain on display through Sept. 6.

In Neshoba, Lieutenant Gov Candidates Duel, Detail (Some) Issue Stances

In Mississippi, lieutenant governors are powerful, with executive and legislative roles. They serve as the president of the Senate, which gives them significant leverage in choosing the committee chairs who decide which legislation to prioritize—or kill.

Candidate Questionnaire: Henry DeWayne Fuller (Hinds County District 5 Supervisor)

The Jackson Free Press emailed questionnaires to each candidate in the Hinds County District 5 supervisor race. The answers are the candidates' verbatim responses, with no edits whatsoever.

Ellington