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Red Cross Wants You to Be Prepared
When an emergency strikes, will you and your family be prepared for it? September is national Preparedness Month, and the Central Mississippi Chapter of the American Red Cross wants to remind everyone about the importance of being ready when an crisis strikes, whether the emergency is a heart attack or a hurricane. Knowing what to do can save lives.
Ready for the Weekend?
Start the weekend right with music under the stars or under the roof Friday. Pack a picnic basket for the annual Pepsi Pops concert on the Rez in Ridgeland featuring the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra and a fireworks finale. If indoors is more your style, head to the Jackson Convention Complex for Dathan Thigpen and the Holy Nation as they film a live performance for a new DVD.
Legislators Scramble to Fill $25 Million Budget Hole
In the wake of the cigarette tax hike death, Mississippi lawmakers face a bankrupt fund designed to give drivers a car tag discount. Legislators were counting on revenue from part of the increased cigarette tax—$25 million—to shore up that fund, reports Forbes.com.
Saturday: Cookout with Robert Johnson
[verbatim] Friends of Jackson Democratic Mayoral Candidate Robert Johnson are hosting a cookout Saturday, May 2, 2009 at Lake Hico, 4801 Watkins Drive from 12 noon to 4:00 p.m. The former Jackson Police Chief, Corrections Commissioner and successful business owner will be there to meet residents and enjoy some good food and fun.
Public Meetings This Week
Monday, August 17
4 p.m., Jackson City Council, Council Chambers, City Hall, 219 South President St.
Utility Watchdog Employees Furloughed
Among the budget bills that failed to get to the governor's desk earlier this week were appropriations to fund the Public Service Commission and the Public Utilities agency. Without funding, the two state organizations are sending most of their employees home. The PSC is keeping on a skeleton crew of about 12 people, while Public Utilities shut its doors.
Barbour Defends Town Hall Confrontations
The recent spate of rowdy behavior at health-care town-hall meetings is because Americans don't understand the Obama administration's plan, Gov. Haley Barbour told reporters during a conference call Monday organized by the Republican Governors Association.
2009 Gulf Dead Zone May Hit Record Size
Imagine an area the size of Hinds County with virtually no life: you can't drink the water; seeds rot in the soil; and only cockroaches can breathe the air. It's as if a nuclear reactor exploded and nothing survived.
Board of Ed Names Interim Replacement for Bounds
The Mississippi Board of Education has named an interim education superintendent to replace Hank Bounds, who is the preferred candidate for the post of higher education commissioner, a position overseeing the Magnolia State's university system.
SafeCity Questions Candidates
A community organization with the purpose of making the metro Jackson area a safe place to live has published responses to its questions from 11 of the 15 candidates for mayor of the Capitol City.
Tonight: It's a Movie and a Benefit
Be honest. It's too hot to do much of anything but stay inside and watch a movie, right? Here's a perfect way for you to combine your love of the silver screen with your desire to do good. Tonight only, cruise up to Malco Grandview Theater to see the latest Will Ferrell movie, "Land of the Lost," starting at 7 p.m. For $10 each, you get the movie, a soft drink and popcorn, and all proceeds go directly to the Nicole Marquez Medical Fund.
Domestic Violence Victim
She could be anyone you know. She is white, African American, Latina, Asian or Native American. She might live in the Virden Addition, but then again, she could have a Belhaven or Madison address. Chances are high that she's a wife and mother. Perhaps she's your sister, your friend or the woman who works in the next office or cubicle.
It IS the Heat
We've all heard the old saw: "It's not the heat; it's the humidity." Well, during this extended early heat wave in Mississippi, the heat really is the thing to watch out for. Especially for those who finds themselves outdoors for any length of time, not paying attention to what your body requires in this unseasonable heat can make you sick. In extreme cases, this kind of heat can kill.
Mississippi Foreclosures Buck National Trend
New foreclosures in the Magnolia State remain relatively low despite other states reporting rates as high as one in every 55 homes. Mississippi foreclosures fell last month, in fact, by 25 percent, while nationally, foreclosures increased by 24 percent in the first three months of 2009. That statistic represents another 804,000 families losing their homes, bringing the national total to nearly 2 million.
Unemployment Hits 20 Percent in Mississippi County
The rate of unemployment in the Magnolia State either dropped slightly or rose slightly, according to the Mississippi Department of Employment Security, depending on how you count the numbers. Adjusting for the season, May's rate was 9.7 percent, and the June rate dropped just a bit, to 9 percent. In real numbers, however, 1,500 more people were jobless in June than May, meaning the unadjusted rate climbed to 9.8 statewide.
Seale Conviction Upheld
See full JFP coverage of the Dee-Moore case.
Mississippi Tourism to Benefit from Tax Incentive Bill
On Tuesday, one of the bills Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour signed into law expands tourism sales tax incentives to casinos for developing resorts and tourism projects unrelated to casino activities. The projects can include theme and water parks, museums and sports facilities, among others.
Back-to-School Tax Holiday This Weekend
If buying back-to-school clothes and shoes are on your agenda, this coming weekend is the time to make it happen. On Friday, July 31, and Saturday, August 1, clothing and shoes under $100 will be exempt from Mississippi's 7 percent sales tax.
BOOM Jackson Hot Off the Presses
The Jackson Free Press is proud to announce the second annual edition of BOOM Jackson magazine. Billed as a "love-letter to Jackson," the publication is a full-color, high-quality, 84-page publication distributed throughout the city, targeted to visitors and those looking at Jackson to move their families or businesses into the area.
Join the Candidates for Election Results
Part of the fun in voting comes when your candidate wins. Tonight, join one of the following mayoral candidates, along with supporters, volunteers and staff for an election night Watch Party.