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BREAKING: City Budget $13 Million in the Hole

The city administration updated an earlier estimation of a $3.9 million budget deficit today at the 3 p.m. budget meeting. "The city is currently out of budget about $13.1 million," said city Director of Administration Rick Hill, who then recommended the city make drastic cuts to the Department of Parks and Recreation and JATRAN, as well as engage in a debt restructuring plan that would get the city about $4 million in up-front money, but cost the city about $5 million over the course of 15 years. The $113,000-salaried City Attorney Sarah O'Reilly-Evans said she will get an extra $35,000 in attorney fees by being involved in the debt restructuring plan, thanks to a stipulation in her employment contract.

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DA Files: ‘Too Sweet’ Reverend, Old Faces Back in News

Names of men who were involved in the late and controversial Mayor Frank Melton's universe keep popping up in the convoluted accusations encircling Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith.

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Full-Court Press for Mississippi Third Graders in Summer School Has Disappointing Results

Early July in the Mississippi Delta, and the East Sunflower Elementary School was bristling with nervous energy. If educators inside were perspiring, though, it wasn't from the sweltering summer heat.

The Latest on Nepal Quake: Stronger Quake May be Yet to Come

An engineer who works on earthquake risks says the 7.8-magnitude temblor that struck on Saturday may not be the Big One for Nepal.

In Survival Mode

I would daresay during the past two weeks, most of the population of Mississippi has been stressed out. In graduate school I once had a professor who made it her mission to dispel ideas about language that she believed weren't very conducive to true communication. The word "stress" was one of them—focusing most of her time convincing us that the idea of stress was a social construct, much like the idea of race. There were days toward the end of the semester where I truly felt what my mouth might not be able to explain as "stress," but my body would have absolutely no problem pinning down.

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'Thinking Out of the Box': The JFP Interview with Howard Sherman

Howard Sherman won the most votes (about 31 percent) on June 5 in the Democratic primary for Sen. Roger Wicker's Senate seat.

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Brotherhood of Destruction: An Addiction-Fueled Journey to Hell and Back

Benny Ivey met former Vice Lord and prominent drug dealer John Knight at a June people’s assembly at New Horizon Church on Ellis Avenue, and the two bonded as they brainstormed ideas for what would help people returning from prison to re-integrate into healthy lives without re-offending.

Put The Pros On The Police Beat

As of this writing, Donna Ladd has spent at least 30 hours over two weeks with Mayor Frank Melton in interviews, phone calls, ride-alongs, press conferences and visits at his home to meet the young men he fosters. A good deal of her reporting went into the cover story for this issue, second in a series of interviews and stories on the complicated man who is our mayor.

Crossroads Film 2011 Reviews

The Crossroads Film Festival is screening dozens of movies April 1-3 at Malco Grandview Theatre in Madison, in addition to holding workshops, after-parties and other related events all over town. The Jackson Free Press reviewed a few films to give you a sampling of what you'll find at the festival. For a full schedule of screenings and other festival events, go to http://www.crossroadsfilmfestival.com.

Scott Sisters Face Health Barrier to Transplant

Also see: The Tragic Case of the Scott Sisters

New Breast Cancer Guidelines Spark Controversy

Last week, two separate groups released new recommendations regarding cancer screening for women. On Nov. 16 the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force reversed decades of previous recommendations regarding mammograms to detect breast cancer. Then, on Nov. 20, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists released their new guidelines for Pap smears, a procedure for detecting cervical cancer. Both sets of recommendations raise the age when women should begin getting tests, and increase the time between regular testing.

I Am Not Afraid

Hanging on a wall, in a studio in Flora, Miss., designed especially for her by the renowned architect Samuel "Sambo" Mockbee, is one of the most beautiful paintings in Lea Barton's studio. The gorgeous black woman featured has long hair that cascades gently over her shoulder. A close look at her hair reveals the sentence "I Am Not Afraid"—the title of the piece—over and over and over. Around her are pieces of old wallpaper that the artist stripped from plantation homes, intricate patterns that speak nothing of the horrible places from which they come. There are also baby-doll heads, gently held in delicate fingers, strategically placed on the canvas. One probably couldn't begin to fathom the number of things the woman in the picture—or the artist—does not fear.

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Chicks We Love 2019

The Jackson metro area is full of entrepreneurial, innovative and influential residents. For this year's Chicks We Love, the Jackson Free Press shines the spotlight on women who play vital and interesting roles in our community on a daily basis.

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Mixed Messages: The JFP Interview with Big K.R.I.T.

Justin Scott, better known as hip-hop artist Big K.R.I.T., says that he has always felt like a bit of an anomaly.

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Bills, Bills, Bills: Jackson Residents Confused by New Water Systems

Judging by the number of paint-stained overalls and tired faces in the Smith Robertson Museum auditorium, many people who attended Mayor Tony Yarber's recent town-hall meeting came directly from work to press the mayor and his administration on what the heck is going on with their water bills.

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Troubled Water, Part II: The Origins of Jackson's $91 Million Siemens Contract

Nearly two months have passed since City of Jackson Department of Public Works Director Kishia Powell brought the water-meter installation project, the centerpiece of the City's $91 million contract with Siemens, to a grinding halt over concerns about quality control.

Community Events and Public Meetings

Eighth Annual JFP Chick Ball July 28, 6 p.m., at Hal & Mal's (200 S. Commerce St.). The fundraising event benefits the Center for Violence Prevention, and this year's goal is to start a rape crisis center. For ages 18 and up. Seeking sponsors, auction donations and volunteers now. More details: jfpchickball.com and follow on Twitter @jfpchickball. Get involved, volunteer, and donate art, money and gifts at [e-mail missing]. $5 cover; call 601-362-6121, ext. 16.

Community Events and Public Meetings

6 p.m., Jackson Touchdown Club/C Spire Wireless Most Valuable Senior Awards, at River Hills Country Club (3600 Ridgewood Road). Members of the athletic organization honor athletes from 10 Mississippi four-year colleges. $30 non-members; call 601-506-3186.

Community Events and Public Meetings

6 p.m., Power of Pink Balloon Release, at Highland Village (4500 Interstate 55 N.). The event is in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Pick up balloons from A Daisy a Day from noon-5 p.m. for the ceremony. Free; call 601-948-6262 or 800-948-6262.

Community Events and Public Meetings

Charity Funding Seminars. American Charity Assistance Network gives ways to fund charities, churches, and nonprofits at no cost. Also, learn how to become a paid volunteer. Call 769-233-6285.