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Most Intriguing People of 2015

The JFP presents the most intriguing people of 2015.

Mayoral Campaigns, PACs Spending Big on Ads, Some Secretly

With two young candidates who are relatively unknown to big parts of Jackson, the airwaves were expected to be a major battleground in the capital city's mayor's race.

Fly, Fight, Win: The JFP Interview with Dr. Valerie Short

In keeping with the spirit of the U.S. Air Force's motto "Aim High" Dr. Valerie Adream Smartt Short has set her sights on the state's highest office.

[Greggs] Here's to You, Ali Robinson

This past weekend I went on a date with a man eight years my junior. (I'll pause so that all the older women may give me mental high-fives and formulate extremely personal questions that will not be answered in this column. And no, I'm not going to state my age.)

Driving While Young: Why The City's Curfew Isn't All That

When she got up the morning of July 10, 2003, Leslie Berryhill did not know she was going to face the "scariest thing" of her short life. Leslie, who was seven months from her 18th birthday, spent the evening of July 10 watching a movie at her boyfriend's house in Madison. She had a summer-school exam in the morning, so when the movie was over, she called her mom to let her know she was returning to their home on Ridgewood Drive. "That's our rule with cell phones, you always call," says Leslie's mother, Lisa, who always kept close tabs on her kids, which is easy in the age of cell phones. "Twenty minutes later, she wasn't here, and that's how it all started."

Judge Denies Melton Defense Motions

At a hearing this morning on numerous pre-trial motions in the felony trial of Mayor Frank Melton and JPD officers Michael Recio and Marcus Wright, Judge Joe Webster ruled against most of the motions brought by defense attorneys.

Parents at Chastain Middle School are FED UP!

Kudos and accolades to the parents of Chastain Middle School who have said enough is enough. In addition to the school's embarassing administration, the students at Chastain are allegedly having sex on school property, and fighting as well. Surely someone should be held accountable for NOT doing the children justice over there. Who's responsible? Parents? Teachers? Lack of administrative professionalism? This is a prime example of the partnership that is necessary amoung teachers and parents to educate kids on proper behavior and sex. Chastain is a middle school. One middle school. If something isn't done soon to blanket this issue, it will fester out to more schools than Chastain. It'll take more than a handful of parents protesting. Is the community ready to take on this challenge? Do we even care enough anymore? What's the next move to save our children?

And the Winners Are…

...Republicans (and Jim Hood) in contested statewide elections, Democrats in Hinds County and Legislative elections and turnout -- over 818,000 people had voted in the Lieutenant Governor's race with 92% of precincts reporting, suggesting that turnout was better than the Secretary of State, Eric Clark, had predicted at the beginning of the day, and besting recent gubernatorial elections.

[Fry] Dear Mr. President

Dear Mr. President, Saddam is right here in my neighborhood. He is in the third house on the right. Yeah, the one that is all boarded up. So please send the planes, tanks and military to blow up my neighborhood. He has been in this area for quite some time now and quite frankly he is getting on my nerves. After all, my neighborhood could use a remodeling job just like the one Iraq is going to get.

[Greggs] Why Are We So Sad?

Two weeks ago, I was swimming in a pool and decided to halt my forward crawl by using my face against the concrete side. As some older Southern people say, I "knocked a big-ass goose egg on my head." After this unfortunate accident—which will most assuredly ruin my future career as a nose model for the Home Shopping Network—I immediately headed to my mother's house for pharmaceutical consolation. I do this because any woman over 50 seems to have a prescription for some sort of pain killer and usually an anti-depressant.

Hood and Barbour Disagree Over State Farm

Today, Jim Hood sent out a statement asking the governor and insurance commissioner to follow Florida's lead and require State Farm and other insurance companies to continue writing policies in the state. In a response, the governor say no. Both statements are below verbatim. First, the AG's:

[Stauffer] Shop Mississippi, Buy American

I'm not a fan of Wal-Mart, and that's only been made worse by a recent Frontline episode entitled "Is Wal-Mart Good for America?" The show has made me think, once again, about the behemoth that I love to hate. I haven't shopped in a Wal-Mart or Sam's Club in well over seven years and, if the current trend holds, I never will again.

Mississippi Democratic Party Rolls Over, Plays Dead

"In 2006," DNC chair Howard Dean predicts, "Democrats will take back the House and Senate."

Pass/Fail: Student Drug Testing For JPS?

Only three weeks after his election, Mayor Frank Melton announced that he would like to see all students in Jackson Public Schools tested for drug use. The announcement came at the mayor's second City Council meeting, and he asked the council to study grants and discuss the issue. He said he would prefer that all students grades 6 through 12 be tested, in the interest of fairness.

[Kamikaze] Let Vick Play

After a maturation that included a confession, sentencing and then jail time, it seems that Michael Vick will once again be allowed to ply his trade on the gridiron.

[McInnis] Behind the HBCU Merger

Don't be fooled into thinking that Gov. Haley Barbour's recommendation for merging the state-funded HBCUs is about the current economic crisis.

Is Vidal Sullivan Back on the Streets?

Where in @#$% Is Vidal Sullivan?

We've gotten a report that Mr. Melton and Chief Anderson have released Mr. Sullivan, and that he is free again. We have not confirmed this report with a second source, yet.

[Wilson] What We Conservatives Learned

November 12, 2008 For conservatives, and people who support limited government, this week feels wrong. Fifty-three percent of the American public has chosen a man whose campaign for "change" has felt to the remaining 47 percent more like a return to the old failed ways of Jimmy Carter and Democrats of the past. Time will tell.

Letter To A Young Mayor

First, allow me to thank you for giving me so much of your time over the last six weeks. Your frankness in our series of interviews seems to have captivated the city and started many conversations about the future of Jackson and how to get there.

[Johnson] When Jackson Burned

On May 14, 1863, the Army of Tennessee, under Generals Grant and Sherman, seized Jackson as the Confederate army retreated in disarray. Grant ordered the city's "strategic assets" burned, and in hours, much of Jackson burned to the ground. This is why Jackson has the nickname "Chimneyville," because the fire spared little but brick chimneys, which stood like tombstones after the blaze. This was only the first of three times Jackson burned during the war.

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