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[Johnson] Project Dribble

On the morning of October 22, 1964, the United States government detonated a nuclear bomb under Mississippi, 28 miles southwest of Hattiesburg.

My favorite James Meredith story involved the über contrarian sot Christopher Hitchens. Todd and I were asked to "entertain" Hitch during his visit to Millsaps College a few years back; after he arrived from the airport, we met him at Que Sera Sera and, essentially, watched him drink all afternoon and pontificate his passionate-but-weak reasons for supporting the Iraq War.

[Parks] Fear of Stigma, Here and There

The Central African Republic was a long cry from the Gulf Coast, but looking into the eyes of the Africans I met, I saw something familiar each time. When New York Times columnist Nick Kristof and I found ourselves stuck for a few hours on a red clay Cameroonian road at the end of the rainy season behind a logging truck that had flipped over, I pulled out my camera. Everyone wanted his or her picture taken. Teenage boys put on their toughest faces. Teenage girls grimaced because they didn't feel pretty enough. Young kids hammed, putting bunny ears over each others' heads. Older couples smiled sweetly.

[Balko] Cross-Examining Forensics

The Supreme Court says that forensics analysts can be cross-examined ... for now.

[Hutchinson] The GOP's Birthers Con Game

Republicans have a nice little con game going with the birthers. Here's GOP Chairman Michael Steele speaking this summer: "The birthers are an unnecessary distraction."

Melton Details Jefferson Davis Youth Camp

Mayor Frank Melton abruptly called the Jackson Free Press last week to correct what he thought was misreporting in the paper, in a July 25 story about a camp for boys that he organized. "You know I don't read your paper," he said, "but someone told me that you reported that the city paid for the camp. It didn't cost the taxpayers. I paid all costs out of my pocket."

BREAKING: GOP Rift Hurts Hinds Primaries

Hinds County Republican Party Chairman Pete Perry said a rift between his administration and that of his predecessor, Ken Avery, complicated the Aug. 7 primary with staff shortages, long waits and some crossover voting.

Wink, Wink: The ShopLocal Scam

When the Jackson Free Press launched our Web site and published our first print edition in September 2002, we immediately started urging our readers to "Think Global, Shop Local." The phrasewhich to us means to be concerned about the whole world but take care of your home city by supporting locally owned businesseswas even the headline on the cover of one of our earliest issues.

Lott's Back

For months, U.S. Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss., has been keeping both supporters and enemies scratching their heads at whether he would run for his Senate seat a fourth time. The senator had indicated that he was considering retirement, regardless of the slim 55-to-44 majority Republicans have in the Senate. If Lott's deliberations on retirement had been serious, Senate Republicans would have suffered six open seats on the ballot in November, with Democrats hungry to take advantage of moral lapses involving GOP lobbyists like Jack Abramoff and politicians like Republican Tom Delay, of Texas, both slapped with indictments and inundated by controversy, with Delay forced to resign his post as majority leader of the House after he was indicted in Texas.

Week 5: ID, Justice, Budgets

Republican Win On Voter ID Senate Republicans succeeded in extending and tightening voter ID requirements for all Mississippians in a bill passed Feb. 4. Senate Bill 2548 originally passed Jan. 15 with an amendment from David Blount, D-Jackson, that would have exempted those born before 1946 from presenting some form of voter identification. In that amended form, the bill allowed photo identification, government documents bearing a name and address and social security cards as acceptable forms of ID.

My Uncle, The Artist

When people ask if I'm related to painter Andrew Bucci, I answer proudly, "Yes, he's my uncle!" It's difficult to hide my exuberance. He's a phenomenal human being and artist, and I'm one of his biggest fans.

SkyTel Back in the News

The former mayor of Detroit, Kwame Kilpatrick, is demanding $100 million from SkyTel, a company formerly headquartered in Jackson.

Summer Festival Guide

As the temperature ratchets up and the youngsters (and not-so-youngsters) taste the sweet freedom of the school year's end, it begins to "officially" feel like summer. To me, summer just means great music festivals. If you didn't get out to those we covered earlier in the month, fear not - - Mississippi still has plenty of festivals for the rest of us.

Diaz Calls on D.C.

Former Mississippi Supreme Court Justice Oliver Diaz outlined allegations of political persecution last week at a Washington, D.C., forum. The Sarah McClendon Group, a government and media watchdog association, held a forum on alleged selective prosecutions by the U.S. Department of Justice during the Bush administration. Speakers said that the U.S. Department of Justice, under former President George Bush, targeted Democratic politicians and Democratic fundraisers with indictments and media-saturated investigations with the help of conservative-appointed judgesin hopes of swinging elections toward Republicans.

Wright: Recio Falsified Documents, Melton ‘Clearly Under the Influence'

'On the Road Again' with Melton and his Bodyguards

Suspect in Holocaust Museum Shooting is White Supremacist

The Associated Press is reporting that a shooter opened fire in the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., just before 1 p.m. today, fatally wounding a security guard before he was shot.

Nebraska Suspends Executions

The New York Times is reporting that the electric chair is "cruel and unusual punishment," suspending executions there until the state can find a more humane way to kill prisoners:

Could Minor Case Weakness Help Delaughter?

A change in federal court opinion could soon affect some media-saturated state trials, including the corruption trial of Hinds County Circuit Judge Bobby DeLaughter and the ongoing appeal of Mississippi attorney Paul Minor. Court opinion could upend prosecutors' liberal use of so-called "honest-services" fraud and the RICO statute to indict and convict fundraisers and political figures during the years of the Bush administration.

Transcript of Frank Melton Remarks in Short Press Conference Wednesday

JACKSON CITY HALLMayor Frank Melton called a press conference for 10 a.m. today to address plans for Maple Street Apartments, "new and ongoing economic development iniatives" and "continued/long-term focus on serving the City of Jackson." His remarks lasted about three minutes, and he left without answering any questions from the media. A full transcript of his remarks follows.

Feds to Pay Recio's Legal Fees

The federal government will take up the burden of Michael Recio's mounting legal expenses. Cynthia Stewart, Recio's attorney, requested that the court appoint her as a public defender, and yesterday, U.S. Magistrate Judge Linda Anderson granted her request. Recio is the former bodyguard of Mayor Frank Melton, and is Melton's co-defendant in a federal case based on their roles in the 2006 destruction of a Ridgeway Street duplex.

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