Jackson Recognized, Again, for Business ClimateMayor Harvey Johnson Jr. send out a statement this afternoon, announcing that Jackson has again been recognized for the city's strong business climate, as it has several times in recent months. Johnson stated, verbatim:
Jones Drafts Legislation to Protect Abuse VictimsA Mississippi Gulf Coast lawmaker is drafting a bill that will protect domestic-violence victims from being victimized again. Rep. Brandon Jones, D-Pascagoula, vice-chairman of the House Insurance Committee, says his legislation will prevent health-insurance companies from denying victims coverage.
Crime Reports Mixed: Jackson Crime Stats for Oct. 19-25Major crimes in Jackson last week stayed level with numbers from the previous week, according to a report released today at a Jackson Police Department command staff meeting. Officers reported 216 total property crimes and 26 total violent crimes last …
Sweet and SafeThese days, not a lot of people go door-to-door for trick-or-treating. Many families attend local harvest festivals or parties at their kids' schools or churches. Nevertheless, if you are taking your kids out this Halloween, remember to practice these few …
[Stiggers] Momma's MadMr. Announcer: "In the ghetto criminal justice system, the people are represented mostly by two members of the McBride family: Dudley 'Do-Right' McBride, and attorney Cootie McBride of the law firm McBride, Myself and I. This is their story."
[Mott] The Cost of ExecutionsQuitman County, Miss., population 10,500, raised taxes for three years and borrowed $150,000 to provide legal counsel to Robert Simon and Anthony Carr, sentenced to death for the 1990 murders of four family members. A death-penalty case "is almost like …
Barbour's Medicaid Letter a Half-Truth?Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour pinched a nerve in September that's still causing pain for some health-insurance reform advocates. Barbour sent a Sept. 8 letter to Mississippi Republican Sens. Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker warning both that the reform envisioned in …
Obama to Sign Hate Crime LegislationIn a ceremony today at the White House, President Barack Obama will sign a bill into law that has been in the works for more than a decade. The bill updates the 1968 federal hate crime statutes that currently protects …
JSU Breaking Ground on University PlaceA long-awaited development project near Jackson State University has begun its first phase at the corner of Dalton and Lynch Streets. The JSU Development Foundation, which supports the university through investments, will celebrate the groundbreaking on the four-story, mixed-use building …
Barbour Appoints Malcolm Harrison to DeLaughter's Old Judge SpotJackson, Mississippi – Governor Haley Barbour today announced the appointment of S. Malcolm O. Harrison, of Jackson, as Circuit Court Judge for the Seventh Judicial District, Sub-district 4, serving Hinds County. Harrison will serve the unexpired term of former Judge …
Parents, Educators Call on JPS to Renew Music ProgramComplaints inundated Jackson Public Schools Board members after a tie vote on Oct. 20 failed to renew a music education program that serves elementary students across the district. The roughly $300,000 program, a collaboration with the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra, brings …
Lukisha CorkLukisha Cork, 35, knows an opportunity worth grabbing when she sees it. The Greenville mother of four boys, aged 12 to 17, will be receiving her certified nursing assistant certificate on Friday, along with four of her family members. The …
JSU Gets $500K Entergy GrantJackson State University is dedicating a laboratory and a new power-systems degree track in its engineering program, thanks to a grant from Entergy. The power company has awarded JSU with $400,000 to purchase equipment for a new laboratory and an …
Laura DeesSoon after Laura Dees gave birth to a baby girl named Ella Cate on May 1, 2008, Dees' daughter was diagnosed with a heart condition that thickened the valves of her heart and decreased blood flow. After several tests, cardiologists …
Update: School Board Meeting CancelledThe Jackson Public Schools Board of Trustees has canceled a special meeting today, because "additional information is needed for a recommendation to approve Qualified School Construction Bond Projects," according to a release. The agenda was to include time for public …
Bus Strikers Want Deal SoonUnion bus drivers for Hinds County schools say the part-time pay for drivers isn't enough to keep food on the table.
Jackson Home Prices Bucking National TrendWhile most of the country continues to see a drop in home prices in the wake of the housing and foreclosure crises, Jackson home prices will be going in the opposite direction. The average home across the nation will lose …
Mike Huckabee Criticizes Government Emergency AssistanceFormer Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee used his address at Salvation Army's annual dinner in Jackson last night to criticize the role of government in assisting in emergencies such as Hurricane Katrina. "Frankly, I'd rather …
Walk the Local TalkHere at the Jackson Free Press, we know well how hard it can be for a small, locally owned business to stand up to a corporation that wants to stamp out as much competition as possible in order to please …
Parents Should Make Plans for Getting Kids to SchoolWith school bus drivers employed by First Student threatening a strike beginning Thursday morning, the Hinds County School District is urging parents to make alternate plans for getting their kids to school tomorrow.
Weill Lone Vote Against New ChiefsThe Jackson City Council confirmed Police Chief Rebecca Coleman and Fire Chief Raymond McNulty after a brief hearing yesterday. Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes was not available for the hearing, and could not be reached to explain his absence. The …
JPS Board Drops Music ProgramThe Jackson Public Schools Board of Trustees failed to renew funding for a music education program yesterday, effectively discontinuing a 42-year-old collaboration with the Mississippi Symphony Orchestra. Board members voted 2-2 on renewing the program. Members Jonathan Larkin and Ann …
Costs Mounting for Levees, Lake PlansLegislators say the chances of the Mississippi Legislature approving funding to build levees in Jackson and surrounding counties are slim, especially since it has taken so long to reach consensus on how to mitigate flooding along the Pearl River.
Rains Hurt State Fair, Helped Local RestaurantsThe weather was unkind to the Mississippi State Fair last week, but the near-constant rain was a boon for one segment of Jackson: downtown restaurant owners. Fair director Billy Orr estimates that roughly 500,000 people attended this year, down from …
Weill Challenges Mayor Over Bond MoneyThe Jackson City Council and Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. got off on the wrong foot at the Monday work session after Ward 1 Councilman Jeff Weill inquired whether the city administration was spending a portion of a recent $26 million …
Karen ParkerBefore Byron Knight opened Sneaky Beans coffee shop on North State Street in Fondren, just about a year ago, the little house was home to Karen Parker's store, New Vibrations, for more than four years. The aroma of coffee has …
Mississippi Farmers Could See 100 Percent Crop LossesThe Mississippi State Fair isn't the only thing suffering because of the state's run of bad weather. The state is considering declaring entire Mississippi counties disaster areas because of enormous farming losses due to weather, said Mississippi Department of Agriculture …
Hinds Supes Go to Executive Session on Detention CenterHinds County Supervisors considered adopting a memorandum of understanding with a youth justice advocacy organization at a board meeting this morning. The proposed memorandum, which the board discussed in a closed executive session, would establish acceptable staff-to-youth ratios at the …