André de Gruy
André de Gruy did not want to be a public defender when he came to Jackson for law school 20 years ago. But recently, as the top lawyer in the Office of Capital Defense Counsel, his proudest moment came while sitting in the audience at the exoneration of Kennedy Brewer.
Jared Fogle
Eight years ago, Indiana University student Jared Fogle became an instant celebrity when he appeared in a series of television commercials for Subway restaurants. After losing 245 pounds by eating Subway twice a day and exercising, Fogle stood before viewers and showed them the now-famous pants he wore when he weighed 425 pounds before the diet.
Byron Knight
Twenty-eight-year-old Byron Knight had no original intention of opening a gourmet coffee shop. But after a friend consulted him about opening a new business in Fondren, he loved the idea.
Rob Hill
Framed pictures of friends, family and spiritual figures line the walls and desk of Rob Hill's dimly lit church office in Jackson. The 33-year-old pastor is enthusiastic yet soft-spoken as he speaks of his congregation at Broadmeadow United Methodist Church, marathon running and his love for preaching.
Vince Gordon
"Fast cars, fast motorcycles, fast women." That's how Vince Gordon describes his former lifestyle as a military policeman in Yokosuka, Japan.
'Recycling Is Not Ugly'
Despite having a joint art exhibit in the ARTichoke gallery, Jo Patterson, 46, and Alissa DiAmonti, 41, only recently met for the first time. The women's show consists of works made almost completely from found and recycled objects. "We want to show people that recycling is not ugly," DiAmonti says.
John Currence: ‘King of American Seafood'
John Currence was wiped out for days during the fifth annual Great American Seafood Cook-Off held in early August in New Orleans.
Sunny Smith
Dr. Sunny Smith started her career in journalism working with networks such as CBS Sports and Time Warner Inc. Now a mass communications professor at JSU, Smith believes she has found her calling.
Dianne Alford: Auctions, Babies, And Bread Pudding
After a busy lunch, traffic through Two Sisters Kitchen had slowed down by mid-afternoon last Friday when I met owner Dianne Alford. The restaurant, which has been a Jackson institution for almost 20 years, boasts Jackson's best fried chicken (as voted by Jackson Free Press readers repeatedly) and other trademark southern dishes.
Ruby Dixon
A typical conversation with Ruby Dixon in the halls of Lanier high school might go something like this: "Hey Ruby! Coming to choir practice today?"
Bringing Traditions Together
Dr. Beverly Lanzetta isn't afraid of life's Big Questions. The New Mexico author, ordained interfaith minister and monastic is the founder of the Desert Interfaith Church and the Interfaith Theological Seminary. She has written and edited six books on spiritual contemplation and contemporary religious thought.
Madeleine Albright Weighs In
Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright took questions from reporters, including the Jackson Free Press, after Friday's presidential debate. Here's what she had to say.
Gretchen Cook
Gretchen Cook was something of a child prodigy, spending her days reading instead of going to the beach near her home in Pensacola, Fla.
William Green
Dr. William Green is a bishop and an interdenominational chaplain, has studied Buddhism with the Dalai Lama and is a published religious scholar. But most people in Jackson call him "professor.
Rosemary Maxey
Rosemary Maxey is a veritable human Rolodex. Her friends often joke that she knows you, has heard of you or wants to get to know you.