Walthall supervisor killed in accident
Longtime Walthall County Supervisor Travis Alford died this morning when a flatbed truck struck him while he was working to clear a road.
Walthall County Coroner Shannon Hartzog said Alford, 83, died instantly when he was hit by the heavy-duty work truck driven by Henry Baughman of Foxworth around 6 a.m. on Sartinville Road.
Alford was working to clear the bridge of a tree that had fallen.
“He was sawing the tree and attempting to remove it from the roadway,” Hartzog said.
Walthall County Sheriff Duane Dillon said because the case involved a county official, the state highway patrol worked the incident.
Hartzog said Alford was doing the work by himself when the truck came upon the supervisor. The driver was trying to dodge the tree and apparently did not see Alford in the road.
Dillon called it “a freak accident.” He said no charges have been filed or are expected.
Dillon said Baughman’s unidentified passenger realized someone had been hit and the two stopped to see what had happened.
Alford has been a county supervisor for more than 43 years and was well-liked in the county.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Flora and Madison County gets blanketed in snow.
Click on the picture to enlarge.
Email your pictures to keith.plunkett@ymail.com
Email your pictures to keith.plunkett@ymail.com
 |
| Flora Depot covered in snow February 9, 2011. PHOTO: B. Keith Plunkett |
 |
| Magnolia leaves under the weight of snow in Flora. February 9, 2011. PHOTO: B. Keith Plunkett |
 |
| Downtown Flora snow. February 9, 2011 PHOTO: B. Keith Plunkett |
 |
| Stacking wood in preparation for a cold night. February 9, 2011 PHOTO: B. Keith Plunkett |
 |
| Flora was blanketed by snow on Wednesday February 9. PHOTO: B. Keith Plunkett |
PETA pulling stunts again downtown.
I'm going to eat a big bloody steak tonight, just because of this.
PETA was apparently in dowtown Jackson today to show how classy the organization is. The picture below was emailed to The Flora Harvester. According to the eyewitness report the sign said, " Vegans 'Do It' better."
Not sure how long the "act" went on. But, the word is the cops finally ran them off, suggesting they had no permit.
Classy.
PETA was apparently in dowtown Jackson today to show how classy the organization is. The picture below was emailed to The Flora Harvester. According to the eyewitness report the sign said, " Vegans 'Do It' better."
 |
| Bet on a cold day like today this guys "manliness" is being severely challenged. |
The group pulled a similar stunt in April of 2010 when two naked women lathered up on the street corner. The two showered together at the intersection of East Capitol and Lamar Streets.
Classy.
Veteran political observer, commentator, and journalist Sid Salter to join MSU
 |
| Salter |
Reporting to Dean of Libraries Frances N. Coleman, the new position is designed to strengthen MSU's existing collections and to help develop a speaker series and other initiatives to enable MSU students to interact with leading U.S. journalists. Classroom instruction primarily for communication and political science majors will be among other duties.
The university's 2004 alumnus of the year, Salter was a John C. Stennis Scholar in Political Science as a student. At age 24, he became publisher and editor of the Scott County Times in Forest. He continued in that role for many years before leaving the weekly newspaper to become Perspective editor at the Jackson Clarion-Ledger, his current position.
In addition to duties at the state's largest newspaper, Salter served as weekday host for a statewide radio talk show covering politics and other current issues. "On Deadline with Sid Salter" aired in the 3-6 p.m. time slot on the Super Talk Mississippi Radio Network.
He was the first to hold the Kelly Gene Cook Chair of Journalism at the University of Mississippi, in residence at the university 1996-97. As one of the state's most respected journalists, he has covered politics from the court house to the state house to the White House.
"We are excited that Sid will help bolster our efforts to highlight the works of some of our state and nation's most outstanding journalists," Coleman said. "He is held in high regard within the profession, and he will bring a new level of visibility and exposure to Mitchell Memorial Library's collections, while helping introduce a new generation of students to the practice of journalism."
Salter is a two-time winner of the J. Oliver Emmerich Award, considered the premier annual honor of the Mississippi Press Association. The award is a memorial to another MSU alumnus who was longtime publisher and editor of the McComb Enterprise-Journal. Salter and Emmerich's collections are among those housed at the library.
Professional and personal files of other Mississippians in Mitchell's Special Collections include Pulitzer-Prize winner Hodding Carter, former editor of the Delta Democrat-Times in Greenville; former New York Times executive editor and Mississippi A&M (now MSU) graduate Turner Catledge; veteran political columnist Bill Minor of Jackson; and Norma Fields of Tupelo's Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, the first female in the state to head a capitol news bureau.
A Philadelphia native, Salter is a member of the hall of fame of the state press association, the nation's sixth oldest--it was founded in 1866--and whose files also are part of MSU's Special Collections.
"Because of Sid's unique background in both politics and journalism, we will be drawing on his talents to secure additional works in our Congressional and Political Research Center, as well as contributing to projects that highlight that collection," Coleman added.
For some time, Salter has served on the advisory board of MSU's John C. Stennis Institute of Government, where he now will work closely with executive director Marty Wiseman and his staff on a variety of political and public policy issues. (The Stennis Institute is located opposite the library along Hardy Road.)
President Mark E. Keenum said Salter's experience and background will "greatly benefit both the university and its students, especially those pursuing careers in journalism, public service and politics."
"We are placing increasing emphasis on our library as a cornerstone of the academic experience, and we know that Sid's energies, intellect and professional background will contribute significantly to these efforts," Keenum said.
Ross makes it official
CL: Pelahatchie mayor to run for Mississippi Senate
Pelahatchie Mayor Knox Ross has announced his candidacy for the state Senate.
Ross said he will seek to take the District 20 seat currently occupied by state Sen. Lee Yancey, who previously has announced his bid for state treasurer in the upcoming state general elections.
If elected, Ross said he knows he will have to step down from his current post as mayor.
“That’s sort of the down side to the whole thing,” he said.
After serving as Pelahatchie’s leader for about ten years, Ross said he wanted to pursue a seat in the state legislature because he has seen the impact an effective senator can have on his area.
Pelahatchie Mayor Knox Ross has announced his candidacy for the state Senate.
Ross said he will seek to take the District 20 seat currently occupied by state Sen. Lee Yancey, who previously has announced his bid for state treasurer in the upcoming state general elections.
If elected, Ross said he knows he will have to step down from his current post as mayor.
“That’s sort of the down side to the whole thing,” he said.
After serving as Pelahatchie’s leader for about ten years, Ross said he wanted to pursue a seat in the state legislature because he has seen the impact an effective senator can have on his area.
Charter School autonomy equals success for kids, but scares Mississippi Power Brokers.
BY: B. Keith Plunkett
Members of the Mississippi NAACP met with lawmakers Tuesday, asking some to reject a bill that would expand the state's current charter school law. But, it didn’t work. SB 2774 passed the State Senate. No doubt it will have a harder time in a House controlled by Democrats where the Legislative Black Caucus wields a big stick.
View SB 2774 in it's entirety HERE
Derrick Johnson, president of the state National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said lawmakers should focus on full funding for public education. Johnson sited the tough budget year as a reason to focus spending on traditional education instead of spending money on charter schools.
In the Washington Examiner article Johnson was quoted as saying,
But, it’s a disingenuous attempt on Mr. Johnson’s part to change the conversation. Redesigning schools is exactly what the conversation is about and exactly why charter schools are being discussed to begin with. Johnson doesn’t want to redesign schools for higher expectations. He wants to keep them exactly as they are to keep expectations low and the teachers unions happy.
Cecil Brown, Democrat from Jackson and long-time proponent of the public school system, worried the measure would take some charter schools from under the scrutiny of the state board and local parent-led boards, but wouldn't provide an alternative oversight for them.
In other words, these “progressive thinkers” care less about progress than they do about control.
Charter schools are given a high level of autonomy in hiring and teacher oversight, and that scares Mississippi Democrats. Their ability to hold on to power is directly correlated to keeping teachers unions blissfully unworried about whether what they are teaching children is actually working.
The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is a national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. The Alliance works to increase the number of high-performing charter schools available to all families, particularly low-income and minority families who currently do not have access to quality public schools.
In a report released in 2010, the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools showed how public charter schools can produce outstanding results when they have the freedom to hire highly qualified teaching teams, build innovative professional development programs and adjust curriculum or class structure to boost student achievement.
Continuing to throw money at a bottomless pit of the same-old-business-as-usual-problems doesn’t change a thing.
Following the release of the report Nelson Smith, president and CEO of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools had this to say,
Teachers at one of the profiled schools meet weekly with instructional coaches. Every teacher is observed weekly for at least 20 minutes and then given immediate, specific feedback for improvement. By contrast, many traditional districts evaluate teachers less than two times each year and give little feedback.
Another charter leader hired a former NASA scientist who responded to an online posting for a science teacher. The candidate was considered unqualified by the traditional district’s standards, which required specific teaching certifications. However, he is a highly-successful teacher at the charter school. Charters in some states may apply for a waiver from teacher certification requirements; in some jurisdictions certification is not required at all.
You can view the entire report HERE
New Orleans is another example of how charter schools dramatically change lives. In 2005 Orleans Parish was the second-worst-performing school district in the state, and in some schools 30 percent of seniors dropped out over the course of the year. In 2003 one high-school valedictorian failed the math portion of the state exit exam five times and could not graduate.
Immediately following Hurricane Katrina, resources were limited and charter schools filled the void. As a result, students and educators now have unprecedented control of their own education. Students can apply to and, if accepted, choose to attend any of the 46 charter schools or 23 “traditional” schools. The vast majority of schools have open-enrollment policies that allow any student to attend, regardless of past academic success. The prevalence of charters means that in most of the city’s schools, educators can choose how their schools are run. Even in traditional schools, principals have unusual autonomy over the hiring—and firing—of teachers, since the city’s teachers’ union lost its collective-bargaining rights.
Charter schools allow for quick changes that focus on student needs, not on teacher’s union goals. If charter schools see a problem school officials can quickly address it. That type of local control means a loss of power in the well furnished halls of Superintendent’s offices and Departments of Education buildings, and a focus towards putting kid’s achievement first. In fact, it might one day help do away with any need for an NAACP, and then we can all focus soley on everyones advancement. Not just a few with powerful friends.
Currently, more than 1.6 million students attend nearly 5,000 charter schools in 39 states and the District of Columbia.
 |
| Derrick Johnson |
View SB 2774 in it's entirety HERE
Derrick Johnson, president of the state National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said lawmakers should focus on full funding for public education. Johnson sited the tough budget year as a reason to focus spending on traditional education instead of spending money on charter schools.
In the Washington Examiner article Johnson was quoted as saying,
"You have to ask yourself, 'Is this not the same research I want for kids in every school?' If your answer is yes, why do we not have the progressive thinking and wherewithal to make this happen for public schools? The conversation should really be about how we redesign schools to meet the higher expectation for all children."
But, it’s a disingenuous attempt on Mr. Johnson’s part to change the conversation. Redesigning schools is exactly what the conversation is about and exactly why charter schools are being discussed to begin with. Johnson doesn’t want to redesign schools for higher expectations. He wants to keep them exactly as they are to keep expectations low and the teachers unions happy.
Cecil Brown, Democrat from Jackson and long-time proponent of the public school system, worried the measure would take some charter schools from under the scrutiny of the state board and local parent-led boards, but wouldn't provide an alternative oversight for them.
In other words, these “progressive thinkers” care less about progress than they do about control.
Charter schools are given a high level of autonomy in hiring and teacher oversight, and that scares Mississippi Democrats. Their ability to hold on to power is directly correlated to keeping teachers unions blissfully unworried about whether what they are teaching children is actually working.
The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is a national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. The Alliance works to increase the number of high-performing charter schools available to all families, particularly low-income and minority families who currently do not have access to quality public schools.
In a report released in 2010, the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools showed how public charter schools can produce outstanding results when they have the freedom to hire highly qualified teaching teams, build innovative professional development programs and adjust curriculum or class structure to boost student achievement.
Continuing to throw money at a bottomless pit of the same-old-business-as-usual-problems doesn’t change a thing.
Following the release of the report Nelson Smith, president and CEO of the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools had this to say,
“Freedom and flexibility have long been regarded as crucial to charter school success because they give principals and teacher’s authority to make decisions that directly enhance student achievement. These case studies illustrate why policymakers need to protect charter schools’ freedom to innovate and to act quickly when student success is at stake.”
Teachers at one of the profiled schools meet weekly with instructional coaches. Every teacher is observed weekly for at least 20 minutes and then given immediate, specific feedback for improvement. By contrast, many traditional districts evaluate teachers less than two times each year and give little feedback.
Another charter leader hired a former NASA scientist who responded to an online posting for a science teacher. The candidate was considered unqualified by the traditional district’s standards, which required specific teaching certifications. However, he is a highly-successful teacher at the charter school. Charters in some states may apply for a waiver from teacher certification requirements; in some jurisdictions certification is not required at all.
You can view the entire report HERE
New Orleans is another example of how charter schools dramatically change lives. In 2005 Orleans Parish was the second-worst-performing school district in the state, and in some schools 30 percent of seniors dropped out over the course of the year. In 2003 one high-school valedictorian failed the math portion of the state exit exam five times and could not graduate.
Immediately following Hurricane Katrina, resources were limited and charter schools filled the void. As a result, students and educators now have unprecedented control of their own education. Students can apply to and, if accepted, choose to attend any of the 46 charter schools or 23 “traditional” schools. The vast majority of schools have open-enrollment policies that allow any student to attend, regardless of past academic success. The prevalence of charters means that in most of the city’s schools, educators can choose how their schools are run. Even in traditional schools, principals have unusual autonomy over the hiring—and firing—of teachers, since the city’s teachers’ union lost its collective-bargaining rights.
Charter schools allow for quick changes that focus on student needs, not on teacher’s union goals. If charter schools see a problem school officials can quickly address it. That type of local control means a loss of power in the well furnished halls of Superintendent’s offices and Departments of Education buildings, and a focus towards putting kid’s achievement first. In fact, it might one day help do away with any need for an NAACP, and then we can all focus soley on everyones advancement. Not just a few with powerful friends.
Currently, more than 1.6 million students attend nearly 5,000 charter schools in 39 states and the District of Columbia.
WSJ: GOP Seeks to Block Funding for Health Law
House Republicans will use a stopgap spending bill coming to the floor next week as a vehicle to block money for the new health-care law, a top lawmaker said Tuesday.
The latest push to neutralize the legislation, confirmed by House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, (R., Va.), comes on the heels of an earlier effort to repeal the law. That passed the House but fell short in the Senate.
The spending bill, needed to fund the government through the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30, is being drafted by the House Appropriations Committee, which is seeking deep spending cuts. The current stopgap bill expires March 4.
While the initial version isn't expected to include the health-law funding ban, Republicans plan to introduce it as an amendment to the bill, Mr. Cantor said. It is expected to block the use of money in the bill to carry out the law, for example by preventing the Department of Health and Human Services from hiring more workers to oversee the new benefits.
The House Republicans' strategy means President Barack Obama's health-care initiative will be a major hurdle to passing the government-wide spending bill. Democratic leaders in the Senate are unlikely to back any move to defund the new law.
With repeal of the health law dead for now, Republicans have also called for rolling back specific parts of the legislation, such as the requirement that most Americans carry health insurance or pay a fine.
Read More
The latest push to neutralize the legislation, confirmed by House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, (R., Va.), comes on the heels of an earlier effort to repeal the law. That passed the House but fell short in the Senate.
The spending bill, needed to fund the government through the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30, is being drafted by the House Appropriations Committee, which is seeking deep spending cuts. The current stopgap bill expires March 4.
While the initial version isn't expected to include the health-law funding ban, Republicans plan to introduce it as an amendment to the bill, Mr. Cantor said. It is expected to block the use of money in the bill to carry out the law, for example by preventing the Department of Health and Human Services from hiring more workers to oversee the new benefits.
The House Republicans' strategy means President Barack Obama's health-care initiative will be a major hurdle to passing the government-wide spending bill. Democratic leaders in the Senate are unlikely to back any move to defund the new law.
With repeal of the health law dead for now, Republicans have also called for rolling back specific parts of the legislation, such as the requirement that most Americans carry health insurance or pay a fine.
Read More
Salter: Reeves-Hewes race perhaps most interesting in 2011
Rare is the Mississippi election cycle in which the race for the state No. 2 spot draws as much or more attention than the governor's race, but in 2011 that just might be the case at least in the Republican primary.
In the Republican primary for lieutenant governor, state Sen. Billy Hewes of Gulfport was officially joined by State Treasurer Tate Reeves of Rankin County this week.
Reeves' formal entry into the race is no big surprise since Reeves made a substantial impact at the 2010 Neshoba County Fair in terms of presence, production value and attendance during his speech.
With no Democrat emerging as yet as a challenger to the GOP nominee, all political eyes are on the Hewes-Reeves tilt in the GOP primary. While there is a race with some of the same political dynamics in the Republican gubernatorial primary between incumbent Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant, Gulf Coast businessman Dave Dennis and Pearl River County Supervisor Hudson Holliday, the Hewes-Reeves race differs in that neither is a political newcomer.
Read More
In the Republican primary for lieutenant governor, state Sen. Billy Hewes of Gulfport was officially joined by State Treasurer Tate Reeves of Rankin County this week.
Reeves' formal entry into the race is no big surprise since Reeves made a substantial impact at the 2010 Neshoba County Fair in terms of presence, production value and attendance during his speech.
With no Democrat emerging as yet as a challenger to the GOP nominee, all political eyes are on the Hewes-Reeves tilt in the GOP primary. While there is a race with some of the same political dynamics in the Republican gubernatorial primary between incumbent Lt. Gov. Phil Bryant, Gulf Coast businessman Dave Dennis and Pearl River County Supervisor Hudson Holliday, the Hewes-Reeves race differs in that neither is a political newcomer.
Read More
State Senate passes Senate Bill 2532 to consolidate operations of agencies
After contentious debate, the Mississippi Senate passed a bill yesterday that would consolidate the business operations of all state agencies.
Senate Fees, Salaries and Administration Committee chairman Terry Brown, a Republican from Columbus, says the bill could help the state save money by centralizing the agencies’ operations at the Department of Finance and Administration.
The bill moves to the House.
MBJ
Senate Fees, Salaries and Administration Committee chairman Terry Brown, a Republican from Columbus, says the bill could help the state save money by centralizing the agencies’ operations at the Department of Finance and Administration.
The bill moves to the House.
MBJ
Bill would put teeth in law on auto insurance
The state House is expected to vote as early as today on a bill that would allow random computer checks to verify people have insurance for their vehicles. It’s intended to help enforce the state’s law requiring insurance.
Mississippi has one of the highest rates in the nation of uninsured motorists -- an estimated 28 percent, compared with the national average of 16 percent. State law has for decades said motorists must carry at least minimum liability coverage, but for most of that time the law had no teeth and was unenforceable.
Lawmakers strengthened the law in 2000, requiring motorists to show proof of insurance if stopped for other violations, at roadblocks and after accidents. A citation for no insurance carries a $500 fine.
Read more: SH
Mississippi has one of the highest rates in the nation of uninsured motorists -- an estimated 28 percent, compared with the national average of 16 percent. State law has for decades said motorists must carry at least minimum liability coverage, but for most of that time the law had no teeth and was unenforceable.
Lawmakers strengthened the law in 2000, requiring motorists to show proof of insurance if stopped for other violations, at roadblocks and after accidents. A citation for no insurance carries a $500 fine.
Read more: SH
House Republicans stumble on Patriot Act Reauthorization
Rank-and-file reject Patriot Act
House Republicans Tuesday night got a harsh introduction to the majority, as more than two dozen rank-and-file GOP lawmakers voted against reauthorizing the Patriot Act.
There was no sign that the leadership saw the setbacks coming. The Patriot Act was moved to the floor under suspension of the rules — a provision that requires two-thirds majority (290 votes) to pass and is often used for noncontroversial legislation. After holding the vote open well past the 15-minute window, it failed 277 to 148 with five Republicans and four Democrats not voting.
Republican leaders will bring the bill back to the floor under a rule, where it will almost certainly secure the 218-vote threshold.
It was a specifically rough patch for Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), who was the subject of much finger-pointing after the vote, as he is charged with vote-counting. Erica Elliott, spokesman for McCarthy, noted that most House Democrats voted against the bill, “deny[ing] their own administration’s request for key weapons in the war on terror.”
Other Republicans blamed Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) and Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) for the debacle. Sensenbrenner is a senior Judiciary Committee Republican.
Speaker John Boehner’s (R-Ohio) office had no comment on the trade bill or Patriot Act failure. He did not vote, which is somewhat of a tradition for the speaker. Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) and McCarthy voted for the Patriot Act extension.
The Patriot Act has long been a contentious issue on Capitol Hill. It was passed shortly after Sept. 11 to give the government expanded surveillance powers, while breaking down barriers between the CIA, FBI and other intelligence agencies.
But many — ranging from liberals like Rep. Dennis Kucinich (Ohio), to libertarians like Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) — have long expressed concerns over the sweeping breadth of the legislation. Kucinich called Tuesday’s vote a “significant defeat,” adding that it will “fuel opposition” to the measure nationwide.
Indeed, many members were concerned about Patriot Act provisions that would allow the government to access medical and business records, GOP sources said.
And a handful of the no-votes were freshmen who felt completely uninformed by their leadership. Rep. Todd Rokita (R-Ind.), who voted for the bill, said he “didn’t know anything about (the vote) until today.”
Politico
House Republicans Tuesday night got a harsh introduction to the majority, as more than two dozen rank-and-file GOP lawmakers voted against reauthorizing the Patriot Act.
There was no sign that the leadership saw the setbacks coming. The Patriot Act was moved to the floor under suspension of the rules — a provision that requires two-thirds majority (290 votes) to pass and is often used for noncontroversial legislation. After holding the vote open well past the 15-minute window, it failed 277 to 148 with five Republicans and four Democrats not voting.
Republican leaders will bring the bill back to the floor under a rule, where it will almost certainly secure the 218-vote threshold.
It was a specifically rough patch for Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), who was the subject of much finger-pointing after the vote, as he is charged with vote-counting. Erica Elliott, spokesman for McCarthy, noted that most House Democrats voted against the bill, “deny[ing] their own administration’s request for key weapons in the war on terror.”
Other Republicans blamed Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) and Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) for the debacle. Sensenbrenner is a senior Judiciary Committee Republican.
Speaker John Boehner’s (R-Ohio) office had no comment on the trade bill or Patriot Act failure. He did not vote, which is somewhat of a tradition for the speaker. Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) and McCarthy voted for the Patriot Act extension.
The Patriot Act has long been a contentious issue on Capitol Hill. It was passed shortly after Sept. 11 to give the government expanded surveillance powers, while breaking down barriers between the CIA, FBI and other intelligence agencies.
But many — ranging from liberals like Rep. Dennis Kucinich (Ohio), to libertarians like Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) — have long expressed concerns over the sweeping breadth of the legislation. Kucinich called Tuesday’s vote a “significant defeat,” adding that it will “fuel opposition” to the measure nationwide.
Indeed, many members were concerned about Patriot Act provisions that would allow the government to access medical and business records, GOP sources said.
And a handful of the no-votes were freshmen who felt completely uninformed by their leadership. Rep. Todd Rokita (R-Ind.), who voted for the bill, said he “didn’t know anything about (the vote) until today.”
Politico
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Rumor Mill: Knox Ross running for Senate District 20
The Flora Harvester has learned that Pelahatchie Mayor Knox Ross will announce his intentions to run for State Senate in District 20. Ross will look to replace Senator Lee Yancey who is running for State Treasurer. Ross formed a committee last year to run for State Auditor in expectation of Auditor Stacey Pickering's run for Lt. Governor, a move that never materialized.
More details on Ross as they become available.
More details on Ross as they become available.
Mississippi NAACP goes after charter school law
NAACP opposes Miss. charter school legislation
Members of the Mississippi NAACP met with lawmakers Tuesday, asking some to reject a bill that would expand the state's current charter school law.
Derrick Johnson, president of the state National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said lawmakers should focus instead on full funding for public education. He said shortchanging public schools in a tough budget year would "create and maintain a permanent situation of second-class citizens."
This year's budget talks will moved into their final phases in the coming weeks. But the Senate was poised to consider a charter school bill that would open the door for such schools to open throughout the state.
The state's current charter school law, which went into effect in 2010, only allows charter schools to open in struggling school districts.
Charter schools typically operate with a combination of public and private dollars. Supporters have said the schools are free to use innovative teaching methods that could improve academic performance, such as longer school days or more focused fields of study.
Read more: WE
Members of the Mississippi NAACP met with lawmakers Tuesday, asking some to reject a bill that would expand the state's current charter school law.
Derrick Johnson, president of the state National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said lawmakers should focus instead on full funding for public education. He said shortchanging public schools in a tough budget year would "create and maintain a permanent situation of second-class citizens."
This year's budget talks will moved into their final phases in the coming weeks. But the Senate was poised to consider a charter school bill that would open the door for such schools to open throughout the state.
The state's current charter school law, which went into effect in 2010, only allows charter schools to open in struggling school districts.
Charter schools typically operate with a combination of public and private dollars. Supporters have said the schools are free to use innovative teaching methods that could improve academic performance, such as longer school days or more focused fields of study.
Read more: WE
Bye Bye, Butch.
Not content to allow the MDOT Director to leave office on his own terms, the Transportation Commissioners have given Director Butch Brown until tomorrow to clean out his desk. Newly elected Northern Commissioner Mike Tagert joined Dick Hall in ousting Brown. Brown had said he would resign effective in June of this year.
MDOT commissioners vote to oust director BrownSH
Mississippi Transportation Commission voted 2-1 today to demand that Executive Director Larry L. "Butch" Brown submit his resignation by close of business Wednesday or he will be terminated.
A new commissioner, Norther District Commissioner Mike Taggert, was sworn in before the meeting and sided with Central District Commissioner Dick Hall on the move to replace Brown.
Southern District Commissioner Wayne Brown voted against the motion.
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
"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
"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 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
Saturday, February 5, 2011
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
"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
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)