
Swell-O-Phonic Celebrates 20 Years, Spring Market and New Trade Mart
Ron Chane, owner of Swell-O-Phonic, Studio Chane and The Wonder Lab, is celebrating the 20th anniversary of Swell's opening with a series of events all week leading up to Saturday, March 17.

Natural Saga Tea, Launch Trampoline Park, Hollywood Feed and Microsoft Rocks
Clinton resident Bradley Bailey opened Natural Saga Tea at The Hatch in midtown on Feb. 1. The business sells Bailey's own blends of sweet, herbal and milk teas, which he started making after trying milk tea during a trip to California in 2016.

Club Vudu, The Murals and Spectacles
Club Vudu, a new nightclub coming to downtown Jackson, will hold its grand opening on Friday, March 2.

City Contracting Battles: Veolia, Fisher Fight On
A month has passed since the City held its first Equal Business Opportunity Review Committee hearing to mediate a dispute between the larger Massachusetts-based company, Veolia North America - South, LLC, and Fisher Construction of Jackson.

Beacon and Unbound Studios, La Brioche at the Museum Café and Crunch Fitness
Jackson natives Nicole Wyatt Jenkins and Jason Jenkins opened Beacon, which they describe as a "consciously curated, quality goods and creative supply shop," on Dec. 7 last year. The shop occupies the ground floor of the former Fondren Art Gallery location.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Show Love for the Local
Each year, on the week of Feb. 14, we party like it's every couple's wedding or dating anniversary on the exact same day. Before February even rolled around, I started getting emails from Amazon and all other manner of online market touting sales on a special something for my special someone.

Settlement Reached Over Clean Coal Fiasco in Mississippi
Years of contention and threatened electric rate increases ended Tuesday as utility regulators approved a settlement declaring how much Mississippi Power Co. customers should pay for their share of a troubled $7.5 billion power plant.

Equal Pay Included in Bill Prohibiting Cities from Raising Minimum Wage
An equal pay amendment is included in a bill the Mississippi House of Representatives passed this morning prohibiting cities from raising the state minimum wage.

Lounge 114, Steve's Ribs and Grill, and Jackson Roof Deployment Project
Steve and Lisa Beagles, owners of Doe's Eat Place, recently opened a new restaurant called Steve's Ribs and Grill.

House Passes Equal Pay Amendment, But Its Future Is Unclear
The Mississippi House of Representatives was expecting a leisurely Friday, but when Rep. Mark Baker, R-Brandon, took up House Bill 1241 this morning, things got interesting.

EDITORIAL: City Contracting Is a Mess, Must Be Repaired
It didn't take two women who can't get payment for hauling nasty sludge from a wastewater-treatment plant to convince the Jackson Free Press that the City's contracting system is a mess, and ripe for abuse and corruption.

OPINION: The Battle for Clear Water and Control in Jackson
Recently, the Jackson City Council dropped its appeal to block the West Rankin Utility Authority from building its own wastewater facility in lieu of using Jackson's Savanna Street treatment plant. Public Works Director Bob Miller made this recommendation as a "good faith" appeal to show Jackson will be a better service provider.

Good Faith, Bad Faith: City Contract Controversies Explode ... Again
Arneedra Smith-Gaddis seemed nervous when she stepped to the microphone in City Hall on Jan. 3, but Bridgette Gandy looked more composed. The two women subcontractors were there, separately, to tell the Jackson City Council that a local construction company had cheated them out of money paid through a municipal contract.

Entrepreneur Quarterly at Sal & Mookie's, Metrocenter Closing and Shipley Do-Nuts
Sal & Mookie's New York Pizza & Ice Cream Joint is partnering with Mantle. City Club to launch a series of meetings and networking opportunities for local entrepreneurs titled Entrepreneur Quarterly.

Mississippi Sues Over Mail-Order Shipments of Wine, Liquor
Mississippi officials are suing four mail-order wine sellers, saying they illegally shipped wine and liquor into the state.
Blogs
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- John Oliver Starts Miss. Company; Buys and Forgives $15m in Medical Debt
- Mississippi Hospitality & Restaurant Association Creates Campaign in Response to HB1523
- Corporate CEOs Call on Bryant, GOP Leaders to Repeal HB 1523
- Mississippi Manufacturers Association to Bryant: Veto the Anti-LGBT Bill
- Moe's Southwest Grill Returning to Jackson
- 540: A New 'Ultra Lounge' on Farish St. Just in Time for JSU Homecoming
- Attorney General Warns of Phishing Scam Targeted Mac Users
- C-L Delivered 13 Pink Slips?
- Women's Progress Nonexistent at the Top