Karen ParkerBefore Byron Knight opened Sneaky Beans coffee shop on North State Street in Fondren, just about a year ago, the little house was home to Karen Parker's store, New Vibrations, for more than four years. The aroma of coffee has …
Swine Flu Vaccine Injections AvailableThe Mississippi Department of Health has received an injectable version of the Swine Flu vaccine, reports WXVT. Spokeswoman Liz Sharlot said the state took delivery of 60,000 doses of the new vaccine in addition to the 69,000 doses of the …
Mississippi Farmers Could See 100 Percent Crop LossesThe Mississippi State Fair isn't the only thing suffering because of the state's run of bad weather. The state is considering declaring entire Mississippi counties disaster areas because of enormous farming losses due to weather, said Mississippi Department of Agriculture …
Hinds Supes Go to Executive Session on Detention CenterHinds County Supervisors considered adopting a memorandum of understanding with a youth justice advocacy organization at a board meeting this morning. The proposed memorandum, which the board discussed in a closed executive session, would establish acceptable staff-to-youth ratios at the …
Dr. James Bowley"I love my job!" proclaims Dr. James E. Bowley on his Web site. Bowley, an associate professor in the Millsaps College department of religious studies, teaches courses on the Bible and related religious traditions: Judaism, Islam and Christianity. "What's not …
Community Events and Public Meetings This WeekRaise the Roof, Oct. 19-23, at Jackson Medical Mall (350 W. Woodrow Wilson Ave.). The Jackson Medical Mall Foundation prepares the homes of four senior citizens in the community for the cold weather. To volunteer, call 601-982-8467 ext 21.
Fair Extended Through TodayWith attendance nearly rained out during the regular run of the Mississippi State Fair, organizers extended the run on Friday, hoping to make up some of their expected revenue. Attendance today, Oct. 19, is discounted, with parking, rides and foods …
School Proponents Urge Budget Cut RestraintEducation advocates are urging Gov. Haley Barbour to resist making further cuts to the state's education budget in response to revenue shortfalls yesterday. Barbour warned this week that more budget cuts will be likely in fiscal year 2010 and again …
Supreme Court: Fairview Illegally ZonedThe Mississippi Supreme Court refused to revisit its August decision regarding a four-star bed and breakfast in Jackson. The court had earlier decided that the city of Jackson had illegally spot-zoned the property for the Fairview Inn, on Fairview Street …
Linda FrancombWhen Linda Francomb's daughter, Heather Spencer, was brutally murdered by her boyfriend Sept. 11, 2007, Francomb could have chosen to spend her days wallowing in grief; no one could have blamed her. Instead, the tragedy galvanized her to get busy, …
What To Do This WeekendLooks like we may have seen the last of the summer heat, and the rain may finally be clearing out. Saturday will be a great day to grab a sweater and finally get to the Mississippi State Fair if you …
Funds Available for Home HeatingFor Mississippians who need assistance heating their homes this winter, federal funds are available to help those eligible pay their gas and electric bills through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, administered through the Mississippi Department of Human Services.
Johnson: Test Scores Reflect Education FundingMississippi NAACP President Derrick Johnson blames legislators for the state's low rank in a national summary of elementary school math grades. "The Nation's Report Card: Mathematics 2009," released yesterday, outlines achievements of fourth- and eighth-graders on the National Assessment of …
Jackson Police Putting Focus on Property CrimeAssistant Police Chief Lee Vance called on Jackson police to concentrate on property crimes in the city, noting at a meeting today that the Jackson Police Department has a "realistic chance" of finishing the year with an overall crime reduction …
Quentin WhitwellQuentin Whitwell, 37, is a local political advisor and the go-to guy for many campaigns in the state. He co-founded the largely Republican government-relations firm The Talon Group in 2004, along with political strategist and former Jackson City Councilman Chip …
Bus Drivers Fighting for Contract ImprovementsSchool bus drivers in Hinds, Madison, Clay and Yazoo counties are negotiating for better wages to bring them up from the lowest levels in the area. The drivers, employees of First Student are members of the Teamsters Union. Currently, their …
Jewish Organization Asks City to Block Holocaust DenierThe American Gathering of Jewish Holocaust Survivors and Their Descendants sent an e-mail to the Jackson Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. last night asking him to bar Holocaust refuter David Irving from speaking at City Hall on Oct. 21.
Navy Going GreenU.S. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus says the Navy will go "green" in the next few years. Mabus appeared at the Fannie Lou Hamer Memorial Symposium Lecture Series Friday at the Jackson State University Student Center, where he surprised Myrlie Evers-Williams, …
STEPS: Barbour's Good Idea?A new Mississippi program that will use federal welfare funds to help hire new employees has many policy analysts excited. The Subsidized Transitional Employment Program and Services, or STEPS Program, which Gov. Haley Barbour announced Sept. 15, uses the state's …
Arthur JonesTwice a month, Arthur Jones, 34, dons his overalls and gets down to business. With a pocket designated for his thermometer, and using tools he forged himself, he lights the grill.
Baptist Hospital Gets Top National RatingsHealthGrades, a leading independent health care rating organization, has awarded Jackson's Baptist Medical Center more five-star ratings than any hospital in Mississippi, and ranks the center among the top 10 percent in the nation for vascular surgery, and gastrointestinal surgery …
BREAKING: Jackson 11th Best City For Small BusinessThe Jackson Free Press has just learned that Fortune Small Business has named Jackson a "best place to launch" a small business. Jackson ranks 11th on the magazine's list of mid-size American cities, which it released online today. JFP reporter …
Medical Mall Aids Seniors With ‘Raise the Roof'The Jackson Medical Mall will provide new roofs and other much-needed home repairs to four Jackson senior citizens through its fall "Raise the Roof" campaign. With seniors making up 65 percent of the city's residents, the initiative provides repairs too …
You Tell Us!In honor of this week's special ode to the onerous '80s, today's Person of the Day is a JFP staffer pictured here when he was a strapping young Jacksonian, complete with gold chain and muscle shirt. Can you tell who …
State Tops in Providing Healthy FoodsThe Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta have named Mississippi one of the top states in the country for providing healthy, nutritious foods in secondary schools. The CDC report, "Profiles 2008," looked at characteristics of health programs in secondary schools, …
Holocaust Denier Appearing in City Hall?Holocaust refuter David Irving will appear in Jackson City Hall Oct. 21, according to attorney Richard Barrett, of Learned, Miss. Barrett, a self-avowed white separatist, sent out an e-mail this morning promising that Irving would appear in City Hall at …
GO Zone Deadlines Coming and GoingLocal governments in southern and central Mississippi must begin using federal funds for disaster recovery by the end of the year, according to Gov. Haley Barbour. Barbour recently sent a letter to the 39 cities and counties that received a …
Kristen ThigpenBefore accepting her new job with the Mississippi Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Kristen Thigpen didn't personally know anyone who had been a victim of intimate partner abuse. Since she took the job Oct. 1, she's been researching the issue, which …
Public Meetings and Community Events69th Annual Beauty Professional Association Meeting Oct 10-13, at the Clarion Hotel (5075 Interstate 55 S.). Manufacturers and vendors will be on hand in the Exhibitor Hall. The President of the National Beauty Culturists League, Dr. Katie Catalon, is the …
Unclaimed Property Booth Set Up at FairOne of the more unusual booths at this year's Mississippi State Fair is the one manned by the state treasurer's office. Staffers at the Unclaimed Property Booth, located inside the Trademart building, will attempt to match residents with more than …