State Officials Target ‘Illegals'Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant accused immigrants' advocacy agencies of committing felonies at a public forum Monday in Madison.
Change Where It MattersIn an age when television airwaves and opinion pages burst with outraged faces and voices on both sides of the political spectrum, one group of Mississippi youth is conducting public discourse in a more level-headed light. What's more, these high …
Fact-Checking the SpeechesThe political speeches at the Neshoba County Fair are a time when politicians and candidates get on the stump to tout their achievements, take a few jabs at their opponents and occasionally forget to the tell the truth.
Stop the Immigrant BashingA disturbing meeting took place at the Madison County Cultural Center Monday night. It was a tea-party-organized forum to call for the state of Mississippi to adopt an anti-"illegals" law such as the one the state of Arizona recently enacted, …
Improving the SystemTrent Walker has worked most angles of Hinds County's judicial system. The candidate for county court judge has served as a special appointee to Hinds County Circuit Court, an assistant county prosecutor and a youth court referee.
Business Training, Health Care and Fine ArtCurrent and aspiring business owners have a number of training opportunities in the next week. On Thursday, Aug. 5, the Small Business Development Center at Jackson State University hosts a seminar on small business grants and loans. The workshop, at …
Lorenda CheeksLorenda Cheeks' work to improve educational opportunities for Jackson Public Schools students is receiving national attention.
Civil Rights Memorial Corridor Moving ForwardJackson State University is moving ahead with a project to transform a section of Lynch Street near the university into a memorial to the Civil Rights Movement in Mississippi, Interim JSU President Leslie Burl McLemore said today.
Cathy BakerAs head server and bartender at the Fairview Inn's restaurant, Sophia's, Cathy Baker is responsible for more than just food and drink. She is an unofficial ambassador for the city.
Jackson Pushes Brownfield GrantsThe city of Jackson has two months to spend the remainder of a federal grant aimed at spurring the redevelopment of underused industrial or commercial sites. At a meeting this morning, city officials encouraged property owners and developers to apply …
JPS Board Mulling Metrocenter MoveJackson Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. said at last week's Jackson Public Schools board meeting that he supports developer David Watkins' vision to relocate the entirety of JPS administration to the Metrocenter Mall, but said it was not his place to …
Constitution ManBill Marcy is a history buff and cites articles of the Constitution when making his case for the role of government. The Chicago native will challenge incumbent U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi's second congressional district this November.
Is Suing in Our Best Interest?Gov. Haley Barbour said he is moving forward with a plan to hire counsel to stop the spread of Choctaw gaming to Jones County, but is the investment in lawyers really worth the trip to court?
[Stiggers] ‘Letter of Concern'Miss Doodle Mae: "Good morning, Jojo's Discount Dollar Store staff! Jojo asked me to conduct a special staff meeting in response to the Shirley Sherrod controversy. Most of you witnessed a hasty decision—caused by a manipulative individual—to terminate a sincere …
Be VigilantDonna Ladd's "My Kind of Tea Party," which appeared in your July 15-21, 2010, issue, brought back vivid memories of a few people who spoke out against unbridled racist propaganda and hate-inspired actions that have made Mississippi the poster state …
[Mott] ‘Bring On the Rest'Driving away from Parchman Penitentiary on the night Mississippi executed Joseph Burns, I was having trouble putting my feelings into words. I had just watched a man die in front of my eyes and yet, I was oddly calm, as …
Keeping Kids In SchoolInside the Medical Mall's Thad Cochran Center, a group of students and teachers hover around a circular table.
Slow Progress On Pre-KEarly-childhood education in Mississippi is the big engine that couldn't: Despite reams of documentation showing its economic and educational benefits, pre-kindergarten has not attracted the political support—and public funding—in Mississippi it has in many neighboring states.
Tough Times Await Bigger JPS BoardJackson Public Schools will enter the coming school year with a lean budget and a growing Board of Trustees. The five-member school board, which already boasts four members with less than a year of experience each, is set to add …
Hinds Youth Center Director ResignsThe troubled Hinds County Youth Detention Center has lost its second director in one year. Clifton Strong resigned July 20, only one month after he accepted the director position. Strong follows the previous director, Darron Farr, who resigned in March …
City to Vote on Water Main Price IncreaseThe Jackson City Council is expected to vote on a $222,208 price increase for the installation of a 54-inch water line at tonight's city council meeting. The project is necessary to increase water capacity to the downtown area to accommodate …
Businesses Gear Up for Sales-Tax HolidayFor the second year in a row, the Mississippi Department of Revenue is holding a sales tax holiday in time for back-to-school shopping. From 12:01 a.m. on Friday, July 30, to midnight Saturday, July 31, the state will waive its …
Panel Tweaks State Grading System for SchoolsMississippi's model for evaluating schools and school districts could change next year, if the state Board of Education approves changes recommended by a panel today. The state Commission on School Accreditation, which reviews the state's grading system for schools and …
JRA Mulls ‘Union Market' DowntownThe city is soliciting community input on an empty storage space across from the King Edward Hotel in downtown Jackson that could become an open-air market, dubbed "Union Market," Jackson Redevelopment Authority Executive Director Jason Brookins told an audience of …
Condemn the CowardiceMen get a bad rap. Oftentimes we deserve it. But generally—luckily—the many good ones among us overshadow the bad apples. As we look forward to the annual JFP Chick Ball this weekend, we should again take a hard look at …
‘Always a Coach'It's not hard to tell that Brent Southern is a coach. Peppering his conversation with phrases like "when the whistle blows" and "read all the angles," the attorney describes the Hinds County Court position he is seeking as a coaching …
Willis Suit Moves AheadJackson resident Cedric Willis said he will still get his day in court regarding his malicious prosecution suit against the city of Jackson, though the judge has moved the court date to September.
State Faces Multiple Rate HikesMississippi Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney said he will refuse to grant a 44.4 percent rate- hike requested by Allstate Property and Casualty Insurance on Mississippi homeowner insurance customers. Chaney said that the Mississippi Insurance Department's actuarial analysis found the 44.4 …
[Purvis] Wasteland of Empty Promises"Call—call the police!" I stammered through the phone tenuously gripped in my trembling hand. I was kneeling in my mother's living room in the midst of broken glass and a carpet stained with drops of blood—his blood. He had punched …
Inside the Medical Mall's Thad Cochran Center, a group of students and teachers hover around a circular table.