MDE Releases New School RatingsThis morning, the Mississippi Department of Education released the details of its new public school ratings system, after more than two years. The MDE needed the new accountability model "to align with the State Board of Education's goals and a …
Ole Miss Students Social Networking Against KlanThe Mississippi White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan plans to protest the University of Mississippi's decision to drop a controversial pep song Saturday before the football game against Louisiana State University. In response, Ole Miss students of all races …
FBI Seeks Cold-Case Next of KinThe Federal Bureau of Investigation is reassessing more than 100 unsolved civil rights era cold cases, and is searching for victims' next of kin to notify the families of their results, according to a release from the agency. In 33 …
IHL's Bounds: ‘We're in a Financial Crisis'The Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning heard some rotten numbers at this morning's IHL meeting. Gov. Haley Barbour recommended a flurry of budget reductions for the state's eight colleges and universities, spurring Higher Education Commissioner …
Jackson Violent Crimes Drop Again; Property Crimes IncreaseMajor crimes rose slightly last week in Jackson, with a drop in violent crime offset by a rise in property crimes, especially house burglaries. According to statistics released at a Jackson Police Department command staff meeting this morning, patrol officers …
Corps Responsible for Katrina Flooding, Court RulesMore than four years after Hurricane Katrina roared out of the Gulf of Mexico, yesterday a federal court ruled against the Army Corps of Engineers for their failure to properly maintain a shipping channel, reports CNN.
University Mergers Loom?Rumors of university consolidation gave way to outright threats Monday when Gov. Haley Barbour released his executive budget recommendations for the 2011 fiscal year. Painting a dismal picture of the state's finances for the next three years, Barbour called for …
Love Thy NeighborI grew up in the Episcopal Church, and it was the center of everything my family did. From Sunday school to youth group and potluck dinners, the church provided a sense of community and belonging.
New Chief Shakes Up JPD StaffNew Jackson Police Chief Rebecca Coleman announced several changes to her command staff on Friday. The moves include promotions and some shifting of responsibilities among deputy chiefs.
[Murphy] Breaking OutI'm often struck by the way that many people live half-truthfully, editing out personal information that they deem unsavory to others. I'm not sure if this is a southern phenomenon, or simply a trend among those of us who are …
Nature vs. NurtureIn the western world, the earliest works depicting homosexuality come from the ancient Greeks, where the practice of adult men having sexual relations with male youths was considered quite normal. The term lesbian dates back to the Greek poetess Sappho, …
Safer Schools NowSchool is not always the most comfortable, or safest, place for a gay student.
Ceara's SeasonCeara Sturgis' home in Wesson, Miss., is filled with cookie jars. Ancient, smiling caricatures of 1950s-era "Campbell's Kids" join recent additions featuring the likeness of the M&M characters.
Johnson Picks New JPS Board MembersMayor Harvey Johnson Jr. announced his picks for the Jackson School Board last night. The returning mayor fell back on the ward rotation method in making his selections. He re-appointed board member Jonathan Larkin to finish his term, which will …
JPS Board Renews Music Program, Delays Bullying PolicyThe Jackson Public Schools Board of Trustees renewed a popular music education program last night, after its failure to do so last month resulted in weeks of outcry from parents and education advocates. Board members voted 4-0 to approve the …
Capital Murder Conviction ReversedThe Mississippi Appeals Court has reversed Cory Maye's murder conviction for the Dec. 26, 2001, killing of Ron Jones, a police officer in Prentiss, Miss., a tiny community of 1,000 residents in Jefferson Davis County. The court has remanded the …
JPS Extends Strings ProgramThe Jackson Public Schools Board of Trustees has approved a revised contract with the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra to extend the strings program through the end of the current school year, reports WAPT. Board President Sollie Norwood was absent from the …
Barbour's Budget Hits Women, AG, Schools HardGov. Haley Barbour released a budget proposal yesterday calling for a 12 percent cut in the state budget for most agencies and the consolidation of the state's historically black colleges and universities. The proposal, which reflects the state's fiscal year …
Calhoun Questions Youth Detention Center Staffing, TransparencyHinds County's youth detention center is once again the target of criticism, despite the county's recent agreement with a watchdog group that has voiced concerns about the facility in the past. Supervisor Peggy Calhoun raised the possibility of overstaffing at …
Barbour Wants to Merge State's Black UniversitiesIn his budget proposal today to the Mississippi Legislature, Gov. Haley Barbour proposed consolidating Jackson State University, Alcorn State University and Mississippi Valley State University. He also wants to roll Mississippi University for Women into Mississippi State University. He also …
JFP Hosts Domestic Abuse Forum at Welty LibraryWhy do men abuse? Why do women stay? How can the community stop the cycle of domestic abuse in a state that is among the most dangerous for women?
The Battle to Sell "Green" Power to Utilities Comes to JacksonMississippians who generate their own electricity through green technologies should be able to sell any excess back to power companies, Julia O'Neal told a legislative panel this morning. O'Neal said the process of net metering allows individuals to sell excess …
Robin WebbConcert pianist, composer and activist Robin Webb, 52, has been living with HIV and AIDS for more than two decades. Diagnosed in 1988 as HIV positive, his doctor told him in 1990 that the virus had progressed. "You have AIDS," …
Barbour to Announce Budget RecommendationsMississippi Gov. Haley Barbour will provide the state with his recommendations for the budget today. With revenues lagging behind estimates for the last year, politicians and pundits expect the announced cuts to be deep and wide.
Crazy Cat Opens New Fondren LocationFondren shoppers have another place to indulge their sweet tooth. On Monday, Nov. 9, Highland Village confectioner Jon Lansdale opened a second location of his Crazy Cat Bakers in the Fondren Corner building. Crazy Cat is selling grab-and-go lunches and …
John DooleyJohn Dooley is turning his passion for scuba diving into a business. Two weeks ago, Dooley won a $10,000 grant from the Mississippi Technology Alliance to develop Diver's D\Lyte, a performance drink that Dooley invented for scuba divers.
[Burnham] Stakes Raised for Mississippi SchoolsThe difference between Mississippi's old school-accountability rating system, which rated schools from Level 1 to Level 5, and the school and district accountability system that the state will implement this school year is like the difference between competing for a …
Jackson Violent Crime Down 10.1 PercentMajor crimes in Jackson decreased again last week, according to statistics released this morning at a Jackson Police Department meeting. Officers reported 154 property crimes, down from 226 the week before, and 32 violent crimes, up slightly from 25 the …
Ceara Sturgis' home in Wesson, Miss., is filled with cookie jars. Ancient, smiling caricatures of 1950s-era "Campbell's Kids" join recent additions featuring the likeness of the M&M characters.