President Obama positioning for Net Neutrality

President Barack Obama once again seemed to be setting up for a future challenge Sunday when he lamented the many sources American's have to check up on our elected officials.

"You're coming of age in a 24/7 media environment that bombards us with all kinds of content and exposes us to all kinds of arguments, some of which don't always rank all that high on the truth meter," Obama said at Hampton University, Virginia.

That's right. Your President wants to limit your choices in where you get your information, too!

"What Jefferson recognized... that in the long run, their improbable experiment -- called America -- wouldn't work if its citizens were uninformed, if its citizens were apathetic, if its citizens checked out, and left democracy to those who didn't have the best interests of all the people at heart," he said.



"It could only work if each of us stayed informed and engaged, if we held our government accountable, if we fulfilled the obligations of citizenship."

The problem is, he wants to decide for you what information is and is not worth your time. He may as well be saying, "Citizens are much easier to control when they lack the ability to check up on the facts that I provide."

As Obama speaks of citizens getting too much information, his FCC Chairman is attempting to get it done by slowly picking the lock on the back door.

Regulators to reassert broadband regulation




WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Federal Communications Commission will announce on Thursday that it will reassert regulation of broadband and continue an open Internet policy, but also refrain from imposing strict regulatory burdens on broadband providers like Verizon, AT&T and Comcast.


A senior FCC official said on Wednesday that FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski has decided to stick with preserving a free and open Internet under a middle-of-the-road approach.


He is seeking to walk a line between moving forward with a bold broadband policy and averting a heavy regulatory hand that could spark legal action by companies like Verizon and AT&T.


The FCC's announcement is expected to focus on maintaining the "status quo" for the lightly regulated broadband business that existed prior to a court ruling in April, the FCC official said. The ruling threw into doubt the government's ability to move forward with an ambitious broadband plan.


The FCC's decision would reclassify the regulatory framework for broadband services under an existing set of rules governing telephone services. However, the FCC will not impose the strict regulatory regime associated with telephone services, the official said.

Senator Wicker, who serves on the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation announced today that he is watching.

MBJ: Wicker critical of proposed new Internet rule




WASHINGTON — In response to FCC chairman Julius Genachowski’s intent to impose stricter regulation on the Internet under Title II of the Communications Act, Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) released the following statement:


“I am extremely concerned about chairman Genachowski’s proposal to reclassify broadband services under an antiquated regulatory regime. Doing so would seriously threaten innovation and investment in the Internet marketplace. The unburdened Internet allows communities and small businesses to remain competitive in the local, national, and global marketplaces.


“There is no evidence that imposing this degree of regulatory control over the Internet is necessary or that it would benefit consumers. Unfortunately, this effort appears to be little more than another attempt by the Administration to take over private industry and stifle our economy. This is not how a good government operates.


“I am committed to working with the FCC and my colleagues to ensure the Internet remains consumer-focused and free of unwarranted regulations that would hinder its continued success.”

In the words of Will Rogers, "Things in our country run in spite of government, not by aid of it.”

The Saga Continues: Engineering Board to look at Warnock complaint

Engineer fights report's validity

Complaint filed over study initiated by Madison mayor

MADISON COUNTY — Engineer Rudy Warnock has filed a complaint with the Mississippi Board of Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors about a study instigated by Madison Mayor Mary Hawkins Butler analyzing his contracts with Madison County.

The board will investigate the complaint, according to Rosemary Brister, executive director of the state licensing board.

"This is something the board will look at," Brister, said

Dorsey Carson, Warnock's attorney, filed the complaint April 28, alleging the mayor used a "hired gun" engineer to compile the report that criticized the county's engineering contracts, its lack of checks and balances with Warnock and Warnock's fees.

In a letter to the board, Carson charges that Richard McAfee, hired by Butler, violated state law by engaging in "the unauthorized practice of engineering in Mississippi."

Brister said the board, meeting April 29, determined the complaint met the criteria for an investigation - it fell within its jurisdiction and "was not frivolous."

A member, investigator and attorney from the board along with Brister will look into the allegations. Brister said she has no timetable for completing the investigation and it's too early to say how the complaint will be resolved.

Butler called the request for a state inquiry "a smokescreen and just another deterrent."

She cited McAfee's credentials as a consultant to two presidents and the military as proof that he is a capable engineer able to offer an opinion in Mississippi.

"Mr. McAfee can give his opinion all over the world but can't in Madison County." Butler said. "Who is Rudy Warnock to question his resume? Mr. McAfee has worked under presidents Bush and Clinton and Gen. Colin Powell, and he can't give his opinion on a Mickey Mouse operation here?"

In the complaint, Carson said that McAfee, who used his credentials as a professional engineer to sign the report, violated the state statute that requires any person practicing engineering in the state to be licensed in Mississippi.

Read the complete story at The Clarion Ledger 

You can view a copy of the complaint here.

Related Post: Warnock takes his gripe to the State Board of Licensure

MISSISSIPPI CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION AGAIN RALLIES TO SUPPORT DISASTER DECLARATION

Delegation Supports Aid to Recover from Damage Caused by May 1 Tornadoes and Flooding

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Members of the Mississippi congressional delegation have again rallied to support the state of Mississippi’s request for a presidential disaster declaration to aid victims of floods and tornadoes that tore through north Mississippi earlier this month.

U.S. Senators Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker and U.S. Representatives Bennie Thompson, Gene Taylor, Travis Childers and Gregg Harper today sent President Obama a letter endorsing the disaster declaration application submitted by Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour to the White House late last week.

The state’s request seeks a federal disaster declaration for six north Mississippi counties where tornadoes on May 1 and subsequent flooding killed six people and damaged hundreds of homes. The Governor’s initial application would cover Alcorn, Benton, Lafayette, Prentiss, Tippah and Tishomingo counties.

Regarding the May 1 tornado damages, the Mississippi lawmakers wrote: “The latest estimates show that 6 Mississippi lives have been lost and nearly 250 residences were destroyed or have major damage and 482 homes received minor damage. Much of this destruction has occurred in parts of our state that have been particularly affected by our nation’s current economic situation. Many of these counties have poverty levels that are more than double the national average.”

“We stand ready to face this new challenge by supporting the local communities, the State, and your administration as we work together to rebuild and renew areas destroyed by this major storm,” the delegation stressed in its correspondence to the President.

The lawmakers, who also backed Barbour’s application for federal assistance following a massive tornado on April 23-24 that killed 10 Mississippians, thanked President Obama for approving that request and making federal assistance available to the state.

Members of the congressional delegation have been consulting with Barbour, the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency and local officials regarding recovery efforts and outstanding needs in the damaged region. The issuance of a presidential disaster declaration, as requested by the state, would trigger the release of federal disaster assistance and resources.

Visualizing Obama's Budget Cuts

Resources on Obama's Supreme Court Nominee Kagan

From the Federalist Society, here is a link to do research as long as your little heart desires.

There will be a test!

Latest trend: Protesting for U.S. flag

The latest trend running in parallel to the current immigration furor: Fighting back when the Mexican flag is displayed in favor of the American one.

Over the last few days, we've seen multiple controversies surrounding Old Glory, including at least one in the Houston area. They all carry a common theme. Someone feels America is being disrespected so he does something arguably outrageous to bring the red, white and blue back to its perceived preeminence.

• In Spring, Texas,  Klein Collins High School sophomore ripped down a Mexican flag displayed for Cinco de Mayo and threw it away


• Some kids in California decided to wear U.S.-flag-themed clothing to school on Cinco de Mayo and got sent home, spurring a series of protests.

• Elsewhere in California, students burned a Mexican flag to protest Cinco de Mayo.

There have been other incidents, and in light of the immigration tension, they all seem to be getting an unusual amount of play in the media at the moment, alongside a generous helping of rumor and false information.

It's important to point out that it is legal to display a national flag however you want, no matter how disrespectfully you do it. It is also perfectly legal to burn national flags, although it's probably not a good idea. Contrary to popular opinion spreading through the blogosphere, there are no legally enforceable "flag codes."

Immigration Chronicles

Must read analysis of the lefts view of the TEA Party Movement from Redstate.

When Newt Gingrich was in Jackson a few months ago he spoke at the Rankin County Republican Dinner to honor Congressman Gregg Harper. He very succinctly broke down the battle of Right Vs. Left when he said the left simply views the message of limited government with disdain. In a nutshell, Conservative's can't hope to compromise with someone who has a fundamentally polar opposite view.

One would expect Gingrich to try to get mileage out of the 1994 Republican takeover of Congress that he helped oversee along with then GOP Chairman Haley Barbour. But, he's right. No matter how hard one tries, attempts to explain away fundamental differences with lip service to compromise has never put us in a position to return to constitutionally limited government.

What will?

Starving the beast that is the federal government.

No matter how hard "lefty pencil necks" attempt to explain away the current movement, and no matter how often their minions parrot the talking points provided (Keith Olbermann, Ed Shulz, Chris Matthews, etc.), and hurl insults and racial accusations, the simple truth is this is going to happen come November. Conservatives have been given yet another chance to get it right, this time by the TEA Party activists. Considering the level of disconnect between words and deeds with the current administration and the Democrat leadership in Congress, this could be the last chance before the country moves beyond the point of no return.

The Tea Party Movement as a Libertarian Mob


a pencil necked lefty explains the Tea Party movement

There is an apocryphal story, truth be told it is more closely akin to a parable than a story, that tells much about the American character. As the story goes, an English nobleman is in America at some point in the eighteenth or nineteenth centuries, depending upon when you find the story, and he’s seeking directions or a room for the night or somesuch. He approaches an American farmer or rancher or backwoodsman and says, “My good man, where is your master.” The American solemnly stares and replies, “I reckon that sumbitch ain’t been born.”

Segments of the left are all a-Twitter, so to speak, today over an article in the New York Times Review of Books by someone named Mark Lilla titled Tea Party Jacobins. According to the left, this article explains the Tea Party movement and the electoral stomping the left anticipates taking this November. It has nothing to do with the Administration’s policies or its disdain for America rather:

A new strain of populism is metastasizing before our eyes, nourished by the same libertarian impulses that have unsettled American society for half a century now. Anarchistic like the Sixties, selfish like the Eighties, contradicting neither, it is estranged, aimless, and as juvenile as our new century. It appeals to petulant individuals convinced that they can do everything themselves if they are only left alone, and that others are conspiring to keep them from doing just that. This is the one threat that will bring Americans into the streets.

Welcome to the politics of the libertarian mob.

This is a very convenient position to take when you’re in Mr. Lilla’s position. The alternative is to admit that your entire world view is being repudiated by most of the country.

Read the entire post at Redstate

BP officials say containment dome is running into problems.

Cross-posted at Lucy's Revenge

Saturday May 8, 2010--BP officials provided an update on current efforts to stop the flow of oil into the Gulf of Mexico today. According to the company announcement, the attempts to place the containment dome have so far been unsuccessful.

“As we had expressed numerous times, this particular operation has never been done before at this depth and a significant technical challenge was with hydrate formation,” read the company statement.

The statement described hydrate formation as a chemical process when gas combines with water under certain pressure and temperatures that form as crystals, similar to ice.

The dome was lowered to the sea floor yesterday evening. However, as workers began to place it over the source of the leak, a large volume of hydrates formed inside the top of the dome, requiring it to be moved to the side of the leak point. The dome is currently sitting on the sea bed while technicians evaluate options to deal with the hydrate issue.

The company is also simultaneously investigating other techniques to control the source of flow and ultimately stop the source of flow. These include activities utilizing the existing blowout preventer to stop the flow. Additional data will be gathered to see if these options are viable and that work will continue over the next 48 hours. The relief well drilling continues and is at approximately 9,000 feet below the surface of the water and making progress ahead of plan.

BP officials say the company has also deployed over 130,000 feet of boom on Friday alone; approaching a million feet deployed with over 2.3 million additional feet, either coming from existing stocks in the US and other countries to fight the spread of oil already spreading from the leak site.

“We have oil around Chandelier Island, LA and our cleanup teams are responding,” read the statement.

There were five successful offshore burns Friday, and skimming operations skimmed over 17,500 barrels of an oily water mix.

Apparently, some people don't know that it's the "motion in the ocean" that counts.

If this guy was embarrassed before . . .

TSA Worker Assaults Colleague For Joking About His Genitals During Body Scanner Training


The smallest things can cause the biggest problems.

Rolando Negrin, a TSA employee at Miami International Airport, was arrested for aggravated battery after he attacked a colleague, in response to coworkers poking fun at the size of his penis during a body-scanning machine training session. According to a local NBC report, sources say Negrin became embarrassed and angry by a supervisor's jokes as he walked through the machine.

A police report obtained by NBC states that Negrin later attacked a colleague with a police baton in a parking lot, and told the victim to kneel down and say "sorry." After being arrested, Negrin told police that coworkers often made fun of him.

Full body scanners have raised privacy concerns since they were first introduced in airports. Of course, as a result of all this, Negrin has only succeeded in drawing nationwide attention to his, ahem, situation.

New Statewide Tea Party Association Formed

On Saturday, May 1, 2010, a new Constitution was ratified at the first ever state convention of The Mississippi Tea Party. This makes Mississippi one of very few states, if not the only state, to successfully form a statewide tea party association.


On April 30 and May 1st, approximately 35 delegates representing tea party groups across the state met in Flowood, MS. to review, amend and ratify the draft Constitution that had been circulating for several months. The convention was held to transform The Mississippi Tea Party (MSTP) into a statewide association which could provide a single, unified voice for the participating grass roots organizations throughout the state. The MSTP will be a louder voice, both to the general public and elected officials, advocating a return to the three core principles that they believe made this country great: constitutionally limited government, free markets, and fiscal responsibility.

Nine tea party groups from across the state participated in this historic event. Only a few local tea party groups could not attend and it is hoped that they, as well as new groups that continue to form, will become a part of the new, statewide MSTP at some future date. The charter chapters include: 912Project Hattiesburg, Central Mississippi Tea Party, Leflore/Carroll Tea Party, Madison County Tea Party, Meridian Tea Party, Southwest Mississippi Tea Party, Starkville Tea Party, Vicksburg Tea Party and We the People Congress of Pearl River County.

The current board and officers of The Mississippi Tea Party will continue in place until the State Coalition reconvenes to elect a new board and officers by the end of May.

Supervisor Banks get's a little testy!

Supervisor Karl Banks got a little testy at the recent Madison County Board of Supervisors meeting over allegations made that his family is personally profitting from his votes. Jackson Jambalya lists several votes here that call into questions the ethics of Banks votes.  Banks did not address many of the specific allegations saying, "It's not like I'm getting major income from it."

The Madison County Herald coverage of the meeting:

Timetable for parkway work OK'd by board


Calhoun Station Parkway will start growing to the north and south this year.

The Madison County Board of Supervisors on Monday approved a timetable for seeking, accepting and awarding bids for commencing construction by July on two sections of the road, about 5 miles total in length. The estimated cost for building three lanes south to Gluckstadt Road is $3 million and the estimate for extending those three lanes north from Sowell Road to Mississippi 22 is $8 million.

District 4 Supervisor Karl Banks wanted it on the county's record that any votes he has made on the Calhoun Station project over the years have nothing to do with family-owned property nearby.

"I've been accused of voting my own personal interests," Banks said. "I've been accused of voting on things going through my property."

Banks said he owns 9.56 percent of the total 66 acres, referred to as the Miller-Banks estate, on a map. "It's not like I'm getting major income from it," he said.

The property is now shared by Banks, his brother and several cousins and is considered pasture land. "This property was my grandfather's farm. He farmed it back in the '40s," Banks said."

The land, which is split into two parcels by I-55 sits about four-tenths of a mile from what would be county right-of-way on the northern construction path, county engineer Rudy Warnock said.

Warnock said the tentative schedule for construction calls for awarding the bid for the southern section that begins at Church Road on June 21 and awarding the bid for the northern section on July 5. Construction would begin no later than July 12 for the southern end and by July 16 for the longer, northern construction.

"We'll move as expeditiously as we can" for moving ahead with construction, Warnock told the supervisors.

Construction on the southern end is expected to be complete by May 2011 and on the other section by December 2011.

Students Kicked Off Campus for Wearing American Flag Tees

More evidence of political correctness run amock on the left coast.

Freedom of expression or cultural disrespect on Cinco de Mayo?

On any other day at Live Oak High School in Morgan Hill, Daniel Galli and his four friends would not even be noticed for wearing T-shirts with the American flag. But Cinco de Mayo is not any typical day especially on a campus with a large Mexican American student population.

Galli says he and his friends were sitting at a table during brunch break when the vice principal asked two of the boys to remove American flag bandannas that they wearing on their heads and for the others to turn their American flag T-shirts inside out. When they refused, the boys were ordered to go to the principal's office.

"They said we could wear it on any other day," Daniel Galli said, "but today is sensitive to Mexican-Americans because it's supposed to be their holiday so we were not allowed to wear it today."

The boys said the administrators called their T-shirts "incendiary" that would lead to fights on campus.

"They said if we tried to go back to class with our shirts not taken off, they said it was defiance and we would get suspended," Dominic Maciel, Galli's friend, said.

The boys really had no choice, and went home to avoid suspension. They say they're angry they were not allowed to express their American pride. Their parents are just as upset, calling what happened to their children, "total nonsense."

"I think it's absolutely ridiculous," Julie Fagerstrom, Maciel's mom, said. "All they were doing was displaying their patriotic nature. They're expressing their individuality."

But to many Mexican-American students at Live Oak, this was a big deal. They say they were offended by the five boys and others for wearing American colors on a Mexican holiday.

"I think they should apologize cause it is a Mexican Heritage Day," Annicia Nunez, a Live Oak High student, said. "We don't deserve to be get disrespected like that. We wouldn't do that on Fourth of July."

As for an apology, the boys and their families say, 'fat chance.'

"I'm not going to apologize. I did nothing wrong," Galli said. "I went along with my normal day. I might have worn an American flag, but I'm an American and I'm proud to be an American."

The five boys and their families met with a Morgan Hill Unified School District official Wednesday night. The district and the school do not see eye-to-eye on the incident and released the following statement:

The district does not concur with the Live Oak High School administration's interpretation of either board or district policy related to these actions.

The boys will not be suspended and were allowed to return to school Thursday. We spotted one of them when he got to campus -- and, yes, he was sporting an American flag T-shirt.

Mississippi Power seeks rehearing

The Meridian Star

MERIDIAN — Mississippi Power Co. will ask state regulators to reconsider conditions they placed on the utility building a coal-fired generating plant in Kemper County.

The Public Service Commission last week approved the plant application but with a lengthy set of conditions — conditions that Mississippi Power said after the decision would make it impossible to finance or construct the plant.

The three-member Mississippi Public Service Commission voted 2-1 in favor of the proposal, detailing its decision in a 50-page document.

Mississippi Power spokeswoman Cindy Duvall said Tuesday that the company's request for a rehearing will include a brief on why the conditions in the PSC's order would not allow the company to act in a fiscally responsible manner.

The motion will also include an update on the parameters of the project, as well as alternatives for the commission to consider.

“We respect the work of the commission on a very complicated matter in difficult economic times. We hope they will reconsider these issues and work with us to find a solution to build the Kemper Project and keep rates for our customers as low as possible,” Duvall said.

The motion will be filed this week.

Good points to remember on this National Day of Prayer

Boycott the boycotters.

Liberal organizations and governments and other entities who fear the backlash of not appearing politically correct enough are lining up to jump on the Arizona boycott bandwagon. Keep a list, and boycott the boycotters. Better yet, plan a trip to Arizona this year and show your support.

The Arizona boycott: Everybody's doing it


Calls to boycott Arizona because of its new immigration law appear to be gaining deep traction and could end up costing the state millions of dollars.

Here are just a few of the confirmed boycotts, as reported by the Service Employees International Union:

• At least six conventions have pulled out of the Phoenix area, according to Fox's Phoenix affiliate. Those include college fraternities, the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators and the National Black Caucus of State Legislators.

• St. Paul, Minn., Mineapolis and San Francisco city governments are trying to ban city officials from traveling to Arizona on official business.

• The Denver public school system is banning work-related travel to Arizona.

• There have been pickets at Arizona Diamondbacks games and there's a brewing movement to boycott the baseball team. Today we also got an email about a drive to get Major League Baseball to hold its All-Star game outside the state next year.

This is just a snapshot of the boycott movement - there's actually a lot more going on than this. For imormation, check out this NPR article.

Update: 19 groups totaling 15,000 room nights have canceled events in Arizona, according to the Arizona Hotel and Lodging Association.

Madison approves smoking ban

Mississippi Business Journal

MADISON — Madison has adopted a smoke-free-air ordinance, switching from a voluntary ban on tobacco that all city businesses followed.

The change passed unanimously on Tuesday.

Mayor Mary Hawkins Butler is expected to sign the ordinance Wednesday or Thursday. The law will go into effect 30 days after she signs it.

Butler tells The Clarion-Ledger the reason for moving from voluntary to mandatory is because of the growth of the city.

Madison joins more than 30 cities in the state that have smoking restrictions. In the metro area, Brandon, Clinton, Flora and Ridgeland have banned smoking in public places.

Congressman Harper expresses support for National Day of Prayer

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Representative Gregg Harper (R–Miss.) has signed onto two House Resolutions to convey his support and appreciation for the National Day of Prayer.

“As our nation reflects on God’s blessings, may we remember the Christian principles that have presented a firm, time-tested foundation into our government,” said Harper.

H. Res. 1273 expresses the sense of Congress that the National Day of Prayer is constitutional and a needed tribute to the value of prayer. Introduced by Representative Lamar Smith of Texas, this resolution acknowledges our nation’s rich religious history – from the signing of the Declaration of Independence – to signing of legislation by President Harry S. Truman providing that, “The President shall set aside and proclaim a suitable day each year” as a National Day of Prayer.

Harper added, “President Truman eloquently affirmed the purpose of setting aside a day for prayer, understanding that ‘…from the earliest days of our history our people have been accustomed to turn to Almighty God for help and guidance.’”

The second resolution calls for an appeal of the April 15, 2010 ruling by U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb that the National Day of Prayer was a violation of the First Amendment to the Constitution. H. Res. 1279 expresses the support of the U.S. House of Representatives to encourage Attorney General Eric Holder to appeal the district court ruling and reaffirms the commitment of the House to the institution of an annual day to reflect in prayer.

“I thank the President for issuing a proclamation declaring a day for the nation to pray, continuing a tradition that dates back to 1952,” said Harper.

The 2010 National Day of Prayer will be observed on Thursday, May 6th.

16-year old Flora resident to be in Ballet Mississippi performance Sunday

Ballet Mississippi

Flora resident Hannah Sills (far left in the Clarion Ledger photo) will be part of the Ballet Mississippi School Performance Sunday.

 The gist: The Ballet Mississippi School Performance Sunday straddles the gamut of dancers' ages and education. While the first half may be more family oriented with young students ages 3 to 9, the second half is devoted to more professional-level dance with a spring gala feel.

Featured ballets include Suite of Dances to suites by Bach, a jazzy ballet to Leroy Anderson's Jazz Pizzicato, a new ballet to Verdi's Jerusalem choreographed by Cherri Barnett and a contemporary work from jazz choreographer and teacher Marcus Alford.

Alford's dance, titled The Perfect Man, pokes around the idea that there is no perfect man, only a perfect mannequin, to jazz music from 1930s and 1940s France.

"The Perfect Man is a lot of fun for us because it's a little bit different than just the classical ballet ... and I think it will be exciting for audiences to watch because it's very spirited," said dancer Hannah Sills, 17, of Flora.

Clarion Ledger

The last courageous moments of the life of Nikki Bradshaw Carpenter

Relatives: Tornado victim lost life shielding sons

By SHELIA BYRD
Associated Press

JACKSON, Miss. — Nikki Bradshaw Carpenter was tough: she could kill a deer and skin it. But when it came to her three sons, the 31-year-old mother was a nurturer and a protector.

Thus, friends and family say it came as no surprise to learn Carpenter had lost her life trying to shield her children from last weekend's killer tornado.

Rodney Bradshaw, her cousin, said he found Carpenter pinned by two collapsed walls, a washing machine and a refrigerator. Two of her sons were beneath her; a third at her feet. All three children survived.

On Thursday, a funeral was held for Carpenter, one of the 10 Mississippi victims of the severe weather system that kicked up tornadoes around the South and also left two dead in Alabama.

James Bradshaw said his daughter was just 5-foot-5 and slim, but had a powerhouse personality.

"I don't think she's met anybody that she wouldn't talk to," Bradshaw said. "I used to take her hunting and fishing. She killed a deer this past season, hung the deer, skinned it and cut it up and put it in the freezer. She was very feisty."

Moments before the twister barreled down the rural road where she lived in a mobile home, Carpenter's phone rang with a warning about the storm.

"We don't know who called. We never recovered the phone. Whoever it was saved them," said James Bradshaw, whose oldest grandson told him about the call.

Hoping to preserve precious memories, Carpenter pulled family photographs from the wall. Then, she grabbed the boys, piled pillows on top of them and covered them with her body. The twister lifted the trailer in the air like a paperclip, throwing it more than 100 yards, said Rodney Bradshaw.

When Rodney Bradshaw, arrived at the scene, he said the sight was jarring: "The two littlest ones were under her. The oldest one was at her feet. I still can't get her face out of my head."

He said a memorial service will be held for Carpenter in his hometown on May 8.

GOVERNOR BARBOUR ANNOUNCES CREATION OF MISSISSIPPI DISASTER RECOVERY FUND

Nonprofit organization will accept donations for spring storm victims

Jackson, Mississippi – Governor Haley Barbour today announced the creation of the Mississippi Disaster Recovery Fund Inc., a nonprofit that will coordinate donations to aid residents recovering from the April 24 storms.

“The path of destruction left by these tornadoes is one of the worst I have seen,” Governor Barbour said. “We have families who need help rebuilding their homes and their lives. Mississippians are known for their generosity, and I know there are many people outside of the state who want to help. Mississippians also are known for their hard work and perseverance, and they will build these communities back strong.”

Anyone who would like to contribute can donate either through the web site, http://www.mississippirelief.com/, or by sending a check to the Mississippi Disaster Recovery Fund, c/o BankPlus, 4450 Old Canton Road, Suite 101, Jackson, MS, 39211.

“The goal of the Mississippi Disaster Recovery Fund will be to help meet the needs of our communities that cannot be met by the government,” Governor Barbour said. “After seeing the devastation on television or in person, people want to help in any way they can. The recovery fund gives them that chance.”

The web site also will guide visitors to volunteer opportunities through the Mississippi Commission for Volunteer Service.

The Disaster Recovery Fund will be managed by a board made up of members from the affected areas. The board members will determine the distribution of funds to address unmet recovery needs.

Warnock takes his gripe to the State Board of Licensure

Dorsey Carson, attorney for Rudy Warnock, has taken his clients gripe over an independent audit of his Madison County contracts to the Mississippi Board of Licensure for Professional Engingeers and Surveyors.

View a Copy of the Press Release here

View a Copy of the Complaint here

Related Posts: Warnock tells WLBT he embraces audit, But will there be a full investigation?
Madison County Supervisor Asks for Audit of Engineers Contracts . . . Again.

Hymnal found in the debris at Hillcrest Baptist Church from Saturday's tornado.

Hang in there 'zoo crew!

MC Journal: Barbour saws to Yazoo with Flora mayor

As Flora Mayor Les Childress and dozens of other volunteers used chain saws and tractors to clear debris off U.S. 49 to Yazoo City following Saturday's deadly tornado, he turned around to see Gov. Haley R. Barbour pitching in.

Childress and many other Flora residents were some of the first on the scene Saturday, literally cutting their way through downed trees to reach victims of an EF-4 tornado that cut through central Mississippi and claimed 10 lives.

State officials are estimating nearly 700 homes were damaged and 49 people were injured during the storms. Two others died in Alabama.

The hardest hit areas included Yazoo and Choctaw counties. This week Barbour asked President Barack Obama to declare both counties major disaster areas to open up aid for residents and business owners.

On Saturday, Barbour, a Yazoo City native, was on the front lines clearing debris from U.S 49 and directing traffic to give workers enough room to clear the roadway.

"It really hit home for him," Childress said. "You could tell he was really trying to get there (Yazoo City)."

Childress said they were all shocked at the amount of devastation before them, but the mayor said he was even more amazed at the almost instantaneous outpouring of support from the community.

"I went up there Saturday around 1 p.m. right after it happened and there were already folks from Flora there," he said. "Every citizen that lived in the surrounding area was there working to try and help out their neighbors.

"Flora has a lot of ties to Yazoo County," he added. "They're family."

Read more at the Madison County Journal

MISSISSIPPI DELEGATION UNITED IN SUPPORT FOR DISASTER DECLARATION

Federal Lawmakers Endorse Barbour Request for Disaster Aid Following Tornadoes

WASHINGTON, D.C. – All members of the Mississippi congressional delegation today signaled their united support for approval of a federal disaster designation that would sanction federal recovery resources to help Mississippians recover from a deadly storm that tore across the state Saturday, killing 10 people and destroying scores of homes.

The delegation today sent President Obama a letter endorsing the disaster application submitted by Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour. The letter was signed by U.S. Senators Thad Cochran and Roger Wicker and U.S. Representatives Bennie Thompson, Gene Taylor, Travis Childers and Gregg Harper.

“We know from our ongoing recovery from the effects of Hurricane Katrina, which hit our state in August 2005, that significant resources and cooperation are necessary to recover fully from natural disasters as quickly as possible. We stand ready to face this new challenge by supporting the local communities, the State, and your administration as we work together to rebuild and renew areas destroyed by this major storm,” the lawmakers wrote to the President.

The letter also notes the ongoing economic hardship of the affected areas, as well as the need for Congress to replenish funding for the Disaster Recovery Fund administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). A supplemental appropriations bill pending before Congress would add $5.1 billion to the FEMA fund.

Members of the congressional delegation have been consulting with Barbour, the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency and local officials as recovery efforts get underway. The issuance of a presidential disaster declaration, as requested by the state, would trigger the release of federal disaster assistance. Barbour’s initial federal disaster declaration request would encompass Choctaw and Yazoo counties, with other Mississippi counties expected to be added as damage assessments across the state are compiled.

The following is the text of the congressional delegation’s letter to the President:

Dear President Obama,

In the wake of devastating weather events across the Southeastern United States this past weekend, we are writing to request your full consideration of Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour’s request for a federal disaster declaration for Yazoo County, Mississippi and Choctaw County, Mississippi.

We also understand that the State of Mississippi and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) jointly continue to assess the damage across the state, particularly in Attala, Holmes Monroe, Union, and Warren Counties. It is our understanding that Governor Barbour will request a federal disaster declaration in Holmes County sometime today. Should Governor Barbour request federal disaster declarations for these or other counties, we are hopeful you will also give these requests your full consideration.

We have been encouraged by the efforts of FEMA to deploy rapidly to Mississippi to assist state and local officials in estimating the severity of the initial damage caused by a series of tornado touchdowns, some rated as devastating as EF-4. The latest estimates show that 10 Mississippi lives have been lost and hundreds homes have been destroyed. Much of this destruction has occurred in parts of our state that have been particularly affected by our nation’s current economic situation. Many of these counties have poverty levels that are more than double the national average.

Examination of National Weather Service data shows that these tornado touchdowns were some of the most extreme in Mississippi’s history. Preliminary estimations show that one of the touchdowns was 1.75 miles wide at some points and stayed touched down for 149 miles, carving a path of destruction across the heart of our state. If these estimates hold, this storm event will lay claim to the widest tornado in Mississippi’s history and the fourth longest touchdown distance in our state’s history.

We know from our ongoing recovery from the effects of Hurricane Katrina, which hit our state in August 2005, that significant resources and cooperation are necessary to recover fully from natural disasters as quickly as possible. We stand ready to face this new challenge by supporting the local communities, the State, and your administration as we work together to rebuild and renew areas destroyed by this major storm.

We are also very aware of the depleted status of the FEMA Disaster Relief Fund and the potential effect a disaster declaration for this past weekend’s events in Mississippi could have on its solvency. We are hopeful that the Disaster Relief Fund will be replenished as soon as possible so that federal assistance for this and other disasters can flow freely to states in need.

Thank you for your consideration of this request. Please do not hesitate to contact us should you need further assistance in this effort.

A good reason for a great meal!

That's all I needed, another good excuse to go eat some of those gold band oysters. AJ's also has some of the best ceviche around.

WJTV:

Madison Restaurant Offers Community Ways to Help Tornado Victims


MADISON, Mississippi – April 27, 2010 – AJ’s-on-the-Lake has asked its patrons and servers to band together to help our neighbors in need after last week’s tornados by matching gratuity and part of proceeds at the restaurant this week.

AJ’s servers are donating 30% of their tips received this weekend to Mississippi Tornado Relief Efforts. The monetary amount will be matched by AJ’s Management. And all week, AJ’s will be matching part of your proceeds on special menu and drink items in order to raise money for the communities in need.

AJ’s has also asked patrons to bring non-perishable food, bottled water, clothing and bedding and other items to aid in relief efforts for storm victims if they would like the restaurant to transport the goods to the donation center at the Mississippi State Fairgrounds on their behalf.

About AJ’s on the Lake
AJ’s on the Lake has been locally owned and operated by Lucy and John Taylor for the past ten years. AJ’s provides a casual fine dining atmosphere, some of the freshest seafood in Central Mississippi, as well as steaks and pasta. AJ’s won Taste of Mississippi’s best entrée for 2010 and was voted best seafood restaurant in the state by Mississippi Magazine in 2009. AJ’s is located off Highland Colony Parkway just north of Steed Road. For more information, visit http://www.ajsgrille.com/
 

Federal Dollars Expected For Storm Relief, Insured Losses Estimated Over $50 Million

Via the Clarion Ledger:

Insurance chief: Mississippi storm damage 'well north of $50M'

State expects to receive some federal relief

Damage from Saturday’s storm is “well north of $50 million (in insured losses),” Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney said today.

An exact monetary damage amount hasn’t yet been tallied.

“I think we’re going to get some type of (federal) relief,” he said Tuesday, noting Gov. Haley Barbour and others have been updating federal government officials on the severity of the damage.

The scope of the devastation, caused mainly by an EF4 tornado was still unfolding Tuesday.

Chaney said his office is still assessing the damage the storm did to commercial buildings and other non-residential properties and compiling a definitive number of homes destroyed around the state.

He says at least 700 homes statewide were damaged in Saturday’s storms. In Yazoo County alone, at least 150 homes are unhabitable, and an additional 67 suffered major damage, Chaney said.

Flora pitching in to assist with Yazoo Tornado Relief

The Town of Flora, along with the assistance of Wilmon Holmes, Ramey's Supervalu, Flora United Methodist Church and First Baptist Church, Flora will have a non-perishable food drop off at Ramey's Supervalu in Flora today (Tuesday) from 4 pm -7 pm and on Wed. 10 am - 6 pm and Thurs. 10 am - 6 pm . The donations will be taken to those who were affected by the deadly tornado last Saturday in Yazoo City and the surrounding area. Bottled water and non-perishable canned foods are greatly appreciated. Also in need are cleaning supplies such as mops, brooms, cleaning rags, Clorox, Mr. Clean, buckets, heavy duty garbage bags, and rubber gloves.

Congressman Gregg Harper: Mississippi Will Persevere

Congressman Gregg Harper delivered the following remarks today on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives regarding Governor Haley Barbour’s proclamation declaring April 27, 2010 as a Day of Prayer.

Despite The Spin: Still Government Motors

From Forbes:

GM is paying back Uncle Sam to shake him down for more money.

GM CEO Ed Whitacre announced in a Wall Street Journalcolumn Wednesday that his company has paid back its government bailout loan "in full, with interest, years ahead of schedule." He is even running TV ads on all major networks to that effect--a needless expense given that a credulous media is only too happy to parrot his claims for free. Detroit Free Press' Mike Thompson, for example, advises bailout proponents to start "warming up their vocal chords" to jeer their opponents with chants of "I told you so."

But before belting out their victory aria, GM-boosters ought to hear the whole story--not just the fairytale version about Government Motors' grand comeback that Mr. Whitacre is feeding them.

But when Mr. Whitacre says GM has paid back the bailout money in full, he means not the entire $49.5 billion--the loan and the equity. In fact, he avoids all mention of that figure in his column. He means only the $6.7 billion loan amount.


But wait! Even that's not the full story given that GM, which has not yet broken even, much less turned a profit, can't pay even this puny amount from its own earnings.

As it turns out, the Obama administration put $13.4 billion of the aid money as "working capital" in an escrow account when the company was in bankruptcy. The company is using this escrow money--government money--to pay back the government loan.

GM claims that the fact that it is even using the escrow money to pay back the loan instead of using it all to shore itself up shows that it is on the road to recovery. That actually would be a positive development--although hardly one worth hyping in ads and columns--if it were not for a further plot twist.

Sean McAlinden, chief economist at the Ann Arbor-based Center for Automotive Research, points out that the company has applied to the Department of Energy for $10 billion in low (5%) interest loan to retool its plants to meet the government's tougher new CAFÉ (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) standards. However, giving GM more taxpayer money on top of the existing bailout would have been a political disaster for the Obama administration and a PR debacle for the company. Paying back the small bailout loan makes the new--and bigger--DOE loan much more feasible.


In short, GM is using government money to pay back government money to get more government money. And at a 2% lower interest rate at that. This is a nifty scheme to refinance GM's government debt--not pay it back!

GM boasts that, because it is doing so well, it is paying the $6.7 billion five years ahead of schedule since it was not due until 2015. So will there be an accelerated payback of the rest of the $49.6 billion investment? No. That goal has been pushed back, as it turns out.

In order to recover that investment, the government has to sell its equity. It plans to do that only when GM becomes a publicly traded company once again. GM was hoping to turn a profit by the end of 2010 and float an initial public offering this winter. However, GM Chief Financial Officer Chris Liddell, when queried about that timeline a few days ago, demurred. The offering will be made, he said, "when the markets and the company are ready."

(Take that, taxpayers!)

More Proof: They Knew, But Hid It From the Public

From the American Spectator

What Lies Beneath


OFFICE POLITICS

The economic report released last week by Health and Human Services, which indicated that President Barack Obama's health care "reform" law would actually increase the cost of health care and impose higher costs on consumers, had been submitted to the office of HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius more than a week before the Congressional votes on the bill, according to career HHS sources, who added that Sebelius's staff refused to review the document before the vote was taken.

"The reason we were given was that they did not want to influence the vote," says an HHS source. "Which is actually the point of having a review like this, you would think."

The analysis, performed by Medicare's Office of the Actuary, which in the past has been identified as a "nonpolitical" office, set off alarm bells when submitted. "We know a copy was sent to the White House via their legislative affairs staff," says the HHS staffer, "and there were a number of meetings here almost right after the analysis was submitted to the secretary's office. Everyone went into lockdown, and people here were too scared to go public with the report."

In the end, the report was released several weeks after the vote -- the review by the secretary's office reportedly took less than three days -- and bore a note that the analysis was not the official position of the Obama administration.

MDEQ offers Debris Management Guidance for storm ravaged areas

The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) has developed three debris management guidance documents in response to this weekend’s storm events. MDEQ is providing information to local governments on selecting temporary emergency debris sites, the locations of existing solid waste sites, and dealing with asbestos.

“As a native of Yazoo County, I understand clearly the challenges facing local governments in that county and also in Warren, Holmes, and Choctaw counties. The amount of debris left behind is a big challenge for any county. Therefore, MDEQ has moved quickly to provide guidance to local officials who are dealing with large amounts of debris and other solid waste. We realize the need for additional public solid waste management facilities and are here to provide that information as well as for other solid waste management issues,” said MDEQ Executive Director Trudy Fisher.

The MDEQ documents include the following:

• Guidance to local governments on selecting and requesting approval for emergency debris management sites for burning, storage, or chipping of vegetative debris and storage/staging of structural debris.
• Guidance on the existing permitted solid waste facilities available in the 4 high impact counties and the permitted solid waste facilities in the adjacent counties to those high impact counties.
• Preliminary guidance on dealing with asbestos containing materials advising people to be cautious in managing and cleaning asbestos materials at single family homes and advising owners of commercial, non-residential, and multi-family dwelling unit owners to contact MDEQ for further guidance

The documents are available at:
http://www.deq.state.ms.us/MDEQ.nsf/page/SW_EmergencyDebrisManagementGuidance4.24.2010?OpenDocument

MDEQ Press Release

Allstate Announces Mobile Claims Centers Located to Yazoo City For Disaster Relief

Allstate has set up a Mobile Claims Center in Yazoo City, Miss. to help policyholders affected by Saturday’s tornado. The self-contained mobile claims office is equipped with generators, satellite technology and high-speed internet connectivity allowing Allstate’s National Catastrophe Team the ability to provide customer claim support in areas hardest hit by a tornado.

By visiting a Mobile Claims Center, Allstate customers will be able to start the claims process and ask questions about their claim.

The current Allstate Mobile Claims Center location as of April 26, 2010, is listed below. The location of this unit is subject to change. For an updated list of locations visit www.allstate.com/catastrophe/Mobile-Response-Units.aspx

Sunflower Foods
734 E 15 St,
Yazoo City, MS

Hours are from 8:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. Monday through Friday.

Allstate policyholders whose homes or automobiles have been damaged or destroyed by the recent storm can contact Allstate by calling 1-800-54-STORM, visiting a Mobile Claims Center, or logging onto Allstate.com.

Governor declares Day of Prayer, State Flags at Half Staff for Period of Mourning

Gov. Haley Barbour has declared Tuesday as a Day of Prayer to remember Mississippians who suffered losses in Saturday's severe weather and for those families who lost loved ones in last week's oil rig accident.

Ten people in Mississippi died in Saturday's tornado.

Four Mississippians were reported missing in the oil rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico.

Barbour says the past few days "have been tough for many Mississippi families."

Barbour has ordered state flags to be flown at half staff April 27 through April 30 as part of a period of mourning.

Associated Press

Fox News highlights the incredible dedication of long time Yazoo County Coroner Ricky Shivers (Video)

Yazoo County Coroner Ricky Shivers -- a Baptist deacon -- says he was in his truck when the twister picked it up and flipped it four times. Shivers says he told God that if it was his time to die, he was ready. Later he went out in his hospital gown to help identify bodies.


Fox reporter, Kris Gutierrez does an amazing job with Mr. Shivers. How do you think a CNN or MSNBC reporter would have responded to Mr. Shivers' Christian worldview of the twister? Considering the response from Mr. Guiterrez, would the MSM respond with an "Amen" or the "We're praying for you, and I mean it"?

Town Hall

Gulf Coast Residents come to aid Tornado Victims in Yazoo City

State asks for volunteers to help with tornado relief efforts


Yazoo City, Miss., residents walk past a tornado destroyed home on Sunday, April 25, 2010. Many residents spent the better part of the day cleaning up and trying to salvage possessions in the homes and businesses damaged by Saturday's tornado. The director of the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency said Sunday that volunteers are needed after a tornado sliced through dozens of counties, killing at least 10 people and destroying numerous homes.

Mike Womack, director of MEMA, said officials are working with the Mississippi Commission for Volunteer Service to coordinate emergency relief efforts.

"We've set up the Volunteer Reception Center, which will oversee volunteers and national service members," Womack said. "We need people to assist in the removal of fallen trees, destroyed homes, as well as the clearing of other debris."

Visit www.volunteermississippi.org to volunteer or call 888-353-1793. Registered volunteers will be contacted, Womack said.

Paige Roberts, executive director of the Southeast Mississippi Chapter of the Red Cross, was in Yazoo City on Sunday with at least one other volunteer from Jackson County.

Yazoo City has been reported to be one of the hardest-hit areas by the mile-wide twister that ripped through Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama on Saturday.

"It's bad here," Roberts said when contacted by cell phone on Sunday. "This is what tornadoes do. It ripped thorough cities and towns, leaving behind snapped trees. Trees cause the majority of the damage."

Roberts said when she arrived Saturday afternoon to the city that's just outside Jackson, she first encountered a family who lost their brother.

"He was asleep in his trailer, and a tree fell on it, killing him," Roberts said.

She also comforted two children who lost their mother as she tried to protect them.

"She died while trying to save her children," Roberts said. "The children are hospitalized, and both are under 7 years old."

Roberts said there are also Red Cross volunteers from Biloxi in Yazoo City.

"It reminds me of Katrina," she said. "The devastation is not as widespread as Katrina was, but the places that were hit resemble Katrina's destruction."

Roberts said more Gulf Coast volunteers could arrive throughout the week.

Mississippi Press

Tornado Relief Effort at Brandon City Hall

A tornado relief effort has been started at Brandon City Hall.


An 18-wheeler will be on site to collect relief items. Items being accepted: Non-perishable food, bottled water, clothing, bedding, sleeping bags, blankets, batteries, chain saws, blowers, towels, toiletries, cash donations, etc.

Location:
Brandon City Hall
1000 Municipal Drive
601-824-4579 or 601-955-1960

Collected between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.

Sun Pine has already agreed to supply pallets of cleaning supplies toward the effort.

MEMA issues latest damage assessment

Initial damage assessment teams began damage assessments today in the hardest hit areas following Saturday's storms.

They are:

• Attala — 35 homes damaged and seven injuries

• Choctaw — 114 homes/mobile homes damaged, two businesses, 15 injuries

• Holmes — 60 homes damaged and 25 injuries

• Monroe — 48 homes/mobile homes damaged, three businesses damaged, one injury

• Union — 63 homes/mobile homes damaged and one injury.

• Warren — 42 homes/mobile homes damaged

• Yazoo — 319 homes/mobile homes damaged

MEMA's Mobile Operations Unit is deployed in Yazoo County. Area coordinators are in Yazoo and Choctaw. More than 60 Mississippi National Guardsmen and MP's are in both of those counties, and 40 additional MHP officers have been deployed, as well.

The Department of Health has sent in water engineers and facility inspectors to Yazoo County.

MEMA has deployed 740 tarps; 10 light towers; one pallet of Meals Ready to Eat and seven pallets of water to Yazoo County; one pallet of water to Holmes County; and, 192 tarps to Attala County.

The United Way's Mississippi 211 opened it's call center today. The American Red Cross is on the scene, and shelters have been opened by ARC.

How bad do you want it?

Video of destruction from Yazoo City

Taken from site of Hillcrest Baptist Church destruction:





Mississippi Business Journal footage:







AP coverage of local footage:



Fox News:




More from MBJ:

AP: 2 killed as tornado strikes Mississippi

YAZOO CITY, Miss. — A tornado touched down Saturday in rural Mississippi, killing two people, injuring several others and ripping the tops off buildings, the mayor of Yazoo City said.

The ¾-mile wide tornado roared across at least three counties in west-central Mississippi. Mayor McArthur Straughter said the county coroner confirmed the deaths.

"It's devastating. All of the buildings up in this area have had the roof torn off," said Straughter, estimating about 15 to 20 buildings had been heavily damaged.

Power lines and trees were down, blocking roads, Straughter said by telephone as sirens whined in the background. At least four people had been brought by four-wheeler to a triage center at an old discount store parking lot in the town about 40 miles north of Jackson.

Three counties were conducting a "massive response," Mississippi Emergency Management Agency spokesman Greg Flynn said.

Associated Press

Yazoo County hammered by major twister

Reports continue to come in from Yazoo County following a major twister hitting Yazoo City. Reports are that Hillcrest Church at the corner of Highway's 49 and 16 was leveled and that some people may have been trapped inside. At least five ambulances have passed our location in Flora headed north on 49. Reports are that Ribeye's Restaurant and the shopping center just north of the intersection of 49 and old 16 were also leveled.

Initial information received suggested that Benton had also been hit, but reports now indicate that Benton has received only minor damage.

Update: Recently received photos suggest that Ribeye's Restaurant and the shopping center had major damage, but both structures remain standing.

Update: WLBT reports Dale Thrasher was inside Hillcrest Baptist Church and took refuge under the communion table as the entire building came down around him.

Update 3:13 pm: Military helicopter passed over Flora in route to storm damage minutes ago. Emergency vehicles still in route to Yazoo City.

Update: 3:29 pm: Reports from Holmes County are that an Ebenezer man was killed while trying to get in his truck from the same storm.

Update: 3:39 pm: MDOT announcing road closures due to the storm:
Debris on Hwy 51 from Madison County to Durant, MS

County: Yazoo
Traffic Impact: High
Direction: All Directions
Lanes: All Lanes
Trees down on Hwy 51 from Madison County to Druant, MS

I-55 @ 151 mile marker north of Pickens near Holmes Co. Park

Traffic Impact: Closed
Approximate Duration: 1 hour
Direction: Northbound
All Lanes
All northbound lanes are closed. One southbound lane is open.

Update 3:49 pm: Yazoo City has established a staging area for injuries at the old Yazoo Motors on Highway 49.

Update 3:55 pm: Governor Barbour briefing media from storm site in Yazoo City. Say's will be no confirmation of fatalities until cornoner reports them. Governor says, "several fatalities likely" from across Yazoo and Holmes County's. 17 reported injuries taken to Jackson via Ambulance, 2 by helicopter.

Update 4:09 pm: AP reporting two confirmed deaths.

Update 4:20 pm: MHP confirmed 2 children dead in Weir, Choctaw County.

Update 4:30 pm: Red Cross has established a shelter, and will be serving meals at the LT Miller Community Center in Yazoo City.

Forward any pictures and information you have on the storm to floraharvester@bellsouth.net and we'll attempt to keep information posted.

U.S.’s Toughest Immigration Bill Is Signed in Arizona

PHOENIX — Gov. Jan Brewer of Arizona signed the toughest illegal immigration law in the country on Friday, aimed at identifying, prosecuting and deporting illegal immigrants. The governor’s move unleashed immediate protests and reignited the divisive battle over immigration reform nationally.
Even before Governor Brewer signed the law at a 4:30 p.m. news conference here, President Obama strongly criticized it.

Speaking at a naturalization ceremony for 24 active-duty service members in the Rose Garden, Mr. Obama called for a federal overhaul of immigration laws — an overhaul that Congressional leaders signaled they were preparing to take up soon.

He said the failure of officials in Washington to act on immigration would open the door to “irresponsibility by others.” He said the Arizona bill threatened “to undermine basic notions of fairness that we cherish as Americans, as well as the trust between police and our communities that is so crucial to keeping us safe.”

The law, which opponents and critics alike said was the broadest and strictest immigration measure in the country in generations, would make the failure to carry immigration documents a crime. It would also give the police broad power to detain anyone suspected of being in the country illegally. Opponents have decried it as an open invitation for harassment and discrimination against Hispanics regardless of their citizenship status.

New York Times

Sun Herald: Oil spill may hit Coast

The sinking of Deepwater Horizon could be catastrophic for Mississippi’s coastline if hundreds of thousands of gallons of crude oil makes its way ashore.

Coast Guard and oil company officials at a news conference Thursday said it was not clear whether the 18,000-foot-deep well was still leaking.

Environmental threats include the 336,000 gallons of oil a day that had been spurting from the rig before it sank, though nearly all of it was burning off in the incessant fire, Coast Guard firefighter Katherine McNamara told the Associated Press.

Coast Guard cutters Zephyr, a patrol boat homeported in Pascagoula, and Cobia, a patrol boat out of Mobile, are involved in the search for 11 rig workers missing since the explosion.

Coast Guard Rear Adm. Mary E. Landry said that the probability of the crewmembers’ survival was decreasing, despite warm waters and calm seas.

At least 700,000 gallons of diesel fuel was in a tank on the rig, but that could have been consumed in the fire before the rig sank, said Doug Helton, incident operations coordinator for the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration’s office of response and restoration.

“The diesel fuel, if it didn’t burn off, will evaporate and not come to shore,” he said.

The crude oil leaking from the newly drilled well is heavier and will last longer.

“It could float around long enough to reach the shore,” he said.

Sun Herald

Will Dems 'go for it' on immigration reform?

Across Capitol Hill, Republicans are asking just one question about Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid: Are they really going to do it?

Will the president, the speaker, and the majority leader try to pass "comprehensive" immigration reform in a midterm election year that already threatens to be a disaster for Democrats?

So why are Obama, Pelosi and Reid going forward? There are five possible explanations.

1) They've lost their minds.

2) They are very smart and know something we don't.

3) They're out of touch with the public's concerns.

4) They want to be able to tell the most ardent supporters of reform that they tried.

5) They're fully aware that the public doesn't want "comprehensive" reform but are racing to do as much as they can before the elections take away their power to defy the public's wishes.

The first possibility is highly unlikely. The second is less so, but still pretty unlikely. The third is plausible, but not probable. The fourth is arguable. And the fifth? It makes a lot of sense, especially in light of the Obamacare experience.

Not long ago, in another context, the president challenged Republicans to "Go for it." Don't be surprised if the GOP tells him the same thing this time.

Washington Examiner

Madison County Schools get boost, may get to keep some teaching positions open.

School district enjoys one-time ‘windfall’

Madison County schools may be able to keep several teaching positions next fall because of a nearly $260,000 one-time windfall.

Leavitt Tube, LLC, owes back taxes dating to 2003. Tax assessor Gerald Barber said an oversight led to the company not paying taxes on its buildings and grounds after a 10-year tax exemption lapsed.

School Superintendent Mike Kent welcomed the good news.

Earlier this month, Kent told The Clarion-Ledger that the district might have to eliminate 40 teaching units to balance the upcoming budget because of cutbacks from the state.

In addition to the back taxes, Barber says the school district can expect Leavitt Tube to pay its yearly taxes from now on. The annual amount, over the past seven years, has ranged from $31,199 to $49,628.

Mississippi Business Journal

Rainy weekend reading

The People and Their Government
DISTRUST, DISCONTENT, ANGER AND PARTISAN RANCOR

Redstate: Billy Graham’s Son Is Too Christian For Barack Obama’s Army

Billy Graham’s son Franklin, a solid evangelist in his own right, was invited to give the address at the Pentagon’s National Day of Prayer service.

Barack Obama’s administration has revoked the invitation.

Why? Well, it turns out Franklin Graham really believes in Christ and holds that Christ really is “they way and the truth and the life.”

Consequently, Franklin Graham has spoken out about Islam — the only religion to see its followers carry out violent terrorist attacks on the United States in the name of that religion — and its violent ways.

The Council on Islamic-American Relations and other Islamic groups got upset with Franklin Graham pointing out the truth.

So the Obama Administration caved.

Read the entire post at Redstate

Oh the irony!

How ironic is it that White Supremacist Richard Barrett dies from the hands of a black man that he had been HELPING?

Man arrested in Barrett homicide

White supremacist found stabbed, burned in home. McGee had performed yard work for Barrett, Pennington said.

McGee had served five years of a six-year sentence for simple assault on a police officer and grand larceny when he was released on probation in February from the State Penitentiary at Parchman.

He is being held in the Rankin County Detention Center. His initial court appearance will be Monday.

A photo on his Facebook page shows off numerous tattoos associated with the Vice Lords street gang.

Pennington said McGee was arrested after investigators obtained a search warrant based on evidence they spotted under the carport of his parents' home. Pennington did not elaborate.

Witnesses told investigators Barrett had gone to McGee's home around 7:30 p.m. Wednesday to pay him for yard work.

Clarion Ledger