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Jackson Zoo: Pulled from Two Directions

Jackson City Council President Charles Tillman of Ward 5 asked the members to use diplomacy during a conversation about the Jackson Zoo at last week's meeting. Not everyone took that to heart as the discussion turned both humorous and tense.

How ‘Trumpcare’ Could Hurt Mississippians

The U.S. House of Representatives made good on President Donald Trump's campaign promise of repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act last week, but the legislation could have dire impacts for Mississippi, a Republican leader says.

Michelle Byrom Gets Stunning Sentencing Reversal

In a highly unusual decision, the nine justices of the Mississippi Supreme Court ruled Monday to reverse the conviction of Michelle Byrom, 57, who has been on death row awaiting execution for the past 14 years.

Holiday Treats and Fun for Everyone to Close 2021

For those wanting to take advantage of the more moderate weather to safely venture out and check out what the metro has to offer this holiday season, the Jackson Free Press has assembled a sampling of food and event news tips to browse.

JFP Editor Donna Ladd's Speech at the Women's March, State Capitol, Jackson, Miss, 1/21/17

JFP Editor-in-chief and CEO Donna Ladd ended the Jackson Women's March at the Mississippi Capitol on Jan. 21, 2017, with this speech about the importance of independent media.

Free Speech or Bad Behavior?

A recent Jackson Police Department internal investigation is a prime example of the wild world of free speech in the Internet era. On March 10, the department released a statement acknowledging the investigation of an employee for "conduct unbecoming of an officer," during first lady Michelle Obama's March 3 visit to Jackson.

AG Scrutinizing Clarion-Ledger's TDN Scheme

Making Ends Meet: Lawmakers Wrestle with Education, Infrastructure and Shrinking Revenue

Education funding dominated headlines throughout 2016, as lawmakers worked to level-fund and not cut the amount of funding that went to the Mississippi Adequate Education Program in previous budget years, despite cutting most other agency budgets.

Let Me Count the Ways

As the holiday season approaches, we tend to focus on the things that overwhelm us: We have gifts to purchase, meals to prepare, out-of-town guests to accommodate and spaces to spruce up and decorate. Of course, life doesn't stop there. We're faced with the overwhelming task of trying to balance all of this increased activity with already-full schedules, as well as the demands of work, family and social lives.

Life Lessons at the Honky Tonk

"Let's go to the redneck bar," Blondie exclaimed from the backseat of my car. Three of us had just enjoyed a girls' day out after feeding the cows and touring my friend's farm in Canton. A little window-shopping and some fine dining on the Square had rounded out the day when we decided to hightail it over to the honky-tonk on Highway 43. We threw inhibition to the wind as I accelerated and made a hard right toward the bar.

GUEST OPINION: What Trent Lott and I Have in Common

"The last straw is an awesome thing," wrote columnist Deborah Mathis in the Arkansas Times in December. "So small. Seemingly so insignificant. Yet powerful enough to topple careers, ruin lives and break the camel's back. Trent Lott can now attest to the power of the last straw."

When A Plan Comes Together

"I love it when a plan comes together" was the signature line of George Peppard in his role as Hannibal Smith on the 1980s TV show "The A Team." It's unfortunate that I can't get it out of my head, but it's apropos in more ways than one. I recently saw George Peppard again in "Breakfast at Tiffany's," as I seem to be on an inadvertent VHS tour of Audrey Hepburn's career. Because many of my neural pathways were developed in the 1980s, it's difficult for me to see Peppard in any setting and not think of Hannibal Smith. It's my own personal hell.

[Balko] Death of a Watchdog

In an age when journalism has been inflicted not only by ballyhooed budget woes and challenges from new media, but also a glut of dubious trend stories, horserace political coverage and endless navel-gazing about the state of the profession, Pete Shellem merely freed four wrongly convicted people from prison in a period of 10 years with his reporting.

‘Working Together Works'

It happens that in the same week that the JFP is celebrating its eighth anniversary, the Fondren Association of Businesses (FAB) celebrated its own milestone--the second-annual members' meeting, this time in the newly re-monikered Duling Hall.

Religion Without Holes

In the center of a dimly lit room in the National Archives sits a small book that Thomas Jefferson made by meticulously cutting out sentences and gluing them onto pages. It's a Bible, but not the whole Bible. Only certain sentences were worthy, in Jefferson's eyes, to be included in his Bible. He included nothing about miracles or the resurrection of Jesus or the Old Testament, resulting in a book of nice, familiar, vaguely religious advice.

I Resolve, I Resolve, I Resolve

I just took a glorious week off. This hasn't happened to me much since we started the Free Press two and a half years ago. We managed to get away for a week in August to the Pacific Northwest—but, truth be known, I stayed on the laptop editing and perhaps even micromanaging a little from across the country as the home team put the paper out.

The Not-So-Humble Apple

Jackson's blazing summer heat has finally begun to subside; cooler evenings provide much-needed relief; and the first blush of the season has started to tinge the trees along the Natchez Trace. It is the perfect time to take advantage of fall's abundant produce by visiting one of the area's farmers markets.

The Pursuit of Excellence

Every now and then, I have to lighten up in this space. Rather than taking on the troubles of the world or trying to pull at your heart strings with serious commentary about something amiss in the state of Mississippi, I feel a calling to talk about the Jackson Free Press and our staff this week.

Odyssey of Discovery

Back in July 2006, I found myself on the edge of a new life. Four months earlier, I'd been laid off from a job after nine years. I was at loose ends, not particularly thrilled about continuing in a profession I didn't love any more, but not knowing what else I could do to support myself.

Chief, I Crushed the Car

Recycling is great for the Earth, but a potential nightmare if you're the victim of auto theft in Jackson.

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