Another Vanishing Civil Rights Landmark

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

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

PIM

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

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

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

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

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

Read more at MBJ

Thanks for the memories

34 warships sent from US for Obama visit

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

Read more at: NDTV

If we could only find the murder weapon . . .

Ding Dong . . .

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

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

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

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

A few observations:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MCJ: Audit shows contracts protect engineer instead of taxpayers

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Warnock has steadfastly denied any wrongdoing.

Read More at MCJ

Madison man arrested for alleged investment scam

A Mississippi businessman has been arrested by FBI agents on 12 counts of wire fraud, tax evasion, and money laundering.

Federal authorities say 47-year-old Jeffrey L. Walker of Madison allegedly devised a scheme to defraud and obtain money from investors by making false representations relating to a Chinese resort project his companies were supposedly developing.

Federal agents said Walker allegedly had investors in Mississippi, Tennessee, Florida and Arizona make bank wire transfers to one of his companies and he converted parts of the money for his own personal use.

Read More: MBJ

Freddie Mac posts $4.1B loss for Q3

Government-controlled mortgage buyer Freddie Mac on Wednesday posted a narrower loss of $4.1 billon in the third quarter as it asked for an additional $100 million in federal aid - substantially less than the $1.8 billion it sought in the second quarter.

Freddie Mac’s loss attributable to common stockholders for the July-September quarter works out to $1.25 a share. It takes into account $1.6 billion in dividend payments to the government. It compares with a loss of $6.7 billion, or $2.06 a share, in the third quarter of 2009.

The government rescued McLean, Virginia-based Freddie Mac and sibling company Fannie Mae nearly two years ago to cover their losses on soured mortgage loans, and it estimates the bailouts will cost taxpayers up to $259 billion.

That’s nearly twice the $133 billion Fannie and Freddie are in line to receive from taxpayers so far and would make theirs the costliest bailout of the financial crisis.

Read More: MBJ

Madison County Lobbyist won't answer questions until you answer some questions first, and prove your "special"

Madison County Lobbyist and Wise Carter attorney C. Stephen Seale fancies himself a political player. He must, or he wouldn't have the job of lobbying the federal government on behalf of the county to the tune of $75 grand per year. The voting bloc on the Madison County Board of Supervisors must fancy him a lobbyist as well. They gave him that job. And despite the fact that Seale took a sitting Congressman to task over a pledge to place a moratorium on earmarks (not smart), the board still thinks he will be effective enough a lobbyist to give him an additional $2500 per month to lobby at the state capitol, too.

Seale had a short-lived stint as a state senator alongside BOS Prez Tim Johnson, and an even shorter-lived stint as an adviser to then Senator Trent Lott.

That's it. A total of five years. According to his own bio, that's his experience in both federal and state government. Does that qualify someone to lobby? Maybe. But should Mr. Seale, or any lobbyist, have the autonomy to determine what projects Madison County should lobby for? Is there a list of projects Mr. Seale hopes to get money for? Where is it? Where is the measurement? What metrics do the taxpayers have to measure Mr. Seale's performance?

There aren't any. At least, that is, Mr. Seale won't provide any. Because, according to Mr. Seale anyone asking the question must first prove they have "special expertise" to ask? The fact that you may be a taxpayer, and that he works for the public apparently isn't enough. In a response to THIS POST, Mrs Seale writes the following:

I'm interested to learn what your basis is for your statement that I'm overpaid. Do you judge that based on some return on investment criteria? Do you have some special expertise on the work of lobbyists that allows you to opine as to which are paid too little, just enough or too much? Or are you just like many others who make charges and accusations and offer opinions without any evidence or basis? You answer those questions, Harvester, and I'll be happy to answer yours. Steve Seale

The unmitigated gall of a taxpayer expecting a return on the investment! How dare we!

If that isn't enough of a red flag, Mr. Seale's incessant defensiveness should be. Lobbyist are effective when they work behind the scenes, not when they make themselves the center of attention. Like THIS .

And if Mr. Seale's original tirade against Mr. Dawson wasn't enough, he responded to the MBJ story by going on yet another tirade HERE, complained about not being treated fairly to the North Mississippi Commentator HERE, gets even more defensive over the report that he wrote a letter in support of convicted felon Zach Scruggs HERE, and takes the writer to task over the fact that he commented on Seale's support letter without first asking his permission HERE.

Are you noticing a pattern?

While we're discussing good judgement, or the lack therof, we should also note that Seale apparently thinks that Madison needs only one state senator instead of the four we have. But, maybe that's not so much bad judgement as a good way to maintain a job as a lobbyist. With the lack of representation at the state capitol, Seales job becomes important all of a sudden. Where as now? Well, not so much.

When Mr. Seale "Googles" himself . . . ahem, I'm sorry . . . "Googles" his name, he may see this and respond. So, let me say here to Mr. Seale: I'll give you a guest column spot here on The Flora Harvester site to write about anything you care to write about. Just email it to floraharvester@bellsouth.net .

You can write about the hard lives of lobbyists, the ridiculousness of Congressmen attempting to cut federal spending through earmark reform, or how the recent auditor's report was really not a rebuke of the mismanagement of the Madison County Board of Supervisor's leadership. You can write about how Supervisor's who are paid in excess of $45,000 a year don't make enough for taxpayers to expect them to lobby for county projects themselves, or how you have the "expertise" to do a difficult job while we "po lil unedukatid Madison Countians" should defer to your breadth of knowledge without asking silly questions like, "How much is this costing us?"

Write what you will, sir. The floor is yours!

MBJ reports from MEC's "Hobnob Mississippi" (Video)

The Mississippi Economic Council’s “Hobnob Mississippi” swung from somber to humorous and back again as pundits, politicians and the Magnolia State’s business leaders came together for the annual event.

And why is the overpaid Madison County Lobbyist the one doing the talking?

Seale

In a WLBT report on the recently released Auditors report into Madison County Supervisors lack of oversight in billing practices of Engineer Rudy Warnock, Madison County Lobbyist Steve Seale acts as spokesman for Board of Supervisors President Tim Johnson. Did the additional $2500 a month he was recently given on top of his salary of $75,000 give him the responsibility to lobby the general public and the media, too?

The State Auditor's office released their findings on Madison County road contracts involving county engineer Rudy Warnock. This came after some Madison City and County officials raised concerns about misuse of tax payer money.


At the center of the State Auditor's report was Warnock and his contracts with Madison County since 2004. The State Auditor found the Board of Supervisors has poor oversight and monitoring of contracts allowing for the potential of double payments.

Attorney Steve Seale responded in a press conference, "They found no duplicative payments. They found no misuse of payments. They found no improper payments. They just said the potential existed."

The report demonstrates the contracts had missing information or confusing terms that seemed to protect the engineer and not the Madison County tax payers.

"We're going to look at everyone of those contracts again and make sure they are in the best interest, written in the best interest, of the county," said Seale. "Again, no harm has occurred to Madison County."

And, what exactly does Seale mean by "we"? Isn't that Johnson's other lap dog Eric Hamer's responsibility? Or, does Seale mean him, Johnson, Hamer and Rudy?

Wounded Madison soldier returns to Mississippi

More than 100 friends and well-wishers burst into cheers and applause today to welcome home wounded Army medic CJ Stewart of Madison.

Stewart, 21, is home on a 10-day pass from Walter Reed Army Medical Center where he’s been receiving care following injuries suffered in a rocket attack in Afghanistan in mid-June.

“It feels pretty good to be home, surreal,” said Stewart with a big smile on his face after arriving at the Jackson-Evers International Airport.

Stewart, who left for Afghanistan in May, said he was running to get his aid bag when an RPG blasted through a wall he was behind. So far, he has undergone 36 surgeries on his right arm and hand.

“The record (for surgeries) at Walter Reed is 88. I’m not trying to break that,” he said.

Stewart said that still having his arm and gaining feeling in his hands is “absolutely a miracle.”

Read More: CL

Obama: More Aggressive Anti-Foreclosure Efforts Would Help People Who Don't Deserve It

President Barack Obama defended his administration's eleaguered foreclosure-prevention initiatives on Wednesday by arguing that more aggressive steps to assist homeowners might help people who don't deserve to be helped.

Asked if his administration had done enough to stem the foreclosure crisis, Obama opted not to address foreclosure fraud scandal that has forced banks to temporarily halt home repossessions across the country. Instead, he claimed that the government's efforts had stabilized the housing market, and argued that the "biggest challenge" was to make sure speculators and deadbeats didn't take advantage of the government's help.

"The biggest challenge is how do you make sure that you are helping those who really deserve help and if they get some temporary help can get back on their feet, make their payments and move forward and stay in their home versus either people who are speculators, own second homes that they really couldn't afford because they'd gotten a subprime loan, and people who through no fault of their own just can't afford their house anymore because of the change in housing values or their incomes don't support it," Obama said during a roundtable discussion with a handful of progressive bloggers at the White House.

"And we're always trying to find that sweet spot to use as much of the money that we have available to us to help those who can be helped, without wasting that money on folks who don't deserve help," he continued. "And that's a tough balance to strike."

Homeowner advocates, members of Congress, and auditors of the administration's Home Affordable Modification Program have relentlessly criticized the Treasury Department for the program's shortcomings. President Obama said in early 2009 when he announced HAMP that it would help "as many as three to four million homeowners to modify the terms of their mortgages to avoid foreclosure."

While 640,300 homeowners are benefiting from reduced payments under HAMP, 728,686 people have been bounced from the program. Fewer than 500,000 are in active "permanent" five-year modifications. There is no shortage of stories from homeowners who say banks acted in bad faith by stretching out "trial" modifications that are supposed to last for only three months, then denying permanent modifications and leaving homeowners faced with imminent foreclosure -- and no shortage of class action lawsuits, either.
On Monday, a federal bailout watchdog reported that HAMP sometimes actually causes the foreclosures it's designed to prevent, as applicants "end up unnecessarily depleting their dwindling savings in an ultimately futile effort to obtain the sustainable relief promised by the program guidelines." It's an allegation that had already been made by homeowner advocates.

Obama is unfazed by all of that.

"The HAMP program has gotten a lot of criticism, but the fact of the matter is, is that you've got half a million people who have gone through permanent loan modifications that are saving 500 bucks a month," Obama said. "And I get letters every day from people whose homes were saved as a consequence of it."

One of the biggest changes to HAMP since it started last year has been the requirement that as of June, borrowers must prove their eligibility with documents like tax forms and pay stubs. The administration argues that many people were denied permanent modifications because they were put into trial plans before their ability to pay had been verified.

HP

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JJ: Pickering Wimps Out

State Auditor Stacey Pickering has released the awaited Audit Report on Madison County. And, as expected, Pickering took the teeth out of the report. Choosing, as noted by Kingfish, to scrub one very damning statement that was in the preliminary report:

"Contracts are geared to protect engineer's interests instead of Madison County taxpayers."

The report goes on to list that the cozy relationship Mr. Warnock has with his enablers on the Madison County Board of Supervisors has, in fact, resulted in his interest coming before taxpayers. But, one has to wonder why the auditor didn't want to come to that conclusion.
View Report: HERE

Related Posts: MCH: State audit probing county contracts
JJ: Stacy Pickering: What the hell?
State Auditor's office sends a response team to Madison County to look at Warnock and Associates Contracts
Warnock tells WLBT he embraces audit, but will there be a full investigation?
Madison County Journal-Report questions engineering fees

Sentencing postponed for Howard Industries exec

Gonzalez

The sentencing hearing for the only company executive convicted following the nation’s largest workplace raid on illegal immigrants was postponed again after federal prosecutors in Mississippi filed sealed motions in the case.

Jose Humberto Gonzalez, the former personnel director of Howard Industries, was the only executive charged in relation to a massive federal raid in August 2008 that ended with the detention of nearly 600 illegal immigrants.

Gonzalez pleaded guilty Dec. 9, 2009, to conspiracy, admitting that he knowingly hired illegal immigrants at Howard Industries’ transformer plant in Laurel. He faces five years in prison. His sentencing was scheduled for Thursday, but U.S. District Judge Keith Starrett postponed it until Jan. 6.

The judge did not offer an explanation for the delay.

Gonzales was to be sentenced Aug. 30, but that, too, was postponed after prosecutors filed sealed motions in the case.

MBJ

Is Black Support for Obama Racist?



BY: Jerome Hudson

 With poverty at an all-time high, daunting black unemployment levels and Obamacare threatening black babies, black support for Barack Obama remains surprisingly strong.

Why?

Blacks are not uniformly as radical as Obama. So why do 91 percent of blacks still support him when only 79 percent of his Democrat constituency does?

It’s a black thang.

Again, why?

Some say Obama’s support comes from “black solidarity” — that birds of a feather flock together. That is racist in itself. After all, imagine if white voters similarly lined up in “racial solidarity.” This is compounded by the facts.

Under George W. Bush, black unemployment was actually lower than during the Clinton years and much lower than the 16.3 percent it is today. Under Obama, black unemployment rose from 12.6 percent to 16.3 percent as of August 1, 2010.

Despite promoting black upward mobility, Bush only enjoyed a black approval rating in the low 30s at a similar time in his presidency. Bush also made historic cabinet-level appointments of blacks and dramatically increased funding to fight AIDS in Africa. Much to Kanye West’s chagrin, President Bush did care about black people.

Furthermore, after nearly two years of Obama’s reckless spending, 43.6 million Americans (one in seven) live in poverty — a 51-year high. Blacks, who account for only 13 percent of the population, make up 22.6 percent of those now receiving food stamp benefits.

And, after a promise there would be no federal abortion funding in Obamacare, tax dollars for abortions may be provided through high-risk insurance programs in Pennsylvania, New Mexico and Maryland.

Polling shows blacks are overwhelmingly pro-life. We undoubtedly want jobs and freedom from poverty. So why the blind loyalty to someone who hasn’t delivered?

When a constituency clearly provides loyal support, as blacks are to progressives, it begs to be taken for granted.

So is it any wonder that, after 50 years of conceding support to liberals and letting Uncle Sam be their “baby daddy,” we are mired in an anti-empowerment culture of dependency?

Liberals can argue racism causes black stagnation, but is a 70 percent illegitimacy rate among blacks (90 percent in some inner cities) due to racism or a lack of accountability and personal responsibility? It’s also a painful truth that blacks kill more blacks (by gun, unhealthy lifestyle and abortion) than racists could ever accomplish.

So-called “civil rights leaders,” pseudo-intellectuals and liberal lawmakers must know this, yet they insist on pretending racism is more responsible for sluggish black advancement than behavior they foster.

It’s time for a frank discussion about the folly of black Americans’ monolithic support of liberalism. When 91 percent of any racial group votes one way, it’s either out of racism or blind groupthink. Neither is good for America.

FJ

Distrtict 3 Congressional Candidates make final push before Election Day (Video)

Volunteer Jim Nash is trying to figure out which people will be responsible for placing campaign signs around the area. He’s surrounded by boxes full of merchandise including bumper stickers, shirts, and posters.




Volunteer Thelma Kumar was placing Gill’s support signs all along Old Fannin Road in Flowood on Wednesday.