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This story originally appeared in the Jackson Free Press. It was added to the Mississippi Free Press website in 2025.
Note that any opinions expressed in legacy Jackson Free Press stories do not reflect a position of the Mississippi Free Press or necessarily of its staff and board members.

Jackson’s Parks and Recreation Efforts Featured in National Publication. Check out “Adding Value” in the June ‘04 edition of Grounds Maintenance magazine. This article focuses on the positive and immeasurable social and economic benefits Jackson is gaining from the recent parks facilities improvements in the city. As a result of these monumental improvements, Jackson often hosts state and regional sporting events and has an upcoming national sporting event. If you want to check out the article go to:

http://grounds-mag.com/mag/grounds_maintenance_adding_value/

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City Moving to New Discussions for the King Edward Hotel

This week Jackson Redevelopment Authority contacted Alpha/Roberts/Wyndam Development Team to inform them that their most recent proposal submitted to the JRA/King Edward Committee was not acceptable. The committee has reviewed the proposal and worked with this group for several months.

Mayor Johnson stated that the committee will begin engaging in discussions with the other two companies, both being very strong companies eager to begin further discussions regarding the King Edward. The two companies are Historic Restoration, Inc. (HRI) and Full Spectrum.

“I’ve contended all along that we needed to move expeditiously in finalizing an agreement,” said Mayor Johnson. “With so much downtown development currently underway, and the anticipated convention center, it is very important that we move on the King Edward. I’m confident that we are taking the right approach.

“As I have always maintained, we will exhaust all of our options to develop the King Edward Hotel. The King Edward will be redeveloped or it will be torn down. Tearing it down is our last option,” Mayor Johnson further emphasized.
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Blast Off with the Planetarium and Stennis Space Center at NASA Day!

Saturday, August 21, 2004 from 11:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., NASA’ s Stennis Space Center and The City of Jackson’s Russell C. Davis Planetarium will relive the excitement of the Apollo era with NASA Day. NASA Day will include hands-on activities from Astrocamp, a Moon rock exhibit, the planting of a “Moon Tree,” a new stage play, and viewing the large format films. This is one fun-packed event you will not want to miss! This event marks the 35th anniversary of the first moon landing. Call 960-1552 for more details.
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Metrocenter’s McRae’s and JPD’s Precinct Two Team Up To Provide School Uniforms

Metrocenter’s McRae’s and JPD’s Precinct Two are teaming up to begin a School Uniform Closet. Jackson Public Schools recently adopted a mandatory uniform dress code. There is a need for assistance for some families to fulfill this requirement. There is a closet façade set up in the McRae’s Children’s Department for individuals to pull a child’s figurine, which contains the size, color and gender information for the children. Please take all donations to Precinct Two, 3551 John R. Lynch Street (Mon – Fri from 9-5) or McRae’s Metrocenter Children’s Department. There are eleven elementary and middle schools in Precinct Two.

MFP Solutions Lab logo

The Mississippi Free Press produced this story through the MFP Solutions Lab, supported by the Solutions Journalism Network. This series digs into Mississippi’s systemic issues and sheds light on responses to them in other communities. Beyond just reporting on problems, these stories interrogate their causes and inspect potential solutions.

Mississippi native Donna Ladd and partner Todd Stauffer founded the Jackson Free Press in 2002 in the capital city. The heavily awarded local newspaper did many investigations heralded across the state and nation and served as a paper of record due to its diversity, inclusion, in-depth reporting and deep connection to readers and dedication to narrative change in and about Mississippi. In 2022, the nonprofit Mississippi Free Press, founded by Ladd and JFP Associate Publisher Kimberly Griffin in 2020, purchased the journalism assets and archives of the Jackson Free Press. A Google grant through AAN Publishers enabled Newspack's integration of the JFP archives into the Mississippi Free Press website to become part of a more searchable archive of recent Mississippi history and essential journalism.