JPS Set to Start Clearing Standards in Corrective Action PlanThe Jackson Public School District has a new 400-page corrective action plan to begin work on, and it is already asking the Mississippi Department of Education to approve its efforts one some of the required criteria.
10 Local Stories of the WeekThere's never a slow news week in Jackson, Miss., and last week was no exception. Here are the local stories JFP reporters brought you in case you missed them.
Mayor Calls Zoo's Move 'Disingenuous,' 'Disrespectful' to West JacksonIn his first public statement since the Jackson Zoo announced its board is now supporting its relocation from west Jackson to LeFleur's Bluff State Park close to Rankin County, Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba sternly advocated for the zoo to stay …
Yolett McPhee-McCuinOn April 4, the University of Mississippi announced the hiring of a new women's head coach, Yolett McPhee-McCuin, 34, who spent the last five seasons at Jacksonville University and oversaw a turnaround for the program.
As 83 Bridges Close, Speaker Gunn Unveils Revamped Funding ProposalAs the Mississippi Department of Transportation begins to close the 83 bridges Gov. Phil Bryant ordered closed on Tuesday, House Speaker Philip Gunn announced a nearly 60-page proposal to divert funding to the state's infrastructure.
Yarber Campaign Funder Mitzi Bickers Indicted in AtlantaJackson and Atlanta have been interconnected since the Mayor Tony Yarber era. Mitzi Bickers is one of those common threads, having worked on both Kasim Reed's campaign in 2009 and Yarber's in 2014.
Julie SeelyFor Julie Seely, figure skating is a meeting point between athleticism and the arts.
Philip ScarboroughSpot On Productions and Crossroads Film Festival co-founder Philip Scarborough, 46, says that though some filmmakers may choose to leave Jackson, he would rather be a big fish in a small pond.
Disenfranchised for Life? No Changes, YetStanley Barnes of Claiborne County was convicted of murder in 1990 and received a life sentence, but was paroled in 2000. He is still on unsupervised parole. Sen. Albert Butler, D-Port Gibson, introduced a bill this session to restore Barnes' …
State to Reauthorize, Monitor Visitors BureauPending Gov. Phil Bryant's signature, the State of Mississippi is reauthorizing the Jackson Convention and Visitors Bureau for another year, but with added strings attached.
Mayor Lumumba, Police Out of Sync?If you walked into Jackson City Hall two weeks ago at just after 7 p.m., you would have seen the mayor's chief of staff, Safiya Omari, in a tense, loud exchange with public defender Adofo Minka, who had just criticized …
Smith Park Grand Reopening, CU at the Zoo and AAF District 7 Spring ConventionSmith Park in downtown Jackson, which has been closed for renovations since November 2017, will reopen on Friday, April 13. A ribbon cutting for the refurbished park will take place in conjunction with Food Truck Friday, which runs from 11 …
Ed KingVicksburg native Ed King is one of the founders of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party and was a major figure in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s.
JPS: School Bond Issue to Go Before Jackson Voters this SummerDistrict leaders and school board members are preparing to bring a bond issue to Jackson voters, likely in June, to keep Jackson Public Schools' current millage rate—and tax rate for Jacksonians—at the same level.
City Metrocenter Lawsuit Set for Trial this MonthThe Metrocenter Mall, a former shopping center and office space hurt by white and economic flight, is now being repurposed as a "Comprehensive One-Stop Center" for workforce training programs, even as a City of Jackson lawsuit concerning its 2011 lease …
Mike EspyA Mississippi Democrat who was President Bill Clinton's first agriculture secretary officially announced his candidacy for U.S. Senate on Friday, saying he'll run in a special election to finish the term started by longtime Republican Thad Cochran.
City Announces Officer-Involved Shooting Task Force on Identifying Officers Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba has established a task force to provide recommendations for developing a Jackson Police Department policy that will govern the release of names of officers involved in a shooting, and the timeframe during which the release should …
Emily AllisonColorful anime art adorns the bright lime walls at HardRocs Tattoo & Piercing in Brandon, some framed and some taped. Drawings from tattoo artist Emily Riffle, who goes by Emily Allison, are spread out on a large corkboard, barely visible …
Bernie Sanders, Mayor Lumumba Have Campaign-Like Chat on MLK AnniversaryCries of "Bernie 2020!" accented the conversation between U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba at a town hall on economic justice 50 years to the night since Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis.
'Yes, Dr. King, How Can I Help You?': Black Rights Leaders Recall MLK Flonzie Brown-Wright, Charles McLaurin and James Meredith spoke at the 2 Mississippi Museums on Wednesday to commemorate the 50th anniversary of King's death and reflect on how his work affected them personally.
Alexia HarmonMississippi College infielder Alexia Harmon put on a superb performance at the plate against Union University over the course of their recent series March 30 and March 31.
Women, Whiskey, Watchdogs (and Dead Bills) at Session's EndLate in the 2018 legislative session, Rep. Jeff Smith, R-Columbus, talked about a night that his son broke curfew. His boy had spent his father's money on "whiskey, women and wasted the rest," Smith described.
Deeneaus PolkThe experiences Deeneaus Polk gained while doing research in Germany help him create and implement policies that focus on poverty and economic disparity in Mississippi.
Jackson City Council Pays for $1.6 Million Winter EmergencyLast week, the city council ultimately approved the $1.6 million in various emergency contracts for repairs to water lines and other engineering services, but not without some pushback.
Mississippi Outs Legal Immigrants on Drivers' LicensesAbigail Pina Mandujano had to start carrying her visa with her when she drives because her license is not enough to fend off questions from law-enforcement officials at roadblocks, she says.
Moving Jackson Zoo to East Jackson Leaves Hope BehindOn March 27, the Jackson Zoological Society board confirmed it will move to the eastern side of the city to LeFleur's Bluff State Park, closer to Rankin County than its long-time home on West Capitol Street.
The Jackson Public School District has a new 400-page corrective action plan to begin work on, and it is already asking the Mississippi Department of Education to approve its efforts one some of the required criteria.
There's never a slow news week in Jackson, Miss., and last week was no exception. Here are the local stories JFP reporters brought you in case you missed them.
In his first public statement since the Jackson Zoo announced its board is now supporting its relocation from west Jackson to LeFleur's Bluff State Park close to Rankin County, Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba sternly advocated for the zoo to stay …
On April 4, the University of Mississippi announced the hiring of a new women's head coach, Yolett McPhee-McCuin, 34, who spent the last five seasons at Jacksonville University and oversaw a turnaround for the program.
Belhaven University will host a free concert on Monday, April 23, at 5:30 p.m. in the Mississippi Museum of Art's Trustmark Grand Hall as part of the Composers' Orchestral Reading Session.
As the Mississippi Department of Transportation begins to close the 83 bridges Gov. Phil Bryant ordered closed on Tuesday, House Speaker Philip Gunn announced a nearly 60-page proposal to divert funding to the state's infrastructure.
Jackson and Atlanta have been interconnected since the Mayor Tony Yarber era. Mitzi Bickers is one of those common threads, having worked on both Kasim Reed's campaign in 2009 and Yarber's in 2014.
For Julie Seely, figure skating is a meeting point between athleticism and the arts.
Spot On Productions and Crossroads Film Festival co-founder Philip Scarborough, 46, says that though some filmmakers may choose to leave Jackson, he would rather be a big fish in a small pond.
Stanley Barnes of Claiborne County was convicted of murder in 1990 and received a life sentence, but was paroled in 2000. He is still on unsupervised parole. Sen. Albert Butler, D-Port Gibson, introduced a bill this session to restore Barnes' …
Pending Gov. Phil Bryant's signature, the State of Mississippi is reauthorizing the Jackson Convention and Visitors Bureau for another year, but with added strings attached.
If you walked into Jackson City Hall two weeks ago at just after 7 p.m., you would have seen the mayor's chief of staff, Safiya Omari, in a tense, loud exchange with public defender Adofo Minka, who had just criticized …
Jackson State University is $75,000 richer after students captured the top academic prize during the 29th annual Honda Campus All-Star Challenge National Championship Tournament in Torrance, California.
Smith Park in downtown Jackson, which has been closed for renovations since November 2017, will reopen on Friday, April 13. A ribbon cutting for the refurbished park will take place in conjunction with Food Truck Friday, which runs from 11 …
Vicksburg native Ed King is one of the founders of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party and was a major figure in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s.
District leaders and school board members are preparing to bring a bond issue to Jackson voters, likely in June, to keep Jackson Public Schools' current millage rate—and tax rate for Jacksonians—at the same level.
A Mississippi Democrat who was President Bill Clinton's first agriculture secretary officially announced his candidacy for U.S. Senate on Friday, saying he'll run in a special election to finish the term started by longtime Republican Thad Cochran.
Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba has established a task force to provide recommendations for developing a Jackson Police Department policy that will govern the release of names of officers involved in a shooting, and the timeframe during which the release should …
U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders travelled from one predominantly black city to the next on Wednesday for public appearances in commemoration of the 50-year anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination.
Colorful anime art adorns the bright lime walls at HardRocs Tattoo & Piercing in Brandon, some framed and some taped. Drawings from tattoo artist Emily Riffle, who goes by Emily Allison, are spread out on a large corkboard, barely visible …
MADDRAMA, a student performance troupe at Jackson State University, recently won nine awards at the 82nd National Association of Dramatic and Speech Arts Conference at Dillard University in New Orleans.
Cries of "Bernie 2020!" accented the conversation between U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba at a town hall on economic justice 50 years to the night since Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis.
Flonzie Brown-Wright, Charles McLaurin and James Meredith spoke at the 2 Mississippi Museums on Wednesday to commemorate the 50th anniversary of King's death and reflect on how his work affected them personally.
Mississippi College infielder Alexia Harmon put on a superb performance at the plate against Union University over the course of their recent series March 30 and March 31.
Late in the 2018 legislative session, Rep. Jeff Smith, R-Columbus, talked about a night that his son broke curfew. His boy had spent his father's money on "whiskey, women and wasted the rest," Smith described.
The experiences Deeneaus Polk gained while doing research in Germany help him create and implement policies that focus on poverty and economic disparity in Mississippi.
Last week, the city council ultimately approved the $1.6 million in various emergency contracts for repairs to water lines and other engineering services, but not without some pushback.
Abigail Pina Mandujano had to start carrying her visa with her when she drives because her license is not enough to fend off questions from law-enforcement officials at roadblocks, she says.
On March 27, the Jackson Zoological Society board confirmed it will move to the eastern side of the city to LeFleur's Bluff State Park, closer to Rankin County than its long-time home on West Capitol Street.