MDOT Approves Fortification Street ProjectA Mississippi Department of Transportation commission voted to approve a plan to narrow Fortification Street and install traffic-slowing features Wednesday. "Obviously we're extremely pleased that we received an affirmative vote on the alternative 3B plan for Fortification," said Ward 7 …
11/12 Markets Down Again on Jobless NewsThe number of people filing for unemployment benefits hit a staggering number last week -- 516,000, making it the highest week since shortly after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001. The result was another downturn in the market, with the …
André de GruyAndré de Gruy did not want to be a public defender when he came to Jackson for law school 20 years ago. But recently, as the top lawyer in the Office of Capital Defense Counsel, his proudest moment came while …
Frustrated Voters Overhaul CourtElection Day brought an upset of Mississippi Supreme Court Chief Justice Jim Smith, a U.S. Chamber of Commerce favorite, but the outcome may not have loosened the corporate lobby's influence on the court's decisions. The Chamber spent millions of dollars …
GOP Panic: How to Save the ‘Party of Lincoln'The Grand Old Party is living up to the "old," according to Nov. 4 exit polls. The poll revealed the vast brunt of Republican voters to be elderly, rural and overwhelmingly white in a country that is increasingly none of …
Dancing with RaceCharles Evers is a Republican Barack Obama supporter. A radio talk show host and the manager of WMPR 90.1 FM, a local blues and gospel radio station, Evers has lived here since 1963, when his brother, civil rights leader Medgar …
Barbour Announces 2009 Spending Cuts; Spares MAEP[Verbatim statement] (JACKSON, Mississippi) – Governor Haley Barbour today ordered Fiscal Year 2009 spending cuts totaling $41.9 million, or two percent, for most state agencies due to a shortfall in state tax collections. With revenue falling 2.3 percent below estimates, …
City to Take Over Bus SystemA surprised Jackson City Council learned Monday that the city of Jackson is planning to take over its public bus system. The Melton administration informed the council of the new development after the city failed to reach an immediate contract …
Craigslist CrackdownMississippi Attorney General Jim Hood has announced that the attorneys general in 42 other states have reached an agreement with Craigslist in which the online classified-ad Web site will crack down on inappropriate content and illegal activity in its erotic …
‘Evil Motive' Question Looms as Melton Trial DelayedA federal judge agreed today to delay the civil rights trial of mayor Frank Melton and his former bodyguard, Michael Recio, until Jan. 5. Judge Daniel Jordan granted a last-minute motion for continuance filed by Recio's attorney, Cynthia Stewart.
11/10 Dow Dips Under 8,900While the dip wasn't as dramatic as in weeks past, the Dow did fall less than a point today lead by U.S. automotive stocks that are taking a hit as they seek a government handout from the government. GM is …
Byram Middle School Honors Military Veterans[Verbatim] There will be a Veterans' Day Program on November 11, 2008 at 9:00 a.m. at Byram Middle School. Veterans, currently serving military personnel and the public are all invited to share in remembering and honoring our veterans. Please come …
[Wicker] Congress Continues Effort to Protect BorderIn a positive development for our nation's ongoing effort to stop illegal immigration, the president recently signed into law legislation that provides needed funding for border security programs. The funds were contained in the 2009 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) …
Money Management Tips for the Newly UnemployedJackson, Miss.--- November 7, 2008 With the nation's unemployment remaining high, Consumer Credit Counseling Service (CCCS) of Jackson today reminds people who have lost their jobs to continue paying their bills on time and managing their credit wisely during …
Driving Mr. Biden: The JFP Interview with the Vice President (Encore)In 2006, the Jackson Free Press drove then-presidential hopeful Sen. Joe Biden around the capital city to get him off the beaten path and talk about issues facing everyday Mississippians. Due to his new role as vice president, we are …
11/6 Markets Down Two Days RunningAfter losing over 500 points yesterday in the wake of the American presidential election win by Senator Barack Obama, the Dow is down another 440 points in mid-day trading. CNN Money says the sell-off is accelerating on concerns that falling …
FOX: Palin Didn't Know Africa a ContinentThe country sure did dodge a mighty bullet yesterday. All the off-the-record-until-after-the-election is now coming out about Gov. Sarah Palin, including that she didn't know what countries are in NAFTA, or that Africa was a continent. Read and watch the …
It's Really Is About Turnout, Stupid!The JFP has repeated the T-word incessantly since we launched in 2002. That is, conventional "wisdom" about basing political strategy on who has, and has not, voted in the past goes out the window if you focus on increasing turnout, …
The First Puppy?Now that the 2008 presidential election is over, the burning political question is: What kind of puppy will the first family choose!?! What's your choice?
Youth Vote More Prominent in Future Elections?Young voters believe that government has a role in American livesto fix problems and ensure economic equality. That's why the "redistribution" argument fell flat with them.
Court Shifts, Graves Makes HistoryEven as Election Day brought an upset of Mississippi Supreme Court Chief Justice Jim Smith, a U.S. Chamber favorite, the outcome may not have loosened the corporate business lobby's influence on the court's decisions. The Chamber spent millions of dollars …
Byron KnightTwenty-eight-year-old Byron Knight had no original intention of opening a gourmet coffee shop. But after a friend consulted him about opening a new business in Fondren, he loved the idea.
Barbour's Lobbying Firm Now Open to DemsIn a dramatic sign of how the political winds have shifted, lobbying firm BRG (formerly known as Barbour, Griffith & Rogers) today announced that it has acquired a Democratic lobbying firm. This is huge because Haley Barbour and partners revolutionized …
Obama WinsThe closing of the polls in California, Oregon and Washington at 11:00 pm Eastern time was enough for the major networks to put Senator Barack Obama over the top in the historic election of the 44th president of the United …
André de Gruy did not want to be a public defender when he came to Jackson for law school 20 years ago. But recently, as the top lawyer in the Office of Capital Defense Counsel, his proudest moment came while …
The Grand Old Party is living up to the "old," according to Nov. 4 exit polls. The poll revealed the vast brunt of Republican voters to be elderly, rural and overwhelmingly white in a country that is increasingly none of …
In 2006, the Jackson Free Press drove then-presidential hopeful Sen. Joe Biden around the capital city to get him off the beaten path and talk about issues facing everyday Mississippians. Due to his new role as vice president, we are …
Young voters believe that government has a role in American livesto fix problems and ensure economic equality. That's why the "redistribution" argument fell flat with them.
Even as Election Day brought an upset of Mississippi Supreme Court Chief Justice Jim Smith, a U.S. Chamber favorite, the outcome may not have loosened the corporate business lobby's influence on the court's decisions. The Chamber spent millions of dollars …
Twenty-eight-year-old Byron Knight had no original intention of opening a gourmet coffee shop. But after a friend consulted him about opening a new business in Fondren, he loved the idea.