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Jackson vs. Cooper-Stokes, Round 3

Since a special election in February, Joyce Jackson has claimed that widespread fraud marred her Ward 3 Jackson City Council election against LaRita Cooper-Stokes. Last week, Special Judge Richard W. McKenzie announced that Jackson will get to take her complaints to court.

Invitational Delights

Franklin Sirmans, the curator of contemporary art at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, was out of his element a few months ago in the woods outside Oxford. He was near the end of his visit, but finding sculptor Rod Moorhead was not going to be easy.

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Who Gets Hurt in Budget Cuts?

Poor children are much more likely to experience hunger than those who aren't poor (23 percent vs. 4 percent).

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Rings on a Budget

Conventional wedding wisdom, dictated by the diamond industry no doubt, says that a man should spend one or two months' paychecks or more on an engagement ring to surprise his bride-to-be. In today's economy, that kind of extravagance is just not possible for many couples, especially with a wedding to fund.

Lessons from the Past

When Republican John R. Lynch won a seat in the Mississippi House, the Legislature had a lot of important rebuilding to do after the Civil War, including schools and other public buildings. In fact, state government needed to entirely reconstruct and reorganize itself.

Coming-of-Age Flicks

Graduation is not closing a chapter. It is not turning one's back on lessons learned. Instead, graduation is a stepping stone to responsibility. Numerous movies capture this transition. These options each offer a slightly different coming-of-age epiphany.

$20 Million Hold-up on Capitol Green?

Old Capitol Green developers cannot take advantage of $20 million in state bonds for infrastructure work because the state and city have not committed to the bonds.

Record Flooding on the Way

Gov. Haley Barbour warned the state yesterday that the typically languid waters of the Mississippi River could crest the middle of next month at 53.5 feet in Vicksburg, 10.5 feet above flood stage and one and one-half foot higher than the 52-foot crest the river reached in 2008. The news spells trouble for people living near the river in the Delta and Vicksburg area who suffered flooding in 2008. The river stage at Greenville and Natchez could crest at 60 feet, 12 feet above flood stage.

Raw and Naked

My wife looked incredulously at the glass before her. "It's green," she said. This was not the typical cup of coffee I usually bring her.

Ivan Rider

Ivan Rider returns to Jackson to direct "Driving Miss Daisy," opening tonight at New Stage Theatre.

"It's the theater of my heart," Rider told the Jackson Free Press this morning. "I'm delighted to be back."

Gov. Calls Special Session, Commemorates Katrina

Gov. Haley Barbour is calling a special session of the legislature Friday to approve one or two large economic development projects.

Dine Local This Summer

You hear the "buy local" message from the Jackson Free Press often because we think it's one of the most fundamental things that we all can do as citizens on a daily basis to help the Jackson metro thrive as a unique community.

[Kamikaze] The New Mississippi Musicians

I often brag to out-of-state friends and colleagues that all the genres of music were either birthed or perfected on Mississippi soil. From Jimmie Rodgers to Faith Hill, B.B. King to Grady Champion, and from Leontyne Price to Brandy, it's safe to say that our musical roots run deep.

Melton Protégé Pleads

Mayor Frank Melton says he will be waiting for Michael Taylor to get out of prison, probably before he is 21. "He is too good of a kid to give up on," Melton told The Clarion-Ledger last week. "I will be there for him when he gets out." Currently, Melton is refusing to speak to the Jackson Free Press.

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'What's the Rush?'

The Jackson Public School Board began their search for a new superintendent after Earl Watkins announced April 7 that he would not renew his contract when it expires in June 2009. The board began their search almost immediately, though Watkins' end-date was more than a year off.

Domestic Violence Bills Signed

Gov. Haley Barbour signed two bills addressing issues of domestic violence into law this session, both of which drafted by Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood.

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Districts Get More Sex-Ed Options

Mississippi school districts that want to adopt abstinence-plus sex-education programs now have more options--and the federal grant money that comes with them.

AG Forms New Domestic Violence Unit

[verbatim] Jackson, MS*Attorney General Jim Hood kicked off National Domestic Violence Awareness month (October) today with the announcement of a newly established unit to combat Domestic Violence in Mississippi. The Domestic Violence Division of the Office of Attorney General is being funded by a two year, $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women.

City Loses $240,000

The legal collapse of a Mississippi auctioneer could cost the city of Jackson almost a quarter of a million dollars. Durham Auctions, near Brooklyn Miss., wrote two bad checks to the city totaling about $240,000. The company had a contract to auction vehicles from the city's impound lot since May 2005. That contract expired in May 2008, but the city granted an extension to the company to hold one more auction this year. That auction, held in August, generated $240,000 in revenue that Durham Auctions never paid the city.

Ready for the Weekend Jackson?

If you can't find entertainment in Jackson this weekend, you're just not looking. Start the weekend right by heading to the Underground 119 grand opening, starting with a happy hour at 4 p.m. Take a look at the feature story about the restaurant for a menu and more information. Also tonight is the Harbor House annual fundraiser at the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum, kicking off at 6 p.m. and featuring art from some of Jackson's finest artists. If neither of those events make you happy, see the other options listed on the JFP Events Calendar and Best Bets.