New DA Jody Owens Promises Reform, Alternatives to IncarcerationEarlier this week, civil rights attorney and avowed criminal-justice reformer Jody Owens officially took over as the new Hinds County district attorney, succeeding the controversy-plagued Robert Shuler Smith, who served eight years.
Azia's Picks 1-3-20How do you plan on welcoming in the first weekend of the new year? Let's see what's to do in the Capital City 2020 style with my top weekend picks.
Mississippi Prison Deaths Follow Warnings of Meager Funding, ShortagesThree more Mississippi prisoners have died at the hands of other inmates in the six days since the Mississippi Department of Corrections initiated a statewide prison lockdown last Sunday, bringing the week's death toll to four.
US Kills Iran's Most Powerful General in Baghdad AirstrikeThe United States killed Iran's top general and the architect of Tehran’s proxy wars in the Middle East in an airstrike at Baghdad's international airport early on Friday, an attack that threatens to dramatically ratchet up tensions in the region.
Judge Rules 1 Mississippi Prison OK, Among Deaths at OthersA federal judge has rejected claims that conditions in a Mississippi prison are unconstitutionally harsh. His ruling comes amid violence at three other corrections facilities that resulted in the deaths of three inmates this week.
Statewide Gas Taxes a Bridge Too Far for Lt. Gov.-elect HosemannLt. Gov.-elect Delbert Hosemann will not consider raising gas taxes statewide in 2020, he told the press on Dec. 17. But he is opening the door for county supervisors to pass their own local tax raises.
JPD Arrests 82 People Under 'Operation Targeting Gun Violence'Days after U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst chided Jackson public officials for being too soft on crime, Jackson Police Department Chief James Davis held a press conference to highlight 82 arrests in the city.
Lawsuit: Sewage Could Pollute Memphis Area if Deal EndsThe ground and water in some northern Mississippi communities could become polluted if nearby Memphis pulls out of a decadeslong agreement to treat the area's sewage, the suburban water officials say in a federal lawsuit.
Three Years in, No Sign of Trump's Replacement for ObamacareNearly three years after taking office, Americans still are waiting for Trump’s big health insurance reveal. Prescription drug prices have edged lower, but with major legislation stuck in Congress it's unclear if that relief is the start of a trend …
JSU Cook-off, MSU Community Engagement, USM Physics HonorsThe national office of the Society of Physics Students, a professional association for students interested in physics and related fields, recently awarded the University of Southern Mississippi its Outstanding Chapter Award for 2019.
County Jail, Linked to Civil Rights Workers, Given New LifeIn the summer of 1964, James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner spent their last day on Earth at the Neshoba County Jail. The brick building on East Myrtle Street still stands, and thanks to a local couple who wanted …
The Most Intriguing of 2019These are not necessarily people who did positive things, although many did. They are Mississippians who emerged as the most interesting and who caused a lot of conversation in the capital city and beyond.
Abortion Inches Closer to Supreme CourtEarlier this year, Mississippi House Rep. Joey Fillingane, R-Sumrall, told the Jackson Free Press that part of the goal of bills like the heartbeat bill and the 15-week ban is to get a case to the Supreme Court.
Long Sentences, Broken LivesPaul Houser is one of 2,635 Mississippians currently serving lengthy prison terms under Mississippi's so-called "habitual laws," the state's version of "three strikes laws." Mississippi's habitual laws drive the state's high incarceration rate, the third highest in the country.
Azia's Picks 12-20-19Let's try to prepare for the upcoming inclement weather and see if we can stay dry while indulging in some much-deserved merriment. Check out my event lineup to get you started!
City to Provide 500 Meals to Jackson Children Over HolidaysSeveral local nonprofits will unite this holiday season to provide 500 free meals to young people in Jackson as part of ongoing efforts to fight food insecurity in the city and state, which currently ranks first nationwide in food insecurity.
'Evict Gangsterism': State Dems Praise Impeachment as GOP Backs TrumpPresident Donald Trump's "overt gangsterism" made his impeachment necessary, Mississippi Democrat Jacqueline Amos said in a statement the day after only one member of Mississippi's delegation in the U.S. House of Representatives voted to approve articles of impeachment.
Earlier this week, civil rights attorney and avowed criminal-justice reformer Jody Owens officially took over as the new Hinds County district attorney, succeeding the controversy-plagued Robert Shuler Smith, who served eight years.
How do you plan on welcoming in the first weekend of the new year? Let's see what's to do in the Capital City 2020 style with my top weekend picks.
Three more Mississippi prisoners have died at the hands of other inmates in the six days since the Mississippi Department of Corrections initiated a statewide prison lockdown last Sunday, bringing the week's death toll to four.
The United States killed Iran's top general and the architect of Tehran’s proxy wars in the Middle East in an airstrike at Baghdad's international airport early on Friday, an attack that threatens to dramatically ratchet up tensions in the region.
Another Mississippi inmate has died at the hands of a fellow inmate, bringing the death toll to four amid disturbances over the past week in the state prison system.
A federal judge has rejected claims that conditions in a Mississippi prison are unconstitutionally harsh. His ruling comes amid violence at three other corrections facilities that resulted in the deaths of three inmates this week.
Glenn McCullough said in a statement Thursday that he will step down as head of Mississippi Development Authority at the end of January.
Lt. Gov.-elect Delbert Hosemann will not consider raising gas taxes statewide in 2020, he told the press on Dec. 17. But he is opening the door for county supervisors to pass their own local tax raises.
Author and Belhaven University alumna Elizabeth Spencer died on Sunday, Dec. 22, at her home in Chapel Hill, N.C. at age 98.
Candidates for federal offices can start filing qualifying papers on Thursday in Mississippi.
Days after U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst chided Jackson public officials for being too soft on crime, Jackson Police Department Chief James Davis held a press conference to highlight 82 arrests in the city.
The ground and water in some northern Mississippi communities could become polluted if nearby Memphis pulls out of a decadeslong agreement to treat the area's sewage, the suburban water officials say in a federal lawsuit.
As a congressman today at 79, John Lewis is facing a foe like none before: advanced pancreatic cancer.
Nearly three years after taking office, Americans still are waiting for Trump’s big health insurance reveal. Prescription drug prices have edged lower, but with major legislation stuck in Congress it's unclear if that relief is the start of a trend …
Before rushing to volunteer to be Jackson's political classes' attack dog against racist insult, we should be mindful of Zora Neale Hurston's oft reminder: "all my skin folks ain't my kinfolk."
If you were caught up in the spirit of the holiday, as I was on Christmas Eve, you might have missed one of the most disturbing interviews ever with a national journalist that Rolling Stone posted around midnight. In the …
U.S. Attorney Mike Hurst, one of the top federal prosecutors in Mississippi, had tough words for officials in Jackson over violent crime in the city.
U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith is joining other anti-abortion politicians who are increasingly prioritizing legislative efforts designed to restrict access to federally approved abortion medication.
The national office of the Society of Physics Students, a professional association for students interested in physics and related fields, recently awarded the University of Southern Mississippi its Outstanding Chapter Award for 2019.
Few novels have stood the test of time like "1984" by George Orwell. Since its publication in 1949, many of the ideas and terms in the novel have come into common use, including Big Brother, Thought Police, thoughtcrime, doublethink and …
The District at Eastover recently announced the opening of two new stores, as well as the launch of a pop-up shop at District Drugs & Mercantile.
In the summer of 1964, James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner spent their last day on Earth at the Neshoba County Jail. The brick building on East Myrtle Street still stands, and thanks to a local couple who wanted …
These are not necessarily people who did positive things, although many did. They are Mississippians who emerged as the most interesting and who caused a lot of conversation in the capital city and beyond.
Earlier this year, Mississippi House Rep. Joey Fillingane, R-Sumrall, told the Jackson Free Press that part of the goal of bills like the heartbeat bill and the 15-week ban is to get a case to the Supreme Court.
Paul Houser is one of 2,635 Mississippians currently serving lengthy prison terms under Mississippi's so-called "habitual laws," the state's version of "three strikes laws." Mississippi's habitual laws drive the state's high incarceration rate, the third highest in the country.
"Impeachment is hell for a the country—but the reasons impeachment proceedings begin are very serious. They are the kinds of violations of public trust than set dangerous precedents for the future."
Several local nonprofits will unite this holiday season to provide 500 free meals to young people in Jackson as part of ongoing efforts to fight food insecurity in the city and state, which currently ranks first nationwide in food insecurity.
President Donald Trump's "overt gangsterism" made his impeachment necessary, Mississippi Democrat Jacqueline Amos said in a statement the day after only one member of Mississippi's delegation in the U.S. House of Representatives voted to approve articles of impeachment.
Teacher pay raises could be one of the first big achievements of the 2020 legislative session, multiple lawmakers say.