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Melton Timeline

July 4, 2005 New Mayor Frank Melton was sworn in at City Hall. In his speech, he promised that any young person who wanted one could have a job with the city, as long as they attended church regularly. Later in the day, sporting a specially made badge and a sidearm, Melton joined the police on a slew of checkpoints and neighborhood sweeps.

Personhood Initiative Heads to Court

The outcome of a lawsuit over a 2011 ballot initiative asking voters to define when life begins will come down to whether the initiative requires modifications to the state Constitution.

Barbour Suspends Scott Sisters' Sentences

cover story on the Scott sisters

Peace in the MPB Valley?

After being absent from Mississippi Public Broadcasting offices for at least two weeks, Executive Director Judy Lewis resigned Sept. 8. A news release that afternoon announced her decision to leave her post after one hot summer controversy.

Taking Religion Back

Politics and religion: two subjects that should never be introduced in polite conversation. When I moved to Mississippi, the admonition became a hard and fast rule for me. Mississippi politics contains a lot of bizarrely coded language that, as an outsider, I can't penetrate. And religion? Well, let's just say that I got invitations to about a half-dozen Baptist and Methodist churches within a couple of weeks, none of which I accepted. There are some who will likely never forgive me for that Yankee faux pas. Being in the buckle of the Bible belt came to mean only one thing to me—evangelical, fundamentalist Christianity.

The 2009 JFP Interview with Frank Melton, Part III: Money & Taxes

In Part III of his Feb. 26 interview with JFP editor Donna Ladd, Frank talks about his finances, including his property-tax troubles.

I'M FAT!!!!!

I had a doctor's visit recently, and I almost passed out when I saw the numbers on the scale. I gained 35 POUNDS in two years! Well...

Crime Perception Affects Citizens' Physical Fitness

A U.S. study done on Jackson, MS and two other towns in North Carolina showed a relationship between "their perception of crime in their neighborhood, and their view of crime as a barrier to physical activity."

New Wicker Ad Uses Cheap Gay Stereotype

A new ad from Roger Wicker's Senate campaign attempts to tie former Gov. Ronnie Musgrove to such left-wing groups as...the Village People. The ad shows a parade of liberal interest groups--including a man dressed like a cowboy representing "the largest gay-rights group in the country"--all donating money to a "DSCC Musgrove fundraiser."

Black and White ‘Looters' Being Covered Differently?

Salon has an intriguing story, with screen shots, exploring whether the media are treating blacks who are taking items from stores differently than whites doing the same thing.

You Cook, I Cook, We All Go Out to Eat!

As a new resident of the Jackson area, I am in awe of the masses who seem to go out to eat every single night. Don't get me wrong, I do it as well, but why?

Don’t Lose Hope: State Epidemiologist Dr. Paul Byers on COVID-19

Dr. Paul Byers sat down with the Jackson Free Press on Nov. 4 to discuss the Mississippi State Department of Health's approach to the COVID-19 crisis, now in the early stages of a third spike.

Johnson, Ladd to Be Honored at Friendship Ball, March 4

The Influencers

Lobbyists remain one of the most formidable forces in Congress and under capitol domes around the nation. Lobbying, which the U.S. Constitution protects as a form of free speech, has at times precipitated scandals and, at other times, ushered landmark legislation.

Koch Foods, PECO Funded 'Chicken' PAC, Gave Thousands to Hyde-Smith, Pols

Business executives who federal filings say "willfully and unlawfully" employed undocumented immigrants have donated thousands to high-level politicians in and outside of Mississippi, including through a special "Chicken" political action committee.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Media: Horse-Race Election Reporting Signifies Nothing

It is vital to stop treating elections like a fun, two-sided thrill ride, which (usually male) political reporters and campaign strategists love—and they're getting paid either way, even if your hospital closes.

Jackson’s First Couple: How the Lumumbas Met and Why They Love Jackson

Jackson's first couple's story begins in a kindergarten classroom at North Jackson Elementary School. They both remember walking to school together with other kids in the neighborhood and playing together in their cul-de-sac after school.

AP Newsbreak: 'Queen of Soul' Aretha Franklin Dies at 76

Aretha Franklin, the undisputed "Queen of Soul" who sang with matchless style on such classics as "Think," ''I Say a Little Prayer" and her signature song, "Respect," and stood as a cultural icon around the globe, has died at age 76 from pancreatic cancer.

Text of Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant's Inauguration Speech

The following is the text of Gov. Phil Bryant's inaugural speech, as prepared for delivery Tuesday.

Gov. Phil Bryant's Inaugural Speech: Full Text

The following is the text of Gov. Phil Bryant's inaugural speech, as prepared for delivery Tuesday:

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