'Criminalizing' KidsDonte Thompson says he hardly learned anything in alternative school. Forbidden to talk from the moment he stepped on the school bus, Donte did what little work he received using water-damaged, outdated textbooks.
Democratic Candidates Weigh InJackson mayoral candidates agreed during a Saturday forum that the current administration was failing to make Jackson all it could be. The forum, hosted by The Young Democrats of Mississippi, featured several Democratic Jackson mayoral candidates.
Cap the School-to-Prison PipelineTwo recent reports, one from the ACLU and one from the Pew Center on the States, highlight and then double-underscore the problem of what experts have dubbed the "school-to-prison" or "cradle-to-prison" pipeline.
2009 JFP Interview with Frank Melton, Part I: HealthThe day after Mayor Frank Melton got a reprieve from prison due to a hung jury, he held a brief press conference in City Hall to talk about his plans for the city. Soon afterward, Jackson Free Press editor Donna …
Nissan to Expand Canton PlantDespite declining auto sales worldwide, Nissan announced plans today to expand its Canton, Miss. plant to produce a new commercial vehicle, according to a release:
Melton Came Within Two Votes of ConvictionWithin days of coming within two votes of going to federal prison, Mayor Frank Melton revealed to the Jackson Free Press last Thursday for the first time publicly that he plans to run for re-election. "Yes," he replied when asked …
Lewis Leaves City Job, Seeks Council SeatJackson City Council President Dr. Leslie McLemore has confirmed that former Community Improvement Division Code Enforcement head Joe Lewis left his city job as of last Friday to pursue the Ward 6 Council seat currently held by Marshand Crisler. Crisler …
Minor Appeal SetThe 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will hear arguments in the appeal of Jackson attorney Paul Minor on April 1, in Austin, Texas.
Whitlow to Announce CandidacyRick Whitlow, former sports director and anchor at WJTV, will formerly announce his intention to run for mayor of Jackson tonight.
Mississippi's Gain is Michigan's LossGov. Haley Barbour announced yesterday that United Chair, owned by Haworth, Inc. of Holland, Mich., is adding 125 jobs at its Bruce, Miss., location. The addition of jobs in north Mississippi is part of Haworth's consolidation of its North American …
BREAKING: Mayor Frank Melton Running for Re-electionIn an interview in City Hall today, Mayor Frank Melton broke the news to the Jackson Free Press that he is going to run for re-election as mayor of Jackson. "Yes," he replied when asked if he is running for …
Bluntson Collapsed at GroundbreakingJackson Mayor Frank Melton told the Jackson Free Press that city Councilman Frank Bluntson, Ward 4, collapsed during a groundbreaking this morning.
Mississippi Gambling Recession-Proof?Casino gambling revenue in Mississippi exceeded $221 million in January, reports Forbes.com, an increase of 8 percent over December, though statewide revenues were down $3 million over January 2008.
Barbour's Ambitious PosturingGov. Haley Barbour has been a vociferous opponent of the Obama administration's stimulus package, especially when it comes to accepting the $2.3 billion allocated to Mississippi.
Ledger Admits Guilt on MeltonLast weekend, David Hampton, editorial director of The Clarion-Ledger, wrote what could have been an important first step for the newspaper that did a fair bit to help get Frank Melton elected.
Transcript of Frank Melton Remarks in Short Press Conference WednesdayJACKSON CITY HALLMayor Frank Melton called a press conference for 10 a.m. today to address plans for Maple Street Apartments, "new and ongoing economic development iniatives" and "continued/long-term focus on serving the City of Jackson." His remarks lasted about three …
[HOOD] Stimulus Package Offers Solutions to Faltering Economy, Rising CrimeCrime and the economy. No matter how it's sliced, these two issues are inextricably linked. When we face one problem head on, we also tackle the other. And that is why the President's economic stimulus package is so important. It …
Fresh Start 2009 Career & College Fair[verbatim] Are you looking for a new job for the New Year or are you ready to take the next step to getting that degree? Then the Jackson Medical Mall Thad Cochran Center is where you will want to be.
Be a BeekeeperThe Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce has announced the dates of upcoming workshops that will recruit, educate, and increase participation for new beekeepers in Mississippi.
FBI Seeks Cold Case Info[verbatim]In February 2006, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) enacted an initiative to identify and closely examine all unsolved hate crimes resulting in death that occurred prior to 1970. A review of cold case civil rights matters that met the …
Small Business Loan Clinic[verbatim] SBA Loan Clinic Available To Entrepreneurs Seeking Financing JACKSON, MS – The U. S. Small Business Administration's Jackson District Office will conduct a Loan Clinic on Tuesday, March 3rd to discuss SBA's guaranty loan programs.
Senate Kills Public Records Access BillThe Mississippi Senate shelved a bill designed to make public records more accessible to the public, according to The Greenwood Commonwealth,
Handy Hardware Coming to MississippiJackson, Mississippi - Governor Haley Barbour announced today that Handy Hardware, a member-owned hardware buying group, will open a distribution center in Meridian. The company plans to employ more than 150 people.
Nativist Lobby Makes Demands for Stimulus BillThe Mississippi Business Journal reported yesterday that nativist lobby group FAIR, the Federation for American Immigration Reform, is pushing Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) to include language in the economic stimulus bill to "ensure that the jobs created go to legal …
The 2009 JFP Interview With John HorhnJohn Horhn, 53, recently reclaimed his District 26 Senate for a fifth term, but now he wants to be mayor of Jackson. A self-proclaimed "lifelong resident of Jackson," and a product of Jackson Public Schools, Horhn won the then-newly created …
Teen Summit Tuesday Deals with Teen Pregnancy[Verbatim statement] Jackson, MS- Centers for Disease Control recently released a report that puts Mississippi as the nation's leader in teen births. Many parents are intimidated to talk with their child about sex and other social issues that most students …
Wicker on Roe v. Wade Anniversary<em>WASHINGTON - On the 36th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision, U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., reaffirmed his belief that no one should be denied the right to life. Wicker also thanked the participants in today's March for Life …
Schools Short on Pay Roll?The latest round of state budget cuts has many Mississippi school districts facing difficult budgetary decisions. Gov. Haley Barbour announced $85 million in cuts to K-12 education last Wednesday, $76 million of which will come out of the Mississippi Adequate …
John Horhn, 53, recently reclaimed his District 26 Senate for a fifth term, but now he wants to be mayor of Jackson. A self-proclaimed "lifelong resident of Jackson," and a product of Jackson Public Schools, Horhn won the then-newly created …