Mississippi Gulf Coast

Town Hall Meeting Jackson County Animal Shelter

2012-01-20T06:37:00.000-08:00

First I want to thank John McKay for hosting the meeting and Troy Ross and Barry Cumbest for taking the time to attend.

I am troubled that the animal shelter plans to implement a fee for owner surrenders. While in theory since according to the shelter 50% of the animals in their care are owner surrenders this sounds like a sound plan for increasing revenue, I am afraid the unintended consequence may be more abandoned pets.

I was heartened to see the number of people raise their hands in support of a spay and neuter program that would provide low cost spaying and neutering to those who do rescue, TNR (trap neuter release) and senior citizens even if it meant a tax increase. It was also suggested that a licensing fee for breeders be implemented and that the fee could be dedicated to spay and neuter programs so a tax increase would not be necessary. The Hard Rock is also willing to do fundraisers for the animal shelter. There was also a great deal of support for a Humane Society like the Humane Society of South Mississippi located in Gulfport instead of the county run animal shelter.

Current criticism of the animal shelter included the lack of oversight. Far to many people stated that animals were not checked for microchips, that owners were not allowed to view the animals kept in back and that pets were mistakenly euthanized without their owners having a chance to rescue them. It was also brought up that the animals are kept in deplorable condition and are not properly groomed.

There was a demand that the shelter allow people to foster animals, and that they work with rescue groups so the number of animals euthanized could be lowered. Many people mentioned working with transport groups who rescue animals from the South to take them to the North East where there is a large demand for adoptable pets. Supervisor McKay suggested starting a Friends of the Jackson County Animal Shelter but learned that there was already a friends group.

It was also suggested that a Trust Fund dedicated to the animals and their welfare be established so people could donate directly to the animal shelter and that Supervisors commit to not using donations to offset money budgeted for the shelter.

2012-01-18T03:46:00.000-08:00

There is a bill in Congress that will affect your rights on the web and will censor all web sites, blogs, etc. In a nutshell :

SOPA explicitly states that companies will be liable for everything their users post. Sites like Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Reddit, Wikipedia, or any sites that allow user generated content CANNOT exist under these laws. Immediately after this bill is passed, you will see the media mafia (MPIAA, RIAA, etc) replacing websites like Wikipedia with commercialized encyclopedia software. Mainstream media outlets will not cover this bill because they are the ones lobbying for it.

If you want to know more - Google created a doc to read and inform - SOPA for Dummies.

WRITE YOUR CONGRESSMAN AND STOP THIS BILL FROM PASSING!

To help you do this stop by Fight the Wall or American Censorship and find out how to connect with your Representative!
Hat Tip : Cats of Wildcat Woods

Tell Congress to Stop the Bill NOW.

Satan Wins in Mississippi

2011-11-10T03:26:00.001-08:00

Phil Bryant was elected Governor in Mississippi November 8, 2011 the same day the Personhood Amendment he co-chaired was defeated.

Notes From the Political Forum

2011-10-25T12:09:00.000-07:00

Cissy Jordan called the meeting to order and Henry Harris lead us in prayer and the Salute to the Flag.

The Habitat for Humanity Project (off Brodnax Road) has finally been defeated for good, the court upheld the decision by the Planning Commission and The Board of Supervisors.

Singing River Electric Power Association is experiencing problems with their phones. Cissy asked for a show of hands to see how many people it was affecting and discovered it was not affecting many people.

Everyone was invited to the January Meeting where we will elect officers.

Read the Initiatives that will be on the November 8th Ballot.
No 26 Persoonhood - NO
No 27 Voter ID - NO
No 31 Eminent Domain - YES

Recognized Michael Watson.

Candidates were allowed to make a 5 minutes speech.

The candidates running for School Board went first.

Duane Dobson - Wants to improve our scores so that our schools are not just first in the State, but also in the top percentage Nationally instead of ranked last as we currently are. Wants to see the funds distributed fairly and everyone working together. Is for comprehensive sex education in the schools and will research uniforms to see if there is a valid reason to do away with them if someone ask.

Lori Ramsay Massey - In the interest of full disclosure we are friends. Concerned with school bus safety, proper hand-washing to prevent germs from being picked up and in insuring that special needs children get the therapy they need.

Karen Ray Tolbert - wants to make sure we have winning athletic teams.

Candidates for Jackson County Sheriff

Jeff Barnes - maintains there is serious issues with Sheriff Byrd's leadership, that he waste our tax dollars and wants to know where the money goes.

Mike Byrd - was unable to attend due to a mix up in the dates. The Civic Association allowed a letter he wrote to be read on his behalf.

Walter "Bo" Bohl - did not attend

Candidates for Jackson County District 4 Supervisor

Bo Alawine - In the interest of full disclosure he is my spouse. Since I have a copy of his speech I am including it here.

Mywife, Sandra, and I both consider it a privilege to be part of the Latimercommunity and citizens of Jackson County. We moved here 24 years ago and have loved it. However, as much as I love Jackson County, wecould be doing far better.

I believe government is often usedto benefit the well-connected, while the rest of us pick up the tab. Forexample, giving tax breaks to large businesses leads to more jobs which leadsto more revenue. Unfortunately, this is usually an article of faith that resultsin a significant shift of the tax burden onto homeowners.

Overall,Jackson Countians pay higher property taxes despite the presence of severallarge industries here. Our total assessed valuation is fourth in thestate, whereas Harrison County is first. Yet we have the 26th highest totalmillage assessed while Harrison County ranks near the bottom in totalmillage. Despite having the second highest millage for Fire Protection inthe state, the fire ratings for the unincorporated areas remain at 7 orabove and those for the incorporated areas are 5 or higher. Higher fire ratings translate into higherinsurance costs.

Thisbegs the question: Are we getting a goodreturn on our investment for the tax breaks granted to large employers in thecounty?

I believein using tax incentives to attract and retain businesses but those businessesshould be held accountable for upholding their end of the bargain and we needto know for sure that they are.

We needa more diverse economic development plan, one that relies less on heavyindustry and more on small to mid-size businesses which offer competitive wagesand benefits. Aggressively promote ournatural attractions such as the Pascagoula River basin and DeSoto National Forest as well as other venuessuch as downtown Ocean Springs and the proposed USS Ticonderoga project in Pascagoula. Adding quality of life improvements such asbike paths, more parks and public boat launches when we upgrade ourinfrastructure.

Additionally,everyone should be able to know what their electedand appointed officials are doing without having to attend every meeting. Thereis no reason all county information should not be readily andpublicly-accessible online 24/7. As noted by the Sun Herald, Jackson County is the lone holdout here on the Coastwith making its spending information publicly available. That is inexcusable.

It boils down to this: We deserve a countygovernment which looks to the future and doesn’t rely on the “business asusual” approach in which the public’s business, OUR business, is discussedbehind closed doors.

Why didI decide to run for supervisor? Well,besides the fact I arguably have no better sense, I have two very important vestedinterests: Jonathan and Sean. Jonathangraduates from college this December, while Sean has a couple more years. I want them to be able to find good-payingjobs here in Jackson County. Not inAlabama or Louisiana, but here. I wantthem to be able to afford homes, put down roots, raise families, withoutworrying about whether their county is cutting backroom deals that will mean alower quality of life for their families.

It’s conventional wisdomthat money often buys political influence. That’swhy you should know that,with one exception, I have not received any political campaign contributions. I am a self-funded candidate and I havecopies of my campaign finance report here to prove it.

I’d rather risk losingan election due to insufficient campaign funds than win one bankrolled by specialinterests that come calling after Election Day. When it’s all said and done, I do not want to owe anyone anything but a“Thank you!” for their vote.

Sandra has more thanonce told me she honestly believes I’d make a great supervisor but I definitelymake a lousy politician. I personallythink that’s a great compliment.

I don’twant Jackson County to be justa good place to work. I don’t want it to be just a good place to do business. I want Jackson County to be a great place tolive. A great place to start and raise afamily. A great place to enjoy thecompany of friends and family. A greatplace to grow old and retire.

A greatplace for all of our children to build their futures.

Pleaseconsider me for your next supervisor. - Bo Alawine

There was some confusion and his time was cut short as he wanted to clarify that even though he is a member of the Latimer Civic Association the Association is apolitical and does not endorse any candidates, therefore he did not get to give the speech in it's entirety.

Troy Ross - He is currently the Alderman at Large for Ocean Springs.

The meeting was adjourned.

Political Forum Monday

2011-10-23T12:07:00.000-07:00

The Latimer Civic Association is holding a Jackson County candidate forum at 7 p.m. Monday at the Latimer Community Center. Candidates for sheriff, District 4 supervisor and Jackson County school board will be speaking to residents. There will also be discussion of the three ballot initiatives on the Nov. 8 ballot -- personhood, voter ID and eminent domain.

Interview with Bo Alawine

2011-10-20T18:03:00.001-07:00

Note: The following Q and A appeared in the October 19, 2011, edition of The Gazette (article not yet online).

Q. What is your political philosophy?

A. If Ihad to condense my political philosophy down to one sentence, I suppose itwould have to be something along the lines of "Government is to be forthe betterment of all, not for just a privileged few." It is mybelief that, more than ever, the levers of government have been and are beingused to fatten the bank accounts of the well-connected, while the rest of usare expected to pick up the tab. Often this sleight of hand is presentedto the rest of us as "economic development". A perfect examplewould be the favorite conservative tactic of granting tax exemptions to largebusinesses/industries under the claim that those businesses/industries willcreate more jobs which will lead to more revenue. In my opinion, the current means ofascertaining economic impacts is fraught with pollyannish guesswork and wishfulthinking, resulting in a significant shift of the tax burden onto the taxpayersthemselves. I find it hard to believethis isn’t intentional.

I would also add as a corollary thatgovernment should be transparent so that every citizen can know what his/herelected official is discussing and that official will be voting upon. Publicizing what factors go into the variousdecisions and votes is critical for having an informed electorate. Unfortunately, it is often standard operatingprocedure to coordinate the public’s business away from the public forumsand/or to move to “executive session” to discuss politically sensitiveitems. In this day and age, there is noreason why every agenda, all official meeting minutes (as well as video of allmeetings) and every document should not be publicly-accessible online 24/7. Jackson County is the lone holdout here on theCoast with respect to making its spending information available and the currentBoard of Supervisors has postponed doing so until next year. That is inexcusable.

Q. Who are your political heroes?

A. Mypolitical heroes? That’s an interestingquestion, one I haven’t even considered until now and I’m not sure I’d consideranyone a political “hero”. “Hero” is aterm which has become almost meaningless in today’s lexicon. To me, a “hero” is someone who selflesslygoes far beyond the requirements of their daily lives to help others, puttingthemselves at considerable risk, professionally and personally.

Havingsaid that, I would consider former Congressman Gene Taylor as someone worthy ofemulation. While I strongly disagreed witha number of his conservative positions, he was always respectful and willing tolisten to my concerns. I was alsogreatly impressed with his display of “grace under pressure” during his August2009 “town hall” meeting in Moss Point. I could only hope to be half as patient as he was in dealing with someof the most outrageous attacks on both his character and his person.

Q. What propelled you to enter the race?

A. EveryAmerican boy and girl probably dreams of being president one day; I was nodifferent. As I’ve grown older, though, I’vebecome more interested in the workings of local, state and federalgovernment. I’ve never been interestedin “politics”, per se, but in the day-to-day operations that most of ustake for granted.

Thespecific impetus for throwing my hat into the ring was the initially unopposed candidacyof the current Jackson County District #4 supervisor, Tommy Brodnax. On more than one occasion, Mr. Brodnax haddisplayed what I considered an incredible contempt for the concerns for hisconstituents, particularly those in the Latimer community with respect to theHighway 15 proposal. No one, regardlessof their job approval numbers, should be allowed to run for office unopposedand I intended to not allow Mr. Brodnax to “walk” into office. It wasn’t until after I had registered as aDemocrat that two other challengers, Mr. Ross and Mr. Cruthirds, filed to runagainst Mr. Brodnax in the Republican primary. Had I known Mr. Brodnax would have had two challengers, my decisionwould have still been the same, given my personal political philosophy is generallyat odds with that espoused by Republican politicians.

Iam also motivated to move Jackson County away from what I perceive to be “goodol’ boy” politics, where officials count on the indifference or ignorance ofthe public to push through policies which might not be in the public’s interest. I would also like to see the county rely lesson heavy industry and more on sustainable, “smart” growth, growth whichpromotes our natural resources and our people.

Q. Who has supported you in this race?

A. Anumber of coworkers, friends and family have wished me the best of luck. I feel it important to note that, with oneexception, I have not received any political campaign contributions; i.e., noone is supporting me financially. Inother words, I am a self-funded candidate. At the end of the day, I want to owe no one but a “Thank you!” for theirvote.

It’soften said that money is the mother’s milk of politics, a necessary evil topromote one’s campaign message. Whilethis may be true, it would be difficult to dissuade me from the firm beliefthat money often buys influence. I’drather risk losing an election due to insufficient campaign funds than win onebankrolled by a number of people who come calling after I’ve been sworn intooffice.

Q. Tell us about yourself, your family.

A. Mywife, Sandra, and I are both originally from Meridian.

Igraduated from Clarkdale Attendance Center in 1983 and received my A.A. inElectronics Technology from Meridian Junior College in 1985.

WhenI graduated with my B.S. in Electronics Engineering Technology from theUniversity of Southern Mississippi in May 1987, Sandra and I got married and wemoved to a little rental house on Stennis Avenue in Ocean Springs in August ofthat year when I was hired by a defensecontractor out at Ingalls Shipyard. In September1991, we bought our first (and only) house in the Latimer community where we’velived ever since.

Bothof our sons, Jonathan and Sean, were born at Ocean Springs Hospital and attendedSt. Martin Elementary until we decided to homeschool. Both boys are currently attending theUniversity of South Alabama where Jonathan is working on his Master’s inComputer Science and Sean is pursuing a Bachelor’s in History with a minor inPolitical Science.

Ihave been fortunate that my employment has allowed me to travel all over this countryand to points beyond. I’ve been toJapan, Panama, Mexico and Canada. I’vehad the pleasure of meeting different people and hearing different viewpointson politics and government and life in general.

Q. Tell us what has surprised you in the past months as you havebeen out campaigning.

A. I was completely takenaback with the amount of money that local candidates were expected to raiseduring the course of an average campaign. At my first Democratic Party meeting, several experienced incumbentsoffered their experiences with fundraising and relayed the amounts they hadraised in their last campaigns, amounts I found staggering.

My first true campaignexperience was during the Ocean Springs Mardi Gras parade. Prior to the parade itself, I walked up anddown Government Street, introducing myself to folks. It turned out approximately half of thepeople I talked to weren’t even from Mississippi, must less Jackson CountyDistrict #4. This caused me tore-evaluate how I was going to get message out to prospective voters. Given my decision to self-fund my campaign,it seemed wasteful to purchase advertising that couldn’t be targeted to justDistrict #4.

Another thing that cameas a bit of a surprise to me was the number of people who had no idea as totheir supervisor, their district, their voting precinct or even when ElectionDay was. It strikes me as a bit odd thatso many people could rail about what the federal government was or was not doingright but had no clue about their own local government.

Dick Hall out of Date

2011-07-27T18:15:00.000-07:00

Hall revived a proposal first seriously considered in the 1980's.

The proposal is to four lane Mississippi Highway 15 right through the center of the state from the Tennessee line to the Gulf of Mexico.

"It will affect every town it passes through and every county it passes through, and it would provide a badly needed evacuation route off of the Gulf Coast," Hall said.

Our tax money was just wasted on a proposal to four lane Mississippi Highway 15. After upsetting numerous residents of Jackson County who were in danger of losing their homes to one of the proposed routes the no build option was chosen by MDOT in February of 2011.

For those of you unfamiliar with the issue, you can read more here.

Political Forum

2011-07-24T12:17:00.000-07:00

The Latimer Civic Association is hosting a political forum Monday July 25 @ 7PM. It will be hosted at the Latimer Community Center. All candidates who face opposition in the Primary (August 2nd) will be given the opportunity to speak. Those running unopposed in the primary will be given a chance to speak at the political forum in October before the General Election.

Mississippi Department of Insurance ~ Town Meeting ~ Gulfport

2011-06-24T18:25:00.000-07:00

I attended the Mississippi Department of Insurance, Town Meeting in Gulfport today. For those of you who were unable to attend they have a website Insurance Department Mississippi, and they are on Twitter .

The purpose of the meeting was to talk about establishing a Health Exchange for Mississippians by Mississippians. The Health Exchange would not be a government entitlement program, but would give the citizens of Mississippi more options. Federal Law Mandates a Health Exchange be in place by 2014.

18% of Mississippians are currently uninsured. Goals of the exchange would be to lower administrative cost and to increase participation so that more of our citizens are insured.

43% of those polled at today's meeting were in favor of the Affordable Care Act while 39% hate it. The Affordable Care Act is very polarizing so we were asked to look at the Health Exchange separate from the Affordable Care Act. 68% of those at the meeting would prefer that Mississippi run the Health Exchange not the Federal Government.

Roadblocks are the lack of Internet access by many of our citizens and the disparate education levels of our citizenry.

57% think that Health Insurance is important to economic growth and considering that Mississippi has the highest number of part time employes of any state the need for employers to offer health insurance to part time employees is great.

One option mentioned was a Defined Contribution Plan which would allow employers to decide how much money to put in the exchange for their employees.

Plan needs to be in place by Jan 1, 2014.

Shawn Vestal Insults Mississippi

2011-06-18T03:38:00.000-07:00

A new report shows that more parents in Washington refused to have their children vaccinated than any other state in the nation. I’d have thought Mississippi would have taken that flag, but no – it’s apparently a different kind of counterculture that drives this particular paranoia, and we’ve got a big dose of it.

Alasandra's Homeschool Blog: This is just stupid

2011-06-16T04:53:00.000-07:00

Alasandra's Homeschool Blog: This is just stupid

This makes me so sad

2011-06-08T04:26:00.000-07:00

True grit at Humane Society
I guess they’re used to it, those employees in their blue uniforms and green scrubs who sit behind the counter at the Surrender Center of the Humane Society in Gulfport. Polite and detached, the lady hands me forms to sign and asks me if I am aware that there is a $15 “surrender fee.” Over her head on the wall behind her there is a large sign which warns everyone that this is not a no-kill facility. Below that were numbers describing the chances of survival: almost a thousand animals surrendered; about a third of these adopted. The rest were euthanized, except for the lucky seventy who were transported by the “Love Train” to facilities in other states where they might be adopted.

I guess they’re used to it. They just keep typing, stapling and focusing on the computer screen, unfazed by the outcries of animals in other parts of the building. There’s the incessant barking of the two spirited dogs brought in on leashes by the couple sitting near the door, waiting their turn. A pale Lab, silent and sad. was also among the waiting. The employee picked up one of the two grey kittens I’d brought in. She is non-judgmental and business-like. “The mother is being spayed today,” I volunteer.

Should I tell her that she was a stray; that my daughter took one of the four kittens and I kept one too? Would she care that I tried to find homes for these two?

“People don’t want to adopt adult cats,” she says. She looks at me and smiles, slightly. “They like kittens. They’ll be adopted.”

I shove my dark glasses harder into my face and head for the door before I burst into tears.
I guess they’re used to it. They’ve got to be.

WANDA STEWART
Biloxi

Leland Speed wants to steal your land

2011-06-04T04:34:00.000-07:00

Leland Speed is suing to stop a statewide vote on eminent domain.

The proposed constitutional amendment would prohibit the government from taking private land to give to another person or business.

Lawsuit attacks eminent domain amendment - Local - SunHerald.com

Rooting for Mckay

2011-05-10T11:04:00.000-07:00

Supervisor John McKay wants it to be more convenient to get a Driver's License in Jackson County.

During the board comments portion of the meeting, Supervisor John McKay said he wants to relocate the Driver's License Bureau from the Jackson County Fairground in Pascagoula to Miss. 57 in Gautier on nine acres across from Sunplex.

"It's a central, county location and we could also move the Justice Court," McKay said.

Brodnax argued that the county does not need a central location and the bureau needs to stay put.

"People in the west can go to D'Iberville, and people from George County can come to Pascagoula," Brodnax said.

Annual Freedom Fund Banquet 2011

2011-05-03T03:58:00.000-07:00

Since Bo is running for District 4 Supervisor in Jackoson County Curly Clark invited us to attend the Moss Point Jackson County Branch NAACP Annual Freedom Fund Banquet 2011. I want to take this opportunity to thank Mr. Clark for his invitation and thank the NAACP for a lovely evening.

I had a chance to talk with Bill Luckett (Democrat) and his wife briefly, they were seated at the President's table so I was unable to talk with them after the banquet got started as well as Ron Williams (Republican) who was seated at my table. I was able to enjoy conversing with Ron Williams, his wife Towana and their son Jeffrey throughout the evening. Unfortunately I disagree with Mr. Williams on several important policy issues. Both men are running for Governor of Mississippi.

Both Melton Harris (Jackson County District 2 Supervisor) and Mike Mangum (Jackson County District 3 Supervisor) were at the banquet. Greta Hearndon who is running for Jackson County Tax Assessor and her husband were there, as well as many other candidates I didn't have a chance to speak with.

The guest speaker was Fred L. Banks, Jr a former Mississippi Supreme Court Justice

Commissioner Epps was invited to Jackson County Board of Supervisors meeting

2011-04-23T04:54:00.000-07:00

Since Bo is running for District 4 Supervisor (Jackson County), I wasn't going to comment on Supervisor Brodnax's letter in the Mississippi Press, but I am very glad Commissioner Epps decided to set the record straight.

In its April 16 issue, The Mississippi Press ran a letter from Jackson County Supervisor Tommy Brodnax to Gov. Haley Barbour with the headline, "Commissioner Epps should butt out of jail plans."

Supervisor Brodnax recommends in the letter that I either "fund this project or stay in Jackson and tend to my business."

Please allow me to correct inaccuracies in the letter regarding my meeting with the Jackson County Board of Supervisors on March 7 to discuss plans for building a new Jackson County Jail.

The fact is, I was invited on Feb. 28 by Melton Harris, president of the Jackson County Board of Supervisors, to attend the March 7 meeting along with prisoner rights attorney Ron Welch. I did not arbitrarily decide to attend the meeting, nor did I demand anything.

Knowing Jackson County has been in need of a jail for approximately 15 years and that money was an issue, I was happy to help out and to provide suggestions for the jail's construction that could potentially save the county's taxpayers approximately $12 million and $585,266.50 per year on staffing.

The citizens of Jackson County deserve a jail at the lowest construction and operating costs.

I am not in the business of trying to play politics. I'm in the business of trying to help the people, in this case the citizens of Jackson County.

I will always be available to assist when asked. To suggest otherwise is misleading.

CHRISTOPHER B. EPPS

Commissioner, Mississippi

Department of Corrections Jackson

While we need a new jail we also need to be fiscally responsible. If Commissioner Epps can help us build a new jail at the lowest construction and operating cost we need to listen to him. Melton Harris, president of the Jackson County Board of Supervisors should be commended for inviting Commissioner Epps to the meeting. It is too bad that some people are close minded and don't like their plans being thwarted.

I Miss Gene Too

2011-04-21T04:24:00.000-07:00

From The Sun Herald Letters to The Editor

I miss South Mississippi’s voice of reason in Congress
Thank you for the informative article last week about former Congressman Gene Taylor. It was good to see that Gene is moving forward after being “fired” by the voters of the 4th Congressional District. I always liked Gene’s performance in the Congress. His was such a balanced, mature, often bipartisan, voice of reason in Washington. I miss him.

The op-ed piece by Steven Palazzo on April 8 made me miss Gene Taylor all the more. Palazzo’s proudest accomplishments seem to be voting to eliminate support for National Public Radio and to deny women, particularly poor women, access to vital health services by defunding Planned Parenthood, as though these were serious attacks on our federal deficits. It’s political demagoguery, pure and simple.

Palazzo also wants to weaken the Environmental Protection Agency, which guards the air we breathe and water we drink. If this is what passes for modern congressional leadership, then help us all.

BOB DAVIS

Bay St. Louis

Nesting in peace is crucial this year

2011-04-21T04:09:00.000-07:00

The Least Terns are back. Hopefully people will leave them alone so they can raise their chicks.
Nesting in peace is crucial this year - Gulfport - SunHerald.com

Mississippi Taxpayers Financing Barbour's run for President

2011-03-25T14:20:00.000-07:00

A Sad Day for Mississippi

2011-03-02T04:14:00.000-08:00

Judge rules Miss. coal plant project can continue - Business - SunHerald.com

Are Dolphins Dying Due to the BP Oil Spill?

2011-02-22T03:37:00.000-08:00

“Something is amiss,” Walker said Monday. “It could be oil-related. Who knows? Some of these mothers were probably exposed to oil. Whether it rendered them unable to carry their calves, we just don’t know.”

SPIKE REPORTED IN NUMBER OF STILLBORN DOLPHINS ON COAST - Gulfport - SunHerald.com

Bo Alawine for Supervisor District 4

2011-02-18T05:26:00.001-08:00

Check out Bo Alawine's official website here.

Jackson County supervisors debate Front Beach

2011-02-18T05:22:00.000-08:00

Brodnax cast the lone no vote, citing he was concerned that supporting the effort might put the county on the hook for funding down the road and control of the beach should just be given to the city along with annual maintenance funds.

Moran told the Ocean Springs aldermen about Brodnax's wishes and she was authorized to ask Brodnax for his proposal in writing and return it to the aldermen.

Supervisor John McKay, however, said it won't be that easy. "As soon as we give Front Beach to Ocean Springs, then Pascagoula would want theirs and we'd have to go through the process again," McKay said. "If we're going to do it for one, we need to do it for both cites so we can treat them fair and in the same manner."

McKay said Brodnax made an off-the-wall comment during the meeting and that's the only discussion the entire board has had about the issue.

"We have not discussed it as a whole to find out what the ramifications would be, if any," McKay said. "We don't have a set figure that comes in for the city of Ocean Springs. We just get a seawall tax."

Read the full story in The Mississippi Press.

Jackson County District 4 Supervisors race heats up

2011-02-06T05:49:00.000-08:00

The Jackson County District 4 Supervisor race has more contenders than any other county seat, with four people vying for the post --Tommy Brodnax (68), Ocean Springs Alderman at large Troy Ross (32), James "Ralph" Cruthrids (46) and Bo Alawine (46)

Bo Alawine

MDOT shelves Mississippi 15 proposal

2011-02-04T10:48:00.001-08:00

Great News, for now Latimer is safe.

Barbour Wants a Free Ride From Mississippi Taxpayers

2011-02-04T04:08:00.000-08:00

Republican Gov. Haley Barbour had used the state aircraft for personal family trips and wouldn't disclose details of the outings.

Brodnax Considers New Ideas Interfering

2011-01-25T02:08:00.000-08:00

Walker said Hemphill asked him to present the jail option to the county supervisors.

“It was just my job to get it to them. I saw an opportunity for the county to save $13 million and add 200 beds to the jail,” Walker said. “It’s unfortunate not everyone likes me or likes us or perhaps likes cost saving.”

The design uses steel re-enforced composite, fiberglass panels with built-in insulation. It is expected to last 50 to 75 years and withstand 250 mph winds. Supervisors were told it would cost about $20 million, be 80,000 square feet and hold 800 beds.

Brodnax said he considered it interfering.

Read more: Brodnax shreds proposal for modular jail

Tommy Brodnax votes to grant a 9.4 million tax exemption to Moss Point Business

2011-01-19T03:47:00.000-08:00

Jackson County Supervisors voted unanimously to grant a $9.4 million tax exemption to a Moss Point business Tuesday.

Christmas tree recycling ‘a joke’ to Brodnax

2010-12-21T02:45:00.000-08:00

Supervisor Tommy Brodnax said the program was a waste of time, and therefore money, having county rubbish trucks pick up trees dropped off at certain locations just for the purpose of recycling.

“It’s a joke,” Brodnax said after the meeting. He called it unnecessary, especially since the company that handles county garbage will pick up discarded Christmas trees curbside for no extra cost.

But Supervisor Melton Harris suggested Brodnax was missing the point and that recycling is something in general that the county wants to encourage.

He pointed out that Jackson County has gone from twice monthly curbside recycling of bottles and newspapers to once a week. But Brodnax said he disagreed with that as well, pointing out the $517,000 annual price tag to offer the enhanced service

Christmas tree recycling ‘a joke’ to Brodnax - Gautier - SunHerald.com

Brodnax is the real joke, he gleefully orders trees mowed down in order to 5 lane roads in residential areas, that the residents of those areas do NOT want.

Gene Taylor's Funding Request for South Mississippi for Fiscal Year 2011.

2010-12-16T16:08:00.000-08:00

Jackson County Board of Supervisors
P.O. Box 998, Pascagoula, MS 39568
Urban Collector Road ($2.5 Million)
Next phase of construction of urban collector road adjacent to I-10, linking two commercial districts. Supported by MDOT. Relieves congestion and improves safety by taking local traffic off I-10. Previous funding from SAFETEA-LU, FY 2008, FY 2009, and FY 2010 T-HUD Appropriations. Once completed, the urban collector project will assure a safer and more convenient route for local residents between the I-10/SR 15 Interchange in Harrison County to the I-10 Tucker-Washington Interchange in Jackson County. This alternative route will allow traffic to avoid accessing the heavily congested Interstate 10, while also permitting the development of frontage property. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the area north of I-10 has witnessed extraordinary growth that makes the urban collector project even more critical to meeting formidable local transportation challenges.

Did anyone bother to ask the residents of Jackson County who will be affected by this MONSTER ROAD if they wanted it? NO!!!!!

The people along Tucker Road/Washington Avenue lost their yards and in a few instances their homes to this MONSTER ROAD that the residents of Latimer didn't want. Before more of your friends and neighbors lose their yards/homes to this MONSTER ROAD tell the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT that we do not wish our tax money to be spent on these roads.

And why have they bothered making Interstate 10 6 lanes if they didn't want anyone using it. BTW I don't know anyone who thinks Interstate 10 is congested unless it is during one of the periods when they have it shut down for road work.

Prime Example of wasteful government spending.

Petition to Stop Highway 15 from going through Northern Jackson County

2010-11-15T05:43:00.000-08:00

As of November 15th 287 signatures have been collected. I know several people have petitions out to gather signatures if you do please let me know how many signatures you have and either get them back to me or mail them to MDOT.

If you would like to sign a petition they are available at T & N as well as Cruthirds Country Corner. There also may be some at Today's Hair in Ocean Springs (not sure as I did not see them the last time I was there and forgot to ask). I have been unwell and unable to work much on this. You may also print out the petition below, collect signatures and send it in. Just please let me know how many signatures you have collected.

Petition Opposing State Route 15/State Route 57 ALT C-1 (Orange) Plan

Project #STP-0022-01(059) 104193 001000

We the undersigned citizens of Harrison, and Jackson counties strongly oppose and object to the proposed State Route 15/State Route 57 ALT C-1 (ORANGE) Plan, Project #STP-0022-01(059) 104193 001000.

We are concerned about the environmental impact that such a project would have on Desoto National Forest as well as the entire Tchoutacabouffa River Watershed; which includes Bayou Castopia, Bayou Billie, Railroad-Hurricane Creek, Bluff Creek, Cypress Creek, Tuxachanie Creek, Bigfoot Creek, Hester Creek and Hog Creek.

The ALT C-1 (ORANGE) Plan creates a road through Desoto National Forrest where there are currently no roads. The environmental impact on the animal and plant life that reside in Desoto National Forrest would be horrendous.

We further object to the wasteful spending of taxpayer dollars for the construction of a new four-lane highway instead of the modification to the existing two-lane highway.

Signature & Address

____________________________ ________________________________

The petitions should be mailed to:

Mississippi Department of Transportation
Environmental Division (87-01)
P. O. Box 1850
Jackson, MS 39215-1850

Also please call or email and let MDOT know what you think
For additional information or to provide comments surrounding this study, please contact the MDOT Environmental Division at 601-359-7920 or by email at environmentalcomments@mdot.state.ms.us.

Steven Palazzo's Links to The New Magnolia Mafia

2010-10-29T05:37:00.000-07:00

Interesting reading about Steven Palazzo. I would certainly think twice about voting for someone with his background.

Jackson Co. shipbuilding school scaled back due to budget woes

2010-10-26T02:35:00.000-07:00

A future multi-million dollar school aimed at educating shipbuilders in South Mississippi is going to be scaled back now because of budget woes. That's according to the designers of Northrop Grumman's future Maritime Trades Academy in Pascagoula.

They said unexpected construction roadblocks as well as design requests are running up the bill. And Jackson County supervisors refuse to spend taxpayer dollars to help build the school. Read more here.

Jackson County Board of Supervisors seeking solutions after huge embezzlement

2010-10-14T07:16:00.000-07:00

Lashley, 50, already had embezzlement crimes on her record when the county hired her.

In 1990, she pleaded guilty to 26 counts of embezzling from a local business. She was sentenced to five years of probation and ordered to pay $7,451.98 in restitution, according to court documents. Jackson County - without a background check - brought her aboard in the finance department eight years later.

Latimer residents circulate new petition against Miss. 15 extension

2010-10-13T10:13:00.000-07:00

Petitions to Stop Highway 15 from going through Northern Jackson County are available at

T & N Feed & Pet Supplies 8112 Tucker Road (Latimer)
Country Corner Store-Cruthirds 10600 Daisy Vestry Road (Latimer)
Today's Hair 801 Holcomb Blvd. (Ocean Springs)

Brown said the residents' new petition is "a valid thing" and that protests might lead to MDOT dropping the route as an option, especially since the project is still in its infancy.

Notes from the Civic Meeting

2010-10-12T06:20:00.000-07:00

After the Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance Cissy recognized the guest and Darrell Holloway (Treasurer) gave a brief report.

Then Steven Palazzo was introduced. He promised to put Mississippi families first and to create jobs by cutting taxes including cooperate taxes. When question about Highway 15 he said it was "worth investigating and that the government should work for the people". He had to leave after he spoke for another engagement.

Cissy asked the crowd to be respectful of all opinions.

Jackson County Fire Coordinator, Ray Watson was the next to speak. This was rather confusing so if you have any questions I suggest you contact Ray Watson at 769-3110 . Three departments have been consolidated into one management structure (Fort Bayou Fire Department). Some Latimer residents will be in the St. Martin Fire Grading District and will hopefully receive a rating of 7 which will allow for cheaper fire insurance rates. Others like myself will be in the Latimer Fire Grading district and our ratings will not be as good. For those of you unaware Wanda Freeland maintains Latimer Community News and can be reached by email.

Lori Massey spoke next she informed us that employees of MDOT can no longer make comments to us thus she did not have a statement from them to read. She then read my letter and added her own comments. Lori said "As a voting citizen of Jackson County, I am disappointed in our elected official Tommy Broadnax who is not supporting the majority of his constituents.".

Tommy Brodnax District 4 Supervisor (phone # 769-3457) then addressed the crowd. He refused to answer questions concerning highway 15 but stated he believed in MORE AND BIGGER ROADS and that the only way to stop the roadwork in Latimer would be to vote him out of office. He was questioned about his potential economic gain if the route for Highway 15 went through Latimer and the property he owns. He was also asked why the bridge on Mallett Road/Cook Road has been out for so long. He stated that there were majoring engineering problems, he thought the firm hired was incompetent but the other Board of Supervisors refused to fire them. He was also questioned why Jackson County students do not have enough school books to bring their books home to study.

Cissy reminded everyone that the Civic Association does not take positions and is merely there to share information with the residents.

Civic Meeting

2010-10-05T15:39:00.000-07:00

Come hear Fourth Congressional Candidate Steve Palazzo speak....also Ray Watson, Fire Marshall will explain the new fire department merger; Supervisor Tommy Brodnax will give an update on current and future road work and other county issues. Also we will have an update on Highway 15 route.

Bring a neighbor, bring a friend...Oct. 11th 7 p.m. at the Latimer Community Center.

Stop Highway 15 from going through Northern Jackson County

2010-09-22T17:20:00.000-07:00

I talked to a very nice gentleman at MDOT who informed me that the only reason the route to connect Highway 15 with Highway 57 through Northern Jackson County Alternative C-1 (Orange Route on the MDOT map) was still in play was that some City Officials and County Supervisors wanted it. He also said that if a number of Latimer and Larue residents contacted MDOT opposed to the route they would be happy to discard it.

For those Latimer/Larue residents who aren’t concerned because you don’t think the project will impact you think again. Tommy Brodnax (who wants the route despite what a number of his constitutions want) has already informed me that IF Highway 15 goes through Jackson County they will widen Tucker Road/Old Biloxi Road until it meets 15 and create an economic corridor, for business. Those of us who have homes along the route will be displaced for “economic progress”.

Latimer rallied before and saved our community from the now discarded route. We need to rally again and get this C-1 route through Northern Jackson County discarded. What can you do? Contact MDOT, sign a petition, contact your supervisors and tell them you are opposed to this route and you want them to pass a resolution saying they DO NOT WANT Highway 15 to go through Northern Jackson County, IF they do, the gentleman at MDOT assured me the route would be discarded. If we have enough names on the petition even without “our supervisors” support the route will be discarded. You can sign an online petition here http://www.petitiononline.com/Latimer2/petition.html

There will be a Civic Meeting October 11^th, 7PM at the Latimer Community Center. I encourage you to take the opportunity to let Tommy Brodnax know what you think of Highway 15 cutting through Northern Jackson County and his desire to widen Tucker/Old Biloxi Road.

July 16 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR - Letters - SunHerald.com

2010-07-16T03:41:00.000-07:00

No lipstick can disguise barbaric hog-dog contests

Recently I called the Jackson County supervisors individually to express my disagreement with their 4 to 1 vote in favor of allowing hog-dog contests in Vancleave. Although the four “yes” voters listened politely, I could tell they were not going to back down on their decision.

Mike Mangum was the only supervisor to vote “no.” Each of the other four asked me the same question: “Have you ever been to a hog-dog fight?” This led me to believe that they had attended them. One supervisor said, “The animals are not hurt. The tusks and nails of the hog are filed down (ouch) and there is a vet tech to ensure that the animals are all right.”

Why is a vet tech needed if there is never injury to the animals? I was told that a hog is in the arena with several dogs, and the dog that is able to get the hog into a corner without biting the hog is the winner. This implies that the losing dogs do bite the hog and, to me, the word “biting” means that some injury is involved.

One supervisor said, “This has been a tradition in our area for a long time.”

Long-time traditions such as dog fights and cock fights have been deemed inappropriate and cruel and have, therefore, been outlawed.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals told me that they received hundreds of e-mails from our area and strongly argued on our behalf against the contests, to no avail.

Animal lovers in Jackson County, I plead with you, do not allow this to continue. It is barbaric, archaic, and totally exploits our furry friends.

Please call the supervisors (blue pages in the phone book) or e-mail them via the Web site, www.co.jackson.ms.us, and let them know that we are above having this cruel, senseless activity in our community.

CAROLYN WEATHERSBY
Pascagoula

July 16 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR - Letters - SunHerald.com

Great letter to the editor, if only our supervisors would listen. The majority of Jackson County residents do NOT WANT or APPROVE of this barbaric event.

Training dogs to hunt hogs should not be a spectator sport

2010-07-07T03:59:00.000-07:00

I agree with this editorial 100%, the 4 Supervisors who voted to permit this atrocity should be ashamed of themselves.
Training dogs to hunt hogs should not be a spectator sport - Editorial - SunHerald.com

2010-06-23T06:22:00.000-07:00

Supporters of hog and dog competitions told the Jackson County Board of Supervisors on Monday that the events represent a way of life in Vancleave and shouldn’t be stopped.

Stupid Supervisors, I am sure the supporters of dog fighting say the same thing. What is even more OUTRAGEOUS is the County Planning Commission had decided the event was NOT in harmony with the community and recommended the permit NOT be issued, but the Jackson County Board of Supervisors ignored their recommendation.

To contact the Supervisors and express your outrage

Manly Barton Manly_Barton@co.jackson.ms.us
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 998 Pascagoula, MS 39568
Phone Numbers 228.769.3403
Toll Free: 877.542.0976

Melton Harris Melton_Harris@co.jackson.ms.us

Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 998 Pascagoula, MS 39668

Phone Number: 228.769.3170

Mike Mangum Mike_Mangum@co.jackson.ms.us

Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 998 Pascagoula, MS 39668

Phone Numbers: 228.762.7641

* Mr Mangum was the only Supervisor to vote against the event.

Tommy Brodnax Tommy_Brodnax@co.jackson.ms.us

Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 998 Pascagoula, MS 39568

Phone Number: 228.769.3457 Toll free: 877.542.0975

John McKay John_McKay@co.jackson.ms.us

Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 998 Pascagoula, MS 39668

Phone Number: 228.769.3378

Supervisors allow hog-dog events

About that Oil Spill ........Leak........Whatever you want to call it

2010-05-26T06:13:00.001-07:00

Read my post here.

Oil Well Destroying Environment Even Before The Spill

2010-05-18T02:39:00.000-07:00

Since the 1930s, oil and natural gas companies dug about 10,000 miles of canals, straight as Arizona highways, through the oak and cypress forests, black mangroves, bird rushes and golden marshes. If lined up in a row, the canals would stretch nearly halfway around the world.
They funneled salt water into the marshes, killing trees and grass and hastening erosion. Some scientists say drilling caused half of Louisiana's land loss, or about 1,000 square miles.

Spill reinforces oil bad will for American Indians - Regional Wire - SunHerald.com

The Oil Spill

2010-05-15T10:32:00.000-07:00

This is the first time I have really blogged about the oil spill. My deepest sympathy goes to those who lost loved ones or who were injured when the oil rigged exploded.

First BP seems to be trying to control the information the public has access to about the oil spill.

Secondly BP seems to be trying to get out of paying for the spill.

BP CEO Tony Hayward would not commit to paying for economic damages beyond the company's $75 million liability limit. Here's video of Nelson, along with a brief interview of Hayward from CNN (transcript):

Please read Nelson: BP not waiving liability cap for a roundup of news and information related to BP's oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

BP also seems to be trying to control who has access to the area and preventing volunteers from helping the wildlife.

The oil spill seems to be the "monster that won't go away". They still haven't managed to plug the leak, which means every day additional oil is pumped into the gulf. The chemicals they are using to fight the oil spill also pose a threat to the wildlife. Please read Oil not the only threat to Gulf's fragile wildlife Chemicals to fight spill also a problem.

In the potential path of the spill are 20 national wildlife refuges currently filled with nesting herons, terns and brown pelicans, removed from the endangered species list in Louisiana just a few months ago

This spill is more than a third as large as the devastating Exxon Valdez spill in Alaska in 1989, according to official estimates, and could get larger. And never before has so much dispersant — containing toxic heavy metals — been deployed to fight a spill in a single site.

So far, BP estimates that about 95,000 barrels of oil — 5,000 barrels a day — have spewed into the Gulf since the drilling rig exploded on April 20.
On top of that, more than 250,000 gallons of dispersant have been applied both by air and underwater at the Deepwater Horizon spill site, the U.S. Coast Guard confirmed.

What caused the oil rig explosion is still being investigated read In the Gulf of Mexico, what went wrong with the Deepwater Horizon oil drilling rig? for more information. But apparently at least some of the blame can be placed on government agencies who were in charge of making sure safety regulations were followed, see WH proposes overhaul of drilling oversight agency.

Sadly many Mississippi officials and new agencies seem to be trying to down play the spill.

Mississippi’s Haley Barbour, a well-connected former Washington lobbyist, has calmly said the oil slick looming offshore is just a sheen in most places and there’s no reason for people to panic.

Barbour has said the oil spill is “not Armageddon,” but he believes news coverage has hurt tourism in his state.

This is spite of tar balls , dead jellyfish and sea turtles washing up on the Mississippi shores.

Coast Guard Capt. Steven Poulin, in a press conference in Mobile, said that tar balls were found onshore in Mississippi and on barrier islands. He said that initial inspection led experts to believe that these were from the Deepwater Horizon catastrophe. He said tar balls also had been found in Perdido Key in Florida. Previously, there had been reports of similar finds in Dauphin Island and Gulf Shores in Alabama.

No doubt tourism and the fishing industry have been hurt, but not by news coverage, they are being hurt by our environment being destroyed by the oil spill. It may be decades before the wildlife that is being killed off by the oil and the chemicals used to fight it reach sustainable numbers, the fishing industry in the Gulf Coast may be looking at it's demise in the foreseeable future and those who work in the hospitality industry are facing their own uncertain future all due to the greed of BP.

$8M Loan To Fund Jackson County Roadwork

2010-04-21T03:47:00.000-07:00

Supervisor John McKay says most of the money will be spent to widen the two-lane Tucker Road to four lanes from Interstate 10 north to the Latimer Community Center.

$8M Loan To Fund Jackson Co. Roadwork | WJTV.com

April 21, 2010 Letters to the Editor ~ The Sun Herald

2010-04-21T03:39:00.000-07:00

Change of heart followed change of highway’s path

I am confused about Jackson County Supervisor Tommy Brodnax’s change of heart. When his property in Latimer was threatened by the proposed route through Latimer, Mr. Brodnax said he would prefer for Mississippi Highway 15 to remain where it is today. “I’d like to see it in its present place,” Brodnax said. “Where it is now, I think that would be the most sensible thing to do.” (www.wlox.com/global/story.asp?s=10888497)

Now that his Latimer prop-erty is no longer threatened by the proposed route Tommy Brodnax introduced a resolution formally supporting a route for Mississippi 15 that would take the highway through parts of Latimer and the De Soto National Forest, across west Jackson County, to connect with Mississippi 57 north of Vancleave. (Sun Herald, April 5).

I guess those who are politically connected do not have to fear MDOT’s bulldozers destroying their property, while the rest of us have to live in fear that our homes will be ripped from us by eminent domain.

Perhaps it is time for Latimer residents to stage their own tea party and elect a representative who actually represents them, not someone who is only looking out for his own selfish interest.

KATHY DAVIS
Vancleave

MDOT - Highway 15

2010-04-19T15:34:00.000-07:00

Spoke to someone at MDOT today. According to them no route has been chosen and they do not even have a preferred alternate route yet. The lady is suppose to call and let me know when they expect to have a decision on the preferred alternate route. They are still taking comments from the public so please call and let them know you do not wish for the route to go through DeSoto National Forrest in Jackson County.

Spoke to someone at DeSoto National Forrest. The Forrest Service is opposed to any forest land being used for the highway and will fight them if that is the route is chosen. Nice to know the National Forrest Service will be on my side.

Tommy Brodnax

2010-04-17T12:18:00.001-07:00

I spoke to Tommy Brodnax today and according to him MDOT said that the route will go through Jackson County. Since I was unaware MDOT had completed any of the "required" studies I was very surprised by this assertion and was outraged by his comment "that there is nothing we can do about it". I plan on calling MDOT Monday to find out if a final route has been decided upon.

Letters to the Editor Concerning Highway 15

2010-04-15T05:24:00.000-07:00

MDOT and supervisors should hang their heads in shame

The Jackson County Board of Supervisors should hang their heads in shame for passing a resolution that supports moving Highway 15 to Jackson County, destroying fragile ecosystems and wildlife habitats in DeSoto National Forest in the process. Our national forests are a national treasure, and everyone should work to keep them safe from destructive development.

I encourage everyone to contact MDOT as well as the Jackson County Board of Supervisors and let them know you do not wish to see Highway 15 routed through Jackson County on the proposed route that would take it through DeSoto National Forest. I also encourage environmental groups to get involved in saving our national forest from this destructive route.

Highway 15 should remain in its current location in Harrison County. The land to widen Highway 15 at its current location was purchased 25 years ago and should be used for the purpose for which it was purchased. It is time for government officials to stop wasting taxpayers’ money, paving over people’s homes, as well as destroying fragile ecosystems and wildlife habitats out of greed.

ABIGAL PARKER
Vancleave

Supervisors are listening to ‘cha-ching’ instead of to constituents

We were dismayed to read of the Jackson County Board of Supervisors’ resolution supporting a route for Mississippi 15 that would take the highway through parts of Latimer and the DeSoto National Forest.

Many of the residents of Latimer do not want Mississippi Highway 15 moved from its current location. Many of us do not wish for the route to be moved through Latimer and the DeSoto National Forest. We do not wish for Old Biloxi Road to be four-laned in order to connect Tucker Road and the “relocated” Highway 15.

The Jackson County Board of Supervisors, which is supposed to represent us, was not taking our views into account when they passed this resolution. The resolution should be rescinded immediately and the Jackson County Board of Supervisors should start representing the people who live in their communities and not big businesses that want to pave over our homes to create “economic corridors.”

Highway 15 should be kept in its current location in Harrison County.

SANDRA ALAWINE
ANDREA CHATHAM
LORI RAMSEY MASSEY
MAXINE RAMSEY
Latimer

Letters to the Editor Thursday April 15, 2010 The Sun Herald

MDOT Meetings

2010-04-12T04:34:00.000-07:00

The Mississippi Department of Transportation will hold three public meetings this week to help develop nothing less than “a unified, 25-year outlook of transportation vision, goals and objectives” for the state.

Since it is better to help develop such plans than try to change them once they are in place, we encourage your participation at one of the following:

5-7 p.m. Tuesday at the Gulf Regional Planning Commission Annex Center, 1224-A Pass Road, Gulfport.
5-7 p.m. Thursday at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in Gautier.
5-7 p.m. Thursday at the Bay St. Louis City Council Chambers at 598 Main St.

Sour Grapes by USM Drives USA Away

2010-04-02T11:01:00.000-07:00

The USA Board of Trustees in March voted to support the establishment of a USA satellite campus in Gautier after Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College sought a formal partnership following consultations with civic and business leaders in the Mississippi Gulf Coast region.

Since that time, conflict has arisen among institutions within the higher education system in Mississippi, the colleges stated in a joint news release.

"While USA appreciates the invitation to partner with MGCCC and remains committed to meeting the educational needs of the upper Gulf Coast region, the proposed satellite campus has been the subject of unanticipated discord within Mississippi," said USA President Gordon Moulton.

University of South Alabama officials decide against satellite campus on the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College campus in Gautier, Miss.

Highway 15 Meeting

2010-03-24T19:37:00.000-07:00

There was a meeting about the new proposed routes March 23rd. Unfortunately I missed it as we were out of town.

My biggest fear is that they will run the Highway across Latimer through Desoto National Forest up above my house and then insist on 4 laning Old Biloxi Road up to it, destroying my front yard.

I am hoping that they will either go up Highway 57 or keep Highway 15 in it's current location in Harrison County and stay out of Jackson County all together.

New Mississippi 15 routes unveiled Two plans follow existing highways

A route through Latimer that faced opposition has been modified to travel about 3 miles north through De Soto National Forest land rather than through neighborhoods.

I DO NOT WANT THIS ROUTE. MY FRONT YARD WOULD BE DESTROYED!!!!!

One of the two new routes would follow Mississippi 15 north from I-110 on most of its current path, then across to Mississippi 57 on Mississippi 26 and a four-laned Mississippi 57 north.

The other would skip what is now Mississippi 15 altogether. It would start at I-110, head east on Interstate 10 and go up Mississippi 57, widening it to four lanes all the way.

All five proposed routes tie into Mississippi 15 where it picks up just north of Beaumont.

Both of the new routes are acceptable as they follow existing highways and would do the least damage.

I am disappointed the Sun Herald couldn't be bothered to let their readers know about the meeting in advance so that more of us could have attended. I found out about the meeting when I passed the local grocery on my way out of town.

DOE shelves plans for Richton salt dome project

2010-03-24T19:25:00.000-07:00

The U.S. Department of Energy has re-evaluated the need for increasing the nation's strategic oil reserve capacity and has dropped the Richton salt dome project from its budget.
Environmentalists warn that this doesn't mean the Richton project is dead, but that it currently isn't being funded.

DOE shelves plans for Richton salt dome project - Politics - SunHerald.com

Update on Mallett - Cook Road Project

2010-03-11T18:24:00.000-08:00

It really sucks that some longtime Latimer residents will lose their homes because two New York Developers bought up land in Latimer, MS and are pushing a monster road through so they can build a shopping complex and apartments.

The plans were approved when Frank Leach was supervisor.

This project will not directly affect me.

Still no updates on the Highway 15 project.

Supposedly it will be 6 months before the Tucker Road project is completed. Mr. Brown did promise to get better signs up telling us the detour route. Since I am unfamiliar with the back routes I worry about getting lost especially at night and the roads we are having to detour on are really narrow and run down.

Mallett - Cook Road Project Meeting March 11th, 2010 Latimer Community Center

2010-03-02T14:53:00.000-08:00

If you want to take a look at the map and the paperwork before the meeting it is currently available at the St. Martin Public Library.

Public Meeting
DATE:     March 11, 2010
Time:        6PM
Where:      Latimer Community Center.

A hundred egrets roost in Ocean Springs

2010-01-07T02:56:00.000-08:00

A hundred egrets roost in Ocean Springs Great nest - Featured Story - SunHerald.com

Keep Highway 15 in Harrison County

2009-12-27T06:08:00.000-08:00

Ishee, Brown butt heads about proposed route for Miss. 15 - Featured Story - SunHerald.com

Great Backyard Bird Count

2009-11-18T03:30:00.000-08:00

The Great Backyard Bird Count will be February 12-15 this year.

Bad News For The Mississippi Gulf Coast

2009-10-29T03:07:00.000-07:00

Cochran supports the Salt Dome plan, which has been the focus of some environmental concerns from South Mississippians and is still going through its approval process.

I encourage you to contact both Senator Cochran and President Obama and let them know how upset you are about the Richton Salt Dome Plan. President Obama must be informed about the potential harm it can do to our environment and the fact that the majority of Mississippi residents do not support it.

To contact President Obama
Call or write to the President:

Email
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Please include your e-mail address

Phone Numbers
Comments: 202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414
FAX: 202-456-2461
TTY/TDD
Comments: 202-456-6213
Visitors Office: 202-456-2121

Federal Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force Public Hearing

2009-10-06T18:32:00.000-07:00

WHERE: New Orleans Aquarium at the Audubon Nature Center, Entergy IMAX Theater New Orleans, LA

WHEN October 19, 2009 ‐ 3:30 pm‐7:00 pm

Our oceans and coasts are beautiful environments and economic engines that provide valuable jobs, food, recreation, and energy resources. Yet more than 140 different and often‐conflicting laws govern our oceans, and this allows poor management and environmental harm. To help overcome the challenges faced by our oceans and coasts – including pollution, habitat loss, overfishing and climate change – we need one unifying national policy.
On June 12th, the President created a 23‐member interagency Ocean Policy Task Force to develop a first‐ever national ocean policy. The Task Force is charged with developing a recommendation for a national policy that ensures protection, maintenance, and restoration of oceans, our coasts and the Great Lakes.

On October 19th, we need to come together to urge President Obama to issue an Executive Order that protects special ocean places and establishes national ocean policy that protects, maintains, and restores our oceans, coasts and Great Lakes. This is the best opportunity to get what we need for a healthy Gulf. Be there!

We need a national policy that protects wild fish populations and restores wildlife populations, protects ocean wildlife habitats, cleans up our waterways and reduces the impacts of climate change. The Task Force has planned six listening sessions around the nation to gather public input and expert opinion, and October 19th is the only Gulf Region session.

Transportation to and from the event available!

Contact Raleigh Hoke by email or 504-525-1528, ext. 204 to join the effort to create a national ocean policy that truly protects our oceans, coasts and wildlife.

For information on the Interagency Ocean policy Task Force and its Interim Report go to: http://www.whitehouse.gove/administration/eop/ceq/intiatives/oceans/

For more background and information about the Coalition for Oceans and Greta Lakes check out: https://sites.google.com/site/healthyoceansandlakes/home

LTE ~ Richton Salt Dome Project

2009-08-21T04:20:00.000-07:00

Don’t trade our river and our Gulf for 10 days of oil

It seems that politicians in Perry County and Washington are hell-bent on destroying our Pascagoula River system. I can’t understand why the DOE wants to spend $2 billion to $4 billion to store 10 days worth of oil. What good will 10 days of oil do us in a world war? The refineries will not be operational to refine it into gas or diesel, so what’s the point? Besides, we’re broke!

If Richton wants this oil project, let them mine, then pile that salt in their city or county so it can destroy their property, not our river and gulf. I’ll bet they don’t want all that salt contaminating their farmland, just as we don’t want it contaminating our river and gulf.

Right now the Obama administration has stopped new drilling, and oil is being stockpiled by companies until they get the price back up. So why is the DOE going ahead with this? The answer is greed. A select few will get rich off this at the expense of the environment.

I’ve said it before, you can’t eat money and you can’t drink oil. We need the river’s fresh water and the food from the river and gulf more than we need 10 days worth of oil. This project is going to put all this in jeopardy. The depletion of fresh water — 50 million gallons a day — from the river will allow saltwater intrusion to destroy the marshes.

I hope there is enough protest from voters to get this stopped. Use the money for something we need.

In an e-mail, Rep. Gene Taylor says he supports the dome project but doesn’t support the way the water is to be taken from the river nor the dumping of the brine into the Gulf so near shore. He doesn’t address the spill factor that the DOE itself admits. We must band together and get this stopped, please write your representatives and voice your concerns.

C.F. LIGHTSEY

Moss Point

Wicker: Don’t hurt the environment for economic gain

2009-08-13T03:32:00.001-07:00

Wicker speaks out against using fresh water from the Pascagoula River for the Richton Salt Dome Project.

Latimer unified against possible highway expansion route

2009-08-13T02:46:00.000-07:00

"Latimer appears to be a tight knit community and they speak with a unified voice. And I think they've been very effective in communicating what their concerns are to us," said Steve Twedt, MDOT District Engineer. "We've had some really good feedback from the Latimer community. And we've had a really good turnout for this meeting, and that's what we need. I mean, we really need to hear from the people so that we can find out what their concerns are and get some input on the route selection."

One of those who would be impacted is Jackson County's District 4 Supervisor, Tommy Brodnax. A small piece of his property could be taken if Route C is chosen. Brodnax said he would prefer for Highway 15 to remain where it is today.

Read the rest at WLOX

MDOT seeks public opinion on Hwy 15 expansion

2009-08-12T03:37:00.001-07:00

Back in the 1960s, when Highway 15 was being built, the project ran out of money and steam and just kind of stopped.

"Highway 15 is supposed to be a continuous route from the Gulf Coast all the way to Tennessee," Twedt said. "Right now, 15 starts at 1-10 and 1-110 and it goes up to Highway 26 and it stops."

Filling that gap left in the sixties, would mean creating a four lane highway that could take as long as ten years to construct. The toughest part is figuring out where to put it while also having the smallest impact on wetlands, forests and humans. That's why they are asking for input.

Option C goes through Jackson, George and Greene Counties into Perry. This one has a lot of homeowners in Latimer very upset, because a number of homes would have to go.

I went to the meeting last night and I discover that the land along OPTION B was purchased 25 years ago to widen Highway 15 at it's current location.

When they recently received Federal Funding to widen Highway 15 DeSoto National Forest and Camp Shelby demanded they do a new EIS (Environmental Study) because it had been more then 3 years and 25 years ago MDOT failed to get a RECORD OF DECISION. They will get a RECORD OF DECISION this time so whatever route they decide on the Highway will be built there even IF they run out of money and the Highway isn't widened for 10 or 30 years.

This is a FEDERALLY FUNDED PROJECT so I encourage everyone to attend the Town Hall Meeting held by Representative Gene Taylor and ask why our tax money is being wasted on a new EIS? why the original route where land has already been purchased isn't automatically being used? and what will happen to the land purchased 25 years ago and never used if another route is chosen?

Moss Point Town Hall Meeting
Monday, August 17, 2009
Pelican Landing Conference Center
6217 Highway 613
6:00 – 7:30 p.m.

Live oak cut down for new building

2009-08-12T03:17:00.000-07:00

Jackson County supervisors decided Monday afternoon to move quickly and get rid of an old Live oak tree that might stand in the way of a new County Services Complex in downtown Pascagoula.

Two supervisors Tuesday said the board acted quickly for fear that someone or a group might take action to save the tree that would halt the building project.

Read the rest in The Sun Herald.

MDOT will host hearings on highway

2009-08-09T18:01:00.000-07:00

On Monday, MDOT environmental engineers and the consultants who developed the routes will meet with the public at the D’Iberville Senior Center, 10450 Lamey Bridge Road, from 4 to 7 p.m. On Tuesday from 4 to 7 p.m., they will meet with Latimer residents at the Latimer Community Center, 10908 Daisy Vestry Road.

Latimer has been particularly outspoken against one route that is proposed to go from Interstate 110, just north of I-10, through West Jackson County, to connect with Mississippi 57 just north of Vancleave, where the highways would run combined for 20 miles into Perry County.

Another alternative would be for Mississippi 15 to run north along its current route through a portion of the De Soto National Forest and Camp Shelby and into Perry County. A third route would avoid the complications of running through a military installation and the communities of West Jackson County and still link up with Mississippi 57 at some point.

Widening original route will save homes and expense

2009-08-07T05:54:00.000-07:00

A letter by Lily Smith was in today's Sun Herald. Also remember the meeting August 11th at the Latimer Community Center, we need a good turnout so MDOT will know we are serious about not wanting Highway 15 in our community.

Widening original route will save homes and expense

If MDOT will merely widen Mississippi 15 at its current location fewer people will lose their homes. There is a big difference between widening an existing highway and creating a completely new road. Please, people, look at the maps of alternate routes on MDOT’s Web site before making ignorant comments.

Currently most of Mississippi 15 goes through wildlife management areas, so few people will be affected by a widening at its current location. Most homeowners along Mississippi 15 live far enough from the road that they will not lose their homes if it is widened at its current location.

An ignorant post on the comment board saying that residents of Latimer “only like to put a mobile home on their property, and live partly on the government,” couldn’t be further from the truth. The majority of people who live in Latimer live in well-maintained brick houses on which they pay property taxes. Estimated median household income for residents of Latimer in 2007 was $46,951. The estimated median house value in Latimer in 2007 was $124,138.

Also, taking Mississippi 15 through Latimer and connecting it to Mississippi 57 does not give us another evacuation route north. It merely connects Mississippi 15 to an existing route that Coast residents can already use. We evacuated on Highway 57 for Katrina and there was very little traffic, which makes me wonder if all those people who complain about the congestion on U.S. 49 are even willing to use an alternate route. If we do need more routes going north, then widening Mississippi 15 at its current location is the most sensible thing to do.

Thankfully, according to Red Stringfellow with MDOT, the staff is working on another alternative — one that would extend the highway north from I-110, rather than taking it east through Latimer and Jackson County. I commend MDOT for listening to the residents and coming up with an alternative to destroying our homes.

LILY SMITH

Reynolds speaks out if defense of Latimer's wetlands

2009-07-29T09:06:00.000-07:00

July 29 Letters to the Editor, The Sun Herald

Stop MDOT’s cut-through plan before it’s set in concrete

Tell me it ain’t so! Tell me Transportation Commissioner Wayne Brown is not trying to pull a fast one over on the citizens of South Mississippi. Word is, he’s planning to move the route of Mississippi 15’s four-lane corridor from the existing route to a Jackson County cut-through (Route C).

And cut through it will. Does Brown think the beautiful streams, meadows and creeks of Latimer, Larue, Vestry and Vancleave can be improved with four lanes of bridges, concrete and asphalt? I especially like the part where Wayne and his brother own 1,000-plus acres of land near the proposed route.

There’s a reason for saying, “Take the high road.” The existing route was once a path traveled by native Indian tribes. Settlers made their way to the Coast along its natural ridge.

Along Route C, bogs and wet-lands are nature’s water filters. Rain seeps through and trickles down into our water table as clean water. Wetlands cannot be reproduced or manufactured.

Brown’s proposed Route C is a seriously flawed concept. It is an ecological nightmare, four miles longer, and will cost you, the taxpayers, millions of dollars more. These are taxes everyone in our country will pay. In these hard times, we do not need to add to the recession.

Please contact Commissioner Brown at wbrown@mdot.state.ms.us. Call your supervisors, state representatives and congressmen. Let them know that you strongly disagree with Brown’s proposal. How can we sit idly by and let this happen to our children and their children? We deserve better.

Please attend the meeting hosted by MDOT and federal officials from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 11, at the Latimer Community Center.

H.R. REYNOLDS

Ocean Springs

Brown on hotseat over proposed 15 route

2009-07-23T04:22:00.000-07:00

But the project that brought the most questions from the public was a proposed route for Mississippi 15 that would take the highway from I-110 in Harrison County, across northwest Jackson County, link it to Mississippi 57 north of Vancleave and have the two highways merge for 20 miles en route to the Beaumont area, where it would link up with itself.

Kendall Cruthirds, whose family owns a grocery in the Latimer community, asked Brown about land Brown and his brother own.

Cruthirds and others expressed concerns about the route cutting into Latimer homesteads and acreage that have been in families for generations, the tons of fill dirt that would have to be brought in before the route gets to Old Biloxi Road and the fear that a four-lane highway would divide the community with few points of access for locals.

Read more in The Sun Herald

MDOT Workshop Open to the Public

2009-07-21T03:56:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday (July 22nd) MDOT will meet with Jackson County leaders and officials from all four of the county’s cities to go over projects that are on the drawing board.The meeting for Jackson County will be at 10 a.m. at the Gautier Convention Center, near the city’s public library.

Letter from Maxine Ramsay

2009-07-21T03:50:00.000-07:00

Letter to the Editor, The Sun Herald, July 21, 2009

MDOT sign should say, ‘Your tax dollars at waste’

This letter is in opposition to MDOT State Route 15/57 Alternate Plan through Latimer in Jackson County.

MDOT and Transportation Commissioner Wayne Brown acted in a furtive manner on this important issue by holding a forum in Harrison County, leaving out Jackson County in their meetings and advertisements. An oversight? I don’t think so. In essence, Brown has publicly stated that the Latimer C corridor is MDOT’s choice.

Jackson County’s supervisors have been contacted but have not supported the citizens of Latimer in their plight. They have also been contacted by MDOT, yet they remain silent. Why?

How can MDOT rationalize a completely new route in these economic times? Instead of saving the taxpayers’ money by using existing roadbeds (either Miss. 15 or Miss. 57) they will be squandering away 10 times as much money by bulldozing wetlands and streams and adding four miles to the route.

I wonder if MDOT thinks EPA and the Fish & Wildlife Service rejoice in the selection of Latimer C, which will impact many threatened and endangered species and their habitats. At least two archeological sites will be destroyed. Why choose this route when there are more environmentally friendly routes to consider?

Longtime homeowners, other residents and those displaced by Hurricanes Camille and Katrina will be affected unnecessarily.

A look at the land rolls provides some very interesting names of landowners on the route and in the general area who could profit from future development if Latimer C comes to fruition.

Maps, petitions, MDOT comment cards, and other information are available at Cruthirds Country Corner Grocery and T&N Feed Store off Exit 50 in Latimer.

Instead of “Your Tax Dollars at Work,” this project’s sign should be “Your Tax Dollar at Waste.”

MAXINE RAMSAY

Latimer

Possible Good News

2009-07-21T03:26:00.000-07:00

From The Sun Herald

The new alternative would extend the highway north from I-110 (it's current location), rather than taking it east through Latimer and Jackson County. But this route would then skirt Camp Shelby on its way to Beaumont, where Mississippi 15 would reconnect with itself. Whether this alternative would hook up with Mississippi 57 has not been determined, Stringfellow said.

Proposed highway route threatens homes

2009-07-20T16:51:00.000-07:00

From WLOX TV Proposed highway route threatens homes

Alternate Route C runs through the tight-knit Latimer community and crosses several homes.

"I can't believe it," said 18 year-old Natalie Ramsay, whose family just moved into a new house in the proposed highway's path. "You would never think that that would happen to you or your family."

Ramsay is worried she's going to lose her new home if the highway runs through Latimer.

"My mom and dad have worked so hard for this, and it's being taken away," Ramsay said. "And it makes me think, Do these people actually care about what they're doing? Or do they just worry about making money or having a road put through?"
Brown said MDOT is considering drawing a third route that would run just north of Latimer to connect with Hwy 57. He said he expects the decision-making process to take up to a year.

This could potentially be horrible news for me depending on how far North of Latimer he is talking about. So for a whole year the residents of Latimer and the surrounding area are suppose to live in fear that their homes could be destroyed.

Alternate Route B touches on land owned by Camp Shelby and the Forestry Service. Southern District Highway Commissioner Wayne Brown said it would be very difficult to acquire the permits necessary to cross through that property.

It is unconscionable that it is harder to use land owned by the federal government then it is to seize private citizens homes

Lily Smith ask Is no place safe from MDOT’s bulldozer?

2009-07-13T04:11:00.000-07:00

This was in The Sun Herald's July 13th, Letters to the Editor

Is no place safe from MDOT’s bulldozer?

I am writing this on behalf of my parents. They have lived in the Latimer Community their whole lives. As a young married couple they purchased land and built a house which they now own outright. Their home, like many others in the Latimer Community, survived Katrina with no damage. They should be able to enjoy their golden years in the home that holds so many warm memories for them. But MDOT is threatening to destroy their home with its relocation of Miss. 15, a relocation that is unnecessary and uncalled for.

Those on the Mississippi Gulf Coast who wish to evacuate using Miss. 57 can do so now by merely getting on the interstate or on U.S. 90 and getting off at Miss. 57 and heading north. There is no need to bulldoze people’s homes in order to tie Miss. 15 in to Miss. 57. This does not actually give us another evacuation route north. One has to wonder if the real drive to bulldoze people’s homes is in order to get visitors who travel to the Gulf Coast via Miss. 57 to the casinos faster.

It is also ironic that MDOT has to ask permission to use land already owned by the government but is free to take private citizens’ homes. And it is unconscionable that when there are so many homeless in Jackson County, MDOT wishes to create even more homeless citizens. My parents are retired and on a fixed income, there is no way they will be able to start over somewhere else on the pittance MDOT will give them for the land they will take if this highway relocation goes through. Let’s put a stop to MDOT’s continual land-grabbing.

LILY SMITH

Alasandra's Place: The Supreme Court Decides the New Haven Firefighter Case

2009-07-12T07:29:00.000-07:00

Alasandra's Place: The Supreme Court Decides the New Haven Firefighter Case

I couldn't have said it better myself

2009-07-09T04:11:00.000-07:00

Letter to the Editor Sun Herald, July 9, 2009

We survived Katrina. Will we survive MDOT?

A proposed alternate route to Miss. 15 now being considered by MDOT will plow through existing homes.

What is wrong with this picture? How can MDOT even consider destroying people’s homes? The devastation that this Coast suffered almost four years ago destroyed so many homes and businesses. If you are blessed to have a home left, why on earth would our own state want to destroy it? I cannot believe that this is even a consideration. How heartless.

There are other routes that this road could go. How much will financial and political clout factor into the final decision? Will MDOT even hear the voices of the hard-working people just trying to keep ahead?

We are not notified of the meetings; we have to learn after the fact.

Orange Grove community was annexed into the city of Gulfport by some judge in Jackson. The residents of this community had no say.

Now the state wants to destroy families and their homes. Some of these families built here because they lost everything to Katrina, now their own state wants to destroy them again.

KAY HEBERT

Route through Jackson County will destroy homes

2009-07-06T04:14:00.000-07:00

From The Sun Herald, Monday July 6, 2009

The state has just begun studying the expense and the environmental impact of both routes and will take at least a year to make a decision, but the unveiling of the route across Jackson County has raised concerns in the Latimer community, which is north of Interstate 10 above Ocean Springs.

Residents there have said they’re concerned that the route would cross and damage more than three miles of sensitive wetlands and plow through residential communities of large-lot home sites.

“Now is the time to have your voice heard,” said Wayne Brown, Southern District highway commissioner. “In this case, write MDOT or contact your county through your supervisor.”
MDOT held meetings on the subject in Stone County, Perry County and D’Iberville in Harrison County last month. None were held in Jackson County, but Brown said that if there’s enough interest in Jackson County, he would come to the county and meet with a group to explain the two routes.

He said the meeting would allow residents to hear MDOT staff explain environmental impact, rights-of-way and how each route might be built.

Brown gave strong reasons why the alternative route through Jackson County looks good.

He said that to continue Mississippi 15 north from where it is now, would mean going through U.S. Forest Service land and Camp Shelby, which would require approval from both of those entities. He said that getting that approval could be difficult. He said the alternate route would benefit economic development in northwest Jackson County, which is growing.

State Route 15/57 Objections

2009-07-01T01:37:00.000-07:00

Wayne Brown and MDOT held public meetings in Harrison, Stone & Perry Counties about the proposed improvements to State Route 15/57. All these counties are in the path of Alternative B. On the other hand the residents of Jackson, George & Green Counties who are in the path of Alternative C will not have any meetings held in their counties. Apparently we are not going to be allowed the same open forum public meetings where we can “view MDOT’s alternatives and speak to representatives” or a chance to voice our opinions and opposition as the residents of Harrison, Stone & Perry Counties enjoyed. The residents of Latimer do not wish to have highway 15 moved to their community. Wayne Brown and MDOT's backhanded attempt to keep those along Alternative C from learning these "proposed improvements" might affect them are shameful. And shame on the Sun Herald for not letting the residents of Jackson County know they should attend the meeting in D'Iberville (Harrison County). Nothing in their article about the meeting in D’Iberville, Sunday June 14, 2009 Meeting will give highway options By DONNA HARRIS MELTON - Sun Herald mentioned Jackson County as a possible route. If they had the residents of Latimer would have attended the meeting. Unfortunately according to MDOT when a resident of Latimer called to request a meeting in Jackson County, we have missed our chance.

Good news MDOT has agreed to hold a meeting in Latimer.

Keep Highway 15 Out of Jackson County

2009-06-30T15:11:00.001-07:00

Department of Marine Resources says NO to Richton Project

2009-04-16T03:34:00.000-07:00

The head of the state Department of Marine Resources said Wednesday that his agency won’t have it.

Bill Walker, director of the DMR, has said in the past that his staff is not going to recommend approval of that aspect of the project. The state recommends using water pumped from the Gulf to Richton and discharged back into the Gulf.

But on Wednesday he confirmed just how crucial that objection is to the DOE’s current proposal.

Walker said that he, leaders with the state Department of Environmental Quality and U.S. Rep. Gene Taylor, D-Bay St. Louis, have consistently made public statements that they do not want water for the project taken out of the Pascagoula River.

“I don’t know how much more clearly we can say that,” he said.

The Department of Energy doesn't seem to be listening though, so the Pascagoula River isn't safe yet.

Endangered Rivers ~ #9 Pascagoula

2009-04-07T17:45:00.000-07:00

Read Pascagoula River among America’s Most Endangered Rivers

This threat (The Richton Salt Dome Project) landed the Pascagoula in the number nine spot in America’s Most Endangered Rivers: 2009 edition.

I was lucky enough to get to visit the Pascagoula River Audubon Center in September 2007 you can see some of the native plants and animals I saw here.

Gulf Restoration Network (GRN)

2009-04-07T03:28:00.000-07:00

Check out the Gulf Restoration Network (GRN) , be sure to read Protect the Pascagoula and send the DOE your personal message now, urging Secretary Chu to stop the Richton Salt Dome Project.

Richton report’s political ties negate its credibility

2009-03-29T06:29:00.000-07:00

Sun Herald Letter to the editor, March 29th, 2009

Richton report’s political ties negate its credibility

Following is the text of my letter to Energy Secretary Steven Chu about the Richton Strategic Petroleum Reserve project report:

First off, thank you for your waste of taxpayers’ dollars when it should have cost you 42 cents to mail each report. Instead, you mailed the Richton Report in a costly manila envelope that cost 83 cents in postage.

In reference to your so-called scientific studies performed on the Pascagoula River and in the Gulf of Mexico to assist the ongoing preparation of the supplemental environmental impact statement for the proposed DOE Richton Strategic Petroleum Reserve, it appears you would rather accept reports from paid individuals with ties to the political machine instead of from those who have no ax to grind. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was used as an “authority” in your report. If it weren’t so important, I would think it was a joke and laugh. Personally, I see very little credibility in the Corps.

Scientists, biologists, geologists and other learned, educated citizens voiced their opinions against this project during the public hearings in Pascagoula in April 2008. Do you expect us to believe your so-called experts who have political ties instead of these individuals?

The present proposal by the Department of Energy will consist of 200 miles of pipeline that will cross 63 creeks, streams and rivers. Pipeline spills due to the corrosive brine will have dire effects on the freshwater supply for South Mississippi’s people, land and vegetation. Droughts in Georgia and Alabama are causing shortages of fresh water. Can our politicians assure us that taking 50 million gallons of water per day for five years from the Pascagoula River will not affect our freshwater supply?

There are other alternatives for salt brine disposal. Why not send the pipelines to the Mississippi River?

The people of South Mississippi do not need another disaster. Katrina was enough.

MAXINE RAMSAY
Ocean Springs

Our environment is still at risk from salt dome project

2009-03-22T05:34:00.000-07:00

Sadly it looks like the idiots in Washington could care less about the environment on the MS Gulf Coast and are determined to go ahead with the salt dome project.

Ramseur and Jeff Grimes, assistant director of the Gulf Restoration Network out of New Orleans, both said the Richton Report fails to address one of the major concerns of the project; pipeline breaks or leaks along the 80 miles — which the Energy Department itself predicts will happen — spilling brine onto sensitive river wetlands.

Grimes also was concerned the agency does not report the impact to sea life on the ocean floor, where there would be elevated salinity levels, or whether the “elevated salinity plume” might cause a dead zone.

Valid concerns, additional concerns include the loss of water from the Pascagoula River. Water Jackson County may need as our water table is rising.

Bad News For the Mississippi Gulf Coast

2009-02-28T04:13:00.000-08:00

A $410 billion spending bill making its way through Congress includes funding for land purchases and preliminary work on the government's proposal for storage of the nation's oil reserves in the salt domes of Perry County.

The Salt Dome project will be a disaster for the Mississippi Gulf Coast as it will threaten our freshwater supply, harm our fishing industry and do untold damage to the environment. You can read more post about the Salt Dome Project here.

I also question why we haven't heard more about the project until now. I am sure that many of us considered the project DEAD after the fierce opposition it meet on the coast.

Moving the CSX railroad is NOT acceptable and reasonable.

2008-09-09T04:31:00.000-07:00

HARRY T. THAMES of Gulfport (Letter to the Editor, September 9th) couldn't be more wrong a route along the current CSX railroad location is NOT acceptable and reasonable.

Some of the reasons relocating the CSX railroad is NOT acceptable and reasonable.

*The Sun Herald has done numerous pieces about the lack of affordable housing on the coast. Homes North of the Interstate were not destroyed by the storm surge, during Katrina. Destroying them now, in order to make way for the railroad would not only be cruel; it would create even more problems with affordable housing as millions of people would lose their homes. Millions of others would see their property values plummet when a railroad was plopped next door to them.

*The railroad tracks are on property not owned by CSX but exist by a prescriptive easement. This means if there is any attempt to cease the use of these tracks by the railroad the land will be returned to the heirs of this property. Either by direct purchase or even eminent domain, this would be an absolute legal nightmare involving hundreds of heirs of former property owners, it would be years before the land could be used for anything.

*The cost of moving the railroad, as estimated by the consulting firm of DMJM Harris of New Orleans, hired by Wayne Brown and MDOT, would be between $1.9 Billion and $2.9 Billion. That amount of money could rebuild every school, every bridge and most of the infrastructure on the entire Coast.

*The railroad tracks are not isolated to the state of Mississippi but are connected to the rail system coming from Alabama and Louisiana. Are these states going to move their tracks at the same time? If they don't we will be making a big, extremely expensive loop to accommodate a few peoples vision of what the Mississippi coast should look like?

*HARRY T. THAMES has yet to explain how having a roadbed parallel to and SOUTH of Highway 90 (which is where the railroad tracks are located in Jackson County) would be of benefit to anyone. If Highway 90 is damaged due to a hurricane it's logical to assume that any roadbed SOUTH of it would also be damaged.

*The plan to move the tracks is so flawed that the Jackson County Board of Supervisors in 2003 passed a resolution opposing this issue citing the reasons being” economically detrimental, interference with major transportation arteries, interference with county facilities, limiting growth and presenting a safety hazard as well as the impracticality of such a move.

The route for an additional east-west traffic corridor is obviously NOT along the CSX tracks and it's time the Sun Herald (September 4th, editorial) stopped beating a dead horse. It's past time for the residents of Biloxi & Gulfport, the casinos and The Sun Herald to start looking at alternatives to their traffic woes instead of trying to inflict their solution on neighboring counties.

Sun Herald is back to advocating the destruction of peoples homes

2008-09-04T05:07:00.000-07:00

It was with dismay I read the editorial South Mississippi still has too few east-west lifelines Why because of this line

And the location for an additional east-west traffic corridor is obvious: along the route of the CSX tracks.
As for the expense, we cannot afford not to build it.

The obvious route is not along the CSX tracks and relocating the tracks North of the Interstate is unfair to those of us who have chosen to make our homes here. We do not deserve to lose our homes and our peaceful way of life because the denizens of Gulfport and Biloxi (mainly the casinos and The Sun Herald) want another east-west vehicular traffic corridor in addition to Highway 90. If they indeed do need another east-west vehicular traffic corridor they should look somewhere besides the CSX tracks.

Issues & Answers Richton Salt Dome Project

2008-08-04T11:41:00.000-07:00

Bullard's talk, part of the Issues + Answers lecture series, is hosted by the Sun Herald and the University of Southern Mississippi College of Science and Technology. It's called "Richton Salt Dome Project: Past, Present and Future?" and will be at the Mary C. O'Keefe Cultural Center on Government Street in Ocean Springs at 7 p.m. Thursday, free to the public.

Moratorium on filling the oil reserve

2008-05-21T06:03:00.000-07:00

But, this period may also reflect an additional time period for the Richton foes to work on getting the plan changed. The opposition seems less about creating a reserve site at Richton than it is about the environmental impact on the Pascagoula River and Gulf of Mexico. During this moratorium on filling the reserve, perhaps better ideas will surface and be accepted for the Richton plan. The current plan may be good for Richton, but it bears a potentially heavy expense to the Coast environment.

Considering the initial plans were made days after Katrina struck the coast and involved little input from coast residents the delay is poetic justice. Hopefully now our voices will be heard and our objections will be taken into consideration.

Say NO to the Richton Salt Dome and YES to protecting the Pascagoula River Basin

2008-04-30T04:03:00.001-07:00

Apparently the good people of Richton do not care about the environmental affects of the salt dome as they will mostly affect those of us on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

The DOE proposes to use fresh water from the Pascagoula River basin to wash away the salt. The DOE then plans to pipe the briny solution from Richton to the Gulf of Mexico. That disposal method will require building yet another pipeline through the river basin.

That one-two punch to the ecology of South Mississippi has stirred considerable protest - except in the environs of Richton, a hamlet about two dozen miles east of Hattiesburg at the intersection of Mississippi highways 15 and 42.

They didn't want nuclear waste stored in the Richton Salt Dome back in the 70's and 80's and I don't blame them. But they should show the same concern for those of us who depend on fresh water from the Pascagoula River as well as for those whose livelihood depends on fishing in the Gulf of Mexico.

Say NO to the Richton Salt Dome and YES to protecting the Pascagoula River Basin.

Glad I Went to The DOE Open House

2008-04-11T05:16:00.000-07:00

I attended the DOE's Open House in Pascagoula. They had stations set up explaining what they planned to do and DOE officials on hand to answer questions. It was nice to be able to speak with them one on one and I feel I learned a lot.

I am still opposed to the project, especially the use of fresh water to hollow out the salt dome. I basically get the idea that they haven't looked at other alternatives as they are comfortable with this method as they have used it numerous times before. They need to realize that FRESH WATER is as important to us as OIL and that we need to conserve all our sources of fresh water, not waste them on hollowing out a salt dome. They also need to consider some sort of desalinization plant instead of dumping salt brine into the Gulf.

Others are also opposed to this project.

Dawkins, vice chairman of the Senate's committee for environmental protection, received multiple rounds of applause and two standing ovations for her statement that, among other things, called for the energy department to extend the public comment period.

"This is a half-baked plan, poorly thought out, just like the hearing in Jackson," Dawkins said, criticizing the timing and location of the initial hearings just months after Hurricane Katrina.

Dawkins pointed to environmental issues, especially concerning birds and fish that call the river their home. In addition, the land around the river could not stand up to the heavy equipment that would be required for the project, Dawkins said.

"If we allow you to alter it ... the entire system will change forever," Dawkins said.

They are taking public comments until April 29th.

DOE Website

Strategic Petroleum Reserve Project Management Office

Person to contact with your comments Donald Silawsky. His phone number is 202-586-1892, his fax number is 202-586-4446, his email is donald.silawsky@hq.doe.gov

Envelopes and the subject line of emails or faxes should be labeled "Scoping for the SPR SEIS". Conventional mail to DOE may be delayed by anthrax screening, but if you choose to mail the letter here is the address.

Donald Silawsky
Office of Petroleum Reserves (FE-47)
U.S. Department of Energy
1000 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20585-0301

Articles in the local papers:
PUBLIC STAND AGAINST SALT DOME PLAN
Residents choose river, Gulf over oil reserve project

DoE and the Richton Saltdome

2008-04-08T09:46:00.000-07:00

Officials with the Department of Energy will wait until the final hours of their last session with South Mississippians this week before conducting a true "public meeting" on a proposal to store oil in the Richton salt dome in Perry County.

I plan to attend I hope to see a large number of concerned citizens there.

For further reading

Salt dumped on Coast would eclipse Katrina debris

Use water from the Gulf of Mexico rather than from the Pascagoula River system demands House of Representatives

2008-03-19T10:01:00.000-07:00

A House of Representatives committee has drafted a resolution asking that the $4 billion Richton Strategic Petroleum Reserve plan use water from the Gulf of Mexico rather than from the Pascagoula River system.

George County Supervisors oppose salt dome plan

2008-03-07T13:45:00.000-08:00

The Richton project will use water to hollow out caverns in the Richton Salt Dome to store the oil. Department of Energy studies estimate that it will take about 50 million gallons of water each day -- about the same amount of water used by customers of the Mobile water system -- to hollow out the caverns.

Shepard said it is important that the Pascagoula River, which flows through George County, be protected.

Now if the DoE will just listen.

Public Meetings Scheduled for Richton Salt Dome Project

2008-03-05T13:39:00.000-08:00

• Greene County - April 8; 2-8 p.m.; Greene County High School, 4336 High School Road, Leakesville

• George County - April 9; 2-8 p.m.; George County Senior Center, 7102 Hwy. 198 E., Lucedale

• Jackson County: April 10; 2-8 p.m.; B.E. Mac McGinty Civic Center, 2902 Shortcut Road, Pascagoula.

Notice of Intent-Richton salt dome project The Department of Energy posted a notice of intent today for public meetings regarding the Richton salt dome project. The text of the NOI is below, and can be found at http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/search.html, or www.fossil.energy.gov.

Save Our River

2008-03-05T11:02:00.000-08:00

Robert Khayat, chancellor of the University of Mississippi, makes an impassioned plea to save the Pascagoula River.

Keep Streets Out

2008-03-04T04:38:00.000-08:00

Streets would destroy nature area in Gulfport

I am writing on behalf of the 204,000 members of the National Garden Clubs of America, and the Garden Clubs of Mississippi, which has 4,433 members in its many garden clubs across the state. Since 1986, the Clower-Thornton Nature Area in Gulfport has been owned and operated by these two groups.

This area affords abundant enjoyment of nature right in the heart of Gulfport. It is located behind the former V.A. property on Railroad Street and runs for 12 acres to 28th Street. Coffee Creek runs through it.

At public meetings, it has been announced that three streets may be opened through the acreage. We are protesting this idea because this area is a protected Land Trust and the dedicated area has walking trails, both paved and natural, wetland areas, bogs, natural habitat and native wildlife. It also is a state wild bird watching area used by thousands of people every year.

This area is an outdoor classroom for education of nature, used by school children, garden clubs and nature lovers. Guided tours are also available.

Currently, a group is being assisted by Mississippi State University students to survey and plant 30-gallon trees to replace those destroyed by the storm.

This area was donated by Aida Clower in honor of her parents. And my husband gave two additional acres where Coffee Creek comes through, in honor of his father, A.C. Hutto Sr.
We protest any streets being cut into this wonderful area of green space in the city of Gulfport because it is a Land Trust that is owned by these groups. It is an outstanding green space and is considered a protected nature area.

ELSIE CRUTHIRDS HUTTO Gulfport

We took our sons Cub Scout Den there it is a lovely area and deserves to be protected.

Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge

2008-03-03T03:29:00.000-08:00

The public must wait another month for the grand reopening of the Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge's $2.5 million visitor center.

Administrators had planned to open the nature trail and headquarters area this month, but they've decided to keep it closed until demolition of the old building is complete and the exhibits are installed.

I am looking forward to the Refuge's reopening.

Update from Hank Zuber

2008-02-19T10:07:00.000-08:00

The House Marine Resources Committee heard a report on federal plans to store crude oil in the Richton Salt Dome in southeast Mississippi. Our Department of Marine Resources will propose that water for cavern development be taken from the Gulf of Mexico, as opposed to the Pascagoula River, and then return it deep into the Gulf. This can be done without adverse results to Gulf marine life. The long-range plan is for Richton to store 160 million barrels of crude toward a national strategic reserve goal of 1 billion barrels. The project is expected to take 10 years and to be completed in 2018 at a cost of $4 billion. At my request, the Department will conduct a study in cooperation with the USM research lab concerning the environmental impact on the discharge into the Gulf.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at hzuber@house.ms.gov. Thank you for the opportunity to serve you and please come up to see the legislative process in person.
Your state representative-Hank Zuber

Bill to Protect Pascagoula River Introduced

2008-02-12T07:26:00.000-08:00

A new bill under consideration in the Mississippi Legislature could change the measuring stick for the lowest allowable water flow in the Pascagoula River, affecting the Richton salt dome project and hundreds of other entities that draw from the river.

Submitted by state Sen. Debbie Dawkins of Pass Christian, the bill says the standard measure of low water flow used by the state, 7Q10, is far too liberal, allowing the thirst of area projects to create drought conditions unsafe for wildlife in Pascagoula River waterways. Senate Bill 2890 calls on the Department of Environmental Quality and the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks to come up with a tighter standard for how low the river can go.

Read the rest here