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ICE Releases Daniela Vargas Under Order of Supervision

Daniela Vargas, the 22-year-old undocumented immigrant who grew up in Mississippi and was detained after speaking out at a press conference in Jackson, is free from federal custody as of today.

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Mayor Proclaims Season to Help Students Pay for College

This morning at Murrah High School, Mayor Tony Yarber proclaimed October through May "FAFSA Completion Season" for the City of Jackson in an effort to increase those numbers across the entire school district.

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Plan Your Meals

For many people, part of eating healthy means doing a lot of planning, which can seem daunting. Luckily, many apps on the market can help. Here are a few.

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Refusing Medicaid: 'Far-Reaching Consequences'

What a new report says is that Mississippians would benefit greatly from the expansion of Medicaid. But what the report really means is that Mississippians—and the rest of the country—are suffering great harm by the state's refusal to expand Medicaid.

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WestJXN Porchfest Sunday on Robinson Road

Kimberly Hilliard, executive director of community engagement at Jackson State University, is partnering with Hope Enterprise Corporation and residents of west Jackson to host WestJXN Porchfest on Sunday, Oct. 28.

Community Events and Public Meetings

JPS Pepsi Holiday Basketball Tournament Dec 28-30, at Jackson State University, Williams Athletics and Assembly Center (1400 John R. Lynch St.). The tournament features 11 girls' teams and 13 boys' teams throughout the state. Consolation games are at Forest Hill High School (2607 Raymond Road). Visit the JPS website for brackets and game times. $8 Dec. 28-29, $10 semifinals and finals.

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'Reopen Mississippi' Protesters Demand Governor to Reopen State Amid Pandemic

Dozens of cars bearing hand-painted messages and signs, American flags, the Mississippi state flag, the Gadsden “Don’t Tread on Me” flag and other insignia, encircled the Governor’s Mansion in downtown Jackson Saturday, April 25, to demand that Gov. Tate Reeves fully re-open the state amid the COVID-19 global pandemic.

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State Says COVID-19 Tests Available, But Confusion Among Local Providers

Clinics and hospitals in the Jackson metro demurred on March 13 when the Jackson Free Press called seeking COVID-19 testing

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.

Community Events and Public Meetings

5 p.m., America Reads-Mississippi Member Recruitment at Jackson State University (1400 John R. Lynch St.), at the Sally M. Barksdale Educational Resource Center. ARM members tutor full-time during the school day, before and after school, over breaks and in the summer. Members support school and community efforts to increase parental and community support and involvement, recruit volunteers and attend monthly training to gain skills necessary to meet service obligations. Members who successfully complete 1,700 hours in one year will receive the Segal AmeriCorps Education Award worth $5,350, which can be used to attend college and/or pay off current qualified student loans. Call 601-979-1474.

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Ridgeland Mayor Demands LGBTQ+ Book Purge, Threatens Library Funding

Ridgeland Mayor Gene McGee is withholding $110,000 of funding from the Madison County Library System allegedly on the basis of his personal religious beliefs, with library officials stating that he has demanded that the system initiate a purge of LGBTQ+ books before his office releases the money.

Casey Therriault

Thursday night in primetime, the NFL Draft kicks off with the first round. Over the next three days, college stars will wait by the phone hoping it rings, making their dreams of becoming an NFL player come true.

[Stiggers] Satirist's Manifesto

I thought this would be a good time to write another reader's guide to my columns published in the Jackson Free Press. Since my last reader's guide, I continue to premiere new satirical characters that provide their opinions on the issues of the day.

Kenneth Braswell

Kenneth Braswell wants fathers to step up. The keynote speaker at Jackson Public Schools' Dads of Destiny Conference this evening, Braswell advocates for responsible fatherhood through his organization, Fathers Incorporated, and the New York State Fatherhood Initiative.

D.A.: ‘It's Unfortunate'

District Attorney Faye Peterson has responded to a full-page ad purchased in the Jackson Free Press last issue by police watchdog organization group SafeCity Watch. The ad said that local politicians considered property crime a low priority and called for city and county residents to pressure county supervisors to follow Sheriff Malcolm McMillin's call to expand the county jail by 132 beds.

Ann Herlihy

Many Jacksonians are still in mourning since Ann Herlihy closed Fondren Traders late last year, the shop where many of us bought so many gifts (most of my staff gifts used to come from there). But many people didn't know that Ann has another passion beyond art and design: She loves animals and helps rescue them. After continually seeing Ann walking her three pups around Fondren, I asked her if she would do a DogBlog for the Jackson Free Press. Ann had taken my writing classes, and I know she is good writer; she is also very funny. And closest to my heart: She loves animals as much as I do, and hates to see them abandoned and mistreated.

Union Head: Don't ‘Rush to Judgment' Over Fuel Use

Brenda Scott, president of the Mississippi Alliance of State Employees, a workers' union, issued a press release warning the Jackson City Council not to jump to conclusions regarding recent allegations of fuel card abuse, as reported Dec. 2 by the Jackson Free Press. According to council members, 945 of 1,088 city employees with access to gas cards were not keeping track of the odometer readings at fill-ups during the months of July, August and September. Other records show more than one refueling on the same vehicle in one day, or reveal employees putting 50 gallons of gas in a vehicle built to hold no more than 20 gallons.

Legislative Black Caucus Foils Plan to Unseat McCoy?

Rep. George Flaggs, D-Vicksburg, told the Jackson Free Press Friday that the Mississippi Legislative Black Caucus adopted a position on Thursday against the candidacy of Columbus Rep. Jeffrey Smith's run for Speaker of the House. "We voted unanimously not to support Jeff Smith for Speaker and to not make a commitment to the position of Speaker Pro Tempore position, and to have another meeting later on," Flaggs said.

Court Re-hears Seale Appeal

On May 21, the 17-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals heard oral arguments in the case of James Ford Seale.

School Board Violated Lesbian Student's Rights, Judge Says

A federal judge ruled today that the Itawamba County school board violated Constance McMillen's free speech rights when it canceled a prom after she asked permission to bring her girlfriend as her date. U.S. District Court Judge Glen Davidson denied McMillen's request, filed by the Mississippi ACLU, for a preliminary injunction forcing the school board to hold a prom, however.