News

As the Water Turns, City Wrestles Over Corrosion StudyOne question has haunted Jackson residents since January: Is the water safe to drink?
Tackling ‘Corrupting Effects’ of Election LawsThe Mississippi Legislature, at least so far, is showing more willingness to regulate campaign and election practices than at anytime in its history.
Politicians for Sale? Manufacturers Association Wines, Dines and Takes Lawmakers on Quail HuntsAs pure as the election process might be, democracy has the potential to break down with the influence of money.
At What Cost? Legislative Majority Tries to Slash Size of State GovernmentTaxpayers could get a pay raise if the Taxpayer Pay Raise Act of 2016 becomes law, but after two hours of debate last week, several senators asked, "At what cost?"
Trump’s Politically Correct Call for Bigotry, HateIt's really hard to find a stronger sign that Donald Trump hopes to become a fascist dictator of people and thought in America, and he's playing to very ugly instincts of his followers to get there.
SUNSHINE WEEK: Obtaining Police Emails Can Take Months, Cost Thousands As law enforcement agencies have come under increased scrutiny in recent years, media organizations, watchdog groups and others have become more vigilant about filing public-records requests for emails and documents, particularly after police shootings.
Congressional Sources: Obama to Nominate Merrick GarlandPresident Barack Obama will nominate federal appeals court judge Merrick Garland to the Supreme Court, congressional sources said Wednesday.
Mississippi House Bill 4—The Irony of It All Parents for Public Schools vehemently opposes House Bill 4 and its recent amendments.
Feedback: “DJ Young Venom: I Was Kicked Out of Trump Rally for Marvel’s Black Panther Shirt, X Cap” by Onelia Hawa"... It doesn't matter what clothing he wore. There were students at their own university in another state at another rally who had shown up to listen to Trump speak, and they were not disruptive at all, but were asked …
Creating An Inclusive JacksonOur city is not a unified community largely because we divide and differentiate our space by class and race.
SUNSHINE WEEK: Shine Light on Major Donors to Help DemocracyWhen the U.S. Supreme Court determined that buying political commercials is a form of First Amendment protected speech, it effectively erased a century of campaign-finance limits.
Mississippi House Votes for Small Town Revitalization FundSmall towns could borrow money from the state to revitalize historic downtown areas under a bill passed Tuesday by the House.
Trump, Clinton win Florida; Rubio Says He's DoneWASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on the 2016 presidential campaign, with primaries in five states Tuesday and Republican front-runner Donald Trump trying to move closer to nailing down his party's nomination (all times Eastern Standard Time).
SUNSHINE WEEK: Ten Commandments for Open MeetingsToo many elected boards seek every opportunity to meet out of sight of the public they serve.
Thalia Mara Hall, Innovate Jackson, MedeAnalytics and Ryan's Closes in PearlBusiness is booming at Thalia Mara Hall, with the venue selling out shows like never before.
Airport's New Plan: Development, East Metro Corridor, Challenges ProminentDevelopment of the area around the airport is at the center of the recently released Jackson Municipal Airport Authority's "Strategic Plan 2021."
Judge: Is Court Proper Place for Mississippi Flag Debate? A federal judge is ordering attorneys to file arguments over whether courts have standing to decide if Mississippi should remove the Confederate battle emblem that has been on the state flag since 1894.
SUNSHINE WEEK: Top Mississippi Lawmakers: Email, Schedule Not for Public Republican leaders in the Mississippi House and Senate have denied a request for email correspondence and information about their schedules, saying the state Public Records Act does not apply to legislators.
New Figures Show Mississippi Has Nation's Worst Jobless Rate Mississippi's jobless rate is worst among the 50 states, dragged down in part by a low-growth state economy, according to U.S. Labor Department figures released Monday.
SUNSHINE WEEK: Even as Political Spending Explodes, Disclosure Remains HazyPoliticians in Mississippi have used campaign money to pay for such things as a BMW, an RV and $800 cowboy boots.
SUNSHINE WEEK: Public Needs Year-Round Access to Documents, Meetings, Donation InformationThe JFP has long focused on the serious problem of campaign donation transparency in the state</a>, especially that shielded by political action committees, and more recently the problem with city contractor transparency
City Lifts Boil Notice, Some Streets Still Under WatchThe City of Jackson has lifted the boil notice for most of the city as they receive results from water tests, while one area still remains under watch.
State Begins Lead Testing of Children, Awaits City's Corrosion Compliance PlanThe City of Jackson has extended a "precautionary boil notice" from last week's treatment-plant shutdown.
Man Who Filed Flag Lawsuit Has Hired Full-Time Security, Amends SuitThe Mississippi attorney who filed a federal lawsuit against Gov. Phil Bryant has hired full-time security for his law firm staff and family due to death threats after news broke that he had sued the governor in order to change …
SUNSHINE WEEK: Top Mississippi Leaders Fail to Disclose Schedules, EmailsLawmakers in every state have adopted laws requiring most government meetings and records to be open to the public. But in some states, lawmakers have exempted themselves from complying.
Officer Dead in Shooting Near Police Station; Answers SoughtPolice and the public were seeking answers Monday after a gunman opened fire outside a police station in a Maryland suburb of the nation's capital, killing an officer in what the police chief called an "unprovoked attack."
House Benghazi Probe: Report by Summer, Factor for ClintonNearly two years after it was created, the House Benghazi Committee is plowing ahead, interviewing witnesses, reviewing documents and promising a final report "before summer" that is certain to have repercussions for Democrat Hillary Clinton's bid for the presidency.
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.
9 Operators Propose 14 New Charter Schools in Mississippi Nine charter school operators say they're interested in opening 14 new charter schools in Mississippi.
Suspects Still At Large, Crimes Against Persons on the Rise, Seeking SolutionsAfter a relatively low crime season, this past weekend began a very tense week for the city of Jackson.