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Crime Perception Hurts Jackson Economy

Jackson misses out on booking conventions because of a false perception that the city has a high crime rate, Rickey Thigpen says. Thigpen, executive vice president of the Jackson Convention and Visitors Bureau, spoke this morning at the Friday Forum gathering at Koinonia Coffee House.

JRA Hires Consultant for Convention Hotel

By the end of this month, city leaders should have an independent study to determine whether the city of Jackson should help finance a long-awaited convention center hotel.

Lunches for Less

Feeding yourself on a college budget can sometimes be tricky. In Jackson, however, finding great, affordable food doesn't have to be a hassle and you don't have to resort to fast-food chains. With the city's selection of wholesome but cheap eateries, you won't have to go hungry or empty out your piggybank.

College Town: What's Here

Belhaven University

Day Trippin'

When I was younger, my parents would take me to the beach every school break. Dragging towel-laden plastic bags, we'd make the five-hour trip to Pensacola, Fla. The sea and the sand were great, but by about the 10th trip, I was so bored with the beach.

Welcome, New Jacksonians

Fact: Jackson is a college town. The metro area is home to eight colleges and universities plus a few technical schools. Despite the popular (and false) saying of "there's nothing to do in Jackson," people flock here for their education, swelling the city's population by 30,000 to 40,000 people. There are plenty of places to go and things to see, some of which are free.

'Trickle-Down' Explained In About 1:30

Warning, NSFFNW. (Not Safe for Fox News Workplaces.)

Community Events

Sports League Registrations, at Jackson Medical Mall (350 W. Woodrow Wilson Ave.). The Department of Parks and Recreation is conducting registration for the upcoming season from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays. Call 601-960-0471.

White Rankin Teens Accused of Race Murder

CNN has a shocking report today, including surveillance video of Rankin County teens accused of killing James Craig Anderson in a race murder in June. Warning: Video contains disturbing scenes.

Robert Barbour

Jackson businessman Robert Barbour saw an empty lot in Midtown as an opportunity to engage with the community. Barbour, who owns Star Grocery on Bailey Avenue, will turn the space into a family festival Saturday during "Mid-Town ThrowDown."

Searching for Dems at the Fair

As Democratic governor hopeful Johnny DuPree took the stump at the Neshoba County Fair, he looked at a majority-white crowd waving signs supporting Phil Bryant and Gov. Haley Barbour.

Time for Justice

"The wheels of justice grind very slowly, but sometimes they grind in the right direction." Hinds County Circuit Court Tomie Green spoke those words to Cedric Willis March 6, 2006, as she was exonerating him of all charges against him, setting him free 12 years after his arrest.

[Kamikaze] What We've Learned

It's frustrating. Those of us who preach progression, who practice tolerance, see it daily. Despite the Herculean efforts of most of us, we still have some among us who are not willing to embrace diversity.

Measuring Progress: The Evolution of Downtown Jackson Partners

Downtown Jackson Partners President Ben Allen resembled a proud father during a presentation to downtown property owners at the Mississippi Museum of Art on May 26. A video displayed images of a vast cityscape, streets filled with smiling young professionals and renovated lofts.

Second Best Ideas

I vividly remember the day when Ward 1 City Councilman Ben Allen bounded into my office at the Jackson Free Press. During the Frank Melton mayoral administration, it wasn't unusual for Allen to pop by; we didn't agree on everything and fought like banshees on the Internet from time to time, but we were on the same page when it came to some of the crazy coming out of city hall. We found common ground on the need for Jackson, and particularly downtown, to get its groove back.

The JFP Interview with Bill Luckett

In Clarksdale, Miss., Bill Luckett may as well already be governor. An attorney by training, he seems to have a hand in nearly every significant activity in town. Down the road from his law office, a revitalization effort is afoot in downtown Clarksdale. Ground Zero Blues Club and Madidi Restaurant, two ventures Luckett owns with actor Morgan Freeman, are central to this progress.

The JFP Interview With Tyrone Lewis

Tyrone Lewis, former Jackson Police officer (1983-2010), police chief and Democratic candidate for Hinds County Sheriff, is not a small man. He stands about 6 feet, but his barrel chest is like a cowcatcher on a 19th-century steam locomotive. When he flexes his arms, the muscles beneath the skin tumble over one another like a bag of basketballs.

Laketia Marshall-Thomas

Laketia Marshall-Thomas never intended to be a teacher. She went to Tougaloo College and then to Clark Atlanta University, where she graduated with a master's degree in organic chemistry. She planned to be a chemist, but a professor from Tougaloo College recommended her for a position teaching 7th grade math.

Candidate Sandridge Says Jackson Threatens Madison ‘Way of Life'

Here is the full write-up:

In his bought campaign write-up in The Northside Sun this week, Madison County Sheriff candidate Mark Sandridge amps up the anti-Jackson rhetoric that brought him massive criticism in May when he ran this campaign ad. This write-up, which the Sun gives candidates who also buy advertising in the paper, goes even further than calling Jackson one of the "most violent cities in the nation" (which is inaccurate). In this anti-Jackson diatribe, Sandridge borrows from segregationist language of old and says that Jackson—now a majority-black city—actually "threatens our schools, businesses, property values and way of life."

Community Events and Public Meetings

Parents & Kids Magazine's Back-to-school Pajama Parties. Children in kindergarten through second grade enjoy music, bedtime stories, goody bags and refreshments. Parents must accompany children. Pre-registration required. The first 100 registrants receive a surprise gift. Free; call 601-366-0901.

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