CL: Ex-Canton official avoids jail time for animal cruelty

Judge fines Alonzo Esco, orders community service

Alonzo Esco

Former Canton animal control officer Alonzo Esco will get no jail time for two misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty and dumping.

Justice Court Judge Tommy Faulkner ordered Esco on Wednesday afternoon to perform 120 hours of community service with the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol.

Esco has 30 days to pay a $500 fine for each count and $320 in court costs.

Faulkner suspended the 120 days in jail that Esco could have served.

With two defense attorneys, Esco gave no comments and asked no questions during the sentencing. Faulkner accepted a handwritten statement that he expected from Esco 59 days ago.

“Mr. Esco has had a lot on his plate this year and he’s glad to have this chapter behind him,” said Esco’s attorney, Trey O’Cain.

Esco is suspected of shooting more than 100 animals and dumping the carcases in a Canton creek and possibly other sites.

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Congressman Harper on The Morning Show WMOX-Meridian (Video)

Congressman Harper talks taxes, Obamacare and more.

www.ustream.tv/recorded/10175666

Mitchell stretches to connect dots and Holland cries, "That's Not Fair!!"

Jerry Mitchell

In a Clarion Ledger story about meetings at MPB yesterday to find a new director, writer Jerry Mitchell plays up the connection of former Director Judy Lewis' resignation and her July 8 decision to pull the show "Fresh Air" from the lineup. Mitchell writes that Lewis resigned "amid criticism" for that decision. One can opine that the move to pull the show probably had something to do with the resignation. But, you just got to love how the writer chooses his words to say what he believes without any actual proof of a direct connection.

Mitchell also writes how the the show removal drew criticism and "sparked creation of a Facebook Fan page." I checked the Facebook Fan page. As of the time I write this it has 820 "Likes". That's hardly a massive outcry from a statewide audience. My own personal friend group is over 1,000 and I don't have a radio show, nor have I "sparked" anything.

Dr. Lewis' decision to remove the show was a bad move. I occasionally listen to Fresh Air, and I do find it entertaining. But, Mitchell's story is making a mountain out of a mole hill. It's only when you read on that you find out why.

Barbour! As in Governor Haley Barbour.

On Tuesday, MPB officials acknowledged another programming decision that has raised concerns over fairness. They acknowledged their satellite feed of the Republican Gov. Haley Barbour's State of the State address in January did not to include the Democratic response. They would not comment further. Television stations around the state typically use those speeches to prepare their stories.


On Jan. 15, MPB sent out a news release for satellite coordinates for television stations to be able to pick up the State of the State speech. There is no mention of the Democratic response, which aired live on MPB but was not carried on the satellite feed.

Rep. Steve Holland

"That doesn't sound like that's being fair, but the governor has done a magnificent job of running the executive branch with an iron fist," said state Rep. Steve Holland, D-Plantersville. "All hail, President Barbour."

Turns out the Guv's State of the State Speech was underwritten by a sponsor, and the Democrat's apparently couldn't find someone to pay for the response time.

"My guess is that if the Democrat response had been sponsored, MPB would have put that on the satellite feed as well," said Governor Barbour Spokesman Dan Turner.


"Virtually every entity receiving any significant state funding has been forced to make changes in the way they have operated in years past," Turner said.

Mitchell's stories are less about what he writes and more about what he conveniently leaves out in order to make his point. How many television stations from around the state watched it on MPB and didn't actually need the satellite feed? The Democrat response did air on the MPB channels, just not on the feed. And, how many stations actually had a crew a the capitol? How many stations know a Democrat they can immediately call for follow up questions? Mitchell makes it sound as if those poor souls at televison stations across the state don't know how to pick up a phone. And, he does all this by playing up a slight connection, and downplaying numerous other points that nullify his argument.

He's merely looking to play up the "evil" Governor Barbour/Republican angle, and will make whatever stretch he can to do it.

MCH: Funding request may get OK in '11

Madison County has denied Canton's request for a 76 percent increase in firefighting funds, but the county's interest could reignite early in 2011.

"I don't have a problem reimbursing them, but I don't have the numbers right now to justify it," county fire coordinator Mack Pigg said.

Calling the handling of calls in the county a financial burden, Canton officials asked the Board of Supervisors last week to increase the financial assistance the city receives from $17,000 to $30,000 annually. The city's year-to-year agreement with the county to assist with calls ended Sept. 30.

The supervisors, at Pigg's recommendation, agreed to extend the contract, now in its third year, but at the current $17,000 level, for now.

"We don't have the money to guarantee" the higher pay, Pigg said.

The county pays Canton, Flora and its five volunteer departments contracted amounts from fire insurance rebate funds and uses the rest of the money for major fire safety expenses throughout the county. Last year, the county received $124,000 in fire insurance rebates. Madison and Ridgeland have mutual aid agreements with the county but receive no money.

"I don't want to cost Canton any money, but I don't want to pull any numbers from the air," Pigg said. "We don't want them to be operating in a deficit."

Pigg said he needs to determine how much insurance rebate money the county will get in 2011 before Canton can get an increase. The rebate, issued through the Mississippi Department of Insurance, is based on population, Pigg said. Once census data is received early next year, the amount of the county's rebate will be known, he said.

"I don't want to commit to Canton, not knowing any figures now," Pigg said. "We want to show justification on how much this is costing the city of Canton."

Canton Mayor Richard Truly told the supervisors the city would appreciate consideration of the higher fees "because of increased medical calls and increased fuel and equipment costs."

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