Backers make appeal to keep East Flora Middle School open

More time - that's what Flora parents and officials are asking of the Madison County School Board.
"Let us keep our children here, and we can work with them to get them up to par," Flora Alderman Mary Sumler said to school district officials Monday night at a public hearing on the possible closing of East Flora Middle School.

The school district has been underfunded by $7 million over the past three years, and district officials are looking to reduce costs if the state does not fund the schools at least at the same level as this year. East Flora Middle, the smallest school in the Madison County district, costs $1.1 million to operate, and closing it means a $750,000 saving, Superintendent Mike Kent said.

Kent said the board intends to decide at its April 4 meeting on whether to close East Flora and send those students to Madison Middle School next August.

Flora Mayor Leslie Childress asked the board to consider delaying any idea of closing the school, which has the Mississippi Department of Education rating of "academic watch."

Kent said the school is inefficient to run because of its small size, which makes the cost of educating each student about $14,000 compared to $7,700 in the rest of the district.

Academic performance of the students and low parental involvement also factor into the final verdict. "If performance of the kids goes up, that helps your cause," Kent said. "We have struggled over a number of years to bring the performance up."

Of the 17 who signed up to speak, only Lady Margaret Harvey asked the board to close the school so Flora students can attend Madison Middle School.

"Parents aren't going to send their children to a failing school if they can afford to send their children elsewhere. Tax dollars could be better spent," she said.

CL

Baptist campus expanding

Construction has started on an ambulatory surgery center in the building off Highland Colony Parkway at Mississippi 463, and work will begin soon for a family medical clinic at the corner of Main Street and Old Canton Road. Baptist Health System is also planning on building a wellness facility on its 60-acre campus.

"As the market in Madison County has needs for more health care, we will build accordingly," Baptist Health System spokesman Robby Channell said.

Baptist has begun work on the ambulatory center on the ground floor of its building at 401 Baptist Drive. The hospital has held a certificate of need for the out-patient surgery center since planning the building that opened in 2007, Channell said.

Mike Stevens, Baptist vice president of development, told the Madison Board of Aldermen in January that the center will open probably around June or July.

"We don't have a definite date of when we will start treating patients," Channell said.

MCH

Mississippi House OKs plan for insurance exchange

The Mississippi House has approved a plan that would allow employers to buy group health insurance policies anywhere in the country, not just from Mississippi insurers.

The House, by an 83-33 margin Monday, passed a bill to enact a health insurance exchange in Mississippi.

Backers say the health insurance exchange is a critical part of the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Aaron Sisk, senior staff attorney with the Mississippi Department of Insurance, says the exchanges are "a marketplace for health insurance ... a one-stop shop."

Presumably, people can get health insurance cheaper in the exchanges because the large volume of customers will drive down costs.

A similar bill is pending in the Mississippi Senate.

Under the federal law, states can either set up their own exchanges or leave it to the federal government to establish one.

Republican Gov. Haley Barbour, who has filed a lawsuit questioning the constitutionality of the federal health care law, supports the exchanges and is requesting $1.5 million to put one in place in Mississippi.

Rep. Robert Johnson, D-Natchez, said no state money would be needed for the exchange this year. He said that before 2016, the federal government would pay at least 95 percent of the cost of the exchange and might pay it all.

He said Insurance Commission Mike Chaney already has received a $1 million federal grant to begin work on enacting the exchange.

After 2016, the exchanges are required to be self-supporting.
Read more: SH

KF tackles inconsistencies in the Hatch Act and the Madison County race for Sheriff

The issue of the Hatch Act reared its head when Public Safety Commissioner announced he is running for Attorney General and was mentioned in a newspaper article covering the Madison County Sheriff's race. The Hatch Act prohibits government employees from running for public office. The question that usually arises is whether state or local government employees are covered by the law. The Office of Special Counsel states on its website a covered employee is:

"An officer or employee of a state or local agency is subject to the Hatch Act if, as a normal and foreseeable incident of his principal position or job, he performs duties in connection with an activity financed in whole or in part by federal funds. Coverage is not dependent on whether the employee actually administers the funds or has policy duties with respect to them. However, an employee may have other duties in connection with federally funded programs or activities, and thus may be covered by the Hatch Act, even though he does not apply for or administer federal loans or grants or have any authority or discretion over the federal funding." Special Counsel FAQ's, Federal Law

Considering how many local law enforcement agencies receive federal dollars for communications systems, Homeland Security, anti-drug programs, and supplementing salaries, the Hatch Act probably applies to some or all of those who have filed qualifying papers for the Madison County Sheriff election: Ridgeland Police Chief Jimmy Houston and Madison County Deputies Randall Tucker, Brad D. Harbour and Mark Sandridge.

Read More at Jackson Jambalaya

Planned Parenthood Aids Pimp's Underage Sex Ring

House GOP readies bill to prohibit EPA from regulating carbon emissions

Acting on a vow to fight the Obama administration on climate issues, Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.), chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, unveiled draft legislation Wednesday to try to strip the Environmental Protection Agency of its power to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act.

Sen. James M. Inhofe (Okla.), ranking Republican on the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, and Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-Ky.), chairman of the subcommittee on energy and power, joined Upton in issuing what they called the Energy Tax Prevention Act.

In a statement, the congressmen said the legislation's intent is to show that the Clean Air Act was not meant to address climate change, stop the EPA "from imposing a backdoor cap-and-trade tax" on industries identified as polluters, and protect American jobs.

"We firmly believe federal bureaucrats should not be unilaterally setting national climate change policy," the statement said.

The EPA issued a finding in late 2009 that said greenhouse gas emissions linked to global warming endanger the public's health and welfare. Last month, the agency told industrial facilities such as power plants, oil refineries and paper mills that require permits to emit sulfur dioxide and nitrous oxide to also account for greenhouse gas emissions if they expand or add construction that significantly increases greenhouse gas pollution.

Republicans, many of whom doubt climate-change science, say the regulations hurt the ability of U.S. manufacturers to compete against companies in countries with relaxed standards.

The EPA has its foot "squarely on the neck of business," Upton has said. Republicans say the Obama administration is trying to use tougher EPA regulations on energy to overcome the president's failure to pass climate-change legislation.

Read More: House GOP readies bill to prohibit EPA from regulating carbon emissions

MDL: Justice James E. Graves, Jr. Receives Approval From Judiciary Committee For U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals

Graves

This morning the Senate Judiciary Committee approved Justice James E. Graves, Jr.’s nomination , en banc, to the United States Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit. It is expected that Graves nomination, and several others, will now move quickly to the U.S. Senate floor.

MDL

Bronze Horse stolen from Andover.

BY: B. Keith Plunkett

WLBT is reporting that one of the bronze horses at the Andover Subdivision on Hwy 22 was stolen in the last days of December. I've driven by several times now since then and haven't even noticed. I guess I just got accustomed to them being there--kind of like being accustomed to driving by a dump--so at some point I stopped looking. Apparently we have thieves with very poor taste. Flora folks may remember the tacky lions that stood guard at the gates of Andover a few years ago. After some people who purchased lots there threatened to sell over it if they weren't removed, the lions disappeared and the horses showed up.

Sorry if I sound a little unconcerned, Mr. Eaves. But out here, we appreciate the real thing much more than your tacky expensive yard ornaments from Italy.

If nothing else the report was good for the fact that we get to replace the silly images of Bert Case being threatened with an ass kicking by former Governor Kirk Fordice,



and the images of Bert yelling at a dog,



with this:

There's a horse thief on the loose in Madison County.

But the horse is made of bronze and weighs about 600 pounds.

It was taken from the Andover Subdivision just east of the Flora city limits on Highway 22.

The stolen horse was taken between 5:00 p.m. on Dec. 27 and 7:00 a.m. Dec. 28.

The horse belongs to the John Arthur Eaves family and was brought here from Italy.

The bronze horse was purchased by attorney John Arthur Eaves, Sr. because the horses reminded him of some horses he owned when John Arthur Eaves, Jr. was a child.

"Someone came in the middle of the night and lifted this pure bronze horse out of ground, in this yard, which is an amazing accomplishment, by itself," John Aruthur Eaves, Jr. said. "So you can see we have one horse left, his name is Shadow and they took Velvet, and we just want to have them reunited in time for Valentine's Day."

The Andover Subdivision features 3 to 6 acre lots and appeals to horse owners.

"Well Bert I can't imagine, must a been a group of kids that pulled in here in a pickup truck on a trailer, and just loaded the brass horse off in it," Sheriff Toby Trowbridge of Madison County said. "And I need your help once again in trying to get this back. So my thought was let 3 On Your Side get a hold of it, and if any neighbors see a brass horse, in their neighbor's back yard please call you or us."

The bronze horse weighs about 600 pounds.

If anyone knows who stole it, they could get up to a $1,000 reward for turning them in.

Eaves, Jr. said if the people who stole the bronze horse bring it back, he will not press charges.

Buuuuhhhhrrrrrrt Case . . . WLBT

WWII hero Earl Derrington, the POW's friend, awarded the Bronze Star in ceremony

Tuesday February 1, Congressman Gregg Harper awarded the Bronze Star to WWII veteran Earl Derrington of Jackson. The 86-year old Derrington was a prisoner of war in Germany. Upon his return home to Jackson and recovery from wounds received, he began working for all American POW's everywhere. Mr. Derrington with the help of state legislators passed one of the first POW bills in the country through the Mississippi Legislature, and eventually helped do the same for the rest of the country.

You can read the Clarion Ledger coverage of the ceremony HERE.

Photo by: B. Keith Plunkett



VA Congressional Assistant Larry Wert, introduces Congressman Gregg Harper.
Photo by: B. Keith Plunkett 



Photo by: B. Keith Plunkett

Congressman Harper presents Mr. Derrington with the Combat Infantry Badge. The award was a replacement for one Derrington lost in 1945 while recovering from combat wounds.
Photo by: B. Keith Plunkett

Congressman Gregg Harper pins the Bronze Star on Earl Derrington.
Photo by: B. Keith Plunkett

Harper and Derrington speak immediately following the ceremony.
Photo by: B. Keith Plunkett

Photo by: B. Keith Plunkett

Photo by: B. Keith Plunkett

Congressman Gregg Harper looks on as Earl Derrington is interviewed by the media following the ceremony.
Photo by: B. Keith Plunkett

Photo by: B. Keith Plunkett

The Hill: Barbour to meet with Netanyahu in Israel

Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour (R) will visit Israel on Saturday, less than a week after Mike Huckabee announced a similar trip.

Barbour is scheduled to leave Saturday and will be in Israel until Wednesday of next week.

According to the Republican Jewish Coalition, which is hosting the possible 2012 presidential candidate, Barbour will meet with senior Israeli leaders, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He will also deliver a "major address" at the Herzliya Conference on the last day of his trip.

Netanyahu has recently met with both former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) and ex- Arkansas Gov. Huckabee, both of whom have shown interest in running for president in 2012.

Visiting Israel and meeting with Netanyahu in particular are indications that Romney, Huckabee, and Barbour are working to bolster their foreign policy credentials.

Read More.

MBJ: State revenue collections beat forecast, but Barbour urges caution

It appears that the state’s January revenue collections will exceed expectations, but Gov. Haley Barbour is still urging lawmakers to be cautious when spending.

Barbour said, “Mississippi’s preliminary January revenue collections were slightly higher than estimated, which shows the state’s economy continues to recover slowly. The state collected $326 million, which was 1.42 percent above the Sine Die estimate for the month.

MBJ

Harper to award WWII veteran Bronze Star Medal in ceremony today.

Congressman Gregg Harper speaks with Mississippi officials
at the State of the State address in Jackson.

A World War II veteran who was wounded and taken prisoner during the famous Battle of the Bulge will receive the Bronze Star Medal on Tuesday.

U.S. Rep. Gregg Harper, a Mississippi Republican, will present the medal to Clarence Earl Derrington Jr., a retired U.S. Army corporal, during a 1:30 p.m. ceremony at Mississippi's War Memorial Building.

Harper called the medal in a news release a testament to Derrington's "courage and selflessness."

Derrington was 20 when he was wounded and captured. He spent 260 days as a prisoner in Stalag 69.

Keeping East Flora open is a bad idea until a majority of parents prove they care.

BY: B. Keith Plunkett

The Madison County Board of Supervisors voted in favor of a resolution asking Madison County Superintendent Mike Kent to find a way to keep East Flora Middle School open following a special meeting on the subject on Friday January 28.

"The school is inefficient because of its economy of scale," Kent said, adding that the cost to educate a student there is $14,000 compared to $7,700 in the rest of the district.

In a Madison County Herald report today, District 4 Supervisor Karl Banks suggested the district redraw lines to force kids from Madison Middle School--rated a top rated Star School--into the Flora District as a way of increasing attendance. The East Flora Middle School is currently rated as "academic watch".  Banks suggested that, despite the fact that the Madison County taxpayers are spending almost double the average cost per student at East Flora, that the school is being "penalized." But, he obviously had no problem "penalizing" students from Madison Middle School.

"If you changed the attendance zone, student cost wouldn't be the issue. Fourteen thousand dollars is not the issue," said Banks, who represents the Flora area. "If you're going to penalize (East Flora Middle) because of the costs, you can solve that with the stroke of a pen - bring in more children."

"Maybe if the lines were drawn better, we could have two Star Schools," Banks said.

But, will bringing kids in whose parents care more about their kids education, into a school that's parental involvement is among the lowest in the district help students, or hinder overall achievment? And is that an experiment the School District wants to conduct on it children? Furthermore, how many of the Madison Middle School students who would be drawn into the Flora District will withdraw from public schools and enter the private school system?

My guess is: most of them, leaving the school district and East Flora Middle School with the same problems--lower achievement, a majority of parents who care more about their own convenience than they do about their kids education, and an extremely ineffecient school.

Supervisor Paul Griffin's suggestion was predictable: raise taxes.

Supervisor Paul Griffin said the school district could consider doing what the county did a few years ago to provide for needed funds - increase the millage rate.

"If the Board of Education wants to provide good schools and keep them going, they may have to bite the bullet and raise taxes," Griffin said.

Griffin made a similar suggestion weeks ago in order fund the construction of emergency sirens in his district.

The attraction to economic development is a wonderful argument on it's face. Having a school in town is a much bigger draw to industry looking to relocate. But, like the redistricting argument, it doesn't hold water, either. Once industry recognizes the school is in serious trouble, it may as well not exist.

If parents of students don't care about the school, why should the Madison County taxpayer.

Health Care Rejection: A copy of Vinson's ruling

Opinion - 2

Marshall Ramsey Cartoon: In the Eye of the Beholder

MarshallRamsey.com

Fla. judge strikes down health overhaul

PENSACOLA, Fla. -- A federal judge in Florida says the Obama administration's health overhaul is unconstitutional, siding with 26 states that had sued to block it.

U.S. District Judge Roger Vinson on Monday accepted without trial the states' argument that the new law violates people's rights by forcing them to buy health insurance by 2014 or face penalties.

Attorneys for the administration had argued that the states did not have standing to challenge the law and that the case should be dismissed.

The case is likely to go to the U.S. Supreme Court. Two other federal judges have upheld the insurance requirement, but a federal judge in Virginia also ruled the insurance requirement unconstitutional.

Sun Herald

Supes talk Flora Middle School Closure (Video) Part 2

Citzens respond at the Special meeting of the Madison County Board of Supervisors on January 28.

You can view Superintendent Mike Kent's statement in Part 1 HERE


Part 2 Madison County Board of Supervisors Jan 28, 2011 from DI Smith on Vimeo.

Supes talk Flora Middle School Closure (Video)

The video was provided by Supervisor DI Smith, and is 40 plus minutes long. But, if you're interested in getting information on why the school board feels closing Flora's Middle school is the only option, you should watch it.

Thanks to Supervisor Smith for his continued efforts to provide transparent government to Madison County residents.


Madison County Board of Supervisors Special Mtg East Flora Middle School Jan 28, 2011 from DI Smith on Vimeo.

Yin and Yang: Reagan and Obama

It's simple ideology

Two more Mississippi Democrats switch to Republican Party

BY: B. Keith Plunkett

Two more Mississippi Democrats made the switch to the Republican Party today at GOP Headquarters in Jackson brining the total number since 2009 to 53. State Representatives Russ Nowell of Louisville represents District 43, and Representative Margaret Rogers of New Albany represents District 14. The two were joined by gaggle of state officials.

Majority in Mississippi has a running tally of party switchers HERE.

Click the pictures below for a larger view:



GOP Chairman Brad White is joined by Governor Barbour and dozens of
state officials to join Russ Nowell and Margaret Rogers to the Republican Party























State Rep. Russ Nowell of Louisville is flanked by Governor Barbour, Rep. Scott Bounds,
Rep. Margaret Rogers, Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann and other state officials
as he announces his switch to the Republican Party.



Rep. Russ Nowell



State Rep. Margaret Rogers of New Albany with Governor Barbour, Secretary
of State Delbert Hosemann, Chairman Brad White, and Rep. Russ Nowell.



Governor Barbour welcomes Rep. Margaret Rogers and Rep. Russ Nowell
to the Mississippi Republican Party