Another Vanishing Civil Rights Landmark

On my recent trip to the Delta, I decided to take the county road north of Greenwood, instead of Highway 49. I wanted to check on the old Bryant Grocery Store in the Money community to see if it was still hanging on. The answer, I guess, is both yes and no.

Passing this building on the highway without knowing its story, you probably wouldn’t give it a moment’s thought–a typical brick two-story commercial building common to the early 20th century and usually forming the heart of rural communities. In this case, the building is so far gone down the road of collapse that you might experience a glimmer of melancholy at the decline of our agricultural communities. But this seemingly insignificant and decaying building is at the center of one of the most important stories in our state’s recent history: it was the site of the beginning of the Emmett Till saga, a murder of a young black teenager that brought the world’s attention to the violent racism that was all too common in Mississippi and in the South generally.

PIM

Madison Stein Mart one of 3 new U.S. stores

The new Stein Mart opening this month in Madison is one of three new company stores nationwide.

Stein Mart will expand its presence in the United States with the opening of three new stores on November 10.

Stein Mart was founded in 1908 by Sam Stein, a Russian immigrant who opened his first store in Greenville, Mississippi.

Mississippi’s new Stein Mart is opening at The Forum at Madison Grandview.

Read more at MBJ

Thanks for the memories

34 warships sent from US for Obama visit

New Delhi: The White House will, of course, stay in Washington but the heart of the famous building will move to India when President Barack Obama lands in Mumbai on Saturday.

Communications set-up and nuclear button and majority of the White House staff will be in India accompanying the President on this three-day visit that will cover Mumbai and Delhi.

He will also be protected by a fleet of 34 warships, including an aircraft carrier, which will patrol the sea lanes off the Mumbai coast during his two-day stay there beginning Saturday. The measure has been taken as Mumbai attack in 2008 took place from the sea.

Arrangements have been put in place for emergency evacuation, if needed.

Obama is expected to fly by a helicopter -- Marine One -- from the city airport to the Indian Navy's helibase INS Shikra at Colaba in south Mumbai.

Two jets, armed with advanced communication and security systems, and a fleet of over 40 cars will be part of Obama's convoy.

Around 800 rooms have been booked for the President and his entourage in Taj Hotel and Hyatt.

The President will have a security ring of American elite Secret Service, which are tasked to guard the President, along with National Security Guards (NSG) and personnel from central paramilitary forces and local police in Mumbai and Delhi.

Similar arrangements will be in place in Delhi, with the Air Force One to be kept in all readiness throughout Obama's stay here from Sunday afternoon to Tuesday morning.

Maurya Hotel, where the President will stay, has already been swarmed by American security personnel and protective measures have been put in place.

Security drills have already been carried out at the hotel as well as Rajghat, where he will visit.

Sources said 13 heavy-lift aircraft with high-tech equipment, three helicopters and 500 US security personnel have arrived in India ahead of Obama's visit.

The US would be spending a whopping $200 million (Rs. 900 crore approx) per day on President Barack Obama's visit to the city.


"The huge amount of around $200 million would be spent on security, stay and other aspects of the Presidential visit," a top official of the Maharashtra Government privy to the arrangements for the high-profile visit said.

About 3,000 people including Secret Service agents, US government officials and journalists would accompany the President. Several officials from the White House and US security agencies are already here for the past one week with helicopters, a ship and high-end security instruments.

"Except for personnel providing immediate security to the President, the US officials may not be allowed to carry weapons. The state police is competent to take care of the security measures and they would be piloting the Presidential convoy," the official said on condition of anonymity.

Read more at: NDTV

If we could only find the murder weapon . . .

Ding Dong . . .

Seale says no to column in response to latest post. Offer for open thread Q&A on the table.

In response to the post Madison County Lobbyist won't answer questions until you answer some questions first, and prove your "special" , and in response to my offer of a guest column on this blog, Madison County Lobbyist C. Stephen Seale had this to write:

Mr. Harvester, thanks for the column offer but I'll just offer a few comments in response here. First, it's "you're", not "your special" as referenced in your headline, but you missed the point I was trying to make. I don't know you and don't know you to be a taxpayer. If you are a citizen of Madison County, you are represented by the Board of Supervisors. The Board is my client. I work on behalf of Madison County taxpayers as directed by the Board. I began my state Senate service in 1993 and have worked as a state Senator, Chief Counsel to Sen. Lott and as a lawyer/lobbyist at the federal and state levels since. This amounts to almost 18 years of experience working in and around government. I have worked on policy and funding issues for, among others, the US Chamber of Commerce, the Business Roundtable, hospitals, telecommunications companies and other Mississippi-based interests. My clients seeking federal funding and I have a position on earmarks that benefit Mississippi and Madison County and its citizens, and we believe that should be the same position of our elected federal representatives. Finally, as to your position on my "defensiveness", my responses to what you write start with my objection to someone who doesn't know me or know much about my work writing about me and my work without at least trying to talk to me to get my position on the matters you write about. I hope anyone reading what you write and my response will understand that. If that's defensive, so be it.

Thanks for the editorial correction, Mr. Seale. No matter how many times I self-edit, I am bound to miss something. In that spirit, from one editor to another, might I suggest you create a new paragraph on occasion in your written responses. They are somewhat lengthy and would be a much easier read if you did so.

A few observations:

1. You write that you don’t know me to be a taxpayer. I am. As this website indicates, I am in fact a resident of Flora.

2. If you work on “behalf” of the Madison County taxpayers as you write, why would you not answer questions FROM the Madison County taxpayers? You seem quite ready to open up and defend yourself passionately online.  If you don’t wish to write it in the form of a column as I have offered, would you be willing to participate in an open thread Q&A? I’m trying to give you an opportunity here, Mr. Seale. Your friends are as welcome to participate as are those who may have tough questions for you. I’ll monitor the conversation and be sure the posts are only in the form of questions to you, not open ended statements, and no attacks on other commenters. I’ll see to it everything remains civil. Name the time and you’ve got the place.

3. I appreciate your lobbying experience and your time IN government. I made the reference to your time IN government. I made no judgment as to whether the length of that time disqualified you for service in your current capacity. In fact, I’m sure it gave you good insight, and obviously you do have extensive experience as a lobbyist since then. However, I do make a judgment call (as a taxpayer) as to the lack of oversight by which we can measure your success and our investment in your performance, and whether your services are actually needed. Regardless of who directs you and approves the invoices, you should be politically savvy enough to understand who actually pays that $100,000 per year salary.

4. Many of the taxpayers will take exception to you and your “clients seeking federal funding” and the position you hold on earmarks. Is it your contention that you and your “clients” know better than we lowly little taxpayers what is and is not to our “benefit”? I personally agree that it is the constitutional responsibility of Congress to “direct spending.” And I believe those that would end all earmarks are shortsighted, as that responsibility would then fall solely to the Executive Branch. But, I also believe earmark reform is needed to control runaway government spending. And, I also know a lobbyist shouldn’t publicly take a Congressman to task, and then expect him to take you seriously when you show up with hands out.

The problem with the current spending is that the Madison County citizens to whom you refer know mismanagement when they see it. There are serious questions regarding the Madison County Board of Supervisor’s management and lack of oversight. There is an outcry against bloated government, fraud and mismanagement of government spending. The current auditor’s report shows that lack of oversight in Madison County, and we have yet to see the financial report, which could be even more damaging to the board’s credibility. Mr. Johnson and Warnock can use the term “political witch hunt” all they want. The facts show that the questions and the audit were warranted. Your own statements show that you take the seriousness of the report lightly and defend the leadership of the Board of Supervisors despite the facts of the report. That shows a lack of judgment.

5. Finally, with respect to your defensiveness: You discredit yourself with the public when you make comments to the media defending the status quo, and then attack people online for calling such statements into question. What we know about you and your work is what we see, Mr. Seale. And you have made yourself seen and heard. You can’t now run from those comments. As to your “position on matters,” this door remains open to you.

This past week’s exchange between you and I has been referred to by others as a Madison County Food Fight. Why not instead turn it into a civil dinner of “food for thought”? If you choose not to participate in this offer of an open thread Q&A with Harvester readers, so be it. But the floor is still yours should you decide otherwise.

MCJ: Audit shows contracts protect engineer instead of taxpayers

The performance audit recommends in the future that supervisors do more to negotiate the lowest price for the best service.


"OSA recommends that the county should at least consider using the bidding process in the future where competition exists, even for personal service engineering contracts," the report said.

"Even though current law does not require it nothing prevents a board from using bidding for engineering personal services to get the best product for the best price."

Toward the end, the report notes that a financial analysis of their findings has yet to be released and could address other issues not covered.

"The next report will focus primarily on the financial review of payments from the County to Rudy Warnock and from Rudy Warnock to his subcontractors and consultants for selected contracts," it reads.

Warnock's use of subcontracts have at times been the center of the controversy with Hawkins-Butler long calling on him to produce invoices.

"If Mr. Warnock would produce the subcontracted invoices a lot of this could be put to rest," Hawkins-Butler said last year. "It would be so easy and would not cost a dime to produce those contracted invoices."

In question she insists is $326,000 Warnock's firm charged the county in environmental engineering fees for Calhoun Station Parkway before subcontracting the work to another firm.

The terms of those subcontracts are not public record, but critics have insisted that Warnock charged the county for the work then farmed it out at a much lower price and pocketing the difference.

Warnock has steadfastly denied any wrongdoing.

Read More at MCJ