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Blame Game: Who's At Fault for the City's Crime?
Editor's Note: Links to all of the JFP's crime stories to date are archived below this story.
Daddy, Get Up: This Son of Natchez Wants Justice, Too
Photo of Wharlest Jackson Jr. by Kate Medley
When Wharlest Jackson Sr., 36, left his job at the Armstrong Rubber Co. in North Natchez the evening of Feb. 27, 1967, life was looking pretty good for him.
CRIME: Playing the Numbers
The question of whether Jackson is "safe" has become about as polarizing as "Ford vs. Chevy" or "fats vs. carbohydrates." It depends on whom you ask. Crime is up 15 percent. Crime is down this month. Crime skyrocketed in February. Crime is way down over the last decade. We're drowning in crime. We're safer than ever. Just look at the numbers. It seems this spring has been open season on crime statistics. Everyone says the numbers don't say enough, even as they try to use the statistics to their advantage, whether to push an ideology, build a political campaign, raise ratings, sell newspapers, bash the city—and sometimes even to try to prevent crime. Which brings us to the central questions. One, is crime completely under control or out of control? Two, do the statistics matter?
In the Zone: Getting Stricter
Sex-toy shops aren't the only local businesses pushing the limits of popular morality that are facing some challenges in the city of late. The Jackson City Council has passed a moratorium on the placement of new liquor stores in the city limits for 90 days; it awaits the mayor's signature. And, recently, shops that some see as pushing questionable practices—tattoo shops, body piercing, bingo parlors, among them—are facing tougher zoning challenges. The city's planning office asked the City Council to designate a list of certain types of businesses as C-2 businesses, meaning that they now have to go through a review process, rather than receiving approval simply by asking for it.
You See the Blue Lights: What Next?
To some, the question of police harassment is simple: If you're doing something wrong, the police should be able to stop you, no matter what. And if you're not drunk, why not just take the Breathalyzer test rather than "act guilty" by refusing?
Down a Southern Road
Monday, June 21, is the 40th anniversary of the deaths of James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner.
Moving Pictures
1. "Thelma and Louise" (1991) — Two morals in Ridley Scott's controversial film: rednecks are rednecks, so don't trust one in a parking lot. Second, dump the loser husband before you have to take a dive into the Grand Canyon. Great blowing-up-the-18-wheeler scene. Remastered DVD includes a "chick track" with commentary by stars Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon and screenwriter Callie Khouri and a deleted argument about beef jerky between the two lead characters.
‘Merit Pay:' So Many Meanings, So Little Time
Some people might find it confusing that so-called liberal Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., supported President George W. Bush's "No Child Left Behind" act, and is pushing for "merit pay" during his presidential campaign, especially considering that Bush campaigned on the issue the first time around.
JFP Interview: Education Governor William Winter
<b>*The JFP Unabridged Web Edition*</b>
The Neshoba County Fair this year was like a tale of five governors on Thursday, traditionally the hottest political fire-breathing day. In a way though, it was the story of two governors—one past, one present—with two very different ideas on public education. For his part, Gov. Haley Barbour says we are wasting money, that we're funding public education more than ever (at least using GOP math), that we need to focus on inefficiences instead of using more tax money to bring the state's education up to "adequate" levels, as established in a formula by the Legislature in 1994.
Another Storm Brewin'
David Baria says he's one of the lucky ones. That's a bit hard to fathom. After evacuating from Bay St. Louis with his wife, three children and their pets to family in Pascagoula, he returned the morning after the storm to see what was left, working through the maze of roads, around debris and then walking down the railroad track to get to his home.
God's Country: Katrina Sows Uncertainty In The Eye of The Storm
This story appeared five years ago in the days after Hurricane Katrina as many Gulf Coast residents sat waiting for help
After Killen: What's Next For Mississippi?
A common, and easy, response to race-dialogue efforts today in Mississippi is that there is racism everywhere, so why should Mississippians keep apologizing, or be constantly under the microscope.
Hear No Truth: The 10 Most Censored Mississippi Stories
It's an open secret that here in the Jackson area and in the state at large we suffer from superficial, incomplete, unfactual and sometimes non-existent coverage of vital news stories. We all know this is true. But what we don't always know is the truth behind the sensationalist, corporate-biased headlines—the information that is important to you and me as citizens.
Transcript: JFP Interview with DA Candidate Michele Purvis
Interview by Adam Lynch
Mt. Olive, and I'm not a Jackson resident. I live in Clinton. I've lived in Clinton about three years.
Missing Shannon: Family Wants Closure
August 29, 1999, was the last time Theresa McKinney heard from her daughter, Shannon. It was the mother's birthday, and Shannon always called her mother back home in Omaha, Neb., on holidays from wherever she was. She also regularly called her own little daughter, 4-year-old Alyssa, asking her to sing to her and tell her she missed her mommy.
Transcript: 2007 JFP Interview with DA Faye Peterson
Interview by Adam Lynch
In 1997, when I started working at the public defender's office, I got hired when they were trying to create this drug court prosecution thing, because drug cases were lingering on the dockets, they were not a priority, so they hired two ADAs, two public defenders to work on drug cases. Then, a few years later, they began the treatment aspect of the drug court program. When I became DA in 2001, the human aspect of the program had been in place maybe about two years. It was kind of struggling, but I liked the concept, because it gave people the opportunity for treatment under a court order.
The Charms of Frank Melton
Mayor Frank Melton and I disagreed on many things, especially the way he ran the city and his style of "crime-fighting," but we met in the middle on a few things.
Huge 'Leap' Show at Swell-o-Venue Friday
Swell-o-Venue kicks off their 2008 season on Friday, Feb. 29, with their first show of the year featuring Bear Colony (Esperanza Plantation), Look Mexico (Lujo Records) and Captain & Company (featuring ex-Colour Revolt-er Drew Mellon). Bear Colony are touring in support of their 2007 debut, We Came Here to Die, and are debuting new material on their first tour of 2008. Doors are at 7 P.M., the event is all-ages, and the cost is $10. Bear Colony will also be playing an earlier acoustic in-store performance at Be-Bop Record Shop (Maywood Mart) at 4 P.M. that is free to the public.
Snark: Gran, You're on the Internets!
The Clarion-Ledger re-re-re-designs its Web site and finds itself in logo limbo.
State Probes Melton's Lawn Crew ... Finally
Seven months after the Jackson Free Press revealed details about Mayor Frank Melton's young lawn crew, WLBT broke the news last week that the state auditor's office has requested materials on the enterprise.