PBS Cancels Childrens' ShowsThe Public Broadcasting System, PBS, announced Friday that they will stop distribution on two long-running childrens' television programs: "Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood" and "Reading Rainbow." The programs began airing in 1968 and 1983, respectively.
All Shook Up: Jam-Packed Weekend AheadEnd August by doing something good for Mississippi's youth. Tonight, attend the "Rise Above for Youth" benefit dinner and silent auction at the Safe Harbor Family Church, starting at 5 p.m. Or, if the words "swine flu" have you all …
County Supes Want to Dispute FeeHinds County is looking to dispute a $237,784 severance fee it owes the Pearl River Basin Development District. The state Legislature rendered the county's participation in the multi-county district optional in 2001, and several counties have since jumped ship, including …
Katrina: Four Years and Billions Later, Work RemainsOn Aug. 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina roared inland from the Gulf of Mexico, virtually flattening the Mississippi Gulf Coast. In New Orleans, the storm proved what experts already knew: The city's levees were inadequate in the face of Katrina's wrath, …
Heping LiuJackson State University associate professor Heping Liu won a nearly $500,000 award from the National Science Foundation to fund his research over the next five years.
Ole Miss Tweets for Energy SavingsThe University of MississippiOle Misshas teamed with Jackson company SmartSynch as part of its "Red, Blue and Green" initiative, moving the university toward energy sustainability, which includes water and energy conservation, waste minimization, recycling and more. SmartSynch is in the …
BOOM Jackson Hot Off the PressesThe 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 …
Business News In and Around JacksonLast Friday, Aug. 21, the <b>James Meredith Lounge</b> opened in the Farish Historic Street District at 217 Griffith St. Civil-rights legend James Meredith owns the lounge, which his niece, Meredith McGee manages.. The lounge is open Friday and Saturday evenings …
Jerusha DeGroote StephensOn July 1, Mississippi became the 44th state in the nation to license non-physician acupuncturists. This week, Jackson resident Jerusha DeGroote Stephens received the state's first acupuncture license. It's a fitting distinction for Stephens, as she helped lead the campaign …
State Unemployment Tops 10 PercentMore than one out of every 10 Mississippians was officially unemployed in July138,100 individualsaccording to new data released by the state Department of Employment Security, with the state's unadjusted rate hitting 10.5 percent. Three counties reported jobless rates over 20 …
Voter ID: Partisan Posturing?Mississippi Democratic Party Executive Director Sam Hall is accusing Republican Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant of pushing for voter identification for political reasons. "We have to ask if this is nothing more than an attempt to drum up support over another …
JPS Employee Raised Overbilling Concerns in 2008Over a year ago, a Jackson Public Schools employee warned supervisors that a private tutoring company may have overbilled the district by $400,000 or more. To date, JPS has not sought repayment, however, despite receiving citations from the state for …
Carlton MartinFootball talent came naturally for Carlton Martin. The 6-foot-2-inch, 270-pound Brandon native is a senior defensive lineman for the Madison Central Jaguars.
Forester Alleges ‘Irresponsible' Clear-Cutting SchemeA former Mississippi Forestry Commission employee from Franklin County says he can account for the surge in revenue from Section 16 timber sales reported by the Mississippi Secretary of State's office. "They pushed for me and every other county forester …
Focus on Women's Equality DayToday, National Women's Equality Day commemorates the 89th anniversary of women's suffrage, the day that women gained the right to vote in the U.S. While women have reached several milestones since then, research shows that there is still much progress …
Jackson Crime Stats for Aug. 17-23Major crimes in Jackson decreased again last week, according to a weekly report (PDF) released at a meeting today by the Jackson Police Department. Police reported 230 total crimes, down 7.6 percent from the previous week. Last week's total was …
Sen. Kennedy Dead at 77Massachusetts Sen. Edward Kennedy, 77, died early today of a brain tumor. Kennedy served in the U.S. Senate since 1962, when he took the seat held by his brother, John F. Kennedy, when John Kennedy became president, and held the …
Corps Says Lakes Plans Dead, Wants LeveesThe U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has told the local levee board that it has to agree on a flood-control plan for the Pearl River by the end of Septemberand is warning that two controversial development plans are likely already …
Political Parties Neck-and-Neck in MississippiMississippi is the second-most conservative state in the union, according to a poll released last week. The Republican Party, however, holds only a one-percentage point lead over Democrats in the state, which is statistically insignificant.
Rep. Bennie ThompsonOpening up a forum for civil discussion and debate, Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi's Second Congressional District addressed questions to more than 300 people last night on proposals for health-care reform. Standing shoulder- to-shoulder in Jackson's M.W. Stringer Grand Lodge, …
Extreme Makeover Coming to JacksonProducers of the ABC television show, "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," are seeking deserving Jackson families to feature on the show. To be eligible, a family must own their single family home and be able to show producers how a makeover …
$86.7 Million Green Renovation for McCoy BuildingMayor Harvey Johnson Jr. met with members of the Hinds County legislative delegation, representatives of the U.S. congressional delegation and local business advocates to celebrate $86.7 million in renovations for the Dr. A. H. McCoy Federal Building, at the corner …
Green Stimulus Funds Come to Jackson and StateA Jackson-based company will receive $3.75 million in federal stimulus funds to improve energy efficiency in public buildings around the state. The company, SmartSynch, provides smart grid infrastructure, in the form of energy meters, software and wireless networks. SmartSynch's metering …
Jackson Public Meetings This Week6:30 p.m., Health-care Town-Hall Meeting with Rep. Bennie Thompson, Stringer Grand Lodge, 1072 J.R. Lynch St.
Brad HooeyBrad Hooey is the manager of High Noon Cafe, Jackson's only strictly vegetarian and vegan restaurant operated by Rainbow Cooperative Grocery in Fondren. Tonight, Hooey will lead a meeting on the restaurant's uncertain future.
Town Hall Meeting in Jackson TonightRep. Bennie Thompson, Mississippi's Democratic congressman from the state's Second Congressional District, will host a town-hall meeting in Jackson tonight. The meeting, providing an opportunity for constituents to get their questions answered about the health-care reform measures being debated in …
Mississippi Test Scores Show Mixed ResultsThe Mississippi Department of Education released 2009 state school test results today showing slight gains in some areas and decreases in others. The 2008-2009 school year was the second year during which students took a more rigorous series of exams, …
Ready for the Weekend Jackson?If you can't find entertainment in Jackson this weekend, you're just not looking. Start the weekend right by heading to the Underground 119 grand opening, starting with a happy hour at 4 p.m. Take a look at the feature story …
Cooking up Something GoodToday the Viking Cooking School, along with its partners Riverwood Home Appliances and Everyday Gourmet, will open its doors to the public. The grand opening is from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., with cooking demonstrations, food tasting and drawings for …
Film Company Casting in MississippiIf you've had dreams of gracing the silver screen, Cypress Moon Productions may be able to grant your wish. Today and tomorrow, the Alabama-based film company is holding casting calls for an upcoming production of "The Story of Bonnie and …