City to Metrocenter?; JATRAN Saved, For NowJackson Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. told the Jackson City Council last night that he wants to move some city facilities into the currently under-used Metrocenter Mall located on Highway 80.
[Balko] Conservatives Rethink 'Tough on Crime'Last week I received an e-mail press release directing me to a new public-policy website. On that website, a quote from Reagan administration Attorney General Ed Meese says it's time to reconsider mandatory minimum sentences for drug offenders.
Bodega Opening; Unemployment Slightly UpResidents of downtown Jackson will soon have an option for grocery shopping nearby. Bodega, a combination grocery store and deli, is set to open by Thursday of this week, co-owner Gwin Wyatt told the Jackson Free Press today.
Council to Vote on Sales-Tax RequestAt tomorrow's meeting, the Jackson City Council will decide whether to ask the state Legislature to remove a controversial state commission that must now approve how the city spends sales-tax money on safety and infrastructure repairs.
Of Barbour and the ‘Uptown Klan'It seems Haley Barbour went too far this time. In an interview with the conservative Weekly Standard, he downplayed the terror and racial caste system of his town and our state during the Civil Rights Movement.
More Room At the InnWhile plans for a convention-center hotel remain in limbo, downtown Jackson is seeing plenty of hotel development on a smaller scale. Last week, a team of developers that included several Jackson businessmen presented the Jackson Redevelopment Authority with their vision …
Health Reform on the WayThe Mississippi Primary Health Care Association and Health Help for Kids hosted a community forum last week featuring federal and state leaders who outlined some of the changes Mississippians could expect as a result of the new health-care legislation.
Save Our RoutesIneva May-Pittman took the mic and walked with a slight limp toward the front of the room to face the audience. Someone said, chuckling, "Ms. Pittman!" If her salt-and-pepper bob and conservative dress didn't give it away, what she said …
[Stiggers] A Christmas Safety NetQweem-O-Wheat: "It looks like a lot of people will have a merry Christmas and survive the New Year. Why? Because the left-wing Democrats and right-wing Republicans of the good ship ‘Bi-Partisan' agreed to appease the rich and accommodate the broke …
[Moody] Gen Y-NotWhether you define yourself as Generation X, Y or (like myself) on the XY cusp, you are a part of a unique and powerful generation that desires to change the world, and has the vigor and technology to do it.
Internet Technology and PrivacyThe use of and dependence on the Internet and social networking has various implications for personal privacy. Many people worry "big brother" is watching their virtual footsteps or that their personal data can be auctioned to the highest bidder in …
How To Recycle TechnologyTime Magazine reported this month that the United States throws away 20 million to 50 million metric tons of "e-waste" each year. When you throw out a computer, it will likely end up in a landfill or incinerator.
Building Robots for the FutureMath is the language of the universe, and speaking that language effectively is the only way to put two gears together and link them with the right kind of motor to get a desired effect. Use the wrong components, and …
Technology and the GovernmentGoogle set off grassroots campaigns in dozens of cities this year when it announced its Google Fiber for Communities contest. Google promised to finance enormous fiber-optic infrastructure projects in the city with the best proposal. The project would provide connection …
Free Wi-Fi in JacksonEverday, wi-fi is becoming more essential in our daily lives. Facebook, Twitter, eBay you name it. But not everyone has portable internet, let alone any internet, to do the things they need to do. Here is our list for the …
Bluntson Questions DA Over Bail BondsCity Council President Frank Bluntson was certainly not alone in his frustration at last week's council meeting. Venting about the Dec. 11 arrest of a 16-year-old suspect in connection with an early-morning burglary and armed robbery in south Jackson, Bluntson …
Oriental Market Opens; Broadband Gets BoostOne of Mississippi's largest Asian markets and restaurants celebrates its grand opening in Jackson today next to Cowboy Maloney's Electric City and Big Lots. Assistant Manager Shery Chen said her family chose the Interstate 55 location for its high traffic …
[Balko] The SWAT Team Would Like to See Your PermitIn August, a team of heavily armed Orange County, Fla., sheriff's deputies raided several black and Hispanic-owned barbershops in the Orlando area. More raids followed in September and October. The Orlando Sentinel reported that police held barbers and customers at …
Sleep Inn Opens, New Downtown Hotel PitchedThe LEAD Group, a Jackson-based team of 12 African American investors, completed its first development project yesterday with the opening of a Sleep Inn & Suites in downtown Jackson. The 67-room hotel is located between Pearl, Pascagoula and Gallatin streets, …
Chism Links Democratic Gains to DemographicsPolitical consultant Brad Chism predicts future Democratic gains in Mississippi, despite losses in the Nov. 2 elections, if Republicans continue to alienate minority voters over the next few decades.
Metrocenter Renewal to Kick OffDeveloper David Watkins says that his plans to renovate parts of Metrocenter Mall are unaffected by a last-minute rescue from foreclosure and the collapse of a proposed deal with Jackson Public Schools.
Wicker Opposes Bill With His EarmarksMississippi's Republican U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker said yesterday that he is not supporting a proposed $1.2 trillion spending bill because it is filled with earmark spending although he inserted more earmarks into the bill than almost any other senator.
The Suite LifeThe bass thumps heavily and rhythmically and meets you at the door. The treble dances like a modern dancer who's in a zone. If your name's on the list, walk right in. If not, pay the cover, and it's all …
Grokking New BeginningsWith Jackson State University naming Carolyn Meyers as its new president within the past week (see Ward Schaefer's interview), my thoughts naturally turned to Mississippi's educational system and the subject of how we learn.
Ghosts of Frank MeltonLeave it to Frank Melton to live among strangeness even after his death.
Utility Pushes Back on Power-SavingMississippi Power Company wants a proposed statewide energy-efficiency plan evaluated based on its cost to ratepayers rather than its long-term savings—a move critics say is a contrast to its desire to have ratepayers fund its own coal-plant expansion.
Respect for the CityCampaign adviser and lobbyist Quentin Whitwell is looking to get his own campaign moving this year. Whitwell, 38, announced to supporters last month that he plans to run for the Ward 1 Jackson City Council seat that Councilman Jeff Weill …
JPS' Special-Education ProblemJackson Public Schools has trouble with special education, but it's hardly unique. The district's failure to provide adequate services to students with emotional and behavioral disorders came to light earlier this month with the release of a Nov. 22 state-agency …
[Stiggers] Spiteful WeatherBig Roscoe: "Live from the Clubb Chicken Wing Multi-Purpose Complex, it's the ‘Clubb Chicken Wing Christmas TV Special.' On behalf of Lil' Momma Roscoe and the Clubb Chicken Wing staff, we hope that the Ghetto Science community, financially challenged individuals …