Justice

Real Mississippi Stories the Mainstream Ignored

JPS Troubles with Federal Tutoring Funds

Censored! Top 10 News Stories Ignored by the Mainstream

Peter Phillips, director of Project Censored for 13 years, says it's impossible, to try to get major news media outlets to deliver relevant news stories that serve to strengthen democracy.

[Balko] ‘It Opened Our Eyes'

How the paths of two very different families crossed to cheer the release of a wrongly convicted man.

Lies, Damn Lies and ‘Dangerous' Rankings

Heard that Jackson is one of the "most dangerous" cities? Read the fine print.

[Balko] A New Trial for Cory Maye

Mississippi's Court of Appeals affirms a right to a local jury.

Ole Miss Students Social Networking Against Klan

The Mississippi White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan plans to protest the University of Mississippi's decision to drop a controversial pep song Saturday before the football game against Louisiana State University. In response, Ole Miss students of all races are using Facebook to organize opposition and counter-demonstrations.

FBI Seeks Cold-Case Next of Kin

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is reassessing more than 100 unsolved civil rights era cold cases, and is searching for victims' next of kin to notify the families of their results, according to a release from the agency. In 33 of the cases, the FBI has not found next of kin, including 11 from the Jackson division, listed below.

Jackson Violent Crimes Drop Again; Property Crimes Increase

Major crimes rose slightly last week in Jackson, with a drop in violent crime offset by a rise in property crimes, especially house burglaries. According to statistics released at a Jackson Police Department command staff meeting this morning, patrol officers reported 21 violent crimes last week, down from 36 the previous week, and 186 property crimes, up from 158 the week before. Those figures are consistent with recent trends: For the year to date, violent crime is down 10.8 percent over 2008, while property crime is up 0.9 percent.

Corps Responsible for Katrina Flooding, Court Rules

More than four years after Hurricane Katrina roared out of the Gulf of Mexico, yesterday a federal court ruled against the Army Corps of Engineers for their failure to properly maintain a shipping channel, reports CNN.

Love Thy Neighbor

I grew up in the Episcopal Church, and it was the center of everything my family did. From Sunday school to youth group and potluck dinners, the church provided a sense of community and belonging.

New Chief Shakes Up JPD Staff

New Jackson Police Chief Rebecca Coleman announced several changes to her command staff on Friday. The moves include promotions and some shifting of responsibilities among deputy chiefs.

[Murphy] Breaking Out

I'm often struck by the way that many people live half-truthfully, editing out personal information that they deem unsavory to others. I'm not sure if this is a southern phenomenon, or simply a trend among those of us who are the black sheep in our families.

Nature vs. Nurture

In the western world, the earliest works depicting homosexuality come from the ancient Greeks, where the practice of adult men having sexual relations with male youths was considered quite normal. The term lesbian dates back to the Greek poetess Sappho, born on the island of Lesbos between 630 and 612 BC. Plato (427 to 327 BC) praised same-sex relationships in his early writings.

Safer Schools Now

School is not always the most comfortable, or safest, place for a gay student.

Ceara's Season

Ceara Sturgis' home in Wesson, Miss., is filled with cookie jars. Ancient, smiling caricatures of 1950s-era "Campbell's Kids" join recent additions featuring the likeness of the M&M characters.

Ellington