Mississippi will get the first chance to convict killing spree suspect James Cobb Hutto, according to Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith.
Smith said officials in Alabama, where Hutto has been held since his Sept. 17 arrest near Auburn, have agreed to transfer the 39-year-old former mixed martial arts fighter to Mississippi for prosecution by Nov. 4.
Hutto, a Jasper, Ala., resident, is accused of the Sept. 13 slaying of 81-year-old Ethel Simpson of Clinton. In Alabama, Hutto being held on a murder charge for the death of his great-aunt Virginia Rardon two days later. He also faces an assault charge for allegedly attacking Mark Ambers Cox, 56, of Opelika, on Sept. 17.
CL
Related Posts: Clinton PD asks for help finding missing Clinton woman last seen with sex offender
A Sad Ending To The Story
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Monday, October 18, 2010
Friday, October 15, 2010
Harper supports new COLA formula for Seniors, rejects pay raise for himself.
“I am excited about working with Members of Congress to enact this important legislation that will have a positive impact on Mississippi’s seniors,” said Harper, a freshman Republican who represents Mississippi’s Third Congressional District. “This formula would better measure seniors’ expenses, most of which are living on a fixed income and battling this economic downturn.”
The current index that is used by the U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) to determine a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) is the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). For the second year in a row, this index has not increased over the 2008 level, which is the last year seniors received a COLA increase.
The “CPI for Seniors Act” was introduced by Representative John Duncan Jr. of Tennessee and would establish a new Consumer Price Index for Seniors (CPI-S) so that annual Social Security COLAs can be more fairly determined. This legislation would direct the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to finally determine a new CPI-S formula for seniors that more accurately reflects the costs incurred by older Americans, specifically individuals in the United States who are 62 years of age or older.
Many seniors have complained that Members of Congress received a pay raise for 2010 and 2011 while their benefits remained the same. Although the Employment Cost Index (ECI) – the formula used for Congressional pay adjustments – calculated a total three percent increase for 2010 and 2011, Congress denied the additional pay with Harper voting for no increase in his pay in both years.
“With nearly one in 10 Mississippians out of a job and seniors being denied a COLA, it would be completely inappropriate and irrational for me to accept a pay raise,” added Harper. “Congress should not delay consideration of this legislation that will provide more precise payments to our senior citizens.”
H.R. 5305 was referred to the House Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions on June 29, 2010.
Deadline for Madison town square extended
The city, along with the Madison Square Redevelopment Authority (MSRA), recently extended the deadline for proposals for the highly anticipated project to January 18.
Alan Hoops, director of Community Development, said the original deadline was in August. “We had at least two interested developers who wanted more time,” he said.
While construction might not begin as soon as city officials had hoped, extending the deadline has had at least one benefit. Since making the decision, other builders have also shown interest in the project.
“We’ve sent out requests for proposals to at least two or three developers. One of them is in south Florida and the other is from Arkansas,” Hoops said. “There is a company that advertises projects like this for developers and we were picked up.” The city didn’t pay for the advertising and Hoops couldn’t think of the name of the company during the interview.
He said the number of developers showing interest in the square is about what city leaders expected.
Contractors can make proposals to lease the property or buy the property from the city. Ideally, Hoops would like to see a developer chosen who already has tenants lined up to move in as soon as buildings go up.
The square will sit on approximately 17 acres bordered by U.S. 51, Madison Avenue, Main Street and Magnolia Street
Read more: NS
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Obama and the Black Farmer: Something for Nothing.
President Barack Obama is requesting $1.15 billion from Congress—to add to a $100-million earmark he pushed through Congress in 2008 when he was a senator—to create a $1.25 billion federal fund to settle discrimination claims by what the Justice Department says is 66,000 African Americans who “farmed or attempted to farm” and were allegedly the victims of discrimination committed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) during the period from Jan. 1, 1981 to Dec. 31, 1996.
During that 16-year period, however, the number of African American farm operators in the United States peaked at 33,000 in 1982, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. By 1992, says the Census Bureau, the number of African American farmers had fallen as low as 19,000. (There were 2.24 million total farmers in the United States in 1982 and 1.93 million in 1992.)
A "farm operator," according to the Census, is "a person who operates a farm, either doing the work or making day-to-day decisions." Farm operators include both individuals who own farms and who rent them.
Read More: Obama Wants $1.25 B to Compensate up to 66,000 African American Farmers for USDA Discrimination in 1981-96; Census Says African American Farmers Peaked at 33,000 in Those Years
2 arrested in child-porn case
A mother and son were arrested on child pornography charges Tuesday.
Keyes Pierce, 28, was charged with four counts of possession of child pornography. His bond was set at $1 million, or $250,000 per count, by Municipal Judge Dale Danks Jr.
Pierce's mother, Lisa Louise Pierce, 52, who lives in Florence, was charged with one count of accessory after the fact of possession of child pornography. Her bond was set at $50,000.
Both were being held at the Madison County Detention Center in Canton.
They were arrested after Madison police and members of the state attorney general's Internet Crimes Against Children unit served a search warrant at 388 Sundial Road in an investigation of alleged possession of child pornography.
CL
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| Keyes Pierce |
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| Lisa Pierce |
Both were being held at the Madison County Detention Center in Canton.
They were arrested after Madison police and members of the state attorney general's Internet Crimes Against Children unit served a search warrant at 388 Sundial Road in an investigation of alleged possession of child pornography.
CL
Canton Flea Market Today
If you have business in Canton today, reschedule.
The Flea Market will be from 8-5. Held on the second Thursday in May and October, it began in 1965 as an art show on the grounds of the Courthouse. It now takes up several streets, and attracts many thousands of visitors.
AP: 700 MS homes in foreclosure in 3rd quarter
Irvine, Calif.-based RealtyTrac said that although foreclosure action picked up overall, there was a slight decline from August to September.
RealtyTrac said that in addition to the repossession of 727 homes, another 705 property owners received a notice of a pending foreclosure sale during the July-through-September period.
One in every 885 homes received some sort of foreclosure-related notice during the third quarter. Mississippi ranked 46th nationally in the rate of foreclosure actions, RealtyTrac said.
Third-quarter foreclosure filings in Mississippi increased 40.1 percent from the second quarter of 2010, but decreased 35.5 percent from the third quarter of 2009.
RealtyTrac CEO James Saccacio said he expects to see a dip in lender repossessions in the fourth quarter, not because of an improving economy, but because some major lenders have stopped foreclosures amid questions about documentation.
On Wednesday, officials in 50 states and the District of Columbia launched a joint investigation into allegations that mortgage companies mishandled documents and broke laws in foreclosing on hundreds of thousands of homeowners.
The states’ attorneys general and bank regulators will examine whether mortgage company employees made false statements or prepared documents improperly. Employees of four large lenders have acknowledged in depositions that they signed off on foreclosure documents without reading them.
RealtyTrac said the Mississippi foreclosure rate dropped 10.9 percent from August and 63.3 percent from September 2009. Last month, there were 260 homes repossessed, while 264 were set for auction by lenders.
Those actions affected one in every 2,418 Mississippi homes, ranking the state 45th in the United States.
RealtyTrac reported that 930,437 properties in the United States were hit by a third-quarter foreclosure action, affecting one in every 139 homes. Nationally, 288,345 properties were repossessed.
The highest foreclosure rates in the third quarter were recorded in Nevada, Arizona, Florida, California, Idaho, Utah, Georgia, Michigan, Illinois and Hawaii.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
CL: Ex-Canton official avoids jail time for animal cruelty
Judge fines Alonzo Esco, orders community service
Former Canton animal control officer Alonzo Esco will get no jail time for two misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty and dumping.
Justice Court Judge Tommy Faulkner ordered Esco on Wednesday afternoon to perform 120 hours of community service with the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol.
Esco has 30 days to pay a $500 fine for each count and $320 in court costs.
Faulkner suspended the 120 days in jail that Esco could have served.
With two defense attorneys, Esco gave no comments and asked no questions during the sentencing. Faulkner accepted a handwritten statement that he expected from Esco 59 days ago.
“Mr. Esco has had a lot on his plate this year and he’s glad to have this chapter behind him,” said Esco’s attorney, Trey O’Cain.
Esco is suspected of shooting more than 100 animals and dumping the carcases in a Canton creek and possibly other sites.
Read More: CL
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| Alonzo Esco |
Justice Court Judge Tommy Faulkner ordered Esco on Wednesday afternoon to perform 120 hours of community service with the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol.
Esco has 30 days to pay a $500 fine for each count and $320 in court costs.
Faulkner suspended the 120 days in jail that Esco could have served.
With two defense attorneys, Esco gave no comments and asked no questions during the sentencing. Faulkner accepted a handwritten statement that he expected from Esco 59 days ago.
“Mr. Esco has had a lot on his plate this year and he’s glad to have this chapter behind him,” said Esco’s attorney, Trey O’Cain.
Esco is suspected of shooting more than 100 animals and dumping the carcases in a Canton creek and possibly other sites.
Read More: CL
Mitchell stretches to connect dots and Holland cries, "That's Not Fair!!"
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| Jerry Mitchell |
Mitchell also writes how the the show removal drew criticism and "sparked creation of a Facebook Fan page." I checked the Facebook Fan page. As of the time I write this it has 820 "Likes". That's hardly a massive outcry from a statewide audience. My own personal friend group is over 1,000 and I don't have a radio show, nor have I "sparked" anything.
Dr. Lewis' decision to remove the show was a bad move. I occasionally listen to Fresh Air, and I do find it entertaining. But, Mitchell's story is making a mountain out of a mole hill. It's only when you read on that you find out why.
Barbour! As in Governor Haley Barbour.
On Tuesday, MPB officials acknowledged another programming decision that has raised concerns over fairness. They acknowledged their satellite feed of the Republican Gov. Haley Barbour's State of the State address in January did not to include the Democratic response. They would not comment further. Television stations around the state typically use those speeches to prepare their stories.
On Jan. 15, MPB sent out a news release for satellite coordinates for television stations to be able to pick up the State of the State speech. There is no mention of the Democratic response, which aired live on MPB but was not carried on the satellite feed.
Rep. Steve Holland
"That doesn't sound like that's being fair, but the governor has done a magnificent job of running the executive branch with an iron fist," said state Rep. Steve Holland, D-Plantersville. "All hail, President Barbour."Turns out the Guv's State of the State Speech was underwritten by a sponsor, and the Democrat's apparently couldn't find someone to pay for the response time.
"My guess is that if the Democrat response had been sponsored, MPB would have put that on the satellite feed as well," said Governor Barbour Spokesman Dan Turner.Mitchell's stories are less about what he writes and more about what he conveniently leaves out in order to make his point. How many television stations from around the state watched it on MPB and didn't actually need the satellite feed? The Democrat response did air on the MPB channels, just not on the feed. And, how many stations actually had a crew a the capitol? How many stations know a Democrat they can immediately call for follow up questions? Mitchell makes it sound as if those poor souls at televison stations across the state don't know how to pick up a phone. And, he does all this by playing up a slight connection, and downplaying numerous other points that nullify his argument.
"Virtually every entity receiving any significant state funding has been forced to make changes in the way they have operated in years past," Turner said.
He's merely looking to play up the "evil" Governor Barbour/Republican angle, and will make whatever stretch he can to do it.
MCH: Funding request may get OK in '11
Madison County has denied Canton's request for a 76 percent increase in firefighting funds, but the county's interest could reignite early in 2011.
"I don't have a problem reimbursing them, but I don't have the numbers right now to justify it," county fire coordinator Mack Pigg said.
Calling the handling of calls in the county a financial burden, Canton officials asked the Board of Supervisors last week to increase the financial assistance the city receives from $17,000 to $30,000 annually. The city's year-to-year agreement with the county to assist with calls ended Sept. 30.
The supervisors, at Pigg's recommendation, agreed to extend the contract, now in its third year, but at the current $17,000 level, for now.
"We don't have the money to guarantee" the higher pay, Pigg said.
The county pays Canton, Flora and its five volunteer departments contracted amounts from fire insurance rebate funds and uses the rest of the money for major fire safety expenses throughout the county. Last year, the county received $124,000 in fire insurance rebates. Madison and Ridgeland have mutual aid agreements with the county but receive no money.
"I don't want to cost Canton any money, but I don't want to pull any numbers from the air," Pigg said. "We don't want them to be operating in a deficit."
Pigg said he needs to determine how much insurance rebate money the county will get in 2011 before Canton can get an increase. The rebate, issued through the Mississippi Department of Insurance, is based on population, Pigg said. Once census data is received early next year, the amount of the county's rebate will be known, he said.
"I don't want to commit to Canton, not knowing any figures now," Pigg said. "We want to show justification on how much this is costing the city of Canton."
Canton Mayor Richard Truly told the supervisors the city would appreciate consideration of the higher fees "because of increased medical calls and increased fuel and equipment costs."
Read More: MCH
"I don't have a problem reimbursing them, but I don't have the numbers right now to justify it," county fire coordinator Mack Pigg said.
Calling the handling of calls in the county a financial burden, Canton officials asked the Board of Supervisors last week to increase the financial assistance the city receives from $17,000 to $30,000 annually. The city's year-to-year agreement with the county to assist with calls ended Sept. 30.
The supervisors, at Pigg's recommendation, agreed to extend the contract, now in its third year, but at the current $17,000 level, for now.
"We don't have the money to guarantee" the higher pay, Pigg said.
The county pays Canton, Flora and its five volunteer departments contracted amounts from fire insurance rebate funds and uses the rest of the money for major fire safety expenses throughout the county. Last year, the county received $124,000 in fire insurance rebates. Madison and Ridgeland have mutual aid agreements with the county but receive no money.
"I don't want to cost Canton any money, but I don't want to pull any numbers from the air," Pigg said. "We don't want them to be operating in a deficit."
Pigg said he needs to determine how much insurance rebate money the county will get in 2011 before Canton can get an increase. The rebate, issued through the Mississippi Department of Insurance, is based on population, Pigg said. Once census data is received early next year, the amount of the county's rebate will be known, he said.
"I don't want to commit to Canton, not knowing any figures now," Pigg said. "We want to show justification on how much this is costing the city of Canton."
Canton Mayor Richard Truly told the supervisors the city would appreciate consideration of the higher fees "because of increased medical calls and increased fuel and equipment costs."
Read More: MCH
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Teen charged in wreck that killed MRA teacher out on bond
Ethan Vansice, the 19-year-old indicted on a manslaughter charge in the death of a Madison-Ridgeland Academy teacher, is out on bond after turning himself in Monday at the Hinds County Sheriff's Department.
Bond for Vansice already had been set last week at $100,000.
"He came in shortly before 10 a.m," Lt. Jeffery Scott, spokesman for the Hinds County Sheriff's Department, said.
On Sept. 28, a Hinds County grand jury indicted Vansice in the Aug. 17 death of Leigh Anne Ward, 35, of Jackson.
The indictment states, "Ethan Vansice ... did unlawfully and feloniously, without authority of law, kill and slay Leigh A. Ward, a human being, by culpable negligence in the operation of an automobile."
On Monday, a woman who answered the phone at Vansice's north Jackson home and identified herself as his grandmother said she had "no comment."
Vansice is expected to be arraigned on Friday, Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith said.
If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison.
Read more: CL
Bond for Vansice already had been set last week at $100,000.
"He came in shortly before 10 a.m," Lt. Jeffery Scott, spokesman for the Hinds County Sheriff's Department, said.
On Sept. 28, a Hinds County grand jury indicted Vansice in the Aug. 17 death of Leigh Anne Ward, 35, of Jackson.
The indictment states, "Ethan Vansice ... did unlawfully and feloniously, without authority of law, kill and slay Leigh A. Ward, a human being, by culpable negligence in the operation of an automobile."
On Monday, a woman who answered the phone at Vansice's north Jackson home and identified herself as his grandmother said she had "no comment."
Vansice is expected to be arraigned on Friday, Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith said.
If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison.
Read more: CL
No Cost of living Increase in Social Security Payments for 2011
As if voters don't have enough to be angry about this election year, the government is expected to announce this week that more than 58 million Social Security recipients will go through another year without an increase in their monthly benefits.
It would mark only the second year without an increase since automatic adjustments for inflation were adopted in 1975. The first year was this year.
"If you're the ruling party, this is not the sort of thing you want to have happening two weeks before an election," said Andrew Biggs, a former deputy commissioner at the Social Security Administration and now a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute.
"It's not the congressional Democrats' fault, but that's the way politics works," Mr. Biggs said. "A lot of people will feel hostile about it."
The cost-of-living adjustments, or COLAs, are automatically set each year by an inflation measure that was adopted by Congress in the 1970s. Based on inflation so far this year, the trustees who oversee Social Security project there will be no COLA for 2011.
The projection will be made official on Friday, when the Bureau of Labor Statistics releases inflation estimates for September. The timing couldn't be worse for Democrats as they approach an election in which they are in danger of losing their House majority, and possibly their Senate majority as well.
Last Friday, the same bureau delivered another painful blow to Democrats: The United States lost 95,000 jobs in September, and unemployment remained stubbornly stuck at 9.6 percent.
Democrats have been working hard to make Social Security an election-year issue, running political ads and holding press conferences to accuse Republicans of plotting to privatize the national retirement program.
This week's announcement about Social Security benefits raises more immediate concerns for older Americans whose savings and home values still haven't recovered from the financial collapse. Many haven't had a raise since January 2009, and they won't be getting one until at least January 2012.
"While people aren't getting COLAs, they certainly feel like they're falling further and further behind, particularly in this economy," said David Certner, AARP's legislative policy director. "People are very reliant on Social Security as a major portion of their income, and quite frankly, they have counted on the COLA over the years."
Social Security was the primary source of income for 64 percent of retirees who got benefits in 2008, according to the Social Security Administration. A third relied on Social Security for at least 90 percent of their income.
A little more than 58.7 million people receive Social Security or Supplemental Security Income. The average Social Security benefit is about $1,072 a month.
Social Security recipients got a one-time bonus payment of $250 in the spring of 2009 as part of the government's massive economic recovery package. President Obama lobbied for another one last fall when it became clear seniors wouldn't get an increase in monthly benefit payments in 2010.
Congress took up the issue, but a proposal by Sen. Bernard Sanders, Vermont independent, died when 12 Democrats and Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman, Connecticut independent, joined Senate Republicans to block it. Sen. Olympia J. Snowe, Maine Republican, was the only GOP senator to support the second bonus payment.
Mr. Sanders said he expects older voters to be angry when they learn there will be no increase for the second straight year.
"I do think there's going to be political fallout," Mr. Sanders said. "Many seniors who are spending a lot of money on health care and prescription drugs really are going to find it hard to believe that there has been no inflationary costs to their purchasing needs."
Federal law requires the Social Security Administration to base annual payment increases on the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, which measures inflation. Officials compare inflation in the third quarter of each year — the months of July, August and September — with the same months in the previous year.
If inflation increases from year to year, Social Security recipients automatically get higher payments, starting in January. If inflation is negative, the payments stay unchanged.
Social Security payments increased by 5.8 percent in 2009, the largest increase in 27 years, after energy prices spiked in 2008.
But energy prices quickly dropped. For example, average gasoline prices topped $4 a gallon in the summer of 2008. But by January 2009, they had fallen below $2. Today, the national average is roughly $2.70 a gallon.
As a result, Social Security recipients got an increase in 2009 that was far larger than actual inflation. However, they won't get another increase until inflation exceeds the level measured in 2008. The Social Security trustees project that will happen next year, resulting in a small increase in benefits for 2012.
Social Security spokesman Mark Lassiter said the agency has no leeway to increase payments if the inflation measurement doesn't call for it.
Rep. Earl Pomeroy, North Dakota Democrat, who is chairman of the Ways and Means subcommittee on Social Security, has introduced a new bill to provide $250 payments to seniors if there is no increase in Social Security. Maybe, he said, there will be more of an appetite in Congress to pass it after lawmakers hear from voters in November.
"Costs of living are inevitably going up, regardless of what that formula says," Mr. Pomeroy said. "Seniors in particular have items such as uncovered drug costs, medical costs, utility increases, and they're on fixed incomes."
Washington Times
It would mark only the second year without an increase since automatic adjustments for inflation were adopted in 1975. The first year was this year.
"If you're the ruling party, this is not the sort of thing you want to have happening two weeks before an election," said Andrew Biggs, a former deputy commissioner at the Social Security Administration and now a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute.
"It's not the congressional Democrats' fault, but that's the way politics works," Mr. Biggs said. "A lot of people will feel hostile about it."
The cost-of-living adjustments, or COLAs, are automatically set each year by an inflation measure that was adopted by Congress in the 1970s. Based on inflation so far this year, the trustees who oversee Social Security project there will be no COLA for 2011.
The projection will be made official on Friday, when the Bureau of Labor Statistics releases inflation estimates for September. The timing couldn't be worse for Democrats as they approach an election in which they are in danger of losing their House majority, and possibly their Senate majority as well.
Last Friday, the same bureau delivered another painful blow to Democrats: The United States lost 95,000 jobs in September, and unemployment remained stubbornly stuck at 9.6 percent.
Democrats have been working hard to make Social Security an election-year issue, running political ads and holding press conferences to accuse Republicans of plotting to privatize the national retirement program.
This week's announcement about Social Security benefits raises more immediate concerns for older Americans whose savings and home values still haven't recovered from the financial collapse. Many haven't had a raise since January 2009, and they won't be getting one until at least January 2012.
"While people aren't getting COLAs, they certainly feel like they're falling further and further behind, particularly in this economy," said David Certner, AARP's legislative policy director. "People are very reliant on Social Security as a major portion of their income, and quite frankly, they have counted on the COLA over the years."
Social Security was the primary source of income for 64 percent of retirees who got benefits in 2008, according to the Social Security Administration. A third relied on Social Security for at least 90 percent of their income.
A little more than 58.7 million people receive Social Security or Supplemental Security Income. The average Social Security benefit is about $1,072 a month.
Social Security recipients got a one-time bonus payment of $250 in the spring of 2009 as part of the government's massive economic recovery package. President Obama lobbied for another one last fall when it became clear seniors wouldn't get an increase in monthly benefit payments in 2010.
Congress took up the issue, but a proposal by Sen. Bernard Sanders, Vermont independent, died when 12 Democrats and Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman, Connecticut independent, joined Senate Republicans to block it. Sen. Olympia J. Snowe, Maine Republican, was the only GOP senator to support the second bonus payment.
Mr. Sanders said he expects older voters to be angry when they learn there will be no increase for the second straight year.
"I do think there's going to be political fallout," Mr. Sanders said. "Many seniors who are spending a lot of money on health care and prescription drugs really are going to find it hard to believe that there has been no inflationary costs to their purchasing needs."
Federal law requires the Social Security Administration to base annual payment increases on the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, which measures inflation. Officials compare inflation in the third quarter of each year — the months of July, August and September — with the same months in the previous year.
If inflation increases from year to year, Social Security recipients automatically get higher payments, starting in January. If inflation is negative, the payments stay unchanged.
Social Security payments increased by 5.8 percent in 2009, the largest increase in 27 years, after energy prices spiked in 2008.
But energy prices quickly dropped. For example, average gasoline prices topped $4 a gallon in the summer of 2008. But by January 2009, they had fallen below $2. Today, the national average is roughly $2.70 a gallon.
As a result, Social Security recipients got an increase in 2009 that was far larger than actual inflation. However, they won't get another increase until inflation exceeds the level measured in 2008. The Social Security trustees project that will happen next year, resulting in a small increase in benefits for 2012.
Social Security spokesman Mark Lassiter said the agency has no leeway to increase payments if the inflation measurement doesn't call for it.
Rep. Earl Pomeroy, North Dakota Democrat, who is chairman of the Ways and Means subcommittee on Social Security, has introduced a new bill to provide $250 payments to seniors if there is no increase in Social Security. Maybe, he said, there will be more of an appetite in Congress to pass it after lawmakers hear from voters in November.
"Costs of living are inevitably going up, regardless of what that formula says," Mr. Pomeroy said. "Seniors in particular have items such as uncovered drug costs, medical costs, utility increases, and they're on fixed incomes."
Washington Times
Friday, October 8, 2010
Citizens coming together for another attempt at change on West Madison Utility Board
Last month, residents who rely on West Madison Utility to provide water and sewer went as many as 16 days with neither. But, as most residents know, this is nothing new.
Over the years, attempts have been made. Local contractors and residents have tried to get involved to fix the problems. But, the West Madison Board has resisted. When confronted with the fact that they haven't been doing their job at board meetings, they simply go into executive session, and have even called the cops on residents who refused to leave.
As a result of the newest issues, citizens are again coming together to confront the board and find solutions to the decades old problem. But, after the latest meeting, it would seem that the board is still very defensive. A group of 35 plus in attendance on October 4 got to see the secretary of West Madison Utility verbally threaten one resident. The resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said the secretary challenged her to fight.
"She told me that we could go outside and pretty much she was saying we could fight," said the unnamed meeting attendee.
Promises of no disconnections for the month of September were not kept, reconnection fees were charged, and some residents still saw bills in excess of $100 despite receiving no service from September 14 through September 30.
The citizens group has formed a committee and hired a lawyer. They plan to meet with Supervisor Karl Banks on Tuesday and ask for assistance moving forward. However, Banks has never been very helpful with this situation in the past, even going so far as to blame residents. Banks has used the problem to his political advantage over the past 25 years, but done little to help.
Residents are working with Rural Development hoping to have West Madison audited. Currently, rural water associations are only required to submit an annual "self-audit" to the State Auditor's office for review. That lack of oversight into the business practices of rural water associations invites mismanagement and misuse.
Questions have arisen regarding the award of a $400,000 grant many months ago to the utility that has never materialized. Some residents suggest it is sitting in a bank account unused. Others say misused.
Then there is the old story of the West Madison Director years ago who left town following the award of a grant, moving to Arkansas. The grant money supposedly disappeard with her. But, due to her connections with both Supervisor Karl Banks and Congressman Bennie Thompson she nor the money were heard from again.
Whether some of these stories are true or not remains to be seen. But, their is almost always a hint of truth, even in a lie. The fact that it is believable shows how far we have come, and how low West Madison Utility has fallen. If some of the mismanagement rumors turn out to be true there is further to fall yet.
If there is a silver lining, it is that the crisis has brought together the community like never before.
Said one, "Blacks and whites are pulling together and working hard to ensure that we no longer have to live with these injustices."
Meetings are held on the first Monday of the month at 6:00 pm. at the Kearney Park Community Center. For more information, or to be added to the agenda call 601.879.9718. The next meeting is November 1.
Related Posts: Here we go again! Decades old problems with West Madison Water District again rears it's ugly head.
Madison Co. Routes Water From Flora To Help Cover Outage
Madison Co. residents without water get relief
West Madison Utilities/Kearney Park
Over the years, attempts have been made. Local contractors and residents have tried to get involved to fix the problems. But, the West Madison Board has resisted. When confronted with the fact that they haven't been doing their job at board meetings, they simply go into executive session, and have even called the cops on residents who refused to leave.
As a result of the newest issues, citizens are again coming together to confront the board and find solutions to the decades old problem. But, after the latest meeting, it would seem that the board is still very defensive. A group of 35 plus in attendance on October 4 got to see the secretary of West Madison Utility verbally threaten one resident. The resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said the secretary challenged her to fight.
"She told me that we could go outside and pretty much she was saying we could fight," said the unnamed meeting attendee.
Promises of no disconnections for the month of September were not kept, reconnection fees were charged, and some residents still saw bills in excess of $100 despite receiving no service from September 14 through September 30.
The citizens group has formed a committee and hired a lawyer. They plan to meet with Supervisor Karl Banks on Tuesday and ask for assistance moving forward. However, Banks has never been very helpful with this situation in the past, even going so far as to blame residents. Banks has used the problem to his political advantage over the past 25 years, but done little to help.
Residents are working with Rural Development hoping to have West Madison audited. Currently, rural water associations are only required to submit an annual "self-audit" to the State Auditor's office for review. That lack of oversight into the business practices of rural water associations invites mismanagement and misuse.
Questions have arisen regarding the award of a $400,000 grant many months ago to the utility that has never materialized. Some residents suggest it is sitting in a bank account unused. Others say misused.
Then there is the old story of the West Madison Director years ago who left town following the award of a grant, moving to Arkansas. The grant money supposedly disappeard with her. But, due to her connections with both Supervisor Karl Banks and Congressman Bennie Thompson she nor the money were heard from again.
Whether some of these stories are true or not remains to be seen. But, their is almost always a hint of truth, even in a lie. The fact that it is believable shows how far we have come, and how low West Madison Utility has fallen. If some of the mismanagement rumors turn out to be true there is further to fall yet.
If there is a silver lining, it is that the crisis has brought together the community like never before.
Said one, "Blacks and whites are pulling together and working hard to ensure that we no longer have to live with these injustices."
Meetings are held on the first Monday of the month at 6:00 pm. at the Kearney Park Community Center. For more information, or to be added to the agenda call 601.879.9718. The next meeting is November 1.
Related Posts: Here we go again! Decades old problems with West Madison Water District again rears it's ugly head.
Madison Co. Routes Water From Flora To Help Cover Outage
Madison Co. residents without water get relief
West Madison Utilities/Kearney Park
MIM: A Republican Challenger To Pickering?
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| Mayor Mary Hawkins-Butler |
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| State Auditor Stacey Pickering |
To say this would be a shakeup in the race is an understatement. I would venture to say that Hawkins-Butler is probably one of the two or three most well known mayors in the state after the mayor of Jackson. Whether or not that is a positive remains to be seen. But for a Republican to run against a sitting Republican office holder would certainly be a game changer, and give political watchers like myself another highly competitive GOP primary.
MIM
Rasmussen Poll: Tea Party Participation Up As Election Nears
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 17% describe themselves as members of the Tea Party, up four points from late August. Twelve percent (12%) more say they are not members themselves but have friends or family who are involved in the small government, anti-tax movement.
Just after Democrats in Congress passed the national health care bill in late March, 24% of voters said they were Tea Party members, with 10% more saying they had close friends or family members who were participants.
The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on October 6-7, 2010 by Rasmussen Reports.
Rasmussen Reports
Congressman Harper says new job numbers report is "very disappointing"
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| Congressman Gregg Harper |
“Over 18 months ago, American citizens were promised that unemployment would not surpass eight percent if the President’s trillion-dollar ‘stimulus’ plan were to become law. Sadly, Mississippi has lost 30,800 jobs since this promise was made.
“Republicans understand that the federal government does not create jobs, businesses do. This is why we urged the Democratic leadership to extend the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts before leaving Washington for the November elections. If the current tax rates are not extended by January 1, 2011, small businesses owners that pay in the 35 percent tax bracket will pay 39.6 percent. To boot, individuals that file in the lowest tax bracket will be subject a 50 percent tax increase, with their rate rising from 10 to 15 percent.
“The federal government should lend a hand to America’s employers, not weigh them down with more heavy tax increases. Today’s report of 95,000 more jobs lost in our country is very disappointing.”
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Obamacare already coming unraveled: McDonald’s exempted from health care reform mandate
Bloomberg Business News reports that almost one million workers won’t get a consumer protection in U.S. health law meant to cap insurance costs because the government exempted their employers.
Thirty companies and organizations, including McDonald’s (MCD) and Jack in the Box (JACK), won’t be required to raise the minimum annual benefit included in low-cost health plans, which are often used to cover part-time or low-wage employees, Bloomberg said.
The Department of Health and Human Services, which provided a list of exemptions, said it granted waivers in late September so workers with such plans wouldn’t lose coverage from employers who might choose instead to drop their health insurance altogether. Without the waivers, companies would have had to provide a minimum of $750,000 in coverage next year, increasing to $1.25 million in 2012, $2 million in 2013, and unlimited coverage in 2014, according to Bloomberg.
The Associated Press reported Sept. 30 that the new health care law could make it difficult for companies like McDonald’s to continue offering limited insurance coverage to their low-wage workers.
MBJ
Thirty companies and organizations, including McDonald’s (MCD) and Jack in the Box (JACK), won’t be required to raise the minimum annual benefit included in low-cost health plans, which are often used to cover part-time or low-wage employees, Bloomberg said.
The Department of Health and Human Services, which provided a list of exemptions, said it granted waivers in late September so workers with such plans wouldn’t lose coverage from employers who might choose instead to drop their health insurance altogether. Without the waivers, companies would have had to provide a minimum of $750,000 in coverage next year, increasing to $1.25 million in 2012, $2 million in 2013, and unlimited coverage in 2014, according to Bloomberg.
The Associated Press reported Sept. 30 that the new health care law could make it difficult for companies like McDonald’s to continue offering limited insurance coverage to their low-wage workers.
MBJ
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Madison Mayor Mary Hawkins-Butler talks about a possible run for state auditor
While Mississippi and the nation have suffered through the worst recession since World War II, Madison Mayor Mary Hawkins Butler said strong management and leadership have helped her city survive.
Butler, mayor of the city of 27,000 just north of Jackson, said Madison has benefited from such things as growth in retail and the opening of a branch campus of Tulane University. Construction continues on new retail along Grandview Drive.
“There are some things that we had to cut, tighten our belt,” Butler said. “But we never want to do anything that’s going to jeopardize the safety and the health and welfare if the people.”
Butler talked about the recession, retail growth, Tulane University and her political future in a wide-ranging interview featured on Episode 11 of the “Better Mississippi Report Internet Radio Podcast” – which was released today.
Better Mississippi Report
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