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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.

Chris Kirwin Casino!

Austin Harvey Bars, restaurants and shopping. Those lead to a renewed interest in safety and more community involvement from the surrounding area. Farish Street could become “the place” if it could just show any sign of progress.

Kristie Storey Local officials who want to see Farish Street succeed, and more community involvement.

Jessica Barber Definitely more community involvement and art. I think Farish has real character, history, and is developing its own personality! (It has) true potential to be an ART district … something Jackson lacks as well. Just an idea.

Rachel Semmes-Mckinney I think they need to review the plans of broken areas that now thrive … Beale Street, Times Square, etc.

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.