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Judicial Run-off: Black Women Lead Hinds Circuit; Bryant Choices Bomb

Hinds County voters had a harder decision to make than most on Nov. 27, with six judicial seats up for grabs alongside the hotly contested, historic U.S. Senate race that resulted in Mississippians electing the first woman to Congress in Cindy Hyde-Smith.

Mike Espy Files to Run Against Hyde-Smith in 2020 Rematch

On his 65th birthday, Democrat Mike Espy filed Friday morning to run for the U.S. Senate seat held by incumbent Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith when it is up again in 2020.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Reps. John Lewis, Bennie Thompson to Attend Grand Celebration of Mississippi Civil Rights Museum

U.S. Reps. John Lewis and Bennie Thompson are attending the Grand Celebration and Gala at the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum on Feb. 23 and 24. Both will receive awards.

Barbour and his Deadbeat Mississippians

June 11, 2004–Today in The New York Times, columnist Bob Herbert nails Barbour's cuts to Medicaid recipients–the worst Medicaid cuts ever: "If you want to see 'compassionate' conservatism in action, take a look at Mississippi, a state that is solidly in the red category (strong for Bush) and committed to its long tradition of keeping the poor and the unfortunate in as ragged and miserable a condition as possible. How's this for compassion? Mississippi has approved the deepest cut in Medicaid eligibility for senior citizens and the disabled that has ever been approved anywhere in the U.S."

*Best of: People and Community

<b>Best Local Scandal, Best Public Figure,

As much as I attempt to cover issues apart from city politics, I always end up getting dragged right back to the council chambers and good ol' Frank Melton, a mayor elected last year based on his pledges to clean up crime within 90 days.

Tsunami Benefit Raises $4,311

The JFP-Collective-Rock 93.9 benefit last night at the Red Room at Hal & Mal's has raised $4,311.50 for disaster relief! Hal & Mal's donated 10 percent of sales for the evening. The checks will be mailed to Oxfam late Friday. The event was a raging success. Thanks to the musicians, volunteers, local businesses, artists and all the Jacksonians, young and older, who turned out to make the event such a success. The music was hot, and the community spirit was even hotter. Most of all, we thank JFP intern Swetha Regunathan who spearheaded the event and designer Jakob Clark who made such amazing music come together on one stage for such an important cause in less than a week. Cheers to them, and to Jackson.

Making of a Landslide: Chokwe A. Lumumba and a Changing Jackson

Primary night wasn't supposed to end that way. Chokwe Antar Lumumba could not possibly beat nine Democratic opponents outright and avoid a run-off. Here's why he did.

U.S. Supreme Court Upholds Voter ID Regulations

A U.S. Supreme Court known for its anti-regulatory bent today voted 6-3 to uphold Indiana's voter-identification regulations, making Republicans happy and clearing the way for voter-ID laws in other states, including Mississippi. Mississippi Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann, a Republican, praised the ruling in a statement:

False Accusations Against JFP on SuperTalk

Todd Stauffer was on SuperTalk Mississippi (we're ashamed to say we don't know the frequency -- 97.3 FM, maybe?) at 8:05am on Tuesday to talk to Paul Gallo about the Clarion-Ledger's scheme to control free publications in the Metro. But instead of sticking to the non-partisan topic of free enterprise, Gallo kept trying to bait Todd into an argument about "liberals." Then Mike Lott, the legislator from Petal, called into falsely accuse the JFP of running a page 1 story about him, calling him a racist. When Todd said we didn't do that, Gallo said that, yes, indeed it was the Jackson Free Press. Then Donna Ladd called in to set the record straight, reportedly causing Gallo & Co. to launch into personal attacks against the JFP and its staff the next morning. The following thread contains more information on this little far-right temper tantrum.

[Ladd] ‘Say These Words With Me'

"How is everybody?" Bob Moses asked the congregation in his famous whisper. He paused and then added, "Say these words with me."

BREAKING: Supreme Court Calls for Danks Hearing

The Mississippi Supreme Court issued an order (PDF, 48 KB) dated April 16 remanding Judge Tomie Green's call for sanctions against former Mayor Dale Danks to Hinds County Circuit Court.

Letter to a Young Jacksonian

This time each year, I start hearing from young people who want to intern at the JFP over the summer (last year we had 19) and from former interns who need a reference or career advice.

Survivors of Murdered Women File Suit

The families of two women murdered last September by the men who professed their love for them say they have yet to receive justice.

Innocent Man Goes Home for First Time Since 1993

INDIANOLA—Arthur Johnson, 48, wrongfully convicted in 1993 of rape and burglary, went home with his family Monday, Feb. 25, for the first time in a decade and a half. Sunflower County Circuit Judge Ashley Hines still levied $25,000 in bail, even though DNA testing proves Johnson did not commit the rape. Johnson has already served 15 years of his 55-year sentence in Parchman.

Appeals Allege Federal Tampering

In 2007, a federal jury convicted Mississippi attorney Paul Minor, who had made a name for himself in tobacco and asbestos litigation, of corruption. Last month Minor's lawyers appealed that decision, seeking to vacate the conviction and the sentence and to either dismiss the case or retry it before a new judge.

State Investigates ‘Lawn Service' Contracts

Better late than never. It looks like the state and the media are finally playing catch-up on investigating the city's allocation of money to Frank Melton's "lawn service" contracts to young friends from the Wood Street area. The Jackson Free Press has been trying to get attention to this matter for many moons now, and it seems that the feds took heed before the state auditor bothered to take a closer look. For background, here is one of our stories, from last March, on the issue in which I interviewed the head of the "lawn service" (and that story links to documents that we acquired and published for the first time).

On The Issues: Educating The Candidates

The economy, the war in Iraq and personal attacks have succeeded in slapping attention away from the nation's education issuenot an easy feat considering how highly communities generally rate education in political importance in polls.

Playing Civil Rights Favorites?

Animosity continues to rage between advocates of the city of Jackson and friends of Tougaloo College over the proposed location of a National Civil Rights Museum with advocates of a downtown location saying that neither the commission nor the consultants tasked with choosing a location has played fair during the process.

Two Races Rumble this Primary

This story has been updated to reflect a correction.

The June 1 primaries will be here in a handful of days, and the winners will likely give two of the state's four incumbents a hard time, say politicos.

Ceara Sturgis' Mother Speaks Out on Prom Cancellation

Veronica Rodriguez, the outspoken mother of Wesson Attendance Center student Ceara Sturgis, a lesbian, says that the Itawamba School District is mistreating senior Constance McMillen by cancelling the high school prom rather than allowing her to attend with her girlfriend. "They knew what they were doing when they canceled the prom," Rodriguez said Thursday about the Itawamba school district's decision. "They're trying to make that girl some kind of exile. They're trying to turn her whole class against her so they'll pressure her to drop her case."

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