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‘Rebel’ Businessman Dumps Suburban Waste into Jackson Sewage System

Andrew Walker, 71, may find himself in prison after pleading guilty to conspiring with others to wrongfully discharge 3 million gallons of industrial waste between December 2016 and October 2017 into the Jackson sewage system, court filings say.

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Jason Jenkins, Public Artist

Jason Jenkins moved back to Jackson during the summer of 2012—just in time to participate in the painting of area traffic boxes as part of the Public Art Initiative that former Jackson Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. created in conjunction with the Greater Jackson Arts Council.

Recuse Them All

UPDATED

Below is a PDF of Melton attorneys' motion to the Mississippi Supreme Court to remove Judge Tomie Green from presiding over the settled weapons trial:

BREAKING: Council boots temp agencies, refuses to pay

Amid growing concerns about who Mayor Frank Melton is hiring and whether or not they have been drug-tested, City Council voted 4-0 Thursday to an amendment booting temp agencies supplying workers to the city of Jackson. On Tuesday, the council voted down a (financial) claims docket based on concerns over temporary workers hired by the mayor, and some members demanded more details on those workers before they would approve the docket. Melton did not attend the meeting.

BREAKING: Melton Responds to "Batman" Release

The man that Mayor Frank Melton admits being "obsessed" with has been released from jail tonight. He, along with brother Terrell Donelson and James Benton, were acquitted last week of the murder of Aaron Crockett. District Attorney Faye Peterson filed a motion yesterday asking for his release due to weak evidence. She filed documents that show the the primary witness, provided by Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics when Melton was at the helm, is unreliable and perhaps tainted by promises and payments by Melton.

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OPINION: Pelicia Hall and the Political Emptiness of 'Black Girl Magic'

Many believe "Black Girl Magic" improves on the silences in "black power" and is validly wielded against patriarchy. Columnist Adofo Minka argues that a closer look reveals it is an idea that serves those who seek to rule above society.

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Teachers Vent Frustrations and Share Ideas at Hughes Townhall

On the penultimate day of Mississippi's 2019 legislative session, state leadership dropped an amended version of an appropriations bill for state construction projects on lawmakers just 23 minutes before asking them to take a vote.

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Small Business Owners Have Loan, Grant Options, Even If None Perfect

Emergency loans from the SBA and a new "Payroll Protection Program" loan created by the CARES Act of 2020 give small business owners some options for keeping the doors open and staff on payroll. For some small businesses, it may not be enough.

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COVID-19: UMMC Expert on Emerging Knowledge of the Virus

In March, Dr. Bhagyashri Navalkele watched the crowds gathering on America’s beaches during spring break with a heavy weight on her shoulders.

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Next Steps for JPS Takeover: Governor in No 'Rush'

Jackson Public Schools started the week of Sept. 11 facing a possible takeover and ended with its fate in Gov. Phil Bryant's hands.

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UPDATED: Darnell Turner Gets 45 Years, Judge Brings Up DA Smith

The young woman who accused Darnell Turner of beating her, dragging her, strangling her, shooting at her car, and dangling her off a bridge in the Washington Addition when she was 22 was in the courtroom this morning when Hinds County Circuit Judge Jeff Weill sentenced the 39-year-old to 45 consecutive years in prison on three felony counts.

AP: 'Apprentice' Cast and Crew say Trump was Lewd and Sexist

In his years as a reality TV boss on "The Apprentice," Donald Trump repeatedly demeaned women with sexist language, according to show insiders who said he rated female contestants by the size of their breasts and talked about which ones he'd like to have sex with.

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Cristen Hemmins: Education, Equal Pay and Taking On Tollison

Jackson native Cristen Hemmins decided to run for the District 9 Senate seat (which includes Oxford and most of Lafayette County) when her opponent, Gray Tollison, introduced Initiative 42A to the Senate.

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A Son's Thoughts on Willie Morris' 80th Birthday and the Egg Bowl

When Ole Miss beat Alabama last month, I immediately thought of my father. Although he was a graduate of the University of Texas and a proud Longhorn, Willie was still a native of Mississippi, and by default, a lifelong Ole Miss man.

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Candidate Questionnaire: Pat McNamara

The Jackson Free Press reached out to all judicial candidates who are running on the Nov. 6 ballot to represent jurisdictions throughout the Jackson metro area, regardless of whether they had a challenger or not.

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Mississippi Leaders Condemn Bomb Attempts

Gov. Phil Bryant and other Mississippi leaders from both sides of the aisle offered condemnation after an unknown person mailed bombs to national Democratic leaders on Wednesday.

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Hyde-Smith in New Video: Make Voting ‘More Difficult’ for People in ‘Those Schools’

In a newly surfaced video, U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith suggests making it “more difficult” for people in certain schools to vote.

Damned If We Don't

The weekend Katrina hit, Kate Medley and I were in the Natchez area finishing research and art for the package of stories that you'll read in this issue. This time in Adams and Franklin counties, as Kate and I got to know people like Burl Jones, a Klan victim who had never been interviewed about the experience, and then watched burly Wharlest Jackson Jr. bawl like a baby describing his daddy's murder that has gotten so little attention over the years, I was still seething about a little ditty in The New York Times that belittled Southerners who are trying to confront our past.

Family Files Wrongful Death Suit Against Teens

Family members of the late James Anderson decided not to speak this morning as previously planned at a press conference to announce a wrongful death lawsuit they have filed against Rankin County teens for the beating and murder of Anderson because he was black.

Bluntson Threatens Legal Action Against Mayor

Jackson City Council President Frank Bluntson said yesterday that he would take legal action against Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr., if necessary, to obtain the names and salaries of all city employees. Bluntson cited several failed attempts to get the information from Johnson in preparation for passing the city's budget.