Barbour Welcomes BP Escrow ManagerMississippi Gov. Haley Barbour praised Kenneth Feinberg today, for his ability to oversee a $20 billion escrow fund that BP agreed to set up to compensate Gulf State victims filing claims for losses due to the massive oil spill in …
Housing Authority, Medical Mall Make Homes AffordableIn an effort to rebuild local communities, The Jackson Medical Mall and Jackson Housing Authority are working to bring high-quality, affordable housing to Jackson residents.
Sierra Club Takes Kemper Plant to CourtThe Mississippi Sierra Club filed a lawsuit today in Harrison County Chancery court challenging a decision by two Mississippi Public Service Commissioners to reverse an earlier PSC decision capping expenses of a new $2.9 billion coal-burning power plant in Kemper …
Jackson's Recovery Top 20 In NationDespite suffering its worst recession in three decades, Jackson's economy is recovering faster than many U.S. cities. Jackson was one of only 10 metropolitan areas in the country--almost all of them in the South--to experience positive job growth in the …
Toyota to Restart Blue SpringsGov. Haley Barbour announced this morning that Toyota is moving forward to complete its Blue Springs plant in north Mississippi. Current plans call for the first cars to roll off the assembly lines in fall 2011.
AG Can Sue BP without OKBritish Petroleum announced that Mississippi will receive a total of $65 million to fight oil coming onto the beaches and for tourist advertising, but Attorney General Jim Hood says he requires none of those funds to pursue a suit against …
Without Federal Funds, JPS Needs $2.5M from CityUncertainty about $187 million in federal aid is forcing Jackson Public Schools into awkward contortions as the district prepares its budget for the upcoming school year. The district will likely request an additional $2.5 million from the Jackson City Council …
Stop Threatening AGs AuthorityThis month, Louisiana Attorney General Buddy Caldwell reported that he will beg the Louisiana Legislature for $27 million to sue oil giant BP for the damage the company's oil is doing to Louisiana's lucrative fishing and tourism market.
Bad Business or Bad Math?In a column published June 3 ("Payday Lending: Bad Business" by Scott Colom), JFP readers met a man named Mike (an alias for a supposed payday loan customer.) I'd like for you to meet a real payday loan customer: Gracie.
[Hutchinson] What We Can't Do About BPFormer Secretary of State Colin Powell minced no words in an interview with ABC News recently. Powell said President Barack Obama should muscle BP aside and move in with "decisive force." The general had one thing in mind: military-type response …
Corps Rejects Lake 255Read Billy Orr's letter to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (PDF, 256 KB)
Jackson Tops for Meetings; New Boutique and EventsJackson is an attractive meeting place for cost-sensitive companies, according to ConventionSouth magazine. The magazine's June issue names Jackson one of five "Smart Cities" in the South for business meetings. The list also names Austin, Texas, Charleston, S.C., Fairfax, Va., …
Doing Good: Jackson Is ArtAt first glance, the Jackson Community Design Center isn't easy to recognize; it is merely another red brick building on Capitol Street. But step inside and you'll find a creative room with paintings and various other artwork. This artistic wonderland …
Majority White Jury in Flowers TrialThe fate of Curtis Flowers, a man on trial for the sixth time, is now in the hands of a jury consisting of 11 whites and one African American in Montgomery County where the racial make up is 54 percent …
Fishermen Uncertain About BP Claims; Hood Demands ActionBiloxi charter boat captain Tom Becker said he filed a $40,000 claim with BP due to a drop in business following the April sinking of the BP offshore oil rig, but said the last four years offered a poor income …
The Media RevolutionLast Friday morning, as I started my daily routine of reading the news, I fired up Tweetdeck, started browsing news sites and looked at my Facebook news feed. On Facebook, my sister, Lindsey, had posted a picture of herself and …
77 Tons of SharkIn any other situation, the sight of children wandering around the insides of a giant shark could be horrifying; but it's common fare at the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science's "Megalodon: Largest Shark that Ever Lived" exhibit.
Fears and CommitteesGulfport Councilman Kenneth Casey said he fears the oncoming hurricane season and what it could mean to the waters and shoreline of the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
Still Some Life in Livingston VillageMPI Center Chief Executive Officer Mike Smith said he wants to move forward on plans to convert the site of the old Hood Furniture factory off Livingston Road in Jackson to mixed-use residential and commercial property.
Time to Rethink EnergyIn the wake of the biggest man-made environmental disaster in American history, our country's leaders have a perfect opportunity to finally, and at long last, make significant changes in U.S. energy policy.
Kemper Plant Rate Hikes ‘Confidential'The Mississippi Public Service Commission voted June 3 to begin discussion on rule changes to make rate increases more transparent--but only after Mississippi Power successfully hid the amount of customer rate increases connected to a contentious new power plant from …
House Panel Questions Dispersant ToxicitySome House members left this morning's inaugural meeting of the House Select Committee on the Gulf Coast Disaster without knowing the potential risk of dispersants that British Petroleum is using to break up and sink millions of gallons of oil …
Birdland Reopening, Economy Still LaggingFarish Street nightclub Birdland is open again after spending eight months closed under a court order. The club renewed its privilege license and dancehall permit Friday and was open last weekend, Jackson Police Department spokesman Detective Roderick Holmes told the …
David PoweAs chief administrative officer for the University of Mississippi Medical Center, David Powe oversees the daily operations of an economic powerhouse. The center represents 10 percent of the Jackson metro area's economy, and its clout is only growing. Six years …