Featured
Shackled, Isolated and Pressured to Self-Deport: Makoka Brothers Recount ICE Arrests
ICE arrested, shackled and separated Israel and Max Makoka as they were about to board their school bus in Diamondhead, Mississippi. While one brother endured confinement and pressure to self-deport in a Louisiana prison, the other was sent to a youth home in Texas.
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RECENT News
Mississippi Governor Vows Thompson’s ‘Reign of Terror Is Over,’ But Cancels Redistricting Plans
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves vowed that U.S. House Rep. Bennie Thompson’s “reign of terror” will be over “soon,” referring to the state’s only Black member of Congress. He canceled a special session on redistricting set for this month, but says he expects congressional and state legislative redistricting to happen before…
Culture
Hattiesburg School for Neurodiverse Learners Offers Individualized K-12 Education
Innova Preparatory School in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, offers specialized K-12 education for neurodiverse students, with each child receiving an individualized education plan to meet their needs and goals.
Voices
Editor’s Note | MFP Upbeat to Debut, Spreading Positivity Every Other Sunday
Features Editor Nate Schumann announces the launch of a new, biweekly Sunday newsletter called MFP Upbeat. “No matter how saturated our feeds may be at times, I firmly believe in finding reasons to stay positive,” he writes.
Award-Winning MFP JournaLism
Mississippi Free Press Awards Roll: 108 Honors for MFP Team, 8 for YMP, Since 2020
As of July 25, 2025, our team is up to 108 national and U.S. regional awards and finalist nods since we launched in late March 2020.
More STORIES
Tornadoes Strike Mississippi Communities Overnight, Damaging Hundreds of Homes
Powerful storms and tornadoes pummeled Mississippi overnight, causing injuries and damaging hundreds of homes across several southwest and Pine Belt counties.
Mississippi Rare Disease Task Force Comes as Families Travel Out of State for Care
Mississippi is preparing to launch a new Rare Disease Task Force as families struggle with decisions about where to find care, decisions that include long…
Diamondhead Nears Launch of City Police Force
City leaders in Diamondhead, Mississippi, plan to hire a police chief this month as the city moves closer to creating its own police department.
Mississippi Voters Keep Getting Wrong Polling Place Information. Experts and Other States Point to Solutions.
Thousands of Mississippi voters receive wrong polling-place information from the state’s elections database each year, causing some to miss their chance to vote. Experts point…