Saturday, July 31, 2010

Mississippi Paddler to Hit Century Mark on Big Black River to End First Month of Paddling for Alzheimer’s Awareness

Flora, MS. Saturday July 31, 2010—Mississippi paddler Keith Plunkett will mark 100 miles of paddling for the month of July Sunday afternoon after paddling 30 miles from Highway 16 to Highway 49 on the Big Black River. Plunkett is expected to arrive at the Highway 49 Bridge sometime late Sunday afternoon. The Yazoo County native and Flora resident announced in April the schedule for a year of paddling Mississippi’s waterways. The effort started on July 10 on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and will take Plunkett on a journey across 5 regions of the state ending in June of 2011. During the trips Plunkett is interviewing Alzheimer’s patients and caregivers in each region, and will highlight ongoing efforts by the Alzheimer’s Association and medical professionals to defeat the disease.  Video and photos of the trips are posted online at www.lucysrevenge.com.

Plunkett has been speaking with groups across the state to raise awareness, and to sign up corporate sponsors for the journey. He has set a goal of 600 miles, or roughly 120 miles per region, and hopes to entice a few others to join him on some of the excursions. Anyone interested can follow his travels on his Facebook page through a real-time GPS mapping service provided by the newest sponsor, I-Tech of Madison. 

“I think it’s a significant symbol to hit the hundred-mile mark in the place that my Mamaw always called home,” said Plunkett of the river that marks the Yazoo and Madison County border. “

Plunkett’s grandmother was Lucy Plunkett. The matriarch of the Plunkett family reared six children, and oversaw the upbringing of 9 grandchildren. She was a housewife and an active member of the rural community of Little Yazoo in Yazoo County.

Friday, July 30, 2010

Federal Court Rules Against Former Madison County Chancery Clerk In Lawsuit Against City of Ridgeland

Former Madison County Chancery Clerk Mike Crook has been credited with royally screwing up the land records in Madison County during his tenure as clerk, being a lawsuit happy landlord, and attempting to conduct a coup of the TEA party movement for his own meglomaniacal purposes, among other things. His most recent antics involved refusing to comply with police officers in Ridgeland, and then suing the City for arresting him over it.

Class Act.

Defense: 'No basis' to lawsuit

A federal court has set aside a clerk’s entry of default against the city of Ridgeland for failing to respond on time to an ex-alderman’s false arrest lawsuit.

Ridgeland can now proceed in defending itself against Mike Crook’s $700,000 lawsuit in The United States District Court of the Southern District of Mississippi. Crook is claiming civil rights violations, assault and battery, false arrest and imprisonment, malicious prosecution and intentional infliction of emotional distress in connection with his 2008 arrest for disorderly conduct.

In court papers, the city has said Crook’s claims have no basis.

The court’s opinion and order said Ridgeland’s failure to answer the complaint by the June 21 deadline was “neither willful nor intentional but rather was merely inadvertent.”

Saundra Strong, the city’s attorney in the case, had been given a 31-day extension to June 21 at her request.

She later filed an affidavit saying she could not respond by the extension date because of her infant fell ill and had to undergo surgery.

In 2005, Crook lost re-election to the Ward 3 alderman seat in 2005. The arrest happened 11 months prior to the 2009 municipal elections.

Crook alleged the timing of the arrest shows Ridgeland Mayor Gene McGee did not want him to run for alderman in 2009.

McGee has said he cannot comment because the matter is in litigation.

Crook is also a former Madison County chancery clerk.

The ex-official entered the complaint against the city in January and filed a nearly identical amended complaint in February. The city was served with the suit about 10 weeks later.

Having not answered by the deadline, the court’s clerk made an entry of default June 2 at Crook’s behest. The city submitted its answer later the same day.

Crook’s lawsuit stems from a June 12, 2008 incident, in which he was arrested for disorderly conduct after arguing with a Ridgeland policeman about why the officer needed to see Crook’s identification.

Crook was found guilty of the charge in Ridgeland Municipal Court, but the ruling was later overturned on an appeal.

His wife, Patty, is also named as a complainant in the suit. They are representing themselves in the case.

MC Herald

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Jackson among cities expected to make bid for SEC baseball tourney

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Five cities are expected to make bids to host the Southeastern Conference baseball tournament.

The league sent bid packages to Hoover and Montgomery, Ala., Memphis, Duluth, Ga., Jacksonville, Fla., and Jackson, Miss., says SEC assistant commissioner Craig Mattox. Little Rock, Ark., also received one but said Monday it won't bid because its stadium doesn't meet the SEC's preference of at least 10,000 seats.

The tournament has been held in Hoover's Regions Park since 1998. It's set to remain there through next season.

Proposals are due Friday from other cities, but a decision could be months away.

It's the first time the baseball event has been opened up for bids.

Memphis, Duluth and Hoover all meet the 10,000-seat standard.

Sun Herald

3 face charges in voter fraud case in Canton

Three people are facing felony voter fraud charges in Madison County in connection with Canton's disputed municipal elections last year.
The individuals, whose names have not been released, were indicted by a grand jury, and more indictments are likely on the way in coming months.

"We expect more individuals to be presented to the next several grand juries," District Attorney Michael Guest said.

Ray Rosamond, an ex-alderman who lost the Democratic Ward 1 runoff election to Rodriquez Brown, has said the municipal elections - especially his race - were rife with fraud. He sees the indictments as a step toward long-awaited justice.

"I feel like they (district attorney's office) have got a good case," Rosamond said. "I think it's just the beginning."

State Rep. Ed Blackmon, the attorney for Brown against Rosamond's failed election challenges in Madison County court, said Rosamond's assessment of the indictments is premature.

"There've been no convictions yet," Blackmon said, adding that it has not been made public whether any of the indicted individuals voted in the Rosamond-Brown race.

Guest said all three indicted last week are convicted felons who either registered or voted after being convicted of a disenfranchising crime.

Together, they're facing multiple counts of false registration, voting by an unqualified person and voter fraud. The penalty is a maximum five-year prison sentence and up to $5,000 in fines.

The controversy surrounding Canton's elections began in May when Rosamond alleged people outside of Ward 1 and Canton voted in the race and that some voters were provided illegal assistance by poll workers, which he said aided Brown to victory.

Rosamond also charged that Ike Brown, Rodriquez Brown's uncle, interfered with the election.

Last year, during the court fight, Rosamond's attorney, Andy Taggart, said his client had a strong case that the "runoff primary results ought to be thrown out and that a special election ought to be called."

Taggart on Monday said he did not yet know the details of the indictments and could not comment.

Read the rest of the article at The Clarion Ledger

Friday, July 23, 2010

MBJ: MDOT chief arrested for public drunk

The Biloxi Police Department confirmed to the Mississippi Business Journal that a Larry L. Brown, Sr., 67, was arrested at the Beau Rivage Resort at 6 a.m. Friday and charged with public intoxication and disorderly conduct.

That’s the same name and age as Mississippi Department of Transportation Executive Director “Butch” Brown.

Reached on his cell phone Friday afternoon, Brown confirmed that he had “just left” the Beau Rivage. He said he had attended a planning session and had spoken to a group of economic developers.

Brown denied, however, that he had been arrested. “I haven’t been involved in anything drunk or disorderly,” he said.

A mugshot provided to the Mississippi Business Journal by the Harrison County Jail appears to be Brown, based on a photo of Brown on www.transportation.org, the website for AASHTO, a non-profit, non-partisan association that represents highway and transportation departments in the U.S. Brown is the president of AASHTO.

Calls to the Beau Rivage were not immediately returned.

Mississippi Business Journal

Republican Candidate for Governor swings through Flora

A Republican Candidate for Governor, Dave Dennis, stopped into Flora for a discussion of issues he believes the state faces in the upcoming years, and issues he hopes to address during the upcoming campaign for the GOP nomination on Friday morning. Mr. Dennis says that at this point in the states history, Mississippi needs a businessman to be the states CEO and "not a career bureaucrat."

Mr. Dennis discussed a variety of subjects, including budget problems, Oil Spill recovery, Immigration Enforcement, and how federal tax laws are contributing to a prolonged lack of economic recovery.

Dennis discusses his belief in the need for a businessman as the states CEO, his own company, and the ongoing problems related to the Oil Spill on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Mr. Dennis is a resident of Pass Christian.




Dennis discusses the states budget woes, and his belief that when it comes to cuts, everything must remain on the table.



Dennis discusses Immigration in Mississippi




Dave Dennis discusses how the current federal tax laws are harming the economy




Dave Dennis discusses how he hopes to encourage a new type of public service

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

This video speaks for itself, and for your current President.

Canton Nissan plant restarts

Nissan Motor Co., which was shut down for three days, restarted production this morning at its Canton and Smyrna, Tenn., plants.

The company stopped building vehicles because of delays in receiving a part that controls the engine.

The shutdown left 3,300 workers in Canton and 3,500 at the Smyrna site without work. Four plants in Japan also were closed, but restarted Monday.

More than 6,500 vehicles were not produced at the two plants during the delay, based on recent production levels.

Nissan spokesman Steve Parrett said the plant would be open on Saturday to build Titans and Armadas. The Altima line will operate today through Friday.

"The market demand is greater for trucks than cars," he said of the decision to add the extra day of production.

Parrett said there have not been any other decisions made about production beyond this week.

Workers at Canton produce about 5,000 Altimas, Armadas and Titans each week.

Several manufacturers that provide parts for vehicles built at Canton also stopped or severely limited production.

Kevin Logan, senior vice president at Unipres USA, said his company's workers at the Nissan plant were scheduled to report late Monday, and the Forest plant would begin operations this morning.

Unipres builds frames for the Altima in Forest and Canton, employing 172 people.

Logan, past president of the Mississippi Auto Manufacturers Association, said Monday the few suppliers he had talked with also were set to restart.

Nissan uses a just-in-time production model that keeps a limited inventory of parts on hand, so the problems with the engine part had a ripple effect on manufacturers that make parts for the vehicles.

"Our folks understood what caused the delay," said Bill Kent, vice president at PK USA, which has about 300 employees at plants in Senatobia and Tennessee that support Nissan.

"This is not the first time this has happened to them over the years," Kent said.

Suppliers have been assured the problem has been fixed and that there should not be any slowdowns in the future, he said.

Nissan would not say how much the delay cost.

Bob Neal, a senior economist with the state College Board, said it would be difficult to put a cost on the stoppage's total economic impact.

The shutdown affects more than the companies that directly supply Nissan, he said. The plant's reach includes a network of businesses that supply uniforms, produce electricity, or provide copy paper.

He said the stoppage also may have caused workers to adjust their spending habits, affecting even more businesses.

Clarion Ledger

Monday, July 19, 2010

Prayer shushed on Supreme Court steps

After a group of students praying on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court building was confronted by police and told what they were doing was illegal, the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) sent a letter to officials of the high court.

Wickenburg Christian Academy teacher Maureen Rigo of Arizona had taken a group of students to tour the complex, and ADF attorney Nate Kellum tells OneNewsNow they had just completed a May 5 visit to the Supreme Court and were on the steps outside.

"They decided to mark the occasion [and] that they would pray. They just simply circled...bowed their heads and quietly prayed," Kellum reports. "And yet what happened is they were abruptly stopped [by] a police officer for the Supreme Court building who told them that what they were doing was violating a federal statute and said that they had to take their prayer elsewhere." According to an ADF press release, the prayer was stopped base on a statute that bars parades and processions on Supreme Court grounds -- even though Rigo was speaking in a conversational tone as she prayed and did not draw a crowd.

Kellum contends the officer's actions were patently unconstitutional and argues that "Christians should not be silenced for exercising their beliefs through quiet prayer on public property."

"The last place you'd expect this kind of obvious disregard for the First Amendment would be on the grounds of the U.S. Supreme Court itself, but that's exactly what happened," the ADF attorney adds.

The Christ-centered law firm sent a letter to court officials, urging them to stop police from prohibiting constitutionally protected prayer.

One News Now

From the "It's about damn time" file . . . but is it enough?

The Obama Administration released the following Press Release this morning:

OBAMA ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCES AUG. 1 NATIONAL GUARD DEPLOYMENT TO SUPPORT FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ALONG THE SOUTHWEST BORDER


WASHINGTON—Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Defense (DOD) today announced that National Guard deployments to the Southwest border will begin on Aug. 1 as part of the administration’s unprecedented efforts to combat the transnational criminal organizations that smuggle weapons, cash and people across our Southwest border.

“Over the past year and a half, this administration has pursued a new border security strategy with an unprecedented sense of urgency, making historic investments in personnel, technology and infrastructure,” said Secretary Napolitano. “These troops will provide direct support to federal law enforcement officers and agents working in high-risk areas to disrupt criminal organizations seeking to move people and goods illegally across the Southwest border.”

In May, the President authorized the deployment of up to an additional 1,200 National Guard troops to the Southwest border to provide support for intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance, and counternarcotics enforcement—providing support for one year as part of the administration’s unprecedented efforts to crack down on transnational smuggling and cartel violence, as CBP continues to recruit and train additional officers and agents to serve on the Southwest border.

The National Guard Southwest Border deployments augment CBP and ICE resources and assets already at the border, and include:

· 224 in California

· 524 in Arizona

· 72 in New Mexico

· 250 in Texas

· 130 serving as command and control and other support.

In deploying these personnel, the National Guard Bureau is operating under a request for assistance from DHS. Border security is a law enforcement mission, and these troops will augment the Administration's efforts to crack down on the drug cartels and transnational criminal organizations that operate along our Southwest border.

“In agreement with DHS, beginning August 1, selected National Guard Members from Southwest border states will begin the necessary training and integration planning to knit them into our nation's border security operating structure,” said Gen. Craig McKinley, Chief of the National Guard Bureau. “The National Guard is deploying in response to DHS’ request for assistance,” he added, “and will serve in law enforcement support roles consistent with the Administration's view that border security is a law enforcement challenge.”

The President has also requested $600 million in supplemental funds for enhanced border protection and law enforcement activities, which are critical to our ongoing efforts.

Last week, Secretary Napolitano announced more than $47 million in fiscal year 2010 Operation Stonegarden grants for the Southwest border states to support law enforcement personnel, overtime, and other related costs to enhance the capabilities of state, local and tribal law enforcement to secure the U.S.-Mexico border. Nearly 80 percent of the fiscal year 2010 funding will go to Arizona , California , New Mexico and Texas —up from 59 percent in 2008.


Immigration

On trial for blasphemy, two Christian brothers murdered in Faisalabad

Gunmen shot to death Rashid Emmanuel and Sajid Masih Emmanuel, two Christian brothers on trial for blasphemy, as they left court in Faisalabad city (Punjab). The men were handcuffed together when the attack took place; they were on their way back to prison after their court appearance.

When they were arrested on 2 July, the Christian community sounded the alarm bell, fearing possible attacks. Immediately right after their arrest, Muslims organised a protest demonstration, calling for the two Christian brothers to be put to death.

The brothers were killed by two gunmen outside the Faisalabad courthouse, where they had been taken for a hearing. They were an easy target for an execution-style assassination since they were shackled together. A police officer accompanying the two victims was also wounded. The killers escaped.

For several days, Muslim religious leaders in Faisalabad had been fanning the flame of hatred against the two brothers, calling for their death. The two were arrested less than a month ago after leaflets allegedly bearing their names and featuring derogatory remarks against the Prophet Muhammad were found around town.

Local sources said that police were going to clear them because an analysis of the hand-written leaflets showed that the two brothers were not the authors.

For Pakistani Minority Minister Shahbaz Bhatti, the accusations against the Christians were fabricated by people who had a grudge against them. One of the two brothers was a Protestant clergyman. Their families maintained their innocence all along.

Peter Jacob, executive secretary of the National Commission for Justice and Peace of the Catholic Church of Pakistan, slammed the crime without mincing his words. He called the death of the two brothers, plain and simple murder, on allegations of blasphemy. He also renewed a call for the repeal of the law, stressing the “deep concern” of Pakistan’s Christian community. He also criticised the government for doing little to stop the abuses of the law.

Last week, many Christian families fled Faisalabad’s Waris Pura neighbourhood, where the incident allegedly occurred, for fear of violence. On 15 July, Muslim protesters marched through the city calling for the death of the two brothers. The next day, at the end of Friday prayers, Muslim religious leaders egged on the Muslim faithful to demonstrate against the Christians. During the demonstration, the Holy Rosary Catholic Church was attacked with stones and rocks.

The murder of the two brothers, whose arrest had shocked the Christian world, coincides with a visit to Pakistan by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Asia News

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Thought Provoking Thursday: Why Do You Matter?

Your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is to answer this question. Open Thread. Have at it.


Islam Must Be Stopped In America

BY: Amil Imani

Islam has spawned many sects that are master practitioners of the art of double standards. As far as Muslims are concerned, what is good for Muslims is not good for the non-Muslims; and what is bad for Muslims is good for non-Muslims.

What complicates matters is that there is no way of knowing which of the dozens of at-each-other's-throat sects is the legitimate Islam. As soon as Muhammad died, his religion of peace became a house of internal war: jockeying for power and leadership started, sects formed and splintered into sub-sects, and bloodletting began in earnest.

The internal infighting in Islam is presently playing in full color - in red - most dramatically, in the Iraqi theater. Shiite raid Sunni civilians, slaughter them like sheep, and toss their bodies like trash in the streets or the rivers. The Sunnis return the favor with just as much viciousness and savagery.

Question: If this is the way these Muslims treat each other, how would they deal with the infidels if they had the chance?

Answer: These devoted followers of Muhammad would deal with the infidels exactly the way Muhammad did: behead the non-believers, take them as slaves to hold or sell, or make them pay back-breaking jizya - poll taxes.

Some may object that writings like this are little more than hate-mongering and fanning the fire that rages between Islam and the non-Islamic world. They may further play the Islamic apologists' few, well-worn propaganda cards as evidence for their contention that Islam is not what its detractors claim.

Here are the few favorite cards:

* "There is no compulsion in religion," says the Quran. (But the full context is never shown.)

* Islam means "peace," so Islam is a religion of peace.

* "For you, your religion, and for me, my religion," Muhammad reportedly said.

The Muslims and their apologists quickly run out of their few cards, and the rest of the Islamic deck is all about intolerance, hatred and violence toward the infidels, toward all others who are not true Muslims, and even toward those who consider themselves Muslims. Shiites, for instance, judge the Sunnis as traitors to Islam, and Sunnis condemn the Shiites as heretics. Each side deems the other worthy of death and hellfire.

This internecine Islamic war of the religion of peace is not confined to the Shiite-Sunni divide. There are so many internal divisions within each side that listing and describing them comprehensively would be an encyclopedic work.

So, who is right? What are the facts about Islam and how does Islam impact the ever-shrinking village Earth and its inhabitants? Admittedly, this is a huge question and cannot be answered satisfactorily in one article. However, some facts can be presented to help the reader decide.

There is no need to belabor the point that Islam is not, and has never been, a religion of peace. The word Islam is derived from taslim, which purely means "submission," while the term for "peace" is solh. Another derivation of the word taslim is "salema", which means "good health" and so on.

Irrespective of what the term Islam may mean, the facts on the ground conclusively demonstrate Islam's violent nature from its very inception. No need to go back to the time of Muhammad and examine the historical records. Just a few contemporary events should make the point.

Here is a partial list: the savage Shiite-Sunni bloodletting in Iraq; the barbarism of the resurgent Taliban in Afghanistan; the genocide in Sudan's Darfur region; the Somali killings; the Iranian mullahs' murder of their own people and support of mischief abroad; the incessant terrorist acts of Hamas, Hizbollah and Islamic Jihad on Israel, and numerous fatwas on infidels and apostates; the bombing of Shiite mosques in Pakistan and Iraq and the Shiite retaliation against soft, innocent and civilian targets.

Clearly, there is no place on the planet where Muslims reside that is in peace from the religion of peace. America, Spain, France, Netherlands, England, Thailand, India and Indonesia have already been attacked, while others, such as Denmark, have been threatened and sanctioned.

Stretching the benefit of the doubt beyond limits, one may believe that all these acts of horrors are committed by a small minority of thugs and radicals who happened to be Muslims. Fine, let us ignore all those "fringes" for now - those who are giving Islam a bad reputation. And never mind Saudi Arabia, the cradle of barbarism, fixed in formaldehyde since Islam's inception. Also, let us overlook the dastardly Shiite fanatics presently ruling (ruining) the great nation of Iran. Iranian Shiite Hitlerists are hell-bent on wiping Israel off the face of the planet, while viciously devastating Iran's own largest minority - the Baha'is, people universally-recognized as law-abiding and peaceful.

Would someone account for what is happening in the "civilized" Islamic country of Egypt? The world owes Egypt a debt of gratitude for giving it the Muslim Brotherhood - the lead promoter of Sunni hatred toward the infidels, with chapters and front organizations in much of the world. With typical hypocrisy, the Egyptian government claims that the Muslim Brotherhood is outlawed, when, in actuality, the Brotherhood holds twenty-five percent of the seats in the Egyptian parliament. The same country that gave the world vicious American-killers like Al-Zawahiri is the recipient of huge largess from the American taxpayer.

Islamic rules are called Sharia law or the Islamic law. Sharia law is a misnomer, for laws must be squarely based on justice and fairness to all, while Sharia law is nothing more than a primitive set of dogma stipulated by men for the benefit of Muslim men.

Sharia law disenfranchises women from their legitimate equal rights with men; prescribes barbaric punishments such as stoning, amputation of limbs and death. Sharia law, contrary to what its advocates claim, does not limit application of its draconian provisions to Muslims only: it considers any and all disputes involving Muslims with non-Muslims also in its purview to adjudicate. Sharia law is inherently arbitrary, obsolete, and discriminatory to the extreme. Wherever Sharia law rules, injustice prevails. Non-Muslims, women, and even children are victimized by its biased and cruel provisions.

Sharia law represents a twist to the concept of Blind Justice: It is indeed blind to justice. Even a cursory examination of Sharia's family law, for instance, proves unequivocally its blindness to justice: it makes the shameful past laws, such as Jim Crow laws, seem as paragons of fairness by comparison.

These are the conditions on the ground wherever Sharia rules. Violence of all forms is endemic to Islamic law and is not confined to any fringes. Sharia law itself is the fringe--a fringe that is oppressive, hateful of others and violent to the core. Presently, fanatical Islam is lashing out with mad fury before its own final demise. The "infidel" world has been complicit in the surge of Islamism through its mistakes, complacency, and greed.

Warning: Islam is not a religion but a political ideology which incites hate, violence, intolerance and terror. Islamists are terminators. You cannot bargain with them. You cannot reason with them. They do not feel pity or remorse, or fear. And they absolutely will not stop, ever, until all the infidels are dead or have submitted to Islam. The only language the Islamists understand is the language of force.

In non-Muslim lands, Islamism, flush with Petrodollars, has been accelerating in its drive for the world Caliphate and is moving at the speed of light by building more mosques, printing more indoctrinating Islamic books, imposing more of its presence in the western culture, in our schools and university campuses, bullying, intimidating and challenging more Christians and other peaceful people of faith and by using our democratic laws against us.

In the Islamdom, they can dish out insults to non-Muslims; arrest Christians, Bahia's or the Jews just for praying. They can confiscate their Holy books and toss them in the trash. They call the Jews pigs and monkeys, and spit on anyone that isn't Muslim. But they go into frenzies of righteous outrage at the slightest criticism of their barbaric and highly dangerous beliefs.

They never need to challenge the existing political order in our country, but can achieve all their goals without bothering or violating the Constitution of the U.S. because that Constitution guarantees complete government non-interference toward religion. Finally and the most important element perhaps is the extreme coziness and appeasement by the current U.S. administration towards Islam, Muslims and radical Muslims which will recklessly and unknowingly drag the whole country and her citizens into an everlasting Islamic inferno, an inferno similar to the Islamic Republic of Iran and other Islamic terrorist countries.

A constitutional amendment must be passed quickly defining Islam as a hostile political force with a global totalitarian agenda, and as such is totally inimical to our constitution and our national security, and that further to this definition, all practicing Muslims must either renounce this cult or be deported to their countries of origin, and all mosques must be demolished, since their goal is to propagate political propaganda, which has nothing whatsoever to do with 'religion' - let alone one of 'peace'. That's going to be the final 'solution' for Islam in America.

"Fight and kill the disbelievers wherever you find them, take them captive, harass them, lie in wait and ambush them using every stratagem of war." Qur'an:9:5

"Fight those who do not believe until they all surrender, paying the protective tax in submission." Qur'an:9:29

We must also end the deadly practice of "Political Correctness." Truth, only naked truth, can set us free. And freedom is our greatest gift of life. Life without freedom is death disguised as life. Remember Patrick Henry's cry: Give me liberty or give me death. Humanity cannot afford, and must not ignore, the emergence of the latest threat to its very existence on this planet. We must fight for life, for liberty, for freedom and end the nightmare of Islamic hellfire.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Opponents pack hearing on mosque near ground zero

NEW YORK -- Dozens of opponents to a mosque planned near ground zero have attended a raucous hearing about whether the building should become a New York City landmark.

Rick Lazio - the Republican candidate for governor - was among the witnesses testifying Tuesday in support of landmark status for the building near the site of the Sept. 11 attacks.

He said the building was "a place of deep historical significance" because it was struck by airplane debris on 9/11.

Landmarking status could complicate plans by Muslim groups to develop a community center and mosque at the site.

The city's Landmark Preservation Commission was not expected to rule Tuesday on whether the building should become a landmark.

Sun Herald

Wesley College plans to close

FLORENCE — Wesley College leaders say they plan to close at the end of the month because the school has about $2.7 million in debt.

The cozy college, owned by the Congregational Methodist Church, has operated at its Mississippi 469 site, off U.S. 49, since 1972. Debt accrued from building a new dorm and a drop in contributions are the reasons the college is closing.

Registrar Charity Nelson said the college’s leaders learned of the closure Wednesday and have since notified students enrolled for fall classes. Nelson said the college plans to notify other students and alumni shortly.

The college has about 140 students per semester with 40 percent living on campus.

“We want to make sure our students are taken care of,” Nelson said. “We’re looking to make sure our students are placed.”

Nelson said the college has been in communication with other institutions. The college is known for its pastoral ministry program.

Clarion Ledger

Canton zoning denies apartments 4-0

Appeal can still be made to aldermen

The Canton Zoning Commission on Monday night in 4-0 vote denied a request for a rezoning that would have allowed a controversial apartment complex near Gluckstadt.

Developers have the right to appeal the decision directly to the Canton Mayor and Board of Aldermen.

Two members of the Zoning Commission abstained.

More than 100 people, most from the Gluckstadt area, packed Canton City Hall for a 1.5-hour meeting.

Madison County Journal

Monday, July 12, 2010

Miss. officials eye immigration policy

State requires employers to check legal status of workers by E-Verify

As the nation eyes Arizona's controversial immigration law, some Mississippi officials say they want to see similar legislation here.

Mississippi is one of 14 states that require employers to use the E-Verify system before hiring new workers. E-Verify, an Internet-based service, uses federal databases to check the legal status of potential employees.

Since July 1, all companies in Mississippi with more than 30 workers have had to register. Those with fewer than 30 workers have another year to comply.

Rep. Becky Currie, R-Brookhaven, plans to introduce a bill in the next legislative session to expand the state's immigration restrictions.

"It's pretty much the same bill (as Arizona's)," she said.

The Arizona bill, which both proponents and critics have described as the strictest and broadest immigration effort in years, has come under fire from those who say legal residents and visitors will be unfairly targeted and possibly harassed.

The U.S. Justice Department filed a lawsuit last week arguing Arizona Senate Bill 1070 is unconstitutional. The suit alleges the federal government - not individual states - must regulate immigration. The law is scheduled to go into effect July 29.

The most controversial provision requires law enforcement officers to attempt to determine whether suspected immigrants are in the country illegally and requires legal immigrants carry documentation.

The legislation also places strict penalties against harboring illegal immigrants and directly targets the hiring of workers who congregate at locations, such as home improvement stores.

"It's clearly unconstitutional," Mississippi Immigrants Rights Alliance executive director Bill Chandler said. "The Arizona bill racially profiles Latinos."

Massive influxes of illegal immigrants and high crime rates have been cited by Arizona officials as the need for the law.

But most Mississippi supporters point to jobs and a potential burden on state resources. Mississippi's unemployment rate was 11.4 percent as of May.

"I'm just more concerned that we put Mississippians to work instead of illegal immigrants," Currie said.

Read the entire story at The Clarion Ledger Online


Immigration

MIM: Marcy Shows Some Gusto

Bill Marcy may not beat Bennie Thompson in November, but you sure have to have some respect for a man who will walk into a human lions den and call out the Congressman in front of his own supporters. Bennie undoubtedly is not used to having the type of opponent who will actually have the fortitude to pull something like this off and I think it is refreshing to have a candidate who will take this sort of approach. The most telling thing in their encounter for me is when Thompson is pressed to answer for his district being among the poorest in the country with the worst schools and the best he could come up with is to point to a period 80 years ago and take zero accountability for where his district is today. The only thing Bennie Thompson has ever done for his district is cash his own check. The man is a failure to his constituents who are sadly just too obtuse to realize it. Good for Marcy to try and show him for the failure that he is.

Read more at Majority In Mississippi Blog

Friday, July 9, 2010

Bond set in Madison baby death case

CANTON, Miss. (AP) - Bond has been set at $35,000 for a Flora woman charged in the death of her newborn son.

Madison County District Attorney Michael Guest has said authorities believe the newborn boy found last week in a suitcase left in weeds behind a Flora-area church was alive when someone disposed of him.

The Clarion-Ledger reports bond was set Thursday for 41-year-old Shelia Ealey by a justice court judge. A grand jury will hear the case. Ealey has been charged with murder.

The infant was found Friday by a church member clearing weeds around the property. Authorities say the boy was wrapped in a garbage bag and blanket inside the suitcase.

WDAM

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Greenwood Cottonmouth: Company Worker Gets Raise, Walks Out

Ever wonder why things are so bad in the Delta? Read this.



Local Sandwich Shop owner, John Doe, recently moved to Greenwood from California. Doe said he has worked in human resources off and on for 15 years in the restaurant industry. Adjusting to employee behavior in the Delta has been difficult, he said.

"Within five months of being here, I've had three cooks walk out on me. This was after I had either increased their hours or given them a raise - or both - because they were doin' a good job. It's hard to find good employees here," he said.

"The third time it happened - yesterday - I stopped LaQuincia in the parking lot and said, 'Hey! What's wrong? I gave you a raise. Was it not enough?' And man, she went off on my a**," Doe said.

The employee went through a five-minute laundry list of various government benefits, such as childcare, healthcare and subsidized housing, that she would lose if she earned more money. Doe said she acted as if he was trying to bankrupt her.

"I apologized and offered to take it back," he said, "but she stormed off. I guess I've learned my lesson.

Greenwood Cottonmouth

Thompson met by Darcy at Greenwood meeting


The Republican opponent for the 2nd Congressional District seat surprised incumbent Bennie Thompson at the Greenwood Voters League meeting Wednesday night.
Thompson, a Democrat, had planned to give a legislative update to the Voters League, but he found an RV covered with "Bill Marcy for Congress" stickers parked outside the building. Marcy sat quietly during much of the meeting before addressing Thompson during the question-and-answer period after his speech.

Thompson, who was first elected to Congress in 1993, discussed his record in office. He said his stance on health care is unwavering.

"We are the only democracy left in the world that does not provide health care for all of its citizens," he said. "Everybody tells me they are Christians, but why in the world wouldn't a Christian want to provide health care to other citizens?"

He said he has worked diligently to funnel money into Delta projects, including some that are still ongoing.

"If you go to Itta Bena, you'll see some streets being paved," he said. "If you go to Carrollton, you'll see streets being paved."

Thompson, the chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, said his efforts have also made the country safer.

"I'm happy to report to you that since the 9/11 incident, we have not had one major breach in this country," Thompson said. "You can still walk out of your home. You can still fly wherever you want to."

Thompson said the people of the district "know better" than to vote for Marcy. Marcy, a resident of Meridian, lives more than 100 miles from the district.

"Now, how in the world is somebody going to come into this district and say I want you to vote for me, even though I can't vote for myself?'" Thompson said.

Thompson said he wasn't convinced that Marcy was dedicated to the district.

Marcy said his father and grandmother grew up in Mississippi, and he has other ancestral ties to the state. He told the Voters League that his father left the state because "back in 1932 some white folks said that my daddy looked at a white woman too long."

While responding to Marcy, Thompson said, "It's important for people to understand just what people have been through. I didn't leave like you did. I stayed here ... I can tell the story, but I want to tell the story to folk who stay here. I don't want to tell the story to the gypsy."

After the meeting, Marcy said he originally planned to move into the district if he was elected. He said he now plans to move into the district regardless in the next few weeks.

"This election is not about where Bill Marcy lives," he said. "This is about who can help the poorest districts in one of the poorest states in the union."

During the question-and-answer period, Marcy asked Thompson only one series of questions: "Why is it that the second district is the poorest district in the nation? And why is it that we have such a high crime rate? And why is that the schools are listed as some of the most failing schools in challenging our children?"

Thompson said the plantation system of the 1930s and 1940s promoted cheap labor instead of industry. The Delta is still recovering from that, he said.

"I don't accept responsibility for where we are," Thompson said. "I didn't create it. You didn't create it. But I've worked to improve it."

At one point, state Sen. David Jordan, president of the league, chastised Marcy for not allowing Thompson to finish an answer to a question. Marcy said he wanted a chance to defend himself after being spoken about "like a dog."

"This is not your night," Jordan said. "We didn't know you were coming. This is Congressman Thompson's night."

Marcy told Jordan he was "looking forward to my night."

Thompson said after the meeting that by showing up uninvited, Marcy had overstepped common courtesy.

"He showed disrespect to the Voters League," Thompson said. "I wouldn't have done that to him. But I wasn't impressed by him tonight."

Marcy said he thinks he may have rattled the congressman even more than he intended.

"He was more aggressive toward me than I thought he would be, especially for being in office so long," Marcy said. "I think it's a good sign that he is worried about me. He sees that I am an opponent to be worried about."

Marcy said Thompson's answer to most problems has been government programs. "I'm not looking for handouts," he said. "I want to bring high-paying jobs."

Greenwood Commonwealth

Flora man plans waterways paddling event to talk about Alzheimer's

Keith Plunkett, Mississippi paddler and organizer of Lucy’s Revenge — an Alzheimer’s awareness project — will be joined by an expected 30 paddlers in Ocean Springs this weekend for the kickoff weekend of the year-long event.

Paddlers will meet Saturday at Marker No. 1 of the Old Fort Bayou Blue Trail. The effort will continue on Mississippi Gulf Coast regions through July and August.

Plunkett will travel across five regions in Mississippi to paddle waterways during the next year.

During the trips, the Flora resident will tell stories of Alzheimer’s patients and caregivers in each region and will highlight efforts by the Alzheimer’s Association and medical professionals to defeat the disease.

He will also speak with groups across the state to raise awareness and money to aid families affected by the disease with support services.

Plunkett has set a goal of 600 miles, or roughly 120 miles per region and hopes to entice a few others to join him on some of the excursions throughout the year.

The project is named in memory of Plunkett’s grandmother, Lucy Plunkett, who suffered from Alzheimer’s before succumbing to the disease in 1993.

For more information visit http://www.lucysrevenge.com/.

Clarion Ledger

WDSU: 500 Fishermen Claim BP Didn't Pay Them (Video)

Oklahoma, South Carolina and Utah may follow Arizona's lead on immigration law

Attention is focused on Arizona and the federal government's challenge to the state's strict new immigration law, but three other states could adopt similar legislation next year.

Lawmakers in Oklahoma, South Carolina and Utah, which have already taken steps against illegal immigration, say that Arizona-style measures have a realistic chance of passing when their legislatures reconvene in 2011.

The Obama administration sued Arizona in federal court Tuesday, charging that the state law usurps federal authority, would hamper immigration enforcement and would lead to police harassment of those who have no proof of lawful status. The government asked that a federal judge stop the law from taking effect July 29.

Legislators in at least 17 other states introduced bills this year similar to the Arizona law, which allows officers to question anyone they suspect of being in the country illegally. But most of those measures are not considered likely to be adopted or signed by governors.

The political climate in Oklahoma, South Carolina and Utah, however, improves the chances that state legislatures there could follow Arizona's lead in 2011.

In 2007, Oklahoma led the way on such laws by adopting legislation that makes it a felony to knowingly transport or shelter an illegal immigrant. It also blocked illegal immigrants from obtaining driver's licenses and in-state tuition.

State Rep. Randy Terrill (R), who sponsored the measure, has expressed a desire to go beyond the Arizona law when he introduces a bill next year that would seize property from businesses that knowingly employ illegal immigrants.

Terrill cited the arrest last week of an alleged Mexican drug cartel member in Oklahoma as evidence that an "Arizona-plus" measure is needed urgently. He said the effect of Arizona's law has been to push illegal immigrants "straight down Interstate 40" toward Oklahoma.

Vivek Malhotra, advocacy and policy counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union, said the administration's decision to sue Arizona could discourage other states from doing the same. But he also said that similar legislation may be adopted in 2011.

"After the other border states, it is natural to look at the states that have enacted the most anti-immigrant laws" before Arizona, Malhotra said. He said he expected Oklahoma, South Carolina and Utah to make the "most vigorous effort" to enact similar legislation early next year.

Ira Mehlman, spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, said he thinks the Obama administration designed the lawsuit against Arizona as a "shot across the bows" of all states considering similar moves. He said he doubts, though, that Terrill will be deterred.

"Randy Terrill has made this his issue in Oklahoma and has earned bipartisan support in the past," he said. "He is a determined guy and he is not going to back down too easily."

In Utah, state Rep. Stephen Sandstrom (R) has been making regular fact-finding trips to Arizona as he finalizes a draft bill. But, following the announcement of the federal suit, he said he may consider watering down one of the Arizona law's most contentious elements.

Under the law, state officers are instructed to check immigration status if they have a "reasonable suspicion" that a person is in the country illegally. Sandstrom said his measure may require officers to meet the higher legal standard of "probable cause" to suspect someone of being undocumented before checking.

"I don't want people of Hispanic descent to feel my bill is aimed at them," he said.

A Utah law that took effect last year made it illegal to harbor or employ undocumented workers. Gov. Gary R. Herbert (R) has said he expects to sign new immigration legislation next year and is meeting with all sides to find a way forward.

South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford (R) touted a comprehensive set of measures against illegal immigration as the nation's strictest when he signed it into law in 2008. The far-reaching legislation forced businesses to check the immigration status of their workers. Harboring and transporting illegal immigrants also became a state crime. State lawmakers are seeking to build on it and were quick this year to draw up an Arizona-style bill, introducing it less than a week after the Arizona measure was signed.

State Sen. Larry Martin (R) said in an interview that an Arizona-type measure was introduced too late this year. "But I have every expectation a new bill will be introduced in January," he said. "As long as an officer has a lawful reason to question someone, and then a suspicion develops [that] they are an undocumented person, then I think our law enforcement folks ought to be able to pursue that," he said.

Washington Post



Immigration

Madison County tax rolls swell

Property value tops $1B for 7th straight year

Madison County's growth spurt continues as the tax rolls keep getting fatter.

For the seventh year in a row, the assessed value of real and personal property topped the billion-dollar mark. The total worth of the county hit $1.36 billion in assessed value in 2010, showing a 4 percent increase over last year, Tax Assessor Gerald Barber told the Board of Supervisors.

"There are 81 other tax assessors who would love to have these numbers," Barber said.

In today's slumping national economy, the county's growth is more than the tax assessor expected. He said he was hoping to beat 2 percent growth.

Supervisors will take the property values, which represent a percentage of true value, to prepare a budget for spending in the fiscal year starting Oct. 1.

"Going into the budget working with these numbers and the positive news that Gerald gave us means we can balance our books without a tax increase," said Tim Johnson, president of the Board of Supervisors. "Looking at 4 percent growth in this economy, Madison County is very blessed."

In addition to the county's growth, Barber also presented assessed values for the four municipalities and two school districts, and all but one showed an increase. The city of Canton's 2010 tax assessment showed a 2 percent drop from 2009, from $71.7 million to $70.4 million.

Madison and Ridgeland both experienced a 5 percent growth in value, while Flora reflected a 3 percent growth in assessed value. The Madison County school district showed a 4 percent increase over last year, while the Canton school district showed a 3 percent rise.

"In this economy, that's really, really fantastic," said David Overby, Ridgeland director of finance.

The city of Madison was the only one to show an increase in the assessed value of autos among the county's taxing districts. The value of vehicles in the city, reflected by taxes paid in car tags, rose 6 percent, compared with a 4 percent drop in the county and in the county school district, a 5 percent drop in Ridgeland and in Flora, a 7 percent drop in the Canton school district and a 10 percent decrease in Canton.

"It appears the city of Madison is still buying cars," Barber said.

The lower values in the automobile class shows that people are holding onto their existing vehicles and paying less in taxes on tags each year or they are buying less expensive cars than in the past and paying less for tags, he said.

Barber, who spoke to supervisors on Tuesday, also said the tax rolls show a decrease in new construction throughout the county, except in Ridgeland.

Madison County overall showed a drop in construction of $7.8 million, down to $35.5 million, while Ridgeland showed an increase of about $841,000 in assessed value, up to $11.7 million.

Clarion Ledger

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

The Passing Of A Good-Hearted Person

BY: Keith Plunkett

Judy Greaves passed away on Tuesday, July 6 after a long bout with cancer. Judy was someone that always greeted with a smile. When she was still acting in her capacity as Flora's First Lady, she would also greet me with a chore. But, I could never say no to Miss Judy.

Only days after her husband Scott took the reins as Mayor in 2006, she called to ask me to come meet with them. I had been working on my first civic project for the town for the better part of a year, and had been attempting to get the former Mayor and Board of Alderman to approve some cleanup projects, landscaping and beautification for the Town of Flora to no avail. She sat both me and Scott down in a room at City Hall and told us we were going to get it done. We did.

She helped organize the first Landscape Advisory Board, and when it came time to pick a President, she unhesitatingly nominated me. The time I served on that board with Judy was some of the most aggravating and fun times I have had. It taught me a great deal about municipal government; how it works, and how it doesn't.

But, it also led to a number of important projects completed around Flora. We wrote and helped pass the first ever Landscape Ordinance in the town. We designed a town seal, had them constructed into big signs, and placed them at the entrances to town on Highway 49.  We also worked with the Flora Historical Society to restart discussions about a Veteran's Memorial. That project had languished for years as nothing more than a good idea. Today, in part because of her tenacity, it stands at Main Street as a memorial to those who have given their life for our freedom.

In my mind, it also stands as a memorial to her. I will forever be grateful for her constant words of support and encouragement.

Our prayers are with Scott and the Greaves family. Judy will be laid to rest in Flora Cemetery on Friday at 11:30 following visitation at Flora Methodist Church.

Arizona Gets Help In Defense From Federal Lawsuit, Congressman Harper Among Critics of Obama Lawsuit

One News Now has a story on a Christian law firm that will assist Arizona in its defense against the Obama Justice Department's lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of The Grand Canyon State's immigration enforcement statute.

The lawsuit argues that Arizona's new measure, which requires state and local police to question and possibly arrest illegal aliens during the enforcement of other laws, like traffic stops, usurps federal authority.

President Barack Obama has called the state law "misguided," but Jordan Sekulow, director of international operations with the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), contends that Obama's grievance is what is misguided.

"For President Obama to invoke race in this, which he did in that speech -- calling this divisive, saying this may lead to people being pulled over because of how they talk or what color their skin is, and then, of course, invoking religion -- is totally misguided," Sekulow argues

Not missing an opportunity to cry wolf, Benjamin Todd Jealous, president and CEO of the NAACP, cheered the lawsuit. Maybe he was "Jealous" that Obama was stealing some of his "poor me" mojo, and wanted to ride the President's coat tails. At any rate, he had the following statement

“In filing this lawsuit, the Obama administration has taken a strong and principled stand against Arizona’s discriminatory law," said Jealous. "African-Americans have the misfortune of being all too familiar with the pernicious effects of racial profiling, and we welcome the addition of the administration to the broad spectrum of organizations already challenging this unconstitutional law.”

Sekulow says that while a crackdown on illegal immigration has the support of the majority of Americans, many Christian groups "have bought into President Obama's propaganda."

The international operations director adds challenging the constitutionality of Arizona's border enforcement law is not going to do anything to solve the root problem: the continued failure of the federal government to protect the United States from the illegal alien invasion.

"You have drug wars going on 12 miles from the Arizona border where 21 people are killed, and this is creeping right into the state," he notes. "So what our leaders have done here in our country is made it a political issue."



Sekulow says the ACLJ is going to file an amicus brief supporting the border state's law.

Mississippi Congressman Gregg Harper joined other conservative members of the House condemning the adminstrations decision to follow through with the lawsuit.

"It is illegal to be in the United States without proper documentation, plain and simple. Those who are here illegally should have to face consequences," said Harper. "Arizona had taken a reasonable and constitutional approach to end this decades-old problem that has continuously been ignored by the Obama Administration. Illegal immigration is a matter of national security."

Madison County DA: Baby was alive when dumped in Flora

Suspected mother of dumped infant treated

FLORA — Authorities believe the newborn boy found in a suitcase left in weeds behind a church was alive when his mother disposed of him, Madison County District Attorney Michael Guest said.

Shelia Ealey, 41, who already had five children, is charged with murder.

"The baby was not born at a hospital," Guest said Tuesday. "Based on the investigation, it appears the child was alive when she abandoned it, which appears to be a short time after she gave birth - less than 24 hours."

On Tuesday, Ealey, of Flora, was treated at a hospital for complications related to childbirth. Officials still are awaiting DNA tests to determine if Ealey is the baby's mother.

Ealey is expected to have her initial appearance today in Madison County Justice Court. She is being held in the Madison County jail without bond.

Guest said evidence in the case points to murder but a grand jury will determine whether Ealey will be indicted on murder, manslaughter or capital murder. He said the investigation is ongoing.

Madison County Coroner Alex Breeland said an autopsy has been completed but the cause of death is pending further results.

The infant was found Friday behind Smith Chapel Baptist Church by a church member clearing weeds around the property. The boy was wrapped in a garbage bag and blanket inside the suitcase.

The church, where Ealey attended, is on rural Livingston-Vernon Road, east of U.S. 49 in the Kearney Park community, and about a mile from Ealey's home.

Hours after the baby was discovered, Ealey turned herself in to deputies.

Ealey's neighbors Belinda Walker and Clara Cowan said they never knew she was pregnant.

"We couldn't tell," said Walker, who lives next door to Ealey on Magnolia Street.

Walker said Ealey lived alone with her five children and they appeared to be a normal family.

Cowan, 59, said she's known Ealey since Ealey was a toddler. Ealey grew up in the Magnolia Street home across from Cowan's.

Cowan said she would see Ealey go to work, come home and cook for her children every day.

"None of us thought she was the one who did this. Everybody's shocked," Cowan said.

Cowan said Ealey's oldest child is in his early 20s and the youngest is about 9 years old.

Madison County Sheriff Toby Trowbridge said Ealey's children would most likely be placed in the care of relatives.

Clarion Ledger

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Arrest made in dead baby case

An arrest has been made in the case of a baby who's body was found in a suitcase behind a church near Flora.

Madison County Sheriff Toby Trowbridge says 41-year-old Sheila Ealey, of Flora, turned herself in to authorities late Friday night between 9 and 10pm.

An autopsy has been performed on the infant's body and Sheriff Trowbridge says DNA testing will confirm whether Ealey is the mother of the newborn.

Ealey is being held in the Madison County Detention Center without bond and will appear in court Tuesday.

WLBT

Rock solid reputation: Forest near Flora a real gem

FLORA — This year's guest book at the Mississippi Petrified Forest boasts the signatures of visitors from Iceland, Italy, Australia, Cuba, England, India and Turkey.

As of Wednesday, it also gained the signature of Susie Crommett, 64, of Madison, who made her first trip here.

"Yes, I hate to admit it, but I've never taken the time to stop and see it - which was a mistake because this place is beautiful," she says. "And to make matters worse, I'm originally from Yazoo City. I've driven past the sign about the petrified forest on (U. S. 49) a million times."

Crommett came at the urging of her granddaughter, whose brother had visited here. "It's a shame, really," Crommett says. "We go all over creation - to Disneyland and the like - but never stop to look at the things in our own backyard. But this place isn't hyped a lot. You don't hear a lot about it."

The Mississippi Petrified Forest, located about two miles southwest of Flora just off U.S. 49, is the only one of its kind in the nation east of the Mississippi River. Here, you can see and touch logs and pieces of wood that are roughly 36 million years old. They are everywhere along a shady, clean walking path in the middle of about eight acres.

One should allow about 45 minutes to cover the half-mile trail. Points of interest are numbered and information about each is included in a pamphlet.

And, yes, that figure is correct: 36 million years old. Bob Dellar, resident expert who helps run the place, has done the math to put it in perspective.

"Scientists say the age of the earth is about 4.5 billion years old," he says. "If you put that in reference to a football field - 300 feet - the average human life span would be about the width of a human hair, or 12 millionths of an inch. These petrified logs, or 36 million years, would represent 2.4 feet."

Petrified wood is a tree that turned to stone beneath sediment, which was originally carried by wind, water or ice. All its organic material has been replaced by minerals. Over time, erosion causes the petrified wood to surface.

The petrified forest here was believed to have been first publicly recognized in an 1845 article written by a state geologist. National Geographic magazine featured the forest in a story about Mississippi in its September 1937 edition.


"In 1955, the Schabilion family - Bob and Shirl - came across the forest and felt it was something that needed to be preserved. Bob Schabilion had a keen interest in rocks and minerals," Dellar says. "Only problem was, it wasn't for sale. They were finally able to buy it in 1962 - mortgaging about everything they owned - and the forest opened to the public in 1963."

It is still owned by the Schabilion family.

In 1966, it became a Registered National Natural Landmark. The Legislature made petrified wood the official state stone in 1976.

"I really do believe we're one of the best-kept secrets in the state -even though there are signs along Highway 49 that direct people here," he says. "I continue to be amazed by the people in this part of the state who don't even know it's here. But once they visit, they're usually repeat customers."

A campground with spots for 11 RVs and four or more tents is also available. A gift shop is stocked full of jewelry made of petrified wood.

Visitors are welcomed to try their hand at fluming, which is similar to panning for gold except the prizes are gems and minerals. One recent visitor came away with colorful blue calcite, Mexican opal, peacock ore and a piece of quartz.

"I have driven past the petrified forest in Arizona but was never able to stop and go in," says Jim Wirshing, 54, of Montgomery, Ala., standing in the gift shop. "So when my wife and I came across this place a while back, we stopped and really enjoyed it. We were back in the area, so I decided to come out again.

"The petrified wood is beautiful and nice to see. But one of the things I love about this place is the trail you walk. You feel like you are in the middle of nowhere. You can't hear vehicles on the highway. I totally just let my brain rest when I'm out there. It's really a neat, relaxing thing."

Clarion Ledger

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Coroner: Baby Found Dead In Suitcase Behind Flora Church


Body Found Off Livingston Vernon Road In Flora

The body of a baby was found stuffed in a suitcase on Friday, the Madison County coroner said.

Coroner Alex Breeland said the body was found behind a church in the 3200 block of Livingston Vernon Road in Flora at about 2:30 p.m.

Breeland said the baby was a newborn boy, but he said he's not sure how the baby died.

WAPT

Friday, July 2, 2010

Thompson Wants Answers On FEMA Trailers

Congressman Seeks Inquiry on Trailers


A Mississippi congressman asked the Justice Department on Thursday to investigate the use of potentially contaminated FEMAtrailers to house cleanup workers involved with the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

The request, by Representative Bennie Thompson, the chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, followed an article about the trailers Thursday in The New York Times.

In his letter, Mr. Thompson, a Democrat who was one of the most vocal opponents of the public sale of the trailers, also demanded that the General Services Administration and FEMA provide documents by July 15 indicating how each agency has enforced the legally binding requirements on the buyers of the trailers.

More than 100,000 of the trailers were publicly auctioned this year by the federal government on the condition that they not be used for long-term housing and with the requirement that placards be posted warning of the trailers’ potential hazards from high levels of formaldehyde, a carcinogen. Buyers were required to sign a legally binding waiver agreeing to these terms.

Before the auction, Congressional opponents of the sale said there would be no way to enforce these rules. New evidence emerged this week indicating the validity of those concerns.

In a separate letter, Representative Edward J. Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat and chairman of the House Energy and Environment Subcommittee, asked the G.S.A. for documentation relating to the trailers’ sale and oversight of their use.

On Friday, Mr. Markey also said that he had asked for the Federal Trade Commission to investigate whether the sales of the trailers constituted an unfair or deceptive practice under the Federal Trade Commission Act.

Laura J. Gerdes, a spokeswoman with the Louisiana attorney general's office, said there office has opened an investigation into the matter as well.

The New York Times

Hasn't Steele Crammed His Foot Far Enough Down His Throat, Yet? Apparently, Not.

Latest Steele Gaffe Prompts Fresh Calls for His Resignation


Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele’s recent comments that the war in Afghanistan is “a war of Obama’s choosing” released on YouTube have led prominent Republican columnist William Kristol to ask him to step down.

And some Republicans on Capitol Hill wouldn’t mind if he took that advice.

"Exhibit 2,345 as to why Steele should not be chairman," one GOP aide said. "The question is, who does he fire this time? Mr. Chairman, Please listen to Mr. Kristol."

Steele’s comments, captured in a poor-quality video at a fundraiser, had Democrats in attack mode and had Republicans cringing, even as Gen. David Petraeus arrived in Afghanistan to oversee the war effort.

“This was a war of Obama’s choosing,” Steele said in the video. “This is not something the United States had actively prosecuted or wanted to engage in.”

The former Maryland lieutenant governor later added, “It was the president who was trying to be cute by half by flipping a script demonizing Iraq, while saying the battle really should be in Afghanistan. Well, if he’s such a student of history, has he not understood that you know that’s the one thing you don’t do, is engage in a land war in Afghanistan? All right, because everyone who has tried, over a thousand years of history, has failed. And there are reasons for that. There are other ways to engage in Afghanistan.”

The gaffe-prone RNC chairman also called the situation involving the dismissal of Gen. Stanley McChrystal “comical” during his talk, which appeared to be an attempt at giving messaging advice to Republican candidates for Congress.

Democratic National Committee spokesman Brad Woodhouse ripped Steele for calling the war in Afghanistan unwinnable.

“The American people will be interested to hear that the leader of the Republican Party thinks recent events related to the war are 'comical' and that he is betting against our troops and rooting for failure in Afghanistan,” Woodhouse said.

“It’s simply unconscionable that Michael Steele would undermine the morale of our troops when what they need is our support and encouragement. Michael Steele would do well to remember that we are not in Afghanistan by our own choosing, that we were attacked and that his words have consequences.”

Roll Call