We pay Doug and Robert's pet "consultants" HOW MANY DAMN MILLIONS of dollars for "maintenance" and what the hell happens during the emergency Wednesday afternoon? WLBT reports:
"Hinds E.O.C. Director Jimmie Lewis tells us four sirens in Terry were activated during the EF-2 tornado that passed through Terry around 3:30 Wednesday afternoon. Along with one on Wynndale road, the activated sirens include one on Cunningham Street, one on Georgetown Circle, and one on Dry Grove Road and Tank Road.
Lewis tells us he got information the next day that the Tank Road siren may have been on pause when the storm hit. Lewis tells us the "comm fail" message that came through regarding the siren doesn't necessarily mean it didn't sound.
In other words: THE SIREN DID NOT WORK WHEN A TORNADO PASSED BY FIVE MILES AWAY!!! There are more details but ready for this? WHERE THE HELL WAS JIMMIE LEWIS?
"Lewis tells us the Terry/Spring Ridge siren was not activated because, according to him, it wasn't in the path of the tornado. The new sirens can be controlled individually, so the activated sirens were hand-picked.
But by whom? 3 On Your Side received word Lewis was not at the Emergency Operations Center when the storm came. He wouldn't confirm or deny, only telling us he was in "Hinds County".
However, don't worry because that damn liar who is President of the Board of Supervisors had this to say:
"District 5 Supervisor George Smith, President of the Board of Supervisors, says if Lewis wasn't at the helm, it doesn't bother him, because siren duty is the duty of Lewis' assistant."
Dayumn. Cheryl Lasseter brought it last night in her story on Hinds County's dealings with Stacy Stowers and Nathan Hargrove. Here is the video and I'm going to add some more info later. She actually interviews Robert Graham. Enjoy.
Cheryl Lasseter will report new information on Hinds County and it contracts with Stacy Stowers and Nathan Hargrove. She actually interviewed Robert Graham but he refused to discuss anything involving those two individuals or radios. Should be interesting.
Jackson is at it again, playing the bond refinance game. Bill Campbell reported in the Clarion-Ledger:
"Hoping for a quick strike in a volatile bond market, the city of Jackson has hired a team of strategists, aiming to save $1.5 million in debt on bonds issued in 2002 for water-sewer system work.
The city has hired Malachi Financial Products as financial adviser, in addition to attorneys and underwriters, whose purpose will be to land an interest rate that will give the city a little pocket change while it pays the tab on a $40 million 2002 bond package...
"We're looking at ways to get some money into our coffers, and one of the ways is restructuring some debt in our water and sewer refunding," Jackson Mayor Harvey Johnson Jr. said Tuesday."
Newspapers typically don't give the whole story on municipal bonds so JJ has done some digging. Follow the money is the old adage and its no exception in this case. The fees will be $400,000. Thus Jackson will spend $400,000 to save $1.1 million. Here are the fees:
Phelps Dunbar & May Law Group: $90,000 Baker Donelson & Begley Law Firm: $150,000 Malachi Financial Products: $110,000 Rice Financial Products & Loop Capital Markets: $4.75 per bond. Each bond is $1,000. If the total amount of bonds is $25,155,000 at $4.75 per $1,000, the cost for Rice and Loop is estimated to be $119,486.
Total: $469,486.
The fees are gleaned from these documents that were given to the city council in a Monday work session in a presentation on the bonds.
The council approved the bonds on March 22, 2011. Voting to approve the refinance were Bluntson, Stokes, Tillman, Yarber, and Whitwell. Barrett-Simon and Lamumba were absent. Copy of minutes.
However, there is something missing from what was given to the City Council: no coupon rates, no bond schedules, list of payments, or schedule of cash flows. Basic information one needs when determining whether such a refinance is a good idea. JJ filed a public records request for all documents associated with the proposed transaction. Here is what was provided by the city:
The documents appear to be the same. However, you will notice the second set of documents is 18 pages while the first set is only 12 pages. The missing pages contain a Restructuring Summary of the debt itself, a schedule through 2034 of the cash flows,savings, and costs, and other similar summaries.
Page 14 is where the fun starts (and by the way, I had a tough time analyzing these tables. Feel free to help me out in the comments. I gave these documents to three different financial experts and got three different answers.). It states the city will refund $19,340,000 in bonds and restructure (think extend the term) $7,150,000 for a total of $25,155,000. The refunding saves $722,396 but the restucturing costs $1,220,101 for a total loss of $387,255. These savings and costs are for the entire life of the bonds. The city actually saves $7,173,517 in 2011 and 2012.
Page 15 is even more fun as it breaks down the costs and savings on an annual basis. The total expense for the deal is $5.5 million. The extra money the city gets from the deal is $7 million (page 14). The city realizes its claimed $1.5 million savings by subtracting the total savings costs of $5.5 from the $7 million. The city in effect pays $400,000 to save $1.1. million. These are semi-educated guesses so feel free to chime in with your own analysis or estimates.
However, it is interesting the city council wasn't given these charts or tables.
The trial of Louis Kuebler for the death of has been set for July 5 at 11:00 PM. A Hinds County grand jury indicted the twenty-six year old Mr. Kuebler on September 28, 2010 for the crime of Deliberate Design Murder in the death of Tamra Stuckey on June 30, 2010. A Jackson municipal court judge had set his bond at $100,000 when first arrested. Judge Kidd revoked his bond on October 18. Earlier post, Mr. Kuebler is free on $250,000 bond.
Tonight is Ladies Night at Olga's. Come enjoy the music of Scott Albert Johnson from 7-10. House wines are $3 per glass all night long for the ladies. Reservations optional but not required. Enjoy Yuriy's cooking or have a drink in the lounge. 601-366-1366 for reservations.
Friday: Come to our special Royal Wedding Party with Hunter Gibson More details. Saturday: Jazz of "Tiger" Thomas Rogers
Kathryn Stockett filed an answer and motion for summary judgment on April 14, 2011 (copy posted below) in response to the lawsuit filed against her by Abline Cooper in Hinds County Circuit Court. Ablene Cooper filed suit against Kathryn Stockett, the author of The Help, for $75,000 in damages for intentional infliction of emotional distress in Hinds County Circuit Court yesterday. Ms. Cooper worked as a maid in the home of Ms. Stockett's brother and also "served as a babysitter" for his child. Copy of complaint
Ms. Cooper alleged she asked Ms. Stockett not to use her "name and likeness" in the novel and Ms. Stockett refused. Ms. Cooper claims "It has been emotionally upsetting and highly offensive to Ablene to be falsely portrayed in "The Help" as an African-American maid in Jackson, Mississippi who uses this kind of language and compares her skin color to a cockroach" and that her "portrayal of Ablene in such a false light is highly offensive to a reasonable person." Ms. Cooper also states Ms. Stockett still refuses to acknowledge her misappropriation of Ms. Cooper's identity and treatment of her as well. Ms. Cooper stipulates her damages should be limited to $75,000.
Ms. Stockett argues in her motion for summary judgment most, if not all, of Ms. Cooper's claims are barred by the statute of limitations. Ms. Cooper filed her lawsuit two years after publication of The Help. Ms. Stockett argues the torts of invasion of privacy and intentional infliction of emotional distress are subject to a statute of limitations period of one year. Ms. Stockett also claims the novel is not about Ms. Cooper but "is about a matter of public concern", race relations. Ms. Stockett opines to the court there is no way anyone could mistake the Abilene character for the real-life Ablene. She states "the first names are spelled differently", "the last names are different", and the character would be 102 years old today and thus no one would mistake a 102 year old lady for a middle-aged woman. Ms. Stockett also trots out the expected free speech arguments, again arguing the book is about a matter of "public concern" and is entitled to "special protection" under the first amendment. Ms. Stockett is represented by Fred Banks, a highly-esteemed lawyer who was the second black Justice on the Mississippi Supreme Court.
This email is circulating in NE Jackson. JJ confirmed its authenticity.
"Hi friends, Not to freak anyone out, but PLEASE PLEASE be careful, especially if you live in Jackson. Please feel free to pass along to any of your parents/family as well. To make a long story short..
My parents house on Sheffield got broken into Saturday night in Jackson. Mom and xxxx were here in Destin with me, so it was just my Dad there. He goes to sleep early. Sometime between 10pm-6am, armed men entered the house by jumping over our 8 foot backyard fence and coming into our patio doors into the morning room. They stole the flatscreen in our den, and then (GET THIS)... came into my Dad's room. They took his shorts with his wallet off of the bed WHERE HE WAS ASLEEP!! When they realized that the keys to the car weren't in there, they CAME BACK and took his jeans that were laying on the floor and stole his big set of keys. They stole his phone, his SUV, and all his cash/credit cards. They stole the keys to his Lexus sedan,but didn't steal it. So, yesterday Dad changed the house locks, and sent Martin back to Oxford with his car and everything valuable we own in it: guns, china, jewelry, furs, etc. So in case they came back to get the Lexus, it was gone. Turns out they stole 3 other cars in our neighborhood that night, and tried to steal the xxxxx's (xxxxxx's parents) It was unlocked and all his cash was stolen, but apparently they couldnt get the truck to start or something. Police think it is an organized crime ring out of Rankin County, and they are hitting Northeast Jackson neighborhoods. It's a blessing and definitely a God thing that Dad didnt wake up because we feel like they were armed and would have killed him. And it's a blessing Mom wasn't there because she is such a light sleeper that I know she would have woken up, and who knows what they would have done to her. It is sooooo scary. Dad has started sleeping with a gun by the bed, and police (They came in to dust for fingerprints yesterday) told him to shoot to kill if they came back on his property. They are still investigating... Havent found any leads yet. PLEASE, PLEASE be careful. Lock all your doors, set alarms, whatever you have to do to stay safe. They haven't caught the people, and obviously they are still out there, and aren't scared to break into a house to get what they want. Please, everyone BE CAREFUL!"
I'm sure the Bugle will preach to us about crime dropping 7% and we are just being hysterical.
Wow. Shocker of the day. Haley issued the following press release:
"“I will not be a candidate for president next year. This has been a difficult, personal decision, and I am very grateful to my family for their total support of my going forward, had that been what I decided.
“Hundreds of people have encouraged me to run and offered both to give and raise money for a presidential campaign. Many volunteers have organized events in support of my pursuing the race. Some have dedicated virtually full time to setting up preliminary organizations in critical, early states and to helping plan what has been several months of intensive activity.
“I greatly appreciate each and every one of them and all their outstanding efforts. If I have disappointed any of them in this decision, I sincerely regret it.
“A candidate for president today is embracing a ten-year commitment to an all-consuming effort, to the virtual exclusion of all else. His (or her) supporters expect and deserve no less than absolute fire in the belly from their candidate. I cannot offer that with certainty, and total certainty is required.
“This decision means I will continue my job as Governor Mississippi, my role in the Republican Governors Association and my efforts to elect a new Republican president in 2012, as the stakes for the nation require that effort to be successful.”
Barnes and Noble released the new software upgrade for the Nook Color today. The Nook is powered by Froyo and will support Adobe Flash. In other words, B&N is providing a tablet for only $250. PC Mag said:
"The update, version 1.2 of the Nook Color software, brings with it support for Android 2.2 "Froyo" and Adobe Flash video. The company said it surveyed Nook customers on the main features they wanted in a tablet devices, and they responded with email, Flash video, and "certain categories" of apps, specifically games, organizers, and learning apps.
"Since the launch, you've been able to play video on the product," said Iannone. "But with Flash, we worked closely with Adobe. Now you can go to any of the different Flash sites—YouTube, National Geographic, and [others]. We've made it easy for users, with mobile mode or desktop mode." Article
It's a little skimpy on the apps- only 139 so far, but that number will grow as B&N unlocked the system for app developers a few months ago. Here is the update: Manual update. It will download automatically later in the week through wi-fi if you can be patient.
WLBT followed up its Thursday night story about Hinds County failing to obtain permission from the state to purchase $113,000 of police radios with another one Friday night. WLBT interviewed Hinds County Emergency Operations Center Director Jimmie Lewis. Mr. Lewis told WLBT he was only doing what the board ordered him to do.
Editorial comment: This entire episode has become a farce on several levels. The Board tries to help its "consultant" Nathan Hargrove by giving him a contract to sell EF Johnson police radios to the county. The cost is $113,000. Supervisor George Smith tells the media in interviews and comments published on media websites the radios were purchased and "were paid for". The only problem is, this website discovered no payment was ever made for the radios, there is no mention of the purchase on the claims docket, and Hinds County violated state law by failing to obtain the required permission from the Mississippi Wireless Communications Commission since the purchase was over $100,000. Mr. Smith had no defense when WLBT pointed out his statements were not true.
However, something else must be addressed here and that is the hiring of Mr. Lewis. Larry Fisher retired as Director of Hinds County EOC in 2009. His assistant worked in the EOC for twenty years and possessed numerous certifications. Unfortunately for Ricky Moore, he was white as the Board instead hired Mr. Lewis, the Director of Permits and Zoning who was also black, on a 4-1 (the four black supervisors voted for Mr. Lewis) vote even though he had no experience in emergency operations.
Why is Mr. Lewis's hiring mentioned? Because if Mr. Lewis was qualified for his job (Resume and application for EOC Director), he would have KNOWN a basic law such as obtaining permission from the state for all radio purchases over $100,000 existed. The Attorney General stated in a 2009 opinion for Lee County (Opinion No. 2009-00057) such transactions made without the commission's approval can be reversed. The auditor's office told WLBT Thursday the state can force whoever approved the purchase to pay the money back to the county.
It is quite obvious negligence took place regarding the purchase of the EF Johnson radios. The question is whether such negligence took place because county officials did not know the law or instead chose to ignore it. Mr. Lewis can claim he was following orders all he wants but if I were him, I'd get on my knees and pray the purchase is reversed or the Board is responsible since it approved the purchase. This is what happens when unqualified people are hired for jobs due to their race or because they are part of "the system". Unfortunately for Hinds County residents, the fact the county is broke has not made any impression on county officials and forced them to take their jobs more seriously. Click Here to Read More..
A British writer Amanda Cable spent a week living as a 1950's housewife for the Daily Mail. It was an um, interesting experience:
"My day begins at 7am with a bloodcurdling scream. My children have discovered I have confiscated their phones and gadgets. They storm into my room but stop dead at the sight of me in a tight-waisted cotton dress, and applying full make-up and red lipstick.
Back in the Fifties, few households had a car. So it will mean a bus ride and a 15-minute each-way walk to Charlie and Archie’s primary school, two miles from our house.
Women in 1953 consumed just 1,818 calories a day, but their busy lives helped them burn off 1,000 calories. Today’s women consume 2,178 calories and burn off just 556." Essay
Its pretty funny in places and at other times, she notices some improvement in her family life. One thing must be pointed out. 1953 Britain was not like 1953 America. Britain was still using some forms of rationing, labor-saving devices weren't quite as plentiful as they were here, and the use of the automobile was more prevelant. I'm not making any further comment so as to prevent any ladies out there from having an excuse to use their newly-purchased ginsu knives on me.
The Beer Wars heat up in Alabama as several groups pushing for greater access to craft beer began a boycott of Anheuser-Busch products:
"Free the Hops -- Alabamians For Specialty Beer, the organization that led the successful fight for high-gravity beers in Alabama, has launched a boycott against the state's largest beer distributors claiming they are blocking the Legislature's passing the Brewery Modernization Act. Free the Hops helped get the bill passed in the Alabama Senate earlier this month.
After spending weeks negotiating with lobbyists for Birmingham Budweiser and Turner Beverage of Huntsville to get the bill into a committee in the House of Representatives, Free the Hops officials began to believe the talks were a stalling tactic and the distributors had no intention of changing key components in the state's existing brewpub laws." Rest of the article
Here is the proposed food truck ordinance that cleared the Rules Committee of the Jackson City Council and will be presented to the City Council for a vote.
WLBT had an interesting little story last night that followed up on what was reported yesterday on this website about Hinds County's purchase of police radios. Not going to spoil the fun for you but just say Mrs. Lasseter spoke to Supervisor George Smith, MDOC Commissioner and Chairman of the Mississippi Wireless Communications Division Chris Epps, and State Auditor Stacy Pickering. Enjoy.
Note: WLBT working story for tonight's broadcast. Watch WLBT at 6:00 PM. Mrs. Lasseter confirmed radios were delivered.
Supervisors were surprised Monday when they learned Byram purchased its own police radios and rejected the radios supposedly purchased for Byram PD by Hinds County. Earlier post on meeting. Video included.The negotiations over the radios have been a source of controversy as the consultant for Hinds County pushed the County to purchase only radios he sold even though they were higher in price and inferior in quality.
Supervisor George Smith was outraged by the actions of Byram: "These radios have already been purchased. The Board approved those radios. Those radios made it here in four days and we can attest to that. The next day after they were delivered, Northstar went down there and discussed it with y'all... My question is that these radios have already been purchase by 911 funds. How do you tax the taxpayers for additional radios when they are already ordered, here, and ready to be installed? We've done exactly what Byram wanted"
Mr. Smith repeated the same statements to WAPT. Mr. Smith caught a break because the reporter, Erin Kelly, failed to ask him to support his claims. Ms. Kelly did not ask for proof the radios had been purchased or to actually see the radios. Ms. Kelly simply took his statements at face value .
Well, this correspondent rarely accepts what he is told at face value so I spent two hours this week pouring over the 2011 claims docket. Guess what? There are NO payments to Northstar Wireless, EF Johnson, or Nathan Hargrove. There are several payments made to Airwave, LLC but those payments are related to Airwave's contracts for radio and siren maintenance. This correspondent then checked with the Accounting and Finance department and no invoice, payment, or purchase order were on file. In other words, Hinds County does not have the radios nor purchased the radios. However, the negligence by Hinds County and WAPT does not stop here.
Hinds County also failed to obtain permission from the Mississippi Wireless Communications Commission to purchase the radios. The procurement rules for the commission state on page three "No Committee or Commission approval or review required up to $100,000 per project or fiscal year; Between $100,001 and $250,000 per project or per fiscal year requires review and approval of Committee". Copy of rules.
Authority to issue such regulations resides in Section 25-53-171 of the Mississippi Code "The commission, in conjunction with the Department of Information Technology Services, shall have the sole authority to promulgate rules and regulations governing the operations of the wireless communications system described in paragraph (a) and shall be vested with all legal authority necessary and proper to perform this function including, but not limited to...(i) Having sign-off approval on all wireless communications systems within the state which are owned or operated by any state or local governmental entity, agency or department."
The procurement committee handles these matters for the commission. This correspondent verified Hinds County never obtained permission for this purchase or submitted a request for the Byram police radios to the commission. I attended the April 6 meeting of the procurement committee. No representatives from Hinds were there nor was any matter relating to Hinds County discussed. The committee only met on January 5, February 3, and April 6 this year. Chairman Keith Harkins and board member Willie Huff both said Hinds has not applied for permission to purchase the radios for Byram. Thus the purchase Hinds County probably violated state law. Mr. Smith has not returned phone calls seeking comment on this matter. Byram obtained permission from the commission for purchase of the Motorolas on February 4, 2011. Seeking funding from Hinds County E911 funds was the last step in the process.
What exactly is going on downtown? Supervisors berate Byram city officials over radios they did not pay for or purchase while claiming they did? If Hinds indeed did purchase the radios, is the purchase illegal since the commission did not grant its approval? One can only hope the media and the state auditor will further investigate this matter.
Phone calls were place to Supervisor George Smith, Supervisor Peggy Hobson-Calhoun, Board Attorney Crystal Martin, and County Administrator Carmen Davis. Messages were left with assistants but no phone calls have been returned.
One final note. Supervisor Smith made these comments on WAPT's website. I'll simply post them in full and let you make your own interpretation.
"It’s apparent that the truth about the purchase of the Byram Radios does not want to be disclosed. We, the Board of Supervisors, have provided documents to the news media showing that every piece of communication equipment that Byram requested was ordered and on time."
"Their requests were beyond items that we had purchased for other political subdivisions in Hinds County such as Utica, Clinton, and Jackson. It is clear that Byram made a purchase of $230,000 for radios after they knew that radios that we purchased for $113,000 had arrived here in Jackson ready to be installed. We have documents and proof."
"Anyone in the public that wants to see these documents, I can provide them to you. Another thing the public should know is that there is no emergency. The Hinds County Sheriff Department has and still is patrolling this same area 24 hours with less than ten patrolmen. You should ask where is the emergency?"
The Rules Committee of the Jackson City Council meets today. Meanwhile, Councilman Whitwell, Nathan Glenn, and Jeff Good are meeting right now at Broad Street Bakery. Here is a good article on the food truck scene in Portland and how it works for that city. Leave it to Jackson to screw it up with possible brick and mortar requirements, 150-foot exclusions zones (goodbye Fondren), and limits on how many one can own (Can't have someone be too successful.). Here is the agenda:
B&N's Color Nook might be the answer to your problems. This little article online discusses how you can convert the $250 color Nook to a full-blown Android tablet complete with email, pandora, and yes, Angry Birds:
"Honeycomb is the newest version of Android (3.0) and is the first version designed for tablets instead of smartphones. Major Android tablets being released this year such as the Motorola Xoom and T-Mobile G-Slate will come installed with honeycomb.
The Nook Color is the first device on the market running Android 3.0 thanks to the developers at XDA. All that is required to install Honeycomb on a Nook Color is a microSD card. No hacks. No roots. No complicated steps. Everything runs off the memory card. Take the card out and you're back to your stock Nook Color. It's like having 2 Nook Colors in one."
Robert Germany filed a motion to dismiss on April 7, 2011 in Madison County Circuit Court. Mr. Germany and Holly Morgan are defendants in a lawsuit filed by Ginger Germany, Mr. Germany's wife. Mrs. Germany accused her husband of defrauding her out of her assets, having an adulterous affair with Ms. Morgan, and leaving her destitute. Mr. Germany achieved some fame in the Mississippi legal community when he was one of the lawyers who obtained a huge settlement with tobacco companies on behalf of the state of Mississippi several years ago and is considered one of the leading plaintiff's attorneys in the state. Mrs. Germany seeks damages from an alleged $15 million settlement distribution Mr. Germany is supposed to receive in 2011.
Mr. Germany repeatedly argues in his motion the statute of limitations for his wife's claims expired, she failed to state a claim upon which relief can be granted, the alleged duties she clais do not exist in Mississippi. Mr. Germany asks the court to transfer the action to Hinds County Chancery Court where the divorce action between the two is pending. Mr. Germany further asked the court that if his first two requests were denied it stay the case until the divorce action is concluded.
Mrs. Germany responded on Monday, arguing the statute of limitations had not expired because the alleged fraud was concealed by Mr. Germany's actions. Mrs. Germany posits she filed suit less than a year after discovering the fraud. The plaintiff opposes the proposed transfer to Hinds County as the other defendant resides in Madison County and alleges the affair took place in Madison County. Mrs. Germany also asked the court to deny the request for a stay of the proceedings, claiming Mr. Germany filed his divorce action only after he was served with notice of this lawsuit.
Good news!!! Brent's Drugs is now serving breakfast from 6:30 - 10:00 AM Tuesday through Friday and 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM on Saturday. Enjoy breakfast at one of Jackson's oldest traditions: Brent's Drugs in Fondren. Don't feel like fighting the traffic on Lakeland Drive? Want something more than drive-through breakfast? Come by Brents.
Here are some of the comments made about Byram on the Clarion-Ledger website:
"MaintennanceMan 4:57 PM on April 18, 2011 I got an idea. Keep the radios and send the bill to Byram since they so big and bad. The county is going to have issues dealing with Byram."
"boysinthehood 5:37 PM on April 18, 2011 The black majority in Byram needs to wake up and take control of their destiny. You have a white minority making bad economic decisions...while the black majority pays for it. This all about racism...and not wanting a minority vendor making money. Wow! Glad I live in Jackson!"
"Devilmademe 7:37 AM on April 19, 2011 The county paid $113,265 for 15 hand held and 30 car radios. Aldermen on Thursday purchased 30 hand-held and 30 car-mounted radios for $232,889.50. That is twice as much as the county paid, less 15 hand held radios. I don't see how anyone can applaud the city of Byram for spending that much on radios. I do applaud their initiative in moving things along, but, I do believe we have found a new area for graft and corruption. Appears someone is getting their palm greased with the disparity in the radio prices."
JJ obtained a copy of the proposed food truck ordinance for Jackson. There is no "brick and mortar" requirement in the language. The proposed ordinance mandates:
"Mobile food vendors" must obtain a license if they sell food or beverages from a licensed vehicle or "mobile push cart/stand on a consistent basis more than 15 days a year.
Permits are required for each location where the unit operates.
If more than one vendor desire one location, a lottery will be used.
Applications for a permit must have personal contact information, articles of incorporation if a company, City of Jackson permit for a home-based business.
Food vending permit from the Department of Health
scaled sketch plan showing "proposed mobile cart and stand location"
list of products
Proof of valid insurance policy up to a million dollars.
List of violations or disciplinary actions related to food industry or felony charges
Fee is $150 per year.
No vendor can have more than three permit can be issued per unit.
Vendors can only operate between 6:00 AM and 3:00 AM.
Units must operate at least 150 feet from entrance to any business selling food without written permission of owner.
No public seating allowed
Fines: $150 first violation, $250 second violation within a year, $500 for third violation within a year. Suspension or revocation for violations can occur.
However, there is one lil ole "possible" amendment at the end:
"All permit applicants must operate an existing licensed restaurant within the City of Jackson. "
We will call this the "Jeff Good Amendment" since he was so vocal in his support of such a law. As I stated Saturday, these restaurant owners fear competition and while they brag about supporting the free market on voting day they become little central planners advocating managed outcomes when it comes to their business. Mississippi has been held back too long by these good ole boys who use their government leg-breakers to scare off all competition. The city council should reject this amendment.
Discussion of Byram police radios starts at 13:00 mark. First portion of video is discussion with Federal Signal, vendor for the early warning sirens.
The agenda for the meeting of the Hinds County Board of Supervisors yesterday stated the Board would consider a request by the City of Byram to be allowed to take 911 calls. What actually took place was a Board blindsided by the fact Byram's Board of Alderman voted last week to purchase 60 Motorola police radios for its fledgling police force and reject the EF Johnson radios purchase by Hinds County through its "consultant", Nathan Hargrove of Northstar Wireless. WLBT report on Byram decision. Video posted below.
The Supervisors became agitated when they learned of Byram's actions (The video below is quite entertaining at times.) Supervisor Smith said "These radios have already been purchased. The Board approved those radios. Those radios made it here in four days and we can attest to that. The next day after they were delivered, Northstar went down there and discussed it with y'all... My question is that these radios have already been purchase by 911 funds. How do you tax the taxpayers for additional radios when they are already ordered, here, and ready to be installed? We've done exactly what Byram wanted" (13:30 to 16:40 mark).
Nathan Hargove of Northstar Wireless, the county "consultant" and the vendor for EF Johnson, protested, stated "there's been a tremendous amount of effort expended on alot of people's part" (27:00). Mr. Hargrove later stated "Money has started to change hands." It appears to me the train is down the track....I propose we continue on the track." The Supervisors and Mr. Hargrove said they have not been notified by Byram it will not be accepting the radios.
Byram PD Commander Brad Davis told the Board "I will say for all this work that supposedly has been going on for the last month, we've not head about it (30:00)." We saw Nathan stop by one time and we have have a time deadline." He said the city had exactly one visit from Mr. Hargrove and never saw the radios (Anyone notice how Mr. Hargrove is not rushing up to volunteer to deliver the radios, radios that he supposedly has?). Commander Davis said "The City has not been advised of anything." Mr. Graham said very little during the entire discussion over Byram's decision to purchase Motorolas. Hinds County Emergency Operations Center Director Jimmie Lewis recommended Byram accept the radios from the county. Another Byram representative defended Byram (34:40), stating the city has not received any radios. The matter ended with Supervisor Smith asking aloud what the county should do with these radios it has ordered (34:00).
Background: Byram requested Hinds County approve a purchase for 60 police radios (30 mobiles and 30 vehicle units) last year. Byram Police Department will begin operations on June 1, 2011. Municipalities typically use county E911 funds to purchase such equipment. Most cities have interlocal agreements with Hinds County giving the control over the selection of the equipment. Byram's interlocal agreement with Hinds County was approved yesterday. The Board delayed approving Byram's request as its "consultant", Nathan Hargove, recommend Byram purchase EF Johnson radios, the only brand he happens to sell. Independent law enforcement sources inform this correspondent the Motorolas are much better radios, are cheaper, and require less maintenance. Motorola radios are usually repaired locally while EF Johnsons are shipped out of state for repair for several weeks or months. The Motorola quote was $230,000 while the EF Johnson quote was $243,000.
The Board approved a purchase of police radios for Byram on March 7 but with several conditions. Mr. Graham moved the county and not the city directly purchase the radios and thus select the manufacturer. Mr. Graham included in his motion a clause that stated the purchase was to be made for the lowest contract price. Mr. Graham also said the purchase was for radios without TDMA function. The Motorolas have TDMA capability, one brand of EF Johnson does not and thus is cheaper than the Motorolas requested by Byram.
What is TDMA? TDMA allows a radio to use the MSWIN system. In two years all law enforcement and first responders will be using the a statewide radio system. This is a big deal in Hinds County as Hinds' radio system is not compatible with the statewide system nor with surrounding counties and law enforcement agencies. Not that big a deal unless you have a police chase start in Flowood or Pearl that winds up halfway in Jackson and no one knew about it because thanks to the actions of the Board a few years ago, the police can't talk to each other to warn them of such emergencies. However, Mr. Graham tried to ram down Byram's throat radios that are not compatible with the statewide system. The result is that in two years, Byram will have useless or "trash-can" radios requiring either a new round of radio purchases or software upgrades costing $1,400.
Cory Wilson announced on his website this morning he is not running to for Senate in District #25, Walter Michel's seat. Mr. Wilson wrote:
"Many know that for a few weeks now, I have been weighing a run for Walter Michel's Senate seat, which includes parts of Hinds and Madison Counties. I have been encouraged by some great folks, and I have received gratifying offers of support. It would be an incredible privilege to represent an area that is home to so many friends. But it is clear to me, and my family, that this is not my race to run.
Public service is a calling, and I will again answer, when the time is right. This year, however, we are simply not led to jump into a campaign--and in politics, timing is everything. Stephanie and I appreciate the offers of support. Rest assured, I will be helping the conservative cause in other ways!"
WLBT reported last night Byram said enough and purchased its own Motorola police radios. Byram has been trying to purchase 60 police radios at a cost of $230,000 with E911 funds held by Hinds County. The consultant for Hinds County, Nathan Hargrove of Northstar Wireless, recommended Byram purchase EF Johnson radios, the only available radio he just happens to sell. Only problem is the EFJ's cost more money and are inferior in quality. The Hinds County Board of Supervisors approved a motion by Robert Graham allowing Byram to purchase 30 radios but at the lowest contract price and without TDMA functions. This was a very clever move by Mr. Graham to help Mr. Hargrove. The radio system has to switch to the statewide MSWIN system in two years. If the radios have TDMA function, all that is required in two years for the changeover is a software upgrade for the Motorolas for a small fee. Unfortunately for Byram, the EF Johnsons are "trash can" radios. They can't be upgraded to MSWIN and thus in two years, Byram will have to purchase more radios. WLBT reported last night Byram said enough and the Board of Alderman voted to spend the funds necessary to buy its police department the Motorola radios. The police department is scheduled to begin operations on June 1, 2011 and obviously needs some radios for its officers and police cars. Watch the video.
By the way, George Smith says Motorola radios were "never cheaper". Not true, not true at all. They were cheaper until Graham specified in his motion the county would not purchase radios with TDMA functions. Nice try, George. Click Here to Read More..
Cheryl Lasseter reports on WLBT that State Auditor Stacey Pickering is looking at contracts between Hinds County and Airwave, LLC. There are some good quotes in the story and I'm not going to spoil it for you. ;-). JJ reported two weeks ago the Hinds County Board of Supervisors voted to approve a $4 million contract for radio maintenance with Airwave, LLC on November 3, 2008 and signed it on December 2, 2008. The problem is Airwave, LLC did not become a company until January 28, 2009. Earlier post and coverage of Hinds County and radio controversy.
Mrs. Lasseter's story covers the Airwave contract for radio maintenance and a separate one for early warning sirens. Mr. Graham responded by calling WLBT late Thursday night:
"Graham called our newsroom Thursday night to give a statement on the issue. He told our Maggie Wade he is in New Hampshire conducting training. Graham said, " I stand by the work that was done by the Hinds County Board of Supervisors in repairing all of the warning sirens. When there were only 12 sirens working, no one was complaining. But now that all of them are working, it seems that Mr. Fisher is the only one who is complaining. Mr. Fisher's statements are completely politically motivated because I was successfully able to do things that he was never able to do. Mr. Fisher apparently has a problem remembering that he voted for the same contract."
Notice how Mr. Graham did not make any reference to awarding contracts to non-existing companies. However, Graham was not through:
"Graham added, "This is an apparent attempt to smear my name by the only Republican on the Board."
Really Mr. Graham? YOU were the one who made a motion to give a $4 million contract with a non-existent company. YOU were the one who snuck onto the agenda a $40,000 contract with Derrick Johnson and moved to approve a contract with him even though he is NOT an attorney and violated the law. YOU were the one who recently forced Byram to buy EF Johnson radios from Nathan Hargrove that will be useless in two years when Byram has to switch to the MSWIN system. YOU were the one who justified it by lying about there only being one MSWIN tower in Hinds County (there are three). YOU are the one who has pushed contracts with Stacy Stowers and Nathan Hargrove worth millions of dollars. If anyone has smeared you, it is you with your own actions. Nice try. Click Here to Read More..
Here are video and photos from the funeral of Marine Staff Sergeant Jason Rogers today. I think these all speak for themselves and need no description. Over 600 bikers showed up to ride in the Patriot Guard to escort the final journey of Staff Sergeant Rogers. Special thanks to Billy Redd for shooting the videos and Jeff Perkins for taking the pictures.
May he rest in peace and his sacrifice not go in vain.
told ya a year ago. The FDIC closed Heritage Bank yesterday. The bank will reopen under the Trustmark motif. Here are my notes from a year ago about their balance sheet:
"Hmmm....... where have we heard about Heritage Banking Group before? Maybe here or here. Bankrate gave Heritage its lowest rating after examining its first quarter earnings statements. A quick examination of the balance sheet reveals several interesting items: 1. Provision for loan and lease losses was only $2.1 million 2. Net losses on real estate owned was $152,000. 3. Net income was a net loss of $1.598 million. The previous quarter it was $1.8 million loss. 4. Assets of $238 million. 5. Total liabilities were $225 million. 6. Total loans and leases: $183 million. 7. Page 31: $1.4 million in construction and land loans were 30 days past due, none at 90 but $8.949 million in these loans and another $3.8 million in closed-end residential loans were in the non-accrual column. Not good. This is probably what drew the regulators attention."
Lets compare it to now: 1. Provision for loan and net losses: $8,323 million 2. Net losses on real estate owned: $603,000 3. Net Income loss: $12.322 million 4. Assets of $224 million. 5. Total liabilities were: $221 million. 7. Total loans and leases: (Page 7) $5.193 million in charge-offs. Page 31: $259,000 in construction and land loans were 30 days past due, none at 90 but $7.215 million in the non-accrual column for residential and construction loans. There was another $4.5 million in home mortgages and $2 million in multifamily residential loans in the non-accrual column as well.
In other words, the banks financial position stayed the same compared to a year ago and the FDIC pulled the plug.
Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas, plans to have protestors at Pinelake Baptist Church Saturday at 3:00 pm at the funeral for USMC Staff Sgt Jason Rogers, killed in Afghanistan. His body was flown to the Jackson Airport today, and a procession carried his body to Ott and Lee Funeral Home in downtown Brandon, MS.
These nuts, while they have the right to their own opinion, do NOT have the right to intrude upon a grieving family honoring and burying their fallen 28-year old Marine.
If you can support the family, please help by blocking these idiots from intruding and protesting at the service. I am hoping the local fire departments will use a few of their trucks to block the protestors, as in other cities.
This man died protecting our right to free speech, but he did not die so they can come taunt him and his family.
Feel free to send your pics and videos of weather damage to kingfish1935@gmail.com. I'll post them here. Hope everyone is ok. Apparently AT&T's cellphone network is down. Here are some videos:
Patriot Guard will be in action tomorrow. Here is the Order of Battle you need if you have a bike and want to participate.
Saturday, April 16, 2011 Staging 1200 KSU 1300 Brandon City Hall, 1000 Municipal Dr. Brandon Ms. We will escort Jason back to Pine Lake Baptist Church, Hwy 25, Brandon, Ms for 1500 services and stand a Flag Line. After the services we will escort to Graveside at New Brandon Cemetery, Star Brandon Rd, Brandon, Ms.
Everyone is invited and urged to attend these ceremonies and services for a Local Hero. ANYONE who wishes to stand the route and show respect are welcome. Please post to all web-sites
Soldier Down, KICKSTANDS UP! Alan Smith "DRAGONSLAYER" USAR RETIRED E-8
Patriot Guard Riders West Central MS Primary Ride Captain
Apparently some local business owners only believe in free markets for themselves and not for everyone else. Jackson Ward 1 Councilman Quentin Whitwell is pushing Jackson to legalize food trucks. They are popular in other cities and a source of controversy as restaurants don't like losing business. Local restauranters such as Jeff Good and Nathan Glenn are no exception to using the government to shut out competitors as they whined to Clarion-Ledger:
""As a restaurateur ... the idea of having a mobile food service entity move at will to sell food at peak times and take business from the very neighborhoods we've worked and built up - that's a concern," said Sal & Mookie's owner Jeff Good, who qualified his concerns by saying he approves the intent of the plan....
But Good and others said recession profit margins already are small, and if not written well, such an ordinance could severely damage their businesses.
"Restaurants downtown live by lunch," Good said. "You're paying rent by selling five meals a day.
"I would be very worried to see the potential for trucks to descend on downtown - which provides a great quality of life but could be make or break on restaurants, which in turn would decrease quality of life."
Rooster's and Basil's owner Nathan Glenn said he doesn't think Jackson can support the food truck scene.
"I don't see this as a big foot-traffic city," he said, comparing Jackson to other places that have made the concept popular, like Austin and Birmingham. "The population counts in Austin demand food vendors, and we have plenty."
Glenn also doubts Jackson can provide enough vendors to make it worthwhile.
"Nobody in there has ability to pull off higher end stuff they're talking about in Austin," Glenn said. "Not that many restaurateurs in Jackson really cook. About a dozen. The rest heat and serve." Article
Oh really? Capitalism is capitalism. Period. The beauty of the free market is the consumer makes the choice. Mr. Glenn and Mr. Good want to be able to have their cake and eat it too: Free markets for only themselves and not for any competitors who can offer more convenience and lower prices. If I were Mr. Glenn, I would worry more about the blandness of his spaghetti at Basils (The blandest I've tasted anywhere) or if Mr. Good how overpriced some of his fare is than trying to use the government to protect them from competition. This is no different than mortgage companies offering better service and lower rates than banks or Laptop manufacturers complaining about tablets and Iphones.
Those that wish to operate food trucks still have to invest a considerable amount of time and money in vehicles, maintenance, training, supplies, and other costs of operating a small business. There is no guarantee food trucks will succeed nor they will kill any businesses. Free markets are either good for all or good for none. Entrepreneurs such as Sid Scott and Tom Ramsey have just as much right to achieve the American dream as do Jeff Good and Nathan Glenn. Jackson should approve food trucks and let the free market reign.
I ran a little experiment a few weeks ago. I conducted a JJ poll asking who the worst weatherman was in Jackson and then who is the best weatherman. Barbie Bassett was voted favorite weatherman and missed worst by only two votes, which reinforced my suspicion: the numbers were directly related to who has the most hours on-air. Their are some that are actually quite bad but because they are stuck in time slots where fewer people see them, no one actually voted for them. Conversely, some like Lindsay Slater (who I voted for in Best category) are quite good but don't get seen that much as Mr. Hartman or Mrs. Bassett. Results are below.
Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.
Wrestling returns, except this time it will be a Battle Royal with Othor Cain, Ben Allen, Kim Wade, Haley Fisackerly, Alan Lange, and “Big Cat” Donna Ladd all in the ring at the same time. The Battle Royal will be in a steel cage, no time limit, no referee, and the losers must leave town. Marshand Crisler will be the honorary referee (as it gives him a title without actually having to do anything). Meet KIM Waaaaaade at the Entergy Tent. For five pesos, Kim will sell you a chance to win a deed to a crack house on Ridgeway Street stuffed in the Howard Industries pinata. Don't worry if the pinata is beaten to shreds, as Mr. Wade has Jose, Emmanuel, and Carlos, all illegal immigrants, available as replacements for the it. Upon leaving the Entergy tent, fig leaves will be available in case Entergy literally takes everything you have as part of its Trollfest ticket price adjustment charge.
Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson".
In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up. In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.
Trollfest '09 is a pet-friendly event as well. Feel free to bring your dog with you and do not worry if your pet gets hungry, as employees of the Jackson Zoo will be on hand to provide some of their animals as food when it gets to be feeding time for your little loved one.
Relax at the Fox News Tent. Since there are only three blonde reporters in Jackson (being blonde is a requirement for working at Fox News), Megan and Kathryn from WAPT and Wendy from WLBT will be on loan to Fox. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both and a torn-up Obama yard sign will entitle you to free drinks served by Megan, Wendy, and Kathryn. Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required. Just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '09 is for EVERYONE!!!
This is definitely a Beaver production. Note: Security provided by INS.
Trollfest '07
Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.
There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.
If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!