Ex-lawmaker Wilkerson dies at 68 Former State Rep. Jerry E. Wilkerson, who served three terms in the Mississippi House and was a spokesman for the propane, petroleum and convenience store associations for 25 years, has died at the age of 68.
Education Still Inadequately FundedWith no shortage of suggestions about how to fix the conditions and the lagging achievements of public schools during this legislative session, Democrats say that the Mississippi Adequate Education Program, or MAEP, has yet to receive the attention it deserves.
DDT Linked to High Blood Pressure in WomenWomen exposed before birth to the banned pesticide DDT may have a greater risk of developing high blood pressure later in life, according to a study published today.
House Passes GOP Budget Plan Promising Deep CutsThe Republican-controlled House passed a tea party-flavored budget plan Thursday that promises sharp cuts in safety-net programs for the poor and a clampdown on domestic agencies, in sharp contrast to less austere plans favored by President Barack Obama and his …
Government Funding Bill Sails Through HouseThe House has passed a huge stopgap spending bill to keep the government open through the end of September, sidestepping any threat of a government shutdown.
Gov. Hickenlooper Signs Landmark Colorado Gun Control Bills Into LawDENVER (AP) — Colorado's governor signed bills Wednesday that place new restrictions on firearms, signaling a change for Democrats who have traditionally shied away from gun control in a state with a pioneer tradition of gun ownership and self-reliance.
Pew Center Finds Americans Increasingly Support Gay MarriageThe nation's views on gay marriage are more favorable in large part because of a shift in attitudes among those who know someone who is gay or became more accepting as they got older of gays and lesbians, according to …
Francis Smith: Pastor and PoliticianFrancis Smith calls himself a non-politician. The pastor of Total Praise and Worship on Cedar Lane in south Jackson is taking to the campaign trail this spring though, as an independent candidate for the office of mayor in Jackson.
Food FightSupporters of a legislative proposal that promotes healthy eating believe the bill is an oasis for foods deserts--communities with limited access to grocery stores.
Silent PrayersWe've reached that make-or-break point during the legislative session where legislators are flying through the litany of spending bills for individual state agencies to build a framework for the budget.
Wins for Women and ChildrenWomen and children may be a little safer in Mississippi after some successes this past week at the state house.
From Veteran to CouncilmanDe'Keither Stamps has worn many hats: farmer, Marine, Army patrolman, veteran's advocate and public speaker. This summer, he hopes to add Ward 4 Jackson city councilman to that list.
Transocean CEO: Rig Workers Should Have Done MoreTransocean employees should have done more to detect signs of trouble before the company's drilling rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010, killing 11 workers and triggering the nation's worst offshore oil spill, Transocean's chief executive testified Tuesday.
Colo. Governor to Sign Landmark Gun BillsExactly eight months after dozens of people were shot in a suburban Denver movie theater, Gov. John Hickenlooper will sign new restrictions on firearms in Colorado, signaling a historic change for Democrats who traditionally shied away from taking on gun …
No Assault Weapons Ban: Not Even in Dems' BillAll but ending chances for an assault weapons ban, Democratic leaders said Tuesday the firearms legislation the Senate will debate next month won't include the provision that gun-control advocates pressed for after an assault-type weapon was used in the Newtown …
UPDATED: Mayoral Campaign Reports Raise QuestionsMississippi's Sunshine Law is designed to shed light on campaign finance, but Jacksonians have found themselves in the dark when it comes to the majority of candidates seeking to become Jackson's next mayor.
Whistle-Blowers Allege Wrongdoing at VA CenterEmployees at a Veterans Administration hospital in Mississippi have reported a range of "serious wrongdoing," including improperly sterilized instruments and missed diagnoses of fatal illnesses, an independent federal investigative agency said in a letter to the White House.
North Dakota Looks at More Abortion RestrictionsNorth Dakota lawmakers who approved what would be some of the most restrictive abortion laws in the U.S. are now considering outlawing all abortions.
In Colo., Gun Restrictions Bring Political PerilFirearms play an outsized role in the hearts of Coloradans. It's a frontier state that adopted gunslingers Buffalo Bill and Doc Holliday as native sons, where treasured guns are routinely passed from generation to generation.
Mississippi Museum of Art Hosts French ExhibitIn a Family Corner of the upcoming major French painting exhibition at the Mississippi Museum of Art, artist Ginger Williams-Cook has re-created a Renoir painting of Monet's gardens to give pint-sized creators a pretend shot at the easel, beret included.
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.
Women exposed before birth to the banned pesticide DDT may have a greater risk of developing high blood pressure later in life, according to a study published today.
Francis Smith calls himself a non-politician. The pastor of Total Praise and Worship on Cedar Lane in south Jackson is taking to the campaign trail this spring though, as an independent candidate for the office of mayor in Jackson.
Supporters of a legislative proposal that promotes healthy eating believe the bill is an oasis for foods deserts--communities with limited access to grocery stores.
We've reached that make-or-break point during the legislative session where legislators are flying through the litany of spending bills for individual state agencies to build a framework for the budget.
Women and children may be a little safer in Mississippi after some successes this past week at the state house.
De'Keither Stamps has worn many hats: farmer, Marine, Army patrolman, veteran's advocate and public speaker. This summer, he hopes to add Ward 4 Jackson city councilman to that list.
Mississippi's Sunshine Law is designed to shed light on campaign finance, but Jacksonians have found themselves in the dark when it comes to the majority of candidates seeking to become Jackson's next mayor.
David Pharr, a Jackson attorney, is one of the first tenants of the former Pix/Capri theater at 3023 N. State St.
With a tradition more than 100 years old, osteopathic physicians are hardly the new doctors in town.
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.