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SUMMER SLAM II

Round 2, Obi Wan Kenobis. Here is another list of music crashing the party waves. Still waiting for some gala to reach Studio 54 proportions and blast every other late-nite shindig out of the water. Before I begin, a short review of the past few weeks:

Video: ‘Mississippi Edition' Interview with Middleton and Wagner of Center for Violence Prevention

Here are the multimedia feeds from this morning's interview by Karen Brown of Mississippi Edition on MPB.

The Fifth Annual Chick Ball Weekend—Friday and Saturday, July 24 and July 25

Friday night "Scutley Papers" play + singer/songwriters, $15 at Hal & Mal's door

Call 601.362.6121 ext. 16 to sponsor or arrange for donation pickup.

Mississippi Museum of Art - ArtRemix Photos Posted

Y'all, we got some great photos from the ArtRemix event at the Mississippi Museum of Art thanks to photographer Pat Butler. Click here to check out his online gallery.

Pardon Me? Chickfest Honors Rep. Brandon Jones

When Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour suspended the sentence of convicted domestic murderer Michael Graham last summer, citizens of Pascagoula were outraged. As shocked and furious as his community, freshman Rep. Brandon Jones, D-Pascagoula, knew something had to be done.

Stop the ‘Boys Will Be Boys' Attitude; It Kills Women

As we approach Chick Ball weekend—starting with a poignant one-woman show about a victim of domestic abuse and ending with a celebration of women and their art—I urge everyone to think back to September 2007 when Doris Shavers and Heather Spencer were brutally murdered by men who had supposedly loved them. The JFP did a detailed investigative narrative within days of those murders that showed that domestic abuse happens in all neighborhoods to all income levels, it a pattern that needs to be stopped, and is often not taken seriously by law enforcement (shown poignantly by documents in the story we obtained that showed how authorities mishandled the case after George Bell nearly killed Heather Spencer just weeks before he finished the job).

Remembering Uncle Walter

You might not remember Walter Cronkite, who retired from the CBS Evening News in 1981 after 19 years on the air. I grew up with him, though. Cronkite was news for me. America voted him "the most trusted man in America," and he had a well-deserved reputation for integrity and straightforward reporting.

CNN's Black In America 2 Watch Party July 22-23 @ Hal and Mals

Wednesday and Thursday July 22-23, CNN continues its investigation of the most challenging issues facing African-Americans with "Black in America 2." Soledad O'Brien reports on people who are using ground-breaking solutions to transform the black experience. Yardboy International has organized a "Watch Party" which begins both nights at 7pm in the Big Room at Hal and Mals. We want everyone to feel welcom to come and join us. Come with and open mind prepared to listen and speak your mind.

Look at All the 2009 Chick Ball Art and Prize Donors!

With the 5th Annual Chick Ball just days away, we are excited to celebrate the triumphs of domestic violence survivors, as well as the creative talents of women artists and musicians. The evening will also include a silent auction of art and gifts. All proceeds of the Chick Ball, including winning bids in the silent auction, go directly to the Center For Violence Prevention. Here's a list of some of our generous donors. View a full color shopping guide in the current Jackson Free Press.

Miss Ya-Ya and a Brand New Car

Yesterday was one of my fullest, weirdest, most interesting days as an intern. I usually work Monday through Thursday, and I wonder if all Fridays at the JFP are like this.

Have you ever had a day like this?

If I had a nickel for every time I went through something like this, I'd be a wealthy woman.

Never Meeting a Stranger

Do you remember when you were in kindergarden, when you teacher asked you to introduce yourself for the first time to everyone? Well, interning at the Jackson Free Press has been that experience times a hundred and I couldn't have been more happier.

Rad Balloon

On a blistering July 2 evening, I strolled around the Fondren business district, searching for complementary beverages during "Fondren After 5," and attempted to look as if I were a patron of the arts. Perhaps it was my paranoia, but each time I stepped foot into an art gallery or a boutique, I felt as if a silent alarm sounded, notifying everyone in the room that I was merely there to stake out the free wine.

Jail: My Experience

Last week I was arrested for a charge I am legally not old enough to commit. I was transfered to the downtown jail in a car that the officer was driving 70 mph in a 35 with no lights on. I was processed and held in handcuffs and shackles for about three hours. We were then transfered holding at the Raymond Detention Center. I was made to put on a orange jump suit and sit in a concrete room with about ten other guys. I did not sleep or eat the entire time I was in there, and at about seven in the morning we were taken out and ready to go to court. I did not have my rights read, hardly got a phone call, have another court date. When I was waiting on the bench for my name to be called, the judge, DA and just about everyone else near the bench were looking through books to see what my charge would be if I pleaded guilty. As they were looking, I called the DA over to explain to him my situation. After I told him, he asked my age and I told him I was twenty, and he suggested I plead not guilty. After I said my plea, he told the judge my age and requested that I bring my ID to the court and that my charges be dismissed. The judge looked at the information and followed by setting another court date. After the trials were complete we were shipped back to Raymond. I waited in a cell knowing that my bond was already at the office waiting for my signing. After waiting a couple of hours I finally had the chance to sign the sheet. After I signed my bond sheet I was sent back into holding though my ride was waiting for me. My dad was the one who had to tell the officer at the front desk to call down for my release. If he didn't do so, I am sure I would have been sitting there much longer. When I got out, my dad told me they had all of the information ready around 4 p.m. and they were ready to release me, but since it seems they have no managing at the center, my paper work sat on their desk until they wanted to do it. I was finally released by 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon.

How Often Should You Give?

My driving routine involves the same streets just about everyday. One day I was approaching the traffic light on Adkins Boulevard preparing to cross over to Beasley Road when I noticed a small man who appeared to be homeless sitting in the grass alongside the street. The light turned red as the man stood and waited for the cars to stop.

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