Governor Announces More Budget CutsIn the wake of yet another disappointing state revenue report, Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour announced another $54.3 million in budget cuts yesterday, and expressed remorse that he could not impose more cuts under current state law. The announced cuts include …
Gingrich to Speak at MillsapsFormer House Speaker Newt Gingrich will carry his jobs summit to Millsaps College today at 4 p.m. Gingrich's Web site describes the event as "a real jobs summit," to rival President Barack Obama's jobs summit held at the White House …
Dr. Ed ThompsonDr. F.E. "Ed" Thompson was a leader in improving the health of others. Thompson, 62, held the post of Mississippi's health officer, from 1993 to 2003, and again from 2007 until his death Tuesday of colon cancer.
Jackson Violent Crimes Drop 18 Percent Last WeekViolent crimes in Jackson decreased by 18 percent last week, along with an overall 3 percent decrease in all major crimes, according to statistics released at a Jackson Police Department command staff meeting this morning for the week ending Nov. …
Do the Right Thing and ... ReportAs I proofread this week's cover story about the stories mainstream media won't cover, I thought back to the first year of the Jackson Free Press.
Schimmel, Nolan Confirmed for JPS BoardMayor Harvey Johnson Jr.'s two new appointments to the Jackson Public Schools Board of Trustees became official Nov. 25 when the Jackson City Council confirmed both with unanimous votes.
Easy On Community Colleges?In a budget proposal that suggested drastic consolidation of the state's K-12 school districts and public universities, Gov. Haley Barbour was noticeably less adamant about changes to the state's community college system.
Censored! Top 10 News Stories Ignored by the MainstreamPeter Phillips, director of Project Censored for 13 years, says it's impossible, to try to get major news media outlets to deliver relevant news stories that serve to strengthen democracy.
Jackson No. 3 'Best Bang-for-the-Buck' CityAmericans are thinking differently when evaluating cities where they might settle down and raise a family. In the wake of the real-estate bubble and in the midst of major unemployment, places like Jackson are looking darn good. So good, in …
Health-Care Reform to Dump Poor Kids?Oleta Fitzgerald, director of the Children's Defense Fund's Southern Regional Office, says she is concerned over the welfare of Mississippi children if either of the two health-care reform packages considered by the U.S. House and Senate ever make it into …
Elders to Speak at World AIDS Day EventJackson AIDS activist Robin Webb told the Jackson Free Press last month that AIDS disproportionately affects the South, African Americans and men. In Mississippi, Webb said, approximately 9,000 people are currently living with the disease, yet fewer than half receive …
[Balko] ‘It Opened Our Eyes'How the paths of two very different families crossed to cheer the release of a wrongly convicted man.
Jamie HarrisWhen Jamie Harris came to Millsaps College as a geology professor in 1995, he had never taught before, even as a graduate student. Since then, Harris has flourished as a teacher. On Nov. 19, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement …
Belhaven ‘College' No MoreAfter 126 years, Belhaven College, a private Christian liberal arts school in the heart of Jackson, is changing its name to Belhaven University. The school's president, Dr. Roger Parrott, will announce the change at an all-campus gathering today at 11:45 …
Hood Calls Foul on Entergy Upgrade PlanEntergy Mississippi Inc. announced last week that it would be investing $500 million in "upgrading and bolstering" Mississippi transmission facilities between 2006 and 2013.
Bryant Announces Govt. Reorganization PlanState legislators will consider reform and reorganization of state government in January, Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant said today. At a news conference this morning, Bryant released a report detailing recommendations for improving efficiency and accountability in Mississippi's government.
Miro LagoMiro Lago can boast of being the first working manager of the King Edward Hotel in more than 40 years, since the business closed its doors in 1967. The King Edward Hotel, which is reopening as a Hilton Garden Hotel, …
Why I Like the Senate Health Care BillThis past week I learned something surprising and encouraging about the health-care reform bill in the Senate -- something that you may not know if you've only listened to mainstream media coverage. (If you're listening to right-wing talk radio or …
This Black Friday, Shop Local FirstBlack Friday this, and Black Friday that. Do you really, truly want to get up with the chickens and wait outside some big-box retailer to save a few dollars on the same gift everyone else is buying? Truly?
Opposition to University Mergers StrongGov. Haley Barbour's proposal to merge some state universities continues to draw ire. On Nov. 20, students rallied at Jackson State University to protest Barbour's suggestion that the state's other two historically black universities, Alcorn State and Mississippi Valley State, …
Big Budget WarsGov. Haley Barbour is in crisis mode. The state is up against a $715 million budget shortfall in fiscal year 2011, by his estimates, and another $500 million shortage in fiscal year 2012.
JPS Weighs Bullying PolicyThe bullying got so bad that LaShron Cooley's daughter began to feel physically sick before school. As a sixth-grader in the International Baccalaureate Program at Northwest Middle School, the girl was teased for being bookish and sticking out. Her mother …
Insurance-Reform Bills Big on ChangeRep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., had a lot to be proud of at the end of October when the House released a new and improved bill to reform health care and health-care coverage. The 10-year $894 billion package, she said, would …
More Trouble for Yazoo PumpsLast week, environmental groups pounced on an August lawsuit filed by the Board of Mississippi Levee Commissioners over the federal rejection of a plan to drain the southern portion of the Mississippi Delta.
Three JPS Schools Make Highest GradeThree Jackson elementary schools received the state's highest rating according to new data released this morning by the Mississippi Department of Education. Those elementary schools, Power APAC, Davis Magnet and McWillie, received "Star School" ratings, the highest possible under the …
New Breast Cancer Guidelines Spark ControversyLast week, two separate groups released new recommendations regarding cancer screening for women. On Nov. 16 the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force reversed decades of previous recommendations regarding mammograms to detect breast cancer. Then, on Nov. 20, the American College …
Peter Phillips, director of Project Censored for 13 years, says it's impossible, to try to get major news media outlets to deliver relevant news stories that serve to strengthen democracy.
Following is transcript of President Barack Obama's Tuesday night speech on the war in Afghanistan, released by the White House on Tuesday:
Gov. Haley Barbour is in crisis mode. The state is up against a $715 million budget shortfall in fiscal year 2011, by his estimates, and another $500 million shortage in fiscal year 2012.