The JFP Interview With Charlotte ReevesJackson resident Charlotte Reeves prides herself on being a longtime Jackson resident. Her continuing involvement with the city mirrors her willingness to involve herself in its politics.
Amend Senate Bill 3268In March, Mississippi legislators passed Senate Bill 3268, which allows municipalities to raise certain sales taxes by 1 percent to pay for police and fire protection, and road, water and sewage repairs.
The Mayor's Race: By The NumbersBased on preliminary, unofficial results of yesterday's election, voter turnout was fairly low in Jackson, especially given the highly contested nature of the race for the office of mayor. Overall, about 30 percent of Jackson's nearly 106,000 registered voters cast …
Jackson Council Seats in RunoffsMost of the races for City Council will require runoff elections on Tuesday, May 19, with the exception of Ward 1, which was uncontested, and Ward 3, where Councilman Kenneth Stokes won a clear majority of the vote.
UPDATED: Mayor Frank Melton ‘Still Alive,' Spokeswoman SaysUPDATE 12:10 P.M.: City spokeswoman Goldia Revies has released the following statement: "Mayor Frank E. Melton is still resting and will undergo tests today at St. Dominic Hospital. More information will be released as it becomes available. An emergency meeting …
Zata|3 Survey Results ‘Dead On'Our public service project has concluded. As you can see below, our numbers were better than the Mason-Dixon poll and better than the Southern Research poll commissioned by the Clarion Ledger. We hope you'll think of Zata|3 the next time …
Returns: Harvey & Crisler Neck-and-Neck, Melton ThirdWith 85 percent of the vote in for the Jackson's mayoral race, Harvey Johnson and Marshand Crisler are tied with 27 percent, with Mayor Frank Melton in third place with 19 percent. Johnson and Crisler are separated by 180 votes.
Johnson Says Data Prove Crime Dropped While MayorJACKSON, Miss. (May 4, 2009) – Harvey Johnson, Jr. will attend The SafeCity Take a Tasty Bite Out of Crime event this evening at Highland Village. Johnson is committed to making Jackson safe for all citizens as a part of …
Answers to Election Day QuestionsDo you have questions about voting? You're probably not alone. The Jackson Free Press has put together a list of frequently asked questions that might help you out, including who to call and where to go for more information. Attorney …
Campaign Office BurglarizedBurglars broke into the State Street campaign headquarters for incumbent Jackson Mayor Frank Melton early Saturday morning, reports WAPT, stealing a computer and a TV.
Crisler Ahead In Funds As Election NearsA review of campaign finance reports for Jackson mayoral candidates shows Councilman Marshand Crisler leading the pack, with state Sen. John Horhn close behind, followed by former Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr.
Saturday: Cookout with Robert Johnson[verbatim] Friends of Jackson Democratic Mayoral Candidate Robert Johnson are hosting a cookout Saturday, May 2, 2009 at Lake Hico, 4801 Watkins Drive from 12 noon to 4:00 p.m. The former Jackson Police Chief, Corrections Commissioner and successful business owner …
SafeCity Questions CandidatesA community organization with the purpose of making the metro Jackson area a safe place to live has published responses to its questions from 11 of the 15 candidates for mayor of the Capitol City.
Put Jackson FirstWhen the Jackson Free Press editorial board met with mayoral candidates last week, we asked each candidate roughly the same questions based on a list we had compiled beforehand. But when one candidate brought up John McGowan's Two Lakes project …
Campaign Finance Report: John HorhnAccording to a campaign finance report (PDF) obtained by the Jackson Free Press, state Sen. John Horhn has $5,620 cash in hand leading up to Tuesday's Democratic primary. Among Horhn's largest campaign contributors are attorney John and Melody Maxey, of …
Frank Melton is No Barack ObamaIt's déjà vu all over again. Four years ago this week, I was writing a column calling for—no, begging—Jacksonians not to vote for Frank Melton as mayor in the Democratic primary.
The Mayor BunchManaging a city like Jackson is no easy task. It's the biggest city in the state—with a population of about 175,000, which appears to have lost a good bit of its affluent residents to the expanding suburbs.
Ward 6: How to Win Votes And Influence PeopleIn a pair of forums last week, contenders for the Ward 6 City Council seat struggled to distinguish themselves from the pack with 1-minute answers. Ward 6 has a whopping 12 Democratic candidates competing to replace Marshand Crisler, who is …
Lawmakers Agree on 68 Cent Cigarette TaxAnti-smoking advocates Communities for a Clean Bill of Health called the compromise "a win for Mississippi" in a statement.
Ward 1 Challenger Drops OutPhysician Jonathan S. Jones announced today that he is withdrawing his candidacy for the Ward 1 City Council seat currently held by Jeff Weill. In a statement, Jones, who was running as a Republican, said that he is dropping out …
Government and Unions to Control GMYesterday, General Motors, tenuously surviving on the federal government's $15.4 billion bailout, announced its restructuring plan. The plan, which includes cutting 21,000 production jobs in the U.S. and ending the storied Pontiac brand, offers to give the U.S. government a …
Judge Faces Key Decisions In Melton TrialA federal judge will hear arguments today on whether to hold separate trials for Mayor Frank Melton and his former police bodyguard Michael Recio. Melton and Recio are under federal indictment for civil-rights violations in conjunction with the 2006 destruction …
Harvey Johnson Leads in New Mayoral Phone SurveyFriends, Below is a topline from the survey yesterday. Further below is a repeat of the explanations and qualifiers-these are important. From the blog traffic it appears that some don't read below the first paragraph. I had several calls and …
What Did You Think of the Mayoral Debate?All, add your comments below about what you thought of Thursday night's debate, brought to you by the Jackson Progressive, Jackson 2000, Leadership Jackson Alumni, WAPT and the Jackson Free Press. What were the best lines? Worst? Who scored the …
Democratic Primary Debate TonightTonight, 380-plus Jacksonians will fill the Jackson Convention Center, anxious to watch the most talked-about political event of the year for the city: the 2009 Democratic Primary Mayoral Debate.
Jackson Crime Stats for April 13-19Major crime in Jackson decreased 8 percent in Jackson last week, according to data released yesterday by the Jackson Police Department. The JPD Comstat report (PDF) for April 13-19 shows slight decreases from the previous week in both property and …
‘Think Local' ElectionsAs the city primaries approach on May 6, 2009, I turn again and again to the thought of how local business will fare in these elections.
2009 JFP Interview with Frank Melton, Part VI: Of Alcohol and GunsIn his office in February, Mayor Frank Melton talked about many issues with the Jackson Free Press. Here is an excerpt about his past abuse of alcohol and, if true, some surprising revelations about the guns he used to strap …
Managing a city like Jackson is no easy task. It's the biggest city in the state—with a population of about 175,000, which appears to have lost a good bit of its affluent residents to the expanding suburbs.