Why Our Bond Rating Is ImportantWhile crime, potholes and boiled-water notices get all the headlines and make for easy punchlines, one of the biggest problems facing the capital city is rarely discussed outside of City Hall—Jackson's bond rating.
Stinker Quote of the Week: 'Thoughtful'As citizens of Jackson, reading the Senate Appropriations Committee chairman's press release about all the goodies he's bringing back to Mississippi is like reading your parents' will and finding out you got their 1994 Ford Taurus.
Incumbent: Votes Properly Counted in Tied Mississippi RaceLocal election officials consulted with the Mississippi secretary of state's office before deciding to count nine votes at the center of a disputed House race, an attorney for five-term Democratic Rep. Bo Eaton said in papers filed Friday.
1 Percent Tax: A Test for Contractor ReformAlmost two years after voters in Jackson decided to tax themselves an extra 1-percent worth of sales tax on certain goods, heavy machinery will soon be turning dirt and the City will start spending from the tax fund.
State Eyes Changes to Guardianship LawsDesiree Henley knew Mississippi's guardianship and conservatorship laws were outdated, ineffective and likely stripping elderly and disabled citizens of their basic human rights.
Hong Kong Tea House and Mississippi Super LawyersGeoffrey Mo, together with his parents, Kathy and David Mo, held a grand opening for their new family-owned Chinese restaurant—Hong Kong Tea House—Saturday, Dec. 5.
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.
Water Theft Probe: More Firings, 1 to 2 Arrests PossibleJackson police expect no more than one to two arrests to follow the firing of what City officials have said could be up to seven public-works department employees later today, Dec. 18.
What to do When Debt Takes OverFifty years later, the idealistic Pell Grant system has dissipated with rising tuition costs and higher-ed institutions hiking prices on virtually everything.
A New State Flag for Mississippi’s Third CenturyMississippi celebrates the bicentennial of its statehood in 2017, marking the anniversary of its admission to the Union as the 20th state on Dec. 10, 1817.
Refugees, School Kids Deserve Human RightsThere's a fine line between Gov. Phil Bryant's tacit assent of Donald Trump's anti-Muslim rhetoric and Mississippi's complete abdication of its responsibility to educate its children.
Transparency and Open GovernmentTransparency is a priority of this administration. We felt it necessary to respond to the Jackson Free Press editorial to ensure the public was aware of the city's process when it comes to contractual projects.
Classroom Coding: The New Norm?All fourth graders at Eastside Elementary in Clinton got their first introduction to coding as a part of Computer Science Education Week from Dec. 7 through 13.
‘What the Religion Teaches’: Feeding the Homeless in Smith ParkBilal Qizilbash has been bringing dinner to homeless people in Smith Park every Friday for almost nine months, but he and his fellow volunteers never ask anyone about their housing status before offering them sustenance.
Ex-State Sen. Robertson Pleads Guilty to Embezzlement ChargeFormer Mississippi state Sen. Tommy Roberston pleaded guilty Monday to one count of embezzling more than $379,000 from a $484,000 construction loan he handled for a couple in 2013, when he was the board attorney for Singing River Federal Credit …
Ex-Oklahoma Cop's Rape Conviction Symbol of National ProblemA teenager's mother clapped her hands and screamed with joy, and a former police officer hung his head and sobbed, as a jury convicted him of raping her daughter and sexually assaulting seven other women.
Report Questions Effectiveness of Pilot Pre-K ProgramsFour-year-olds enrolled in the state's special pilot programs for early-learning collaboratives scored no better on kindergarten readiness tests than their peers in other public pre-K programs, a new state report shows.
Bryant Proposes Economic and Restoration Projects on CoastMississippi Gov. Phil Bryant is proposing $54.1 million of economic development projects using recovery money the state is receiving because of the 2010 BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
Of Guns and Rainbow FlagsAs conversations around gun control heat up in Washington, D.C., social media and perhaps around our kitchen tables, I hope that we can all have the courage to take a brief stop in each other's worlds and explore things that …
Mississippi's second round of testing for third through eighth graders left room for improvement and growth, top state education officials said.
The brass at the Jackson Police Department are crowing about ending 2015 with crime in a continued free fall and some new technology helping officers solving crime.
Almost two years after voters in Jackson decided to tax themselves an extra 1-percent worth of sales tax on certain goods, heavy machinery will soon be turning dirt and the City will start spending from the tax fund.
Desiree Henley knew Mississippi's guardianship and conservatorship laws were outdated, ineffective and likely stripping elderly and disabled citizens of their basic human rights.
Today, Mayor Tony Yarber laid out another program designed to improve the City's housing stock and revitalize west Jackson neighborhoods.
Geoffrey Mo, together with his parents, Kathy and David Mo, held a grand opening for their new family-owned Chinese restaurant—Hong Kong Tea House—Saturday, Dec. 5.
There'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.
Jackson police expect no more than one to two arrests to follow the firing of what City officials have said could be up to seven public-works department employees later today, Dec. 18.
Mississippi's second round of testing for third through eighth graders left room for improvement and growth, top state education officials said.
Fifty years later, the idealistic Pell Grant system has dissipated with rising tuition costs and higher-ed institutions hiking prices on virtually everything.
All fourth graders at Eastside Elementary in Clinton got their first introduction to coding as a part of Computer Science Education Week from Dec. 7 through 13.
Recent active-shooter events have prompted the Jackson Police Department to seek training on how to respond to a gunman on the loose.
A legislative budget committee recommends slashing the state's budget by nearly $40 million.
Northpark Mall recently added three new stores to its tenant lineup: Comfort Zone, Korset and SubZero Cream.
The losing bidder for a multimillion-dollar sludge-hauling contract may get an up or down vote at Tuesday's city council meeting.
Soon, Jackson homeowners who have been keeping overgrown lots near their homes neat and trimmed might be able to reap some reward from all that hard work.
A teenager's mother clapped her hands and screamed with joy, and a former police officer hung his head and sobbed, as a jury convicted him of raping her daughter and sexually assaulting seven other women.
Four-year-olds enrolled in the state's special pilot programs for early-learning collaboratives scored no better on kindergarten readiness tests than their peers in other public pre-K programs, a new state report shows.