Garrad's Political PlaylistPolitics is on the minds and tongues of everyone these days. We have elections coming up Nov. 8, when Mississippians will vote on two hot-button topics: personhood and voter ID. Nationally, the Occupy Wall Street movement has spread all over …
The Best DefenseWhen it comes to supporting breast-cancer research, even professional football players are getting in on the act. If you're a fan, no doubt you've seen all the pink out there on the field.
Sequins and LivestockIt's really no secret that I love shiny things and a good show. My childhood included playing dress up, thanks to an extensive wardrobe of old dance-recital costumes and treasures from the Junior Auxiliary's thrift store. Then the general rule …
Citizen PolicewomanI'm going to be completely honest: I'd never held a gun before. I always thought guns were for thugs and hunters. I simply didn't need one. So it may surprise you that on Saturday, Oct. 8, I spent the better …
The Poverty-Crime ConnectionIf you struggle to pay your bills and don't know where your next meal is coming from, studies show you are more likely to be incarcerated. Once you fall into that cycle, it's difficult to break out. When people get …
Ways to Prevent Juvenile CrimeGrown folks with responsibilities don't have time to be running the streets. At least that's the thinking behind programs designed to keep kids out of trouble by putting them to work.
The Dropout-Crime ConnectionWhat if there was a way to stop people from committing crimes before they started? Fight Crime: Invest in Kids is a nonprofit organization that advocates for quality education and after-school programs as the best way to prevent crime and …
Doing it For JacksonIn spring 2010, Grady Griffin received an urgent phone call from Craig Noone. A large oak tree had fallen in Greenwood Cemetery, close to Eudora Welty's grave.
Who's In a Gang? Who Uses Crack?State and local jurisdictions develop their own definitions of "gangs," which can lead to confusion and ill-defined fears of gang violence. The Jackson Police Department does not have an official definition of a gang, but the Mississippi Street Gang Act …
Bryant, DuPree Play NiceThe two candidates for governor in Mississippi talked up bipartisan cooperation and downplayed their differences at a debate Oct. 14.
Guns for Safety?It so happens that in the past few weeks, a number of people with ties to the Jackson Free Press—staff and former staff—have encountered the same piece of advice from Jackson Police Department officers. The advice: Buy a gun.
Relationships, Not GatesI would like to claim that Broadmeadow United Methodist Church first reached out to the neighborhood, but the truth is that the neighborhood reached out first to Broadmeadow.
[Stiggers] Quell the AnxietyAs you know, many in our community and around this nation struggle with economic imbalance. Many people suffer at the hands of some insensitive, uncaring and greedy individuals. Therefore, your non-judgmental solidarity with the poor, middle class and common folk …
[Oppenheim] Time to ListenOn Oct. 22, youth from all over Mississippi, but mostly Jackson, will gather at Metrocenter Mall for a special event: the first Art, Poetry and Justice SLAM. The event is part of National Youth Justice Awareness Month and brings together …