Fall Arts PreviewSept. 2 marks the return of ARTMix in the Historic Fondren District of Jackson. Come mix it up with artists in their studios and merchants in their stores, throughout the neighborhood, with business hours extended until 8 p.m. It is …
Fall Arts Preview, cont.If you're the type who thrives on seeing authors in the flesh, and hearing them read, the fall signing and reading season holds promise for you. September's highlights at Lemuria include "Dig, Plant, Grow: A Kid's Guide to Gardening," by …
McKey Maxed OutThe next time I get a shipment with funky styrofoam packaging too cool to throw away, I'm taking it straight to Studio 3242 North State, workplace of artist Richard McKey. You know the place—you've seen the studio next to Parents …
JFP Interview: Who Is Ben Allen?<b>The controversial councilman on being conservative, Mayor Johnson, gun control and meeting Muhammad Ali. The unabridged version.</b>
JFP Interview: Ben Allen, Part IIMy biggest issue with Chief Moore is that he keeps talking about crime being a perception—so is leadership. Leadership is a perception!
Is Jackson a [Good] College Town?Forget Boston, it's too far away. Baton Rouge, too. Hell, forget Oxford and Starkville while you're at it. Home to five major colleges (Belhaven, Jackson State, Millsaps, Mississippi College and Tougaloo) and several junior colleges (Holmes, Hinds), the Jackson area …
Don't Stereotype MeI sat on Belhaven College's campus, on my lunch break, right after school had finished for the year and summer school was beginning. I watched as people came in and out, very rarely seeing any face twice.
Fall Trends: What You Need to KnowFashion: Tweed, or its textile counterpart bouclé, dressed down with dark denim and pumps make an easy outfit choice for the college fashionista who can either wear it to a class presentation or that new club opening. For you guys, …
Kerry's ‘Merit Pay' PlanA while back, I had occasion to talk to a woman named Lillian Lopez about a bold choice she had decided not to make. Lopez, who lives in a barrio on the east side of Oakland, Calif., is a Mexican-American …
‘Merit' in MississippiThe teacher merit-pay mindset is attracting more believers here in Mississippi, despite hesitation on the part of teachers' organizations and many lawmakers who worry that it's just another way to chip away at the public education system.
‘Merit Pay:' So Many Meanings, So Little TimeSome people might find it confusing that so-called liberal Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., supported President George W. Bush's "No Child Left Behind" act, and is pushing for "merit pay" during his presidential campaign, especially considering that Bush campaigned on the …
Merit Pay: A Wise Idea?Pros: Merit pay raises the professionalism bar because teachers are evaluated based on the effectiveness of other teachers. CONS: Research regularly shows that merit pay doesn't improve teachers' classroom work, and can divide, and add negativity and distrust, to a …
Love Me, Hate Me: The JFP Interview with Kenneth StokesCouncilman Kenneth Stokes slapped me the other day. His large hand hit my sweat-beaded skin in one swift swoop to kill the mosquito getting ready to bite. He did not ask; he just actedprobably on the same instinct he grew …
Bold New Party?It's hard to get past Wayne Dowdy's name. Through no fault of his own, the new head of the Mississippi Democratic Party—a Millsaps grad, a grandfather and a U.S. congressman from 1981-1989—just sounds a bit like a fuddy-duddy. When I …
Where are the Rock Stars?When Judy Coleman was 16, she watched MTV's "Rock the Vote" special "Choose or Lose" religiously. The rock stars sucked her in.