Black ‘New Deal,’ Reparations Vital after Slavery, Discrimination, National Bar Leader Says
Newly sworn in National Bar Association President Carlos Moore said yesterday that he will champion the passage of various laws relating to voting rights, police reform and reparations.
Rental and Utility Assistance Available Through Event on Friday and Saturday
Starting at noon today, Jackson residents can go to the Mississippi Trademart at the Mississippi Fairgrounds for rental assistance through federal financial aid covering 15 months, and utility bill assistance for gas, electricity, water/sewer and trash removal.
Jackson Resident Gets $36,000 in Compensation After Sewage Backed Up Twice In Home
Sixty-four-year-old Ruby Holden, who stays at Hickory Cove in Southwest Jackson in Ward 4, will get $36,696.32 as compensation for the City's vacuum truck backing up the sewer into her home twice in 2020.
Jobs for Jacksonians Helped 500 Get Employed; JPS Holds Recruitment Events
More than 1,200 Jackson residents attended Jobs for Jacksonians jobs fairs in 2021, and 500 were placed in positions, Jobs for Jacksonians Coordinator Jonathan Barnett told the Jackson Free Press in an interview on July 19, 2021.
‘Saturating’ Jackson, More Drug Operations: Governor Launches 'Capitol Safety Initiative'
In a significant increase to the State of Mississippi policing footprint in the capital city, the Capitol Police will now extend its jurisdiction over the Capitol Complex Improvement District, Gov. Tate Reeves and Mississippi Department of Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell announced yesterday.
City to Forgive Unpaid Water Bills Starting July 19 Before Service Disconnection Starts Sept. 1
The City of Jackson is forgiving water-bill debt for residents who fulfill certain conditions. Mayor Chowke A. Lumumba announced at a press briefing yesterday that the program will start on Monday, July 19.
Misdemeanor Holding Facility Could Open in Jackson in Old Juvenile Detention Center
Holding cells to hold misdemeanor offenders could soon open in Jackson if the council approves the move after an evaluation process.
Second Inmate Found Hanging in Hinds County Jail
Hinds County jail officials found a yet-to-be-identified detainee hanging and unresponsive in his cell just after midnight on Tuesday, July 6. It will be the second hanging in the detention center in 2021.
Lumumba, City Council Members Sworn-in
Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba lists past achievements of his office after Hinds County Chancery Court Judge Denise Owens swore him in for a second term at the Jackson Convention Complex on Thursday, July 1.
A New Model to Solve Water Billing Problem?
Department of Public Works Deputy Director Carla Dazet gave an abysmal picture of the state of water billing in the capital city at the May 20, 2021, Jackson City Council Meeting.
Rescuing Human Trafficking Victims in Mississippi
The Pearl-based nonprofit Mississippi Center for Violence Prevention announced it was doubling the accommodation space for human trafficking survivors and their children on Thursday, June 24.
'Disappointed in Jackson': Woman Lost Home to Fire, Blames Slow Fire Dept. Response
Carolyn Johnson, a nursing assistant, lost all her belongings to a fire outbreak in her home on Burton Street on the night of Thursday, June 17, 2021. She blamed the slow response of the Jackson Fire Department for her loss.
‘This is Important for Your Health’: FLOTUS Visits Jackson to Push Vaccinations
Dr. Jill Biden held 13-year-old Christian Lyles, as he received vaccinations at Jackson State University, during her visit to the school on Tuesday, June 22, as part of White House's drive to shore up vaccination numbers in Mississippi.
State Senator Slams Voter Suppression Efforts at Black Voters Matter Rally in Jackson
Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus Chairwoman Sen. Angela Turner Ford, D-West Point, said on July 19 that attempts to purge voter rolls in Mississippi risk disenfranchising many people.
Jackson Water: City Plans Lead Testing of Every Line, Debt Forgiveness
The plan to overhaul the water-billing system in the City of Jackson will include testing each property for levels of lead, Public Works Department Deputy Director Carla Dazet told the Jackson Free Press in an interview on Tuesday, June 15.
Construction Starts For New Fire Station; Jackson's Juneteenth Celebration
A new fire station, Fire Station #20, is under construction to replace an old one falling into disrepair along Medgar Evers Boulevard.
Drag Racing and Stopping Traffic: City Adds Vehicle Towing Penalty for First Offense
Anyone who participates in drag racing in the Jackson city limits risks officials towing their vehicle, in addition to possible fines and jail time, a new ordinance indicates.
Lumumba Wins Re-Election as Jackson Mayor; Two Freshly Elected to City Council
After garnering just shy of 70% of the votes in a field of five mayoral candidates, incumbent City of Jackson Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba emerged the winner and will serve four more years.
Jackson Holds Municipal Election Until 7 p.m. Today As Water Woes Continue
Three independents, one Republican and one Democrat are on the ballot for today's Jackson mayoral election.
Jackson Zoo Workers Move From Contract Positions to Become City Employees
The status of workers at the city's zoo will change from contract employees to city employees starting Sunday, June 6.
Violence in the City: Victims’ Families Seek Closure, Police Respect
Radio silence from local law enforcement is a common and historic complaint the Jackson Free Press has long heard from family members who lose their loved ones to gun violence in Jackson.
USDA Holds Virtual Job Fair; Water Disruption Continues; Murder Sentencing
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has hundreds of immediate job openings available at a virtual job fair scheduled for 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, June 2.
City Approves $30 Million Loan for Sewer Repairs; 8,000 Not Getting Water Bills
If approved, the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality will disburse a $31,683,000 loan from the Water Pollution Control Revolving Fund Loan Program to help the City of Jackson resolve many of its sanitary sewer overflow problems.
After Children Hit by Cars for Years, Raymond Road To Get Multi-Use Path
Young people walking more than a mile between Forest Hill High School, at 2607 Raymond Road, and the Boys and Girls Club will soon have a multi-use path to avoid the risk of the high-traffic Raymond Road.
‘They Murdered My Brother’: Judge Drops Murder Charges Against JPD Officers
Desmond Barney and Lincoln Lampley, two Jackson police officers indicted for 62-year-old George Robinson's death, walked free on Thursday, May 20, after Hinds County Circuit Judge E. Faye Peterson rendered a directed verdict in the case.
Hinds County Removes Public Works Director; Water Supply Disrupted in Jackson, Byram
The Hinds County Board of Supervisors did not renew Interim Public Works Director Thelman Boyd’s contract, opting to appoint County Engineering Manager Charles Sims in the interim.
Mother Died in Madison County Jail After Pot Arrest, Family Sues for Negligence
Attorney Derek Sells of Cochran Firm accused those who run Madison County Detention Center of being in the practice of ignoring "serious medical conditions of inmates and just leaving them to die.”
Sewage Overflows in Jackson: A Lawsuit and an Emergency Cleanup Contract
On April 1, Carroll and Linda Rhodes filed a lawsuit against the City of Jackson seeking $500,000 in damages, saying the City's actions in diverting sewage from a collapsed sewer line in northeast Jackson harmed them.
COVID-19 Exacerbates Mental Health Challenges, Mayor Says
While proclaiming May as Mental Health Awareness Month in the City of Jackson, Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba said that the COVID-19 pandemic has mental-health implications for the capital city’s population.
Mayor Floats Guaranteed Income as Leaders Gather to Find Crime Solutions
A guaranteed income, a youth center, a focus on mental health and better engagement with federal help are some of the ideas that emerged from a recent special Jackson City Council meeting.
‘Rebel’ Businessman Dumps Suburban Waste into Jackson Sewage System
Andrew Walker, 71, may find himself in prison after pleading guilty to conspiring with others to wrongfully discharge 3 million gallons of industrial waste between December 2016 and October 2017 into the Jackson sewage system, court filings say.
Massive Fires Show Weakness of 911 in Jackson
Ward 1 Councilman Ashby Foote said that the inefficiencies in the running of the 911 system in the city might be due to staffing issues, and decried the "excessive time for the response to get through to the citizens" in some of the cases brought to his attention.
Mayor May End Business Limits, But Keep Mask Mandate; Fire Cause Unknown
While the capital city has improved COVID-19 numbers, it is too early to declare victory over the virus, Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba said at a press conference Monday.
Ward 7 Gets $22 Million, with $2 Million to Ward 2 in Four Years from 1% Tax
One out of every three dollars that the City of Jackson spent from the 1% sales-tax revenue from 2017 to 2020 went to Ward 7, a Jackson Free Press analysis of information obtained via records request shows.
Grizzell, Hartley Win Ward Runoffs; SWAC Game in Jackson; Parks and Rec. Is Hiring
Brian C. Grizzell and Vernon Hartley emerged unofficial winners of Wards 4 and 5 Democratic Party run-off on Tuesday, April 27.
Group Links Parole Reforms To Economic Development
Expanding parole eligibility in Mississippi comes with economic benefits, Rounds Consulting Group Inc. said in a March 2021 report. Currently, those incarcerated in Mississippi cost the state $14,600 per year in prison, the report pointed out.
Hinds County Announces Rental Assistance Program
Residents of Hinds County experienced financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic can now benefit from $7 million in federal rental aid, the Board of Supervisors announced Tuesday, April 20.
‘It’s Like a Little Landfill’: Fix Up Neighborhoods to Deter Dumping, Official Says
City of Jackson Solid Waste Division workers cleared illegal dumping on Glen Erin Street on Friday, April 16. City Council President and Ward 6 Councilman Aaron Banks said this is not the first time the crew has cleaned the street lined with six abandoned buildings.
After 16 Months Awaiting Trial, Suspect Found Hanging in Hinds County Jail
Justin Mosley, 21, a suspect found hanging on Sunday in his Raymond Detention Center cell, has been awaiting trial for 16 months, Capt. Tyree D. Jones, the sheriff's public information officer, told the Jackson Free Press Monday.
Jackson Water: City Approves $1.2.million to Improve O.B. Curtis Water Treatment Facility
Water production at the O.B. Curtis water treatment facility will get a boost after the City of Jackson spends $1,223,990 restoring a portion of it, Public Works Director Charles Williams told the Jackson City Council at its April 13 meeting.
Letter to Biden Says ‘Trump’s Racist Raid’ Caused Damage to Immigrants, He Must Reverse
A letter to President Joe Biden is demanding action to address the plight of immigrant workers in the wake of the August 2019 federal raid of food-processing plants in six cities in Mississippi.
An Eye on Equity: Clinic for Uninsured Offering Johnson & Johnson Vaccine on Saturdays in April
Jackson Free Clinic is offering a COVID-19 vaccination to anyone interested for the three remaining Saturdays in April—10th, 17th, and 24th.
Lumumba Wins Mayoral Primary, Two Ward Seats Head to Run-Off on April 27
With 13,735 votes for Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba in the Democratic mayoral primary on Tuesday, he won the Democratic nomination and heads to the June 8 general election to face Jason Wells and three independent candidates.
‘Figure Pulled Out of the Sky’: Mayor Swipes at Council for Approving $500,000 for Deputies
Putting $500,000 into the hands of the Hinds County Sheriff's Department to put deputies in the capital city is "fiscally irresponsible," Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba told the Jackson Free Press in a phone interview on April 3.
'We Are Beat Down’: Citing Crime and Defying Mayor, Council Clears $500,000 for More Deputies
The Jackson City Council has approved $500,000 for the Hinds County Sheriff’s Department over the objection of the mayoral administration and two council members in an agreement that no one has put on paper, yet.
The Race for Jackson Mayor: Security, Crime, Water Take Center Stage
Seven people are running against Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba to wrest the city's leadership from his grasp after his first term ends in early July.
City’s 911 Response Suffers from Dispatcher Vacancies, Need for Training
The problem of people experiencing emergencies not getting a response when they call 911 in the capital city needs urgent resolution, Ward 7 Councilwoman Virgi Lindsay said at the Jackson City Council work session on March 29.
City to Transport 400 Seniors for Vaccination at Medical Mall in April
Four hundred seniors will get COVID-19 vaccines at the Jackson Medical Mall on a yet-to-be-announced day in April, City of Jackson Constituent Services Manager Keyshia Sanders told the Jackson Free Press Thursday.
After 'Very Trying Year,' Jackson Opens Parks, Gymnasiums
The public can now access city parks, gymnasiums and community centers one year after the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11, 2020.
Jackson's Water Problem Affects Business Development, City Official Says
Planning and Development Director Jordan Hillman explained the business impact of the capital city's water problems in a virtual forum that the Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership hosted on March 19.