It’s never a good thing when, while cleaning your home, you hear your child mumble to himself in his room, “I have really gone too far”.
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Unread items (100)
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01:00
Going Too Far
» Mommy Cracked
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Republicans hit college students twice in May
» Cottonmouth
This month, Republicans in Jackson and Washington appear to be working together to make college less affordable for Mississippi students.
In the budget signed by Governor Bryant this week, Mississippi's Institutions of Higher Learning will be receiving $2,400 less per student than they did a decade ago. The Republican budget also moves over $6 million dollars from Mississippi's Universities and Colleges to pay for the state's portion of the Ayers settlement agreement. These factors played no small part in the college tuition increases approved by the college board earlier this month.
At the same time college tuition is on the rise in Mississippi, Republicans on Capitol Hill are advancing separate proposals that would allow Stafford loan rates to double from 3.4% to 6.8%.
This is bad news for college students and makes it less likely that Mississippi will be improving these numbers anytime soon.
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The Nazi stealth fighter
» Jackson JambalayaThe Nazis actually created a design for a stealth airplane that would have worked if rolled into production. National Geographic broadcast this story on the efforts of a team of engineers and scientists created a prototype perfectly matching the design specifications. The result: The plane was fast and stealthy enough to defeat radar and fighter planes in World War II. Enjoy the video.
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This week's 990's
» Jackson JambalayaThis week's batch of 990's for local non-profits and charities is 100 Black Men, Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi, Greater Jackson Arts Council, Mississippi State Pharmaceutical Association, Mississippi Association of Supervisors
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Mississippi Lawmaker Condemns Gays to Death
» Mississippi Atheists
When hatred surfaces in Mississippi, it frequently seems to have roots in the evangelical fundamentalist Christianity that afflicts much of our state. But religiously-motivated hate is still hate. It cannot in any way be excused by cherry picking passages from an ancient book.
State Rep. Andy Gipson (R-77th District) made news this week with Facebook post and a follow-up comment in which he revealed a disturbing degree of religiously-motivated bigotry. Unity MS provided screen captures of Rep. Gipson's Facebook page on which he posted the following status update:
Been a lot of press on Obama’s opinion on “homosexual marriage.” The only opinion that counts is God’s: see Romans 1:26-28 and Leviticus 20:13. Anyway you slice it, it is sin. Not to mention horrific social policy.
In case it is not clear what Rep. Gipson is saying, read Leviticus 20:13 for yourself. I wonder if Rep. Gipson pays attention to the rest of Leviticus and refrains from using yeast or wearing blended fabrics? Does he advocate the murder of blasphemers too?
After receiving some criticism of this post, he expanded his thoughts with the following comment:
Sorry I’ve been busy and not had a chance to reply. David, in addition to the basic principal that it is morally wrong, here are three social reasons it’s horrific social policy: 1) Unnatural behavior which results in disease, not the least of which is its high association with the development and spread of HIV/AIDS; 2) Confusing behavior which is harmful to children who have a deep need to understand the proper role of men and women in society and the important differences between men and women, and fathers and mothers; and 3) Undermines the longstanding definition of marriage as between one man and one woman, a definition which has been key to all aspects of social order and prosperity. Anytime that definition is weakened our culture is also weakened. And yes, that is also true for other conduct which weakens marriage’s importance in society.
Unity MS did a great job responding to each of Rep. Gipson's points and suggesting that residents of Rankin, Smith, or Simpson counties remind him that he is expected to represent all of his constituents and not just the Christian ones. They provided his phone numbers and email addresses.
Subscribe to Mississippi Atheists
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Ethics Commission whitewashes Mayor Davis
» Jackson JambalayaThe Ethics Commission said a land deal between Southaven and an LLC owned by Doug and Sluggo Davis did not violate any ethics laws even though they are cousins of the Mayor. The Desoto Times reports:
"With the dissenting vote of two aldermen Tuesday, Southaven city officials approved the contract to buy 10 acres of land for $1.9 million off Getwell Road which could be the home of a future senior senior citizens center and other park and recreational amenities.
The land purchase has been controversial from the start, not only for the $1.9 million negotiated price, but due to the fact earlier appraisals on the property put the value far lower at approximately $315,000. A later appraisal commissioned by the city brought in an appraised value of of $2.6 million.
The City of Southaven will pay cash for the property, with Davis and city officials opting not to wait on revenue amassed from the 1-cent tourism tax on restaurant tabs known as the Penny for the Parks measure which was approved last year.
The land transaction was also the subject of a finding by the Mississippi Ethics Commission which ruled that city officials would not violate ethics laws if they approved the transaction which involves a distant cousin of Southaven Mayor Greg Davis.
One of the sellers of the property, Chancery Clerk W.E. Sluggo Davis, is "a fourth or fifth cousin" of the mayor.
"A cousin is not a relative for the purposes of ethics in government laws," Tom Hood, executive director and chief counsel for the Mississippi Ethics Commission opined in an April 13 letter to former Southaven city board attorney Mark Sorrell.
"The Senator (former state Sen. Doug Davis) is no longer associated with this," Davis said. "He hasn't been in the last four or five deeds."
Mayor Davis disclosed the Ethics Commission letter publicly just prior to the land transaction being voted upon....." Article
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08:55
Double Decker Arts Festival | Oxford, MS | Freelance Concert Photographer
» Captured PhotographyYes, Double Decker Arts Festival has come and gone, but I totally forgot I had some pictures to post! It’s wedding season, give me a break!!
Maybe its just a clue that I’m getting older, or maybe its just because I really don’t listen to the radio anymore, but honestly I had never heard of any of the headliners this year. Well, except for Mavis Staples, but she’s not really new to the scene! I must say though, with a band name Deer Tick, we aren’t expecting much, but they were pretty awesome on stage! I don’t know what their recorded stuff is like, but I was impressed. Iron and Wine followed next on Friday, and Mavis Staples closed the show on Saturday.
Until next year’s Fest
- Danny
Danny Klimetz
Captured Photography
Website
BlogDouble Decker Arts Festival
Deer Tick
Iron & Wine
Mavis Staples
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Camp Fish 2012
» Ross Barnett Reservoir
Camp Fish 2011 - source: MDWFP
2012 Camp FishEvents Scheduled
The MDWP Fisheries Bureau and the Mississippi Bass Federation have announced the 2012 Camp Fish schedule.
Camps will be held June 4-7 at Leroy Percy State Park near Hollandale, June 18-21 at the Turcotte Education Center in Madison County, and July 23-26 at Paul B. Johnson State Park near Hattiesburg.
The camp's purpose is to provide opportunities, skills, and resources to Mississippi's youth and introduce them to the sport of fishing. Some of the topics covered during the 4-day camp will include fish identification and aging, fishing tackle and lure selection, casting techniques, types of boats, and conservation techniques. "The camp is much more than kids going fishing," said MDWFP Fisheries Bureau Assistant Director Larry Pugh. "Classroom discussions and hands-on exercises led by MDWFP fisheries biologists will help students gain a better understanding of fish, fishing, and fisheries management."
CAMPFISH Youth ages 11-15 are encouraged to apply. Because of limited space, only 20 applicants will be accepted for each camp. Applications can be downloaded here or visit our our website at mdwfp.com/fishing for more information.
Contact the MDWFP Fisheries Bureau at 601-432-2200 with further questions. Return completed applications to: MDWFP Camp Fish 2012, Attention: Larry Pugh, 1505 Eastover Drive, Jackson, MS 39211.
The Rez News
Barnett Reservoir
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Red Dot Road Paved
» Ross Barnett ReservoirPaving crews were at work Thursday putting a long overdue layer of asphalt on Red Dot Road.
Also know as the "Fishing Jetty" it's a popular spot for bank fishermen . The ride to the end will now be a bit smoother.
The Rez News
Barnett Reservoir
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22:13
Rubber Ducky Party Theme
» Mommy CrackedI have loved rubber duckies for a long, long time. As a matter of fact, my baby shower was a rubber ducky theme and my son was decked out in all of the rubber ducky clothes I could find when he was a baby. While browsing Pinterest tonight, I found some super cute rubber ducky party theme ideas and it brought back wonderful memories. Enjoy!
Source: blog.pinkcakebox.com via Karen on Pinterest
Source: tidymom.net via Kelly on Pinterest
Source: pastrychef4hire.blogspot.com via Jennifer on Pinterest
Source: hwtm.com via The Baby Shower on Pinterest
Source: google.com via Janet on Pinterest
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Rep. Allen West: Why do we want to repeat Vietnam?
» Jackson JambalayaCongressman Allen West had a few things to say about an amendment to cut funding for troops in Afghanistan:
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Mississippi River Basin Water Resource News for the Week
» Northeast-Midwest Institute's Mississippi River Basin Blog~Virtual Newspaper for an Aquatic World~
FEMA to Evaluate Potential Modifications to National Flood Insurance Program - Solicits Public Comment
The Federal Emergency Management Agency ("FEMA") announced in the May 16 Federal Register that it intends to prepare what it calls a "Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement" on modifications it is proposing to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Specifically, FEMA is considering NFIP modifications that could potentially impact, FEMA indicates, "environmental and historic preservation considerations including but not limited to climate change, and the impacts of the program on endangered and threatened species and critical habitat." The changes being considered by FEMA would result in modification of the following NFIP elements:- Elevation standards for new construction would be increased,
- Floodplain management standards for critical facilities would be changed,
- Restrictions on floodway development would be strengthened,
- Future conditions and residual risk in floodplain management would be integrated,
- Fill in floodplains would be discouraged, and
- The impacts of floodplain development on the natural and beneficial functions of floodplains to include endangered and threatened species would be taken into account.
National Flood Insurance Program Extension Bill Passed by the House
In other action related to the NFIP, on May 17, the House passed the National Flood Insurance Program Extension Act (HR 5740), which would extend NFIP authority one additional month, from May 31, 2012 when it is currently set to expire, until the June 30. The bill (introduced by Rep. Judy Biggert (R-IL-13)) would also require FEMA and the Comptroller General to each conduct a study to assess "options, methods, and strategies for privatizing the national flood insurance program," and "for offering voluntary community-based flood insurance policy options."
Such a one-month extension would arguably give the Senate additional time, as it continues to consider whether to move forward with a five-year flood insurance program reform approach being advocated by Sen. David Vitter (R-LA), whose efforts have largely stalled in the Senate (see our earlier article on Senate NFIP action here). He and Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) have co-sponsored a simple, short-term NFIP extension bill (S. 2344) that would reauthorize the program through the end of 2012, providing Congress breathing room to work on a long-term reauthorization bill. No action has been scheduled on that bill in the Senate, although with that chamber scheduled to recess for the Memorial Day week, some Senate movement to extend NFIP authority is anticipated next week. Vitter has hinted that he will attempt to amend his NFIP five-year reauthorization and reform plan into legislation scheduled for debate next week in the Senate on U.S. Food and Drug Administration user fees.
Notable @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week
Agriculture -- Farmland values rise with crop prices according to KC Fed Agricultural Credit Survey [bit.ly]
- Frequent Floods Force Farmers to Rethink Age-Old Practices [bit.ly]
- Current farming practices need to be altered to "stop the rampant spread of 'super weeds'" [bit.ly]
- NRCS Agriculture Water Enhancement Program funding available for Minnesota farmers & landowners [bit.ly]
- You can send the House Ag committee your Farm Bill ideas at this link (half way down this page) [1.usa.gov] deadline May 20!
- Bipartisan group of 44 senators' letter to Senate leaders calls for Farm Bill consideration on floor ASAP [bit.ly]
- Sen. Stabenow: Senate Majority Leader Reid committed to bringing farm bill up on Senate floor & doing so in short order [bit.ly]
- Denver Post op-ed: "Looking for a bright spot in the U.S. economy? The farm belt is it." No Federal subsidies needed. [bit.ly]
- Appears to be little interest in Senate in adding conservation compliance provision to Farm Bill; even less in House [bit.ly]
- Lawmakers unlikely to limit crop insurance subsidies or tie them to conservation [bit.ly]
- National Corn Growers Association, others, send letter to House Ag leaders stressing importance of crop insurance [bit.ly]
- Prairie Rivers Network op-ed in Chicago Tribune on Farm Bill conservation compliance: [trib.in]
- Hunting and angling groups tell House Agriculture Committee leaders to adopt a strong Farm Bill sodsaver provision [bit.ly]
- Sens. Coburn (R-OK) & Durbin (D-IL) to offer Senate farm bill amendment to cap crop insurance subsidies; 1/2 way into: [bit.ly]
- House Agriculture Subcommittee holds 2-day Farm Bill hearing on crop insurance; testimony: [1.usa.gov] & [1.usa.gov]
- Farm Bill commodity debate to likely result in House-Senate conference committee reconciliation later down the road [bit.ly]
- Agricultural Retailers Association: Potential Implications Of The Mississippi River Basin Nutrient Criteria Lawsuit [bit.ly]
- Agricultural Retailers Association Regulatory Update: "A Pollution Diet for the Gulf of Mexico?" [bit.ly]
- USF study: Common fungicide wreaks havoc on freshwater ecosystems e! Science News [j.mp]
- New Natural Resources Defense Council/Rocky Mountain Climate Org report says Midwest floods are increasing [dmreg.co]
- FEMA to prepare Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement on proposed National Flood Insurance Program changes [1.usa.gov]
- 2012 list of America’s Most Endangered Rivers released; includes Missouri & Kansas Rivers in Mississippi basin [bit.ly]
- New RFF report on water resource management: "Managing Water: Governance Innovations to Enhance Coordination" [bit.ly]
- Hydroelectric company abandons plans for five plants on the Upper Mississippi River [bit.ly]
- Army Corps to allow free use of Missouri River water with permits to oil drillers and other industrial users [bit.ly]
- Rep. Noem introduces bill to require Army Corps to do better at notifying public of high Missouri River flows [argusne.ws]
- National environmental group ranks Missouri River as 1 of 10 US rivers facing significant policy decisions in next year [bit.ly]
- The Guardian: American rivers under threat - interactive map alturl.com/rvngc
- House votes to extend National Flood Insurance Program until 6/30/12; bill: 1.usa.gov/J3w8Je (news article: [bit.ly] )
- MN 2012 Legislature "long on rhetoric and short on results" [bit.ly]
- Judge effectively upholds MN's existing sulfate water quality standard in rivers and lakes holding wild rice beds [bit.ly]
- Ohio Senate approves horizontal drilling rules; Critics say bill ignores disposal of fracking wastewater [bit.ly]
- New MN Forest Resources Council factsheet provides overview of guidelines for responsible forest biomass harvesting [bit.ly]
- WI 100 sq mile forest conservation deal sets size record; straddles 4 counties & Great Lakes & Mississippi River basins [bit.ly]
- Map of Life goes live: interactive online mapping tool streamlines global species diversity and distribution [bit.ly]
- MSNBC: Report: Global biodiversity down 30 percent in 40 years [alturl.com]
- Biologists puzzled about why large cormorant flocks suddenly disappeared from twin city area's 2nd-largest lake (MN) [bit.ly]
- Louisiana House Committee unanimously approves 2012 Coastal Louisiana Master Plan [bit.ly]
- House committee issues 2nd subpoena over planned Interior Dept Appalachian coal-mining rules [bit.ly] & [bit.ly]
- The U.S. Midwest sees a fracking sand mining rush [on.wsj.com]
- American Petroleum Institute's Gerard: OH should adopt public policies to encourage development; not "over-regulate" [bit.ly]
- Fracking prospects bring land rush across several southern Illinois counties [bit.ly]
- ND has largest continuous oil deposit in lower 48 states; oil boom expected to last unless fracking is limited [bit.ly]
- Reuters: Shale oil costs at crossroads-Peak, pause or plummet? [reut.rs]
- House Speaker Boehner announcement signals that Republicans are prepared for end-of-year fiscal brinkmanship [on.wsj.com]
- Senate formally rejects President's $3.8 trillion FY 2013 budget request, along with series of GOP alternatives [wapo.st]
- House Republicans working on plan aimed at lifting House ban on earmarks early next year [bit.ly]
- Water Infrastructure Summit: "Building a 21st Century Smart Water Infrastructure," May 18, Washington, DC ($200) [bit.ly]
- Course Registration Open: Implementing Green Infrastructure at Multiple Scales; July 16-19, Shepherdstown, WV ($175) [bit.ly]
- Registration open for 6th National Conference & Expo on Coastal & Estuarine Habitat Restoration, Oct 20-25, Tampa FL [bit.ly]
- The Horinko Group's latest sustainability e-newsletter: [bit.ly]
- River Action's quarterly publication on river happenings on the Mississippi in the greater Quad Cities area [bit.ly]
- EDF's latest edition of "Delta Dispatches" is online with latest news on Coastal Louisiana restoration - [bit.ly]
- The world is not enough: soon people will need three planet Earths to sustain current consumption rates [bit.ly]
- Globally, water policy needs 'radical' change to protect people and environment [bit.ly]
- Freshman Rep. Landry will face off vs 4-term Rep. Boustany in Louisiana's GOP primary for redrawn 3rd US House district [bit.ly]
- NE state Sen. Deb Fischer pulls upset in GOP US Senate primary; now favorite in general election [politi.co] & [bit.ly]
- Public Policy Polling shows WI Gov. Walker (R) up five points in his recall election (3rd question down) [bit.ly]
- Fargo Forum poll shows Rep. Berg (R-ND) leading former Attorney General Heitkamp (D) 51 to 44% in ND open Senate race [bit.ly]
Last Word - "The most savage controversies are those about matters as to which there is no good evidence either way." - Bertrand Russell, English philosopher, mathematician and Nobel Prize recipient, who was born on this date in 1872.
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07:00
DICTA
» 12th CHANCERY COURT DISTRICT OF MISSISSIPPIPreservation in Mississippi is a wonderful blog that highlights Mississippi history as reflected in its architecture and artifacts. This post features First Presbyterian Church in Water Valley, a Romanesque Revival structure built in 1896. Gail Falk was a COFO worker in Meridian during the Freedom Summer of 1964. Her blog, Freedom Songs, has several posts
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If guilty, fry him.
» Jackson JambalayaThe Mississippi Department of Public Safety announced the following arrest in the "phony cop" case:
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Arrest Made In North Mississippi Murders
» Ross Barnett Reservoir
NEWS RELEASE FROM HIGHWAY PATROL
James D. Willie, 28
14332 Ballentine Road
Sardis, MS
Arrest in Highway Homicides
The Mississippi Highway Patrol’s Bureau of Investigation, along with the Tunica Police Department and the Tunica County Sheriff’s office, has arrested a man in connection with the north Mississippi highway murders.
“Hundreds of man hours have been devoted to tracking down and arresting this individual,” Gov. Phil Bryant said. “Public safety is of paramount concern to us. Just as a week ago, with the resolution of the kidnap/murder case in north Mississippi, again we see the effective results of a unified effort of several law enforcement agencies working together.”
James D. Willie, 28, of 14332 Ballentine Road, Sardis, Mississippi was arrested at 9:00 a.m. Tuesday, May 15th. Tunica police responded to a reported disturbance at 2661 Old Highway 61, Apt. D-2. Authorities found Willie with a woman who alleged he had raped her and he was taken into custody.
At the time of his arrest, a Ruger 9mm, semi-automatic handgun was found in Mr. Willie’s possession. It was determined after a testing by state Crime Lab scientists, the weapon matched the weapon used in two murders in northwest Mississippi last week.
Tuesday, May 8th, Thomas K. Schlender, 74, of Raymond, Nebraska was found in his 1999 Ford F-150 pick-up truck in the median of southbound Interstate 55 shortly after 1:30 a.m. Friday, May 11th at about 2:15 a.m., Lori Anne Carswell, 48, of Hernando was found beside her 1997 Pontiac Grand Am. The car was on the shoulder of MS 713.
Schlender’s car was found in the median of Interstate 55 near the Pope exit in Panola County and Carswell’s car was located in Tunica County near the intersection of MS713 and Interstate 69.
“The Bureau of Investigation and Crime Laboratory dedicated all resources available to this investigation,” said Public Safety Commissioner Albert Santa Cruz. “Our citizens have been terrorized by these murders and we worked tirelessly to resolve them.”
Willie is being held on charges of aggravated assault, kidnapping and rape. Authorities will formally charge Willie with two counts of capital murder later today.
The Rez News
Barnett Reservoir
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The Great California Exodus
» Jackson JambalayaA Truman Democrat tells the Wall Street Journal why people are leaving California in this interview:
"Nearly four million more people have left the Golden State in the last two decades than have come from other states. This is a sharp reversal from the 1980s, when 100,000 more Americans were settling in California each year than were leaving. According to Mr. Kotkin, most of those leaving are between the ages of 5 and 14 or 34 to 45. In other words, young families.
The scruffy-looking urban studies professor at Chapman University in Orange, Calif., has been studying and writing on demographic and geographic trends for 30 years. Part of California's dysfunction, he says, stems from state and local government restrictions on development. These policies have artificially limited housing supply and put a premium on real estate in coastal regions.
"Basically, if you don't own a piece of Facebook or Google and you haven't robbed a bank and don't have rich parents, then your chances of being able to buy a house or raise a family in the Bay Area or in most of coastal California is pretty weak," says Mr. Kotkin.
While many middle-class families have moved inland, those regions don't have the same allure or amenities as the coast. People might as well move to Nevada or Texas, where housing and everything else is cheaper and there's no income tax.
And things will only get worse in the coming years as Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown and his green cadre implement their "smart growth" plans to cram the proletariat into high-density housing. "What I find reprehensible beyond belief is that the people pushing [high-density housing] themselves live in single-family homes and often drive very fancy cars, but want everyone else to live like my grandmother did in Brownsville in Brooklyn in the 1920s," Mr. Kotkin declares...
Meanwhile, taxes are harming the private economy. According to the Tax Foundation, California has the 48th-worst business tax climate. Its income tax is steeply progressive. Millionaires pay a top rate of 10.3%, the third-highest in the country. But middle-class workers—those who earn more than $48,000—pay a top rate of 9.3%, which is higher than what millionaires pay in 47 states.
And Democrats want to raise taxes even more. Mind you, the November ballot initiative that Mr. Brown is spearheading would primarily hit those whom Democrats call "millionaires" (i.e., people who make more than $250,000 a year). Some Republicans have warned that it will cause a millionaire march out of the state, but Mr. Kotkin says that "people who are at the very high end of the food chain, they're still going to be in Napa. They're still going to be in Silicon Valley. They're still going to be in West L.A."
That said, "It's really going to hit the small business owners and the young family that's trying to accumulate enough to raise a family, maybe send their kids to private school. It'll kick them in the teeth."
A worker in Wichita might not consider those earning $250,000 a year middle class, but "if you're a guy working for a Silicon Valley company and you're married and you're thinking about having your first kid, and your family makes 250-k a year, you can't buy a closet in the Bay Area," Mr. Kotkin says. "But for 250-k a year, you can live pretty damn well in Salt Lake City. And you might be able to send your kids to public schools and own a three-bedroom, four-bath house."
According to Mr. Kotkin, these upwardly mobile families are fleeing in droves. As a result, California is turning into a two-and-a-half-class society. On top are the "entrenched incumbents" who inherited their wealth or came to California early and made their money. Then there's a shrunken middle class of public employees and, miles below, a permanent welfare class. As it stands today, about 40% of Californians don't pay any income tax and a quarter are on Medicaid....." Rest of article
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Relay For Life Garage Sale
» Ross Barnett Reservoir
The Northwest Rankin Relay For Life Fundraiser Saturday
Annual Relay For Life Gigantic Garage Sale
Saturday, May 19
400 Olympic Dr. Laurelwood Subdivision Old Fannin Rd. Entrance
Take 1rst right - 1rst house on left Watch for Signs
The Rez News Barnett Reservoir
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Pelican Cove Poker Run Sunday
» Ross Barnett Reservoir
click to enlarge
NEWS FROM PELICAN COVE
Poker Run 2012 Sunday, May 20
This is a charitable fun run, and not a race. Safety and fun are our main concerns! This is not a race, I repeat not a race!!
Poker Run Prizes (Prize amounts are minimum depending on number of hands sold.)
1st Place $1000.00 Raffle tickets also available for 2nd Place $ 750.00 $1.00 for extra prizes.
Worst Hand $ 250.00
The Poker Run starts at 10:00 am and all hands need to be returned to Pelican Cove by 6:00 pm. You can start at any location but all hands are final at Pelican Cove. You can purchase 2 extra cards being the first card is $10.00 and the second card is $20.00. The locations designated for the stops on the Poker Run are; Ratliff’s Ferry, Tommy’s Trading Post, Safe Harbor Marina, Sportsman’s Marina, Pelahatchie Bay, Main Harbor Store and Pelican Cove Grill.
For purchasing packets and any questions, please feel free to contact Don at Pelican Cove Grill at 601-605-1865.
The Rez News
Barnett Reservoir
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Dragon Boats At Rez Saturday
» Ross Barnett Reservoir
PADDLES UP
SATURDAY MAY 19TH
Old Trace Park
On The Rez
Schedule of Events
8:45 AM Team Warm-Ups 9:00 AM Opening Ceremonies 9:30 AM Round 1 - Qualifying Heats 11:30 AM Break 12:00 PM Round 2 - Semi-Finals 2:00 PM Round 3 - Championship Finals
Awards Ceremony immediately following final race approximately 4:00 PM
*Times are approximate and are subject to change at the discretion of GWN or the Madison County Chamber of Commerce
More info at: www.paddlesontherez.com
The Rez News
Barnett Reservoir
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21:00
Ride of Silence – Wear Yellow | Oxford, MS | I shouldn’t have to shoot this kind of stuff Photographer
» Captured PhotographyFirst, the good…This was the first time for Oxford, MS to participate in the National and International Annual Ride of Silence. The Ride of Silence is going on its 10th year and is held at 100s if not 1000s of cities across the States and Worldwide. The premise behind the ride is a for a slow-paced and silent ride in honor of cyclists who have been injured or killed on public roadways. There was a fairly good turn out, despite it being a Wednesday and school was out. The weather was perfect and I think those who participated really were moved and had a good time.
Secondly, I just urge you all to think while driving. I understand we have places to go, and I understand its frustrating to drive so slow, but we must remember the person on the bike, or jogging or running is a person. They are probably someone’s significant other..most certainly they are someone’s son or daughter. By law, its their road too…SHARE the ROAD! This is coming from someone who’s wife is an avid road cyclist, who’s best-friend’s wife was killed while cycling, and who himself likes to ride every now and then…Calm down and think!
Rest in Peace, Kevser…
Helpful links…
Bike Walk Mississippi
Oxford Cycling Club
Mississippi Wear Yellow Day
Ride of Silence
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18:07
My father talks about Phil Stone and William Faulkner
» NMissCommentorHere’s a short documentary my daughter Sarah Simonson did for a Southern Studies class. The documentary is about Phil Stone (my dad’s first law partner) and William Faulkner and includes a section of my father talking about Stone and Faulkner. (I’m in there, too). I’m so glad this is on video.
Click here to view the embedded video.
Sarah gets her masters in architecture at Tulane on Saturday!
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Suspects Arrested In Rankin Auto Burglaries
» Ross Barnett Reservoir
Justin Timothy Barr, 20
2247 Napoleon Ave.
Pearl, MS
Dillon Ellis Lewis, 20
250 Camelot Way
Brandon, MS
Two Suspects Arrested by Rankin County Deputies in Connection to Reservoir Area Automobile Burglaries.
Rankin County Sheriff, Bryan Bailey reports:
Rankin County Sheriff’s Department Deputies and Investigators arrested Dillon Ellis Lewis and Justin Timothy Barr around noon today for automobile burglaries in northern Rankin County.
Over the past two weeks, the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department has responded to more than 20 automobile burglaries in northern Rankin County subdivisions. In most cases the suspects gained entry into unsecured vehicles and took mainly electronics, weapons, jewelry and assorted other items.
Deputies received a break in the case when a citizen called in a tip after seeing the composite drawing of the suspect in the local media. The citizen provided a description of the suspects and the suspect’s vehicle. Investigators were able to identify Lewis and Barr as suspects and tracked them down.
Deputies executed search warrants on both of the suspect’s residences and recovered a large amount of stolen property.
Lewis and Barr are both in the Rankin County Jail awaiting an initial appearance Tuesday morning before Rankin County Court Judge Kent McDaniel.
Sheriff Bailey states “This case was solved through the combined efforts of the media, our citizens, and the hard working men and women of the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department.”
The Rez News
Barnett Reservoir
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14:15
Pascagoula to halt annexation efforts
» Blog with FrankRelease from the City of Pascagoula (May 17, 2012): At its meeting on Tuesday, May 15, the Pascagoula City Council authorized the City Attorney, Eddie Williams and the City’s annexation attorney, Chad Mask to enter into negotiations with the objecting parties for the City’s withdrawal of its annexation petition. The objecting parties are the City of Moss Point, Jackson County Fire District, Jackson County Utility Authority, Jackson County, and British Petroleum Corporation. This action by the City Council comes on the heels of Judge Hollis McGehee’s recent ruling in the City of Pass Christian’s annexation case. Judge McGehee is the jurist appointed by the Supreme Court to hear Pascagoula’s case. Due to similarities between the two cases, the Council was unanimously of the opinion that it would be in the best interest of the City to withdraw from the litigation at this time. An agreed order granting the City’s request for a voluntary dismissal has now been sent to the Judge for his approval. ##### Statement from Councilman Frank Corder: "While I continue to believe Pascagoula has a strong case for annexation and the benefits of such an effort would be tremendously positive for the City and the proposed annexed area's future, the Council was advised to halt further proceedings at this time for the remainder of this Council's term. All sides have agreed to end the proceedings amicably. "This agreement does not preclude a future Council from exploring the matter further should they so choose. "Judge Hollis McGehee out of McComb was appointed by the state Supreme Court to hear these cases and recently ruled adversely on Pass Christian's annexation. Pascagoula would be before the same judge. "After reviewing the Pass Christian annexation ruling issued by Judge McGehee and based on the facts of our case it became apparent that Pascagoula's fate before this same court would likely meet a similar end. "It is indeed disappointing and unfortunate that the City has expended the time and funds that we have to support this effort and now must halt the proceedings in light of Judge McGehee's recent ruling. Pascagoula, just like Pass Christian, has a strong case supporting annexation that meets the necessary factors under state law and that can be defended under normal circumstances. "Thankfully, Pass Christian has appealed Judge McGehee's ruling. We will be watching closely." #####
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Evolution of Obama's Gay Marriage Stance c/o @TheOnion
» Mississippi River Valley Girl">[httpdistilleryi_zHBsC.jpg.scaled1000.jpg">][httpdistilleryi_zhbsc"] src="http://getfile2.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/lolololori/CIBdrubhhdwEojFCIIbfgaoBhDphhexhJnlvysdyheoseivzrDcAtszqggIm/media [httpdistilleryi_zHBsC.jpg.scaled500.jpg"] />
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Meet a Mississippi Atheist
» Mississippi Atheists
We've got a new author in Brandon, MS, and this is his introductory post.
A brief history of me…
I am 29 years old. I was born in Jackson, MS. I now live in Brandon, MS, with my wife and three children. I graduated from Northwest Rankin in Dec of 2000 and was off to bootcamp by the 29th of March the following year. I met my wife at the end of my time first enlistment, and I decided that it would be best to get out. Since then, we have started our family and we are trying to make the best of living here. While I am a atheist, my wife is a deist. Before moving here she was a Christian. Due to the down-your-throat attitude of Rankin County, they have stolen beliefs away from one of their own. We try to keep our children away from the bible and all religious propaganda as much as possible, at least until they are old enough to ask questions on their own and believe what they like instead of what they are told. In the meantime, we teach them to respect all people - no matter what race, sex, or religion. My oldest child is about to turn six. My middle child is four, and my youngest it fifteen months old.
The Southern Baptist Church has claimed my entire family. Most still go to them, while a few have been sucked into "Six Flags Over Jesus" (Pine Lake). I honestly do not know what Pine Lake is classified as, and I do not feel it is worth my time to find out. I started questioning my faith in eight grade while attending Oakdale Baptist Church. Seeing how the members acted toward people of other races and beliefs bothered me enough to plant the seed of questioning what had been fed to me. Once that seed was planted, it only took three years for me to realize that I did not believe in that "God," at least not in the same sense as I was brought up. It took almost ten years, and the death of my nephew, for me to finally say out loud to my wife the I am an atheist, and that I am completely finished with placating everyone.
He was born with a rare genetic disorder called Zellweger Syndrome. It was terrible seeing this happen to my brother and his wife. My wife was pregnant at the same time, and I was honestly felled with an enormous anticipation to see the two boys grow up together. Needless to say that did not happen. He died about 12 days after he was born.
What brought the hammer down was people saying, "This was God's will," or "He did this to bring you closer to him." That very moment I could not bring myself to believe in an higher power. I could not imagine how any person, much less an all powerful being, would take that life and make loved ones suffer through something like this. A perfectly innocent human was born to Christian God-fearing parents. To me, it just did not make sense.
My search for a religious awaking was over, and to say the least, I was greatly disappointed. It has sparked a fire in me that I did not know I had - one that looks for answers in science and reason. I have found Sagan, Hitchens, Dawkins, Darwin and Tyson. I started looking at people as humans, instead of by their religion or race. The sky turned into the cosmos. The vastness of the universe aided me. Empowered me.
Through my short time on the Earth, even when I believed in a spiritual deity, I have learned that people do not give themselves enough credit. I made it through the Navy. I saved myself from alcoholism. I made bad choices, and I have made good choices. I have learned to respect others' rights to believe what they want as long as they give me, my family, and any other human beings the same respect in return. I do not believe in "Marine Atheism" because I despise how the religious fling their beliefs around with their "in your face & I am better than you" garbage. I do not think it is a productive practice to combat their ignorance of the cosmos or lack of faith in themselves and the human race in that manner. I only want people to know you can be happy without god.
- Mike BennettSubscribe to Mississippi Atheists
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The bond food fight continues.
» Jackson JambalayaWell, that was interesting. Representative Jeff Smith of Columbus Packet fame spent an hour on Gallo yesterday trashing me and the Lieutenant Governor. It was quite funny actually, as Mr. Smith said about me, "I wouldn't trust him in an outhouse with a muzzle on." I'm sure Billy McCoy could say the same about him, but I digress. Mr. Smith later said there was no $400 million bond bill, it was $250 million, and anyone who says it was $400 million is "lying". He said the $400 million was a list of possible projects presented to the Lieutenant Governor.
Oh, really Mr. Smith? Lets take a look at HB #1631. It was passed by the House. Here is a list of projects in the 77 page bill:
$5 million Ace Fund
$4 million Ms. Job Protection Act Fund
$2 million Ms. Rural impact fund
$5 million Ms Existing industry productivity loan fund
$15 million increase in limit for bonds issued under MS. business investment act
$40 million Economic Development Highway Act
$9 million for junior colleges
$5 million for small muni fund
$2 million for county jail repair
$2 million for bridge repair
$55.1 million for muni infrastructure (p.25)
$1.5 million for loan loss program at banks (p.27)
$2 million for new spillway and dam structure at Lake Mary in Wilkinson County
$150,000 for repairing muni community centers
$100,000 to Holly Springs to provide water & sewer service
$7 million for a a high economic benefit project as defined in Section
65-4-5(1)(c)
$196 million: $96 million for IHL Cap Improvement fund, $49.65 million
for state owned buildings discretionary fund, $8 million IHL building
fund,$20 million for juco cap improvement fund. Here is a partial list I've italicized so it doesn't get mixed in with the other items as there are so many of them:
$6.5 million for ASU for repair
$6.5 million for DSU
$11 million for JSU
$6.5 million for MUW
$16.5 million for MSU
$6.5 million for MVSU
$15 million for Ole Miss
$13.5 million for USM
Total: $96 million for universities
$20 million for junior colleges
$5 million for the small muni fund (p.57)
$2 million for MDOC
$20 million for bridge rehab fund (p.70)
Does that look like $250 million? Hmm... maybe in Desoto County Schools it does, but in a proper charter school $377.75 million does not equal $250 million. That is a whole lot more kabukis than $250 million. Now keep in mind the bill was 77 pages, and its very possible I missed some items, so if I have too many or too little, tell me where I am wrong and I will make corrections. I'll be more than happy to make the correction and apologize for the error.
However, the fact is, a bond bill for nearly $400 million passed the House. Don't take my word for it, here it is. The bill then went to the Senate where changes were made. Since changes were made, that means the differences had to be resolved in conference committee. Here is where the offer and counter-offer began. The House provided this list:
ACE Fund- $5 million
Ms Job Protection Act Fund- $4 million
Ms Rural Impact Fund- $2 million
Ms Existing Industry Productivity Fund- $5 million
Ms Business Investment Act- $15 million
Economic Development Highway Act- $40 million
IHL Cap Improvements- $96 million
Bureau of Building discretionary- $49.650 million
Bureau of Building IHL discretionary- $8 million
Juco's- $20 million
Juco's= $9 million
Small munis/counties- $5 million
County & muni jails- $2 million
Local bridge rehab fund- $20 million
DWFP- $10 million
Tammy Wynette Legacy Park Center- $5 million
Grammy Museum Mississippi- $6 million
Rural Fire Truck Fund- $3.2 million
Water Pollution Control Revolving Fund- $1.54 million
Mid-Mississippi Sports Complex- $20 million
Total: 326 million
Now I am going to take the representative at his word and accept the House only wanted $250 million out of this list. However, saying people are "lying" when they say $400 million is not exactly telling the truth, as that is what was in the House bill. See, this is how politicians play their games. They pass one thing, then come out with these super secret figures that were the real numbers. The Lieutenant Governor's office counter offer was a list of $73 million in bonds and $50 million in appropriations. His proposal would have given IHL $60 million, the Juco's $15 million, and $20 million for the bridge fund.
Now instead of taking shots at me, or the Lieutenant Governor, or Snowball, why don't you discuss the merits of each side, the actual projects, or the items in the bill. Keep in mind there are $1.2 billion in bonds that have been approved by the Legislature but not yet approved by the Bond Commission.
Note: I will also give credit to yes, Mr. Smith. One reliable Republican lobbyist disagrees with the House on the bond list but said Mr. Smith told them not to pass a bill that was nearly $400 million as the Senate would never go along with it but he was ignored. If true, then I give credit to Mr. Smith.
Gallo show w/Representative Jeff Smith at the 7:00 hour.
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Dr. Smith arraigned (Video)
» Jackson JambalayaHere is the video of the hearing of Dr. Arnold Smith in Leflore County yesterday. Link to video.
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Be careful what you wish for......
» Jackson JambalayaSo many of you got your wish: David Hampton is gone from the Clarion-Ledger. That means the number of people working on the editiorial page has gone from four to zero: Ronnie Agnew, Jim Ewing, David Hampton, and Sid Salter. Instead of local editorials, the Clarion-Ledger has been publishing editorials from Gannett papers around the country. Mr. Hampton may have been liberal but at least he cared about the community and took an interest in what took place in Mississippi. Publisher Leslie Hurst and her bunch now think so little of you they see nothing wrong with making the editorial page the wire service for Detroit and Albuquerque.
Dear local business community: the next time Ms. Hurst shimmies up to you at some function or is trying to build bridges with you, tell her to hit the door unless she shows you and the community more respect. The liberal everyone loved to hate gave you more respect than the carpetbagger. She can scream all day long its a "corporate decision" and she is correct. However, supporting this crap is a "corporate decision" as well. Until the Clarion-Ledger reverses this trend, it does not deserve any support from the community.
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07:00
TOP TEN TIPS TO IMPRESS A CHANCELLOR AT TRIAL: #8
» 12th CHANCERY COURT DISTRICT OF MISSISSIPPIThis is the third in a series counting down 10 common-sense practice tips to improve your chancery court trial performance. If you’re a long-time reader of this blog, some of these will be familiar. That’s okay. They bear repeating because they are inside tips on how to impress your chancellor, or at least how to
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Update On Injured Pearl Officers
» Ross Barnett ReservoirUpdate from Pearl PD.
We wanted to let you all know that both Detective Dave McCarley and Detective Shawn Terwilliger are having surgery at U.M.C. on Friday. There are now a couple of fund raising efforts under way to assist these guys with their mounting medical bills.
The information on one such event is attached. We'll let you about others as we find out more about them.
Thanks again for all that you've done.
Lt. Butch Townsend
Pearl Police Department
CHICKEN PLATE BENEFIT
For Injured Pearl Officers Det. Dave McCarley and Det. Shaun Terwilliger
Crawfish also available on location
Friday, May 18, 2012 11a.m. - 2p.m. (or until sold out)
Parking Lot Of Mack's Cool Fuel Mart/Crawfish Barn @ 3190 Hwy 80 E
$7.00 Per Plate
Mack's Cool Fuel Mart & Crawfish Barn will each donate 10% of sales this day to the benefit of these officers.
Donations gladly accepted!
Please help us to take care of these officers as they recover from their work related injuries.
The Rez News Barnett Reservoir
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Jackson Lawyer Partially Wins Lawsuit Over Fee in Fen-Phen Litigation
» Mississippi Litigation Review & CommentaryIn 1999 American Home Products Corporation, the manufacturer of the diet drug fen-phen, agreed to pay $3.75 billion to settle thousands of lawsuits by the drug's users. The drug was linked to heart valve disease. It was a stunning settlement that included payments of hundreds of thousands of dollars to plaintiffs who took the drug with no apparent ill-effects. Some plaintiffs recovered in the millions.
Many lawyers who signed up fen-phen cases like it was Krayoxx in the latest John Grisham novel (The Litigators) received millions in legal fees. In an extreme version of American Greed, lawyers in Kentucky stole settlement funds from their clients. They received lengthy prison sentences.
Last week in Jackson, Mississippi lawyer Herbert Lee partially won a lawsuit by his former clients that alleged that Lee kept too much of the plaintiffs' fen-phen settlement. First, Hinds County Circuit Judge Jeff Weill ruled that Lee owes the two plaintiffs $600,000 based on a miscalculation of the clients' share of an MDL refund.
According to the Clarion-Ledger's article:
In allocating the refund, Lee retained 45 percent as his attorney's fee and refunded each client a per capita share, rather than a pro rata share, of the remaining 55 percent.
As a result, each of Lee's diet-drug clients receiving one-thirteenth of the refund instead of an amount based on a percentage of the total settlement, according to court records.
The article doesn't say this, but I read this to mean that Lee over-paid some of his clients from the MDL refund and now has to make up the short-fall. That's a lot different than what happened with the lawyers in Kentucky who stole from their clients.
Lee won a unanimous jury verdict on the plaintiffs' claim that Lee's fee should have been 40% of the recovery instead of 45%.
Ed Blackmon of Canton represented Herbert Lee. Lance Stevens of Jackson represented the plaintiffs.
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[nt]
» Ross Barnett Reservoir
Rankin County Flood Risk Open House Scheduled
General public provided opportunity to find out more about floodplain management in their community.
Officials representing the Mississippi Flood Map Modernization Initiative Team will host a Flood Risk Open House from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, June 13th in the Multi Purpose Room at Northwest Rankin High School, located at 5805 Hwy 25.
The open house will provide the public with an opportunity to review the recently completed preliminary Flood Insurance Study (FIS) and its accompanying preliminary Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) that include base flood information and identification of areas subject to flood hazards within the county. The maps for Rankin County and the communities of Brandon, Florence, Flowood, Pearl, Pearl River Valley WSD, Pelahatchie, Puckett and Richland are also available for viewing at the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality web site at:
[geology.deq.ms.gov]
Local and state officials will be present to provide information about flood risk, flood insurance, floodplain development requirements, and the process used for floodplain mapping. Once the preliminary FIRMs become effective, these maps will be used by floodplain permit officials, builders and developers, lenders, Realtors, insurance agents, and the general public to determine the minimum flood risk of the community.
Property owners, Realtors, lenders, and insurance agents are encouraged to attend and take advantage of this opportunity to learn more about flood risk and hazard mitigation within your community.
The maps can impact you directly, please contact your community Floodplain Administrator to learn if your home or business is located within a high hazard area, which will require flood insurance if you have a federally backed loan.
The Rez News
Barnett Reservoir
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Holy Kitties
» Ross Barnett ReservoirThis litter of kittens was born at St. Paul Catholic Church on Hwy 25 in Flowood.
And - they need a good home.
If you are interested in adopting one (or more) of them please contact the St. Paul office at 601-992-9547.
The Rez News
Barnett Reservoir
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Belhaven bans dogs
» Jackson JambalayaBelhaven University bans dogs from the campus in this message from the Prez:
"A message from Belhaven University President Dr. Roger Parrott:
"Belhaven University is committed to welcoming our neighbors to enjoy our walking trails and events. For the safety and respect of our students whose home is this campus, effective May 1, 2012, NO DOGS ARE ALLOWED ON ANY PORTION OF THE CAMPUS PROPERTY."
This policy is being enforced due to the large number of dog owners failing to clean up after their pets while walking them on the campus. In the future, Belhaven University police will ask you to leave the campus if you bring your dog along.
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Dr. Smith does not get to pass go
» Jackson JambalayaDr. Arnold Smith was arraigned and denied bond in Greenwood. The Greenwood Commonwealth reported:
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14:11
“You’ve got a cellphone. Take a picture with a hole between his eyes.” Sounds like probable cause to me.
» NMissCommentorIt seems that Dr. Smith made a secret video (12 minutes long!) of his meeting with a potential hit man.
The Greenwood Commonwealth story about the preliminary hearing starts off:
Dr. Arnold Smith wanted proof that Lee Abraham was dead from the man whom he allegedly hired to try to kill the Greenwood attorney.
“You’ve got a cellphone,” the physician says on a videotape played in Leflore County Court this morning during the opening of his preliminary hearing. “Take a (expletive) picture with a hole between his eyes.” …
In the video, Byrd gives Smith a cellphone that Byrd claims he stole from one of Abraham’s vehicles. Later in the conversation, Byrd brings up the subject of $20,000 — the amount that police claim Smith offered Byrd to kill Abraham.
“You have to get the $20,000 to your house, and when it’s done, I’ll let you know,” [officer] Byars testified that Byrd says on the video.
Video taping the negotiations over the hit and leaving that laying around does not strike me as the actions of a sane man.
The video was seized from the search of Dr. Smith’s office the day after the attempted hit. Folks will recall my questions about the affidavit; the Magic 8 Ball predicts an attempt at suppression.
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Rez Area Auto Burglaries
» Ross Barnett ReservoirAlert From The Rankin County Sheriff's Department
This image is not a photograph of a real person.
This is a composite picture of the suspect.
The Rankin County Sheriff’s Department has received nearly twenty reports of auto burglaries over the past ten days in the Reservoir area. The majority of the owners victimized live in or around Avalon, and Farmington Station subdivisions.
Although there have been reports of some of the vehicles burglarized being locked, there is no evidence to support the suspect or suspects forced entry into the vehicles. The burglaries appear to be occurring after the midnight hour. It is believed that the suspect or suspects live in the area and are committing the crimes while walking through the area making it easier to avoid detection.
Around 3:30 am Sunday, a deputy found a vehicle in the Avalon subdivision with an open door and made contact with the owner to discover some items were missing from the vehicle. A suspect was then seen running behind some adjacent houses. Deputies pursued the suspect and were able to recover some of the items reported stolen.
Around 4:00 am Sunday morning a homeowner, in the Farmington Station subdivision, witnessed someone in a neighbor’s vehicle and pursued the suspect on foot losing him in a nearby wooded area. The witness was able to provide deputies with a suspect description.
Deputies have collected finger prints from some of the burglaries and are awaiting results from the Crime Lab.
Suspect Description
White Male
Height: 5’9” Weight 180lbs.
Mid 20’s; shaved or close cut hair
The Sheriff’s Department reminds the citizens of Rankin County that the best way to avoid being a victim of an auto burglary is to secure valuables and LOCK YOUR VEHICLE!
If you have any information on these auto burglaries or suspect please contact the Rankin County Sheriff’s Department at 601-825-1480.
The Rez News
Barnett Reservoir
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Art scam! Beware!
» The Oxford Artist's Guild of Oxford, MississippiWarning!! Scam!! Here is the following message being sent. Good day to you. I am so excited that I came across of your work on internet search,I am interested in purchasing these creative artworks from you..................... Beer in Paradise ,Solitude AND Cabo Storm Let me know their various prices.and how much discounts are you going to give?I will be happy to have these selected artworks hung in our new home in South Africa.As well,I want you to take out the shipping cost.I have been in touch with a shipping firm that will be shipping other house decoratives. We are traveling from our Seattle home to our new apartment as soon as possible.On Paying for the artworks,I will be glad to pay you with a Money Order or Cashier`s check in US funds that can be easily cashed at your local bank,please let me know on how to proceed for the payment of the creative artworks. I will await your advise on how to proceed.Have a wonderful day. Take care, Holly Doherty
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WJNT this morning.
» Jackson Jambalaya
The Kingfish had Hinds County Supervisor Phil Fisher on this morning to discuss the Byram- Clinton Corridor Project. I dealt with Paul Gallo and Representative Jeff Smith at the bottom of the hour. It seems Mr. Smith said "I wouldn't trust Kingfish in a outhouse with a muzzle" or Muslim, or something like that.
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FEMA to Evaluate Potential Modifications to National Flood Insurance Program - Solicits Public Comment
» Northeast-Midwest Institute's Mississippi River Basin BlogThe Federal Emergency Management Agency ("FEMA") announced in the May 16 Federal Register that it intends to prepare what it calls a "Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement" (or "PEIS") on modifications it is proposing to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Specifically, FEMA is proposing to modify the NFIP, and those modifications could then impact, FEMA indicates, "environmental and historic preservation considerations including but not limited to climate change, and the impacts of the program on endangered and threatened species and critical habitat." The changes being considered by FEMA would result in modification of the NFIP in the following specific areas:- Elevation standards for new construction would be increased
- Floodplain management standards for critical facilities would be changed
- Restrictions on floodway development would be strengthened
- Future conditions and residual risk in floodplain management would be integrated
- Fill in floodplains would be discouraged, and
- The impacts of floodplain development on the natural and beneficial functions of floodplains to include endangered and threatened species would be taken into account.
The NFIP was created by the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968. Under the Federal program, property owners in NFIP participating communities may purchase insurance as a protection against flood losses in exchange for State and community adoption and implementation of land use criteria that reduce future flood damages. In addition to providing flood insurance and reducing flood damages through floodplain management regulations, the NFIP identifies and maps the Nation’s regulated floodplains. FEMA contends that mapping flood hazards creates a "broad-based awareness of flood hazards and provides data needed for floodplain management programs and to actuarially rate new construction for flood insurance." Additional information about FEMA's NFIP Reform effort can be found at this FEMA web site.
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07:00
SHORTCUT TO FAILURE
» 12th CHANCERY COURT DISTRICT OF MISSISSIPPISanford v. Sanford, decided May 8, 2012, by the COA is the latest in a line of cases that mandate a written agreement settling all issues between the parties before the trial court may grant an irreconcilable differences divorce. I will spare you a recitation of the convoluted procedural history that led to the appeal. You
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Women in Secularism Conference
» Mississippi Atheists
From PK ATHEIST:
For those of you interested in traveling to Virginia for this conference (or perhaps checking to see if they will have it next year), I have included the url below. If you travel by car please note the warnings that someone in North Miss. has been impersonating law enforcement and has shot two people to death. The advice ABC radio news gave was if you see the lights that seem to be law enforcement, put your blinkers on and proceed to a safe and lighted area. I would think you would want to call the Miss. Highway Patrol from a cell phone and take the number with you if traveling. Per their web site it is (601) 987-1212. (I could not find the listing of what you dial from a cell phone, but trust you will take that with you.)
[womeninsecularism.org]
Join us on May 18-20, 2012, for the “Women in Secularism” conference, sponsored by the Center for Inquiry. This historic conference will discuss and celebrate the many contributions women have made to the secular movement, while critically examining both the successes and failures of secularism in addressing women’s concerns.
May 18–20, 2012
Crystal City Marriott
Reagan National Airport
Arlington, Virginia
I am sorry I won't be able to make this meeting or the one in Jackson but appreciated hearing about both and thought you might like to at least know about this one.
--PK ATHEIST
Subscribe to Mississippi Atheists
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Enjoy that low price for the Iphone while it lasts.
» Jackson JambalayaThe Wall Street Journal reported last week wireless phone carriers are seeking to reduce the $400 per phone subsidy paid to Apple for the Iphone"
"Wireless carriers are taking their first steps to change the terms of smartphone deals that have mostly benefited phone makers like Apple Inc., AAPL -0.91% in a push that could leave consumers paying more for devices like the iPhone.
Carriers in the U.S. have been raising monthly rates and charging higher fees when customers upgrade to new phones. In Europe, embattled carriers are taking more aggressive measures: Spain's two leading wireless companies are refusing to subsidize devices for new customers.
In the global wireless market, where device manufacturers such as Apple and Samsung Electronics Co. and software makers like Google Inc. GOOG +1.16% continue to hold considerable sway, carriers still typically pay full price for their phones, then sell them at deep discounts to customers who sign two-year contracts.
But the carriers' latest signs of resistance are drawing applause from investors and analysts. They say the carriers could benefit more from the smartphone boom if they succeed in raising prices for service plans and slowing the rate at which customers buy new phones.
"Optimism has increased that we are witnessing the leading edge of a more disciplined, and more profitable, future," Craig Moffett, a telecom analyst at Bernstein Research, wrote in a research note on Tuesday. The question now, he wrote, is how much carriers can increase their profits thanks to "increased discipline and pricing power."
At Sprint Nextel Corp., S -1.20% AT&T Inc. T -0.54% and Verizon Communications Inc., combined revenue from contract customers increased 6.2% from a year earlier in the first quarter of 2012, the fastest growth rate since before the recession, according to Bernstein Research. In the past month, AT&T and Verizon shares have gained more than 5%, while the broader market, as measured by the Standard & Poor's 500-stock index, is down 1%. Verizon Communications co-owns Verizon Wireless with Vodafone Group PLC. VOD -0.20%
[SUBSIDY]
Apple, meanwhile, is in the opposite situation. Its shares are down 12% from their April 10 record of $644, partly because of investor concerns that carriers may be looking to ratchet back the big subsidies that have allowed so many people to own an iPhone.
Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook has played down concerns that changes in subsidy policies could affect iPhone sales. He told analysts last month that carriers will continue supporting the iPhone because it brings them satisfied customers. Carriers "want to provide what their customers want to buy," he said. He argued that the Spanish market, which is reeling from Europe's economic crisis, "shouldn't be viewed as a proxy for the world."
Wireless carriers shell out $400 for every iPhone sold, analysts estimate.
Now, carriers are adding fees to discourage customers from getting new phones. Verizon imposed a $30 upgrade fee for some customers last month, and both AT&T and Sprint have doubled their upgrade fees to $36 in recent months. Customers pay the fees when they get a new phone.
"It will have a meaningful impact on us in managing those handset costs," AT&T Chief Financial Officer John Stephens said on a conference call with analysts last month.
Monthly rates for smartphone service plans have been rising, too. In January, AT&T boosted some monthly data plans by $5, or as much as 33%, while giving consumers more data. In April, pay-as-you-go carrier MetroPCS Communications Corp. PCS -4.16% raised its unlimited high-speed data plan to $70 from $60. Sprint raised smartphone data prices early last year by $10 a month.
Amid the smartphone craze, much of the profits are bypassing wireless carriers, going instead to app developers and Internet companies like Google, which charge for services and sell ads, and hardware companies like Apple, which sold 35 million iPhones in the first three months of this year.
That's why U.S. companies are closely watching the wireless industry's experiment in Spain. There, leading wireless carrierTelefónica SA TEF -5.26% stopped subsidizing phones for new customers in March. The No. 2 carrier, Vodafone, quickly followed suit. The No. 3 carrier, France Télécom SA's FTE -2.37% Orange Group, refused to go along.
As a result, new customers at Vodafone and Telefónica can no longer get an iPhone for a discounted rate with a two-year contract. Instead, they have to pay nearly $800 to buy the phone outright or sign up for an installment plan that, at Telefónica, adds 18 monthly payments of about $45 to their bills.
Telefónica and Vodafone, which have made the decision to shift resources from acquiring customers to retaining them, say they will continue to subsidize new phones for existing customers that upgrade. Still, the policy change will reduce Telefonica's spending on device subsidies by 25%, a spokesman said.
"People didn't know the effort we were making," a Telefónica spokesman said.
Orange's Spanish operations declined to comment.
For Telefónica and Vodafone, the risks is that Orange will seize the opening to try to win over customers with cheaper, subsidized phones. And, in fact, Orange has said it hopes to use its competitors' moves to increase its market share in Spain.
The industry is watching to see how well Vodafone and Telefónica hold on to customers, as a test of whether other carriers around the world might be able to wriggle free of the subsidy model.
Verizon Communications Chief Executive Lowell McAdam mentioned Telefónica's installment-plan experiment in an interview with The Wall Street Journal in late March. Verizon Wireless, he said, may cautiously follow the Spanish carrier's lead.
"We'll probably offer some things like that, and then we'll see what the adoption is like," Mr. McAdam said. "You can't push this on customers before customers are ready for it."
Enjoy the $200 price while it lasts although I suspect an installment plan will be offered. Too many teens are addicted to their iphones. What is interesting is RIM, yes, the much maligned RIM that the media loves to hype as the next corporate train wreck, has been able to hold its own against Apple outside of America as the price of the Iphone is much higher. Is this the Achilles heel in Apple's stock price?
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Change Proposed For Road Around Harbor Walk
» Ross Barnett ReservoirUpdated: May 16, 10:38 a.m
The Pearl River Valley Water Supply District will consider a change to Dyke Road this week. The Shoreline Committee met Monday and voted to recommend a designation change for the elevated road surrounding Main Harbor. The board of directors will take up the issue at their Thursday meeting (May 17).
The proposal would designate Dyke Road as a "No Through Street".
The text below is from a letter written by Reservoir Patrol Chief, Perry Waggener, explaining the reason for the change.
MEMORANDUM
May 1, 2012
To: John Sigman, Executive Director
From: Perry Waggener, Reservoir Patrol Chief
RE: Traffic Concerns
Please consider a "No Through Street" designation/regulation for Dyke Road in the area from the intersection of Breakers Lane to the North Fishing Jetty.
The current traffic flow far exceeds the original intended traffic when it was constructed in the 1960's. The amount of traffic creates the following safety concerns:
- The roadway is a portion of the multi-use trail system with both heavy pedestrian and bicycle traffic which puts these vulnerable individuals intermingled with traffic
- The roadway is used as a parking area for the marina (intended purpose) and as such has numerous people loading, unloading and walking into the roadway from between parked vehicles on any given day and especially during high traffic times in this recreational area.
- There are also residential structures literally 12 inches from the lane of traffic.
I am available to discuss this matter further at your convenience.
Dyke Road marked in red:
click photo to enlarge
Roadway marked in red may be designated as a
"No Through Street"
The PRVWSD board will vote on the proposed change at their Thursday meeting. A copy of their agenda is available here.
We have asked Chief Waggener how this rule would be enforced and what it means to the weekend sightseer driving around the harbor. We'll pass his response along when we receive it.
Updated: 10:38 a.m.
Response from Chief Waggener:
The standard citation for an offense such as this is Disregard for a Traffic Control Device(63-3-313). Once the street has been deemed closed to through traffic and signs erected, the sign becomes a traffic control device in the same manner as a “STOP” or YIELD” sign.
Enforcement would be conducted like all other traffic offenses. In accordance to Mississippi law, being a misdemeanor, the offense would have to occur in an officers presence for a citation to be issued. Citizens observing a violation would have the option to sign an affidavit in the appropriate county Justice Court.
The Rez News Barnett Reservoir
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The new Nixon?
» Jackson JambalayaKim Strassel writes in the Wall Street Journal about the Obama team's use of an enemies list:
"Here's what happens when the president of the United States publicly targets a private citizen for the crime of supporting his opponent.
Frank VanderSloot is the CEO of Melaleuca Inc. The 63-year-old has run that wellness-products company for 26 years out of tiny Idaho Falls, Idaho. Last August, Mr. VanderSloot gave $1 million to Restore Our Future, the Super PAC that supports Mitt Romney.
Three weeks ago, an Obama campaign website, "Keeping GOP Honest," took the extraordinary step of publicly naming and assailing eight private citizens backing Mr. Romney. Titled "Behind the curtain: a brief history of Romney's donors," the post accused the eight of being "wealthy individuals with less-than-reputable records." Mr. VanderSloot was one of the eight, smeared particularly as being "litigious, combative and a bitter foe of the gay rights movement....." Column
Oh well. Two can play at that game.
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Yes they did.
» Jackson JambalayaShack and Brown filed notices of appeal with the Mississippi Supreme Court. Thomas McClinton has a hearing date in Judge Thomas's courtroom. In the words of Manco, Now we start.
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Mayor Mary wins a round against Blue Cross
» Jackson JambalayaThe Clarion-Ledger reported Madison Mayor Mary Hawkins-Butler and her husband Jim Butler won a victory against Blue Cross/Blue Shield before a federal arbitration panel recently:
"An administrative appeal officer recently awarded coverage to Butler for cognitive rehabilitation therapy, calling it "medically necessary" after his insurer, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi, originally denied his claim last year. The family went through layers of appeals through the course of a year before receiving this final verdict in late April.
"We completely agree this opens the door for 800,000" stroke victims in the U.S., said Susan H. Connors, president and CEO of the Brain Injury Association of America. "Even though this is one person in one state and one insurance company, the one plus one plus one equals many."
Butler suffered life-threatening ailments, a cerebral hemorrhage followed days later by two strokes in October 2010. His doctors later recommended cognitive rehabilitation - essentially physical therapy for the mind - to help his brain catch up to his physical improvements....
Medicare and Medicaid have no national policy for brain-trauma rehabilitation, Connors said, while private insurers' coverage varies considerably.
Blue Cross maintains its denial in Butler's case was based on current medical literature in regard to specific health issues and procedures.
"Medicine is an evolutionary field and we recognize that the agency conducting the independent review of this case has reached a different conclusion as pertains to cognitive rehabilitation. We will abide by this decision and continue to review the medical literature in the future," said John Sewell, Blue Cross director of corporate communications...
"The mayor and Jim learned that there is a very, very limited window of time after a stroke to have this therapy applied," their attorney Trae Sims said. "From a cognitive rehabilitation standpoint, if you miss the window, you don't get it back.
"Fortunately for the Butlers, they had the ability to get him help, but what happens to others who don't," Sims said.
The family's insurance policy is like most Blue Cross policies in that it had the same exception for cognitive rehabilitation, Sims said. "If you suffer a traumatic brain injury by blunt force trauma, as a result of a fall or car accident, they cover it. For any other, like a stroke or aneurysm, they don't.
"It's like Blue Cross is saying 'we'll pay for cognitive rehab therapy but you've got to be injured in the right way.' Talk to any neurosurgeon who treats these patients and they'll tell you as far as rehabbing an individual - from a car wreck to a stroke - the therapy is basically the same..."
Before undergoing therapy, Butler needed round-the-clock care. "It was obvious he was not the same person," Hawkins Butler said.
Now after therapy, Butler, who worked as a homebuilder, is more of the person he was before, she said. "He's driving. He can't work but he has his dignity back, and he has a quality of life...." Article
Timber Ridge is the same place that treated Stuart Irby. I remember seeing him in public before he spent several months at that facility. His speech, motions, and gait were much improved when he returned. Made a believe out of me. Several physical therapists and doctors have told me the key to such therapy in most cases is within the first few months after the stroke or injury. Unfortunately, most people can't afford such therapy if the insurance company won't cover it.
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Rep. Lester "Bubba" Carpenter on superhero abortion doctors and the need for more babies
» CottonmouthI'm trying to focus on an oral argument tomorrow, but this was too good to keep to myself.
Rep. Lester "Bubba" Carpenter (R - Burnsville) recently opined about the new restrictions on abortion created by HB 1390, which was designed to close Mississippi's only abortion clinic. There's some real gems in the video posted below (thanks, Alcorn County GOP, for composing this video and posting it to YouTube).
First, this, beginning at the 41 second mark:
These doctors, y'all, I learned alot about this this session. Three doctors perform abortions in the State of Mississippi. They fly in from Birmingham, they wear a mask to the clinic in their cars so nobody can see 'em, they go in the back door of the parking garage.... (The Alcorn County GOP edited something out here)
Apparently, what Rep. Carpenter learned is that Batman is performing the abortions in Mississippi. Actually, Rep. Carpenter, if they wear masks, it's because folks like the ones you're speaking to in that room have been known to loose their minds and kill doctors who provide abortions.
And then this, at the 1:27 mark:
And of course, there you have the other side, they're like, "Well, the poor pitiful women that can't afford to go out of state are just going to start doing their own with coat hangers." That's what we heard over, and over, and over, but hey, you have to have more babies and you have to start somewhere and that's what we decided to do when this bill came along.
Yeah, screw those poor women. Who cares about them anyway? And we "have to have more babies"?!? Why? So you can continue to ignore the poor ones?
Here's the illustrious video:
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09:26
Recent graduates: Here are the three keys to success.
» Phil Hardwick - From the Ground UpSuccess in the workplace is a complicated matter. Nevertheless, I have found that there are three basic things that are characteristic of people who have successful careers. Might as well label them as The Three C’s. Competency – First and foremost, a person must be able to do the job, whether it’s flying a plane, [...]
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07:00
A FEW THOUGHTS ON A LEGACY OF PROFESSIONALISM
» 12th CHANCERY COURT DISTRICT OF MISSISSIPPIAttorney Thomas Henry Freeland, III, of Oxford, died last Saturday. His daughter Lee’s brief, but touching, obit is posted on son Tom’s blog. You can read it here. Mr. Freeland’s friends knew him as Hal. I did not know him, but from what I read about him he was one of those lawyers who set
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Did the House & Supertalk declare war on Tate?
» Jackson JambalayaMr. Supertalk himself, our favorite paisan, one Paul Gallo, included this message in his email to Supertalk listeners yesterday afternoon:
"6:00 a.m. First hour wrapup of the overnight headlines. Another revealing article on the Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves. Columbus Packet journalist, Sarah Fowler states, "....... according to multiple sources in Jackson, Reeves is quickly becoming known for his unwavering political stance, with Democrats and Republicans alike beginning to refer to him as 'Hitler.' " Check out the article at..."
Just could not wait. The first hour. Just the thought of Tate sends Paul into TDS- Tate Derangement Syndrome. It's similar to rabbititis. The victim starts seeing spots, then froths at the mouth, while experiencing a frenzied ardor for all things Bill Minor. He even said Jeff Smith "had the most bonding experience" out of anyone in the state. Take a look at this "article" written by the associate editor of the Columbus Packet:
"The controversy surrounding the state’s failed bond bill began back in February when a bond bill totaling $260,500,000 came out of the Ways and Means Committee and onto the House of Representatives floor. When the bill was on the floor, Rep. Robert Johnson added another $20,000,000, making the bill a proposed $280,500,000. The bill – titled HB 1631 – passed the house and was then sent to the senate for approval.
According the Rep. Jeff Smith, who also serves as the Ways and Means chairman, the house wanted to keep the amount of the 2013 bond bill below the amount of debt that was being paid off. The amount of bonds being paid off for the 2012 session totaled to $284,035,000.
Traditionally, both the house and the senate will create a bond bill. After each side passes their version of the bill, it is exchanged across the capitol, meaning the house sends their version to the senate and the senate sends their version to the house.
However, in the 2012 legislative session, the senate failed to create a bond bill. Led by Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves, the senate held a firm stance that they would not be creating or approving a bond bill..."
Well, Ms. Fowler, not so fast, my friend. The Senate said it would pass a bond bill but one that was $120 million. A far cry from nothing. However, Ms. Fowler does not disclose the nature of her newspaper's relationship with Jeff Smith. Nothing much, he is just the attorney for the Columbus Packet. What do ethics matter when one is called by a higher purpose: taking down the Lieutenant Governor for her lawyer.
Packet Media LLC owns the Columbus Packet. Want to guess who wrote the letter to the Secretary of State establishing the LLC in 2010? Jeffery C. Smith, Attorney at Law at Sims & Sims. Even was nice enough to write it on Sims letterhead. (See page 3 in the documents posted below.) However, back to Ms. Fowler's epistle:
"Chairman Smith states that he tried “numerous times” to get in touch with Senate Finance Chair Joey Fillingane, but Fillingane always responded that he “had no authority.”
HB 1631 was passed in February, and Smith stresses that he repeatedly tried to contact Fillingane through the remaining two months of the session to little or no avail. No conferees were ever named, and Smith and Fillingane never officially met to discuss the bond bill."
We get it Sarah. Mr. Smith really really tried to get a good bond bill through but the Senate would not play nice with him. Ms. Fowler wants to make sure you get that point about her attorney. She then blames the state bond debt on Tate Reeves:
"Furthermore, a look at Reeves’ record during his eight years as treasurer shows that he may be partially responsible for Mississippi’s $4 billion of bond debt.
Mississippi has $4,148,110,000 in bond debt. Of that $4.1 billion debt, $3,438,045,000 was issued by the bond commission from 2004 to 2012. In order for a bond to be passed, it has to be approved by The Mississippi Bond Commission. The Mississippi Bond Commission is made up of the governor, state treasurer and attorney general."
Guess she missed the part about the Legislature approving all bond bills and then the Governor signs them. Send this reporter to a civics class taught in a charter school before she does any more damage to herself. Only then does the Bond Commission enter the scene. One little fact left out by Ms. Fowler: the state still has $1.2 billion in bond debt that is authorized by the legislature but not approved by the Bond Commission- yet. However, Ms. Fowler is not done as she moves from Kenneth Stokes civics lessons to using a favorite trick of the liberals: comparing a Republican to Hitler. Yup, Jeff Smith's client compares the Lieutenant Governor to Hitler. Not even Cottonchicken is this bad, or Ricky Cole, and he can engage in some serious histrionics. Here it is:
"Known for his frugality, Reeves served two terms as the state treasurer and based his campaign for lieutenant governor on his financially conservative record. Reeves ran against opponent Billy Hewes on the platform that he would not issue any bonds. However, according to multiple sources in Jackson, Reeves is quickly becoming known for his unwavering political stance, with Democrats and Republicans alike beginning to refer to him as “Hitler.” Rest of article
The funny part about this quote is the opinion of all the lobbyists, journalists, and politicians at the capitol is that the Lieutenant Governor was the one who had his act together and ran a tight ship, while the House at times well, wasn't quite so organized or knew what to do at all times. However, one can hardly expect Ms. Fowler to know this as she enjoys the good life in the Golden Triangle and probably relied on one source: Jeff Smith.
It's not hard to figure this one out. Jeff Smith, the Chairman of Ways & Means under Speaker Phillip Gunn, went to his client, the Columbus Packet. The newspaper then aims its literary barrels at Tate Reeves and fires a bunch of quotes and information fed by its lawyer. Only problem is, the hit piece was disjointed, left out key facts, and violated some ethical canons. Throw in some Hitler references and voila, you've got a piece that a victim of TDS such as Paul Gallo cannot resist. Someone should tell him the war is over and Billy lost. Sorry Paul, but you are not Bluto, although you and John Belushi do have matching girths and mouths. Next time guys try not to be so sloppy or obvious. This took all of sixty seconds online to figure out.
See page 3:
By the way, if you want to purchase some real estate in the Columbus area, Ms. Fowler can sell it to you, because in addition to working as the associate editor, she is also a realtor in Columbus. Yup, Ms. Fowler is attempting to become the Orly Taitz of the Golden Triangle. Check out this video:
Hmmm.... we might have to include her in our hottest reporter poll.
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Eaton Corp. in Hot Water Again Over Peters-DeLaughter Mess in Eaton v. Frisby Case
» Mississippi Litigation Review & CommentaryAlison Grant with the Plain Dealer in Cleveland wrote an article on Eaton Corp.'s latest trouble in its Hinds County litigation against Frisby Aerospace. Here is the article.
The article covers Hinds Circuit Judge Jeff Weills' Order requiring multiple Eaton employees—including CEO Alexander Cutler—to explain why Eaton did not previously produce emails from Ed Peters that discussed his communications with Judge Bobby DeLaughter about the case. Here is Judge Weill's order.
The article states:
In one email, Peters wrote to a top Eaton lawyer, "If you can keep mgmt. off your back for just a short time (relatively) I think they will be VERY pleased with you."
***
In the March emails, Peters advised Eaton in-house attorney Vic Leo that Judge DeLaughter was "spending every free minute" on a crucial ruling in the lawsuit and that "we are getting priority time," according to a motion Frisby filed last month.
In a followup email the same day, Peters said he was "REALLY pushing to get the ox out of the ditch, but the Jdg IS in trial for the next 2-3 weeks," and "I'm PUSHING."
The email chain was forwarded to another Eaton in-house lawyer, Sharon O'Flaherty, and to Michael Schaalman, an outside lawyer for Eaton from Quarles & Brady in Milwaukee.
The October email string, also about contacts between Peters and DeLaughter, looped in several other Eaton attorneys, including General Counsel Mark McGuire.
Eaton continues to deny any misconduct on its part. A denial that looks more and more ridiculous every time more details are revealed in the case.
Eaton apparently is also continuing to stand behind in-house lawyer Vic Leo and outside lawyers Quarles & Brady of Milwaukee, both of whom communicated with Peters. Eaton's sticking with these guys actually looks worse than if it didn't. It makes it look like Eaton is worried about damage control that could result if they were to cut them loose.
Judge Weill's Order requests that Eaton suggest the appropriate sanction against Eaton. That's a clever move by Judge Weill, who seems to be operating at a judicial level far beyond his two years on the bench. Eaton has to come up with a suggestion that doesn't really hurt Eaton, but doesn't look completely ridiculous.
Here are my earlier posts on Eaton v. Frisby.
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Central Mississippi Atheist Meetup on Sunday
» Mississippi Atheists
For those of you in the Jackson area, the Central Mississippi Atheist Meetup Group is planning their May meeting for this Sunday at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Jackson. For details and to RSVP, join the group at their Meetup.com page.Subscribe to Mississippi Atheists
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National Police Week
» Ross Barnett ReservoirMessage from the FBI
In 1962, President John F. Kennedy designated May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which it falls as National Police Week. This year, as thousands of law enforcement officers from around the world gather in Washington, D.C. to honor colleagues who have made the ultimate sacrifice, the FBI joins with the rest of the country in paying tribute as well.
Read more here.
Local activities:
The Jackson Police Department is holding a Memorial Service in memory of our fallen officers and in honor of all law enforcement officers. The Memorial Service is on Tuesday, May 15, 2012 at 10:00 am in front of the Jackson Police Department. Luncheon will follow, sponsored by The Jackson Police Department Central MS Crime Stoppers and the MS Center for Police and Sheriffs, at 11:30 am at the Trademart.
The Veterans Administration Police will be holding a memorial in honor of their fallen officers at the V.A. Hospital at 11:00 am Monday May 14, 2012
The Mississippi Highway Patrol will have a memorial in honor of their fallen officers on Wednesday May 16, 2012 at 10:00 am at their headquarters on Woodrow Wilson.
The Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics will have a memorial in honor of their fallen officers on Wednesday May 16, 2012 at 2:30 pm at their headquarters on I 55 south.
The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks will have a memorial in honor of their fallen officers on Thursday May 17, 2012 at 9:00 am at their headquarters on Eastover Drive in Jackson.
The Rez News
Barnett Reservoir
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Alligator Travels 30 Miles
» Ross Barnett Reservoir
News from The Mississippi Department of Wildlife Fisheries And Parks
Pelahatchie Bay Gator
Mississippi Alligator Travels 30 Miles To Louisiana
JACKSON – The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) was recently notified by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) about a nuisance alligator near Lake Providence, Louisiana. While there was nothing illegal or unusual about the nuisance alligator complaint, the LDWF agent alligator trapper noticed some tags located in the alligator tail and on its hind feet. The tags were identified as those attached to alligators in Mississippi as part of a monitoring project being conducted by MDWFP.
The alligator, identified as White 4, was originally captured and tagged by MDWFP in Warren County, approximately 1 mile south of Eagle Lake on March 18, 2009. At the time of capture, it was 7 feet 7 inches long. When this alligator was captured near Lake Providence, LA on April 11, 2012, it was 9 feet 2 inches long. Since the time of original capture in Mississippi, White 4 had traveled at least 30.6 miles and had grown 6.3 inches per year.
It is not uncommon for adult male alligators to travel substantial distances, particularly during the breeding season of late April and May. However, traveling distances over 10 miles are very uncommon. It is likely that White 4 navigated over 44 miles of water during his venture to Lake Providence, LA.
Additionally, a 46-inch alligator tagged by the LDWF in 1996 was captured in Mississippi, near Eagle Lake in 2008 after growing to 11 feet 5 inches. It had also traveled over 30 miles since its original capture in Louisiana.
Documentation of these occurrences assists MDWFP in managing Mississippi’s alligator population. Since March 2007, MDWFP biologists have captured and tagged nearly 600 wild alligators to learn more about alligator movements and the effectiveness of relocating alligators.
For more information regarding alligators and hunting regulations, visit our website at www.mdwfp.com/alligator or call us at 601-432-2199. Follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mdwfp or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MDWFPonline.
Mississippi Department of Wildlife Fisheries and Parks
The Rez News
Barnett Reservoir
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Reservoir Community Meeting
» Ross Barnett ReservoirThe Federation of Reservoir Homeowners will host a community meeting Wednesday, May 22nd, at 6 p.m. The meeting will be held in the cafeteria at the Northwest Rankin Middle School.
The purpose of the meeting is to continue discussions about the formation of a Reservoir Community District (previously called the overlay district) on the Rankin County side of the reservoir and to identify possible ordinances that may be considered for the District.
All Rankin County residents living on or near the Reservoir are invited to attend.
The Rez News
Barnett Reservoir
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22:52
Courtney + Tommy | Jackson, MS | Mississippi Wedding Photographer
» Captured PhotographyWell, we weren’t going to let the rain hold us back! Although it was quite doubtful we would be making it outside, but the sun showed it’s pretty face just in time for Courtney and Tommy’s first look! C and T tied the knot at the most fabulous First Presbyterian Church in Jackson, MS. The ceremony was followed with a throw down at the downtown Jackson Marriott. The party was so hot that Iron Man himself made an appearance… Wedding planning and design brought to you by the marvelous Deborah Simmons and Kristen Blackard of Signature Occasions and Memphis Soul Review had the party rockin”!
Until next time
- Danny
Danny Klimetz
Captured Photography
Website
BlogCeremony | First Presbyterian Church of Jackson, MS
Reception | Jackson Marriott
Wedding Planner | Deborah Simmons and Kristen Blackard of Signature Occasion
Band | Memphis Soul Review of RAM Entertainment
Florist | Wendy Putt of Fresh Cut
Cake Designer | The Special Touch
Second Photographers | Brian Flint and Amelia Patterson
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FOUR MILLION!!!
» Jackson JambalayaJJ hit four million page views since June 1, 2010. Just want to say thank you very much for reading and supporting this site, even the trolls who keep coming back for more.
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Thompson to speak at Chamber luncheon
» Jackson JambalayaCongressman Bennie Thompson will speak on May 21 at a luncheon of the Greater Jackson Chamber of Commerce:
Congressman Bennie G. Thompson will speak at the Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership’s next Membership Luncheon. The luncheon will take place at 12:00 Noon on Monday, May 21, at the Hilton Jackson on County Line Road.
Thompson is currently serving his ninth term as the Democratic Congressman for Mississippi's Second District and third term on the Homeland Security Committee. The Second District stretches from Tunica in the north to Jefferson County, including a large portion of the Metro Jackson area, creating a rare blend of agricultural economies and the hustle and bustle of city life.
Congressman Thompson has spent his entire adult life giving a voice to the voiceless. With more than 40 years of continuous public service, he is the longest-serving African-American elected official in the state of Mississippi. He served as alderman and mayor in his hometown for years, after which he served as Hinds County Supervisor for 13 years before being elected to Congress in 1993. With six district offices - Bolton, Greenville, Greenwood, Jackson, Marks, and Mound Bayou - Congressman Thompson is committed to empowering those who gave him an opportunity to represent the Second District of Mississippi. His reputation as a no-nonsense problem solver has earned him the trust of his constituents and the respect of his colleagues in Washington.
The cost of the luncheon will be $35 for chamber members and $40 for non-members. Seating is limited to 100 people – reservations are required.
Please RSVP to Debi Green, 601-948-7575 or e-mail your request for a reservation to dgreen@greaterjacksonpartnership.com.
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North Mississippi Serial Killer--Fake Officer or Is a Cop the Killer?
» Mississippi Litigation Review & CommentaryTalk about blind spots. The A.P. reports that there may be a serial killer in North Mississippi. The article states:
Thomas Schlender, 74, of Raymond, Neb., was found in his car on Interstate 55 in nearby Panola County on May 8 about 1:30 a.m. Three days later, Lori Anne Carswell, 48, of Hernando, was found near her car on Mississippi Highway 713 in Tunica County on Friday about 2:15 a.m.
Mississippi Bureau of Investigation Director Larry Waggoner said authorities were investigating whether the suspect was impersonating an officer and that is how the people ended up on the side of the road.
How do they know it's not an off-duty officer in an unmarked car who is the killer? Given where this happened, it could be a cop from Arkansas or Tennessee who is driving across state lines to kill people. Granted it's probably not a real cop. But you can't just exclude all cops as suspects when they would have the easiest time pulling someone over.
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Hunter Bear (civil rights hero) remembers throwing down the gauntlet to Mississippi power structure nearly 50 years ago
» Emmett Till Blog; Murder in the Mississippi Delta; Civil Rights Cold CasesThis wonderful, historical letter just in from Hunter Bear --
Hunter Bear (Dr. John Salter), author of the Jackson Movement Gauntlet Letter)
Throwing down the gauntlet to the Mississippi power structure: May 12, 1963. I made the motion before a special meeting of the Mississippi State Board of NAACP Branches -- of which I was the only non-Black member -- which sought the broadening of the Jackson Boycott into a massive non-violent protest movement.
My motion was approved unanimously. Following this, Medgar Evers and I went to my house at Tougaloo College and I then typed this individual letter many times: to Governor Ross R. Barnett, Mayor Allen C. Thompson, City Commission, Bankers Association, Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Jackson Association, Junior Chamber of Commerce, and the Mississippi Economic Council. Medgar and I signed each letter at that point and he left for Jackson to get Mrs. Doris Allison's signature. The power structure, dominated by the powerful White Citizens Council, stonewalled. It brought in thousands of (white) " law enforcement officers
" -- the many hundreds of Jackson city police, the thousand member Jackson police auxiliary, sheriffs and deputies and constables from every one of Mississippi's 82 counties, the entire Mississippi Highway Patrol, and finally the National Guard. Turning the State Fairgrounds into a gigantic concentration camp, these nefarious forces arrested several thousand of our people. Repression was bloody. Klan types poured into Jackson from the entire region. Medgar was murdered, I was almost killed, and now -- decades later -- Mrs. Doris Allison and I talk by phone at least once a week. My collected papers are held by the Mississippi State Department of Archives and History (as well as at State Historical Society of Wisconsin) and I am a Life Member of the august Mississippi State Historical Society.
(Mrs Doris Allison passed away several years ago. Her good spouse, Ben, died soon after. They remained staunchly committed to the struggle for a full measure of human rights for all throughout the whole of their long lifetimes. We miss them both very much. They are the Godparents of our grandson/son, Thomas, and they will always remain so. H.)
See these three consecutive pages: [hunterbear.org]
HUNTER GRAY [HUNTER BEAR/JOHN R SALTER JR] Mi'kmaq /St. Francis
Abenaki/St. Regis Mohawk
Protected by Na´shdo´i´ba´i´
and Ohkwari'
Member, National Writers Union AFL-CIO
www.hunterbear.org
(much social justice material)I have always lived and worked in Borderlands.See the Stormy Adoption of an Indian Child [My Father]:
[hunterbear.org]
(expanded May 2012)For the new, just out (11/2011) and expanded/updated
edition of my "Organizer's Book," JACKSON MISSISSIPPI --
with a new and substantial Introduction by me. We are close upon
the 50th anniversary of the massive Jackson Movement of1962-63.:
[hunterbear.org] Personal Background Narrative (with many links):
[hunterbear.org]
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MHP Investigates Shootings On Highways
» Ross Barnett Reservoir
News From The Mississippi Highway Patrol
The Mississippi Highway Patrol’s Bureau of Investigation is investigating two, separate shootings that occurred along north Mississippi highways.
“There are some similarities between the two incidents, mainly the fact they happened alongside a Mississippi highway,” said MBI Director Lt. Col. Larry Waggoner. “The concern is that someone is posing as a law enforcement officer and that is how these vehicles end up on the side of the road.”
Tuesday, May 8th, Thomas K. Schlender, 74, of Raymond, Nebraska was found in his car in the median of southbound Interstate 55 shortly after 1:30 a.m. Friday, May 11th, Lori Anne Carswell, 48, of Hernando was found in her car on the shoulder of MS 713 about 2:15 a.m. Friday morning. Schlender’s car was found near the Pope exit of Interstate 55 in Panola County and Carswell’s car was located in Tunica County near the intersection of MS713 and Interstate 69.
If someone is concerned and it is not obvious that it is a law enforcement officer initiating the stop, call 9-1-1 or *47
A reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest in the case. Anyone who has any information may call 1-888-8CRIMES, that’s 1-888-827-4637. We do not want your name, just your information.
Mississippi Department of Public Safety
The Rez News
Barnett Reservoir
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Stokes storms out, Do-nothing Derrick does nothing again (video)
» Jackson JambalayaCouncilwoman Larita Cooper-Stokes stormed out of a meeting of the Rules Committee of the Jackson City Council (see 10:28 in the second video) last Thursday. The committee met to discuss revoking the contract awarded to Derrick Johnson of DL Consultants, LLC for redistricting. Quentin Whitwell chaired the meeting. Mr. Johnson has generated some controversy after it became known he had not signed the contract despite having it for months. Mr. Johnson signed the contract on April 23, the day several councilmen threatened to revoke the contract. Several council members expressed concern about redistricting after attempts to contact Mr. Johnson failed.
Councilwoman Stokes repeatedly challenged the right of Mr. Whitwell to hold the meeting. She said there were no problems with Mr. Johnson and there had been none with Hinds County, citing her husband as a source. Mr. Whitwell mentioned a Northside Sun article but Chokwe Lamumba said he did not consider that newspaper a "credible source." The Justice Department notified Hinds County a year ago its redistricting submission was incomplete. Earlier post with copy of letter. Hinds County elections were held under the old lines last year. Mr. Johnson did not submit the information until two weeks ago, one year after it was requested by the Justice Department. The federal government has not yet approved the new plan. Mr. Johnson has a $40,000 contract with Hinds County but has not yet been paid.
Mr. Johnson finally signed the contract the week prior to the meeting but did not appear. Councilman Chokwe Lamumba said he was giving a speech at Tougaloo College. The committee debated for an hour revoking his contract. Four committee members, Whitwell, Tillman, Yarber, and Bluntson, wanted to terminate the $20,000 contract but disagreed on who should replace Mr. Johnson. The members disagreed over hiring either Central Mississippi Planning & Development District and Arc, a Washington DC firm. CMPDD did the Jackson and Hinds County redistricting ten years ago. An associate of Mr. Johnson, Hollis Watkins spoke to the board but repeatedly said he could not answer any questions for Mr. Johnson.
Mrs. Stokes got up and left when Mr. Whitwell called CMPDD representatives to the podium. CMPDD representatives said they were ready to begin work immediately as they had the software and the data from ten years ago. It was revealed at the meeting CMPDD and DL Consultants jointly did redistricting in 2001. No vote was taken on terminating the contract or replacing DL Consultants. Mr. Whitwell said the city had a contract with a vendor and the city would move forward with DL Consultants.
Mr. Whitwell said there was no consensus and he was trying to achieve one. Mr. Bluntson told Whitwell "I think what happened was Councilwoman Stokes shook you up and you are trying too hard." Mr. Whitwell said the only person that shook him up was "Elvis" and they were not able to achieve consensus. Mr. Yarber told Mr. Whitwell "You did good.... oh well" in a sarcastic manner. Mr. Bluntson at one point made fun of Councilwoman Stokes as he said he wasn't happy and got up to leave, then started laughing.
Stokes storms out of the meeting at 10:28
Editorial comment: That was the news, now for the opinion. This meeting only reinforces my view that Derrick Johnson is a con artist. He travels around the state promoting himself as a redistricting specialists. Now it turns out that the Jackson redistricting he brags he did ten years ago was actually a joint project with CMPDD. Anyone want to bet CMPDD did the work while he claimed a check as a "minority vendor"? This was the same Derrick Johnson who according to several Supervisors, told the board he was an attorney when in fact he is not licensed in any state. Video of Hinds County redistricting public hearing. Worth watching again.
The problems with Wilkinson, Hinds, and Jackson show the same thing: refusal to return phone calls, sloppy work when it is actually done, and redistricting plans not even submitted to the Justice Department. Mr. Johnson's action or I should say lack of action, appear to be someone who is in over his head, does not know what to do, and hides. Mr. Johnson appeared at a public hearing last year for Hinds County redistricting with no maps and no data. At the time I thought he was just plain arrogant and trying to pull something shady, now I wonder if the man had no maps because he frankly didn't know what he was doing. He then claimed he had to correct the maps he made because he used the wrong census data, blaming someone else of course.
The contracts for Hinds and Jackson alone are $60,000. It is unknown what the contract is for Wilkinson County. Mr. Johnson saw green and got mean but when it came time to do the work, he is nowhere to be seen. the city should terminate the contract with DL Consultants and move forward with CMPDD since it has already done the work and can have it done in a matter of weeks.
Note: This correspondent filed a complaint with the auditor's office this year about Mr. Johnson's contract with Hinds County. The newspaper published a pretty good story on this issue this morning. I posted some excerpts below but the entire story is worth reading as Mr. Eason is producing some pretty good coverage of the city council.
The Clarion-Ledger reported on more problems with Derrick Johnson this morning. Brian Eeson wrote:
"Three council members last week said they had serious concerns over D.L. Johnson Consultants' ability to draw maps that would withstand U.S. Department of Justice scrutiny, citing a pattern of unresponsiveness to them and problems in other places the firm has worked. But the firm, led by state NAACP president Derrick Johnson, remains the city's pick, in part because the council is too divided to pick anyone else.
In Wilkinson County, lines Johnson drew there still have not been submitted to the Justice Department, though the board of supervisors approved the maps in April 2011. Supervisors decided recently to seek a replacement firm, according to an attorney brought in by the board for assistance.
Also, the new lines Johnson drew for Hinds County still have not received pre-clearance from the Justice Department more than a year after the board of supervisors approved them. Justice Department approval is required to change any voting district in Mississippi under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act..."
Mr. Eeson then provides more details about Mr. Johnson's lack of detail:
In Wilkinson County, the board of supervisors narrowly approved Johnson's maps, but their relationship soured in the months that followed. The Clarion-Ledger attempted to contact supervisors there, but calls were referred to Cory Wilson, a Jackson-based attorney brought in to challenge the maps had they been submitted to the Justice Department.
Wilson, formerly the deputy secretary of state under Delbert Hosemann, said there were several irregularities with the plan.
"The work was so slipshod that they shifted the lines and literally accidentally threw out a voting precinct from one of the districts," Wilson said. "In Wilkinson, there's not that many precincts, so that's kind of a relevant consideration to say the least."
The issue with the voting precinct was first pointed out by the local newspaper, the Woodville Republican.
"They withdrew that map," said Andy Lewis, the paper's publisher. As debates dragged on, "finally, the board president said we're not going to make the 2011 elections," Lewis recalled.
"Derrick Johnson won't answer anybody's calls," Lewis said. "So they don't know why they (the maps) were never submitted."
After D.L. Johnson Consultants' selection in Jackson in December at $20,000, Deputy City Attorney Monica Joiner said there were frequent lapses in which Derrick Johnson would not respond to requests to draft a contract and then to sign a revised copy. Joiner said the city received a signed contract on April 23, the same day council members threatened to fire Derrick Johnson..." Article
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Last Minute Qualifiers Liven Up Supreme Court Elections
» Mississippi Litigation Review & CommentaryWell, things certainly got interesting for Mississippi Supreme Court races Friday with two last minute qualifiers. State Representative Earl Banks qualified to run against Chief Justice William Waller and Hattiesburg attorney Tal Braddock qualified to run against Justice Mike Randolph. Oh, my!
The Braddock candidacy will be the most talked about in legal circles. Not because Braddock can win; he can't. But because of the Braddock stories that take an almost mythic quality due to their “I can't believe it” facts. Those stories will get told a lot over the next few weeks. The stories are very entertaining, much in the same way that Tucker Max stories are entertaining.
Braddock will not pose a serious challenge to Justice Randolph, a Governor Barbour appointee who will be able to raise more money than he will have to spend in the campaign. Any sentiment that Braddock will raise significant money from the plaintiff's bar is misguided.
Many lawyers in the plaintiff's bar will hear the infamous Braddock stories and conclude that he should not be on the Supreme Court. Some of those will openly support Randolph. The rest will not contribute to Braddock's campaign because they don't think he can win or they don't have the money to contribute to a campaign due to the tough economic times.
I look for Randolph to out fundraise Braddock by something like 20–1 and to win with something like 80% of the vote.
The Waller-Banks race will likely be more competitive, yet less interesting within the legal community. To be honest, my initial reaction to Banks' candidacy was: “who?” Perhaps Banks is well known in political circles. But not so much in the legal community.
Banks seems to be defining himself as a populist candidate who is willing to stand up for the individual against big corporations. Matt Eichelberger at the pro-Democratic Cottonmouth blog believes that Banks may actually emerge as the favorite against Waller due to the demographics in the central district. We'll have to see how this one plays out.
Long time readers of this blog know that I am not a fan of an elected judiciary. The argument for an appointed judiciary is particularly compelling at the appellate court level. I would prefer that sitting Supreme Court justices not have to hit the campaign trail.
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Key Congressional Hearings and Meetings for the Upcoming Week
» Northeast-Midwest Institute's Mississippi River Basin BlogHere are the currently scheduled hearings and meetings this week in the U.S. House and Senate that are of particular relevance to Mississippi River Basin water resource issues, along with links to the respective hearing or subcommittee web page (all times are Eastern):- House Agriculture Committee Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management 2012 Farm Bill hearing on Commodity Programs and Crop Insurance; Wednesday, May 16 and Thursday, May 17;10 AM (both days); room 1300 Longworth House Office Building
- Senate Appropriations Committee Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Subcommittee hearing on the Fiscal Year 2013 Budget Request for the Environmental Protection Agency; Wednesday, May 16; 10:30 AM, room 124 Dirksen Senate Office Building
- House Agriculture Committee Subcommittee on Conservation, Energy, and Forestry 2012 Farm Bill hearing on Energy and Forestry Programs; Friday, May 18, 9:30 AM; room 1300 Longworth House Office Building
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07:00
JUDICIAL ELECTIONS 2012
» 12th CHANCERY COURT DISTRICT OF MISSISSIPPIFriday, May 11, was the qualifying deadline for 2012 judicial elections. Although this is not a general judicial election year, some appellate posts are up in their rotation, and there are three special elections. Here are the qualifiers: Chief Justice William Waller, Jr., will face Earle S. Banks for Supreme Court Justice District One, Position One. Justice Leslie
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And here is what Judge Green's posse said in 2008
» Jackson JambalayaJudge Tomie Green and her supporters didn't exactly roll over quietly when Judge Swan Yerger removed all serious criminal cases from Judges Green and Winston Kidd and reassigned them to himself and Judge Bobby Delaughter. Here are some quotes from the Jackson Free Press:
"Jackson attorney Dennis Sweet charged in August that Yerger violated the U.S. Constitution when he essentially barred the county’s black circuit court judges from hearing the more serious cases.
“White judges take the most serious issues, and black judges take the less serious criminal cases,” Sweet said, arguing that voters had fairly elected the judges to handle all cases and that Yerger had deprived voters of their political voice...." Article
"House Judiciary A Committee Chairman Ed Blackmon, of Canton, said he was relieved Waller was already considering the move.
“We had concerns over the current system because of the conflicts it seemed to have with our democratic government,” Blackmon said. “Voters elected those judges to handle all kinds of cases and obviously thought them capable of doing so. But the system as it stands, limits the role certain judges can have in certain types of cases. I believe the incoming chief justice wants to do things a little differently, and we certainly support him in this."...."
"U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson said he had been concerned about Yerger’s system. Like Blackmon, Thompson feared it to be a constitutional violation.
“If you have four elected judges with the same power, and a senior judge takes it upon himself to limit the types of cases seen by those duly elected circuit judges, and the limit applies only to the two African American judges, you can reasonably conclude that the system was not fair and demonstrated an insensitivity on Yerger’s part to the issue of their race,” Thompson said. “Not only that, but that system also discriminated against those persons charged with crimes to have an objective individual hear their case. If I were a plaintiff’s lawyer or defense counsel, I would object to the situation on its face as being discriminatory.”....
“The bottom line is there were four elected judges. They have the same salary; they serve the same terms. They ought to be able to hear the same type of cases.."
"“We have a problem when six appointed judges can hear cases that the elected judges are excluded from hearing,” Kidd told the Jackson Free Press. “I had voiced my objections to Smith, but he has the authority to make those assignments, and he is adamant...” Article
Then her Laddness wrote:
"One of your more predictable responses, Iron. What kind of evidence are you looking for? It's a fact that Yerger has done this�given the "hard" cases to white judges (including DeLaughter) and unelected ones appointed by Jim Smith and easier ones to black judges.
It's really hard to see a justification for it. posted by DonnaLadd on 08/12/08 at 08:40 PM"
Then there is this JFP Editorial:
"Perhaps Yerger did not issue this mandate to bar the black judges from hearing homicide and assault cases—but that’s what it looks like. Sweet sounded the alarm after one of his clients found his “robbery” indictment before Judge Green annulled and put before Yerger, where the grand jury upgraded his indictment to the more serious “strong armed robbery.”
Yerger’s split duty roster is an affront to both black voters in one of the most populated black counties in the state, and voters of all races who believe that laws are there to be followed, even if it means good ole boys don’t get their way.
Circuit court judges are elected positions, but the voters in Kidd’s and Green’s subdistricts didn’t get to choose who presides over homicides and robberies...."Editorial
Just curious what they all have had to say about this reassignment.
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Madison Man On Bachelorette Tonight
» Ross Barnett Reservoir
A Madison man will compete for the heart of Emily Maynard on tonight's season premier of The Bachelorette.
ABC 8:30 p.m.
Travis Pope was urged by a friend to try for one of the bachelor spots on the popular ABC show. He decided to go for it and submitted an application - it wasn't long before he got a call asking him to come to Malibu for an interview.
His interview was a success - he was selected to be one of 25 bachelors on tonight's season opener.
Travis Pope
source: ABC TV
Travis, 30, grew up in Ridgeland and graduated from Madison Ridgeland Academy and Mississippi State University. He is an Account Rep with The Clarion Ledger.
His father, Tom Pope, and mother and step-father, Anne and Sam Piazza all live in Ridgeland and, no doubt, will be glued to the TV tonight.
Tune in and cheer him on.
More about Travis HERE
and Emily HERE
A clip from a recent GMA where Travis meets Emily.
video platform video management video solutions video player
The Rez News
Barnett Reservoir
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PRVWSD Meetings This Week
» Ross Barnett ReservoirThe Pearl River Valley Water Supply District board and board committees meet this week. All meetings are held at the Reservoir main office in Ridgeland and are open to the public.
Dates, times and agendas:
MONDAY MAY 14
3:30 p.m.
AGENDASHORELINE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
1. Property Maintenance Report – Dee Mitchell.2. Approval of Amended & Restated Member Payment Agreement MCWWA (Bozeman Road Pump Station and Old Canton Road
Force Main Phase 2 SRF Loan).3. Designation of portion of Harbor Walk Drive (Dike Road)
as “No Through Traffic”.4. Discussion of Denbury easement.5. Extension of Harbor Walk lease.6. Task order number two – Mendrop Wages
THURSDAY MAY 17
8:45 a.m.
AGENDAEXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
1. Discussion of proposed Personal Services Contracts.2. Approval of Department of Safety Police Grant
Applications.3. Approval of the receipt of donated radio control
console equipment from the City of Ridgeland.
9:15 a.m.
AGENDAPARKS POLICY COMMITTEE
1. Presentation of bid results for Rankin Landing
Fishing Pier Renovation – Craig Hunt
9:30 a.m.
AGENDA FOR MEETING OF THE BOARD OFDIRECTORS OF THE PEARL RIVER VALLEY WATER SUPPLY DISTRICT
1. Opening prayer2. Pledge of Allegiance – W. C. Gorden3. Introduction of new board member: Sells Newman4. Request for acceptance of Minutes from a regular meeting held on April 19, 2012 5. Report from Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks – Ramie Ford6. Report from Attorney7. Committee Recommendations:
Parks Policy Committee: I. Approval of contracts for Construction Renovation of Rankin Landing Fishing Pier Shoreline Development/Environmental Quality Committee: I. Approval of Amended & Restated Member Payment Agreement MCWWA (Bozeman Road Pump Station and Old Canton Road Force Main Phase 2 SRF Loan) II. Designation of portion of Harborwalk Drive (Dike Road)as “No Through Traffic” III. Discussion of Denbury Easement IV. Approval of extension of Main Harbor Development / Harbor Walk Development, LLC lease V. Approval of Task Order Number Two – Mendrop Wages
Executive Committee: I. Approval of proposed Personal Services Contract II. Approval of Department of Safety Police Grant Applications III. Approval of Receipt of Donated Radio Control Console Equipment from City of Ridgeland
8. Approval of per diem and travel for April 2012 9. Consideration and approval of Cash Balance Report 10. Consideration and approval of Claims Docket 11. Committee Minutes and Miscellaneous Correspondence 12. Patrol Report 13. Executive Director’s comments 14. Next Regular Meeting – June 21, 2012 at 9:30 a.m.
The Rez News
Barnett Reservoir
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Earl Banks announces candidacy
» Jackson JambalayaState Representative Earl Banks issued the following press release Friday:
Rep. Earle Banks announces candidacy for Mississippi Supreme Court
Contact: Earle Banks
(601) 355-5574
banksforjustice@gmail.com
May 11, 2012
Jackson, MS- Earlier today, Rep. Earle S. Banks announced he will be a candidate for the Mississippi Supreme Court. Banks intends to begin visiting the twenty-one counties that comprise Supreme Court District 1 this weekend.
“For far too long, our Supreme Court has acted as if its sole purpose is to protect big corporations and out-of-state interests,” Banks said. “I am entering this race because I want to be part of a judicial system that treats every Mississippian with fairness and dignity.”
Rep. Banks is a lifelong resident of Jackson, Mississippi. He graduated from St. Joseph High School, received a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Jackson State University in 1977 and Juris Doctorate from Mississippi College School of Law in 1981.
Rep. Banks believes his decades of experience as the president of a large Mississippi business, Peoples Funeral Home, helps give him a balanced perspective on the law. While running his Mississippi business, Banks has also served as a partner in the law firm of Dockins, Turnage & Banks, utilizing his thirty-one years of legal experience in both ventures.
Consistent with the non-partisan values which govern judicial elections, Banks withdrew as a member of the Mississippi Democratic Party Executive Committee this afternoon.
Rep. Banks is a member of the Mississippi Bar Association and Magnolia Bar Association. His civic affiliations include the American Red Cross, YMCA, 100 Black Men, Georgetown Community Association, National Black Caucus of State Legislators, the National Funeral Directors and Morticians Association and the International Cemetery and Funeral Association.
Rep. Banks has represented Hinds County in the Mississippi House of Representatives since 1992. He currently serves as a member of the Appropriations, Judiciary A, Public Property and Public Utilities committees as well chairman of the House committee for Enrolled Bills.
Rep. Banks has three children, Kimberly, Earle, Jr. and Yve and two grandchildren. Banks is a cousin of former Supreme Court Justice Fred L. Banks, Jr. who is currently in private practice at Phelps Dunbar, L.L.P.
###
PRESS NOTES:
The counties in Supreme Court District 1 include: Bolivar, Copiah, Hinds, Holmes, Humphreys, Issaquena, Jefferson, Kemper, Lauderdale, Leake, Madison, Neshoba, Newton, Noxubee, Rankin, Scott, Sharkey, Sunflower, Warren, Washington and Yazoo.
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Circuit Judge FOOD FIGHT!!!
» Jackson JambalayaHinds County Circuit Judge Jeff Weill appealed a reassignment of cases in Hinds County by Senior Circuit Judge Tomie Green to the Mississippi Supreme Court. Judge Green issued an order last month assigning all criminal cases to her and Judge Bill Gowan and all civil cases to Judge Weill and Judge Winston Kidd. The order is effective August 1, 2012. The Mississippi Supreme Court ordered Judge Green to submit an answer by May 16. Judge Green also decreed she will personally assign all requests for emergency relief instead of using the current method of random assignment.
Judge Weill said the order will bog down the "wheels of justice" and the docket "will move at an unacceptable pace without intervention" from the court. Judge Weill provides the caseloads for all four circuit judges if Judge Green's order is implemented (without any cases filed after August 1):
Judge Green: 1,792 criminal cases and additional mental health cases.
Judge Gowan: 1,438 criminal cases and additional 2nd District civil cases
Judge Kidd: 3,679 civil cases and additional drug court cases
Judge Weill: 1,296
Thus Judge Green will have 354 more cases than Judge Gowan and Judge Kidd will have 2,383 more civil cases than Judge Weill. Judge Weill then points out the amount of dispositions per judge in 2011 according to the Office of Administrative Courts:
Judge Green: civil: 312, criminal: 323 Total: 635
Judge Gowan: civil: 333, criminal: 540 Total: 873
Judge Kidd: civil: 295, criminal: 505 Total: 800
Judge Weill: civil: 524, criminal: 548 Total: 1,072
The petition also cites the OAC in stating Judge Green presided over five criminal trials since last year while Judge Weill presided over fifteen. Judge Weill stated Judge Green "provides no numerical or statistical support for her division assignment, for obvious reasons." He claims Judge Green will have a criminal docket of 1,792 cases and Judge Kidd will have civil 3,679 cases under the reassignment, both a clear majority of cases. Judge Weill argues the "fairness in the apportionment of cases" was not even considered by Judge Green (Editorial note: Isn't this disparate impact?)
Judge Weill filed his appeal on May 2. Judge Weill argued Judge Green's order violated Mississippi Rule of Appellate Procedure #27. The rule states:
"(g) Motions Regarding the Setting of Term and Assigning of Causes in the Trial
Courts. Orders entered and other actions in the chancery and circuit courts setting terms of
court and assigning causes and dockets under Miss. Code Ann. § 9-5-3 and § 9-7-3 are
subject to review by the Supreme Court on petition of any judge of the district wherein such
orders have been entered or such action has been taken. The setting of terms and assigning
of causes and dockets in the chancery and circuit courts shall be done fairly considering the
relative work loads of the judges and the right of litigants within the district to fair and
reasonable access to all of the judicial officers as well as reasonable accommodation of the
requests and needs of all judges within the district...."
Judge Weill said Judge Green's order is "an unilateral attempt to expand the limited authority of a senior circuit judge." The appeal states Judge Green's order is to be implemented 105 days after it was issued. Judge Weill points out Judge Green protested when then-Senior Judge Swan Yerger attempted to remove criminal cases from Judge Green.
Judge Green responded by quoting the statute and arguing it gave her the proper authority to divide the docket pursuant to her order. Judge Green said all circuit judges but Weill signed the order:
"2) While there shall be no limitation whatsoever upon the powers and duties of the said judges other than as cast upon them by the Constitution and laws of this state, the court in the First Judicial District of Hinds County, in the discretion of the senior circuit judge, may be divided into civil and criminal divisions as a matter of convenience, by the entry of an order upon the minutes of the court."
Judge Green stated the purpose of the reorganization "was to create a more effective and efficient justice system" for Hinds County. No statistics were cited in her response. She said there were no objections by the Circuit Clerk or District Attorney. Judge Green accused Judge Weill of pandering directly to his constituents: "No court should be bound by campaign promises unwittingly made to voters" and that there is no law that allows a candidate to promise voters he "will preside over either of civil or criminal cases." She claims Judge Weill should have known Judge Green could split the docket when he ran for office.
Judge Green then took another shot at Judge Weill. Judge Weill argued Judge Green took the opposite position when then-Senior Judge Swan Yerger attempted to remove criminal cases from her docket. WDAM reported in 2008:
"Two black Hinds County Circuit Court judges are contesting a plan to exclude them from handling major
criminal cases, with one labeling the move as racist. Under the plan by senior Circuit Judge Swan Yerger, black judges Winston Kidd and Tomie Green would only handle sex crimes, drug cases, aggravated DUI and white-collar crimes.
White judges Yerger and Bobby DeLaughter would handle murder, robbery and assault cases, and property crimes and burglary cases. Two special judges employed by the court would also handle these kinds of cases.
Kidd said Friday he doesn't agree with the plan to leave him and Green out of cases that involve violence. Kidd said he didn't want to call the plan racism --quoting-- "but that's what it is."
Yerger said there was no discriminatory intent behind the plan, which will take effect in January.
He believes the plan will speed up the justice process as judges focus on certain kinds of cases."
Judge Green said "Petitioner wasted much time and energy outlining and misrepresenting the facts of the earlier case. This is to be expected since the matter occurred years before Petitioner was elected to the bench. His rendition of the alleged facts are inaccurate and self-serving." She then states "I respectfully decline to participate in hurtful attacks that go beyond disagreement over case assignments to conduct that borders on the realm of being both distasteful and destructive to the judiciary in general, and to the Hinds County judiciary."
Disclosure: This correspondent created a website for the Weill campaign in 2010.
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As Atheists in Mississippi, We Understand the Absurdity of Voting on Rights
» Mississippi Atheists
Atheists in the U.S. know what it means to be a member of a tiny minority group. Atheists in Mississippi know this particularly well. In this context, I think we can all understand perfectly well why it makes no sense to put minority rights in the hands of the majority. Allowing residents of a state to vote on whether some of their neighbors are allowed to marry is ridiculous. Nobody voted on whether I could marry; why on earth would it make sense to do so for someone else?
Here in Mississippi, I have met many decent Christians. But I've also encountered some who would be perfectly thrilled with voting away our ability to marry simply because we are atheists. I've met some who would readily deny us custody of our own children for the same reason. And of course, there are plenty of employers in Mississippi who would not mind firing us if they learned of our atheism.
I don't support same-sex marriagebecause I'm an atheist; I support it because I am for equality. But I will say that my experience as an atheist in Mississippi makes me appreciate the absurdity of submitting minority rights to a public vote.Subscribe to Mississippi Atheists
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Out of touch?
» Jackson JambalayaThe McComb Enterprise-Journal slightly chided the Lieutenant Governor for the failure of the legislature to pass a bond bill:
"Philosophically, Reeves has the upper hand over Gov. Phil Bryant and House leaders. Republicans can't grouse about government overspending and then pass up a chance to do something about it, which the bond bill offered.
So it will be interesting to see how the politics play out. If the Senate won't budge from $125 million, what will the House and the governor do? Will a deal be worked out in a special session?
Meanwhile, voters and interest groups will expect Republican lawmakers to deliver some improvements. So when Reeves and Senate Republicans start making the rounds of local civic club meetings and banquets, they'll have to explain their hard line."
Did it ever occur to the newspaper Mr. Reeves and his cohorts in the Senate were elected to take a "hard line"? I imagine more than a few readers will ask "and your point is?" after reading that last paragraph. Instead of having some explaining to do, it will not be surprising if they are instead congratulated for their "hard line".
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Mother's Day
» Ross Barnett Reservoir
Julia Ward Howe is credited with planting the seed for a "Mother's Day" after publishing a poem entitled "Mother's Day Proclamation".
Julia Ward Howe
1819 - 1910
Written in 1870, the words were inspired by her life's experiences including the horrors of the Civil War.
Her most famous work was created years earlier and inspired by a visit to a Union soldier encampment near the Potomac River. The sounds of soldiers singing "Jim Brown's Body" moved her to write a new set of lyrics to the song. Her new creation was the "The Battle Hymn of the Republic".
On May 9, 1914, President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation, declaring Mother's Day and invited the people of the United States "to display the flag at their homes or other suitable places on the second Sunday in May as a public expression of our love and reverence for the mothers of our country. "
View a copy of President Wilson's proclamation here.
Learn more about Julia Ward Howe here.
Mothers Day Proclamation Julia Ward Howe
Arise, then, women of this day! Arise, all women who have hearts, Whether our baptism be of water or of tears!
"We will not have great questions decided by irrelevant agencies, Our husbands will not come to us, reeking with carnage, for caresses and applause. Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn All that we have been able to teach them of charity, mercy and patience. We, the women of one country, will be too tender of those of another country To allow our sons to be trained to injure theirs."
From the bosom of the devastated Earth a voice goes up with our own. It says: "Disarm! Disarm! The sword of murder is not the balance of justice." Blood does not wipe out dishonor, nor violence indicate possession. As men have often forsaken the plough and the anvil at the summons of war, Let women now leave all that may be left of home for a great and earnest day of counsel.
Let them meet first, as women, to bewail and commemorate the dead. Let them solemnly take counsel with each other as to the means Whereby the great human family can live in peace, Each bearing after his own time the sacred impress, not of Caesar, But of God.
In the name of womanhood and humanity, I earnestly ask That a general congress of women without limit of nationality May be appointed and held at someplace deemed most convenient And at the earliest period consistent with its objects, To promote the alliance of the different nationalities, The amicable settlement of international questions, The great and general interests of peace.
The Rez News Barnett Reservoir
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01:00
Mother’s Day Thoughts
» Mommy Cracked
When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts. A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child. ~Sophia Loren, Women and Beauty
If I have learned anything about being a mother, I think the above quote is so true. I can remember before having my son that I was pretty consumed with myself and what I wanted in life. It was only after getting settled in when we brought him home from the hospital that I realized that my heart would forever go walking outside by body, and that almost every waking thought would be consumed with thoughts of my son…if he was hungry, warm enough, tired. As he has grown, even when he is not with me I wonder how his day is going at school and if he is enjoying himself. I’m sure the older he gets, these thoughts will evolve, but they will always be present in my mind.
If you have a mom, there is nowhere you are likely to go where a prayer has not already been. ~Robert Brault,
One of my fervent prayers is that I make the most of the privilege of being my son’s mother. It boggles my mind all the time that the Lord saw me and my laundry list of imperfections, yet he still thought that I was the very best person for raising this precious little boy. Me. Some might argue that it’s nothing but simple biology, but I don’t see it that way. And I firmly believe that even if biology itself doesn’t bring you to your child, that child was divinely chosen for you.
Mother – that was the bank where we deposited all our hurts and worries. ~T. DeWitt Talmage
This Mother’s Day, not only am I so grateful for my own son, but I am also very blessed to still have my own mother with me. She raised me up to be a Christian (although, I’m a very imperfect one), she was always there for me in the most important of ways, and she modeled the love and care I have for my own son. In so many big and small ways, she still proves daily that even though I am an adult, her heart for me still goes walking outside of her own body.
This week I have been bombarded on social media outlets, television, and radio about what moms are supposed to want this Mother’ Day….jewelry, flowers, pampering. I’ll admit I sometimes find myself getting caught up in that, thinking I deserve to be pampered and doted upon on this day. It’s only when I remember the four years of trying to become a mother and feeling as if I would never have a child that I realize that today isn’t about what material things the world thinks I need to feel loved on this day. I feel my son’s love every day, when he still crawls into my lap at seven years old and hugs me tight…when he tells me he loves me out of the blue, when he brings me his teddy bear to sleep by me when I am taking a nap because he wants me to feel as safe and secure as I try to make him feel. Those small things are something that cannot be store-bought and far more precious than jewels.
What do you want for Mother’s Day?
Today, I want to count my blessings for my own son, for my mother, for my grandmother, for my cousin who is finally about to become a mother after wanting to be one for so long. Today, I remember all of those who miss their own mothers and pray that those precious memories will comfort them. Today, I pray for my friends who are single mothers, that they feel the Lord carrying them as they shoulder some very big responsibilities by themselves. I pray for some friends who have yet to become mothers who desperately want to be one, as I know what a hopeless feeling that can be. I’m also grateful for “other mothers”, those women who have come into my life and loved me like a mother.
Being a mother is learning about strengths you didn’t know you had, and dealing with fears you didn’t know existed. ~Linda Wooten
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DAHLAK REALNESS with @halanscott and @meredithtwhite
» Mississippi River Valley Girl">[httpdistilleryi_Idxwy.jpg.scaled1000.jpg">][httpdistilleryi_idxwy"] src="http://getfile2.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/lolololori/ncFuhIupqcEJDBivwJyHxCIDyDgEJJvmIalJkwuiuDgthhfhBvibmzFtoofj/media [httpdistilleryi_Idxwy.jpg.scaled500.jpg"] />
Taken at Dahlak
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22:14
Laziest Mom Ever
» Mommy CrackedMy son’s teacher gave his class a cute little fill-in-the blank questionnaire about their moms as part of their Mother’s Day happies they made at school. According to my son, I’m quite the lady of leisure.
Apparently, all I do is lounge near the pool and nap all day. I certainly don’t cook. Dad does that, as you can see. But I am the best mom ever because I let my little darling nap *with* me. And somewhere, amongst all that hard work that it takes to sleep and play in the pool, I also manage to squeeze in a little time each day to work in my library. *snort*
I can only imagine what his teacher thinks now.
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21:57
Some details about Dr. Smith’s alleged prior effort to hire a hit man emerge
» NMissCommentorThe Greenwood Commonwealth reports
An arrest affidavit states [Dr. Albert] Smith and Cordarious Robinson conspired from about Nov. 1, 2011, to April 27, 2012, to commit murder by agreeing “to search for, solicit and hire person or persons to kill Lee Abraham.”
The record — filed in Leflore County Circuit Court this week — provides the first glimpse into Robinson’s alleged role in a murder-for-hire scheme.
Greenwood Police Chief Henry Purnell said Robinson wasn’t at Abraham’s law office during the April 28 shootout
Robinson has a preliminary hearing set for May 30th. He has been released on a $120K bond.
The biggest unknown in the case remains what role Muller, a 54-year-old Morgan City brick mason, is said to have played. He’s been charged with conspiracy to commit murder and released on $250,000 bond, but no specifics about the charges against him have been released.
His attorney, Matt Eichelberger of Jackson, has said his client is innocent and had nothing to do with the shooting.
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Champagne of Upside Down Chandelliers
» Mississippi River Valley Girl">[httpdistilleryi_bugBw.jpg.scaled1000.jpg">][httpdistilleryi_bugbw"] src="http://getfile4.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/lolololori/gAuGmJnoIltpftsoacjlHEvBFzpCfmgDxkrruyrBsfDqBcvhwAviuCDfnJyu/media [httpdistilleryi_bugBw.jpg.scaled500.jpg"] />
Taken at Blarney Stone
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Champagne of Upside Down Chandelliers
» Mississippi River Valley Girl">[httpdistilleryi_mpvgo.jpg.scaled1000.jpg">][httpdistilleryi_mpvgo"] src="http://getfile5.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/lolololori/fehvHcEjhikfkzrjhAltaBimtFfHwicmAsdhawoaeGFwdBGCrHjyrwBizokC/media [httpdistilleryi_mpvgo.jpg.scaled500.jpg"] />
Taken at Blarney Stone
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16:52
Hal Freeland, obituary and funeral arrangements
» NMissCommentorMy father’s funeral will be Tuesday, May 15th at the First Presbyterian Church in Oxford. There will be a visitation at Coleman’s Funeral Home on Highway 7 North on Monday from 4:00-6:00. My family is asking that, in lieu of flowers, folks can contribute to a memorial fund in honor of T.H. Freeland, III at the Innocence Project at Ole Miss Law School, with the donations being made through the Ole Miss Foundation. Just let them know it’s in memory of T.H. Freeland or Hal Freeland and send any contribution to the Foundation at P.O. Box 249, University, Mississippi 38677.
Here’s the obituary….
Thomas Henry Freeland, III, 82, died at home Thursday, May 10, 2012 in Oxford, MS.
Born in Brookhaven, MS, Mr. Freeland lived in Oxford for 58 years. He practiced law for more than a half century. He mentored generations of attorneys, first as a part-time law professor and later by hiring promising law students as clerks. His practice included precedent-setting cases in civil rights, commercial litigation, and libel law. In 1988, a case he argued before the U.S. Supreme Court forced Mississippi to reform century-old inequities in public school finance for the state’s northern 23 counties. He was a founding member and past president of the North Mississippi Chapter of the American Inns of Court. Mr. Freeland was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Oxford, MS. He was a life-long quail hunter, avid fly-fisherman, master of the occasional well-placed cuss word and devoted teller of courthouse yarns and family stories, some of which were true.
Survivors include his wife, Judith H. Freeland of Oxford, MS; two sons, Tom Freeland and Hale Freeland, both of Oxford, MS; one daughter, Lee Freeland Hancock of Tyler, TX; 6 grandchildren.
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Mississippi Gulf Coast Atheist and Freethinking Meetup Tomorrow
» Mississippi AtheistsThe Mississippi Gulf Coast Atheist and Freethinking Association is having their monthly meetup tomorrow in Gulfport. The group plans to meet at 3:00pm in Harmony Hall. For more information or to RSVP, check out the group's page on Meetup.com.
Subscribe to Mississippi Atheists
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Last Minute Mother's Day Gift
» Ross Barnett Reservoir
News From The Mustard Seed
Need a special gift for Mom?
Come out to the Mustard Seed Saturday, May 12th - 10:00 – 3:00 for some last minute Mothers Day gifts!
We will also be open from 10:00 – 3:00 on the Second Saturday of EACH Month.
Come see us!
The Mustard Seed
The Rez News
Barnett Reservoir
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Operation PROP Event Postponed
» Ross Barnett ReservoirOperation PROP event postponed.
Original post here.
From: Operation PROP
May 11, 2012
Greetings!
After consulting the latest 1:00 PM aviation forecast and speaking with Lamar Myers, Mississippi Paralysis Association (MPA) Board President, we decided to postpone tomorrow’s event due to weather. Although it is disappointing, we believe we must make decisions based on providing the best experience to the most folks when it comes to those we serve.
I believe we have a new date but will not post it until I have confirmed it with the others who have so graciously volunteered tomorrow.
Please forward this to anyone you know who was planning on attending tomorrow. We will post the new date ASAP on our Facebook page and website as well as send it to those in our database.
In addition to updates for this event, we will have exciting announcements in the coming weeks including a Fourth of July Fireworks/Boat Parade on the Ross Barnett Reservoir on June 30, 2012. There will be special opportunities for the special community which we serve.
Let’s be sure to encourage our Partners who are making all this possible by thanking them whenever we can. They are MPA, Davis Aviation, Inc., MACE (Metro Community Empowerment Foundation), Hinds Community College, Parkway Baptist Church of Clinton, Century 21 Maselle and Associates, Mississippi State Hospital, EAA Chapter 276, The Star Volunteer Fire Dept., and Executive Mortgage Corporation of Mississippi.
Blue Skies,
Linwood Nooe
linwood@emcms.com
www.operationprop.com
The Rez News
Barnett Reservoir
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***BREAKING - STATE REP. EARLE BANKS QUALIFIES TO RUN AGAINST CHIEF JUSTICE WALLER***
» CottonmouthIn an unexpected move, Rep. Earle Banks (D - Jackson), has qualified to run against Chief Justice Bill Waller. The demographics of central district may make Banks a favorite against the incumbent Waller. This being a presidential election year, turnout will be up.
This is the same district that saw the last sitting Chief Justice, Jim Smith, defeated in the last presidential election year.
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Braddock for Supreme Court
» Jackson JambalayaYup. Attorney Tal Braddock has qualified to run for the Mississippi Supreme Court in District 2 against Justice Mike Randolph. List of candidates. So the question must be asked: Is Claiborne Frazier trying to buy the Mississippi Supreme Court?
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Nicholas Katzenbach Video: RFK and LBJ -- What they thought of me...
» Emmett Till Blog; Murder in the Mississippi Delta; Civil Rights Cold CasesVideo interview with Nicholas Katzenbach: What RFK and LBJ Thought of Me. (Posted on Emmett Till Civil Rights Vlog.)
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June 22 -- 48 Years Pass Since Murders of 3 Mississippi Civil Rights Workers: James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, Michael Schwerner
» Emmett Till Blog; Murder in the Mississippi Delta; Civil Rights Cold Cases
This June 22...48 years since the Mississippi murders of civil rights workers James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner...
Michael Schwerner, James Chaney and Andrew Goodman
Abandoned car, found in Neshoba County, Mississippi
A Tribute ...
"Perhaps the most notable episode of violence came in Freedom Summer of 1964, when civil rights activists James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner left their base in Meridian, Miss., to investigate one of a number of church burnings in the eastern part of the state. The Ku Klux Klan had burned Mount Zion Church because the minister had allowed it to be used as a meeting place for civil rights activists. After the three young men had gone into Neshoba County to investigate, they were subsequently stopped and arrested by Neshoba County Deputy Sheriff Cecil Price. After several hours, Price finally released them only to arrest them again shortly after 10 p.m. He then turned the civil rights workers over to his fellow Klansmen. The group took the activists to a remote area, beat them, and then shot them to death. Dittmer suggests that because Schwerner and Goodman were White the federal government responded by establishing an FBI office in Jackson and calling out the state's National Guard and U. S. Navy to help search for the three men. Of course this was the response the Freedom Summer organizers had hoped for when they asked for White volunteers.
"After several weeks of searching and recovering more than a dozen other bodies, the authorities finally found the civil rights workers buried under an earthen dam. Seven Klansmen, including Price, were arrested and tried for the brutal killings. A jury of sympathizers found them all not guilty. Some time later, the federal government charged the murderers with violating the civil rights of Goodman, Schwerner, and Chaney. This time the Klansmen were convicted and served sentences ranging from two to ten years."
Source: Curtis J. Austin, State Historical Society. "The Civil Rights Movement in Miss." Curtis J. Austin, Ph.D., is professor of history at the University of Southern Mississippi.*****Part I
Murder in Neshoba County Mississippi
(excerpt from Where Rebels Roost; Mississippi Civil Rights Revisited.)
copyright M. Susan Orr Klopfer 2005
All Rights Reserved* * * * *
Mississippi Klansmen bared their worthless souls to the world when in the summer of 1964 they kidnapped and murdered civil rights workers Michael Schwerner, aged 24, Andrew Goodman, 20, both from New York and James Chaney, 22, from Meridian, Mississippi.
Now forty-one years later, at least one alleged Klansman is set to stand trial June 13 in Philadelphia, Mississippi for the murders that symbolize the Magnolia state for much of the nation.
The three young men had disappeared at approximately 10:00 p.m., Sunday, June 21, 1964. Both Aaron Henry and Charles Evers attended the national NAACP convention, and upon hearing the news immediately went to work trying to learn more.
Evers phoned the FBI in Meridian and was given the brush-off. There would be no help from the agency since there was no evidence the three volunteers had been kidnapped across a state line.
Only after families and others pressured the FBI did agents go to work, soon finding the volunteers burned-out 1963 Ford Fairlane station wagon in the Bogue Chitto swamp of Neshoba County about six miles from town in a wooded area near where they were last seen on the night of June 21st.
Forty-four days later, FBI agents uncovered the bodies buried fifteen feet in an earthen dam of red clay. All three young men were members of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) dedicated to non-violent direct action against racial discrimination.
It seems so long ago.
THE THREE YOUNG VOLUNTEERS left the CORE office in Meridian six weeks before to investigate the destruction of a black church in Longdale, Neshoba County that was being used as the site for a "freedom school." Michael Schwerner set up the school earlier as part of a wider civil rights campaign in Mississippi teaching black children, among other things, black history and the philosophy of the civil rights movement.
The schoolhouse, the Mount Zion Church, which had been so perfect for the freedom school was burned down on June 16 by members of the KKK searching for Schwerner. They wanted to kill Schwerner, and they would not be stopped until the job was done.
Chief Klansman Sam Bowers sent word earlier in May to Klan members of Lauderdale and Neshoba counties that it was time to "activate Plan 4" providing for "the elimination" of the despised civil rights activist Michael Schwerner, who the Klan called "Goatee" or "Jew-Boy."
Schwerner, the first white civil rights worker based outside of the capitol of Jackson, had drawn the Klan's hostility after helping to organize a black boycott of a white-owned business and aggressively trying to register blacks in and around Meridian to vote.
After the 1963 burning of a church in Birmingham, Alabama, Schwerner and his wife, Rita, joined the frontlines of the Mississippi movement. In January 1964, they went to Mississippi to work for CORE, moving to Meridian where they headed CORE activities in one of the state's five congressional districts, including organizing a voting rights drive and a freedom school.
Known by friends as Mickey, Schwerner and his wife Rita understood their work was dangerous, said Schwerner's brother Steve, noting that CORE staff members told all new volunteers they couldn't rely on local law enforcement personnel to protect them.
"The volunteers were told that you middle-class kids are used to having the law on your side, but forget it, there's no law here," Steve Schwerner told reporter Diane Chiddister of the Yellow Springs News.
Steve Schwerner was two and a half years older than his brother, Michael. Both were the children of parents who worked as union organizers in New York City. The Schwerners "taught their children to value all people and to respect all races," Michael Schwerner said. Their father made sure that, in addition to taking his sons to see Yankee games, he took them to watch the Negro Baseball Leagues as well.
WHEN THE MODERN Civil Rights Movement emerged in the late 1950s and early 1960s, both Schwerner brothers participated, although "Mickey always went one step further," he said.
Once, when demonstrators sought to stop construction at a Lower East Side housing project, "Mickey lay down in front of bulldozers to stop them. He was much more courageous than I was," Steve Schwerner said.
Taped conversations released in 1997 show that on June 23 President Johnson, dealing with the disappearance of the young civil rights workers, was angry over receiving conflicting information on the telephone from Attorney General Robert Kennedy and Senator James Eastland.
Kennedy had advised Johnson to meet with the student workers' parents. He also suggested Johnson make a statement expressing his ''personal concern for them and for their families.''
Less than an hour later, Eastland told Johnson he believed the whole incident was a hoax. ''I believe it's a publicity stunt,'' Eastland said. ''I don't think there's a damn thing to it. There's not a Ku Klux Klan in that area. There's no organized white men in that area,'' Eastland said. ''Who could possibly harm them?''
Johnson asked Eastland whether the senator thought he should expand on an earlier statement on the investigation, as advised by Kennedy, and Eastland answered "no."
The name "Goodman" must have attracted the senator's interest, since Goodman had family ties to Pacifica Broadcasting, a progressive, alternative broadcasting network founded in 1949 by pacifists. Goodman's father, Robert, was President of the Pacifica Foundation. Only a year prior to Andrew Goodman's death, The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) and the Senate Internal Security Subcommittee (SISS), headed by Senator Eastland, completed a three-year investigation of Pacifica's programming, looking for "subversion."
In 1962, Pacifica station WBAI was the first station to publicly broadcast former FBI agent Jack Levine's expose of J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI. The program was followed by threats of arrests and bombings, as well as pressure from the FBI, the Justice Department, and the FCC. Also that year, Pacifica trained volunteers to travel into the South for coverage of the awakening Civil Rights Movement. The station also took a strong anti-Vietnam war stance, helping to prompt the investigations.
SOVEREIGNTY COMMISSION documents show that Eastland knew the names and backgrounds of all volunteer workers in advance of their arrival, including Goodman, since the senator requested this information from the Sovereignty Commission well before the opening of Freedom Summer.
After the three young men were confirmed as missing, President Johnson told Eastland it might be best for him to have an aide meet with the workers' parents instead of doing so personally. Eastland agreed, ''I think it's going to turn out that there's nothing to it, anyway."
Once the story about Mississippi's missing civil rights volunteers got out, the media descended on Neshoba County. Editors of the Meridian Star described how Meridian's citizens reacted to this invasion in a June 26 edition of the newspaper:
They have never seen as many newsmen and photographers before and never expected to be focused in the spotlight of the world's news. They resent the invasion of newsmen because they fear they will portray them falsely to a critical world. Curious and stern Philadelphians were on the streets and sidewalks here, yesterday. They stared coldly at newsmen, seldom speaking. Obviously they do not know who to blame for the invasion so they blame the newsmen and virtually show their resentment in cold stares.
FLORENCE MARS in her memoir, Witness at Philadelphia, described her neighbors' reactions once the burned car was found: "[T]he mood of the town was jovial; everybody thought it was a hoax. Although the rest of the country might fall for it, Neshoba County knew better: COFO arranged the disappearance to make us look bad so they can raise money in other parts of the country."
When the car was finally found, the mood of confidence quickly changed. "Many Neshobans started to rationalize that the victims had brought any mishap upon themselves because they had no business being in the county in the first place," Mars wrote.
IN WASHINGTON D.C., PRESIDENT JOHNSON conveyed the news to Schwerner's mother and Goodman's father, that the car was found. He also told the Schwerners that Mississippi Gov. Paul Johnson was working with the FBI but maintained he did not believe the three young men would be anywhere, except "perhaps in another part of this country.''
After a 44-day massive, national search, the bodies of all three civil rights activists were found. "THE NIGGER WAS FOUND ON TOP" read the August 5, 1964 headlines of the Meridian Star: "The injuries, besides the bullet holes," the reporter concluded, "could only occur in a high speed airplane crash!"
All three young men had been beaten, shot to death execution style and buried under an earthen dam of Mississippi red clay. With the Till case in 1955 and the 1959 abduction-murder of Mack Parker, "lynchings were increasingly regarded as distasteful, a blot on the reputation of a modern community," noted Seth Cagin and Philip Gray, authors of We Are Not Afraid.
"While people remained guarded on the subject, and some may have privately remained of the opinion that uppity blacks required some putting down, the lynch mob by 1964 was an anachronism."
This is the first part of a 2-part article.
Keywords: Chaney Schwerner Goodman Mississippi civil rights Neshoba Meridian CORE murder lynch
About the Author
Susan Klopfer, Parchman, Mississippi USA
susan@earthlink.net
http://emmett-till.com
Susan Klopfer, an award winning journalist and author, writes on civil rights in Mississippi. Her newest book, "Where Rebels Roost: Mississippi Civil Rights Revisited" is set for publication June 30, 2005. "Where Rebels Roost" focuses on the Delta, Emmett Till, Fannie Lou Hamer, Aaron Henry, Amzie Moore and many other civil rights foot soldiers. Emphasis on unsolved murders of blacks from mid 1950s on...
Part II
More bodies found
Click Here to continue.
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Today's the day. Will there be any surprise filings in the appellate races?
» CottonmouthToday at 5:00 pm is the filing deadline for attorneys hoping to join the Mississippi Supreme Court or the Court of Appeals. So far, there's been very little in terms of surprises. In fact, the only surprise came when Lydia Quarles opted out of the northern district race, which is now between Flip Phillips and Josiah Coleman.
It is quite possible that the incumbents won't draw opposition, but we'll find out this evening for sure. Watch this space.
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The Illuminati is in Greenwood
» Jackson JambalayaNote: Here is a little video made by Dr. Smith a few years ago.
Who would have ever thought the Illuminati would use the Mississippi Delta as a testing ground for is diabolical schemes to run the world. Dr. Smith, Arnold Smith of Greenwood fame, supposedly wrote this letter to Governor Phil Bryant making such claims last month. Jackson Jambalaya sent a request to the Communications Director for the Governor to verify the Governor indeed received this ode to the Greenwood Gambinos. I have redacted all names from the letter that were used in a libelous manner. Needless to say, I think you will find the letter both amusing and sickening.
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Mississippi Atheists: Returning to Our Roots
» Mississippi Atheists
Okay, so I've changed my mind about closing the blog and renewed the domain. Why? Three reasons. First, it occurred to me that letting the domain expire meant that I'd probably never get it back again if I were to change my mind in the future. I've seen too many people trying to buy back domains they used to own at outrageous prices, and I don't want to find myself in that position. Second, even though the traffic has never been great (and will never be great), we do have steady search engine traffic. That suggests that there just might be a need out there. Third and most importantly, I think that my initial vision for Mississippi Atheists may have been the right one, even if it was not the one I ended up pursuing.
Initially, I hoped that this blog would serve as a hub for information relevant to atheists in Mississippi. I imagined people searching for information or news and ending up here. For better or worse, I quickly lost sight of this goal and instead pursued the goal of making this blog into a collection of atheist voices from around Mississippi. I still like that idea, but it never really took off. We've never had more than a few co-authors. None of those we had were very prolific, and none stuck around for very long. Fair enough. While I'm still very interested in publishing guest posts from atheists in our state, that does not have to my sole focus.
My new vision isn't really all that new but represents a return to where I started: I want Mississippi Atheists to become the first page anybody lands when searching for information about atheism in Mississippi. That's it. In addition to not getting overly sidetracked again, there are a few necessary changes I need to make:- I am going to have to learn something about search engine optimization (SEO) and implement these techniques far more deliberately than I have previously.
- I need to write more about topics of interest to Mississippi atheists and not simply atheists in general (although there can certainly still be some of that).
- I am going to do some restructuring of the blog's layout, both for SEO purposes and to make it easier to find relevant information.
- I am going to need to encourage anyone who finds this blog worthwhile to help out, even if it is in small ways like promoting us on social media, submitting an occasional post or picture, or simply letting me know about an issue you think I should write about.
I don't know in advance if I'll get it right this time, but I am committed to trying. If you have ideas, want to contribute content, or want to let people who aren't on Facebook know about something happening in Mississippi, please contact me at atheistrevolution [at] gmail.com.Subscribe to Mississippi Atheists
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Mississippi River Basin Water Resource News for the Week
» Northeast-Midwest Institute's Mississippi River Basin Blog~Virtual Newspaper for an Aquatic World~
National Flood Insurance Program Extension and Reform Take Center Stage in Senate Hearing
The Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee's Economic Policy Subcommittee held a hearing on May 9 focused on the reauthorization and reform of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), when panel members were told by a series of insurance, real estate, and environmental representatives that the debt-laden program was in dire need of reform and extension before its current authority expires on May 31. Read details and find more links here.
USDA Announces New National Water Quality Initiative-Over Five Dozen Watersheds Targeted in Mississippi Basin
On May 8, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the launch of the agency's new National Water Quality Initiative; a program that USDA describes as an effort to improve between one and seven "impaired watersheds in every U.S. state and territory." Under the Initiative, USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) will make at least $33 million in financial assistance available to farmers, ranchers and forest landowners during the current (2012) Fiscal Year to implement conservation practices that help improve water quality in targetted watersheds. The funding that will defer part of the landowner's cost of the conservation practices will be made available through NRCS's Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), a Farm Bill Conservation Title program. Nationally, a total of 157 watersheds in 44 states have been selected by USDA for the grant money under the Iniative. Sixty-two of those watersheds are located within the Mississippi River basin and Coastal Louisiana region. You can read more detail on our blog, USDA's National Water Quality Initiative press release and the program web site.
Notable @UpperMiss Twitter Postings for the Week
Agriculture -- Billings Gazette: As prices rise, farmers, USDA back off conservation reserve program [bit.ly]
- USDA Secretary Vilsack announces new National Water Quality Initiative [1.usa.gov] media release: [1.usa.gov]
- NRCS chief promises wetland solution for frustrated Red River Valley farmers [bit.ly]
- Here is a good information-rich overview of 2012 research activity at USDA's Beltsville MD Agricultural Research Center [bit.ly]
- Senate Agriculture Committee provides updated 17-page summary of its version of the Farm Bill [bit.ly] (pdf file)
- Rep. Crawford (R-AR) urges [bit.ly] constituents to submit US farm policy suggestions by 5/20 online at [1.usa.gov]
- Des Moines Register editorial board opinion piece on Senate Agriculture Committee's farm bill [dmreg.co]
- Tasks that "Congress can't avoid" include National Flood Insurance Program reauthorization and Farm Bill [bit.ly]
- American Soybean Association urges Senate consideration of Farm Bill as quickly as possible [bit.ly]
- Farm org coalition asks Senate leaders to bring Farm Bill to the Senate floor as soon as possible http://bit.ly/IM3yyq (PDF of letter)
- Minneapolis Star Tribune editorial on the Farm Bill and crop insurance [bit.ly]
- House Agriculture Subcommittee focuses on Specialty Crop & Nutrition Programs during Farm Bill hearing [1.usa.gov]
- Republicans for Environmental Protection op-ed on Senate Agriculture Committee's Farm Bill subsidies [bit.ly]
- Senator John Thune (R-SD): clock is ticking and there is a sense of urgency for action to take place on the farm bill [bit.ly]
- House Agriculture Committee schedules four additional Farm Bill hearings for next week: [1.usa.gov]
- USDA official - Senate version of a new Farm Bill deserves rapid passage as a fair program that will benefit producers [bit.ly]
- Farm groups seek to intervene in lawsuit vs EPA re: Mississippi River Basin state numeric nutrient H2O quality standards [bit.ly]
- Agribusinesses asked to intervene in Mississippi River Basin water quality standards suit [bit.ly]
- Activists irked by EPA delay on model for Illinois River (Oklahoma) water quality [bit.ly]
- Sen. Vitter and advocacy groups press Senate on 5-year extension of flood insurance program [bit.ly]
- National Assoc of Realtors President: long-term extension of National Flood Insurance Program before May 31 "critical" [bit.ly]
- Sen. Tester: Another extension of National Flood Insurance Program likely before current authorization expires on May 31 [bit.ly]
- Tasks that "Congress can't avoid" include National Flood Insurance Program reauthorization and Farm Bill [bit.ly]
- Former Wisconsin Dept of Natural Resource secretaries criticize DNR's current leadership [bit.ly]
- NFWF and USDA NRCS Conservation Partners Program funding available to optimize wildlife conservation on private lands [bit.ly]
- Aquatic invasive species electric barrier between Mississippi and Great Lakes basins had 13-min power outage last week [trib.in]
- Army Corps to quicken pace of Mississippi-Great Lakes Asian carp study ~ to come up with solution options next year [on.wsj.com]
- Army Corps' report on Asian carp put off until after options are released by 2013 [trib.in]
- MN invasive species fines soon will double [bit.ly]
- Ohio legislative committee approves new horizontal oil and gas drilling rules amid a shale exploration boom [ohne.ws]
- Federal threat prompts KY to issue emergency rule demanding larger coal surface mining reclamation bonds [cjky.it]
- 24 states have considered at least 127 bills dealing specifically with hydraulic fracturing in 2012 so far [bit.ly]
- House Budget Committee moves GOP bill to replace $78 B in automatic defense cuts with $261 B in domestic spending cuts [bit.ly] (then on Thursday the bill was passed by the full House; see next article)
- House votes to replace steep cuts to Pentagon with spending cuts to food stamps; other mandatory social programs [bit.ly]
- Webinar: The Farm Bill and the Mississippi River: a Long and Complex Relationship; May 17; 430 PM EDT; 330 CDT [bit.ly]
- Save the date: Upper Mississippi River Conference; Sept 26-28, Moline, IL registration soon available here: www.riveraction.org
- EPA Webinar: Responding to Climate Change through Coastal Habitat Restoration; May 15, 3 PM EDT [bit.ly]
- 3rd Annual Malthus Lecture-How can we feed a growing world and still sustain the planet; May 22, Washington, DC [bit.ly]
- IL Cache River Nature Fest, Sat 5/12 8am-4pm Cypress Creek Refuge; Canoe tours, bike trips, hikes [bit.ly]
- Association of State Floodplain Managers latest e-newsletter edition: [bit.ly]
- MO Coalition for the Environment's Vision for a Land, Water, and Economic Ethic in the Upper Mississippi River Basin [bit.ly]
- Tennessee Clean Water Network's latest e-newsletter edition is out [bit.ly]
- Ozark nature groups receive $77,021 to create environmental mentoring communities in local areas [1.usa.gov]
- RT @gregseitz: St. Croix Valley group exploring National Heritage status - [bit.ly]
- IL GOP leaders select 4 candidates to vie for nomination to replace retiring US Rep. Johnson (IL-15) [bit.ly]
- Indiana state Treasurer Richard Mourdock defeats Sen. Lugar in Indiana GOP US Senate primary [bit.ly]
- Milwaukee Mayor Barrett to be Democratic opponent in WI gubernatorial recall race vs. GOP Gov. Scott Walker [politi.co]
More... »
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