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Community Events and Public Meetings
6 p.m., Jackson Arts Collective Monthly Meeting, at The Commons at Eudora Welty's Birthplace (719 N. Congress St.). The Collective Steering Committee meets to discuss business of the previous month and listen to local artist proposals for collective sponsorship of events that fall in line with its mission. Open to the public. Call 601-497-7454.
Mississippi Organizations Prepare to Celebrate the "BEST" of the State
An upcoming awards ceremony/dinner will bring together movers and shakers from all walks of life: the Mississippi's Best Awards. "This was something that was a long time coming and months in the making," says Cyrus A. Webb, one of the event's founders and the Chief Coordinator. "We want to do all we can to highlight inclusiveness. It is our state's ability to be all things to all people that gave me the idea for the Mississippi's Best Awards (aka MBA)."
Artists To Watch
<b>Skipp Coon</b>
You gotta love the new mayor of Jackson. No, not that one. Skipp Coon, born Joecephus Martin, calls himself "the mayor of Jackson," and even raps about the current mayor of Jackson from time to time. Skipp Coon—a name he created to talk back to the stereotypes of the Jim Crow era—is an honors graduate of Jackson State with a degree in education, now working on his master's. Calling himself "more of a rapper than a hustler," Skipp says he is not solidly in the Dirty South rap-music camp with a lot of other area rappers. The Forest Hill High graduate likes Project Pat, 8 ball and MJG—and even Maroon 5. He said in a recent blog interview that he admires David Banner "because he reps Mississippi" and Kanye West "cause he made it big without killing anyone or selling dope." Last summer, Skipp toured Europe with his friend DJ Phingaprint, and played the biggest hip-hop festival on the continent—in the Czech Republic, where he was a sensation. Skipp is working on his new album with about a dozen tracks ready to go; you can hear "I'm Just Skipp" on the jacksonfreepress.com Podcast #1 right now. So come listen to the mayor.
[JFP Classic] Mississippi: A Sad State for Women?
Sure, it may feel that way for at least one weekend in March in Jackson. But after the parade, "chicks rule" is still not exactly the state of affairs in the Magnolia State—not by a long shot. Just look at the line-up of our Washington representatives. The local political columnists in the daily newspaper. The anti-abortion crosses on the Capitol lawn. The confused looks when we get loud and pushy. We can scream all we want about women's rights, and pay equity, and reproductive freedom, and how great and strong women are here in Mississippi, but the truth stings mightily: Mississippi is not even the 50th worst place in the United States for women. We're No. 51, behind the other 49 states and the District of Columbia.
LAST CALL: VOTE Today Until 7 p.m.
Attorney General: Jim Hood - won
The Jackson Free Press urges everyone to go to the polls today and vote in state and county elections. Polls are open until 7 p.m. Following are the JFP's endorsements in races where we prefer one candidate to the other (which is slightly different from the print version. We dropped our endorsement of David Blount, and added one of Dick Hall due to the tone of campaign ads.)
Returns: National Elections
OK, it's getting there. Polls will start closing soon. Please use this thread to discuss the returns as they come in.
Trash Talk: Kim Wade Disses the JFP
"Last week the Jackson Free Press had an interesting article in there where the editor was lamenting the fact that 'hey, you know Lefties are religious, too,' and she was going on and on, and this is Donna Ladd was going on and on about how she was religious and how she respects Buddha and all these other folks, well that's fine and good—and we as Christians, we respect those other religions, too, that's how they were able to flourish here in America.
Justice For Sale
Almost immediately after his appointment to U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Mississippi in late 2001, Dunnica Lampton began to investigate key Mississippi Democrats.
Where There's Smoke, There's Haley Barbour
During his long tenure in Washington, Haley Barbour was known for his love of Maker's Mark bourbon, good cigars and Republican politics, not necessarily in that order.
Community Events and Public Meetings
6 p.m., Young Leaders in Philanthropy Advisory Council Meeting at United Way (843 N. President St.). Council members and the YLP Executive Board meet monthly to strategically discuss upcoming YLP activities and other community engagement initiatives. E-mail [e-mail missing].
JFP Chick Ball Raises More Than $3,000
Please contact Natalie Collier (natalie at jacksonfreepress dotcom) if you're a female visual, musical or performance artist interested in donating performance or art to raise money to fight domestic violence during Chick Ball 2006. Details coming soon.
Barbour: 'Why I'll Veto the Tax Bill'
*verbatim via e-mail* There has been a lot of discussion over the past few days about Senate Bill 2310, which proposes to eliminate the sales tax on groceries and increase the tax on cigarettes. Despite the initial claims that this proposal is simple and revenue neutral, this bill in fact shortchanges our towns and cities which are already strapped in post-Katrina times and destroys our ability to increase needed funding for education in the future.
JFP Chick Ball Raises $7,000 for Domestic Abuse Victims
A preliminary count shows that the 3rd annual JFP Chick Ball raised just over $7,000 for the Center for Violence Prevention in Pearl. This amount was raised through direct donations, a $5 cover charge, $5 raffle tickets for 25 door-prize packages donated by local businesses, the sale of t-shirts purchased by the Jackson alumni chapter of Delta Sigma Theater sorority and a silent auction of art by dozens of artists and prize packages donated by businesses. Those prizes included diamond earrings donated by Carter Jewelers. The amount raised surpassed the total of the first two Chick Balls, which together raised about $5,000 for the center.
[Kamikaze] The Apocalypse Is Nigh
I'm back from a couple of weeks in the media capital of the world—New York City. Bright lights, big dreams and bad weather. Unfortunately while I was there, the Northeastern seaboard experienced some of its worst weather in years. Here I am running from the remnants of Katrina and Rita and, POW!, seven straight days of blinding rain and flooding in New Hampshire. Methinks this is yet another sign that the Apocalypse is nigh.
Ben Allen and Mike Peters on Downtown WLEZ-FM
Ben Allen and Mike Peters are on the radio right now at WLEZ-FM (103.7 FM)( talking about the potential of downtown development RIGHT NOW. Streams live at http://www.wlezfm.com.
[Lott] The Oreck Challenge
Before this column takes on the big issues expected in the Senate this year, I want to address something all Mississippians should note. It's a lesson about corporate citizenship and corporate responsibility that our state should resolve to remember, particularly as we try to bring new jobs here.
Melton Drug-Dealing Rumors Back
A recent deposition raises years-old questions about Frank Melton and past investigations.
18 Going on 21: Jubilee Jam! Almost Legal!
Mississippi's largest annual music festival has returned for its 18th birthday after its near-fatal deluge of rain and indebtedness in 2003. Jubilee! Jam, with its move to mid-June, has been imagined and re-energized by several changes. As you peruse the line-up, you'll notice that the festival has been scaled down to Friday night and Saturday only. The stages have shifted toward State Street so you won't have to trek back and forth to One Jackson Place from the governor's mansion. You'll have continuous music on two national headliner stages on Capitol Street, a Mississippi stage on Congress Street, and a variety of Jackson's musical offerings in the Jackson Lounge (organized by the Jackson Free Press and other local businesses). The Baroque Dresden exhibit has inspired a traditional German beergarten, complete with German music, food and beer to get your Weinerschnitzel-ed. And, bless us all, the Hallelujah Stage at St. Andrews Cathedral will continue the always-popular Gospel Jubilee on Saturday, and offer a new acoustic singer/songwriters stage on Friday evening.
What's Stopping Solar?
Will Hegman looks over a warehouse filled with what could potentially be the future of American energy.
Travis Childers Unplugged: The JFP Interview
Within 63 days, Travis Childers went from being a former Prentiss County chancery clerk to one of the biggest butt-pains the Republicans have experienced in 15 years.