Ermea Russell
On May 23, Ermea Russell will begin her term as a Mississippi Appeals Court judge. Gov. Haley Barbour appointed her last week.
Abigail Susik
With less than 24 hours before The Plant on Highway 80 is transformed into a participatory arts event with more than 40 projects, FIGMENT Jackson Lead Curator Abigail Susik is calm as she helps artists set up their projects.
Michael Hrivnak
Michael Hrivnak has spent the past few days sending miniature rubber ducks on a test swim through Smith Park's fountain in downtown Jackson. This weekend, more than 300 ducks will race to raise money for Stewpot Community Services during the Arts Alive! festival.
Marie Owens
Marie Owen wants to create a greater sense of community between her neighbors and the rest of the city through the concept of co-housing. Owen and her sister Hilda Owen attended the Cohousing Conference 2010 in Boulder, Colo., last June, and started laying the groundwork to form a co-housing community in Jackson. "(A co-housing neighborhood) is a neighborhood that's turned inside out. Our neighborhoods now are built for cars, not people," Owen says.
Julie Skipper
A four-year downtown resident and a thriving socialite who enjoys the nightlife and all things Jackson, Julie Skipper once vowed to never return to Mississippi upon leaving for scholarly pursuits.
Justin Schultz
Justin Schultz believes that Jackson's arts scene is exceptionally supportive.
Juanita Ward
Former Callaway High School and Tulsa Shock women's basketball champ Juanita Ward, 23, is bringing the round ball to kids in Bolton this month with a two-part basketball camp.
Debra Wertz
After Debra Wertz's son was diagnosed with bipolar disorder 15 years ago, she made it her mission to help other parents who were going through the same thing. Wertz has been working to help families for more than six years.
Cynthia Stuart
Cynthia Stuart came to theater late in life. Winning her battle with cancer heightened her enthusiasm. Although she had worked in music education for years, Stuart did not consider herself an actress until she auditioned for and won the lead role in a Black Rose Theatre production of "Hello, Dolly!" at age 47.
Cindy Clegg
Even though Cindy Clegg is busy making last-minute preparations for tonight's "Take a Tasty Bite Out of Crime" fundraiser, she is eager to explain the importance of raising money for the public-safety initiatives in the metro area.
Judy Barnes
Judy Barnes is planning a church rummage sale tomorrow where everything is free, no strings attached.
Gwendolyn Magee
Jackson-based artist Gwen Magee, whose vibrant quilts elevated a traditional craft to nationally acclaimed works of art, died yesterday. Magee, who was intensely private, had been battling a long-term illness, but her death was unexpected, her friend Wendy Shenefelt told the Jackson Free Press today.
Tori Thompson-Davis
In the stark light of Jackson's spoken-word scene, Scarlette, aka Tori Thompson-Davis, reigns with a silver tongue, hip-hop flair, and sonnets of soul and strife. She speaks in adroit tones and rhymes about love, pain and redemption. She doesn't sugarcoat or soften her words. This is the world as it is, seen through Scarlette's sharp eyes and described through even sharper prose.
Tracey Clemons-Frazier
Tracey Clemons-Frazier knows that Jackson's McWillie Elementary School is something special. A 10-year veteran teacher at the school, Clemons-Frazier believes that committed parents, dedicated teachers, a strong administration and an engaging curriculum help make McWillie one of Jackson Public Schools' most successful. This evening, students and staff at the school celebrate McWillie's status as a "Star School," the highest designation on the statewide school grading system.
Brunetta Sarpong
Brunetta Sarpong may not get paid for the work she does, but that doesn't mean she takes her title of volunteer lightly. On April 19, Jackson Public Schools named Sarpong the district's Parent of the Year for the 2010-2011 school year.