The Jackson Post

The late June heat appeared to have no bearing on the crowd that turned out for the latest performance in the Delta Faucet Summer Concert Series at The AMP in Downtown Jackson. On Friday, June 26, the sloped grassy lawn was filled with music lovers in lawn chairs who came to hear the music of the Bolivar-based band Small Shack. Music is a family affair for Jeff and Kandy Shackleford and three Shackleford siblings.

Posted Wednesday, July 1, 2026 11:03 am Here’s a look at things to do in Jackson and West Tennessee in the next couple of weeks. Listings are courtesy of Visit Jackson TN, Jackson Downtown Development and various event organizers. July 4 America 250 Celebration Madison County is teaming up with Ford Motor Company and The Jackson Symphony to bring a celebration of America’s 250th birthday to the area.

In an interview after the Madison County Commission’s special-called meeting on Monday, County Clerk Fred Birmingham said he had plenty of questions regarding the City of Jackson’s increase in sticker fees for vehicle registration. The City Council approved doubling the sticker fee from $25 to $50 annually per vehicle, and those fees are collected by Birmingham’s staff on the second floor of the Madison County Courthouse. “When does this take effect?” Birmingham said when listing his questions.

If a person watching the Jackson City Council’s special called meeting on Tuesday, June 30, had no context for nearly two months of discussion leading up the second reading of the City’s fiscal budget, they might be concerned with length of time of the meeting. Counting Council member J.P. Stovall’s invocation and the pledge of allegiance to the American flag, the meeting lasted 3:17 - 197 seconds.

Jack Wood started working at the Jackson-Madison County Public Library on Sept. 15, 1986. As he prepares for his retirement effective on June 30, Library Director Dinah Harris and her crew honored Wood for his four decades of service in the Tennessee Room. While the Tennessee Room already bears the name of his predecessor, Emma Inman Williams, Harris ensured the Special Collections area of the Tennessee Room will be named in honor of Wood.

Early voting for the local general election as well as the state and federal primary elections starts on July 17, and the candidates for Madison County Mayor met in a forum on Friday, June 26. Republican incumbent A.J. Massey and independent candidate Fren’Cherry Miller were the nominees four years ago, and they were back for another round of civil discussion about the position and the issues connected to it for an hour. Massey has been the Mayor for nearly four years.

The Madison County Commission had a special-called meeting on Monday, June 29. And while they essentially approved the County budget for fiscal year 2027 four days earlier on June 25, the main reason for the special-called meeting would affect that budget, and it all stems from a termination by former Sheriff John Mehr. In April of 2016, Vatisha Evans-Barken’s employment with the Madison County Sheriff’s Department was terminated.

I’ve written in the recent past about how the Jackson City Council has difficult decisions coming up, and that’s still the case This situation is partially the fault of everyone sitting around the table during a budget work session, but it’s also partially a situation most of them inherited since all but one of them have been serving in their current roles for seven years or less.

University School of Jackson defensive back Bradley Stamper now knows his plans for after his days as a Bruin are over. He’ll keep wearing blue, even if it’s a different shade when he signs to play college football as a Memphis Tiger. “It totally felt like a family - like Memphis is home - when I went there for a visit,” Stamper said.

When the Jackson City Council’s special-called meeting ended on Thursday, June 25, the members of the Council gathered to try to schedule a work session to discuss whether or not to give City money to non-profits in the next fiscal year. As Vice-Mayor Marda Wallace asked Richard Donnell what dates in July work for him, he reflexively said, “Well let me get my calendar out and see when I’ve got open.” But then he had a second thought about that. “Wait a minute,” he said. “I’m retired now.