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AG: ‘Sneaky' Insurance Cos. Wrong to Delay Katrina Suits
[Verbatim statement from Jim Hood] "State Farm, Allstate, Nationwide, Farm Bureau, USAA, and Nationwide have caused many people on our Coast to wait a year and three months for a decision on the validity of the water exclusionary clause. Now, thanks to Judge Senter, a second federal judge has agreed with me and told the insurance companies that they were wrong in trying to delay the case in federal court. I have been in discussions with several of these companies with the aim of trying to resolve these issues without the expense and time of litigation and I am hopeful that other companies will come forward and do what is right toward the policy holders. I urge every policyholder and insurance agent in Mississippi to call or email their insurance company and tell them to work with us on a settlement to help our fellow Mississippians on our Coast!
Bell Denies Responsibility
Robbie Bell says she was not home on Trawick Drive when her son, George Bell III, raped and then bludgeoned Mary Heather Spencer with a flashlight the night of Sept. 10, 2007. So says her response to Linda Francomb's lawsuit, filed July 23.
Hood v. Salter: Battle Going Extra Rounds?
Enmity between Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood and Clarion-Ledger Perspective Editor Sid Salter is obvious this week, as the two hammer each other over disagreements regarding the facts around a June decision by the Mississippi Public Service Commission, and the implications of that decision.
Another Mucked-Up Hurricane Response?
Folo has a good post, and several links, pointing to another inadequate response to a hurricane disaster, this time in Texas. And there are reports that Texas Gov. Rick Perry is trying to keep the severity of the problem under wraps. Can this really be true?
Rep. Leonard Morris Out of Surgery, Still Critical
The Associated Press is reporting: State Rep. Leonard Morris, D-Batesville, remained in critical condition Friday, a day after having kidney surgery. A spokeswoman for the University of Mississippi Medical Center said a tumor was removed. Lawmakers who had spoken with Morris before the surgery said the whole kidney was supposed to be taken out, but it was unclear whether that was done. The hospital would not release more information without the family's consent. [...]
State Unemployment Tops 10 Percent
More than one out of every 10 Mississippians was officially unemployed in July138,100 individualsaccording to new data released by the state Department of Employment Security, with the state's unadjusted rate hitting 10.5 percent. Three counties reported jobless rates over 20 percentJefferson, Holmes and Claywhile two others pushed toward that high-water mark. Claiborne and Noxubee County reported a 19.1 percent and 19.5 percent unemployment rate, respectively.
MPB to Broadcast JFP Editorial Friday A.M.
[Editorial] Mr. Barbour: It's Time to Start Governing
Listen to Mississippi Public Broadcasting Friday morning at 5:35 and 7:35 to hear an excerpt from the JFP's most recent editorial read as part of "Opinion Round-up." Following is the excerpt you will hear:
Auditors: Billions Squandered in Iraq
AP is reporting:
About $10 billion has been squandered by the U.S. government on Iraq reconstruction aid because of contractor overcharges and unsupported expenses, and federal investigators warned Thursday that significantly more taxpayer money is at risk. The three top auditors overseeing work in Iraq told a House committee their review of $57 billion in Iraq contracts found that Defense and State department officials condoned or allowed repeated work delays, bloated expenses and payments for shoddy work or work never done. More than one in six dollars charged by U.S. contractors were questionable or unsupported, nearly triple the amount of waste the Government Accountability Office estimated last fall.
Just In: Rep. Leonard Morris of Batesville Dies
The Clarion-Ledger is reporting that Rep. Leonard Morris has died:
Some Soldiers Ineligible for GI Benefits Under New Bill
For many people, having access to GI benefits after serving their country is a primary factor behind joining the service. But some guard members are finding out that they're not eligible because of a glitch in the new GI bill.
16-Year-Old Arrested for Cross Burning
Police have arrested a white 16-year-old in Byhalia in North Mississippi for burning a cross in a black family's yard.
Barbour Signs Children First Act
Yesterday, Gov. Haley Barbour put his signature on Senate Bill 2628, also known as the Children First Act of 2009.
Mississippi Special Session Starts Friday
It's official: Gov. Haley Barbour has called state lawmakers back to Jackson for another special session to deal with the 2010 state budget. The session begins on Friday, July 10, at 10 a.m.
Melton: Who, Me?
"I don't know anything about that. I can't imagine what I've done," Melton said.
The Jackson rumor mill is on overdrive today about federal indictments of Mayor Frank Melton coming down in the wake of an FBI investigation that pulled several members of his administration before a federal grand jury last week. But the feds ain't talking, as they tend not to do in such cases. Until they're ready, anyway. As for Melton, he told the JFP's Adam Lynch at City Hall this afternoon that he hasn't heard a thing about a possible federal investigation of him.
Cold Case Advocate to Meet with Holder
Alvin Sykes, longtime advocate for the victims of civil rights era cold cases, will meet with the nation's "top cop," U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, to discuss the Department of Justice mandate to solve those cases and bring the killers to justice.
Senate Kills Police Pay Raise Bill
Jackson residents almost got a chance to vote on a proposal to raise hotel taxes to fund a police pay raise before a Senate subcommittee killed it Monday. The bill's death came just hours after Jackson police managed to push the legislation through the House. House Bill 1710 would have allowed the city to hold a referendum vote on a proposed $1.25 per day tax upon each occupied hotel or motel room inside Jackson city limits. The vote, similar to the 2004 referendum vote to fund the construction of the Capitol City Convention Center, would have required a 60 percent majority.
DeLaughter Trial Rescheduled
Federal District Court Judge Glen H. Davidson has granted a motion for continuance to suspended Hinds County Judge Bobby DeLaughter. The trial, originally scheduled to begin April 6, is now set for Aug. 17, 2009.
Many Metro Students Won't See Obama's Speech
President Obama delivered a back-to-school speech to students this morning emphasizing personal responsibility, but not all Mississippi students got the message. The speech, which was televised and available as a webcast on the White House Web site, had attracted criticism from conservative commentators and politicians who considered it an inappropriate political gesture.
Federal Deficit to Top $450 Billion; Medicare in Trouble?
AP is reporting: "The White House's projection of a record federal deficit that could approach $450 billion this year will further fuel a campaign-season dispute over President Bush's handling of the economy. Bush's budget office planned to release its latest forecast Friday. Its magnitude, described by congressional aides speaking on condition of anonymity, will easily surpass last year's $375 billion, the largest ever in dollar terms. Republicans said the number would underscore the economy's upturn because it shows improvement over early this year, when expectations were for an even larger shortfall. [...] Some congressional aides said the report might also project an increase in spending by Medicare, the government's $300 billion health insurance program for the elderly and disabled. That could further heighten concerns about the program's solvency, already in jeopardy over the next two decades with the impending retirement of the huge baby-boom generation. Medicare's anticipated rapid growth in coming years is expected to be a major engine keeping the budget in the red. The report's release was coming two weeks after an often-ignored July 15 deadline, a delay White House officials attributed to a desire for accurate numbers." [emphasis added]
Barbour Calls for ‘Conservative Spending' Due to Crisis
[Verbatim statement] (JACKSON, Mississippi) Governor Haley Barbour asked legislators and state agency directors to find ways to cut spending this year and in Fiscal Year 2010 as a result of lower tax collections during the current economic crisis. "Just as Mississippi families and businesses are revising their budgets and looking for ways to save money, we in state government must tighten our belts, too," Governor Haley Barbour said. "High fuel costs and lower-than-expected tax collections mean we must further control our spending.