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From Outrage to Sadness
The Nov. 8 front page of the online edition of The Clarion-Ledger featured, unsurprisingly, a picture of President-Elect Barack Obama. Plastered above the picture was a headline that, maybe surprisingly, maybe unsurprisingly, read: "Incidents Reflect Racial Tension."
Rethinking "Tough on Crime"
Gov. Haley Barbour left a lot of people reeling with his recent round of pardons and clemencies. Among the list are vicious, premeditated murderers. It wasn't the first time he's done this--remember that we broke the news of his string of woman-killer pardons in 2008--but this time the state and national media actually paid attention.
[Gregrory] Pregnant With Possibilities
I'm currently 11 million months pregnant. I feel like a member of the pachyderm family. One would think that I would be excited about having a baby sometime in the next month and finally becoming a mother.
[Gregory] Sweet Bird Of Nokia
My office downtown is close to Smith Park. Often, during my 15 minutes of government-mandated break time in the afternoon, I walk to the park and sit on a bench to enjoy my state-sanctioned five-minute cigarette. I like Smith Park for the bossy squirrels and the large fountain. The sound of water running—besides making me want to pee—relaxes me and allows me a few minutes where the worries of the day aren't nipping at my heels.
The Santa Situation
Stores have decked the halls, and Christmas music is playing on radio stations. As the holiday approaches, children anticipate the magic of the season and people ask my kids, "Is Santa coming to your house this year?"
‘Working Together Works'
It happens that in the same week that the JFP is celebrating its eighth anniversary, the Fondren Association of Businesses (FAB) celebrated its own milestone--the second-annual members' meeting, this time in the newly re-monikered Duling Hall.
[Balko] Cops Don't Check Civil Rights at State House Door
The debate over whether citizens should be permitted to record on-duty police officers intensified this summer. High-profile incidents in Maryland, Illinois, Florida, Ohio, and elsewhere spurred coverage of the issue from national media outlets ranging from the Associated Press to Time to NPR. Outside the law enforcement community, a consensus seems to be emerging that it's bad policy to arrest people who photograph or record police officers on the job.The Washington Post, USA Today, the Washington Examiner, The Washington Times, and Instapundit's Glenn Reynolds, writing in Popular Mechanics, all weighed in on the side that citizen photography and videography can be an important check to keep police officers accountable and transparent.
Change is Here
Change is a good thing, but it can be a hard thing to do. When you are stuck feeling like you are spinning your wheels, then it is time to do something drastically different.
Sanctuary City
Stop the presses. They're calling Jackson a "Sanctuary City." The only one in Mississippi. Pass the Champagne!
[Stiggers] Theory of Gougenomics
Boneqweesha Jones: "Welcome to the Hair-Did University School of Cosmetology's Summer Lecture Series, at the Club Chicken Wing Multi-Purpose Community Development Complex. The guest speaker is Dr. Otis 'Nickel-N-Dime' Wilson of the Ghetto Science Team's Economic Development Council."
Come Together
After a much-needed Waffle House run last Sunday, my fiancé and I hopped into the car and headed home. Like most times we're in the car, he soon turned the radio dial to our favorite news station, and turned up the volume.
[Rutland] How to Know If You're Alive
Some people need it spelled out for them, you know?
[Stiggers] Gone But Not Forgotten
Miss Doodle Mae: "It's been a very rough couple of weeks for the staff of Jojo's Discount Dollar Store. The people we have known, respected and honored are gone.
Celebrate the Best, Fix the Rest
The JFP applauds every person, business and organization that is making the capital city into a very special place. The world is starting to take notice.
[Fainberg] Saving Our Children
America's health-care delivery system is riddled with racial and economic disparities—certainly old news. But here in the South, these words resound with a troubling new accuracy as the youngest members of our communities are dying.
Where the Jobs Are in 2010
If we're lucky, we're coming out a deep recession and looking at economic growth that, hopefully, will mean jobs, consumer spending and new business investment nationally. Jackson is poised to take advantage of economic revitalization, but to do it, we'll need to pull together and create opportunities.
Of Truth and the Shortest Month
I admit it: I've never been Black History Month's biggest fan. Let me put that another way: I don't like how media tend to treat Black History Month. Too often, it is a vehicle for selling ads on a special page to commemorate black history, usually with predictable images or talk of little-lady Rosa Parks suddenly getting tired and refusing to get up out of her seat. (No. She was a trained activist; the historic moment was planned.)
[Colom] Payday Lending: Bad Business
Each month, before receiving his Walmart paycheck, Mike* gets a payday loan. In exchange for the money, he writes the store a check for the amount of money he receives, plus an additional $22 for every $100 he borrows.
All God's Children
One image won't leave my head since I finished my part of the cover story I wrote this issue with freelance writer Valerie Wells (starts here): A deputy with his foot against a door as a desperate mother tries to get through to be with her 13-year-old son during a police interrogation that will elicit a murder confession that may or may not have any truth to it.
Fresh and Local, Every Day
One night a few weeks ago, Todd and I left the office at our too-usual time of 8 or 9 p.m. We ran through McDade's to pick up dinner supplies.