MIM: A Republican Challenger To Pickering?

Mayor Mary Hawkins-Butler

A couple weeks back state Auditor Stacey Pickering announced he will run for re-election rather than test the waters of a competitive lieutenant governor primary. I don’t think there is much denying that this was a victory for Republicans as Pickering looks likely to win a second term.



State Auditor Stacey Pickering

 However, last weekend Madison Mayor Mary Hawkins-Butler admitted that she at least had interest in running for state Auditor. She made that statement on the Red and Blue Review with Jere Nash as she was filing in for Andy Taggart.

To say this would be a shakeup in the race is an understatement. I would venture to say that Hawkins-Butler is probably one of the two or three most well known mayors in the state after the mayor of Jackson. Whether or not that is a positive remains to be seen. But for a Republican to run against a sitting Republican office holder would certainly be a game changer, and give political watchers like myself another highly competitive GOP primary.

MIM

Rasmussen Poll: Tea Party Participation Up As Election Nears

Twenty-nine percent (29%) of Likely U.S. Voters now say they are Tea Party members or have close friends or family members who are part of the movement.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 17% describe themselves as members of the Tea Party, up four points from late August. Twelve percent (12%) more say they are not members themselves but have friends or family who are involved in the small government, anti-tax movement.

Just after Democrats in Congress passed the national health care bill in late March, 24% of voters said they were Tea Party members, with 10% more saying they had close friends or family members who were participants.

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on October 6-7, 2010 by Rasmussen Reports.

Rasmussen Reports

Congressman Harper says new job numbers report is "very disappointing"

Congressman Gregg Harper

U.S. Representative Gregg Harper issued the following statement after the U.S. Department of Labor announced that the economy shed 95,000 jobs in the month of September.

“Over 18 months ago, American citizens were promised that unemployment would not surpass eight percent if the President’s trillion-dollar ‘stimulus’ plan were to become law. Sadly, Mississippi has lost 30,800 jobs since this promise was made.

“Republicans understand that the federal government does not create jobs, businesses do. This is why we urged the Democratic leadership to extend the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts before leaving Washington for the November elections. If the current tax rates are not extended by January 1, 2011, small businesses owners that pay in the 35 percent tax bracket will pay 39.6 percent. To boot, individuals that file in the lowest tax bracket will be subject a 50 percent tax increase, with their rate rising from 10 to 15 percent.

“The federal government should lend a hand to America’s employers, not weigh them down with more heavy tax increases. Today’s report of 95,000 more jobs lost in our country is very disappointing.”

Obamacare already coming unraveled: McDonald’s exempted from health care reform mandate

Bloomberg Business News reports that almost one million workers won’t get a consumer protection in U.S. health law meant to cap insurance costs because the government exempted their employers.

Thirty companies and organizations, including McDonald’s (MCD) and Jack in the Box (JACK), won’t be required to raise the minimum annual benefit included in low-cost health plans, which are often used to cover part-time or low-wage employees, Bloomberg said.

The Department of Health and Human Services, which provided a list of exemptions, said it granted waivers in late September so workers with such plans wouldn’t lose coverage from employers who might choose instead to drop their health insurance altogether. Without the waivers, companies would have had to provide a minimum of $750,000 in coverage next year, increasing to $1.25 million in 2012, $2 million in 2013, and unlimited coverage in 2014, according to Bloomberg.

The Associated Press reported Sept. 30 that the new health care law could make it difficult for companies like McDonald’s to continue offering limited insurance coverage to their low-wage workers.

MBJ

Madison Mayor Mary Hawkins-Butler talks about a possible run for state auditor

Mayor Mary sat down with Terry Cassreino of the Better Mississippi Report recently to talk about her 30 years as Mayor of Madison and her future as a potential candidate for statewide office. You can listen to entire interview via podcast HERE.

While Mississippi and the nation have suffered through the worst recession since World War II, Madison Mayor Mary Hawkins Butler said strong management and leadership have helped her city survive.


Butler, mayor of the city of 27,000 just north of Jackson, said Madison has benefited from such things as growth in retail and the opening of a branch campus of Tulane University. Construction continues on new retail along Grandview Drive.

“There are some things that we had to cut, tighten our belt,” Butler said. “But we never want to do anything that’s going to jeopardize the safety and the health and welfare if the people.”

Butler talked about the recession, retail growth, Tulane University and her political future in a wide-ranging interview featured on Episode 11 of the “Better Mississippi Report Internet Radio Podcast” – which was released today.

Better Mississippi Report

Look for Dems to sling mud nationwide, but especially in the South.

I always cheer up immensely if an attack is particularly wounding because I think, well, if they attack one personally, it means they have not a single political argument left.

--Margaret Thatcher

If the former British Prime Minister was right then the article by Hastings Wyman with the Southern Political Report pretty much sums up what the Dems have to offer the American public . . . gossip, mud and negativity.

Wyman reports that Democratic candidates have launched a full-scale assault of personal attacks on their Republican opponents. We Southerners will see more of it than the rest of the country.

With the policies of the Obama Administration and the Democratic congress offering them little in the way of campaign ammunition, the Democrats – mostly incumbents – are relying on an onslaught of politically damaging charges, mostly related to past business and financial dealings of the GOP standard bearers. The personal-attack strategy is present in Democratic congressional, senatorial and gubernatorial campaigns in virtually every Southern state. This, of course, is not a Southern strategy. Democratic personal attacks have dominated campaigns in California, Delaware, New York and elsewhere, but it is especially useful in Dixie, where the Obama Administration is so unpopular. 

Hyman whittles the argument down to the current leadership not offering enough "campaign ammunition". But, if good policy is good politics then you have to connect it to the simple fact that folks don't like where things are headed. The article tries to make a purely political assesment, but it can't be disconnected from the reality of the situation. People aren't rejecting the lack of campaign hype, they're rejecting the redistributive effort and pandering. Voter's are smart enough to know that a flashy logo and an ad campaign doesn't put food on the table or reduce the amount of money they are forced to give to the government.

Hyman continues,

For some of the attacks, the Democrats themselves – either in Washington or on the state or district level – have done the necessary digging into the past activities of Republican candidates. In others, the news media – mostly newspapers – have done the negative research.

Wouldn't it be great if they did as much "digging" into the solutions that would alleviate the problems?

It is noteworthy that even in hotly contested Republican primaries, few of the political time-bombs were uncovered and defused, leaving the GOP with some nominees who are weaker than they were when they were nominated. Moreover, because most of the Democrats, especially the freshmen, anticipated a tough reelection battle and raised flush war chests, their campaigns – aided by Washington-based Democratic committees – have well-funded advertising budgets to make sure the negative message gets out there.

Sickening isn't it? Why build yourself and your constituents up, when you can knock others down to your level with the help of your DC committees?

The GOP is not responding in kind, but continues to hammer away at the policies of President Obama, Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi. “Pretty much all of our candidates are running on the issues,” says National Republican Congressional Committee spokesperson Andy Sere. “There are plenty of negative ads, but all on the issues, on votes and quotes.” He adds, “Personal attacks are not relevant to unemployment.”

Running on the issues. What a novel concept. One we can only hope isn't drowned out by the negativity.

Another One Bites the Dust: 3M to Change Health-Plan Options for Workers

First McDonald's warned federal regulators last week that it could drop its health insurance plan for nearly 30,000 hourly restaurant workers due to Obamacare.

Now this.

3M Co. confirmed it would eventually stop offering its health-insurance plan to retirees, citing the federal health overhaul as a factor.

The changes won't start to phase in until 2013. But they show how companies are beginning to respond to the new law, which should make it easier for people in their 50s and early-60s to find affordable policies on their own. While thousands of employers are tapping new funds from the law to keep retiree plans, 3M illustrates that others may not opt to retain such plans over the next few years

The St. Paul, Minn., manufacturing conglomerate notified employees on Friday that it would change retiree benefits both for those who are too young to qualify for Medicare and for those who qualify for the Medicare program. Both groups will get an unspecified health reimbursement instead of having access to a company-sponsored health plan.

The maker of Post-it notes and Scotch tape said it made the announcement now to give retirees a chance to explore different options during this year's benefit-enrollment period, according to a 3M memo reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. A 3M spokeswoman, Jacqueline Berry, confirmed the contents of the memo.

"As you know, the recently enacted health care reform law has fundamentally changed the health care insurance market," the memo said. "Health care options in the marketplace have improved, and readily available individual insurance plans in the Medicare marketplace provide benefits more tailored to retirees' personal needs often at lower costs than what they pay for retiree medical coverage through 3M.

"In addition, health care reform has made it more difficult for employers like 3M to provide a plan that will remain competitive," the memo said. The White House says retiree-only plans are largely exempt from new health insurance regulations under the law.

The company didn't specify how many workers would be impacted. It currently has 23,000 U.S. retirees.

WSJ

Demint: The Fired Congress

Senator Jim Demint

BY: Senator Jim Demint

In December, more than a dozen senators will come back to Washington and decide how much more tax money to take from Americans, without being accountable to any of them.

Some companies have a policy that once someone is fired, they aren’t allowed back on the premises out of fear they might do further damage to the company. It’s too bad Congress doesn’t have the same policy. Because before they’re replaced in January, all of the Democrats who are put out of a job in November will be able to come back and rob the nation blind.

More than a dozen senators will come back to Washington and decide how much more tax money to take from Americans, without being accountable to any of them. Higher taxes, cap-and-trade, amnesty, and card check will be top-priority items for the Fired Congress, otherwise known as the lame-duck Congress. They’re also likely to roll unfinished appropriations bills into a massive, pork-stuffed omnibus to snag every last possible earmark on their way out of Washington.

This must not happen. The only acceptable outcome of the lame-duck session is a continuing resolution to keep government operating at current levels of spending and taxation, as I pushed the Senate to do in 2006 after Republicans lost the majority to the Democrats. No last-minute earmarks, no add-ons, no tax increases, and no big deficit spending.

By simply passing a continuing resolution that kept the government funded at current levels until February 2007, Republicans stopped more than 10,000 earmarks from being enacted and prevented big spenders in Congress from wasting billions of dollars on pork-barrel projects. Then, 2007 became the year without earmarks, because when that temporary continuing resolution expired in February, Congress extended it for the rest of the year. We should adopt the same approach during the 2010 lame-duck session.

To stop a wasteful omnibus and instead secure a continuing resolution, Republicans must hold together. Fortunately, the GOP may have a few reinforcements on the way. Three new senators will take office immediately following the midterms — one each from Delaware, Illinois, and West Virginia, where special elections are being held to replace temporarily appointed senators. And the Republicans running in these races are eager to help.

Illinois Republican Senate candidate Mark Kirk has promised that if he wins, “I will become the 42nd Republican senator, with the opportunity to put the brakes on any lame-duck overreach.”

Delaware Republican candidate Christine O’Donnell has made it part of her pitch, too. “Who do you want serving in that lame-duck session?” she has said. “Someone who’s going to promote that very liberal agenda that can’t even get enough Democratic support, or someone who is going to push back against the establishment?”

West Virginia’s Republican Senate candidate, John Raese, who is up in the polls, has stated unequivocally that he would oppose the Democrats’ lame-duck agenda. He has said, “It is completely inappropriate for House and Senate Democrats, who would be in cahoots with President Obama, to take up any legislation that would significantly affect the country after an election that will considerably alter the political landscape of Congress. Any attempt to do so would be a slap in the face to all Americans who voted for a change from the liberal status quo.”

More candidates should go on the record with such statements. There’s a whole month of campaigning left before the midterms, and voters can extract promises from their elected officials not to let the Fired Congress pass major legislation. This is a reasonable request that even the Democrats should be able to support. Colorado Republican Senate candidate Ken Buck has called on Democratic senator Michael Bennet to promise to oppose any tax hikes Harry Reid may try to ram through during the lame-duck session. All Senate Democrats up for election this year should be asked to do the same.

Getting more elected officials to speak out against a spendthrift lame-duck session can help deter the Democratic leadership from cramming it with votes. It’s been reported that Democrats are considering as many as 20 pieces of legislation to bring up for a vote. After failing to get the New START Treaty (an agreement that hurts America’s missile-defense systems) ratified, to repeal “don’t ask, don’t tell,” and to pass legislation to give amnesty to illegal aliens, Democrats see opportunity after the elections, when a number of their members won’t have anything to lose.

Democrats are also hoping that the pressure of a Christmas deadline will get some Republicans to break their way. White House senior adviser David Axelrod recently said he thinks Republicans will “blink” and help Democrats raise taxes as the end-of-the year deadline approaches. Republicans must not cave.

Democrats are playing political games and Americans are going to fire them for it in November. When the Democrats come back in December to box up their personal belongings, Republicans must make sure that’s all they take with them.

Jim DeMint is a U.S. senator from South Carolina.

NRO

MCH: State audit probing county contracts

Madison County officials can soon expect the results of a state audit that looked at the county's contracts for services.

"We will have a final draft in a week for the Board of Supervisors and a final report a week after that," said Laney Grantham, a spokesman for the Mississippi Department of Audit.

The final report in two weeks will be made public, she said.

The audit was prompted by months of questions raised by city officials, citizens and others over the county's engineering contracts and what county residents are getting for their tax dollars. Last year, the boards of Madison and Ridgeland approved resolutions for an for an audit of fees paid to Rudy Warnock, the county engineer. Madison Mayor Mary Hawkins Butler has also questioned Warnock's business practices and contracted with an outside engineer to analyze Warnock's contracts and works with the county on road and bridge projects.

In a special meeting last Thursday to close out the 2009-2010 budget year, the supervisors did what [Supervisor Tim] Johnson called "housekeeping" to clear up some issues raised by the Audit Department. The board granted the authority to department heads to contact any vendors if they needed more information to finalize county business and not ask supervisors for the right on a case-by-case basis.

Supervisor Karl Banks agreed with the move, but added that board members also have the right to ask for additional information or verification on bills "because we are the ones ultimately responsible. Any claims that don't have proper documentation should be held until they can be verified."

The board also noted for its minutes, which serves as the county's official record, that board attorney Eric Hamer and Warnock have contract with the county until the end of the current term in 2011. Hamer said he was told by the former county administrator that their contracts did not have to be renewed each year.

Johnson said that contract issue also resolves questions raised by the Audit Department. "We hire a professional engineer and a professional attorney and authorize them to do contract work for Madison County," he said.

"As board members, if our attorney recommends a contract to protect the county's interests, we go along with him. The minute we lose that faith, we replace him," Johnson said.

The out-of-state engineer's analysis of Warnock's work, issued by Butler in February, offered the opinions that the county failed in having adequate controls over contracts and that Warnock's firms was paid excessive fees.

Warnock has denied all the allegations in the report. A majority of the Board of Supervisors has stood firm in support with Warnock and the county contracts with his firm.

Read Related Posts HERE

MBJ Video: Harper Predicts GOP House Victory, "Bigger Than 1994"

From the Stennis Institute Luncheon:

We're teaming up with The Blue Rooster for an October Surprise!

Anyone who watches politics looks to October with great anticipation. One can often expect a challenger who is behind in polls or who is attempting to gain a little more name recognition to come forward with a jaw-dropper just prior to November elections.
Well, here at the Harvester, we're helping engineer an October Surprise for our friends at The Blue Rooster just in time for another November election. And, you can be a beneficiary. After all everybody loves a surprise.

Here's what you need to do:

1. Go to the email subscription to the right of The Flora Harvester website and enter your email and follow the Feedburner directions.


2. Look to your email inbox, and verify that you subscribed.

3. Stay tuned to your email for a notice that you won a free appetizer from The Blue Rooster. We're giving one away every week in October beginning Monday, the eleventh. This should be sufficiently enticing to get you in to the restaurant to try the Best Burger in Mississippi (Frankly, the appetizers are pretty darn good too!)

The Rooster Burger. You're drooling aren't you?

4. Vote for Mississippi's Best Burger by clicking HERE . Enter in The Blue Rooster, Flora Mississippi, and the Rooster Burger. Be sure and click Done at the bottom of the page. Voting goes on through the first week of November.

5. Read The Flora Harvester. We'll give our online subscribers and Facebook Friends an opportunity to double the chance to win throughout the month.


We'll give away an appetizer every week starting Monday, October 11.

Now here's the kicker, the real reward for those who have a long enough attention span to read this far: The entire list of subscribers, including double-chancer's will be entered for a chance to receive a Dinner For Two at The Blue Rooster. We'll draw on October 29th.

Now Get To Work.
Enter, Win, Vote and Eat.


NOTE: Some restrictions apply: Offer good for two entree's and two non-alcoholic drinks.
Questions? Comments? Email us at floraharvester@bellsouth.net

Medicaid! Just Look At It Grow!

BY: Peter Suderman

At the beginning of the summer, legislators in Congress balked at a proposal to extend the additional federal Medicaid funding initially included in the stimulus. And for a moment, it looked as if the money might not come through. But eventually a funding measure passed. State budgets got a big break. Officials in several states had built an expectation of that extension into their budgets, and without it, those states would’ve been certain to face significant shortfalls. Now, thanks to that extension, the cost of Medicaid to the states has actually declined slightly. But the program is funded jointly by the states and the federal government, meaning that the size of the state fiscal burden isn’t necessarily representative of the size of the program as a whole. And a new report by Kaiser indicates that, in total, the program has expanded beyond what was expected over the last year:

This was the highest rate of growth in 8 years and exceeded the 6.3 percent spending growth that Medicaid directors had expected; higher than expected enrollment, driven by the recession and job losses, was behind the higher spending. State legislatures have authorized a slower 7.4 percent rate of Medicaid spending growth for the current fiscal year, but two-thirds of states said the chances of a spending shortfall were at least 50-50.

If you fund it, it will grow. If you fund it more, it will grow even more.

Despite the extra billions provided for the program, it’s not enough. (It will never be enough.) “There seems to be no end in sight for the fiscal pressure on Medicaid programs,” the lead author of Kaiser’s Medicaid report tells Health Affairs. And that, of course, leads to greater and greater demands for funding. Already there’s talk about extending the extra federal funding again next summer. Temporary funding is rarely temporary.

And rather than attempt to slow the program’s growth, or cut it back, Congress voted to make it significantly larger: Half of the new health care law’s projected expansion of insurance coverage comes through Medicaid. By the end of the decade, that law is expected to result in additional 16 million individuals getting covered through the program. Historically, state-based efforts to expand Medicaid have not had much success. And overall the program’s record is one of spotty health outcomes and rapidly expanding cost.

Stupid is as stupid does

Support for Repeal of Health Care Law Down to 50%

The number of voters who favor repeal of the health care law has fallen to its lowest level since the bill was passed by Congress in late March.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely Voters shows that 50% still favor repeal of the bill, including 41% who Strongly Favor repeal.

Forty-four percent (44%) of voters say repeal of the law would be good for the economy, while 33% say it would be bad for the economy.


However, just 30% say repeal would lead to the creation of more jobs, showing little change since April. Thirty-seven percent (37%) disagree and says the law’s repeal would not lead to more job creation. Another 33% are not sure.

With midterm elections scarcely a month away, health care ranks as the second most important issue out of a list of 10 regularly tracked by Rasmussen Reports.

Rasmussen Reports

Can you spot the Democrat in this picture?

Joel Gill sign sightings have begun in a few areas around Madison County. The one pictured below is at the intersection of Highway 22 and 463. Notice anything missing?  No mention he's a Democrat. No indication except for that tiny little donkey. But the word "CONSERVATIVE" sure is prominently displayed, huh?


What is Mr. Gill ashamed of?

Can you find this Donkey in the picture below? Hope your wearing your specs!

He claims he's the most conservative person running for Congress.

Can he be more conservative THAN THIS GUY LISTED ON LINE 3?

10:10 Climate Change Campaign creator's actions proves the campaign's uselessness (Video)

Franny "Super Carbon" Armstrong

Franny Armstrong, the creator of the self described climate change "blockbuster" movie,  admits that the only way she could make it was to increase her carbon footprint 10 fold. Begin watching the video below at around 1:10.

Fran has been quoted as saying, "If you're not fighting climate change or improving the world, you're wasting your life."

Funny that the only way she could "improve" the world was by burning enough carbon to fuel a small village.

The audacity of these people is stunning. They can rationalize almost any behaviour as long as it gets them to their end result. Does it make sense to increase your carbon footprint by 10 fold, in order create a movie to encourage people to reduce their carbon footprint?

Makes no sense. Unless your making money.

This idiot logic is so outside the realm of sanity that it might need a referral for medication.

Health inspector called on the Reds for celebration cigars

So much for celebrating. The Reds will be investigated by the Cincinnati Heath Department for violations of the state smoking ban.

Complaints of players smoking cigars indoors after they clinched the National League Central Division were filed Tuesday night.

Players could be seen on TV smoking their celebratory cigars in the locker room handed out by Reds owner Bob Castellini.

Five people called a statewide smoking ban complaint hotline, said Rocky Merz, health department spokesman.

USA Today

I didn't do it!

Another Obamacare Casualty: McDonald's May Drop Health Plan

McDonald's Corp. has warned federal regulators that it could drop its health insurance plan for nearly 30,000 hourly restaurant workers unless regulators waive a new requirement of the U.S. health overhaul.

McDonald's warned federal regulators that it could drop its health insurance plan for nearly 30,000 workers unless regulators waive a new requirement of the U.S. health overhaul. Janet Adamy discusses. Also, Neal Lipschutz discusses the exit plan that the U.S. has agreed on to exit the governments interest in AIG.

McDonald's May Drop Health Plan: The chain has told regulators it may ditch its plan unless a new health-care requirement is waived, Janet Adamy reports.

The move is one of the clearest indications that new rules may disrupt workers' health plans as the law ripples through the real world.

Trade groups representing restaurants and retailers say low-wage employers might halt their coverage if the government doesn't loosen a requirement for "mini-med" plans, which offer limited benefits to some 1.4 million Americans.

The requirement concerns the percentage of premiums that must be spent on benefits.

While many restaurants don't offer health coverage, McDonald's provides mini-med plans for workers at 10,500 U.S. locations, most of them franchised. A single worker can pay $14 a week for a plan that caps annual benefits at $2,000, or about $32 a week to get coverage up to $10,000 a year.

Last week, a senior McDonald's official informed the Department of Health and Human Services that the restaurant chain's insurer won't meet a 2011 requirement to spend at least 80% to 85% of its premium revenue on medical care.

McDonald's and trade groups say the percentage, called a medical loss ratio, is unrealistic for mini-med plans because of high administrative costs owing to frequent worker turnover, combined with relatively low spending on claims.

Read entire article: WSJ

Kingfish has the skinny on the rejection of Rudy Warnock's complaint against independent investigator Richard McAfee

The Mississippi Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers and Surveyors cleared Richard McAfee of any wrongdoing in response to a complaint filed by Madison County Engineer Rudy Warnock.


Madison Mayor Mary Hawkins-Butler and Madison County Engineer Rudy Warnock skirmished a few months ago over his work for Madison County.

The Board took a nice long look at it all and told Rudy: sorry kid, better luck next time. The Board met yesterday and rejected Mr. Warnock's complaint. The Board informed Mr. Carson in a letter that was obtained by Jackson Jambalya through a public records request yesterday.

You can read the entire post and the document links at JJ

For Related Posts of all things Rudy go HERE.

Agency seeks eminent domain initiative on 2011 Mississippi ballots

The Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation says it will deliver more than 118,000 certified signatures of registered voters to the secretary of state's office Thursday in hopes of forcing a statewide vote on eminent domain.

The measure is designed to let voters decide on a proposal to prevent the taking of private property to give to private developers. Opponents warn it could stifle some economic projects.

The federation had faced an Oct. 6 deadline to submit at least 89,285 certified signatures to get the issue on the November 2011 ballot.

In 2009, the Legislature by an overwhelming margin passed a bill similar to the Farm Bureau's initiative. Republican Gov. Haley Barbour vetoed it, saying it could hurt the effort to recruit major manufacturers.

CL

MCH: Operation Jaguar to aid MC's military

Madison Central High School is commencing Operation Jaguar.

The community-wide project aims to reach out to Madison Central graduates and the uniformed men and women serving with them in war zones with a little touch of home.

"Currently, there are 369,000 soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines located at duty stations outside the United States. Of those, 94,000 are deployed to Afghanistan and 56,000 are deployed to Iraq, some of whom are Jaguars," MC teacher Aaron King said.

One of those Jaguars is First Lt. Brian King, 2003 graduate of MC, 2008 graduate of the United States Military Academy and the brother of Aaron King, a 2005 graduate of West Point.

"It is the mission of Operation Jaguar to provide some of the basic comforts we all take for granted," said King, who is joined by Lt. Col. Mike Gentry of the school's Air Force Junior ROTC program, in leading the drive for donations of money and items for the troops.

Madison Central is first targeting Bull Company, which has about 200 soldiers, for the wave of toiletries, foods and fun items, Gentry said. "Then, based on recommendations from faculty and staff, we want to hit as many others as we can."

Donations will go toward deployed military personnel.

"It would be hard to say just how many former students are serving or have been deployed, but everyone knows someone who has either been overseas or is on the way," King said.

Read more: MCH

New Ridgeland Zoning Ordinances take affect in October

The City of Ridgeland’s stricter requirements for new payday lenders, pawnshops and other businesses takes effect in October.

Formal approval of the zoning changes by alderman came last week. The restrictions will take effect in 30 days.

The Clarion-Ledger reports that the new rules also affect tattoo parlors, title loan businesses, check-cashing establishments, cash-for-gold entities, nail salons and bail bondsmen.

The restrictions prevents such businesses from coming within 2,000 feet of each other. Those businesses cannot exceed 3,000 square feet of space, and they can’t combine into a single office to sidestep the new rules.

Ridgeland aldermen also extended the city’s moratorium on such establishments until Nov. 2, preventing any from moving to the area until after the new zoning rules go into effect.

The new rules don’t effect those already in business.

Ridgeland aldermen originally adopted a temporary ban on these establishments in Aug. 2009. That October, the moratorium was extended for nine months for aldermen to decide whether they wanted stricter or more permanent bans.

Other areas have adopted or are considering such zoning rules.

MBJ

Sheriff Trowbridge tells state lawmakers illegals are a "security problem", Commissioner Simpson disagrees

Immigration proposal sparks legislative hearing

A Mississippi sheriff told state lawmakers Tuesday his deputies take illegal immigrants into custody on a nearly hourly basis, and the booking process has burdened his department.

Madison County Sheriff Toby Trowbridge told a Senate panel it's difficult to keep track of illegal immigrants because they don't have identification and they may use variations of their names each time they're picked up.

"We encounter one or two people an hour in Madison County," Trowbridge said. "It's a security problem. Anytime you encounter anyone without identification, we view it as a homeland security problem." Not all of them face charges in Mississippi; many are being held for immigration authorities, he said.

The Senate Judiciary A Committee was holding hearings this week to gather information for a plan to introduce a bill like the law in Arizona that allows police officers to check the status of people they think might be in the country illegally.

Some lawmakers have said they would support such a measure during the 2011 session that starts in January. Opponents say the proposal could foster racial-profiling and harassment.

Mississippi isn't a border state like Arizona. Officials don't know the size of the state's illegal immigrant population, but most agree it is far smaller than Arizona's.

Trowbridge said the proposed law would help police and sheriff's departments by forcing immigrants to pursue legal status and get identification. But Mississippi Public Safety Commissioner Steve Simpson said he doesn't want legislators to pass an unfunded mandate.

Simpson said state troopers routinely ask for identification after stopping someone for a violation. He said detaining illegal immigrants isn't a "widespread" problem for troopers.

"We're stretched very thin right now and do not need a lot of unfunded mandates on us," Simpson said.

Republican Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant, who observed the hearing, said the federal government's lawsuit to block Arizona's law shouldn't prevent Mississippi from pursuing its own legislation "that would stand up to a federal challenge."

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Joey Fillingane, R-Sumrall, said the hearing would help determine how the proposal could be tweaked to fit Mississippi's needs. After the hearing, Fillingane said the proposal "had merit."

Karla Valez, a case worker who works with immigrants for Catholic Charities, said immigrants already live in fear of being harassed. She said many would leave the state if a tougher law was enacted.

"Mississippi would be hostile," Valez said. "They would be targeting people who don't look white or African American."

Read more: TU

CL: Canton police probe burglaries

Canton police are looking into leads to identify anyone involved in a recent rash of burglaries across the city.

Chief Vickie McNeill said homes and churches have been targeted by criminals.

“It takes a very small person who wants to burglarize, and when you go after a church, you have no substance as far as I’m concerned,” McNeill said.

CL

SDN: A Talk with Congressman Harper, Part 1

By BRIAN HAWKINS

Editor’s note: The following is the first in a series of stories based upon an interview conducted Monday afternoon with U.S. Rep. Gregg Harper, R-Miss., at the Starkville Daily News offices. Today’s installment deals with Harper’s comments on extension of the Bush tax cuts and federal government spending. Other installments will be published over the next few days to address other issues.

U.S. Rep. Gregg Harper has had a whirlwind few days in Mississippi while Congress has recessed briefly before heading back later this week to finish work before its scheduled recess early next month.

“Probably the biggest single issue facing us for the rest of this year is what will happen with the extension of the Bush tax cuts,” said Harper, referring to the tax cut package passed in the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act in 2003 as proposed by then-President George W. Bush.

Not extending the tax cuts will impact Americans at all income levels, Harper said Monday.

“If nothing is done, then on Jan. 1, 2011, you will see the single largest tax increase in the history of the United States,” said Harper. “It will have a great impact at every level, particularly for the middle class. Every tax rate will go up.”

It would also mean that the nation’s estate tax — commonly referred to as the “death tax — would return at the beginning of the year. The estate tax is imposed on the transfer of the “taxable estate” of a deceased person, whether by will, life insurance or other means.

The estate tax is something he believes “needs to be permanently done away with,” Harper said.

“It’s really hurt a lot of family farms and other folks in Mississippi over the years, and we need to lay it to rest,” Harper said.

There has also been discussion by congressional officials — among them House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. — over allowing the cuts to expire for those making at least $250,000.

“The problem with our current economic and tax situation is those that making $250,000 are the small business owners who are doing the hiring and fueling the economic recovery,” Harper said. “They’re waiting to see what will happen with the rates.”

Federal government spending is another issue that will affect the nation’s economy. Harper said the current level of spending is a “roadblock and a detriment to what we’re doing” to try to create jobs.

“Non-defense discretionary spending went up by 84 percent the first year of President Obama’s administration. Deficit spending hit $1.4 trillion in the first year of a leadership with Obama, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, (D-Nev., Senate majority leader) as composed to $400 billion in President Bush’s last year,” Harper said. “And there’s no real end in sight.”

Should Republicans win a majority of the House and Senate seats in November’s general election, there will be a push in 2011 to significantly reduce federal government spending to “pre-stimulus and and pre-bailout levels,” Harper said.

“That would be a significant amount. When we talk about the loss of jobs across the country ..., the federal government had the nerve to add over 25,000 new federal employees over the last year,” Harper said.

“We should be setting the standard and getting out of the way so that business can do its work.”

SDN

Congressman Thompson among those taking money from bailed out GM's PAC

Congressman Bennie Thompson

 General Motors has already sent money to more than 40 members of Congress.

Auto giant General Motors restarted its long-dormant political action committee this summer and has already sent money to more than 40 incumbent members of Congress.

The July and August donations from GM PAC are the first since the committee stopped donating after GM filed for bankruptcy in June 2009. Who’s on the receiving end? Both supporters and opponents of the auto bailout, Democrats and Republicans and, mostly, incumbents.

Much of the money went to powerful members who sit at or near the top of influential committees. In the House, Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton (D-Mo.), Homeland Security Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), Transportation Committee Vice Chairman Nick Rahall (D-W.Va.) and Rules Committee Chairwoman Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.) all received donations.

In the Senate, Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) received $1,000, and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) — still the ranking member on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee despite losing a primary challenge — received $1,000.

The list of other GM PAC money recipients, according to Federal Election Commission reports, spans the political map from California to Georgia and includes those running for the House, the Senate and a handful of governor’s mansions.

Politico

HT Respond Mississippi

Viking Classic Kicks Off With Pro-Am

The Viking Classic, Mississippi’s premiere sporting event, is expected to attract thousands of spectators not only on the golf course, but also in the culinary tent.

The 2010 Viking Classic kicked off Monday and runs through Sunday at Annandale Golf Club in Madison. It will be the first event of the PGA Tour’s 2010 Fall Series.

Several days of rain canceled last year's tournament for the first time in its 43-year history. It still raised $560,000 for local charities, including $100,000 for the Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children.

"Since our inception in 1994, we've managed to give $6 million to local charities, including last year when we were able to give just under $570,000," said Gene Simmons, the president of Century Club Charities.

Organizers said this year's event will have a $20 million effect on the area's economy.

The first round of the PGA tournament tees off Thursday at 7 a.m. The final round is Sunday.


Viking Range Corp. has agreed to sponsor the event through 2011. This year's purse is set at $3.6 million, with $648,000 going to the winner.

For tickets and information on the Viking Classic, visit http://www.vikingclassic.com/ or call the tournament office at 601-898-GOLF (4653).

WAPT

John Boehner Would Like to Have an “Adult Conversation” With America About Entitlements Just So Long As That Conversation Contains No Solutions

BY:  Peter Suderman

The GOP’s House Minority Leader, John Boehner, appeared opposite Chris Wallace on Fox News Sunday over the weekend and doubled down on last week’s pledge to avoid talking about any sort of actual policy proposal to deal with the unsustainable growth of entitlement spending. He said he wants to have an “adult conversation” about runaway entitlements, but apparently that doesn’t include any discussion whatsoever of what he and his party propose to do about some of the biggest drivers of federal spending and deficits. Here’s the key exchange:

WALLACE: But forgive me, sir. I mean, isn't the right time to have the adult conversation now before the election when you have this document? Why not make a single proposal to cut Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid?

BOEHNER: Chris, this is what happens here in Washington. When you start down that path, you just invite all kinds of problems. I know. I've been there. I think we need to do this in a more systemic way and have this conversation first. Let's not get to the potential solutions. Let's make sure Americans understand how big the problem is. Then we can begin to talk about possible solutions and then work ourselves into those solutions that are doable.

The “adult conversation” line is really laying it on thick considering that what he’s actually demonstrating is that, at best, the GOP wants to baby voters through the basics of the entitlement situation before actually broaching the topic of specific policy changes.

Obviously many Republicans are afraid of political blowback from any proposal that could be portrayed as a cut to Medicare or Social Security, both of which have large constituencies that vote consistently. And to some extent that’s a legitimate fear, at least from a purely political standpoint; after all, one of the most effective (if frustrating) Republican attacks on the new health care law was that it cuts Medicare. But this fear fails to realize that proposals to control spending on entitlement programs are in fact proposals to preserve and strengthen those programs. Paul Ryan’s Roadmap, whatever its flaws, wouldn’t change Medicare a bit for anyone who is within 10 years of entering the program, and, perhaps with some adjustments, would at least set the program (as well at the federal budget) on a rough path to long-term sustainability.

In a way, though, Boehner is correct that “this is what happens here in Washington”: Voters become angry about government debt and spending. And so they turn to the GOP, which runs on a loud but vague campaign to cut spending and then, once in power, follows through by cutting taxes but not spending, thereby making the problem worse.

Reason

The Lighter Side of Deadbeats

BY: Tim Cavanaugh

After more than a year in action, the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) is showing improvement on redefaults. But that improvement will turn out to be brief, and the details demonstrate how little impact the expensive program can ultimately have.


Redefault occurs when a delinquent borrower works with a bank to change the terms of a mortgage, but then after some period of time stops making payments again. It occurs in half of all modified loans, and the alarming rate of redefaults prompts interventionists to call for more generous principal-reduction loan mods – the idea being that if you give enough money to demonstrated bad borrowers, eventually they will become responsible.
 
(T)he direct quarter-by-quarter comparisons show a definite comedown in delinquencies at the six-month mark -- though the change is substantial only for deadbeats who got haircuts of 20 percent or more.


But dig a little deeper into the report and you will see how little meaning there is in a time frame of less than six months. Even loans that received the most charitable modifications start redefaulting at higher rates once you get out to a year or more, with most categories over 50 percent redefault rates at the 12-month mark. The category of de jure government-guaranteed loans (In effect, all mortgages are now government guaranteed) has a whopping 64.8 percent redefault rate. Overall, 49.7 percent of all modified loans are back in default within a year.

HAMP is only a $75 billion program. So where is the money going to come from? And when will they stop claiming that taking money from taxpayers (the vast majority of whom have never been late on a mortgage payment) and giving it to deadbeats and stupid banks does anything but drag out the problem?

Read the entire article: Reason

Obama Administration Wants Authority to Wiretap the Internet

Federal law enforcement and national security officials are preparing to seek sweeping new regulations for the Internet, arguing that their ability to wiretap criminal and terrorism suspects is “going dark” as people increasingly communicate online instead of by telephone.

Essentially, officials want Congress to require all services that enable communications — including encrypted e-mail transmitters like BlackBerry, social networking Web sites like Facebook and software that allows direct “peer to peer” messaging like Skype — to be technically capable of complying if served with a wiretap order. The mandate would include being able to intercept and unscramble encrypted messages.

The bill, which the Obama administration plans to submit to lawmakers next year, raises fresh questions about how to balance security needs with protecting privacy and fostering innovation. And because security services around the world face the same problem, it could set an example that is copied globally.

James X. Dempsey, vice president of the Center for Democracy and Technology, an Internet policy group, said the proposal had “huge implications” and challenged “fundamental elements of the Internet revolution” — including its decentralized design.

“They are really asking for the authority to redesign services that take advantage of the unique, and now pervasive, architecture of the Internet,” he said. “They basically want to turn back the clock and make Internet services function the way that the telephone system used to function.”

Officials are coalescing around several of the proposal’s likely requirements:


¶ Communications services that encrypt messages must have a way to unscramble them.
¶ Foreign-based providers that do business inside the United States must install a domestic office capable of performing intercepts.
¶ Developers of software that enables peer-to-peer communication must redesign their service to allow interception.

Read the entire article: NYT

Flouting the rule of law seems to be a family trait.

Obama's Aunt, you may remember, became an issue during the campaign. But, it all magically went away. She's still here, and she thinks you have an obligation to take care of her, because God said so.

Police warn residents after Whisper Lake children are approached by motorist

Madison police are warning residents to be wary of unfamiliar vehicles in their neighborhoods after a report of a motorist talking with children at the Whisper Lake section of Annandale Saturday.
According to witnesses, a driver in an older model white van resembling a construction van pulled alongside three children out walking and began to ask them if they were going to the clubhouse to swim. Madison Police Capt. Robert Sanders said the three became uncomfortable with the questions and ran to a nearby home to report the incident. The driver continued driving on Whisper Lake Avenue toward Whisper Lake Boulevard.

The motorist was described as a bald man in his late 30s to early 40s with no facial hair.

Similar situations of a motorist approaching children happened in July in Bradford Place and Sherbourne subdivisions. A Jackson man, Ricky Wayne Davis, 49, was arrested last month and charged with two counts of attempted enticement of a child and two counts of attempted kidnapping. He is in the Madison County Detention Center on $2 million bond.

Anyone with information about this or with concerns should call the Madison Police Department at (601) 856-6111.

MCH

MC Herald: Ridgeland teen arrested on Madison burglary charge

A Ridgeland teen has been arrested by Madison police on burglary charges.

Brandon Lambert, 17, of 102 Chicot Cove, is being charged as an adult with one count of house burglary, possession of burglary tools and a switched car tag, according to a police statement.

He is being held at the Madison County Detention Center pending an initial appearance Monday. No bond has been set.

MCH

Hedgecock: Democrats Want to Destroy Fiorina and Angle

by Roger Hedgecock

This much we know.

Carly Fiorina overcame a competitive field to decisively win the California Republican Senate primary election, earning the right to compete against incumbent Democrat Sen. Barbara Boxer in the November election.

Sharron Angle came from way behind to win decisively in the Nevada Republican primary election, earning the right to compete against incumbent Democrat Sen. Harry Reid in November.

What is not yet publicly known is the scorched-earth negative campaigns already beginning against both of these Republican women.

Hints in recent weeks have made it clear that the Democrats will not only campaign to retain these Senate seats, they will launch an immediate, relentless personal assault designed to destroy both women's reputations personally and politically.

What the liberal elites cannot stand about both women goes far beyond disagreement over their political views.

Both women were endorsed by Sarah Palin. Palin's endorsement in these races and others (notably Nikki Haley) made a positive difference. By contrast, Obama's endorsement didn't help Arlen Specter, or John Corzine, Creigh Deeds or Martha Coakley and only Bill Clinton saved Blanche Lincoln in Arkansas.

Why does Palin and everything she says and does provoke such a torrent of bile and abuse from the left? It’s because she is a successful, powerful woman who is definitely not a liberal feminist, and because she is an authentic American women of her time.

Palin is a success in her career, while she is also a mother facing the kind of difficulties in her family that sound all too real to many American families. She lives the daily juggling act that liberal feminists only write about.

Worse yet for the liberal elites in government, academia, and the media, she is politically powerful because she is authentic.

I witnessed Palin's appeal firsthand at the Tea Party Express rally in Harry Reid's hometown of Searchlight, Nev. On a cold, wind-swept day in the high desert before a crowd of nearly 30,000, Sarah Palin was introduced to a standing ovation.

But then something extraordinary happened. Women in the audience rushed the stage, many holding up Palin's book and all chanting "Sarah, Sarah." When was Nancy Pelosi last (or ever) greeted this way?

The gap between arrogant ruling liberal elites and "We the People," which fueled the Tea Party movement in the first place, has never been more apparent than when comparing the Botox phony feminist with a real accomplished American woman.

So get ready Carly and Sharron. The tornado of bitter, mean, false labels and charges is just beginning.

In Fiorina's case, Boxer has already previewed the witch's brew. According to Senator (don't call me ma'am) Boxer, Fiorina, as CEO of Hewlett-Packard, deliberately outsourced American jobs overseas, violated environmental standards and gouged her employees and the consuming public in a greedy drive to amass an obscene fortune while she, Barbara Boxer, by contrast has devoted her life to public service and the public good. Translation: Carly has actually created thousands of private sector jobs.

As for Sharron Angle, if you listen to Reid's paid shills in Nevada, she's a right-wing nut who would dismantle all the successful, necessary agencies of government and is backed by gun-toting militias full of Timothy McVeigh wannabes.

Apparently, Angle has the temerity to question the effectiveness of the federal Department of Education, and other monuments to wasteful, failed (and unconstitutional) liberal programs. And Americans who understand the importance of the 2nd Amendment do support her. Reid will soon find out that those supporters include the majority of Nevadans.

But beyond being prepared for the liberal smear machine, both Fiorina and Angle have a golden opportunity to unleash a secret weapon—the truth.

The truth is the U.S. cannot borrow its way to prosperity, our indebtedness to China is not an asset, and government "stimulus" is not creating good jobs. In short, Obama's campaign of HOPE has produced anxiety and despair and the CHANGE is widely seen as destroying jobs.

Hard times caused by failing Obama policies championed by Boxer and Reid cannot be forever masked by extending unemployment benefits.

Beyond telling the truth (You know, folks, the Emperor has no clothes), these candidates—and all who would win in November—need to tell us what needs to be done. What would they propose as an alternate to the failing policies now in place?

What real reforms would actually make the American healthcare system work better at a lower cost to more people? Could putting more power in the hands of patients be the beginning of a better plan than Obamacare, which starts by putting all power and choice in the hands of the government?

What is the proper role of government regulation now that the most regulated parts of the economy (banks, insurance and oil companies, for example) have experienced the most failure while the least regulated parts of the economy (Apple, for example) are the only good news we have.

Now that we know that the open border policy pursued by George Bush is also the policy of President Obama—and with equally disastrous results—what would these two candidates, if elected to the U.S. Senate, offer as an alternative? Our national security as well as the nation’s sovereignty hangs in the balance on this issue.

In foreign policy, now that bowing to foreign despots and apologizing for America has not brought greater security but rather emboldened America's enemies to new levels of atrocity, is “Peace Through Strength” an idea whose time has come again ?

Nikki Haley has shown that personal attacks can be turned to an advantage, and I wish Carly and Sharron the same success in the coming mud-slinging season,

More importantly these women have the opportunity to re-state the vision that inspired generations of Americans: Liberty guarded by a limited government, low taxes, an opportunity society anchored in personal responsibility, a free-market economy spreading the wealth to all who choose to earn it.

With this vision, the candidates win and the country wins too.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Roger Hedgecock is a nationally-syndicated radio talk host. Visit http://www.rogerhedgecock.com/ . The Roger Hedgecock Show is syndicated on the Radio America network.

Water running in West Madison, but questions remain.

According to a late Thursday afternoon report water began running about 5:30 p.m. Thursday for customers of the West Madison Utility District.

The district tapped into a back-up well for Flora which is being purchased by the Madison County Economic Development Authority for the utility district’s use after its own well collapsed, shutting off water for the Kearney Park and Magnolia Heights areas Sept. 12.

About a mile of pipe was laid to reach the well, which will also be used by Flora if a back-up well is needed.

This is great news for many out in the Kearney Park area. But, some questions remain.

Is this now going to be forgotten again? This problem has been ongoing for more than 25 years, and officials have known it.

Is this band-aid fix going to be the only thing that happens until another crash of the system? Over the years, small fixes have held the system together, oftentimes after residents have gone days or weeks without safe water. When the water would begin to flow again, West Madison and Madison County officials would fall back into business as usual.

Will the West Madison Utility District and Supervisor Karl Banks attempt to blame the residents when nothing is done again? Residents have been blamed for not signing a survey so that a grant could be obtained to help. But, there are a wide range of funding options throug a variety of agencies if officials really wanted to do something. Furthermore, residents and stakeholders were often turned away from board meetings, or the West Madison Utilities Board would go into Executive Session when they didn't want to answer tough questions. In one instance, a resident refused to leave and was threatened with arrest. That officials refuse to allow stakeholders to participate in solutions, yet blame them for not signing on to the only solution offered is arrogant and protectionist. People that would rather do a poor job than allow other solutions to be considered should be removed from the equation.

Will the West Madison Utility District find a way to blame the Town of Flora again for the problems that is the responsibility of West Madison? Flora residents and officials have come to the aid of Kearney Park and the West Madison Utility District countless times. Yet, when there is no easy excuse for their ineptitude they blame the Town of Flora for not pushing through "paperwork".

Or . . .

Will resident's come together and make some demands of Madison County to clean up the real problem? That problem is in the makeup of the utility district leadership itself, and how it has been politicized by the current Supervisor in order to protect his turf come election time. The underlying current here is race and socioeconomics. There have been many times that white and black residents have tried to come together to affect some change. There have also been a few times where there have been some investors interested in revitalizing the old Industrial area, a move that would benefit residents and businesses immensely. But, changes to the social and economic order mean those in power who mismanage, would begin to lose that power. No real infrastructure improvement, means no change to the status quo, and those in office stay in office. Resident's must come together and force the change.

West Madison Commissioner Lawrence Morris said, "That Flora well can supply us with water until we dig a new well.” Yet, there is no timetable for digging a new well.

If residents strike now, they can demand a plan be put together that will finally get this problem under control. It took an emergency for everyone to work together. But, it will take some changes in leadership to get it to stay that way.

Related Post: Here we go again! Decades old problems with West Madison Water District again rears it's ugly head.

Related Post: Madison Co. Routes Water From Flora To Help Cover Outage
Related Post: Madison Co. residents without water get relief
Related Post: Biting the hand the quenches? West Madison Utilities' Morris blames Kearney Park water problems on Town of Flora


West Madison Utilities/Kearney Park

MDEQ Promotes Drug Take Back Events

The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) is encouraging Mississippians to participate in the upcoming drug take back events sponsored by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) this Saturday, September 25 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. People may bring unwanted solid prescription and overthe-counter medicines so they may be disposed of safely. Liquid medications, such as cough syrup will not be accepted.

Law enforcement agencies in Mississippi that are participating in the event and the addresses of the drop-off locations are as follows:

Brandon Police Department
1455 West Government Street
Brandon, Ms 39042

Gulfport Police Dept. Operations Bldg.
2810 34th Avenue
Gulfport, Ms 39501

12th Circuit Court Narcotics Enforcement Team
Forrest Countyn Multi-purpose Bldg.
962 Sullivan Drive
Hattiesburg, Ms 39401

Olive Branch Police Department
First Baptist Church 9235 Pigeon Roost Road
Olive Branch, Ms 38654

Pascagoula PoliceDepartment
Jackson County Civic Center
2902 Shortcut Road
Pascagoula, Ms 39567

Pass Christian Police Department
Pass Christian Public Library
111 Hiern Avenue
Pass Christian, Ms 39571

Pearl Police Department
Pearl Police Department Lobby
2422 Old Brandon Road
Pearl, Ms 39208

Terry Police Department
Terry Community Center (on side of Post Office)
104 Madison Street
Terry, Ms 39170

Warren County Sheriff’s Office
1000 Grove Street
Vicksburg, Ms 39183

Warren County Sheriff’s Office
Vicksburg Factory Outlet Mall
4000 S. Frontage Road
Vicksburg, Ms 39183

The event does not restrict drop off to only residents of the sponsoring community; therefore, residents may drop off unused medications at any nearby event site.

Unused drugs that are stored around the home may present a danger to people as well as to the environment when disposed of. Removing unused medications from the home can help prevent intentional misuse and unintentional poisonings of children and pets. However, dumping the medication down the drain or flushing it down the toilet can become a source of water contamination. Research is continuing into whether such water contamination adversely impacts human health or aquatic life.

Additional information on the take back events nationwide is available on the DEA’s website: http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/takeback, and information on pharmaceuticals as pollutants can be found at: http://www.epa.gov/ppcp/

Gluckstadt GermanFest 2010 set for September 26

The 24th annual Gluckstadt GermanFest is scheduled for Sunday, September 26, 11 am - 5pm at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Gluckstadt.

The family-oriented festival is best known for its food and music. Free music will be provided by Die Mitternachters, an authentic German folk band. The band, which has entertained at GermanFests since the first festival 24 years ago, is a crowd pleaser. People who have never experienced a polka will tap their toes and maybe even get up and dance. And then there is the Chicken Dance, a favorite of young and old which truly has to be seen and heard to be fully appreciated.

Sizzling shish kabobs, bratwurst slathered in sauerkraut and authentic German desserts as well as pies, ice cream and other home-made favorites aplenty will be dished out all day. The menu also includes giant fresh oven-baked pretzels, hot dogs, and rippchenkraut, which is pork chops with homemade sauerkraut. Dark and light beer will be on tap, along with Pepsi products and bottled water. A special treat this year will be a German wine tasting booth.

Meal tickets cost $5 in advance, and will be $6 on the day of the festival. Advance meal tickets are available from parishioners of St. Joseph Catholic Church. Ticket information is also available by calling the parish office at 601-856-2054.

Horse drawn wagon rides, a climbing tower and an assortment of childrens games will provide hours of entertainment. A stroll about the grounds to enjoy the sights, sounds and smells is an experience to be savored.

For those who want to take home something to enjoy, the Country Store will be in business with an assortment of commemorative items, t-shirts, home made breads, desserts, jellies and canned goods. The hottest seller usually is the sauerkraut. Church members make hundreds of quarts of the salty cabbage delicacy using a recipe handed down through generations of German descendants living in Gluckstadt. Gifted church folk also have their creative energies in overdrive to produce fun craft items for sale.

The Gluckstadt community was founded in 1905 by families of German descent. Many of the descendants of the original families still attend St. Joseph. Each year St. Joseph Catholic Church hosts the GermanFest the last Sunday in September. GermanFest is the annual fund raising event for the church.

No coolers or solicitors will be allowed on the grounds. Festival goers are also asked to refrain from bringing pets.

The festival is held on the grounds of St. Joseph Catholic Church, which is located off Interstate 55 north of Madison. Take Exit 112 at Gluckstadt and go west three-tenths of a mile on Gluckstadt Road to Church Road. Or just follow the crowd from the Interstate.

Admission and parking are free. Festival goers may wish to bring a lawn chair. There usually aren't enough hay bales to go around.

For more information, call Pam Minninger, St. Joseph Catholic Church, 601.856.2054.

Yazoo bullying problems persist

Accusations of bullying have landed some Yazoo County high students in hot water. The school district is not commenting, but several parents are.

WLBT first began getting calls about bullying at the Yazoo County high school last Friday.

Monday we interviewed one parent of a student who was accused of being a bully. Jeanetta March says her son was sent home from school after she attended a meeting at the high school Monday morning.

March says her son was not involved, but was blamed for participating in a bullying incident where 13 students surrounded another student and harassed them.

March says the incident happened over two weeks ago, and that school officials were warned by students claiming to be victims, but nothing was ever done to prevent it.

March said, "The principals were advised as to what was going on before it got to that level and before it came to the point where the parents now are having to be called in for meetings and get involved in something that should have been squashed. Should have been handled on their level a long time ago when it was first addressed to them."

Just last year, an incident resulting from bullying was caught on a school bus camera in the same school district.

A 14-year-old was seen waving a gun at other students on her bus, after she claimed she was the victim of bullying.

The gun was eventually wrestled away from her by a football player, and no one was hurt.

Yazoo county officials would only say the incident is under investigation.

WLBT