Mold Remediation in Jackson, MS

Specialty women’s clothing brand Free People will be opening the doors to its new location in Jackson's Highland Village in early 2025.

It will replace Vineyard Vines, next to Buffalo Peak. Vineyard Vines closed earlier this year after a run of a few years at Highland Village.

It will take over as the only location in Jackson area. The other location at Renaissance at Colony Park in Ridgeland is expected to close.

Free People is a brand that defined by "femininity, curiosity and adventure that will fit perfectly within the creative and cultural hub that is Mississippi’s capital city of Jackson," according to a statement from Highland Village.

“Words can’t express how excited we are to have Free People join the Highland Village family,” said Arielle Weston, WS Development Director, Asset Strategy & Experience. “We know our customers will love Free People’s creative and lively designs and that the brand will become a staple for Highland Village customers.”

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Free People, it says, offers a wide array of styles that include both the latest trends and vintage inspired collections, offering a go-to shopping destination for women who explore life through fashion, art, music and travel. In addition to apparel, Free People also offers accessories, outerwear, shoes, intimates, swimwear and beauty products.

“We are hard at work creating a vibrant, welcoming space at Highland Village, and we can’t wait to open our doors to the Jackson community,” said Katerina Patouhas, spokesperson for Free People. “Jackson is a city full of creative individuals who find joy in the art of self-expression, making it the perfect place for Free People to call home. We hope our new Jackson location will be a haven for free spirits, one where they can discover carefully designed pieces that will inspire their own unique style.”

Ross Reily is a writer for the Clarion Ledger, part of the USA TODAY Network. He can be reached at rreily@gannett.com or 601-573-2952. You can follow him on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter @GreenOkra1.

Brandi Carter is ready.

Her employees are ready.

Bottles are on the shelves and the pictures are hung.

Everything is ready, except the final paperwork from the City of Jackson.

She, along with Elvie's owner Hunter Evans and Cody McCain, are opening new natural specialty wine store, which is in the former Bridal Path location in Jackson's Banner Hall next to Broad Street Baking Company and below Lemuria.

Carter, one of the owners of Levure, will be running the day-to-day operations, and also is beverage director and sommelier at Elvie’s, co-creator of Good Bar, and curated the Mayflower’s wine list.

What is natural wine

According to Carter, natural wine begins with farming that is regenerative, organic or biodynamic, has minimal intervention in the winemaking process, and is made by people who are passionate about what they make and why they make it.

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"A friend that really believes in what natural wine is and who it impacts walked me through wines they were excited about every time we got together," Carter said. "As I read books and dove deeper into the tech sheets of natural producers and in general just enjoyed the vibrancy of the wines. I reached a point where I couldn’t go back."

What is taking so long?

Levure was expected to open by mid-November at the latest, but problems with zoning and business licenses with the City of Jackson have taken longer than expected.

Now, Carter says she could open some time this week, but that she has had that same expectation the last few weeks.

She started the process in January of getting the property re-zoned after having decided in the fall of 2023 they wanted to be in Banner Hall.

By June, Levure was given a temporary use permit.

Then came the business application process.

"We already had alcohol in the store and had everything lined up that I wanted in the store," Carter said. "We thought our business license would only take a couple of weeks."

Multiple complications and a couple of months later, she has her fingers crossed that she can open any day.

"We have to start selling wine before Christmas," said Carter, who is a native of Meridian. "We just do. We are hoping this week."

Already a challenge

Because of the nature of selling specialty wines in Mississippi, Carter was already going to have challenges to face, because of the restrictions of the Mississippi Alcohol and Beveridge Commission.

"Anything that is slightly unique is special order because of how much you have to buy. It gets pretty technical," Carter said. "I find specific producers that I do want to sell their wine and then either we will purchase that $1,000 minimum as Elvie's and put them in our wine clubs as first-to-market or I will contact the different sommeliers in Mississippi or different retailers around the state and ask them to grab a case here and there just to meet that initial minimum."

Passion project

Carter said that after realizing how closely natural wine aligned with the sourcing and execution for the food and bar side of Elvie's where she had worked for many years, they decided to change the wine program to match.

"Natural and low intervention wine supports small producers and is made to best represent the vineyards and farmers it started with," Carter said. "It took nearly two years of working with our incredible local brokers and chipping away at bringing in new wines to reach a fully natural wine list at Elvie’s. Another two years later, there are more available to the state than we can fit in our shop at once."

Now, she needs to get the final approval.

Ross Reily is a writer for the Clarion Ledger, part of the USA TODAY Network. He can be reached at rreily@gannett.com or 601-573-2952. You can follow him on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter @GreenOkra1.

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JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – Today, the Jackson State Tigers faced off against the Southern University Jaguars.

Everyone was surrounded by good vibes and good food.

Fried catfish was on the menu at many tailgates as eager JSU fans geared up for the afternoon kick-off at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Stanley Sims, One JSU tailgater, said, “We do this tailgate every football game. We’ve been doing it for 25 years at Doctor Stanley Sam Sam, Scarlet, project clinic, and the brothers of DD of Jackson State di Love. We’ve been doing this for 25 years, and we do it for the community because we love it, and we love Jackson State University.”

JSU hosted this year’s championship, but that did not keep Southern fans away. Some even infiltrated a few Tiger tailgates with friendly banter and competition.

Joffrey Holloway, who is a Southern fan, said, “So as far as this game goes, today they beat us earlier this season, but we came back right? We are on a five-game winning streak. We fight to the end. I predict 28-24 Southern University.”

While many filled their plates, others wanted to show their support for the home team by supporting the local community.

Meet the ladies from Pastries for Souls, who sell baked goods to raise money for those in need while spreading the word of God in the process.

Patricia Whitfield, who works for Pastries 4 Souls, said, “Well, actually, the Lord birthed through me. The Lord birthed through. I didn’t really know that I could do all of this, but He first told me to learn how to make a cinnamon roll. So, the first thing that I made was a cinnamon roll, and the Lord just began to spread the table. So it actually goes hand in hand, which, you know, with the ministry because people like it. Sweets, and so it allows me to get on approach people and be able to give back to the homeless, and those are the needs.”

After hours of tailgating, thousands of fans poured into the VET to watch the Tigers win the SWAC Championship once again.

This game is more than just any other football game. It’s an HBCU classic.

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Now that another Thanksgiving weekend has nearly come and gone, it's time to get in the Christmas spirit.

Holiday light displays are one of the best ways to celebrate the season. Read on to find some of the best light displays in the Jackson area.

Belhaven University Singing Christmas Tree

For nearly a century, the Belhaven University Singing Christmas Tree has marked a beloved tradition for many Jackson families.

The oversized metal and wood tree-shaped structure holds over 100 of the university's choir singers ushering in the holiday season with Christmas carols. Lights placed on the tree change colors during the different carols completing the magical atmosphere.

This year's event is the 92nd annual Belhaven University Singing Christmas Tree and is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 6 and Dec. 7 in the Belhaven Bowl Stadium. Admission is free.

Canton Christmas Festival

The Canton Christmas Festival has become a favorite holiday tradition for many Jackson area residents. Every year, the town's historic square is transformed into a glittering winter wonderland complete with Christmas lights and activities.

Visitors can enjoy several light displays including a three-story-tall Christmas tree.

This year's Canton Christmas Festival will have its opening weekend from Friday, Nov. 29 to Sunday, Dec. 1. The festival will close briefly from Dec. 2 through Dec. 5 and then reopen nightly 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. from Dec. 6 through Dec. 23.

No entry fee is required for the festival, but ride tickets are available for $2 each.

Capital City Lights

The City With Soul and Downtown Jackson Partners put on this annual free event to bring some holiday magic into downtown Jackson.

This year's Capital City Lights marks the fourth annual event and will include several activities, live entertainment from the Metro Mississippi Ballet and food from local vendors all under the festive atmosphere of twinkling light displays and holiday decorations.

Capital City Lights will run from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 6.

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Christmas in the Country

Christmas in the Country is an annual holiday lights event put on by the Chapel of the Cross Episcopal Church in Madison. The church's historic grounds are transformed into a sparkling Christmas scene that visitors can enjoy from their own cars.

The event is free, but the church does encourage donations, the proceeds of which will go to Toys for Tots and Our Daily Bread.

This year's Christmas in the Country will run from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Dec. 5 through Dec. 7.

Deck the District

The District at Eastover is hosting a free, two-day event to kick off the Christmas season. Deck the District will include activities and live music. Each night will also include a large light display and fake snowfall.

Deck the District will run from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 6 and from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 7. A full schedule of activities and live music can be found on the District at Eastover website.

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Journey to the North Pole

The Mississippi Children's Museum has opened a winter wonderland designed for kids in Pre-K through 5th grade.

Along with several holiday-themed activities, families can enjoy the light displays in the Gertrude C. Ford Exhibition Hall.

Journey to the North Pole opened on Nov. 24 and will run through Jan. 5. Tickets to the season exhibit are included with general admission, which are $13 each and free for children under the age of one.

Magic of Lights

Magic of Lights is an annual event put on in different cities throughout the nation. This year will mark the third time the event includes a Brandon location, the only location in Mississippi.

The event is an immersive festive experience with more than two million lights in themed displays ranging from "Prehistoric Christmas" to "Toyland." Visitors can enjoy the displays, including the 200-foot tunnel of lights, from their own vehicles.

Magic of Lights began on Nov. 22 and will run through Dec. 5. The display will be open 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., Friday through Sunday.

Tickets are $24 per vehicle and are available on the Magic of Lights website or upon arrival at the Brandon Ampitheater.

Got a news tip? Contact Mary Boyte at mboyte@jackson.gannett.com

When Emily Pote decided to move her popular retail shop Beans and Bananas to Banner Hall in Jackson, it left a significant hole in Belhaven Town Center.

What many people saw as a challenge to the Belhaven area, Conner Reeves and Trey Malone saw as an opportunity.

Reeves, the co-founder of Fertile Ground Beer Company, and Malone, who owns and operates multiple businesses including a coffee roasting company called Northshore Specialty Coffee, decided to tag team and take over the empty space in the same building as Fertile Ground.

The collaboration is called Cultivate Coffee Project.

Beginning in just a few weeks, Malone will begin serving coffee out of the space from 7 a.m. until late afternoon while Reeves will share the space to use for special events.

The confluence of circumstances worked perfectly for the two.

Fertile Ground has been been in growth mode for some time now and had even begun the process of breaking into what it was already using for event space to make room for more tanks to make more beer.

So, when Pote moved Beans and Bananas from just across the hall to across town, the decision to take over the space and create Cultivate Coffee Project was an easy one.

Meanwhile, Malone, who was already working on an idea for a store for Northshore for the future, did not want to spread himself too thin. Having said that, sharing the space with Reeves and Fertile Ground helped make the decision easier for him.

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"This really has been the perfect opportunity for everyone," Reeves said. "We share the space, share the cost and it works out for everyone. Really, this is just another great story to tell for Belhaven Town Center."

When District Donuts closed nearly a year ago across the street, it left a void in the coffee market, a void Malone is happy to fill.

"We really had wanted to be in Belhaven for a long time," said Malone, who lives only a couple of blocks away from BTC. "When I started working on another project, I didn't know this space was going to come available. But when Conner and I talked, and I didn't have to take over the entire space on my own, it just made the process work perfectly."

When Beans and Bananas originally moved into the space, there was already a bar area set up. While that is there, Malone is going to do some small renovations, which he expects not to take long, and then he will be able to open Cultivate Coffee Project.

"I hate to put a timetable on things, but I don't expect it all to take long at all," Malone said.

Malone has been running Northshore Coffee for nearly two years out of a facility in Midtown Jackson that was once Lucky Town Brewing. Northshore has been a delivery service for coffee during that time. He also is working from the Midtown location on a rum distillery using locally sourced sugar cane. The BRIX building plans include a bar that features rum, rum-based cocktails and locally sourced beer. At one point, that was going to be the location for his first storefront for the Northshore.

"We decided a storefront there would need to come later," Malone said.

Ross Reily is a writer for the Clarion Ledger, part of the USA TODAY Network. He can be reached at rreily@gannett.com or 601-573-2952. You can follow him on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter @GreenOkra1.

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