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